Ever notice that every blockbuster movie has the same fundamental pieces? A hero, a journey, some conflicts to muck it all up, a reward, and the hero returning home and everybody applauding his or her swag? Yeah, scholar Joseph Campbell noticed first—in 1949. He wrote The Hero with a Thousand Faces, in which he outlined the 17 stages of a mythological hero's journey.

About half a century later, Christopher Vogler condensed those stages down to 12 in an attempt to show Hollywood how every story ever written should—and, uh, does—follow Campbell's pattern. We're working with those 12 stages, so take a look. (P.S. Want more? We have an entire Online Course devoted to the hero's journey.)

Ordinary World

He may hail from Tatooine, but Luke's real home is wherever his friends are. At the beginning of Return of the Jedi, that spot happens to be Jabba the Hutt's palace, where Luke is reunited with Leia, Han, Chewbacca, Lando, C-3PO and R2-D2 and they work together to defeat Jabba.

Call To Adventure

When Luke visits Yoda on Dagobah, Yoda gives Luke a clear call to adventure: If he wants to be a full-fledged Jedi, he has to confront Darth Vader.

Refusal Of The Call

Luke's refusal of the call is brief. After Yoda kicks the bucket, Luke tells R2-D2 that he can't take on Darth Vader alone.

Meeting The Mentor

Obi-Wan Kenobi is literally Luke's mentor, and he shows up at just the right time. After Luke expresses his self-doubt to R2-D2, Obi-Wan's spirit visits Luke in the swamp to provide a little motivation to his former student. He tells Luke that Leia is his sister, and he also gives Luke some useful advice: Luke needs to bury his feelings deep if he doesn't want the Emperor to use them against him.

Crossing The Threshold

When the hero crosses the threshold, his quest really jumps off. For Luke, that's when he joins Han's team to destroy the Death Star's defense shield on Endor. Since he knows Darth Vader can sense his presence, he's making a statement—his quest is on like Donkey Kong.

Tests, Allies, Enemies

Once Luke commits to his friends and the Rebel Alliance's plan to knock out the Death Star, Luke faces an assortment of obstacles.

First, there's the psychological impact of Luke and Darth Vader's bond; Luke worries that he's endangering the whole mission simply by being there since Vader can sense his presence and feelings.

Then there are the waves of enemies Luke and his friends square off against on Endor. Luke and Leia chase after stormtroopers on speeder bikes. When Leia gets knocked off of her bike in the pursuit, Luke joins the search party.

Fortunately, through all of Luke's travails on Endor, his allies have his back. We're talking about Han, Leia, Chewbacca, C-3PO, R2-D2, and, last but not least, the Ewoks. Luke starts his journey with a handful of loyal friends. When he meets the Ewoks, his circle of trust expands like Jabba's belly on Tatooine Taco Night.

Approach To The Inmost Cave

When Luke surrenders to Darth Vader on the Death Star, there's no turning back. He's in the heart of the Dark Side, and he's either going to complete his quest or die trying.

Ordeal

Luke's most life-threatening battle comes at the hands of the Emperor—or really, at the fingertips of the Emperor, as he zaps Luke with Force Lightning again and again and again. Luke begs Darth Vader to help him, and writhes on the floor in pain, waiting for his pops to intervene.

Reward (Seizing The Sword)

Luke's faith is ultimately rewarded when Darth Vader steps in and stops the Emperor from killing Luke. His actions don't just save Luke's life; they prove that he was right about his dad all along.

The Road Back

Even though the Emperor's been defeated, Luke isn't out of the woods just yet. For starters, the Death Star is about to be destroyed. Also, he still needs to confront his dad emotionally, and he needs to do it quickly: Vader takes a ton of damage when he disposes of the Emperor, and is on the verge of death.

Resurrection

The resurrection stage in a hero's journey is all about transformation, and Luke gets his when he unmasks Darth Vader and finally has a real heart-to-heart with his dad. Anakin verbally confirms Luke's faith in him, and Luke makes peace with his twisted family tree.

Return With The Elixir

Luke returns to his friends at the Rebel victory party on Endor a changed man—emphasis on man. He's grown up, he's redeemed his father, and he's become a Jedi.