The Hero's Journey, Spoilerific Star Wars: The Force Awakens Continues. Part 3: The Return

Blah blah blah, joke about not making a joke about Wymore. Blah blah blah.

So we left Rey complete, a whole and fulfilled character, standing over the body or Kylo Ren, about to die.

Refusal of the Return

Often, once the hero has completed the quest, they do not want to return to the real world to bestow their boon upon humanity. That isn't really a thing in the Force Awakens, as the world is currently blowing up around Rey.

The Magic Flight and Rescue from Without

Typically two separate steps, these neatly combine in the Force Awakens. In the Magic Flight, the hero returns, often sustained by all the powers they've earned in their adventures. In Rescue from Without, the hero often needs to be retrieved to return to the world. In the Force Awakens, as Rey cries over the dying form of Finn, both of these moments are realized as the Falcon rises into shot, Chewbacca at the helm.

The Crossing of the Return Threshold

The hero must return to the world, somehow retaining the wisdom they've gained. This moment is most notable for Rey when she leaves the Falcon and meets Leia for the first time. They embrace, and Rey is back to the grounded person she once was in this simple human moment. She also experiences, according to the screenplay, "A mother's embrace."

Master of Two Worlds

Rey has returned, but we need to see that she retains her mastery of both worlds. And so after R2 awakens with the rest of the map, she says goodbye to Finn and sets out again. This time to finally find the lost Jedi master, Luke Skywalker. We see her land on the island, knowing that this is place Ren mentioned from her dreams. She has always been the master of two worlds. And now she knows it.

Freedom to Live

At the end, our hero lives free from fear of death. Free to live in the moment. existing in the present. Unconcerned with the future or the past. Does this sound like any philosophy we know?

And so we see Rey climb the steps of the island, invoking the images of temples and monasteries throughout history. And at the top, we find Luke Skywalker. And he turns. And she holds out the lightsaber.

And there is nothing in the world more important than this moment.