The Hero's Journey is Bulls*it

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The Hero's Journey is some mumblety-jumbo comparative literature nonsense by Joseph Campbell that's hung over the screenwriter's profession like an oily pall since STAR WARS came out. Everyone thinks George Lucas used Campbell's "Hero's Journey" theory of world literature to create a work of such universiality. Actually, "everyone" was more excited by the dumpsters of money STAR WARS made, and thought the "Hero's Journey" structure is the...well, the "elixir that saves the world" (last part of the Journey). Actually, George Lucas melded Flash Gordon, Samurai movies, hot rod flicks, the LENSMEN novels and LORD OF THE RINGS with kickass special effects (spaceships and monsters!) and created something awesome. Campbell applied his structure, after the fact, to Lucas' vision, as if every living being, subconsciously, identifies with said "Journey", 'cuz it's "our Journey". Bulls*it. The only "Journey" that most of the world even comes close to identifying with involves Steve Perry and midnight trains going anywhere. Elizabeth Vandiver has a much better, more universal theory called "test and quest". Actually, I don't know if it's her theory, but she subscribes to it, and she's pretty damn sharp. What it says is, the hero goes off, has any number of different journeys and adventures, and comes back both fundamentally changed AND re-committed to his or her being. I know, somewhere, right now, there's someone at a laptop, trying to figure out how his protagonist is supposed to fight a Ten Foot Man (or equivalent) but I'm here to tell you, you're free! Write the story that speaks to you, and it will become universal! And I'm keeping the part here where the baby dragon farts.