I found Alita: Battle Angel to be a pretty fun romp, a decent Future Fantasy and a damn good Heroine’s Journey (fingers crossed that her arc continues properly in sequels). My favourite line is just 7 minutes into the movie and I thought I would share my feelings on it here. -Mark
#alita #battleangel #heroinesjourney #workingtears #emotionsareyourcure
For your consideration today is an important scene from the 2019 film, Alita: Battle Angel.
There are times in life when we are forgotten. We’re left behind and the trials of living have made us forget who we really are. Our dreams and desires are nothing more than the whimsy of childhood.
So, how do we keep moving forward and become who we’re meant to be?
[your tears are working – visual element: see video version for context]
That’s the key right there: to make certain that we’re never separated from our emotions. To never shut down and disconnect. To keep that emotional Inner Heroine, that Inner Goddess, that Feminine heart beating within us – yes, even if you’re a man.
This is where Alita: Battle Angel gets the archetype of the Heroine right. Alita grows and matures, but she doesn’t shut down that Feminine emotional centre – except, possibly, at the very end of the film with this cutting of a tear in half. Is this symbolic of her being determined to never cry again?
I truly hope not. If there is a sequel, I still want to see an emotional Alita as this is what gives our cyborg-lady her humanity. However, it’s also part of the Heroine’s arc to at least come close to shutting her emotional centre down as she takes on more and more Masculine energy.
Confiscating Zapan’s sword – a phallic weapon – is very symbolic of the taking up of Masculine energy. Hugo’s death…or possible death…represents integration of Masculine energy and this is very, very normal and proper for the Heroine to do. This is what she’s supposed to do. It’s the Purpose of the Heroine’s Journey.
The potential problem for Alita and for us lies in getting lost in the Mission or in the Pursuit of Purpose because we can get tricked into believing that the Pursuit is the Purpose instead of the actual Purpose being our own growth and transformation and moving forward.
Our Programmed Ego wants us to get trapped in that cycle of chasing Purpose because then we’re predictable and easy to manipulate and control. It takes our attention off of the now of living and forever keeps us locked on the future and what happens next and what happens next and what happens next.
Keeping our heart open will always bring us back to the moment and to what’s most important. Always take a few minutes every now and then to feel what’s going on within you and always make sure your tears are working.