Archetypes Unravelled: The Hero

Welcome back, writers. I'm so glad you're here.

We’ve arrived at Week 5 of our 12-session journey through the archetypes, and by now, you’ve probably started noticing how these patterns show up in your work in surprising ways. As we move from the Explorer, who follows an inner pull toward discovery, to the Hero, who rises to meet challenges from the outside world, we bring with us what we’ve learned about courage, curiosity, and transformation.

Today’s focus: The Hero—the one who embarks on a journey of transformation, faces challenges, and returns changed.

Total Session Time: ~ 30 minutes

Guidelines to Get Started

Before we dive in, prepare both your physical space and your inner landscape for this creative journey.

Find a quiet, comfortable spot. Gather your tools: a pen and paper, maybe tea or water. Notice your breath. Feel your feet on the floor. Let that awareness be your anchor today.

As always, you can pause, veer off-prompt, or follow a surprising thread. This practice is yours. Trust the process even when it feels messy.

Exploring heroism can stir complex emotions: memories of powerlessness, anger at injustice, resistance to looking closely at courage. If that arises, know you're exactly where you need to be. Let those feelings guide your writing.

Before we begin, a reminder that the “traditional” hero archetype often centers whiteness, maleness, and individualism. Today, we’ll explore both the “traditional” and reimagined Hero, including those who resist oppression, act in community, and create new paths.

Introducing the Hero

The Hero doesn’t seek adventure. They’re called to it. They respond to external challenges that demand courage, sacrifice, and transformation. The Hero is present anytime ordinary people become extraordinary through their willingness to face what others cannot or will not.

Heroes come in many forms:

• The Reluctant Hero

• The Anti-Hero

• The Everyday Hero (healthcare workers during pandemics)

• The Collective Hero (civil rights movements)

Think of Bisan Owda, the young journalist in Gaza. Her weapon is truth. Her shield is her voice. Or Harriet Tubman, who risked her life again and again to free others. These are stories of bravery not built on ego, but purpose, persistence, and care.

So, while the hero is everywhere—in stories, in slogans, in theatres near you, and the image can feel worn or oversimplified, look again to see what we might unravel in this archetype. What quiet threads of heroism can we weave into our writing?

Let’s write!