Everyone loves a story where the star has a transformative arc – conquering an unbeatable opponent, unlocking a hidden power, completing an impossible quest.
Such is the power of this story that Hollywood has a name for it – The Hero’s Journey.
Luke Skywalker destroys the Death Star.
Moana returns the heart of Te Fiti.
Neo defeats Agent Smith.
Sarah Connor takes down Terminators.
Po defeats Tai Lung.
Shrek reveals his true self to Princess Fiona (and vice versa).
The reason this story plays out in so many movies is because we all relate to the transformative arc. We resonate with how hard the hero strives to overcome challenges, and share in the celebration of the victory.
Hollywood then is not an escape, but a reflection. We are inspired by these stories, because at a fundamental level, we are all on a hero’s journey.