Name:_____________________________

Date:_________________________ Create your own Epic Hero!

Odysseus is considered an epic hero. He faces many obstacles and survives due to quick thinking, natural abilities, and assistance from the gods. Today you will create your own epic hero by completing the following chart with your own ideas for a hero for today. What kind of hero would our world today need? After you complete the chart, use color pencils to draw a picture of your hero.

Name and Describe the Hero: The hero symbolizes important ideals and values of his or her home culture.

Unusual birth: The hero’s birth is surrounded by unusual circumstances, for instance Achilles being part god or Harry Potter having wizarding parents and surviving a killing curse at a young age.

The Call to Adventure: The hero is called to leave home, and he or she willingly or unwillingly does. Such as when Captain America has to save the world from Red Skull.

Supernatural Helper: The hero is aided by someone, often old and wise, with magical and mystical power. Without help from Merlin the wizard, King Arthur would not have been able to save the kingdom.

Talisman or Special Weapon: The hero has a weapon or protective device given to him or her that will useful on the journey. Wolverine’s talisman or special weapon would be his ability to heal himself.

Name:_____________________________ Date:_________________________ Crossing the Threshold: The hero leaves the familiar, safe world of home and enters fully into the new world of the journey, for instance Odysseus traveling to the Underworld.

Trials: The hero has to succeed at a series of trails that challenge and build his or her moral strength and character. Such as every super hero has to do.

Achievement of Goal: Upon successful completion of the trials, the hero achieves the goal of the journey. This can be literal or symbolic. For Harry Potter this was when he finally defeated Voldemort, but for other epic heroes like Buddha it was reaching a particular state of being.

Reconciliation with a Father-Figure: If a division or conflict with the hero’s father or father-figure is part of the hero’s journey, reconciliation or healing with the father occurs. For instance, Luke Skywalker facing his father Darth Vader.

Return Home: The hero, sometimes willingly and sometimes unwillingly, again crosses the threshold and returns home.