The Hero Archetype was founded on the basis of archaeological observations by Bastien. His premise being that societies have an ideal of what a Hero is and subsequently expectations. With the advent of Carl Jung, this Hero Archetype gained credence especially with the work of Joseph Campbell as popularized by George Lucas and others in a series of movies emphasizing "universal themes common to myths and legends" presented in a manner accessible to the times. Thus, Theseus and Adriane were transformed into Luke and Leia.
But, is Merlin headed on the path of the Hero?
I for one would like to have Merlin be the Hero and see more stories that would make him meet the expectations of a Hero by increasing his stature, his responsibility, and his strength like his powers as a warlock, his mental toughness, etc.
However, this is not the case. In the Hero Archetype, the stories have the Hero undergo stages (numbering anywhere between 3 to 30 depending on how they're organized) and it serves as a useful outline for Heroic stories ranging from Gilgamesh to Smallville and anti-Heroic stories from Odysseus (if you're a Roman) to Homer Simpson.
In Merlin, we saw at first four Hero journeys: Merlin, Arthur, Gwen, and Morgana. And those four journeys fit a three stage arc (the original 3 years expected by the creators) but for Merlin, alone, the series can be fitted into a 5 stage arc:
This seemed to be outlined MERLIN'S JOURNEY for the first four series but remains to be seen if this holds in Series 5 where the goal is the Restoration of Albion:
Stage 1: Departure: The hero is called to adventure, although he is reluctant to accept. (Season 1)
Stage 2: Initiation: The hero crosses a threshold into a new, more dangerous world, gaining a more mature perspective. (Season 2)
Stage 3: The Road of Trials: The hero is given supernatural aid, endures tests of strength, resourcefulness, and endurance. (Season 3)
Stage 4: The Innermost Cave: The hero faces a great trial. It is a period of undoing, and change. Because of this trial, the hero is reborn in some way: physically, emotionally, or spiritually. Through this experience, the hero changes internally. (Season 4)
Stage 5: Return and Reintegration with Society: The hero uses his new wisdom to restore the land of Albion (Season 5?)
We've already seen ARTHUR'S JOURNEY(s) as Warrior (S01E01 ending as a Ruler of sorts in S03E13--- where Merlin--- the show--- could have ended with Arthur as Prince Regent and Merlin his trusted friend) and now we see Arthur as King (first as Prince and then as King beginning with S04E03).
ARTHUR'S JOURNEY as King:
Stage 1: Departure: The hero is called to adventure, although he is reluctant to accept. (Season 3 Eps 12 and 13, S04E03)
Stage 2: Initiation: The hero crosses a threshold into a new, more dangerous world, gaining a more mature perspective. (Season 3 Ep 13 and S04E01, 02 and 03)
Stage 3: The Road of Trials: The hero is given supernatural aid, endures tests of strength, resourcefulness, and endurance. (Season 4)
Stage 4: The Innermost Cave: The hero faces a great trial. It is a period of undoing, and change. Because of this trial, the hero is reborn in some way: physically, emotionally, or spiritually. Through this experience, the hero changes internally. (Season 4 Eps 3 and 13, and Season 5?)
Stage 5: Return and Reintegration with Society: The hero uses his new wisdom to restore the land of Albion (Season 5?)
And, Arthur is headed toward being a Hero but he's not out of the woods yet.
Merlin has gained by Stage 4: the promise of acceptance and respect of the Druids by Arthur and a Queen Gwen upon the throne of Camelot. Both are too little. Despite Arthur's atonement, for Merlin to complete Stage 5 certain threads must be tied: the word and honor of the Pendragons despite the work of Arthur is still stained due to the Gorlois incident and the Gwen incident; and Merlin's growing ease at lying to authority figures notably Gaius and Arthur, his inability to keep his promises coupled with his growing isolation from his friends eventually eroding any semblance of trust, and his progressive lack of judgement during times of personal stress show that Merlin's emotional state has regressed.
At present, I don't believe that Merlin is headed on the path to Hero but to an Anti-Hero. The difference in that the Hero acts as expected and certain "eternal or universal" themes are repeated and emphasized and others are dropped as (s)he grows emotionally, spiritually, or physically while for the Anti-Hero protagonist, these themes are more haphazard, an after thought. That is, the lesson behind the Myth is usually directed at someone else or someone besides the protagonist benefits from the work of the Anti-Hero.
And, if this holds then Merlin will not see Albion in his lifetime because that is the destiny and lament of the Anti-Hero: to remain an outsider to the very society he protected and helped form.
