The Role Archetypes series is focused on presenting archetypal character roles in a way that focuses on their development throughout stories, with a particular eye to games (although most of the examples given will be taken from literature).

Today we're going to talk about the Ally, the sixth of ten roles we'll explore. Because I haven't been feeling well I'll limit myself to the basic overview and a few examples today, and talk about the derivative forms and how to apply them in gaming tomorrow. This entry will still be as long as the average, because I've got a lot of things to say.

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The Ally in Narrative

The Ally is an important archetypal figure in stories, and while they don't get top billing like the Hero or Villain usually does, they're often equally memorable and interesting because of the role they play in stories: think of Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings; he may originally exist just to further the plot, but he becomes perhaps one of the most interesting figures in the story.

The Ally is often developed further in longer narratives, sequels, or spin-offs; this is not a new trend (see Odysseus in The Iliad and The Odyssey, both by Homer). Indeed, it is actually possible for the Ally to undergo a metamorphosis along with the Hero, because of their role.

The Ally is a character who originally belongs to the same sort of psychic world as the Hero (a quality which makes them distinct from the Outsider, who can be helpful to the Hero but does not come from the same origins). What this means is that the Hero's journey of discovery will be reflected simultaneously in the Ally; they must learn the same lessons.

Thinking about this from a cultural standpoint, this is fairly logical: the Hero's Journey is a process of adapting to novel stimuli, and the Hero is often a metaphorical (or even literal) example of this transformation taking place. The Ally represents in many ways ordinary society changing to reflect the Hero's revelations. While they do not undergo the same trials as the Hero, they benefit equally from the discoveries that the Hero will make.

To look at it solely from that perspective is lacking, however.

The Ally is also an example of goodness outside the Hero. Characters in stories tend to be manifestations of particular conscious structures; it is for this reason that we have clickbait internet quizzes for determining which character in a story you are. The Hero will reflect a mindset that is important to society and needs to change, but the Ally is aligned along the same axis to a less extreme degree; typically it is that their mindset is important but needs to change less than that of the Hero.

In this way it is possible to think of the role of an Ally as a figure that both extends upon the Hero's role (giving the storyteller the ability to associate certain behaviors and thoughts with more than one figure, who would by a singular nature be limited by the boundaries we place with associations to a single persona), and also as a figure that teaches additional lessons.

Author's note: I finished reading Man and His Symbols (affiliate link) today, so feel free take the preceding section as the analytical criticism psychobabble that it is.

Having an Ally provides opportunities for the writer of a story to work in new angles of approach. They show strengths and weaknesses within the Hero, and can compensate for the Hero's flaws. If the Mentor gives the Hero the wisdom they need to overcome their trials, the Ally comes along to provide the succor that will be required when the Hero fails despite the instructions they have received or when the process of growth and transformation is unbearable for a single individual.

Without an Ally, a character often feels unfulfilled. The Ally can often be a manifestation of the Hero's animus or anima (see the masculine and feminine Hero in part 1 of this series). The presence of an Ally also permits the Hero to have humanizing flaws and connections to the narrative universe.

It's also worth noting that in more modern fiction, where concerns over gender roles and the depiction of women (in particular) as passive figures needing rescue becomes an issue, having a potential love interest be an Ally rather than simply an Underdog is a good way to provide the Hero with a romantic aspiration that is still significant to the plot.

There's also an important distinction to be drawn between an Ally figure and other supporting figures in a story. For instance, in Homer's work Odysseus meets Aeolus, who would be classified as an Outsider rather than an Ally.

Part of the features of an Ally is that they have common cause with the Hero. Tying back to the psychological niche that the Ally fills, they must be compatriots, accomplices, or otherwise colleagues with the Hero for them to have the same goal. While it is of little consequence to Aeolus if Odysseus returns home safely (other than, perhaps, him being a bad host if his guest leaves without assistance), it is of major consequence to Aragorn if Frodo fails to destroy the Ring: this would mean the triumph of evil in the world.

In general, the following must be true of the Ally:

1. Their world will be transformed by the Hero's triumph.
2. They have common cause with the Hero.
3. They travel with and provide immediate assistance to the Hero (as opposed to the distant assistance of the Mentor).

The Ally does not necessarily have to be present in the whole story, but the obvious logic follows that their importance to the plot is typically correlated to their presence in the story. This may not always be the case; for instance, in Les Miserables, a small portion of the book is devoted to Jean Valjean's most clear Ally equivalents (namely, the helpers at the abbey in which Cosette is raised), but they show us a key insight into what Victor Hugo believes a good person will do.

With that said, the Ally may also be used as a sacrifice. When this occurs it is a sign that the psychic change that the writer wishes to use their story to reflect will be more traumatic, or it plays with themes of sin and loss: as in the case of Frankenstein, whose bride is murdered by his own creation, this is often a tragic trait.

It is worth noting that in a tragedy, the Ally is typically either absent, incapacitated, or becomes the target of the Hero's mistrust. A good example of this is Cassio, in Shakespeare's Othello.

As with most other character archetypes, it is not impossible to have characters who are both the Ally and other types (e.g. an Outsider-Ally or Underdog-Ally). At no point will an Ally typically become a Villain or a Serpent within the course of a single story, however; such treason is the way of a Shapeshifter.

Examples of the Ally

The Ally takes many forms, and I'll stick to the more "pure" examples today and save derivatives for later. I have already made mention of Aragorn, who fits every test of the Ally.

Another good example is R2-D2 from Star Wars is a good example of this as well, particularly in both A New Hope and Empire Strikes Back, where he is a constant companion of Luke Skywalker, the story's Hero. While there are some limitations to this (namely the fact that R2 communicates with Luke in a way that is not necessarily clear to the audience; though Luke's reactions give context), the fact that R2 is actually only semi-real (e.g. a droid, not a human) permits an interesting opportunity for the exploration of a particular concept.

Nick Carraway in The Great Gatsby is both the narrator of the novel and the Ally to Jay Gatsby, a tragic Hero figure. While Nick displays development over the course of the story, it is in the form of becoming more cynical and worldly, mirroring the loss of idealism that would have been necessary for Gatsby to turn away from his tragic ways. As a figure who survives the tragic Hero, Carraway winds up in a role similar to Shakespeare's tragic eulogists, allowing Fitzgerald to present the moral of the story through a different lens.

Ayn Rand's writing, with its intense focus on the Heroic individual, provides another interesting example of a pure Ally type; Liberty/Gaea is both an anima figure to the masculine hero Equality/Prometheus in her novella Anthem and a traditional Ally who grows with and develops alongside the Hero by the means of witnessing the Hero's metamorphosis.

Wrapping Up

The Ally is a key figure in storytelling, one which shines a light on the Hero's actions.

They also are intriguing and interesting characters in their own light, whose presence in the story opens up the Hero to be free to make mistakes and need help.

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Next Entry: Ally Part 2: Derivative Forms and Application