Tomb Raider and Juno
Heroes Journey Essay
Juno and Tomb Raider seem like two very different films, they have extremely different settings, different kinds of characters with different personalities and completely different plots. But they both have one big thing in common; they both follow the hero’s journey format. They are both different kinds of heroes, Tomb Raider being a typical hero, who sets out on her own journey, taking everything in stride as she goes whereas Juno is what is commonly called the ‘anti-hero’ which by Wikipedia, is described as being “a protagonist whose character and goals are antithetical to classical heroism.”.
The first act of the heroes journey is separation. Referring to the separation of the hero from the world they are used to or are most comfortable in. In Tomb Raider, this is when Lara has an ancient artifact stolen from her, she’s worked hard to recover this artifact, and this now means she has to go after it. She knows the mission is more challenging than most and can not be completed without the help of a long lost ‘friend’ Terry Sheridan. Lara likes to work alone, and by asking Terry for help, she is stepping out of her own comfort zone. In Juno, this separation from normality is when she becomes aware of her pregnancy. This puts her in an awkward situation as to what to do about it and who to tell. She decides to reject her call by attempting an abortion, but is guided by Su-Chin who acts as a mentor for a short section of this film. She accepts her fate and therefore crosses the threshold into the next stage of the heroes journey.
Initiation into the ‘new world’ is the next act of the heroes journey. In Tomb Raider, this is portrayed when she’s temporarily accepted Terry as her partner in the job. Although they hit a rough patch and Lara decides to leave him behind and go on without his help. This is when Lara hit’s her very lowest point as shown in the heroes journey. They then reunite when Lara is in need of...