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4 Stage 4: Meeting with the Mentor
In this stage, the hero meets a mentor to gain confidence, insight, advice, training, or magical gifts to overcome the initial fears and face the threshold of the
adventure. This mentor has survived to provide the essential lessons and training needed to overcomes the journey’s tests and ordeals. The mentor may be a
physical person, or an object such as a map, a logbook, or hieroglyphics. In Westerns stories, the hero may hold an inner mentor, a strong code of honour or
justice that guides him through the journey Vogler, 2007: 117-123
5 Stage 5: Crossing the First Threshold
Crossing the threshold signifies that the hero has finally committed to the journey. He is prepared to cross the gateway that separates the ordinary world
from the special world. The crossing may require more than accepting one’s fears, some equipment, knowledge, or encouragement from a mentor. The hero must
confront an event that forces him to commit entering the special world, from which there is no turning back, like what Vogler 2007: 127-28 argued that:
Crossing the First Threshold is an act of the will in which the hero commits wholeheartedly to the adventure… Heroes typically dont just
accept the advice and gifts of their Mentors and then charge into the adventure. Often their final commitment is brought about through some
external force which changes the course or intensity of the story.
This stage also signifies that the hero reached the border of the two worlds by illustrating it with the physical crossing like flight or sailing. Generally, in
some stories there are plots which describe things for symbolizing the border between two worlds like bridges, canyons, cliff, gates, walls, oceans, and so forth.
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b. Act 2 Initiation- Special World
Initiation or the Special World is a stage in which the body of the story or the main action happens as the hero survives the road and achieves their goal.
This passage consists of the stage 6 up to the stage 9 of which the hero usually passed. They are;
1 Stage 6: Test, Allies, Enemies
It is the step where the readers will feel a vicarious sense of pleasure, for some challenges will be met by the hero. No matter how talented the hero is, he
will be a freshman again in this new world. In this occasion the hero’s character is developed as having stayed in the big wide and strange world. He may struggle
against a bad weather and terrain, and must be confronting a new difficult series of trials challenges.
This stage has some characteristics. First, there’s a drastic contrast atmosphere to the former world. Second, this stage is dominated by the villain or
the hero that may encounter the shadow. Third, there are many traps, barricades or anything that put the hero in dangerous line. Fourth, there is a new rule that the
hero must adapt. Fifth, usually there’s a watering hole, it could be bars or saloons. This bar usually appears after the hero passed through some trials in the first
threshold. It is a place to play other activities like gambling, flirting, and music Vogler, 2007: 139-140
The function of this stage is testing the hero, putting him through series of trials in order to prepare him for some greater challenges ahead. Another function
is making allies or team in which the hero figure out other characters who can be
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trusted, who cannot, and who have special skills or qualities to support him in the trials. The bitter experience for the hero in this step is that he may find the
enemies and rival or may encounter the shadow Vogler, 2007: 135-140
2 Stage 7: Approach to the Inmost Cave
Approach to the inmost cave is the stage when heroes step on the way they will encounter supreme terror in another mysterious zone. At this point, the hero
makes final preparation before he meets the central ordeal of the adventure. Another threshold must be crossed here to enter the innermost cave. In this way,
no help may be found and only the one who has deep courage will pass it. However, it will show that the hero is still ordinary human who faces death but
with a wiser personality, he still goes on. Thus, it leads the readers to feel the tension before the high point of the story. In this case, Vogler 2007: 143 argues
that: On the way they find another mysterious zone with its own Threshold
Guardians, agendas, and tests. This is the Approach to the Inmost Cave, where soon they will encounter supreme wonder and terror. Its time to
make final preparations for the central ordeal of the adventure. Heroes at this point are like mountaineers who have raised themselves to a base
camp by the labors of Testing, and are about to make the final assault on the highest peak.
In some stories, the hero recklessly moves forward to the door of the cave confidently and demands to be let in. Whereas the hero delayed by some
obstacles, uses that time to listen his fellow’s adventures and to learn his hopes and dreams. The other heroes may use that time to prepare or to make plans,
reorganized the group, arm themselves, make a last laugh or final cigarette,
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develop or to get in romantic moment before deal with the central event Vogler, 2007: 144.
