In the depths of midwinter in the Northern Hemisphere, the archetype of the Magical Child stirs. Celebrations abound: of a divine child who renews the world, of the light reborn from the longest night of Solstice, and of the threshold between one year ending and another beginning. Each of these observances invites wonder and hope, reawakening our imagination to possibility—all of which resides within the archetypal field of the Magical Child.

The 1984 fantasy film The NeverEnding Story offers a cinematic lens through which to explore this archetype. In it, the Magical Child’s imagination becomes the creative force that restores a world on the brink of dissolution. Rewatching this film as an adult, I found myself wondering if it was one of the gateways to my study of myth. It certainly depicts the power stories can hold when we summon the courage to enter them fully.

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This blog was written for and published by The Joseph Campbell Foundation on December 7, 2025