Vogler's Reward

Vogler, Christopher. “Reward- The Road Back.” The Writer's
Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers. Third. Studio City, CA: Michael Wiese
Productions, 2007.
Summary
Vogler beings to discuss the next step after the ordeal and that is the reward. The hero now has to deal with any consequences but also savors the pleasure of victory. There are several ways this can be shown. The first is through celebration. It is natural for heroes to celebrate the completion of the ordeal and recuperate. This joy can also be seen through campfires which also gives time for jokes and reminiscing. Love scenes also occur here when the hero has earned them. Sometimes the hero now takes possession of something he or she was searching for in the beginning. Another name for this might be seizing the sword; a treasure might even be stolen by the hero. Elixir theft is similar, sometimes the hero is required to steal it, and it can be the secret of life and death. Initiation may result as a reward from the ordeal as might new perceptions, self realization, or the ability to see through deception. A hero might also have an epiphany; a realization of divinity, sometimes surviving death might give this impression. There can also be distortions causing the hero to have an over inflated ego. The following step of the journey is the road back. The energy of the story can pick up again here as we move into the final act of the story. Motivation is one cause for this when the hero rededicates themselves to the adventure. Retaliation to finish off the villain may be another cause. Chase scenes can be an effective technique because audiences enjoy it. The magic flight is the whimsical transformation of objects during the chase. The chase may be between heroes and villains or between heroes and admirers. Sometimes the road back can deal with an escaped villain or other setbacks. In the end, the hero hopes to return to the ordinary world with his or her reward from the special world.

Response
I like the idea that the reward stage can occur with so many varieties, like generic celebration to campfires to love scenes. Although Vogler says heroes must earn the love, I think that some heroes are fortunate to have this before the ordeal begins. I agree with him that heroes take this time to restore energy that was used during the ordeal. This may make this downtime for the story but it is needed and the audience’s attention is resumed during the road back in which other crises may occur. I like that there are smaller obstacles the hero might have to overcome here. I think the ideas of retaliation or chasing with the villain is interesting and common in most stories. I like the varieties of reward as well including self realization and epiphany; sometimes these are the most precious rewards. The journey can be material versus emotional or vice versa. These differences keep stories interesting.

Questions
Must heroes earn love or is this something they can have before?
What other kinds of celebration do heroes experience?
Are there stories that end on the road back, do some heroes never return home?