[From our deconstruction of hundreds of Hollywood blockbusters and sitcoms at www.clickok.co.uk....; 188 stages of the Hero's Journey you need to know about...]

The Hero's Journey is the template upon which the vast majority of successful stories and Hollywood blockbusters are based upon. In fact, ALL of the Hollywood movies we have deconstructed are based on this template.

Understanding this template is a priority for story or screenwriters.

The Hero's Journey:

a) Attempts to tap into unconscious expectations the audience has regarding what a story is and how it should be told.

b) Gives the writer more structural elements than simply three or four acts, plot points, mid point and so on.

c) Interpreted metaphorically, laterally and symbolically, allows an infinite number of varied stories to be created.

and more...

The Hero's Journey: The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965) basic deconstruction

The following story has been deconstructed (from The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965)); this story follows our Complete Hero's Journey very tightly, giving additional insights into the Antagonism Hierarchy and other elements.

FADE IN: context: Sistine Chapel.

Meeting the Hero: painting of Jesus.

A Sign of the Coming Hero: the star of Bethlehem.

Birth of the Hero: low status; ordinary people; the ineffectual.

Celebration: the trumpets.

Recognising the Hero: the three wise men.

Long Distance Travelled / Arduous Journey: the three wise men's journey.

Antagonism: Herod.

Antagonism Watching: keep an eye on him and keep me informed.

Hero's Mother: good; pious.

Hero's Father: mysterious, unknown, powerful, a king in his Kingdom, special powers, away.

Substitute Father Figure / Adopted by: Joseph.

Significant Name: Jesus.

Magical and Protective Gifts: Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh.

Pursued by the Antagonism: Herod's soldiers follow the wise men.

Push / Message: take the child and flee.

Antagonist's Fear: be afraid of the child of imagination.

Antagonist's Plan: kill every male child.

Antagonist's Heinous Act: the children die.

Antagonist's Punishment: Herod dies.

Antagonist Replaced: Herod's son.

On a Journey: Joseph, Mary and Jesus travel on the donkey.

Hero's Capabilities: Joseph reads about Jesus' gifts.

Antagonism #2: Herod asks the Romans for help.

Antagonism #2: the Romans oppress the people.

Antagonism Hierarchy: the Roans take Judea from Herod.

Antagonism #3: the Romans take the High Priest's robes.

Call to Adventure: the young Jesus seeing the crucified on the streets on his return.

Antagonism #2 and #2 relationship: Herod sent away.

The Call: the music; someone will come.

Antagonism: the oppressed people; sins, crimes, idolatry etc.

Refusal: you're wasting your time old woman, if you think the Messiah will come.

Meeting the Good Mentor: John the Baptist.

Warning: repent.

Meeting the Hero: Jesus.

Mentor recognises the Hero: John knows Jesus when he sees him.

On a Journey: Jesus promises to return.

Dangerous Place: climbing the mountain.

Dark Mentor: Satan in the cave.

Dark Mentor:

Tempted Away from the Journey through Philosophy: a simple life is good.

Tempted Away from the Journey with temptations: power and glory; how would you like to be ruler of all this.

Tempted Away from the Journey through Friendship and Gifts: you must be hungry.

Tempted Away from the Journey through Rejection: prove you're the Son of Go; turn that rock into bread; throw yourself down etc.

Hero overcomes Dark Mentor: is intimately familiar with the true path.

Conscious Decision: Jesus stands straight.

Demonstration: Jesus climbs to the top of the mountain.

Interdiction: the Priest's try to stop John and Jesus.

Allies: Peter, Judas, Paul etc join Jesus.

Threshold Marker: the bridge.

Outer Cave:

teaching under the bridge.

Meeting Allies: James wants to listen some more.

Push to the Belly / Breaking the Interdiction: the Priests are unhappy about John's Refusal.

Foreshadow of the Resolution: overlooking Jerusalem; there will be time to enter.

Middle Cave / Link to Trial 3: meeting Lazarus et al; teaching in his house.

Push to the Belly / The Priest's persuade Herod to arrest John.

Inner Cave:

Meeting the Tax Collector.

Contradicting the Priest.

Healing the cripple.

Acknowledgement: the old man acknowledges Jesus.

Pulled to the Belly of the Whale: the soldiers come for John.

Resisting the Belly of the Whale: John resists the soldiers.

Antagonism Mentor meeting: Herod meets John.

Foreshadow of the Antagonism Hero meeting: Herod wants to meet Jesus.

Preparing for the Trials and Transformation: Jesus is told John has been captured; begins preaching; gathers followers.

Denial: the Priests do not believe Jesus is the Messiah.

