“We are all the hero in the movie of our life.”—American aphorism (var wording)
I was reading Mark Sumner’s article on Q, and I couldn’t help but think of Joseph Campbell’s The Hero with 1,000 Faces. In it, Campbell explains the concept of the monomyth and the shared characteristics of stories from around the globe, such as those of Osiris, Prometheus, Moses, and many others. The modern examples I see used most often are Luke Skywalker, across the first three Star Wars movies, and Frodo Baggins across LOTR. Others have re-interpreted and expanded upon Campbell’s assertions since Hero’s publication in 1949, but most experts in the field agree that there are three parts to the hero’s journey. Each part contains one or more sub-parts, depending on which model you prefer. The three main parts are:
Departure—The hero is shaken out of his everyday world when he is provided information indicating that all is not as it seems. This revelation serves as a call to action for the hero, who receives guidance and/or aid, often from a divine or supernatural source, prompting a change in persona for the hero, transcending his previous ‘ordinary’ self.
Initiation—The hero begins his journey and encounters his first trial (at which he may or may not succeed). On his journey, the hero also encounters those who would tempt him from his path, be it in the form of a woman, earthly riches, etc. The hero will confront and conquer a powerful force in his life, often a father figure, who seeks to block the hero from completing his quest. The hero gains further understanding (often as a result of the previous step) and gains the ‘ultimate boon’ (fire, knowledge, the Holy Grail).
Return—Armed with his newly-won boon, the hero begins his homeward journey. He may yet be troubled by forces arrayed against him. He returns to the everyday world he once knew, to use what he was won for the social good, content that his journey to restore order to the world has succeeded. The hero has fulfilled his purpose and, having faced defeat and/or death, is free to live his life in peace.
If you have not already done so while reading the above, pause for a moment and think of your favorite book and/or movie and whether it fits into this briefly described framework. I left out some of Campbell’s 17 steps, which he acknowledges are not present in all monomyths, but are all common enough to warrant inclusion.
So how does Q fit in with the hero’s journey? Here’s how I see it, with the caveat that IANAE(xpert) in either Q-related lunacy or the precepts that Campbell and others describe. Feel free to disagree with some, any, or all of this. Right! Here we go:
Departure—Person X sits in their single-wide trailer or lavish mansion, uneasy and unhappy with the world and their place in it, for reasons they may not be able to identify or articulate. While surfing the internet, or perhaps upon reading an email from a friend, they are introduced to the writings of Q. Person X may not truly believe at first, but eventually, Q’s cryptic clues and explanations of the otherwise unexplainable win them over. Soon, they are deeply immersed in the world of Q, and dispensing as much information as they are absorbing. In 2015, a savior appears in the form of a presidential candidate, an outsider who calls out evil and promises to right the wrongs of the world, to ensure that Person X’s rightful place in society is restored. Some say the candidate is an instrument sent by God himself, to smite the wicked and comfort the righteous. Person X supports and embraces the candidate with all their heart.
Initiation—Person X exhorts those around him to vote for the candidate, extolling his virtues, flying his flag, attending his rallies, fighting the system and those who oppose their savior. And then it happens—THE CANDIDATE WINS! All is right with the world. But wait, what’s this? There are still those who oppose the candidate! The battle is won but the war is not over! There are further trials and enemies to defeat. The media seeks to destroy their savior (now president), and the amorphous Left and the treacherous Gummint are still trying to undermine the president and to prevent him from restoring balance to the world. Person X is not deterred, but is more determined than ever to prevail, now that they have identified the true enemies that were hiding in the shadows. When the final trial comes to pass and the savior is defeated at the ballot box, the hero…. I mean, Person X…. journeys to the seat of power and moves to smite and defeat the enemy once and for all, that justice (i.e., election results and the continued reign of the savior) may prevail. And lo! The hero succeeds in their endeavor!* Their quest is now at an end.
(*Note—this is the point where what is imagined begins to diverge from what actually comes to pass; more on that below)
Return—Person X, having accomplished their goal, returns home, their virtue and righteousness having led them to victory over the forces of evil. The world they once knew (or imagined) will soon be restored, and Person X will be a shining light of example to all.
(The Return section is slimmer than the other sections for two reasons: 1) I don’t think the True Believers really thought out this part, and 2) I haven’t seen any articles that indicate otherwise)
As I indicated above—and as you may have noticed from recent events—the asterisk marks the point where reality (as I like to say) punches the Q believer in the face and runs off, leaving them in shock and confusion. This happens to all of us in life, via accidents, illness, the sudden death of loved ones, world events like Columbine, 9/11, etc. The Qubies and others did not, in fact, succeed in slaying Smaug, defeating the Empire, or stealing fire from Mt. Olympus. Instead, it was a Pyrrhic victory at best, demonstrating the weakness of the enemy, who fled the field of battle in cowardly fashion. After the events of 1/6 failed to overturn the election (an outcome I have dubbed “insurrectile dysfunction”), there were many in the Q enclave (and other right-wing types) who began re-interpreting that day as a trial that they had failed, betrayed by enemies that they vow to overcome and sweep away when the true Storm arrives. What they thought was to be the final battle turned out not to be the case—kind of like when film characters think Michael Myers is dead, but are proven incorrect, often via machete-based evidence.
The important point to note in all this is that, regardless of whether the Q cult members are on the right side of history (they’re not), they believe that they are. They believe that their cause is just. And they individually believe that they are all that stands in the way of Dormammu-like chaos engulfing the world. There is also an important distinction between the prototypical hero’s journey and Q. The former has a beginning, a middle, and an end, like nearly all stories. Q has no end, a point that Sumner makes most eloquently. Every setback is explained, re-interpreted, and recast as a victory or as new evidence—thus cycling back to the end of Initiation. Recall Pizzagate, a QAnon predecessor that was prevalent in 2016. Recall the man who took his AR-15 to a pizza parlor, determined to free captive children from the non-existent basement. I have no doubt that, in his mind, he was embarking upon a noble quest, a hero’s journey. Only it didn’t turn out that way, any more than it has for those who stormed the capitol. Much of their angst is now coming from the onset of reality, and the dissolution of their sense of self as the hero in their own movie.
