The Hero starts as an adolescent or youth. They have little idea of what the world has to offer outside of their mundane existence. The journey the Hero takes is a coming to age tale. The Hero moves from one stage of development to the next.
The Hero may have some skills and qualities that we see early on in the story that they cultivate and nurture throughout the story. In many ways, this archetype helps us understand our own transition from childhood to adolescence to adulthood. The whole reason we cheer for the Hero is that there is nothing more compelling than to watch the flowering of human potential on a deeper level.
The Hero represents the growth and potential of every single human on this planet. The Hero is the masculine version, and the Heroine is the female version of this archetype. No matter what gender we identify with, we embody both masculine and feminine within.
Hero’s are strong and have a focused purpose. While they may be scared of something, they ultimately know, the only way out is through whatever obstacle crosses their path. They are sensitive to injustice and the mistreatment of others. They are protective of their past and have trouble being vulnerable. When they become vulnerable and face their demons, they can unpeel the layers of fear and resent the past for new challenges and experiences.
The biggest fear for the Hero is that they not complete their mission and let everyone down.
The shadow of the Hero is that they may be self-centered, which can lead them to sacrifice others who are there to help them on their journey. The Hero may feel they are superior to others and drive those who want to help away. The Hero might feel alone and sink into depression. They may ignore their call to action and never start their real mission. Ignoring the call can lead to getting caught up in a fantasy and other escapist behaviors.
