Lion King Hero’s journey Lion King Hero’s journey

By: Kevin ThomannBy: Kevin Thomann

TheThe OrdinaryOrdinary World:World:

• is the hero's is the hero's home home environment environment where his friends where his friends and family are and family are located located

Simba is at home when he is at Pride Rock

CallCall toto Adventure:Adventure:

• • • There is an There is an awakening of the awakening of the "self to an "self to an unknown, unknown, unexpected world. unexpected world. The hero becomes The hero becomes aware of a new, aware of a new, unusual, exciting, unusual, exciting, forbidden, and/or forbidden, and/or foreign world. foreign world.

Simba’s call to adventure is when he and nala go to the forbidden place and have to deal with the hyenas.

RefusalRefusal ofof thethe Call:Call:

• • • Often the hero Often the hero feels that he/she feels that he/she has it "too good" has it "too good" and refuses to give and refuses to give up all that they up all that they currently have currently have (often resulting in (often resulting in the hero being the hero being forced to move on) forced to move on)

There is no refusal of the call in Lion King

SupernaturalSupernatural Aid:Aid:

• • • This can come This can come in the form of a in the form of a protective protective figure, usually figure, usually an elder (old an elder (old crone or old crone or old man.) man.)

Simba’s supernatural aid is his father after he is dead and in the water and sky. Also the monkey gives him advice and Timon and Pumpa.

CrossingCrossing thethe Threshold:Threshold:

• The hero The hero ventures into an ventures into an unknown world unknown world which breaks which breaks tradition, and the tradition, and the hero meets some hero meets some dangerous dangerous presence. presence.

Simba crosses the threshold after his father dies and he is kicked out of the Pride Land.

InIn thethe BellyBelly ofof thethe Whale:Whale:

• Once the hero has crossed Once the hero has crossed the threshold, his old world the threshold, his old world is destroyed (literally or is destroyed (literally or figuratively). He/she moves figuratively). He/she moves into a world of darkness into a world of darkness (the belly of the whale) and (the belly of the whale) and will not come out until will not come out until he/she is ready to return he/she is ready to return (so the hero stays in the (so the hero stays in the belly of the whale through belly of the whale through all of initiation). Often times all of initiation). Often times there will be a "deepest there will be a "deepest part" to the belly.part" to the belly.

Simba goes into the belly of the whale when he finds Timon and Pumpa by the forest

TheThe RoadRoad ofof Trials:Trials:

• Hero experiences Hero experiences miraculous tests or miraculous tests or ordeals on the road of ordeals on the road of trials. There are trials. There are usually several usually several incidents that affect incidents that affect the hero at this point. the hero at this point. The hero will appear The hero will appear weak and vulnerable, weak and vulnerable, but he/she will also but he/she will also begin to show growth. begin to show growth.

Simba’s road of trials is when he is with Timon and Pumpa in the forest and he learns akunamatata and also when Nala finds him and he learns he has to confront his uncle.

TheThe MeetingMeeting withwith thethe Goddess:Goddess: • • • The hero meets a The hero meets a

"goddess" that shows "goddess" that shows him/her what him/her what perfection is truly like. perfection is truly like. The hero witnesses all The hero witnesses all that can be that can be accomplished and accomplished and often times, his/her often times, his/her mission becomes mission becomes much clearer. The much clearer. The goddess encourages goddess encourages the hero to continue the hero to continue

Simba’s godess is Nala and she tells him how things are going at Pride Rock and that he needs to come back to save them.

TheThe WomanWoman asas thethe Temptress:Temptress:

• • • The hero meets a The hero meets a presence that presence that attempts to destroy attempts to destroy the hero's mission. the hero's mission. Often the temptress Often the temptress is sent by the evil is sent by the evil forces working forces working against the hero in against the hero in order to try to stop order to try to stop the hero. the hero.

Simba’s temptress is living with Timon and Pumpa and taking the easy way out and living without worries and ditching his family at Pride Rock

AtonementAtonement withwith thethe Father;Father; • Father symbolizes Father symbolizes

judgment; the judgment; the hero overcomes hero overcomes fear, judgment, fear, judgment, and mental blocks and mental blocks that may have that may have been holding been holding him/her back. him/her back.

Simba’s atonement with the father is when he realizes he must go back to Pride Rock and free his family from his uncle.

Apotheosis:Apotheosis:

• • • The hero is in The hero is in a divine, god-like a divine, god-like state (ecstasy). state (ecstasy). The hero goes The hero goes beyond the last beyond the last terrors of terrors of ignorance. ignorance.

Simba’s apotheosis is when he is talking to his father in the pool of water and he tells him he must go back and save his family

TheThe UltimateUltimate Boon;Boon;

• • • The hero The hero receives the receives the prize that he/she prize that he/she has been after has been after

Simba’s ultimate boon is overcoming his uncle and becoming the rightful king of Pride Rock

RefusalRefusal ofof thethe Return:Return:

• The hero should The hero should bring their bring their wisdom back to wisdom back to their kingdom of their kingdom of humanity. The humanity. The hero often hero often wishes to remain wishes to remain in isolation with in isolation with his boon. his boon.

Simba wants to stay with Timon and Pumpa and is too scared to face his uncle

MagicMagic inin FlightFlight (The(The Chase):Chase): • The hero has his The hero has his

reward, now he must reward, now he must return to safety. return to safety. There may be forces There may be forces still working against still working against him/her (possibly him/her (possibly trying to get the trying to get the treasure back that treasure back that the hero has taken). the hero has taken). A "chase" ensues. A "chase" ensues.

Simba goes back to Pride Rock to face his uncle and goes across the grass night and day

RescueRescue fromfrom Without:Without:

• The world may The world may have to come to have to come to retrieve the hero. retrieve the hero. Attaining the Attaining the boon has drained boon has drained the hero and the hero and he/she needs he/she needs assistance in assistance in returning returning

Simba cant overcome his uncle alone so Timon, Pumba, and Nala help him with his goal.

CrossingCrossing thethe ReturnReturn Threshold;Threshold;

• • • There is a There is a difficulty in the difficulty in the hero's return; the hero's return; the world has changed world has changed and so has the hero. and so has the hero. The hero may not be The hero may not be accepted back to his accepted back to his old world. He may old world. He may feel awkward in his feel awkward in his immediate return. immediate return.

Simba and his friends go back to the Pride Land and it is all barren and destroyed. He now truly knows that he must destroy his uncle

MasterMaster ofof TwoTwo Worlds:Worlds:

• Hero has Hero has attained wisdom attained wisdom in both the in both the spiritual and spiritual and material world material world (conscious (conscious world). world).

Simba defeats his uncle and makes him confess to killing his father and becomes the true and rightful king of the Pride Lands

FreedomFreedom toto Live:Live:

• • The hero learns The hero learns never to be never to be afraid of the next afraid of the next moment moment (destruction or (destruction or change), he has change), he has learned "to be" learned "to be" (exist). (exist).

Simba needs to rebuild his kingdom after the destruction of his uncle and restore things back to normal