Vasilisa, Kikimora, and Baba Yaga: The Mystical Bildungsroman of Ballerina

As the first female-led spinoff in the John Wick cinematic universe, Ballerina (2025) grounds its narrative structure in the mythological traditions of Slavic folklore. Approaching the film through the mystical dimensions of the Bildungsroman, this study examines how the film transforms the narrative structure of the classic Russian fairy tale “Vasilisa the Beautiful,” and analyzes in depth how the protagonist Eve Macarro achieves spiritual transformation through the triple archetypes of Vasilisa (the initiate), Kikimora (the shape-shifter), and Baba Yaga (the tester). The study reveals that the film presents a model of maturation distinct from the classical Bildungsroman: the protagonist does not achieve maturity through socialization and adaptation, but rather through spiritual rebirth via metamorphosis and conversion in the mystical sense. By integrating William James’s theory of conversion, Jung’s alchemical psychology, and Propp’s theory of initiation rites, this article illuminates how contemporary popular culture reactivates ancient mythological archetypes, offering an alternative possibility for narratives of growth that transcends the paradigm of social adaptation.