In this episode of Breaking Waves, Riley Thomas and John Mark dive into the world of archetypes — those familiar characters that appear again and again in stories and in our lives. They explore the hero, the villain, the fool, the hermit and the creator with an exploration of how these patterns shape the roles we step into without even noticing.
Along the way, they chat about Carl Jung’s idea of the collective unconscious, Joseph Campbell’s vision of the hero’s journey and the theory that there may only be seven basic plots in storytelling. They share childhood fascinations, movie villains, cartoon tricksters, and the moments where life feels a little bit scripted.
Thoughtful, funny, and curious, this episode invites us to look at the characters we play — and to choose them with care.