Rizky Fauzia :1414025018 , Advisors: Surya Sili, Ph.D. Ririn Setyowati, M.Hum.
The Anti-hero’s Journey: Analysis of Joel in The Last of Us Video Game
This study focuses on the hero’s journey and the anti-hero character in The Last of Us. The purposes of this study were to investigate Joel’s hero’s journey by examining the plot and identify the qualities of Joel through his characterization in order to find out his anti-hero traits by using Vogler’s hero’s journey and anti-hero theories. The method in this research is qualitative research and the approach is content analysis. The results of this study showed that Joel’s adventure in The Last of Us followed the pattern of the twelve stages of hero’s journey, from ordinary world, the call of adventure, refusal of the call, meeting with the mentor, crossing the first threshold, test, allies, enemies, approach to the inmost cave, the ordeal, reward, the road back, resurrection, and return to elixir. During the journey, Joel manifested the majority of qualities of an anti-hero, which are a rebel, outcast and self-centered person. Anti-hero also half-heartedly doing good, puts his interest first and thumbs his nose at the society. Joel finished the hero’s journey stages because every decision he took throughout the story brought him from one to the other stages despite his characterization portrayed him as an anti-hero. By analyzing two elements of literature; plot and characterization, using the frameworks from Vogler, this study found out that Joel was able to finish the hero’s journey stages although he is an anti-hero character in The Last of Us video game.
Keywords: anti-hero, hero’s journey, characterization, plot