Jungian Mythical Characters Overview
Defining Jungian Archetypes & Providing Personal Thoughts.
In my previous article titled “Four Archetypes and Their Impact on Writing Excellence” I wrote an overview about the four precursor archetypes that Carl Jung, the swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst developed. To build off that base concept, I will expand the discussion towards the twelve mythological characters / archetypes that live within the collective human unconscious. I will give each character a definition, share my personal thoughts about them, and provide examples of video game characters that embody those qualities.
We would define a high level look at the twelve archetypes as basic human motivations. In which we, as humans, seek on our personal journey. Four internal desires separate the twelve characters.
Desire to provide stability to the world.
The characters that are driven here are the ( Caregiver | Creator | Ruler )
Desire to connect with others.
The characters that are driven here are the (Everyman, Jester, Lover)
Desire for freedom in the physical and spiritual realms.
The characters that are driven here are the (Explorer | Innocent | Sage)
Desired to be remembered and admired.
The characters that are driven here are the (Hero | Magician | Outlaw)
To find more information about a specific character, click the tabs.
Main Topic
The Caregiver
Definition of a Creator: A symbol of creativity, imagination and pursuing self-expression. It embodies the passion and drive to innovate and bring forth new ideas.
Personal thoughts on the Creator: Writing this type of creator requires you to tap into your own feelings and emotion about your art. Being able to observe your own artistic medium will help you dissect what it means to be a creator in a subjective medium that is ever evolving with the world around itself. I will always recommend a person to stay driven and never to lose their creativity because it’s a deeper connection than you realize. The evil side of a creator is letting your art consume every aspect of your life until the border between you and itself is indistinguishable from each other.
Video game example of a Creator:
Alan wake from his own titled games “Alan Wake & Alan Wake II” displays a version of a creator and the power of imagination when faced with a lack of passion and forcing new ideas forward.
The Ruler
Definition of a Caregiver: An archetype that represents compassion, nurturing and the desire to provide selfless care to support others.
Personal thoughts on Caregiver: The caregivers are the people in your story who protect, heal and assist your cast of characters in the way of a loving parent or a dedicated mentor. When writing these types of characters, they should be the character who pulls our main character to the side to give that stern talk when necessary. They should be the unconditional love in the darkest moments possible.
Video game example of a caregiver: Amicia de Rune from “A Plague Tale’s Innocence” demonstrates the extreme measures a caregiver can take to safeguard the person they love. In this game, it also shows how this person can also adopt more than one person they truly care for, depending on the scenario.
The Creator
Definition of a ruler: A symbol of leadership, authority and governance. It embodies qualities such as responsibility and wisdom and the ability to establish order and control.
Personal thoughts on Rulers: Those who embody this archetype are driven by the desire to create harmony, stability and harmony in their own lives and lives of others. A character written with the framework of a ruler should have possessed a level of decisiveness that is jarring to the surrounding characters. These characters must take charge when things are bad and when they are good. The negative version of this archetype is one who establishes systems and structures for self survival and desires only the prosperity of themselves. The hunger of an evil ruler for power and influence should be as infinite as the stars above us.
Video Game Example of a Ruler:
Bayonetta from the self titled “Bayonetta” series of games, is a perfect example of a Ruler. In each game, she gets roped into defending a way for the world to not succumb to a supernatural world ending threat. She loathes the chaos and always finds to restore an order of the world back.
Definition of the Everyman: The symbol of relatable or the average person. The shining example of someone who is down to earth, unpretentious, humility, and empathetic.
Personal thoughts on the Everyman: When writing an everyman, it’s just about relating the core values of people in everyday life. This could be family, friends or hobbies. These characters are supposed to be basic, their value sky rockets when placed around the other archetypes. The reason for their value increases is that they become a voice of reason because of their relatability or lack of bombastic personalities. The evil version of the everyman is the character that is full of themselves and creates a heightened delusion of grandeur.
Video Game Examples of the Everyman:
Joel Miller from the Last of Us series best describes an everyman. Joel is a simple man with iron clad morals and beliefs. He only wants to live a peaceful life and protect the surrounding people. He’s not trying to be any of the archetypes. Joel is just another person attempting to see the next sunrise.
The Jester
Definition of the Lover: Passion, desire and pursuing an intimate connection are the form in which the lover takes. It embodies the profound emotional and sensual aspects of our human experience.
Personal thoughts on the Lover: The Lover is one of the most common manifestation experience in writing. It’s the longing for the other you. Which is why the anima and animus concept of Carl Jung’s is so important to understand writing the best lover character for a situation. When I think about the Lover, I focus more on the authentic relationship between the two people. Love, a fire burning in a frigid world, requires feeding to prevent it from extinguishing. To keep the fire from going out, one must throw romanticism into the relationship like firewood. An evil version of a lover is praying upon the passion and desire that one seeks from a significant other and using that person as a stepping stone for a larger concept.
Video Game Examples of a Lover:
Tifa in Final Fantasy 7 is a fantastic example of an old friendship being a connection to the past and then that friendship blossoming into a lover’s relationship cultivated by trauma. It’s very layered and shows how many shapes love can form until it reaches its apex.
The Everyman
Definition of the Jester: It embodies playfulness, wit, and the ability to bring joy and laughter to the people around them.
Personal thoughts on the Jester: Every cast of characters needs someone to bring humor, whether it be dark or witty. Humor is about spinning a situation into abstraction or absurdism. Therefore Jesters need to reflect that they can be the butt of the joke or the launcher of another person or thing in the situation to get the laughter going. An evil jester is about using its talents as foils for another successes. It’s not about victory, it’s about the game itself, chaotic neutral standpoints.
