Hercules

In the animated film, Hercules, the viewer can watch the modern day twist on the legendary Greek hero Heracles (Hercules) as he advances through his heroic journey. Although the original myth slightly varies from the film, both sources carry strong and necessary elements that are needed for the completion of the hero's quest. Therefore the basic plot of the movie must be explained for us to discover the many hidden archetypes within. 

Plot Summary

Long after Zeus, ruler of the Greek gods of Mount Olympus, defeats the Titans and locks them deep in the bowels of the earth, he and his wife Hera give birth to a son, Hercules. All the gods of Olympus celebrate Hercules's birth except for Zeus's jealous brother Hades, who was forced by Zeus to work as lord of the dead in the Underworld, and seeks to overthrow his brother. Hades learns from the Fates that in eighteen years, a planetary alignment will reveal the location of where the Titans are trapped, allowing him to free them and take over Olympus, but only if Hercules doesn't interfere. Hades sends his minions Pain and Panic to kidnap Hercules, bring him to Earth, and kill him after giving him a potion that will turn him mortal. However, Pain and Panic are unable to give Hercules the entire potion which, while still making him mortal, allows him to retain his godlike strength. Hercules is then found by a farmer and his wife, who raise him as their own son.

Over the next eighteen years, Hercules grows up into a misfit, his strength seen as a nuisance to all the locals. After being rejected by the townsfolk when he accidentally destroys the marketplace, Hercules questions where he truly belongs. His foster parents reveal how they found him with a medallion bearing the symbol of the gods, so Hercules travels to the Temple of Zeus, where the almighty god's statue comes to life and reveals his past and true lineage. Zeus explains that Hercules can become a god again and return to Olympus if he can become a true hero, so he sets out on his old childhood friend Pegasus, to find the satyr Philocetes, Phil for short, a trainer of heroes. Phil has long-since retired after failing to train a successful hero, but is convinced to train Hercules.

After his training is complete, Hercules sets out with Phil and Pegasus to the city of Thebes to prove his new found worth. Along the way, Hercules saves a woman named Megara (Meg) from being pestered by the centaur Nessus, and becomes attracted to her. Hercules however is unaware that Meg is in league with Hades after selling her soul to save a man she once loved, but had left her for another woman. Discovering Hercules to still be alive, Hades sets up a trap for him outside of Thebes where he is forced to battle the Hydra. However, Hercules manages to defeat the Hydra, and is praised by all of Thebes as a hero. Hercules is treated like a celebrity, but Zeus informs him that he is not a true hero yet.

Meg is sent by Hades to find Hercules' weakness, but she falls in love with him instead. Phil discovers Meg to be working for Hades and attempts to warn Hercules, but abandons him after an ensuing argument. Realizing that Meg is Hercule's weakness, Hades uses her to make a deal with Hercules in which he must give up his powers for an entire day in exchange for Meg's safety, using this time to free the Titans and take over Olympus, while Hercules is crushed by Meg's deception and loses the will to fight. One of the Titans, a Cyclops, is sent to Thebes to eliminate Hercules. Meg convinces Phil to return to Hercules, motivating him into battling and defeating the Cyclops through improvisation. However, Meg is mortally wounded by a falling column to save Hercules, though it breaks Hades's deal of Meg not being harmed and restores Hercules's powers, allowing him to defeat the Titans. Unfortunately, he is too late to save Meg from dying.

Hercules confronts Hades in the Underworld and offers his soul to reclaim Meg's. Hades accepts, but only if Hercules can reclaim it in the River Styx, which gradually saps his life force as he swims. However, his will to sacrifice his life for Meg awakens Hercules as a true hero and restores his status as an immortal god. Hercules successfully retrieves Meg's soul and punches Hades into the River Styx, where he is dragged to the depths by vengeful souls. Hercules returns Meg's soul to her body and brings her back to life, and is brought to Olympus where the gods welcome him back into his old home. However, Hercules is unable to live without Meg, and Zeus allows him to stay on Earth as a mortal to stay with the one he loves. Zeus creates a constellation of Hercules in the night sky, allowing the world to hail him as a true hero.

Hercule's Journey, Stage by Stage: 

1. Departure - Hercules' quest begins when he is challenged to find out whether his true identity is godly or ordinary. Therefore,  it comes as a shock when he finds out that he came straight from the god family tree. 
2. Initiation - In the second stage, Hercules is initiated when he takes up training with his mentor Phil. He is crossing the threshold of his youth and gaining a more mature perspective towards the world and what it means to become a hero.
3. The Road of Trials - Hercules is faced with many hardships as he comes up against numerous foes and  monsters galore. Also, throughout this time Hercules' is given a supernatural partner or aid named Pegasus. This flying horse acts as his trusted companion ever since he was gifted to him as a child. 
4. The Innermost Cave - Hercules' is faced with the ultimate challenge when he must undo Hades plans by defeating the Titans. At the same time he risks his life to save Meg's soul from the underworld which proves his change from an average to true hero. This internal change enforces Hercules true heroic nature.
5. Return and Reintegration with Society -  In the final stretch of the film, we see Hercules confirming his past identity with the one he has created as a true hero. He final decision to not become a god and remain on earth shows how he has grown in wisdom and self-confidence. He is now welcomed and appreciated for who he is by society and Meg the one he loves. 

Character Archetypes:

The character, Meg transitions from various character archetypes throughout different phases of the film. She begins as the servant to the evil figure because of her association and unpaid debt to Hades. Although she must do as she is told, it's obvious that underneath everything she has endured is a redeemable and good heart. This becomes apparent when she is ordered to tempt Hercules into giving away his one weakness. Although she has transitioned into the role of the temptress, Hercules (the hero) is able to save her with his true intentions. Now, instead of being dictated by her bond to the Hades (the evil figure) she falls in love with Hercules. Afterward, with Hades realizing that Meg is Hercules' true weakness he uses her to trap Hercules. She becomes the vulnerable female character (damsel in distress) that if rescued poses a threat to Hercules. In this situation, Hades threatens the safety of Meg if Hercules isn't willing to give up his strength. Another example of Meg being rescued was when Hercules retrieves Meg's soul from the River Styx, which also endangered his own life.

Hercules plays the role of the hero since he embodies characteristics from the "young person from provinces" description. At the very start of Hercules' journey he was taken away from his parents as a infant and placed in the home of complete strangers. Even though his true ancestry can be traced back to the gods he was raised amongst mortals. This hidden difference created problems for Hercules and challenged him to recognize his past and the solutions that soon followed. 

The satyr Phil (Philocetes) acts as Hercules mentor since he was responsible for training and preparing the hero for future trials. Phil also proves to be the perfect teacher for Hercules because of his past history with other famous heroes. It shows that he has a reputation for teaching which ensures that Hercules is destined for greatness. 
 
Hades represents the devil figure because of his instilled hatred towards his brother, Zeus,  ever since he was given the job to watch over the dead. Therefore his resentment grows when Hercules is born into the family because it was foretold that Hercules would interfere. This causes Hades to make it is personal goal to oppose Hercules (the hero) in every step along the way.