Hit Makers: Why Things Become Popular

by Derek Thompson

The specific beats of Campbell’s arc aren’t as important as its three primary ingredients: inspiration, relatability, and suspense. First, a hero must inspire, which means the story must begin with a flawed character whose journey leads to both victory (Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee succeed in seeing the One Ring destroyed . . .) and salvation (. . . Frodo finds his courage, and Sam’s loyalty repeatedly saves their lives). Second, it must be relatable, since audiences want to imagine themselves as heroes. That means the heroes cannot be invincible or obnoxiously eager to achieve invincibility. They have to struggle with their destiny (one does not simply walk into Mordor, after all) before accepting its charge. Third, Campbell’s formula comes with prepackaged suspense. The road to glory is pockmarked with small defeats that keep audiences anxious and alert. Ultimately, what the hero’s journey provides is the threat of chaotic suspense grounded in empathy. A familiar character who faces no obstacles is boring, and an incomprehensible character is confusing no matter what the challenges are. But a character plucked from the natural world to go on a supernatural adventure that leads through struggles to transcendence opens a door just big enough for the audience to step inside and feel the hero’s glory as their own.