This stage of the monomyth usually entails a swift escape from hazard following the climax of the hero’s journey. Having confronted a significant ordeal and obtained their reward or achieved their objective, the hero should now return to the extraordinary world. This return is just not at all times simple and may contain pursuit by vengeful enemies, guardians of the edge, or the unraveling of the particular world the hero has simply left. This escape can take a literal type, reminiscent of fleeing a collapsing temple, or a extra metaphorical one, like a sudden realization that permits the hero to flee a psychological or emotional lure. Examples embody Odysseus’s perilous sea voyage house after blinding Polyphemus or Persephone’s annual return to the world of the residing from the underworld.
This stage signifies a transition and sometimes entails a chase, the hero carrying a prize or newfound knowledge again to the extraordinary world. It serves as a bridge between the climax and the hero’s eventual return, highlighting the challenges and risks that persist even after the first battle has been resolved. Traditionally, this trope displays widespread anxieties surrounding change and the mixing of recent information or expertise into current societal buildings. It underscores the concept true heroism entails not solely conquering exterior foes but in addition navigating the aftermath of victory.