Comments on: Replacing The Archetypes

By: Matthew Schelle

Matthew Schelle — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 09:42:02 +0000

Yeah as I said, Powell is substituting so we get that transformation shown. I wonder if we would’ve gotten that if McClane was still mumbling witty one-liners to himself as in the first half.

I don’t know if it would really feel like McClane. Which is why when he does it with Powell, it feels genuine, coming so soon after Powell’s own confession (earning trust).

As for the last scene in which the mentor has any role, it’s important to note that after that scene, McClane tries to warn Powell about the roof explosives – but gets cuts off so there’s no further communication between the pair. After that it’s all about stopping the terrorists to save Holly.

Then finally McClane and Holly emerge from the building where he meets Powell and says:

“Al. Man, you were my rock. I couldn’t have made it without you.”

McClane has the boon.

By: Karel Segers

Karel Segers — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 09:59:36 +0000

Because Powell is really the sounding board, perhaps he’s a buddy character, despite the distance between the two.

Powell only enters McClane’s world at the exact mid point (“Welcome to the party!”), which is usually the point where mentor figures start disappearing or dying (Little Miss Sunshine).

The end of Act Two (McClane’s redemption scene) is often the very last scene in which the mentor has any role whatsoever, because after this the hero has fully transformed and doesn’t need the mentor any longer.

I don’t think Voytilla (Myths & The Movies) mentions a Mentor in his Die Hard analysis either.

By: Matthew Schelle

Matthew Schelle — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 08:06:30 +0000

That’s what I mean by Powell being a substitute (as an ally). You ask whether or not it’s believable, but I think its earned during the course of the journey. He even calls Powell his rock at the end and we don’t laugh at it.

Normally we’d get the mentor/hero lesson learning to help visualise the change. In Die Hard, McClane needs a sounding board to express this. By Powell talking about his own experiences, McClane finally admits to his flaw. Without Powell we likely wouldn’t have gotten this:

MCCLANE
(long pause)
Look…I’m getting a bad feeling up
here…I’d like you to do something
for me. Look up my wife…don’t ask
how, you’ll know by then…and tell
her…tell her…I’ve been a jerk.
When things panned out for her, I
should’ve been behind her all the way
…We had something great going until
I screwed it up…She was the best
thing that ever happened to a bum
like me. She’s heard me say I love
you a thousand times, but she never
got to hear this…honey…I’m sorry.
(pause)
You get all that?

John McClane can be healed by overcoming the obstacles and get his chance to say it to Holly directly. Powell references this when the three are finally united at the end.

By: matthew schelle

matthew schelle — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 01:53:24 +0000

Sgt Powell kind of acts like a mentor substitute in Act II (his only ally and the voice keeping him sane). There’s a scene where it references John being alone up there and leads to him confessing that his stubborness broke up his marriage – which leads into the throughline that McClane can get a second chance if he faces the challenge and fights for her.

Then in Die Hard 3 they’re divorced :P

By: David Di Muro

David Di Muro — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 01:45:38 +0000

Sgt Powell is an ally and plot device not really a mentor. McClane needed someone on the outside – so they wrote in Sgt Powell. Is it believable a Sgt would trust him so much? Who knows, but it works enough to make you suspend disbelief and enjoy the action and tension.

Gotta love Die Hard 1 and 2 (not 3 and 4)

Yippie kai ay