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Joseph Campbell's Monomyth Film Analysis

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Some scholars have argued that Joseph Campbell’s Monomyth narrative structure is dead. While this might be true to an extent, contemporary films still exhibit the hero’s journey as described in Campbell’s 1949 book The Hero with a Thousand Faces. One such movie is Gareth Edward’s 2016 motion picture Rogue One which is an anthology of the famous Star Wars (Kermode). Mainly, the narrative follows Jyn and a team of rebels set to retrieve the plans for the Galactic Empire’s ‘Ultimate weapon’ called the Death Star that has the power to destroy an entire planet for the Rebel Alliance (Rogue One). In this manner, the film represents the general formula for a heroic venture. Although critics have referred to Jyn’s character as a weak lead since she …show more content…

In his book Campbell defines this part of the voyage as “The hero adventures out of the land we know into darkness; there he accomplishes his adventure, or again is simply lost to us, imprisoned, or in danger; and his return is described as a coming back out of that yonder zone (202).” In the film, Jyn almost fails to accomplish her mission as Krennics, the threshold guardian almost kills her. However, Cassian awakens and murders Krennics allowing Jyn to finish sending the transmission. Further, Campbell cautions that “the returning hero, to complete his adventure, must survive the impact of the world” (226). However, Jyn and her crew are killed by Tarkin using the Death Star.
In conclusion, the film Rogue One clearly illustrates Campbell’s Monomyth characteristics as described in his book, The Hero with A Thousand Faces. Jyn goes through the several steps as outlined in the text, including Departure, Initiation, and Return. In this manner, Jyn leaves her mundane life as a young girl and steps into the world of rebellion, for a dangerous world where she gains incredible information that help will help the Alliance destroy a super weapon meant to destroy planets. Although Jyn and her team perish in the end, their mission is completed and the schematics are safe on Princess Leia's

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