You know that innocent and beautiful fairy tale princess, with the tricked out dress and the power to summon woodland creatures? The one with a tendency to get kidnapped, but who always ends up happily ever after with her prince charming? Yeah, that’s not this princess. A rebellious princess would just as soon puke if she… Continue reading Trope Tuesday: Rebellious Princess
Tag: character archetypes
Trope Tuesday: Supernatural Aid
Getting back to our discussion of the Hero’s Journey, I think it’s important to briefly touch on one of the earlier stages: supernatural aid. At some point between refusal of the call and crossing the threshold of adventure, the hero typically encounters a mentor figure from the unfamiliar world who gives him something supernatural or… Continue reading Trope Tuesday: Supernatural Aid
Trope Tuesday: Mentor Occupational Hazard
Being a mentor to the hero can be a pretty tough job. Don’t believe me? Check out the tvtropes page: If you don’t have to convince The Chosen One who just wants to be normal to grow a spine and accept the Call to Adventure, you have to convince your blindly excited and dangerously eager young pupil that You Are Not Ready to learn the Dangerous… Continue reading Trope Tuesday: Mentor Occupational Hazard
Trope Tuesday: The Trickster
After the hero crosses the threshold of adventure and finally sets out on his journey, he passes through a long phase that Campbell called “the road of trials.” This is often where the meat of the story happens, but it doesn’t fit squarely into any one trope because of all the possible directions where the… Continue reading Trope Tuesday: The Trickster