Section 008, Jason Simpson, pg.

1
Joseph Campbell described the path that all epic heroes undergo, what he calls the
Departure, the Initiation, and the Return. First, the hero is called away from his or her seemingly
mundane life into the realm of the extraordinary. This is accomplished by crossing a gateway
between the worlds, often with the help of some person or object. Second, the hero journeys
through the adventure world, facing challenges, confronting the nemesis, and obtaining the
ultimate goal of the adventure. Finally, the hero returns to their seemingly mundane world from
the adventure world by some magical flight back through the gateway between worlds (often
with the help of some supernatural being). As a result of his adventure, the hero gains the ability
to save both worlds and find a balance between the two.1 In the epic story of the hero, there must
always be a call to adventure, some form of aid (occasionally supernatural), a threshold crossing,
a series of trials, and a confrontation, all resulting in the hero saving both adventure and
mundane world, returning home while mastering both worlds.
The heros journey always begins with a departure. In Steven Lisbergers Tron, the
character of Alan, whose digital representation is Tron, begins his journey at the same time as the
main character, Flynn. In the room above Flynns arcade, Lora convinces both Flynn and Alan to
hack into the ENCOM computer system. This call to adventure is the most important step of an
epic heros adventure; without it, the hero would never even begin the journey. The second most
important aspect of the heros journey is the choice to cross the first threshold into the world of
adventure. In the case of Tron, the threshold is literal doorway guarded by the unnecessarily large
back door of the ENCOM building. This is the first turning point in the journey; the hero chooses
to go on, even when given a perfectly good reason to go home. Though Campbell places the
section on Supernatural Aid in the Departure chapter, a more appropriate location would be
1 Joseph Campbell, The Hero with a Thousand Faces (Novato: New World Library, 2008), 39209.

Section 008, Jason Simpson, pg. 2

floating anywhere before he Ultimate Boon section of the Initiation chapter.2 In Tron, the major
supernatural aid does not happen until after Tron has met the goddess and experienced two of
his three trials. Tron and Yori travel to a place they can meet Trons user, where Alan gives Tron
a data disc with the ability to destroy the master computer program (MCP). The term
supernatural aid is a misnomer; though the aid could be supernatural, it could also be a natural
characteristic of the hero (e.g. metis).
Next, Trons journey takes him into the world where nearly everyone wants to stop him.
The Road of Trials is the part of the heros journey where he must pass several tests before
obtaining his final goal, often in groups of three.3 After the light cycle scene, Sark, Trons
nemesis, send tanks after them. Then, Tron is chased by recognizers, also sent by Sark. Finally,
after Tron has spoken to Alan, has been given the data disc, and is travelling to the MCP, Sark
attacks Tron in his command ship, completing the trio of trials. After Tron arrives at the MCP, he
is confronted by Sark, and the two fight.4 Campbell called this the Atonement with the Father,
when the hero confronts the archetypal nightmare of the ogre father.5 After Sark is defeated,
Flynn distracts the MCP, while Tron destroys it.6 This victory is the climax of both the movie and
Trons adventure.
Following the climax, the hero must make a return trip back home. Trons magical
flight, as Campbell called it, is his being split into two separate entities but remaining a single
person. Both Tron and Alan are the same, but live in different worlds. After the MCP is destroyed
and Flynn is cleared, Alan and Tron simply walk away from the adventure, going on to live their

2 Ibid.
3 Ibid, 81-90.
4 Tron, directed by Steven Lisberger, 1982.
5 Campbell, The Hero with a Thousand Faces, 116.
6 Tron.

Section 008, Jason Simpson, pg. 3

lives.7 Another important portion of the heros journey is that he or she must become the dual
hero in both worlds. Both Alan and Tron exist after Flynn exits the mainframe computer, each
acting out their own lives. Finally, for the heros journey to be successful, he must be able to live
in the freedom that he desires. Tron can live the life he wanted as a free program because the
MCP had been destroyed. Alan can write the codes that he wants without the scrutiny of
Dillinger on every project.8
The journey is complete only after the hero has obtained that which he desired at the
beginning. To achieve his desire, he must meet his nemesis and defeat the trials placed before
him, which he can only do with the aid of some person or object. Finally after he has obtained
that which he desire, the hero can return home and save the world, or at least the part that needs
saving. Even before he can do all of these things, the hero must hear the call to adventure and
decide to complete the journey. Other heroic stories may have far more complicated plot lines,
but must still retain these basic points.

7 Ibid.
8 Ibid.

Section 008, Jason Simpson, pg. 4

Bibliography

Campbell, Joseph. The Hero with a Thousand Faces. Novato: New World Library, 2008.
Tron. Directed by Steven Lisberger. 1982. Walt Disney Productions. 95 minutes.