Magic Flight

Disciplines > Storytelling > Campbell's 'Hero's Journey' > Magic Flight

Description | Discussion | See also

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Description

The hero hurries home with the treasure that has been gained in the Ultimate Boon.

This may be a mad dash, perhaps away from the remaining enemy forces, perhaps in fear of bandits or loss of the treasure along the way, and maybe to meet some time constraint by which the treasure must be returned to some place.

Example

In Lord of the Rings, Frodo and Sam are rescued from the slopes of Mount Doom by the giant eagles.

The journey home is seldom covered in Sherlock Holmes story. He and Watson 'magically' reappear in 221b Baker Street.

Discussion

The headlong flight adds excitement after the climax of the ultimate boon, particularly if there is pursuit involved. The desperation of the chase thus keeps the audience on the edges of their seats.

Chase games are a common pattern of inter-human behavior, combining a mixed emotion of fear of being caught with the exhilarating hope for escape and salvation.