So this is just a little writing exercise I did tonight. Obviously not an original work or anything. I was just trying to deconstruct the basics of SAO (Sword Art Online) into the Hero’s Journey outline.
Call to adventure
The hero, Kirito, starts off in a mundane situation, playing a VRMMO, one that he had been beta-testing but that is now officially released publicly. Shortly after logging in he and all other active players find they are unable to logoff. Trying to exit in anyway results in brain death to the player. The Sys Adm tells players that dying in-game results in IRL death.
Refusal of call
Kirito is initially in a state of disbelief but ultimately decides to try fighting to the end-game which promises release for everyone.
Other players refuse the call to action by committing suicide in game. Whether they believe they will truly die IRL is cloudy but they are determined not to be trapped in the death game.
Some players are removed from the game by outside forces (family, medical personnel, etc). Many of them die or are in permanent comas.
Supernatural aid
In Kirito’s case his ‘supernatural aid’ is in the form of high stats and insider knowledge of the game that comes from being a beta tester. He is also granted unique stats that no one else in-game has.
Crossing the first threshold
Normally a solo style player, Kirito eventually teams up with other, lower-level players to help them survive. He fights player-killers when they threaten those around him.
Belly of the whale
Eventually, small groups and solo work are not enough to continue progressing, even with his higher stats. He eventually starts helping a large guild with the goal of beating the end-game.
Road of trials
Beating the bosses in the dungeons becomes more challenging as they forge ahead. Kirito tries and fails to protect all of his comrades. The losses are difficult. The lack of freedom that comes with being in a guild is also wearing on him.
Meeting with the goddess
Enter Asuna, a high ranking guild member who initially takes issue with Kirito’s attitude. Eventually they find that they will fight and die for one another.
Temptation
Asuna and Kirito ask for a leave of absence from the guild and escape to a cabin in the woods where their love for one another grows. The temptation is to stay there, hidden from the fighting and to let others deal with it. To stay in their safe haven and live out the rest of what few days they surely have in peace and love with each other.
Atonement with the father
They are called back to the guild and they do return. Kirito is challenged by the leader. If Kirito can beat him he can take Asuna away but if not he has join the guild as an official member and they have to stay and continue fighting.
The guild leader also has a unique skill that Kirito picks up on in the duel. This piece of information will leads Kirito to uncovering the final boss’ true identity.
Kirito loses the battle and has to join the guild.
Apostasis
Kirito realizes that he must do whatever it takes to keep Asuna safe until they clear the game. She is his reason for continuing on in the servitude of the guild and the death game.
The ultimate boon
Another day, another dungeon. After a series of events wherin the guild master has sacrificed many players Kirito confronts him – accusing him of being the final boss.
He challenges him to another duel with the condition he disables his unique skills which he agrees to do. He also agrees to release everyone if Kirito can beat him here and now.
Kirito takes the chance and very nearly loses. In fact it looks quite like he dies but he has a revival spell. Unfortunately, Asuna jumps in to try and help and ends up dying.
Refusal of return
Kirito doesn’t want to return to reality without Asuna. The game master does release everyone still in-game, including Asuna, whom he had promised would not die before their final duel.
The game master respects Kirito for figuring out who he really was.
Magic flight
The return to the real world is difficult for the players who had been in coma states and fighting for their lives in bloody battles for several years.
On returning, Kirito finds that Asuna is alive but in a permanent coma.
Kirito works with the government to try and track down all those responsible for the death game.
Rescue from without
Eventually the world forgets about the death game and new VRMMOs emerge.
Kirito gets information leading him to believe that Asuna may be trapped in anew game.
Despite all that he’d been through he logs back on and tries to find her.
Crossing the return threshold
Feeling that his life has purpose again helps him trly cross back into the real world.
He does find where Asuna is being held and by whom IRL.
Master of two worlds
He has to fight in the virtual world and the real world to save the woman he loves.
Freedom to live
Once Asuna is released and the IRL antagonist defeated, she and Kirito are finally able to start the process of getting to know each other in real life.
Even though they are married in their hearts (as they were in game) they never knew one another prior to the virtual world.
They eventually find a recreation of the world the death game was staged in and reclaim their cabin in the woods.
They continue building their IRL relationship while finishing school and trying to be normal productive members of society, while…living, loving and fighting together in the virtual world.
…so obviously I skipped over some big pieces, like Kirito’s sister, Yui, the first group he tries helping, etc… but I think as a first pass it’s pretty decent. As a writing exercise I think it really helps to see how many of the stories we know and love really do fit into this model. I figure if I can reverse engineer a story this way I should be able to better understand the structure and hopefully that helps make me a better writer!
Check out some other good examples here: https://runningfather.wordpress.com/2013/03/27/transpersonal-tidbits-the-heros-journey-summary-of-the-steps/amp/
Read more about the incomparable Joseph Campbell at https://www.jcf.org/
A good explanation of the journey steps on skillshare: https://www.skillshare.com/blog/the-heros-journey-stages-and-structure/
A nice scrivener template if you use it: https://www.belalampert.com/free-heros-journey-template-for-scrivener/
And of course, Sword art Online –> https://www.swordart-onlineusa.com/aincrad/