Video Game Examples of the Jester:
Daxter from the Jax & Daxter series. His character is a classic example of a Jester character seeking to be taken seriously regardless of the circumstance.
The Lover
The Explorer
Definition of the Innocent: A person of purity, simplicity which carries a childlike sense of wonder and optimism. Individuals who embody the innocent archetype possess an inherent ability to see beauty in everyday life.
Personal Thoughts on Innocence: Purity is a rare thing in the world once it’s done your damage to you, without proper protection. Innocence might be the easiest to write, as it does not require tricks to be effective. Similar to the everyman what you see is what you get. These types of characters have a transparent nature which can inspire goodness or rally heros. An evil innocent are characters that deny everything, resist chance and take on foolish risks.
Video Game Examples of the Innocent:
Ken Amada from Persona 3 series compilation would display an innocent character. Story elements push Ken into the major conflict, forcing his innocence to break through a traumatic situation. Even though this happens, his daily interactions prove he’s still pure of heart and has optimism for the future if you support that side of him to grow.
The Sage
Definition of the Explorer: The spirit of adventure, discovery, and pursuit of new experiences lives within this archetype. To break free from constraints of society and explore the uncharted territories of a field will be the only thing that brings rest to their restless curiosities.
Personal thoughts on the Explorer: The explorer characters have to be bold and are one of my favorite type of characters to write. I believe a real explorers limits are external rather than internal. They are the spirit of freedom, so it’s about them versus everyone else. An evil version of this archetype is the person who denies knowledge and adventure. Someone who builds walls and fences to keep people within. They limit the imagination of people so they can feel more comfortable in their own existence.
Video Games Examples of the Explorer:
Nathan Drake from the Uncharted series is the fundamental explorer every video game player must experience. Nathan Drake is driven by the curiosity. It so happens that curiosity sticks him into dangerous situations with dangerous people.
The Innocent
Definition of the Sage: Illustrated by those who seek knowledge to create wisdom in the pursuit of truth.
Personal Thoughts on the Explorer: The sage is the mentor who transcends conventional boundaries. They must synthesize complex information into a digestible for the main character and person engaging with your content. I think this character is best used when you want to enlighten yourself onto an alternative path. Sage’s can set a character’s path from a dark one to a bright one. An evil sage uses their students and others as tools for darker truths. It's not about sharing wisdom, it’s about diminishing one’s journey to accomplish the sage’s goal.
Video Games Examples of the Sage:
Mimir from the God of War series is a great example of a sage. He tags along with Kratos because of circumstances with the plot of the games. He’s constantly provides knowledge about the regions they explore. Mimir also focuses on passing on life lessons that will take Atreus further than himself.
Definition of the Hero: Triumphant courage and the noble quest for greatness. Bravery in the face of danger, strength that does not waver when faced with defeat, determination to overcome the greatest obstacles placed in front of him or her.
Personal Thoughts on the Hero: There’s a thousand ways to tell a hero’s story. This is because we as humans face constant challenges given by the universe. A hero is about the transformative journey and embracing their inner strength for a higher purpose. Anyone can be a hero. It just takes the right circumstances to reveal themselves. An evil hero assumes the role of blind justice, considering themselves the ultimate authority in making all decisions. Easily corrupted. Those who became the people they have slain.
Video Game Example of the Hero:
Cloud Strife from the Final Fantasy VII compilation. Cloud is everything a genuine hero embodies. Bravery, distraught, overcoming himself so he can defeat the big evil villain threatening his friends and his world.
The Magician
Definition of the Outlaw: They seek to challenge the status quo. They are the spirit of individuality and refusal of societal norms. Driven by a strong sense of authenticity, they advocate for change and embrace their uniqueness through forging unconventional paths not taken by the other archetypes.
Personal Thoughts on the Outlaw: Rebellion is a powerful tool. These characters must embrace that quality and take action for the greater good of the people, even if the fleeting moments of a story frown upon their actions. These characters must prove that society is wrong in a facet that the hero won’t own up to. An evil version of the outlaw is a rebel who uses the disguise of rebellion to push their own agenda.
Video Game Example of the Outlaw:
Ren Amamiya from Persona 5 is a great example of an Outlaw archetype. A teenager who did the right thing faces punishment from the evil political powers within the society he exists in. When given a second chance to change the hearts of evil men within different facets of poisoned leadership roles, he and his supporters do the unthinkable and save their society from incoming collapse.
The Hero
Definition of the Magician: They represent mysticism. The ability to tap into hidden realms of knowledge and are practitioners of the metaphysical aspects of life.
Personal Thoughts on the Magician: Many people perceive magicians as Sage characters, but that’s not accurate. Magicians are not mentors but characters that transform, innovate and turn their visions into reality. A magician is bringing the unthinkable into the physical realm for others to see. They must evoke a sense of wonder and enchantment on the world around them. They want admiration for their deep bag of tricks and mastery of their unique skill. Write them to be the character that always has an idea, regardless if it works or not. An evil magician is about manipulation of others. Rather than using their powers of the service of others, they use it for their own gain. They create cultish groups and hide their knowledge of the mystical arts.
Video Game Example of the Magician:
Tora from Xenoblade Chronicles 2 shows the power of a magician with a dream. The Tora character is incapable of being a “Driver” a person who can bring to life “Blades” beings of powerful combat capabilities. So instead of giving up on his dream, he finds his own way to develop his own blade so he can be a driver. He became a great inventive visionary and expanded his mechanical talents to pull this off.
