George Lucas set out during the 70s to create an epic science fiction film in which a hero can complete, or at least start to complete, the hero's journey. In the case of Star Wars: A New Hope, Lucas chose to play out the hero's journey in three separate people. As Pfeiffer explains, "Lucas[...]settled on three main heroes: Luke Skywalker, [...] Han Solo, [...] and Princess Leia," (Pfeiffer 68). While the film does indeed play almost perfectly along with Campbell's hero's journey, one scene in particular is more striking than the rest along this journey; Atonement with the Father.
Luke's Atonement with the Father occurs when Luke turns off his computer while trying to destroy the Empire in his fighter plane. Luke, who is a descendant of the Force, is able to, as Campbell explains, abandon the self-generated double monster. For Luke, this is his need to use the computer to aim his laser missile and his fear of failing. Fortunately, he is able to realize the power of the Force and use it to his advantage. Obi-Wan calls out to Luke to trust the Force and relinquish control. This perfectly coincides with Campbell's idea that "one must have faith that the father is merciful, and then a reliance on that mercy" (Campbell 130). In doing this, Luke is able to use the Force and Obi-Wan's support to aim his laser perfectly and defeat the Empire in the fight for the Rebel forces.
Campbell goes on to explain that the hero may then derive hope and assurance from the helpful female figure. Upon his landing back at the Rebel base, Princess Leia runs to him to congratulate him on the victory.
In this same scene, Han Solo also goes through a sort of Atonement with the Father insofar that he abandons his own self-generated double monster that the whole mission was a suicide mission. In abandoning this belief, he perfectly abandons his ego, as Campbell says he will. He embraces a different power of how to succeed and is ultimately able to help Luke destroy the Empire and accomplish the Rebel victory. Like Luke, Han Solo has a new found faith that helps him achieve this victory.
Lucas takes an interesting approach to the hero's journey when he elects three different characters to complete it in three different ways. They each follow Campbell's hero's journey almost perfectly, and for Han Solo and Luke, they were able to complete the Atonement with the Father stage at nearly the same time. While the rest of their journeys play out on separate paths, this culmination at the final scenes of the film sets A New Hope apart from other films by creating two protagonists for audiences to support and cheer for.
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