Hero's Quest Cycle

1In the introduction of the film, Daniel’s mother is offered a job far from the life they have led. Daniel and his mother leave the ordinary world and accept their Call to Adventure.Their lives in New Jersey are over and they set out to begin a new life in California. Daniel did not have high hopes of their new home and environment just as most heroes are, “... uneasy, uncomfortable and unaware” (Vogler, Hero’s Quest Cycle) of what will happen when they leave their ordinary world. When they arrive in California, Daniel’s new environment starts to change him. He quickly makes a new friend who welcomes his new neighbor to a beach party. This is where Daniel’s call to adventure really begins as “his situation shakes up” (Vogler, Hero’s Quest Cycle).

He meets Ali Mills, it is love at first sight. Moments later he meets his rival, Ali’s ex-boyfriend, Johnny Lawrence. This character represents Daniel’s heroic external pressure. Ali is not at all interested in Johnny, and Daniel is pulled further into his adventure; he comes to Ali’s help. Annoyed, Johnny begins to fight with Daniel and although Daniel had taken a few Martial Arts lessons before, he was no match for Black Belted Johnny. Daniel’s life continues to change, similar to a hero’s life, as the conflict with Johnny grows. Several more times Daniel is forced into a fight until one night when he is overpowered by Johnny and his karate classmates and beaten very badly.