Hero's Journey Mind Map COCO

Status Quo

Call to the adventure

Resolution

Assistance

New Life

Departure

Return

Trials

Result

Treasure

Approach

Crisis

The call to adventure is when the hero embarks on their journey and leaves the ordinary world. In this story, the call to adventure is when Miguel discovers that Ernesto de la Cruz was his great-great-grandfather because there was an incomplete photo in his house showing Ernesto de la Cruz's guitar. So, on the Day of the Dead, he went to the cemetery, entered Ernesto's tomb, and took Ernesto's guitar.

José Ángel Beas Ramos A01737955 Héctor Hugo García Betanzos A01737928 Pixar Animation Studios. (2017). Coco. Walt Disney Pictures.

The "result" is when we obtain the reaction to the reward, and it is when the protagonist receives what they deserve. Although in the story of Coco, we see that everything improves for Hector. Upon learning the truth, his entire family supports and welcomes him back. Miguel manages to complete the photo and place it on the altar, allowing Hector to cross the bridge to the world of the living. He is recognized as the true writer and composer of all the works that De la Cruz used to sing.

The "crisis" is when the hero or protagonist faces a crucial moment in the story, where they have to make a significant decision. In the story of Coco, during the musical contest, Miguel and Hector end up in second place. However, the band that won first place, a group of musicians, sneaked them into the party using the pass they had won. At the party, Miguel makes a decision that could change the course of the story. He takes the guitar he has with him and starts singing "Remember Me" by Ernesto de la Cruz, attracting the attention of everyone, including De la Cruz himself.

"Departure" is when the hero or protagonist separates from the ordinary world and embarks on their journey. In this story, when Miguel accepts the help of his deceased family, they take him to the world of the dead, where he crosses a bridge made of marigold flower petals, accompanied by his loyal friend Dante, a stray dog to whom he was very attached. On his journey, he sees alebrijes and more departed souls crossing the bridge, and upon arrival, they guide him to an office at the grand terminal where they hoped to assist him.

Assistance is when the hero or protagonist receives help during their journey. In the story of Coco, when Miguel plays his great-great-grandfather's guitar, he is transported to the world of the dead. That's why, upon leaving the tomb, he can see all the other non-living beings, collecting their offerings and walking around. It's at that moment when Miguel becomes frightened and runs in fear. He falls into an empty tomb, and a man approaches to help him. When he manages to get out, he realizes it's his uncle, along with the rest of his family. At that moment, they offer him assistance to return to the world of the living.

The 'resolution' is when we reach the conclusion of the story where all crises and conflicts are resolved. The resolution in Coco is when everything is resolved, when everyone knows who Hector was and remembers him in a grand way. It is when Miguel's entire family, both living and deceased, recognizes Miguel's potential in music and wants to support him, and all of this happens on the Day of the Dead.

"Trials" refer to the challenges that the hero has to face during their story, such as confronting enemies or friends to reach their goal. In the story of Coco, upon reaching the office of an official, Miguel meets his great-great-grandmother Imelda, who has the ability to send him back to the world of the living. The condition is that he must hold a marigold petal and agree to a condition. Imelda's condition is for Miguel to give up music forever, a condition he obviously refuses. He flees from the office, hides in a telephone booth, and encounters a man named Hector.

"Approach" in the hero's journey is when the protagonist prepares for the final action. In the story of Coco, Miguel gets ready along with Hector to reach Ernesto de la Cruz. It is at this moment when they realize that there is a musical contest, and the winner will receive an invitation to Ernesto's private party. They prepare for the contest by painting Miguel's face so that his family wouldn't recognize him, and they go to ask for a guitar from an old friend of Hector named Chicharrón.

The 'new life' is when the effects of the reward and conflict are evident, and in Coco, Miguel's new life is when he manages to pursue his dream of being a musician, like his great-great-grandfather. His family supports him, and he becomes truly himself.

"The status quo" is when we describe the ordinary life that the protagonist leads before embarking on the journey, and in the story of Coco, it describes that Miguel, the protagonist of this story, is a boy passionate about the guitar, who admired a famous musician named "Ernesto de la Cruz." The family of this boy hated music, as in the past, Miguel's grandfather abandoned his wife and daughter named "Coco" because he wanted to pursue his dream of being a singer. That's where his family forced him to work as a shoemaker, just like the entire family.

The 'return' is when the hero comes back stronger than ever. In Coco, we can see that when Miguel returns to the world of the living, he is wearing a mariachi suit and singing a song dressed as a mariachi. We observe that Miguel is accepted by his entire family, and everyone enjoys his singing at the gathering.

"Treasure" refers to the reward or goal that the protagonist achieves at the end of their journey, and in Coco, the reward begins when Miguel manages to talk to Ernesto. Hector tells Miguel the truth; Ernesto poisoned Hector, the original composer of all the songs that Ernesto sings. This leads to Miguel and Hector being locked in a cell full of water. At that moment, both realize that they are family and that Hector is Miguel's true great-great-grandfather. Imelda's alebrije, a winged tiger, arrives to rescue them. Afterward, Hector, the rest of the family, along with Miguel, confront Ernesto with the purpose of revealing the truth to everyone. And so it happened; the world learned that he was a murderer, and he was forgotten forever.