Structurally speaking, it is always the end of a story—its Climactic Moment—that tells us what it is about. The Climactic Moment ends the external plot by telling us who “wins.” But it also, implicitly, ends the protagonist’s arc by showing us whether the character succeeded in arcing positively and helping others to do the same, or if the character failed to overcome inner challenges and “level up.” This also holds true within the overarching cycle of archetypal character arcs, which can be seen to make up the “story structure” of a human life.
The Mage Arc is the final moment in the story. It is the Climactic Moment, and as such it tells what the overall story of a single life has been about. Will the character complete the final arc positively, die a “good death,” and leave a powerful legacy to the descendants? Or will the character succumb in the end to the powerful temptations and struggles of either of the potential negative shadow archetypes—the Miser or the Sorcerer? The Miser, of course, represents the passive polarity within the Mage’s shadow; the Sorcerer represents the aggressive polarity.
King, Warrior, Magician, Lover by Robert Moore and Douglas Gillette (affiliate link)
If we think (rightfully) that the challenges of the Maiden and Hero Arcs are hard, these challenges look small indeed in comparison to the stakes of the Mage Arc. There is a reason so few people reach this arc much less fulfill it. As Robert Moore and Douglas Gillette point out in King, Warrior, Magician, Lover:
It is enormously difficult for a human being to develop to full potential.
The good news for the Mage, however, is that by this point in his long and full life, he has gained a treasure trove of resources. He could not have advanced so far had he not proven himself strong enough to push through previous arcs and learn at least some of their lessons.
Moore and Gillette remind us of the deep skill set available to the true Mage:
The energies of the Magician archetype, wherever and whenever we encounter them, are twofold. The Magician is the knower and he is the master of technology. Furthermore, the man who is guided by the power of the Magician is able to fulfill these Magician functions in part by his use of ritual initiatory process. He is the “ritual elder” who guides the processes of transformation, both within and without.
But, as always, whether or not the Mage will fulfill a beneficial role in relationship to society is a choice. And depending in large part on how well he managed the resources won in his previous arcs, he may find himself prone to slipping into his negative forms as either a reclusive and selfish Miser who hordes his life’s wisdom or a megalomaniacal despot who not only has the power to rule (as does a Tyrant) but also the power to obscenely manipulate others via his deep understanding of reality.
The heart of a positive Mage Arc is the ability to surrender not just power, but ultimately life itself. If he cannot master this, he will forfeit his responsibilities of guiding and initiating the young and end instead by trying to control the fate of the Kingdom according to his personal pleasure.
Once again with our series-wide reminder: The arcs and their related archetypes are alternately characterized as feminine and masculine. This is primarily indicating the ebb and flow between integration and individuation, among other qualities. Together all six primary life arcs create a progression that can be found in any human life (provided we complete our early arcs in order to reach the later arcs with a proper foundation). In short, although I will use feminine pronouns in relation to the feminine arcs and masculine pronouns in relation to the masculine arcs, archetypal representations within these journeys can be of any gender.
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