Willow with Paul McDonald and Bryan Timothy Mitchell

Written By Paul McDonald

Coming up on the Men at the Movies podcast, we discuss the 1988 movie Willow. The main characters think they are less than, not enough. Their behavior is motivated trying to prove their value to the crowd watching. It’s only when Willow resists the temptation to validate himself and accept the truth of his identity that he accomplishes his purpose and his mission. Ignore the bird, follow the river, and let’s discover God’s truth in this movie.

About Bryan

Bryan is an author, cyber security analyst, veteran, husband, father, and all-around swell guy. He loves stories and may tell a few to you if you stick around long enough. Tales of his wit and dashing good looks have been told in fictitious lands where not totally accurate and somewhat biased memoirs have been scribed by tiny invisible people who live in his head. Learn more about this fascinating person at www.bryantimothymitchell.com

Quotes

  • The music and movies we listen to in our formative years stick with us.

  • “Kid’s movies” trick us into letting down our defenses and moving the deeper parts of us.

  • When we feel less than we think we should be, we put on an act so that others will listen.

  • We can’t rise above the level of the friends we keep.

  • When we face evil, others are watching how we handle it.

  • Willow returns home a more whole hearted person because he knows who he is and who he is not, he’s not trying to prove anything to anyone.

 Themes

  • The Hero’s Journey

    • Call to Adventure

    • Resisting the Call

    • Crossing the Threshold

    • Trials

    • Friends

    • Enemies

    • Death

    • Resurrection

    • Homecoming

  • The main characters think they are less than they are, think they are not enough in different ways. We connect with one of them:

    • Willow: “just a Peck,” wants to be a sorcerer, doesn’t trust himself

    • Madmartigan: taking care of himself, lost faith

    • Sorsha: never enough for her mother, always falling short

    • Raziel: much older than when she was cursed

    • Sorcerer: knows what needs to be done, but uses “magic” to convince others

  • We get distracted from our purpose like Madmartigan.

Resources

Questions

  • What was your favorite music from your teenage years? What did you love about it?

  • What were your favorite movies growing up? Why did you love them?

  • Which character do you relate to most? How?

  • When do you feel like you’re not enough? How do you try to prove yourself?

  • When have you gotten distracted from your true purpose?

  • What identities make up your whole, true self?

More info

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Edited and mixed by Grayson Foster

Logo and episode templates by Ian Johnston

Audio quotes performed by Britt Mooney, Paul McDonald, and Tim Willard, taken from Epic (written by John Eldredge) and Song of Albion (written by Stephen Lawhead).

Southerly Change performed by Zane Dickinson, used under license from Shutterstock.

Links:

Paul McDonald
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