Warrior Archetype

What is the Warrior archetype? The warrior archetype is a person who uses their strength and courage to protect others. They are often decisive and choose to fight for what they believe in. The warrior archetype contains both masculine and feminine energy, and can become either society’s king or queen, depending on what they need to conquer. The warrior knows how to use their instinct in warfare, and often becomes a fighter in order to sacrifice to fulfill their duty. The Warrior energy can be associated with the Samurai. It is the energy of emotion, anger, rage and discipline, as the culture and characteristic of the Samurai is one of spiritual mastery, and control of the rage a warrior needs. The archetypal Warrior sets boundaries, and provides the society with a sense of order, clarity and stability.

The Warrior is an archetype that branched off from the original Jungian Hero archetype. However, it’s important to note that the Warrior and the Hero are not the same thing, and are in fact quite different when you break them both down to their essentials.

The Warrior archetype was specified by Robert Moore in the book King, Warrior, Magician Lover: Rediscovering the Archetypes of the Mature Masculine. This book focused on Jungian concepts and archetypes, but expanded them more deeply, especially in relation to men.

In its original context, the Warrior archetype was defined as a masculine one. However, today, many female characters as well as real-life women fit into the Warrior category just as well as men. This archetype is not reserved solely for men, although it still may be more commonly found in men.

If you think you may fit into the Warrior archetype or you just want to learn more about characters that do, check out the information below to help you get started. With a strong framework of understanding, you should have no trouble determining how the Warrior archetype affects you and your life.

Warrior Details

Read through this information to learn more about the Warrior archetype. You can then use this newfound knowledge to think about whether or not you yourself could be a Warrior, or if you know anyone who might fit this archetype instead.

• Sadist: This is a cruel, Shadow version of the Warrior. He believes strength and power are all that matters, and he is constantly insecure about himself, to the point that he puts down or threatens others because of it.
• Archetype wants to stay calm and composed even when things get difficult, intense, or frightening. He strives to be the leader in most, if not all, situations.
• Loyalty is one of the most notable strengths of the Warrior. Whatever he sets his mind to, he’s going to keep to it. He remains unwavering in these loyalties.

Objective

• The Warrior’s ultimate goal is to battle, and eventually, to win. He may not go out of his way to find struggles and conflicts (but he might), although he’s never going to shy away from a chance to prove himself. He fights for what he believes in and to protect the people he loves or the place he comes from. In the end, the Warrior’s objective in life is to give his all in battle, whether literally or metaphorically.

Desires

• The Warrior archetype wants to stay calm and composed even when things get difficult, intense, or frightening. He strives to be the leader in most, if not all, situations.
• The Warrior wants to defend. He may be defending a person or group of people he loves (his romantic partner, his family, his hometown), or he may be defending his ideals and beliefs. He could even be defending his country, planet, or clan.
• The Warrior wants to remain honorable. His idea of honor may vary, depending on his background, but honor is one of the top priorities of Warrior archetypes.

Goals

• This archetype strives to do what he thinks is best and put forth the force required to make that happen.
• The Warrior archetype focuses on his ability to change his battle plan and adapt to new situations in a pinch.
• One of the most important goals of the Warrior is honing his skill. He practices often and will spar with anyone who can help him keep his abilities sharp. Whatever his weapon of choice may be, he might seek out those who are more skilled than he is and ask them for lessons or advice.

Strengths

• Loyalty is one of the most notable strengths of the Warrior. Whatever he sets his mind to, he’s going to keep to it. He remains unwavering in these loyalties.
• The Warrior likes to be challenged, and is strong in his ability to face those challenges head on. He may even get a thrill out of discovering a challenge he’s never faced before.
• Of course, another somewhat obvious strength of the Warrior is just that: his strength. The Warrior is very physically strong and capable of doing what he does.

Weaknesses

• The Warrior often falls into the trap of demanding recognition for his accomplishments. He likes to be noticed, and he likes to feel he deserves that kind of attention.
• All Warriors have some level of aggression, but some let that aggression overtake their thinking and become the primary focus of their archetype. When this happens, they become senselessly violent and may have difficulty regaining the trust of those they care about.
• The Warrior is fairly emotionally detached and unavailable. He may have a lot of trouble forming lasting relationships, and even when he does find family or romance, he may struggle to balance that with his Warrior tendencies.

Qualities

• The Warrior is a destructive archetype. Even when he is doing the right thing, by his nature, he is destroying something in order to make way for something else.
• This is an archetype that is all about self-control. The Warrior is in charge of himself and knows how he is going to react in most situations. When he finds himself faced with a rare situation that may prevent him from thinking or responding clearly, he usually steps away before things get out of hand.
• The Warrior is quick to make decisions and even quicker to stand by them.

Conclusion

Now that you’ve had some time to think about the Warrior archetype and learn more about what it is made of, you may feel like you fit into this category. If you do, remember that (as with all archetypes) there are Shadow elements to watch out for. You may be able to find areas of your personality or your sense of self that you need to focus on more thoroughly when you determine your place in the Warrior archetype.

Here are some Warrior archetype examples to consider:

• William Wallace: Known for his leadership skills and his willingness to protect  his country, William Wallace was a real person who fit into the Warrior role. The movie Braveheart also showcases a Warrior interpretation of him.
• Xena from the Xena television series: Xena’s title is “Warrior Princess,” and this suits her well. She is a rare but strong example of a female Warrior archetype.
• General Maximus from Gladiator: As a general, Maximus commanded others and fought with bravery, even as a gladiator.
• Achilles: Achilles fought bravely even though he didn’t want to, and he continued to do so until he was defeated.
• Captain America from the Marvel universe: Brave, strong, and willing to give his life if he has to, Captain America embodies all the positive aspects of the Warrior.

When you know more about characters that exemplify the Warrior role, you’ll be that much closer to identifying it in your own life as well as in the lives of others.