When the hero steps closely to the inmost cave, he is actually entering into shaman’s territory on the edge between life and death. They face the complication
and higher stakes when the hero is trapped onto the cave. Although they can find the breakthrough or the solution, still they are close to death because there is no
way to exit. They are blocked in all direction by the guardian. Thus, that brings the heroes to the supreme ordeal Vogler, 2007: 143-52
3 Stage 8: Ordeal
Ultimately, this is the stage that the heroes, who are still trapped in the inmost cave, encounter the greatest challenge and face their deepest fear, typically
in battle with the dark villain. This time is the heart of the body of the story in which the heroes show their heroic quality and the time on which the magic power
is shown. The readers audiences may feel scared for the heroes, and may be terrified that they might fail or die.
In this ordeal, death and rebirth become the part of the stage. Vogler 2007: 155-56 states that the heroes must die so that they can be reborn. When
heroes face death, they magically survive from death and symbolically are reborn for the consequence of having unfair death. Meanwhile, they are passed the main
test of being a hero. The impact of this rebirth, generally the heroes will change or transform, at least of their inner personality.
The ordeal or supreme ordeal actually is the crisis, but not the climax. The climax generally happens in act three, ordinary world after the special world. The
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crisis or supreme ordeal is the main or central event of the story in the act two special world. In addition, the placement of the crisis or Ordeal depends on the
needs of the story and the tastes of the storyteller. There are two kinds of crisis, they are central crisis and delayed crisis. Central crisis is the most common
pattern where the death and rebirth moment appear in the middle of the story. While, delayed crisis comes near the end of act two Vogler, 2007: 155-58
4 Stage 9: Reward
It is the period in which the hero is recognized or rewarded for having survived from death or of a great ordeal. At this time, Heroes may have a party or
barbecue in which they cook and consume some of the fruits of victory. Vogler also called this part of the journey as “Seizing the Sword”. It is because generally
some heroes often aggressively take possession of whatever being sought in the Special World.
In defeating the enemy, the hero is transformed into a new state where fears are vanquished and the new fearless person is born. The reward in the story
may be gaining new knowledge, a treasure or rescuing a princess, but the inner reward is in the personal growth that is achieved Vogler, 2007: 175-84.
c. Act 3 Ordinary world - Return
This part marks the decision to continue the rest of the journey or to return to the ordinary world, for the hero begins to deal with the consequences of facing
the biggest challenge in the Ordeal. Another test or danger and temptation may be ahead but at this moment the hero just decides to go out from the special world to
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other place or to back home in the Ordinary World. This last passage is divided into three stages; they are stage 10 to stage 12.
1 Stage 10: The Road Back
A consequence of confronting “the dark forces of the ordeal” is bringing the hero crossing into act three. it means this stage is the moment after the hero
reached the main peak of the act two -in which he has transformed himself into new personality and celebrated his victory by gaining reward and new knowledge-
he then has summon the rest of the journey. This stage is the best moment, for after the hero disturbed by experience of death and rebirth of the ordeal; he
recollects again his intention to pursuing what Vogler call as “the road back”. By realizing that the realm of the special world must eventually be left behind, the
hero undertakes the responsibility to finish the journey. However, he is aware that there are still dangers, test and temptations ahead Vogler, 2007: 17.
In most stories, although the special world looks more attractive, its heroes choose to leave the zone of special world. Some heroes return back to their
own home in the ordinary world and other heroes are continuing the journey to other new places. The term “the road back” could means returning to the starting
point, going back home to the ordinary world, or continuing on the journey to ultimate destination which can be a totally new area.
In the process of this stage, when the hero is returning or continuing the journey, he must implement the lessons he has learned in the special world. This
can be difficult as no one believe that the hero has experience of escaping from death. He may fear that the wisdom and magic of the ordeal may disappear or