Preparing for the Trials and Transformation: Jesus preaches at the top of the hill with more followers.

Antagonism privy to Hero's Rise: Herod hears about Jesus' growing following.

Mentor / Hero meeting: John tells Herod that Jesus is the One.

Antagonist's Mentor: Herod's wife wants John dead.

Pulled to the Trials and Transformation: Jesus called back to Capernia.

Hero Transformed: Jesus has a significant following now.

Trial 1: Jesus saves the adulteress from stoning.

Pull Back of the Dark Side: the devil is around.

Pull of the Antagonist: the priest questions Jesus.

Pushing Forward: others want to be cured; others are cured.

Antagonist hears of the Hero: the priest sends word to Jerusalem; Herod hears of this new King.

Antagonist Mentor Meeting: John tells Herod he will lose; Jesus was not killed as a child.

Death of the Mentor: Herod kills John.

Foreshadow of the Atonement: Herod wants Jesus arrested.

Jesus holds an audience on the Hill.

Foreshadow of the Atonement: Pilot hears about Jesus' miracle.

Shape Shifter Developed: Judas calls Jesus a great leader but not a Messiah.

New Name / New Self: Peter calls him the Messiah.

Warning: the strangers warn that Herod means to kill him.

Journey to Trial 2: Jesus goes back to Nazareth; pursued by Pilot's soldiers.

New Self / Curse of the Wizened One / Unwelcome at Home: they do not recognise Jesus at home.

Trial 2: cure Old Aram's blindness.

Resisting the Trial: do not tempt God; not curing his blindness yet.

Pull Back of the Dark Side: the devil is around.

Warning: Lazarus and his daughters come to warn Jesus.

Trial 2: Jesus cures Old Aram's blindness.

Trial 3: Jesus told that Lazarus is about to die.

Journey to Trial 3: Jesus waits for Lazarus to die; is it true that people are like circles in the water.

Journey to Trial 3: Jesus goes to Lazarus' hometown.

Trial: Martha and Mary upset that Jesus didn't come sooner.

Trial 3: bringing Lazarus back to life.

Celebration at the passing of the Trials: everyone joyous; they tell all that He has come.

Antagonism: the priests still do not believe.

Shape Shifter Developed: Judas doesn't want the oil wasted.

Time Pressure: I will not be with you for long.

Popular with Women: the women crowd around the Hero.

New Self: Jesus is a changed man; people make space for him; high status.

Meeting the Oracle: deciding to ride into the City on the donkey.

Delay / Resistance: the Priests don't want to arrest Jesus on the holiday.

Push to the Sword: Jesus objects to the Money Changers and Sacrifice.

Push to the Sword: Pilot and Herod discuss Jesus; call for his arrest.

Guardians of the Sword: the followers block the way; turning the other cheek.

Foreshadow of the Near Death: Judas sneaks away; Satan has his eye on Judas.

Judas visits the Priests.

Judas finds it difficult to give Jesus up; he doesn't want him harmed.

Judas returns and Jesus knows.

The Last Supper; New Testament; Passover.

Push to the Atonement: do quickly what you have to do.

Jesus goes to the Garden to be captured.

Reward: Judas is paid.

Reluctance to the Atonement: Jesus asks the Father to save him.

Pushed to the Atonement: arrested.

Resisting the Atonement: Peter draws a sword; Jesus tells him to stop.

Atonement: The Priests Try Jesus.

Resistance to the Apotheosis: Old Aram thinks that God is in him.

Satan asks and Peter denies Jesus

Push to the Apotheosis: you are charged with blasphemy.

Resistance to the Apotheosis: Nikodemis objects to the trial.

Apotheosis: yes, I am the Son of God.

Ultimate Boon: sent back and forth between Herod and Pilot.

Ultimate Boon: the crown of thorns.

Peter denies Jesus a second time.

Refusal: Pilot offers to release a prisoner; the crowd refuses to release Jesus.

Magic Flight:

Jesus carries the Cross.

Do not weep for me, weep for yourselves.

Helped to carry the Cross.

Forced to the Crossing: the Crosses are erected; Jesus is nailed.

Conscious Decision: the criminals ask him to save himself "if you're really the son of God"; Jesus goes through with it.

Darkness.

Doubt: why hast though forsaken me.

Catharsis 1: Jesus dies.

Rain, lightning.

Verification of Hero Status: truly this was the Son of God.

Antagonism: place a guard around the tomb.

Rebirth: light; the tomb is open.

Master of Two Worlds: Jesus has risen from the dead.

Freedom to Live: Jesus tells his disciples to go and teach.

Loop: the Sistine Chapel.

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