In its empowered profile, the Rescuer assists when needed and, once the rescue mission is accomplished, withdraws. A Rescuer provides an infusion of strength and support to help others to survive a difficult situation, crisis, or process that they lack the stamina or the inner knowledge to maneuver through themselves. Unlike the Knight, to which it is related, the Rescuer is more common among women, especially in its shadow aspect. The shadow Rescuer often surfaces through a romantic connection in which one party seeks to establish an intimate bond by lending emotional support, with a hidden agenda that assumes the rescued party will return the Rescuer’s romantic feelings. Such romances are destined to fail, because the shadow agenda has to keep the “rescuer” in need of being rescued, lest the Rescuer lose their significance.
Healing and empowering the Rescuer within is a common emotional challenge, because being needed is essential to our nature. Most people can relate in part to the characteristics of this archetype which somewhat parallel the Knight, Healer, Hero, and even Servant. If you feel drawn to this archetype, then, be careful to compare the characteristics of those others before deciding to add the Rescuer to your family. A Rescuer archetype is a lifeguard who jumps in the water if someone is drowning; they pull the person out of the water and then they leave—they do not stick around for a reward or push the person in the water so they have someone to rescue. A rescue is a temporary action; it is a quick get-in, get-out. The skill of the Rescuer is also knowing when someone does not need rescuing and when to let someone fall and not help them. The role of the Rescuer is to develop that sharp instinct of knowing when and when not to rescue someone. However, the Rescuer archetype is not just about rescuing others; having the Rescuer archetype can also relate to rescuing yourself, and having the courage to recognize when you need to rescue yourself from a given situation.
Film Reference: Johnny Depp in 'The Long Ranger'
Healing and empowering the Rescuer within is a common emotional challenge, because being needed is essential to our nature. Most people can relate in part to the characteristics of this archetype which somewhat parallel the Knight, Healer, Hero, and even Servant. If you feel drawn to this archetype, then, be careful to compare the characteristics of those others before deciding to add the Rescuer to your family. A Rescuer archetype is a lifeguard who jumps in the water if someone is drowning; they pull the person out of the water and then they leave—they do not stick around for a reward or push the person in the water so they have someone to rescue. A rescue is a temporary action; it is a quick get-in, get-out. The skill of the Rescuer is also knowing when someone does not need rescuing and when to let someone fall and not help them. The role of the Rescuer is to develop that sharp instinct of knowing when and when not to rescue someone. However, the Rescuer archetype is not just about rescuing others; having the Rescuer archetype can also relate to rescuing yourself, and having the courage to recognize when you need to rescue yourself from a given situation.
Film Reference: Johnny Depp in 'The Long Ranger'