Star Wars Archetypes

On May 25th, 1977, the world was introduced to Star Wars. Star Wars: A New Hope is a scientific fantasy film written and directed by George Lucas. This movie was the first of its kind, due to the inclusion of extensive special effects and the captivating realm it was set in. No other movie had expressed such creativity in the way that George Lucas did in the first installment of the Star Wars franchise. With such a variety of intriguing creatures, from Wookies to droids, the film became an extreme success. The movie follows the adventure of Luke Skywalker, a farm boy from the planet of Tatooine, after he and his newly assembled group of companions go on a journey to save Princess Leia, the leader of a rebel group, during a Galactic Civil

The Hero’s Journey is a ten-step adventure, created by Joseph Campbell, that a heroic character must embark on a quest that employs a selection of archetypes. Carl Jung, a highly acclaimed psychologist, defined archetypes as universal patterns in all stories and mythologies regardless of culture or historical period. There are three categories of archetypes: character, symbolic, and situational. In these categories are multiple specific archetypes, which Star Wars depicts and easily explains. George Lucas’ film, Star Wars: A New Hope, uses an assortment of archetypes to illustrate and emphasize the threats Luke Skywalker must overcome while completing the Hero’s

In what is known as the “pirate city”, Kenobi warns Skywalker that he must be careful, for the city is full of vile creatures. Obi-Wan Kenobi is developing into Skywalker’s mentor, an older and wiser figure who teachers their pupil how to survive. In this dangerous city, Kenobi heads to a place he knows will have a pilot, Mos Eisley Cantina. Once again, Kenobi warns Skywalker to be cautious, for Mos Eisley Cantina is a dangerous place. Not without violence, Kenobi and Skywalker manage to find a pilot, a smuggler named Han Solo who has a Wookie for a co-pilot. Wookies are intelligent, yet aggressive, bipeds that are characterized by being extremely tall and hairy. Solo tells Kenobi and Skywalker to meet him in Docking Bay 94 as soon as they are ready to leave. Since Skywalker and Kenobi are prepared to leave, they exit Mos Eisley Cantina and begin to make their way to the docking