Yet, the entire premise of this show was that Merlin and Arthur are two sides of the same coin: The Hero.
(Part II--- Setting Merlin on the Path of Hero.)
But, is Merlin headed on the path of the Hero?
I for one would like to have Merlin be the Hero and see more stories that would make him meet the expectations of a Hero by increasing his stature, his responsibility, and his strength like his powers as a warlock, his mental toughness, etc.
However, this is not the case. In the Hero Archetype, the stories have the Hero undergo stages (numbering anywhere between 3 to 30 depending on how they're organized) and it serves as a useful outline for Heroic stories ranging from Gilgamesh to Smallville and anti-Heroic stories from Odysseus (if you're a Roman) to Homer Simpson.
In Merlin, we saw at first four Hero journeys: Merlin, Arthur, Gwen, and Morgana. And those four journeys fit a three stage arc (the original 3 years expected by the creators) but for Merlin, alone, the series can be fitted into a 5 stage arc:
This seemed to be outlined MERLIN'S JOURNEY for the first four series but remains to be seen if this holds in Series 5 where the goal is the Restoration of Albion:
Stage 1: Departure: The hero is called to adventure, although he is reluctant to accept. (Season 1)
Stage 2: Initiation: The hero crosses a threshold into a new, more dangerous world, gaining a more mature perspective. (Season 2)
Stage 3: The Road of Trials: The hero is given supernatural aid, endures tests of strength, resourcefulness, and endurance. (Season 3)
Stage 4: The Innermost Cave: The hero faces a great trial. It is a period of undoing, and change. Because of this trial, the hero is reborn in some way: physically, emotionally, or spiritually. Through this experience, the hero changes internally. (Season 4)
Stage 5: Return and Reintegration with Society: The hero uses his new wisdom to restore the land of Albion (Season 5?)
We've already seen ARTHUR'S JOURNEY(s) as Warrior (S01E01 ending as a Ruler of sorts in S03E13--- where Merlin--- the show--- could have ended with Arthur as Prince Regent and Merlin his trusted friend) and now we see Arthur as King (first as Prince and then as King beginning with S04E03).
ARTHUR'S JOURNEY as King:
Stage 1: Departure: The hero is called to adventure, although he is reluctant to accept. (Season 3 Eps 12 and 13, S04E03)
Stage 2: Initiation: The hero crosses a threshold into a new, more dangerous world, gaining a more mature perspective. (Season 3 Ep 13 and S04E01, 02 and 03)
Stage 3: The Road of Trials: The hero is given supernatural aid, endures tests of strength, resourcefulness, and endurance. (Season 4)
Stage 4: The Innermost Cave: The hero faces a great trial. It is a period of undoing, and change. Because of this trial, the hero is reborn in some way: physically, emotionally, or spiritually. Through this experience, the hero changes internally. (Season 4 Eps 3 and 13, and Season 5?)
Stage 5: Return and Reintegration with Society: The hero uses his new wisdom to restore the land of Albion (Season 5?)
And, Arthur is headed toward being a Hero but he's not out of the woods yet.
Merlin has gained by Stage 4: the promise of acceptance and respect of the Druids by Arthur and a Queen Gwen upon the throne of Camelot. Both are too little. Despite Arthur's atonement, for Merlin to complete Stage 5 certain threads must be tied: the word and honor of the Pendragons despite the work of Arthur is still stained due to the Gorlois incident and the Gwen incident; and Merlin's growing ease at lying to authority figures notably Gaius and Arthur, his inability to keep his promises coupled with his growing isolation from his friends eventually eroding any semblance of trust, and his progressive lack of judgement during times of personal stress show that Merlin's emotional state has regressed.
At present, I don't believe that Merlin is headed on the path to Hero but to an Anti-Hero. The difference in that the Hero acts as expected and certain "eternal or universal" themes are repeated and emphasized and others are dropped as (s)he grows emotionally, spiritually, or physically while for the Anti-Hero protagonist, these themes are more haphazard, an after thought. That is, the lesson behind the Myth is usually directed at someone else or someone besides the protagonist benefits from the work of the Anti-Hero.
And, if this holds then Merlin will not see Albion in his lifetime because that is the destiny and lament of the Anti-Hero: to remain an outsider to the very society he protected and helped form.
Yet, the entire premise of this show was that Merlin and Arthur are two sides of the same coin: The Hero.
(Part II--- Setting Merlin on the Path of Hero.)
