Our hero has had the peace of his Ordinary World shattered by a Call to Adventure which he has failed to heed. The hero needs a little extra encouragement to do what is necessary. Step forward the Mentor.
Often the Mentor is already known to the hero and may have been offering advice and giving subtle nudges from the start. It’s the mentor’s job to help the hero prepare for the journey ahead in whatever way they can. They may offer guidance, or equipment, or just the sharp push the hero needs to get them moving.
The obvious type of mentor is the Wise Old Man or Woman, like Obi Wan Kenobi in Star Wars, but they can take any form. They don’t need to be old or wear a cape or carry a wand or staff. In Thor, of course, the mentor has all three.
Thor: Meeting the Mentor
Thor’s mentor is his father, Odin, and he has been present from the beginning of our story, offering his son guidance and wisdom. Trouble is, Thor hasn’t taken the blindest bit of notice. It is time for Odin to deliver the kick in the ass Thor needs to get him going on his Hero’s Journey.
After the debacle in Jotunheim, Odin chastises Thor for starting an unnecessary fight with the Frost Giants. He strips Thor of his godly splendour, taking his armour and cape, but worst of all, his beloved hammer, Mjolnir. Odin tells his son he is unworthy to be king and casts him out of Asgard.
Odin then takes Mjolnir and utters an incantation making it impossible for anyone unworthy to wield the hammer, and throws it after Thor to Earth.
Thor will now be forced to change having been exiled from his Ordinary World. He must learn what it takes to be worthy, and a true hero, so he can become king. How will Thor cope as he Crosses the Threshold into the Special World?
Jessica Davidson 