The Source Code Archetype Analysis

The movie of "The Source Code" explores the idea of travelling back in time through a computer program to save the lives of a bombed Chicago train. At first glance I noticed that the character of Colter begins as an Unbalanced Hero; he doesn't know what to do and is confused the first two times he enters the Source Code. As the trailer moves on you can see that he has had character development and feels and attraction to the main female character. This transitions his character archetype from one of unbalancement to a Hero as lover. There are many Symbolic Archetypes throughout the two minute long trailer, the main ones that I saw were the Supernaturual Intervention and the Symbolic Objects. The scientists act as a god in the world of Colter, they are his controller, they can intervene and help him to complete his mission of finding the Chicago train bomber. While the second one is a bit less obvious was the object, mainly the bridge where the train blows up in the trailer. During Colters first journey into the Source Code the train is shown blowing up on a bridge. Bridges posses a very strong archetype of change. Colters life will be changed forever, he is being depended on by everyone on that train and their families, which brings up character conflict. The main character conflicts in this movie are Man vs Himself, he fails multiple times developing a challenge against himself and the guilt that he would have to live with.

Lastly one of the most important parts of the Hero's Journey is the stages. In the film trailer it touches on almost all of the stages. First the departure, he wakes up in the train not knowing what is going on and fails the first time and is greeted by scientists that tell him his quest, he is reluctant to accept and that cocludes Stage 1: Departure. The second stage of Initiation is when he returns into The Source Code or the more dangerous world, this time he knows what to do but still fails. Then the story moves onto Stage 3: The Road of Trials, the main character develops an understanding of the Source Code and is given supernatural aid. Lastly the most obvious one that was touched upon in the trailer was the Innermost Cave. The hero of Colter develops an attraction to the main female character and he experiences emotions that would not obtain if he did not meet the other character. This concedes true because towards the end of the trailer Colter tries to save her, but the viewer is left with many questions in their head, what will happen next?

The Archetypes behind Pokemon.

Many people know of the series called Pokemon, many people know of the TV show, as well as the games. The first Pokemon was released on February 27th 1996, originating from Japan. Many people know of the main character; Ash Ketchum, like most heroes in their story he is sent on a quest at the beginning of the story, to fill up the Pokedex. This is the quest in the part of the heroes journey. Like many other modern films the protagonist  is not alone, relating back to my other blog talking about Lord of the Rings and how Frodo goes on his quest but was also not alone, he had the other loyal companions; his hobbits. In this case the archetype of the loyal companion holds true when he obtains Pikachu. Another similarity between this posting and my other is the influential role of the old wise man, in this case it's Professor Oak. He helps the hero on his journey by providing his vast intellectuality on the topic that is relevant.

The Quest, one of the biggest archetypes that many modern films behold. In this case the main character Ash Ketchum is told to go capture every Pokemon to fill up the Pokedex. A characteristic of this heroes journey is that the hero meets monsters, these are the other Pokemon or Pokemon trainers that withhold the same quest that the protagonist has, thus making the type of conflict Man vs Society. Like Ong Bak they were both born in a rural community and not used to the city, this being another characteristic of the Hero's Journey. Relating back to the Quest of Ash Ketchum involves many of the elements of the Hero's Journey including the Task. The Task of capturing over 150 Pokemon would be considered a superhuman feat that must be accomplished in order to fulfill the ultimate goal. Another archetype that falls into this hero's quest would be The Journey. The Journey includes series of trials and search for information or intellectual truths. The search for information would be when he catches a Pokemon a page in the Pokedex is completed, thus making him that much closer to the last stage of the Hero's Journey; Return and Reintegration with Society. The series of trials that stops the protagonist to completing his quest would be in Pokemon's case the gym leaders.

While the story of Pokemon still holds strong today with many releases of new TV episodes and video games for handheld systems, they all tend to follow the same skeletal structures as many other fantasy shows and movies. They all have the stages of the Hero's Journey, whether it be showed directly, or the viewer has to infer it. The stage of the Hero's Journey can be compared to a plot summary planner. Where the departure of the hero is the Initial Incident, the Initiation is the Rising Action, The Road of Trials and Innermost Cave share the climax and the falling action while the Conclusion is the Return and Reintegration with Society. Looking at 3 films so far they have all had a lot of similarities between characters and plots.

Ong Bak's Connection to other Modern Film.

Ong Bak has many ties to other films. One being Lord of the Rings. The character of Ting relates to the hobbits, although the hobbits are strong and agile like Ting they both posses one thing in common: retrieving what was taken from them. Then the Hero's Journey starts. In both cases the main characters are influenced by an older wise man, this again being one common thing between many Modern Films. In many movies this past few years other characters have influenced hero's into fighting for what's right. The Ong Bak Monk, Yoda, Dumbledore and Gandalf all send the main character(s) on a Hero's Journey. They all have a role in preparing the hero for the journey that is nearing, as well as providing the round characters of the "Old Wise Man" in there respected stories. They are the all knowing, everyone looks up to them as a source of guidance. Without these characters the main characters would have never been sent on there quest.

The main characters in each story follow relatively the same Archetypal Journey of a Quest for Vengeance. In all stories the characters have a hard initiation into there quest. In the story of Ong Bak the character of Ting has no knowing of anything outside of his own surroundings, so when he goes to the city he is lost. He has no idea what is happening so he is taken advantage of, by his own cousin Don.  The Road of trials begins then. Ting is pushed to his limits of mentality and physicality, trying to retrieve the lost Head of Ong Bak. This can also be connected to Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. The hobbits are given a quest. To deliver the ring, easy they thought but they had no idea of the hardships that would follow much like Ting. The character of Don also has a close shadow in this film as well in the twisted figure of Gollum. Both Don and Gollum provide hardships towards the Hero's while pursuing the journey.  These characters act as the Road of Trials throughout the stories, whether it be the Fighting Ring or the Journey to the Cracks of Doom.

As both movies progress towards the end the characters start to realize that they won't finish there hero's journey unless they work together. In Ong Bak Ting notices this when Don provides his unrelenting begging to fight in the ring because otherwise he wouldn't help him retrieve the Head of Ong Bak. After Ting finally caves in to the pressure that Don was giving him he agrees to fight in the ring. This helps the friendship towards both of them grow mutually. When they are eating the noodles together this shows the symbol of friendship, because what do you do with friends? You eat with them, this is the part of the hero's journey called "The Innermost Cave."