Call to Adventure - TV Tropes
- ️Sat Aug 25 2007
By some curious chance one morning long ago in the quiet of the world... ...Gandalf came by.
"As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. Jesus said, 'Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of people.' At once they left their nets and followed him."
The first step on The Hero's Journey. The Hero learns that they must leave the comfort and safety they are used to and take on a great challenge that lies before them. Typically requires the hero to leave their hometown and go on The Quest into unknown regions. How the hero reacts to the call to adventure varies. Sometimes they are ready to escape their Small Town Boredom and jump at the call. Other times, the hero rejects the call, but the call doesn't easily take "No" for an answer.
The Call to Adventure may be carried to the hero by one or more Heralds or the hero's soon-to-be Mentor.
Not to be confused with The Call, a 2013 film, nor with Regina Spektor's song
from the movie Prince Caspian.
Sub-Tropes:
- Adventure Rebuff: Sorry Chosen One. This call isn't for you.
- The Call Has Bad Reception: The Chosen One can't do their mission properly because they don't have the whole picture.
- The Call Knows Where You Live: If you refuse to go on this adventure, the adventure will burn your house down and make you go on it.
- The Call Left a Message: Only the Chosen One is allowed to hear this message.
- The Call Put Me on Hold: The Chosen One is the only Muggle among superhumans.
- Call Reception Area: Unless you want to go on an adventure, don't go here.
- Can't Refuse the Call Anymore: The Chosen One can no longer ignore their destiny.
- The Chooser of the One: The one that decides who The Chosen One is.
- Consequence Combo: The Call comes. If the Chosen One says "yes", they get a prize. If they say "no", something horrible will happen.
- Desperately Looking for a Purpose in Life: The Chosen One is desperate for a cause to fight for.
- Falling into the Plot: The Chosen One heeds the call... at the bottom of this cliff.
- Forgot the Call: The Chosen One can't heed the call because of amnesia.
- Got the Call on Speed Dial: The Chosen One had already finished their mission and is now looking for a new one.
- Hero's First Rescue: You saved this guy? You just heeded the call.
- I'm Dying, Please Take My MacGuffin: The call starts when a dying person gives you a Plot Device.
- Ignorant of the Call: Everyone knows that the Chosen One is The Hero except of the Chosen One.
- It Began with a Twist of Fate: The Chosen One makes one simple decision that sends them on their adventure.
- Jumped at the Call: The Chosen One gets the call and can't wait to heed it.
- Kidnapped by the Call: The Call gives the Chosen One no choice in heeding it.
- Last Day of Normalcy: The audience is shown the heroes in their home setting before their normal lives are changed forever
- Mandatory Unretirement: The Chosen One has to do the job they gave up.
- Missed the Call: The Chosen One missed their opportunity for the adventure.
- Red Pill, Blue Pill: You have two choices: heed the call, or continue living like a regular person.
- Refusal of the Call: The Chosen One willfully refuses to heed the call.
- Got Volunteered: A person is forced to join against their will.
- We Are Not Going Through That Again: The Chosen One heeded one calling and refuses to heed another.
- Refusal of the Second Call: The Chosen One would rather leave the next adventure for the next hero.
- Refused by the Call: You want The Call, the Call doesn't want you.
- Regular Caller: The Chosen One heeds many calls.
- Resigned to the Call: The Chosen One heeds the call reluctantly.
- Right Man in the Wrong Place: Some guy is asked to heed the call. Not because it's their call to heed, but because they really need a Chosen One right now.
- Screening the Call: The Chosen One misses the call due to a character's meddling.
- Stumbled Into the Plot: The Chosen One heeds the call accidentally.
- Symbolic Hero Rebirth: Death and rebirth symbolism accompany plotlines of hero who can no longer ignore their destiny.
- Take Up My Sword: The Chosen One dies, so someone else needs to heed his call.
- Two Roads Before You: Being presented with a choice between two or more mutually exclusive options.