William C. Wagoner
10. The Road Back.
"The final work is that of the return. If the powers have blessed the hero, he now sets forth under their protection (emissary); if not, he flees and is pursued..." (Campbell 246). There are various adventures to be had as the hero attempts to leave the "special world" of the adventure and get home. They can sometimes be entire adventures in and of themselves, such as Jason's fight with the Kraken after slaying Medusa, or the entire epic of
The Odyssey
.
11. Resurrection
"At the return threshold the transcendental powers must remain behind; the hero re-emerges from the kingdom of dread (return, resurrection)." (Campbell 246). In order to return to the ordinary world the hero must in a sense die to some aspect of his heroic self. It is thus a "resurrection" as a normal individual in society, although the hero will forever be changed.
12. Return with the Elixir
"The boon that he brings restores the world" (Campbell 246). The final, and ultimately most important, stage of the hero's journey is what he or she brings back to the society itself. Whether it is some knowledge or technology that enhances other's lives, or a literal saving of the society itself, the hero is no hero at all if the community does not benefit in some way.
