The "Girls Underground" Archetype
A girl, either young (around 7) or older (16) enters the Otherworld/Underworld, often because of a stupid mistake (or wish). She is first initiated and/or guided by a creature from that world. She has more than one companion, often otherworldly creatures, and together they navigate a strange path of labyrinthine nature. They are thwarted along the way by an adversary and the adversary's minions. If the adversary is male (as it is in the older archetype), there can be some romantic/sexual aspect to their relationship. During the journey, the girl encounters some kind of drug, and spends some time forgetting herself. She interacts with people or things that are somehow connected to her normal life at home. There is often an issue of time running out, or time behaves strangely. When she nears her goal (often the rescue of a loved one), she is separated from her companions for awhile, and this culminates in a one-on-one showdown with the adversary, which frequently involves exposing a fraud (and sometimes resisting his attempts at seducing her to his side). Modern versions often feature music, poetry and/or riddles. Frequently there is an animate/talking door involved. Also, the girl is often either an orphan, or has parents who are physically or emotionally distant.