Comparing John Sheridan to the "Hero Formula"

Comparing John Sheridan to the \"Hero Formula\"

I've done a bit of reading on Joseph Campbell, particularly his Heroe's Journey, where he maps out the steps that most heroes follow: literary and realistic.

So, I thought I'd try to apply these to John Sheridan. I'll post the formula and then post again my findings / guesses sporadically, as I fit them into their various places... I will also post an example where the Star Wars story is used in the formula.

John Sheridan

I: Departure
The call to adventure
Refusal of the call
Supernatural aid
Crossing the first threshold
The belly of the whale

II: Initiation
The road of trials
The meeting with the goddess
Temptation away from the true path
Atonement with the Father
Apotheosis (becoming god-like)
The ultimate boon

III: Return
Refusal of the return
Rescue from without
Crossing the return threshold
Master of the two worlds
Freedom to live

Common Mythical Elements
Two Worlds
The Mentor
The Oracle
The Prophecy
Failed Hero
Wearing Enemy's Skin
Shapeshifter
Animal familiar
Chasing a lone animal into the enchanted wood

Re: Comparing John Sheridan to the \"Hero Formula\"

STAR WARS EXAMPLE (Luke Skywalker)

Luke Skywalker
I: Departure
The call to adventure: Princess Leia's message
Refusal of the call: Must help with the harvest. I can't go to Alderan
Supernatural aid: Obi Wan rescues Luke from the Sand People
Crossing the first threshold: Escaping Tatooine
The belly of the whale: Trash compactor

II: Initiation
The road of trials: Lightsaber practice
The meeting with the goddess: Princess Leia
Temptation away from the true path: Luke is tempted by the Darkside
Atonement with the Father: Luke saves Darth
Apotheosis (becoming god-like): Luke Becomes a jedi
The ultimate boon: Death star destroyed

III: Return
Refusal of the return: "Luke, come on!" Luke wants to stay to avenge Obi-Wan
Rescue from without: Han saves Luke from Darth Vader
Crossing the return threshold: Millennium Falcon destroys pursuing TIE fighters
Master of the two worlds: Victory ceremony
Freedom to live: Rebellion is victorious over Empire

Common Mythical Elements
Two Worlds: Planetside VS the Deathstar
The Mentor: Obi Wan Kenobi
The Oracle: Yoda
The Prophecy: Luke will overthrow the Emperor
Failed Hero: Biggs
Wearing Enemy's Skin: Luke and Han wear stormtrooper outfits
Shapeshifter: Han Solo
Animal familiar: R2D2 / Chewbacca
Chasing a lone animal into the enchanted wood: The Millennium Falcon follows a lone TIE fighter into range of the Death Star

Re: Comparing John Sheridan to the \"Hero Formula\"

Ok, here's what I have so far.... just guesses, but open to hearing other ideas.

John Sheridan

I: Departure
The call to adventure: The assignment of taking command of Babylon 5
Refusal of the call: regretting the assignment and feeling he belonged on a starship
Supernatural aid: Kosh's lessons
Crossing the first threshold: accepting shared command of the Rangers and "army of light"
The belly of the whale: Either Sheridan's kidnapping (Taken to an enemy ship) / or Zha'ha'Dum

II: Initiation
The road of trials: investigating Clark and planning for war
The meeting with the goddess: Delenn
Temptation away from the true path: Wife returns "Come to Zha'Ha Dum with me"
Atonement with the Father: "the father" could be Kosh's dream (literally and symbolically)
Apotheosis (becoming god-like): Dying and being "reborn" on Zha'Ha'Dum
The ultimate boon: The End of the Shadow War: "we'll find our own path through order and chaos." / realizing the potential of the human race

III: Return
Refusal of the return: resigning from Earthforce
Rescue from without: Kosh saving Sheridan's life (end of season 2) / or resurrection by Lorien
Crossing the return threshold: becoming president of the alliance
Master of the two worlds: Great warrior / great diplomat (the creation of the Alliance)
Freedom to live: overcoming the initial obstacles of the alliance (Drazi and Centauri shenanigans)

Common Mythical Elements
Two Worlds: Babylon 5 VS Earth Alliance (?)
The Mentor: Kosh
The Oracle: Kosh / Lorien
The Prophecy: The One (in Sheridan's case, "the one that will be.")
Failed Hero: Sinclair
Wearing Enemy's Skin: Using the Vorlons to win an important battle (?) He was donning the skin of the vorlons in a way, and the vorlons eventually became an enemy to anyone who got in their way.
Shapeshifter: Kosh
Animal familiar: Zathras (?)
Chasing a lone animal into the enchanted wood: Testing Lyta's mind-juju on a shadow vessel (incapacitate / destroy.)

Re: Comparing John Sheridan to the \"Hero Formula\"

Ok I'll play. First I'll try to fill in the gaps with Sheridan, then I'll do it with G'Kar.

The call to adventure: the assignment of commanding Babylon 5
Refusal of the call: regretting the assignment and feeling he belonged on a starship
Crossing the first threshold: accepting shared command of the Rangers and "army of light"

The road of trials: investigating Clark and planning for war
Refusal of the return: resigning for Earhforce
Crossing the return threshold: becoming president of the alliance
Freedom to live: overcoming the initial obstacles of the alliance (Drazi and Centauri shenanigans)

How is Sinclair a "failed hero?" His hero story is simply different.

