Penny Lane / Lady Goodman (a name that proves my Jung point) / Emily Rugburn is anima. She is the essential missing part of William Miller, Writer. In the movie, he incorporates her. She then dies away, as she has to (first, she tries suicide, then she flies to Morocco, which might as well be Nirvana).

After our hero’s transformation, he writes the killer Rolling Stone article. The scene at Rolling Stone Magazine:

Ben Fong-Torres: “‘I’m flying high over Tupelo Mississippi with America’s hottest band, and we’re all about to die…’ Mmmmmm.”

Unnamed Editor: “Mmmmmmm. Dark. Lively.”

Ben Fong-Torres: “Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It gets better. Did this really happen?”

In my story, Merlin Mann is the embodiment of animus.

If there is something for sale, and Merlin starts talking about it, he will evoke a person’s inner fanboy. He doesn’t have a halo. He is the Halo. All Halo Merlin Mann.

Every artist would benefit from having a favorably disposed Merlin Mann as a side kick. He is a wizard after all. Since these characters are in short supply, they need to be created.

Also, Merlin Mann will be busy with a great book. Actually, he is in search of his own William Miller so a great book can be written. That’s another story.

———
Some points on Almost Famous:

The power of the anima is clear. Immediately after William Miller declares “I love her,” the plane engines restart. The band, and truly all of Rock & Roll, is saved.

William Miller’s sister - Anita - tells us very early on that the kids call William a ‘narc.’ At the end, what is he, but a narc? He writes a saw-all, kiss and tell story about Stillwater. He was an agent of truth. Almost Famous is a movie about art. Even though William is the movie’s hero, the movie isn’t about him.

Peter Travers review of Almost Famous.
———
This concludes Part 3 of:

All I Needed To Know About The Value Of The Web I Learned From Russell Hammond

Or

Why Merlin Mann Should Write, Fear & Loathing At The Algonquin Round Table.

Earlier Parts:
The Halo Effect
Merlin mann Is Emily Rugburn