History Main / ChildMage

** ''TabletopGame/{{Eberron}}'' has [[FanNickname the Loli-Pope]] Jaela Daran, the eleven-year-old girl who is the head of the Church of the Silver Flame. She's a 3rd-level cleric (which is by itself pretty impressive for an eleven-year-old) on her own merits... but when communing with the Silver Flame, she's one of the most powerful spellcasters in the setting.

* While [[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic Twilight Sparkle]] is no longer a child, she showed immense magical talent from a very young age.

** Rydia in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIV'' is your white/black mage the first time she joins the party, though after being separated, she [[YearInsideHourOutside spontaneously]] [[PlotRelevantAgeUp ages several years]] before she rejoins later on; it's also specifically noted that children make good summoners because of their pure hearts. From the same game, Palom and Porom are about five (and twins), and serve as your major magic source for about the second fifth of the game. However, none of them lose their magical prowess (outside of the usual [[BagOfSpilling between-game level resetting]]) in the sequel, though none of them ''gain'' any physical prowess, either.

** ''TabletopGame/{{Eberron}}'' has [[FanNickname the Loli-Pope]] Jaela Daran, the 11-year-old girl who is the head of the Church of the Silver Flame. She's a 3rd-level cleric (which is by itself pretty impressive for an eleven-year-old) on her own merits... but when communing with the Silver Flame, she's one of the most powerful spellcasters in the setting.

** ''TabletopGame/{{Eberron}}'' has [[FanNickname the Loli-Pope]] Jaela Daran, the head of the Church of the Silver Flame and a eleven-year old girl. She's a 3rd-level cleric (which is by itself pretty impressive for an eleven-year-old) on her own merits... but when communing with the Silver Flame, she's one of the most powerful spellcasters in the setting.

The main magic user in the game or story happens to be the youngest person in the group. Possibly because the story writer wants to have a character that young for comic or dramatic effect(or just for [[TokenMiniMoe sheer cuteness]]) and can't imagine said character being proficient in a sword or other conventional weapons, so they let them summon meteors with their mind. It also provides a convenient justification for [[SquishyMage keeping the mage squishy]]; they don't have the raw strength to move around in heavy armor. In any case, the implication is that either magic is ''just that easy'', or [[ChildProdigy they're just that good]].

* In chapter 2 of [[https://www.deviantart.com/slifofinadragon/ SilfofinaDragon]]'s ''VideoGame/SengokuBasara'' fanfic ''Finally Home'', we learn that UsefulNotes/DateMasamune and UsefulNotes/{{Sanada|Yukimura}} [[MisterSeahorse Yukimura]]'s seven year old grandson Tsukitora has learned to practice some magic from [[HotWitch Kyogoku Maria]], which he excels through [[GeometricMagic geometric spells]].

*** ''Fanfic/StoryShuffle2DoubleMasters'': In [[https://www.fimfiction.net/story/469652/15/story-shuffle-2-double-masters/melting-of-the-minds "Melting Of The Minds"]], a one-shot set in the ''Fanfic/OversaturatedWorld'' universe, where everyone has magic. But in this instance, Wallflower Blush and her friends at Ravnica High. Wallflower had PowerIncontinence with her memory magic which can mix with her with {{Technopath}}y.

* The children of [[http://badwebcomics.wikidot.com/hathor-the-cow-goddess Hathor the Cow Goddess]] are unusually smart. But this is just to illustrate how well she thinks unschooling works and to make her adult StrawLoser opponents look even dumber by comparison.

** Emizel in ''Disgaea 4'' is this for the group.

** The TechnicolorFire mage Romeo after the TimeSkip, who is 13.

* Toyed with in the mage origin of ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins''. The campaign starts with the player character finishing his/her Harrowing, marking him/her as an adult and fully-fledged mage, but is noted to be young to be taking the Harrowing, and is almost certainly the youngest member of the party aside from perhaps Alistair, whose mother mother met [[spoiler: king Maric]] in 9:10 Dragon, making him 18 or 19 during the siege of Ostagar.

* [[SquishyWizard Skulls]] in ''Franchise/{{Disgaea}}'' games are shown to be young boys. Their female counterparts who also appear in other non-Disgaea Creator/NipponIchi titles look no older than grade school aged as well. (Interestingly enough, the Cleric class is always depicted as older, and the female Clerics in particular much better stacked.)

* Alvin from ''VideoGame/TheWitcher'' has an inherent gift that makes him the most powerful mage known. Unfortunately it's so powerful it's a hazard to himself and others, and he needs help keeping it under control. In the books, Ciri had a similar role, but she managed to seal it and swear off magic when [[GrowingUpSucks she grew up]].

** ''VideoGame/DragonQuestV'' has two - Bianca and Madchen. While Bianca is not that strong until she grows up, Madchen, however, has no excuse for being able to cast powerful ice spells and transform into a dragon at the age of 8.

The main magic user in the game or story happens to be the youngest person in the group. Possibly because the story writer wants to have a character that young for comic or dramatic effect and can't imagine said character being proficient in a sword or other conventional weapons, so they let them summon meteors with their mind. It also provides a convenient justification for [[SquishyMage keeping the mage squishy]]; they don't have the raw strength to move around in heavy armor. In any case, the implication is that either magic is ''just that easy'', or [[ChildProdigy they're just that good]].

[[folder: Fanfiction]]

* ''VideoGame/DragonQuestV'' has two - Bianca and Madchen. While Bianca is not that strong until she grows up, Madchen, however, has no excuse for being able to cast powerful ice spell and transform into a dragon at the age of 8.
* Veronica in ''VideoGame/DragonQuestXI'' is the party's resident child-sized BlackMage, but she only [[OlderThanTheyLook looks like a child]] because she was cursed shortly before you meet her. She's actually as old as her WhiteMage sister, Serena.

