ROTJ: The Heroic Quest

The perilous journey that the hero must undertake is the rescue of Han Solo from the evil crime lord, Jabba the Hutt. It can be argued that all the events leading up to Han's escape merely build up the meaning of his escape by the hands of the hero, Luke Skywalker. Because others fail, Luke's success is seen as more meaningful. This build up begins with the delivery of the two droids, R2-D2 and C-3P0, to Jabba's service. Also, the palace is built up as a formidable place right from the beginning. Fr

In Return of the Jedi, the exaltation of the hero allows him to come to discover his true self, as well as helping give freedom to his people. Luke re-emerges after defeating the evil, and is treated like a hero. On the surface, it may appear as though Luke's reward is simply the glory of freeing his people, and his own pride in saving his father. Under closer analysis, it becomes apparent that Luke's true reward was self-discovery. Throughout his journey, Luke has discovered far more than anyone else may even imagine. Luke's success has given him a deeper understanding of what is truly important in life, and for that reason he cannot celebrate with his comrades over the victory and destruction of the Death Star. Despite the surface victory, Luke cannot help but feel a sense of personal loss in the lives of his three friends, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda, and his father, Anakin Skywalker. The movie ends with Luke glancing into the sky at the three men's shimmering figures. This beautifully outlines the use of the three to finalize the quest. Where three men failed before him, Luke had succeeded. He had brought evil to its knees, and it is that fact that he must be heralded for, not for small feats such as the destruction of specific individuals.

In conclusion, Luke's journey is the perfect compilation of the heroic quest. He proves his status in the undertaking of a perilous journey, by rescuing a friend from an evil crime lord. He then emerges himself in a crucial struggle against evil itself, in which failure means death for not only himself, but for all of his friends, and everything he believes in. After he successfully completes both struggles, he experiences his exaltation. Luke Skywalker realizes his true self, finally understands the deeper truths, and becomes forever changes. The simple farm boy who he once was, no longer exists. After the completion of the heroic quest, no hero is ever the same. This holds true in Luke Skywalker. Return of the Jedi is an exemplary product of the true power and meaning behind the heroic quest.

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