The
first 30 minutes of George Lucas’ film, “Star Wars IV: A New Hope” depicts the
beginning of Luke Skywalker’s journey.
It is structured like the first stage of Joseph Campbell’s hero’s
journey. This first stage can be
broken up into includes a Call to Adventure, a Refusal of the Call, and finally
an Acceptance of the Call.
In
this film, Luke is desperate to join The Rebel Alliance and the fight against
the Galactic Empire. There are
multiple moments where Luke expresses his desire to leave Tatoonie. He hates
the desert planet that he is stuck on.
He describes it by saying, “If there's a bright center to the universe,
you're on the planet that it's farthest from.” While eating dinner with his aunt and uncle, Luke tries to
convince his uncle to allow him to leave.
His uncle squashes Luke’s dreams and demands that he waits another
year. This suppression causes
Luke’s desire to grow. Campbell
states that this desire is key to the hero’s journey. It is what validates the hero’s acceptance of the call.
The
initial Call to Adventure occurs when Luke is cleaning R2-D2 and C-3PO. He accidentally triggers Princess
Leia’s holographic message for Obi-Wan Kenobi. In the message, the princess is beckoning Obi-Wan to help
her. The message and her beauty intrigue
Luke. While hesitant, he
understands the importance of the message. Luke tends to understand that the message is a part of
something that is bigger than him.
It sparks something within him and he gravitates to Obi-Wan because of
it. When he brings it up to his uncle, he once again attempts to restrict Luke
and tells him to forget the message.
This however simply fuels Luke even more.
When
R2-D2 escapes and begins to make his way to Obi-Wan, Luke is forced to cross
paths with him. Obi-Wan Kenobi
acts as the “Supernatural Aid” in Luke’s hero’s journey. This aid is meant to provide the hero
with amulets or other skills that will help him on the journey. Obi-Wan introduces Luke to the Force
and Luke’s potential. He also
provides Luke with an opportunity to answer the Call to Adventure. Obi-Wan invites Luke to come along with
him to deliver R2-D2 and the princess’ message to the planet Alderaan.
Although
Luke is desperate to leave his planet, his responsibilities and familial
obligations restrict him from leaving.
This is the moment when Luke Refuses the Call. Despite the fact that Luke has the motivation to leave, he
feels walled in by cultural restraints.
Obi-Wan is providing Luke with the opportunity he has been waiting for,
but he refuses saying that he has to stay to help his uncle.
The
two soon realize that the Storm Troopers must be looking for R2-D2 because of
the sensitive information that the droid holds. This eventually leads Luke to discover that the Storm
Troopers killed Luke’s aunt and uncle and destroyed their home. This moment is defined in the hero’s
journey as The Belly of the Whale.
It is the point in which the hero is reborn and finally becomes capable
of crossing the threshold to begin his journey. Luke is finally freed from everything that was constraining
him from leaving. After his aunt
and uncle are killed, Luke accepts the call. He returns to Obi-Wan Kenobi and says, “I want to come with
you to Alderaan. There's nothing for me here now. I want to learn the ways of
the Force and become a Jedi like my father.” This is the exact moment that
makes the rest of the film possible.
Luke finally accepts and embarks on his mission.
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