- The Devil’s Right Hand – Steve Earle
This song represents temptation and consequence — classic elements of this stage. It’s about choices made under pressure and the enemies we unwittingly empower. Temptation whispers and danger lurks. The hero steps into a world of perilous choices and hidden threats.
- C.R.E.A.M. – Wu-Tang Clan
The cost of the game. Immediately following temptation, this track is a streetwise warning about what happens when survival demands hard, morally gray choices.
- Sympathy for the Devil – The Rolling Stones
A brilliant representation of recognizing enemies, both external and internal, and how evil isn’t always obvious. It’s a cautionary tale for navigating a dangerous world. Enemies in disguise. The realization that not all threats are obvious, and sometimes evil wears a charming face.
- So What’cha Want – Beastie Boys
An irreverent, rebellious anthem for facing trials with attitude. This fits those moments when the hero stops caring about rules and starts testing limits. Defiance unleashed. The hero throws down a challenge to the world, refusing to bow to adversity.
- Seven Nation Army – The White Stripes
The test arrives. Armed with defiance, the hero faces their first overwhelming trial — and stands their ground. It’s pure defiance. The hero often faces overwhelming odds and enemies bigger than themselves, and this song’s driving beat and lyrics reflect standing firm against them.
- Brother – Stone Sour
The bonds begin to fracture. Trust is tested, alliances questioned, and the hero feels the sting of betrayal. Themes of brotherhood, loyalty, and betrayal are key in this stage. This song’s aching reflection on lost or complicated relationships aligns with how allies and enemies can shift during the hero’s trials.
- Plush – Stone Temple Pilots
Loss and suspicion. A mournful, aching reflection as the hero begins to realize not everyone who walks beside them is a true ally. It’s fitting for when a hero questions who they can trust.
- Farewell Transmission – Songs: Ohia
The tone of this song captures a hero’s sense of being lost in hostile territory. A weary, haunted warning. The hero senses how dark this road may get, hearing echoes of those who’ve fallen before them, and wonders if they’ll be next.
- The Past – Sevendust ft. Daughtry
This song captures the weight of past mistakes and the tension of facing them. In this stage, heroes often battle internal enemies — guilt, grief, regret — and this track addresses that reckoning directly. Internal reckoning. Haunted by memories, mistakes, and regrets, the hero confronts the enemy within.
- Rise Up – Andra Day
A rallying moment. Weary but unbroken, the hero hears the call to get back up, reminded of their strength. This is a perseverance anthem. The Tests, Allies, and Enemies stage is full of moments where the hero’s pushed to their limits, and “Rise Up” speaks to finding their power in adversity, and leaning on inner strength and the support of others.
- Believer – Imagine Dragons
This one’s about turning pain into power — exactly what happens in the hero’s trials. Every obstacle teaches something, hardens resolve, and reshapes identity. Transformation through trial. Every wound has sharpened the hero’s resolve. The pain becomes a tool in their arsenal.
- The Humbling River – Puscifer
A meditative, spiritual reflection on how the hero can’t do it alone. This song evokes the realization that help is needed — allies are essential to cross life’s hardest waters. Hard-won wisdom. As the stage closes, the hero accepts that the journey cannot be walked alone and that true strength lies in connection.
The Tests, Allies, and Enemies stage of the Hero’s Journey is where the hero navigates the unfamiliar world, meeting friends and foes, facing trials, and learning what they’re really made of. It’s messy, complicated, full of challenges, temptations, and unexpected moments of camaraderie or conflict. This playlist opens with temptation and danger, builds through defiance and battles, dips into betrayal and inner reckoning, surges into frenzied conflict, then rallies toward resilience and hard-earned wisdom. It mirrors the emotional highs and lows of Tests, Allies, and Enemies, balancing aggression, introspection, and revelation.
