Ever notice that every blockbuster movie has the same fundamental pieces? A hero, a journey, some conflicts to muck it all up, a reward, and the hero returning home and everybody applauding his or her swag? Yeah, scholar Joseph Campbell noticed first—in 1949. He wrote The Hero with a Thousand Faces, in which he outlined the 17 stages of a mythological hero's journey.

About half a century later, Christopher Vogler condensed those stages down to 12 in an attempt to show Hollywood how every story ever written should—and, uh, does—follow Campbell's pattern. We're working with those 12 stages, so take a look. (P.S. Want more? We have an entire Online Course devoted to the hero's journey.)

Ordinary World

Ah, life on the farm. A few pigs, cows, chickens…and each other. Might as well be Heaven.

Call to Adventure

You might think that Westley's call to adventure is when he heads out to make his fortune and is captured by pirates, since what happens to him is awfully adventure-y. But in the scheme of things, the call really comes when he returns to Florin and discovers that Buttercup has been kidnapped.

Refusal Of The Call

"Refusal of the call"—are you kidding? Westley doesn't blink before he's headed out in pursuit of Buttercup and her captors. This is the Dread Pirate Roberts we're talking about here.

Meeting the Mentor

Here's another spot where the plot of the movie veers away from the typical Hero's Journey. Westley never really encounters a mentor of any kind. If anything, Inigo looks to him that way, but he's not the hero we're following in this story, so…on to the next.

Crossing the Threshold

There are two points in the film that could conceivably (or inconceivably, depending on your general degree of incredulity) be considered the crossing of the threshold. The first is when Westley scales the Cliffs of Insanity and finally comes face-to-face with Buttercup's captors. The second is when, with Inigo and Fezzik's help, he scatters the prince's guards and enters the castle on Humperdinck and Buttercup's wedding night. The second one is more climactic and critical to the story, however, so we'll go with that one.

Tests, Allies, Enemies

Along the way, Westley's tests consist of his swordfight with Inigo, his wrestling match with Fezzik, and his battle of witlessness with Vizzini. But as tests go, these are basically the PSAT to the SAT that is the Fire Swamp and the Pit of Despair. A couple of Westley's enemies become allies in the process.

Approach to the Inmost Cave

While the Swamp and Pit are certainly cave-like, it's really the storming of the castle that represents Westley's "approach to the inmost cave," since it's there that his Buttercup is being kept, and where he'll take his final stand against Humperdinck. And even the standing part won't be easy.

Ordeal

It takes a creative idea, a wheelbarrow and a holocaust cloak to get Westley into the castle, but everything works out in the end and he makes his way inside. However, he still has to deal with a body that currently has the consistency of gelatin, and somehow manage to defeat Humperdinck so he can steal back his woman. Since he's got no strength, he has to use his smarts.

Reward (Seizing The Sword)

Once Humperdinck has been tied up, Westley's granted the greatest reward he can imagine—to be reunited at last with Buttercup, with no more princes, pirates or R.O.U.S. around to stand in their way.

The Road Back

Fezzik fetches a handful of white horses, and he, Inigo, Westley and Buttercup ride away from the castle, all of their respective goals having been achieved. They forget to stop at the souvenir shop on the way out, though. Buttercup is really going to regret not even having a coffee mug to remind her of her stay there.

Resurrection

Far away from the castle and finally out of harm's reach, Westley and Buttercup take a moment to lock lips to celebrate their reunion and subsequent freedom. It's clear skies ahead for these two lovebirds.

Return with The Elixir

If there was an elixir somewhere along the line, Westley forgot to grab it. Seems this particular story wraps up on the resurrection front. Let's call Buttercup his elixir.