The Lego Movie, its Popularity, and the Monomyth

 The Lego Movie was (and is) a popular 2014 movie taking place in the world of Legos. Emmett, the main character, is a generic Lego construction worker who accidentally finds the Piece of Resistance and ends up embarking on a journey to save the world. Throughout his adventure, he travels across the Lego universe, makes many new friends, becomes a master builder, and finds confidence in himself despite his original painfully ordinary disposition. Emmett’s story seems to be saying that anyone and everyone can be the hero of their own story (“the Chosen One”) if they’d just believe in themselves. As a hero, his adventure can be easily examined through the lens of Campbell’s monomyth. One particular section that I want to explore is Emmett’s experience in the human world.

Personally, I’d characterize this moment as “the Magic Flight.” Wikipedia describes the Magic Flight as a stage in the plot where the hero must “escape with the boon if it is something that the gods have been jealously guarding,” and that “it can be just as adventurous and dangerous returning from the journey as it was to go on it.” I’d argue that the ultimate boon is the Piece of Resistance since the Piece is what will end Lord Business’s tirade by preventing him from using the Kragle. The Piece is “jealously guarded” by Lord Business, who throws the Piece down the tower, and Emmett ends up going down the tower himself after it (though his fall wasn’t necessarily in pursuit of the Piece). Though Emmett doesn’t necessarily escape with the boon, he ends up flying (or falling, actually) into the human world where he finds the Piece of Resistance. From there, he has to struggle to get back to the Lego world with the Piece in hand to save his friends from Lord Business. 

I also would like to connect Emmett’s experiences in the human world with the “Master of the Two Worlds” moment in the hero’s journey. While it can be argued that Emmett’s “Master of the Two Worlds” moment was more of an inner awakening (for example, when he finally realizes his ability and becomes a master builder), I think it’s interesting to look at this particular step in the monomyth alongside or in connection with Emmett literally traveling between worlds. I think it’s important to note the parallels between the two worlds as well, with the little boy building an entire world out of his Legos just like a master builder while his father tries to tear his creativity apart and Kragle things together like Lord Business. Near the end of the movie, not only does Emmett find confidence in both mind and body, but he also helps resolve conflicts in not just his Lego world, but the human world as well (his story seems to inspire the father to be a good guy, not a bad guy) -- Emmett has become a master (and hero) of two worlds. 

I feel that the popularity of The Lego Movie can at least be partially attributed to its observance of the monomyth. Following the progression of the monomyth makes the plot exciting, yet it combats the tiresomeness that can be caused by a cliche narrative by poking fun at certain tropes through over-exaggeration as well as humor derived from metanarrative. It also plays into the viewer’s childhood nostalgia surrounding Legos and makes the story and the story’s feel-good message (anyone can be a hero if they just believe in themselves!) feel more personal by adding in a human aspect (letting Emmett become a master of two worlds -- the human world and the Lego world). The Lego Movie masterfully combines humor and childhood nostalgia with the hero’s journey, making it into the megahit that it was and nowadays, the answer to the question of “favorite childhood movie” for many people today.