The hero emerges from the special world, transformed by his/her experience. If the hero has not yet managed to reconcile with his father or the gods, they may come raging after him at this point. This is the chase as Luke and friends are escaping from the Death Star, with Princess Leia and the plans that will bring down Darth Vader. Some of the best chase scenes come at this point, as the hero is pursued by the vengeful forces from whom he has stolen the elixir or the treasure. In RETURN OF THE JEDI, Luke is reconciled with both, as he discovers that the dying Darth Vader is his father and not such a bad guy after all. The hero may settle a conflict with his father or with his shadowy nemesis.

Sometimes itвЂ™s a special weapon like a magic sword or it may be a token like the Grail or some elixir, which can heal the wounded land. Having survived death, beaten the dragon, slain the Minotaur, her hero now takes possession of the treasure heвЂ™s come seeking. He/she faces the possibility of death, brought to the brink in a fight with a mythical beast. This is the moment at which the hero touches bottom. Sometimes itвЂ™s just the hero going into his/her own dream world to confront fears and overcome them In STAR WARS, itвЂ™s Luke and company being sucked into the Death Star where they will rescue Princess Leia. ItвЂ™s Theseus going to the Labyrinth to face the Minotaur.

In many myths, the hero has to descend into hell to retrieve a loved one, or into a cave to fight a dragon and gain a treasure. In the Arthurian stories, the Chapel Perilous is the dangerous chamber where the seeker finds the Grail. The hero comes at last to a dangerous place, often deep underground, where the object of the quest is hidden. In CASABLANCA RickвЂ™s CafГ© is the setting for the вЂњalliances and enmitiesвЂќ phase and in many Westerns, itвЂ™s the saloon where these relationships are tested. In STAR WARS, the cantina is the setting for the forging of an important alliance with Han Solo and the start of an important enmity with Jabba the Hutt. The hero is forced to make allies and enemies in the special world, and to pass certain tests and challenges that are part of his/her training. The hero is now committed to his/her journey and thereвЂ™s no turning back. Dorothy sets out on the Yellow Brick Road. The balloon goes up, the romance begins, the spaceship blasts off, the wagon train gets rolling. This is the moment at which the story takes off and the adventure gets going. The hero fully enters the special world of the story for the first time. Sometimes the Wise Old Man/Woman is required to give the hero a swift kick in the pants to get the adventure going. Eventually, the hero must face the unknown by himself. This is Obi-Wan giving Luke his fatherвЂ™s lightsaber. The mentor gives advice and sometimes magical weapons. In JAWS itвЂ™s the crusty Robert Shaw character who knows all about sharks in the mythology of the Mary Tyler Moore Show, itвЂ™s Lou Grant. By this time, many stories will have introduced a Merlin-like character who is the heroвЂ™s mentor. The hero is encouraged by the Wise Old Man or Woman. Suddenly Luke is no longer reluctant, and is eager to undertake the adventure. At this point Luke refuses Obi WanвЂ™s call to adventure, and returns to his aunt and uncleвЂ™s farmhouse, only to find they have been barbecued by the EmperorвЂ™s stormtroopers. After all, he or she is facing the greatest of all fears вЂ“ fear of the unknown. At this point, the hero balks at the threshold of adventure. In romantic comedies, it could be the first sight of that special but annoying someone the hero or heroine will be pursuing/sparring with. In detective stories, itвЂ™s the hero being offered a new case. In STAR WARS, itвЂ™s Princess LeiaвЂ™s holographic message to Obi Wan Kenobi, who then asks Luke to join the quest. Maybe the land is dying, as in the King Arthur stories about the search for the Grail.

The hero is presented with a problem, challenge or adventure. If youвЂ™re going to tell a story about a fish out of his customary element, you first have to create a contrast by showing him in his mundane, ordinary world. Most stories ultimately take us to a special world, a world that is new and alien to its hero. The hero is introduced in his/her ORDINARY WORLD.

Approaching the inmost cave