As I've been thinking about Mae and what her journey could be. During that, I was reintroduced to Maureen Murdock's Heroine's Journey to a TEE. Allow me to explain:
HEROINE SEPARATES FROM THE FEMININE: The “feminine” is often a mother/mentor figure or a societally prescribed feminine/marginalized/outsider role.
Going off Freya's HC, Mae lost both her parents to the same mission that she ended up going on and never came back. This would leave Mae an orphan (possibly since a young age), forcing herself to lose her innocence and throwing herself into the underground human philosophy and mission
IDENTIFICATION WITH THE MASCULINE & GATHERING OF ALLIES. The heroine embraces a new way of life. This often involves choosing a path that is different than the heroine’s prescribed societal role, gearing up to “fight” an organization/role/group that is limiting the heroine’s life options, or entering some masculine/dominant-identity defined sphere.
With the loss of her parents, Mae took upon herself to make herself strong: learning hand-to-hand combat, weapons training, psychological strength. All of it to the point that can be on the next mission, avenging her parents and helping Humans reclaim domination.
ROAD/TRIALS AND MEETING OGRES & DRAGONS. The heroine encounters trials and meets people who try to dissuade the heroine from pursuing their chosen path, or who try to destroy the heroine.
This is Mae during the entire course of the movie: she's lost her team, hungry/cold/starving and has to face so many obstacles to finally get to the bunker and finally get her hands on the Satellite transmission disk.
EXPERIENCING THE BOON OF SUCCESS. The heroine overcomes the obstacles in their way. (This is typically where the hero’s journey ends.)
Even with coming face-to-face with things that shake her worldview (especially with Noa and Raka), Mae is too deep in the "masculine" aka the underground human ideology to forget the mission. Completing her mission, even though she might be feeling what that might've cost her.
And while this is where the movie ends, it's not the end of this journey! So, now time for some speculations:
HEROINE AWAKENS TO FEELINGS OF SPIRITUAL ARIDITY/DEATH. The heroine’s new way of life (attempting the masculine/dominant identity) is too limited. Their success in this new way of life is either temporary, illusory, shallow, or requires a betrayal of self over time.
Based on the fact that Mae was exposed to the outside world, she's possibly not allowed back in the bunker. Making her entirely alone, no longer able to exist in their world or Noa's world (for now). And while she can claim to have no regrets, being completely isolated can start to eat at away at a person after a while.
INITIATION & DESCENT TO THE GODDESS. The heroine faces a crisis of some sort in which the new way of life is insufficient, and the heroine falls into despair. All of the masculine/dominant-group strategies have failed them.
This is where her and Noa can cross paths again. Whether by choice or by outside circumstances pushing them together again (I think the latter given her pride, identity crisis, and trying to justify her existence)
HEROINE URGENTLY YEARNS TO RECONNECT WITH THE FEMININE. The heroine wants to, but is unable to return to their initial limited state/position.
This second journey, this is where even more cracks begin showing as she's part of a group again. Mae having to come to the dark part of her that realizes that she feels like a scared little girl that lost her parents and wants a place to call home.
HEROINE HEALS THE MOTHER/DAUGHTER SPLIT. The heroine reclaims some of their initial values, skills, or attributes (or those of others like them) but now views these traits from a new perspective.
This would be the time rather than running away, Mae leans into the parts of herself she's rediscovered. This could be further perpetuated by some kind of betrayal from the underground humans that also reinforce how totally embracing EVERYTHING about them was a mistake. (And maybe a literal healing of a mother/daughter split since Freya's HC has mom MIA and not for sure dead)
HEROINE HEALS THE WOUNDED MASCULINE WITHIN. The heroine makes peace with the “masculine” approach to the world as it applies to them.
This is where Mae makes it known that she's now on Noa's side (human and ape coexistence) completely. And now using her skills that she learned from the bunker that made her hard, is now being used for love and protection rather than hate.
HEROINE INTEGRATES THE MASCULINE & FEMININE. In order to face the world/future with a new understanding of themselves and the world/life, the heroine integrates the “masculine” and “feminine” qualities/perspectives. This permits the heroine to see through binaries and to interact with a complex world that includes the heroine but is also larger than their personal lifetime or their geographical/cultural milieu.
This gets Mae to her final form; she's gone through a complete journey and is now the person that makes her happy and fulfilled. There will still be challenges in the future, but she's no longer alone.
And I hope this mean she lives a long life, but I know these movies like to hurt us. But I hope to remain optimistic XD