Re: Comparing John Sheridan to the \"Hero Formula\"

G'Kar

I: Departure
The call to adventure: discovery of Shadows
Refusal of the call: dismayed by lack of reaction from council, thus reverting back to Centauri conflict
Supernatural aid: Kosh's vision
Crossing the first threshold: gaining acceptance to army of light conspiracy
The belly of the whale: Cartagia's prison cell

II: Initiation
The road of trials: proving himself to army of light inner circle
The meeting with the goddess: Delenn, confronting each others' pasts
Temptation away from the true path: Centauri war
Atonement with the Father: Kosh's vision connected his dead father's plight with his new goals
Apotheosis (becoming god-like): Prophet status amongst his people
The ultimate boon: discovering a greater path than that of cyclical violence; forgiveness

III: Return
Refusal of the return: denial of political leadership after ousting of Centauri
Rescue from without: IIRC, rescued by other Narn from Shadows when first discovering them
Crossing the return threshold: teaching disciples
Master of the two worlds: Warrior and prophet
Freedom to live: exploring with Lyta, thus not allowing others to define him

Common Mythical Elements
Two Worlds: War, religion
The Mentor: father
The Oracle: Kosh
The Prophecy: return of the Shadows
Failed Hero:
Wearing Enemy's Skin: Londo's guard
Shapeshifter: Vorlons
Animal familiar
Chasing a lone animal into the enchanted wood

Re: Comparing John Sheridan to the \"Hero Formula\"

Wow GK eye, that's awesome for ole G'kar. He fits nicely into that formula too!

And I guess the "failed hero" doesn't necessarily have to have failed so much as he was on the same path as the hero and strayed for x, y or z reasons.

That said, could the failed hero be someone else? Londo? G'Kar even? (not so much failed hero as he is a hero w/o a country for a bit, and without much political sway.)

Perhaps it's Marcus, who gave up his life for Ivanova? Garibaldi, who was taken from the path by Bester's evil doing?

Re: Comparing John Sheridan to the \"Hero Formula\"

As for G'kar's failed hero. Could that be the Narn race in general, who fell to the Centauri? Or something along that line?

Re: Comparing John Sheridan to the \"Hero Formula\"

That’s very interesting for both characters. One would not immediately think of G'Kar as the one to compare to the classic hero, but he seems to fit as well as Sheridan does.

Anyone think any of the other characters could fit this as well?

Re: Comparing John Sheridan to the \"Hero Formula\"

I'm thinking of Sheridan's failed hero as Earthforce, if you want to stretch it. Certainly something he believed in passionately that failed in its heroic objective.

G'Kar's failed hero... I dunno, I don't think he has one. The Narn "failed" but look what they were up against. They could not have expected Shadows.

Re: Comparing John Sheridan to the \"Hero Formula\"

G'Kar did fail in a sense in that he failed to kill Londo until their "appointment" 20 something years later.

Re: Comparing John Sheridan to the \"Hero Formula\"

Howdy - nooB here - perhaps G'Kar's "failed hero" piece could be when, after the Centauri left Narn (after Cartagia's assassination) the Narns tried to make him their leader, to go and attack the Centauri once more -he said that they had failed to heed his teachings.

Re: Comparing John Sheridan to the \"Hero Formula\"

Howdy - nooB here - perhaps G'Kar's "failed hero" piece could be when, after the Centauri left Narn (after Cartagia's assassination) the Narns tried to make him their leader, to go and attack the Centauri once more -he said that they had failed to heed his teachings.

Click to expand...

That's an excellent observation. G'Kar genuinely revered his people, seeing them as wiser and superior since they had recovered from subjugation and he expected better from them.

Re: Comparing John Sheridan to the \"Hero Formula\"

Pennies, I too thought of that. I wasn't sure how to word it, though and you did it for us.

Re: Comparing John Sheridan to the \"Hero Formula\"

The hero being hindered by his more foolish companions is also a topos.

Anyone want to try this with Marcus? Lennier? I'm too lazy at the moment.

Re: Comparing John Sheridan to the \"Hero Formula\"

I don't think it can work with them. Lennier fell from grace and though he apparently redemmed himself at the last we don't know enough details.

Marcus died before fulfilling his potential.

Re: Comparing John Sheridan to the \"Hero Formula\"

It might be do-able with Delenn or Vir, though.

Possibly Ivanova, although I suspect that it would fit better if CC hadn't left before S5.

Maybe even Londo. He could be his own "failed hero".

Re: Comparing John Sheridan to the \"Hero Formula\"

And you could really go wild and Run Morden through the formula, from a Shadow point of view

Re: Comparing John Sheridan to the \"Hero Formula\"

I was thinking Vir, but I think the problem is that he didn't play that big a role in the show in the earlier years, and even in the later shows he didn't get as much screen time as some of the other characters.

Re: Comparing John Sheridan to the \"Hero Formula\"

Yeah, but although I haven't really thought it all the way through, it seems like he may still a fair number of milestones in that template.

Just a thought.

Re: Comparing John Sheridan to the \"Hero Formula\"

I don't think it's a matter of how "big" your actions are, or how many people they affected, but the journey itself. And Vir, imho, is a pretty interesting character who definitely had his own version of the hero's journey.