A Hero's Journey:
After Earth
Introduction
After human threatening events force humans to leave Earth and reside to the planet Nova Prime, Cypher (Will Smith) and his 14 year old son, Kitai (Jaden Smith), go on a mission together. Kitai wants to prove that he is ranger material to his father.
Their space shuttle unfortunately crashes, leaving Kitai's father dying in the cockpit. Kitai must embark on a journey through the place where life is something they aren't familiar with anymore:
This is because Kitai and Cypher have just landed on Earth.
Call to Adventure
With two broken legs and other injuries, Cypher tells Kitai that they are both in desperate need of help. Kitai has to travel across the unknown that is Earth to retrieve the beacon that they need to survive... Or they're going to die.
Refusal of the Call
You can see the fear in Kitai's eyes, but under the circumstances, he knows that it's something he must do to keep them both alive. He does not refuse the call, but he does hesitate, as this is a major decision.
Supernatural Aid
With the changes that Earth has underwent since humans last interacted with it, the atmosphere is something Kitai would not be able to survive in without oxygen and energy.
Cypher also promises that he will keep watch for Kitai using the technology that was brought with them, so that he is - virtually - not alone on the planet.Crossing of the First Threshold
Some may think this is when he first steps off the ship into a world of the unknown, but that is not a challenge for him.
"It is right there, Kitai."
Instead, we think it's when he has to battle his first set of enemies.
Belly of the Whale
Unfortunately, the technology does not hold up for long. Kitai undergoes an allergic reaction to a bite wound, and falls to the ground shortly after. His equipment is damaged when he wakes up. He is now - temporarily - alone to face Earth without his dad.Road of Trials
There is a period of time when Kitai becomes extremely impulsive. Kitai does not have enough energy supplements to make it to the beacon. He gets in an argument with his father, and tries to prove that he is not a coward, and jumps of a cliff -only to be threatened by a large bird.
The Meeting of the Goddess/Woman as Tempress
Kitai falls asleep on a raft, and is extremely close to giving up. He imagines his sister, who is actually dead, and and it gives him hope because he loved her so much and now she's "right in front of him."
Apotheosis
On Earth, the damage done in the past years has caused many imbalances all over the land. One of which is a drastic rise and fall in temperature. Kitai gets stuck right in the middle of this, and freezes. He is then in a period where he cannot respond to anything.
The Ultimate Boon
The moment Kitai and his father have been waiting for, he retrieves the beacon after a vicious fight with an alien, an ursa, that brings back memories to when his sister had died from an ursa. That gives him the courage to keep fighting.
He finds this courage and will power he needs to accomplish this, and the reward is saving both of their lives.
Freedom to Live
After this suspense filled, dangerous, and complicated journey, they are back on the ship home. Kitai walks in to the room to see his father was getting his legs fixed.
He is neither anticipating the future nor regretting the past, the fact that he gets to be with his father again is enough to make him happy.
Conclusion
Throughout this slideshow we presented to you the steps Kitai took to save him and his father. I guess you could say that he finally got to show his dad what he was capable of.