The power of the portal in storytelling and games

The music video for “Take On Me” by a-ha from 1985 was not just a visual gem but also an exploration of how a portal can transport someone into an entirely different world. The video took the concept of a portal to new heights, captivating audiences with its groundbreaking animation technique.

The video begins in an ordinary diner, where the lead singer Morten Harket catches the eye of a young woman as she reads a comic book. The story within the pages comes to life, and a hand reaches out, pulling her into the illustrated world. This fantastical portal serves as a gateway to a surreal dimension. We witness the woman’s journey as she navigates this other world. The visual representation of the portal provides a unique perspective, highlighting the possibility of escaping reality and immersing oneself in an alternate world.

The video’s imaginative portrayal of a portal reflects the power of art and storytelling in transporting us to different spaces. “Take On Me” not only showcased the innovative use of animation and visual effects but also emphasized the transformative nature of storytelling. It encouraged viewers to explore the possibility of new worlds waiting to be discovered. By illustrating the concept of a portal in such a captivating manner, a-ha’s video provided a mesmerizing glimpse into the extraordinary journeys that storytelling can take us on, both figuratively and literally. Portals appear in many other books, films, and tv series as a device to transport the characters into other worlds where they face new challenges. Some examples include:

• C.S. Lewis’s books the Chronicles of Narnia where a portal inside a wardrobe leads to the fantastical world of Narnia
• J.K Rowling’s Harry Potter series describes a portkey as a magical object enchanted to instantly bring anyone touching it to a specific location
• In The Matrix film (1999), the telephone is used as a teleporter, not to transport a person from one place to another but to reconnect their mind from inside the matrix world to their body outside
• In the film Pleasantville (1998), the main characters David and Jennifer are transported into the black-and-white world of Pleasantville when they use a special tv remote control
• The film Intersteller 2014, Matthew McConaughey plays a scientist who travels through a wormhole to save his family from a deadly asteroid
• Many of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) stories makes use of portals frequently, including in the film Dr. Strange (2016) and TV series Wandavision (2021) and Loki (2021) to move characters around to different locations
• The Witcher TV series also uses a portal for characters to move between physical spaces 
• In the film Jumanji (1995), the portal is the board game itself, requiring players to play through the entire game to return to their real-world reality
• In the Stranger Things TV series, a portal leads to the world of the Upside Down through a  gate opened by the character Eleven in an  underground section of Hawkins National Laboratory

I am drawn to portals as a medium for storytelling as they allow us to experience something new, be someone different. In books and film, we see the characters on their hero’s journey, moving from the real world into the special world as they seek challenges to grow and change. In my professional work of gaming, the portal is a way to transport players from their day-to-day lives into a scenario to solve a problem. 

A wargame or exercise serves as a portal to transport players into a scenario world, allowing them to explore, analyze, and strategize within a simulated environment. These experiences create a bridge between the real world and an imagined scenario, offering  insights that can be applied when they return to their everyday lives. The scenario world represents a specific situation, possibly a military operation, a business challenge, or a crisis. Through role-playing and problem-solving, players tackle issues and see the consequences of their actions within a controlled environment. The scenario world provides a space where ideas can be challenged, collaboration can flourish, and innovative solutions can be discovered. Once the event ends, players “step back” through the portal, returning to their real-world with new insights. This transition allows for a reflective process where individuals evaluate the outcomes and draw valuable lessons from their experiences. 

By seeing wargames or exercises as portals into scenario worlds, individuals enhance their problem-solving abilities and develop a deeper understanding of the challenges they face. This method enables participants to gain practical experience, refine strategies, and ultimately improve decision-making when facing similar situations in the future.