I had a discussion about epic stories and a friend said that there are only two good stories: * A ordinary person has to cope with an extraordinary situation,

I had a discussion about epic stories and a friend said that there are only two good stories: * A ordinary person has to cope with an extraordinary situation, or * An extraordinary person has to cope with an ordinary situation. While we didn't feel it was a great fit for some stories, it definitely applied to a few of the greats.