[[quoteright:350:[[Manga/MahouSenseiNegima https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/child_mage.png]]]]

[[folder: Anime and Manga ]]

* Schierke from ''{{Manga/Berserk}}'' is the youngest member of Guts' new party. Her spells are incredibly powerful but needs time to cast (and she's in a trance whenever that happens), so Guts and the other fighters [[SwordAndSorcerer cover her while she gets ready]].

* ''Manga/MahouSenseiNegima'':

* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'': The titular character and a lot of his friends certainly qualify as this, on the grounds that [[{{Ninja}} Their Ninja Are Different]].

[[folder: Comic Books ]]

[[folder: Fanfiction ]]

* WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic Fanfics: Most young unicorns can perform a little telekinesis with their magic, so there are a lot of examples, or at least, {{implied}} ones.

* In chapter 2 of [[https://www.deviantart.com/slifofinadragon/ SilfofinaDragon]]'s VideoGame/SengokuBasara fanfic ''Finally Home'', we learn that UsefulNotes/DateMasamune and UsefulNotes/{{Sanada|Yukimura}} [[MisterSeahorse Yukimura]]'s seven year old grandson Tsukitora has learned to practice some magic from [[HotWitch Kyogoku Maria]], which he excels through [[GeometricMagic geometric spells]].

[[folder: Literature ]]

[[folder: Live Action TV ]]

[[folder: Tabletop Games ]]

* ''WizKids''.

[[folder: Video Games ]]

* ''Franchise/FinalFantasy''

** Emizel in Disgaea 4 is this for the group.

* Annie from VideoGame/LeagueOfLegends. Doubles as a CreepyChild because of her [[PlayingWithFire propensity for burning things]].

* ''Videogame/Wizard101'': Player characters seem to be teenagers at most.

[[folder: Visual Novels ]]

[[folder: Webcomics ]]

[[folder: Web Original ]]

[[folder: Western Animation ]]

* In chapter 2 of [[https://www.deviantart.com/slifofinadragon/ SilfofinaDragon]]'s VideoGame/SengokuBasara fanfic ''Finally Home'', we learn that UsefulNotes/DateMasamune and UsefulNotes/{{Sanada|Yukimura}} [[MisterSeahorse Yukimura]]'s seven year old grandson Tsukitora has learned to practice some magic from [[HotWitch Kyogoku Maria]], which he excels through [[GeometricMagic geometric spells]].

* Ivan from ''VideoGame/GoldenSun2001'' is the youngest party member and he's the BlackMage. In ''VideoGame/GoldenSunTheLostAge'', Sheba also fills in this role. In ''VideoGame/GoldenSunDarkDawn'', Himi is even younger at twelve.

* Wally the Witch, from Marvel Universe, who has appeared in the homonym comic book.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond episode "Mind Games", Terry has to rescue a psychic little girl from an evil organization of telepaths who want to initiate her via kidnapping. While he saves her, he also gets her help since she's a pretty powerful kid.

%% * In ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'' the current Franchise/GreenLantern is a child - not technically a mage, but the same effect.

* While many characters in ''Manga/FairyTail'' are mages, 12-year-old [[TheMedic Wendy]] [[BlowYouAway is an example]] of this trope.
** Regardless, we now have the TechnicolorFire mage Romeo after the TimeSkip, who is 13.

** ''Fanfic/StoryShuffle'': Twilight Sparkle, at age 7, is one of these and also a ChildProdigy, performing magical feats thought impossible for someone so young. What did she do? She [[spoiler:made a golem]].
* In chapter 2 of [[https://www.deviantart.com/slifofinadragon/ SilfofinaDragon]]'s VideoGame/SengokuBasara fanfic ''Finally Home'', we learn that UsefulNotes/DateMasamune and [[UsefulNotes/SanadaYukimura Sanada]] [[MisterSeahorse Yukimura]]'s seven year old grandson Tsukitora has learned to practice some magic from [[HotWitch Kyogoku Maria]], which he excels through [[GeometricMagic geometric spells]].

* In [[https://www.deviantart.com/slifofinadragon/art/Finally-Home-Ch-1-pt-18-814328993 chapter 1 part 18]] of [[https://www.deviantart.com/slifofinadragon/ SilfofinaDragon]]'s latest VideoGame/SengokuBasara fanfic ''Finally Home'', we learn that UsefulNotes/DateMasamune and [[UsefulNotes/SanadaYukimura Sanada]] [[MisterSeahorse Yukimura]]'s seven year old grandson Tsukitora has learned to practice some magic from [[HotWitch Kyogoku Maria]], which he excels through [[GeometricMagic geometric spells]].

** ''TabletopGame/{{Eberron}}'' has [[FanNickname the Loli-Pope]] Jaela Daran, the head of the Church of the Silver Flame and a eleven-year old girl. She's a 3rd-level cleric on her own merits... but when communing with the Silver Flame, she's one of the most powerful spellcasters in the setting.

* In [[https://www.deviantart.com/slifofinadragon/art/Finally-Home-Ch-1-pt-18-814328993 chapter 1 part 18]] of [[https://www.deviantart.com/slifofinadragon/ SilfofinaDragon]]'s latest VideoGame/SengokuBasara fanfic ''Finally Home'', we learn that UsefulNotes/DateMasamune and [[UsefulNotes/SanadaYukimura Sanada]] [[MisterSeahorse Yukimura]]'s eight year old grandson Tsukitora has learned to practice some magic from [[HotWitch Kyogoku Maria]], which he excels through [[GeometricMagic geometric spells]].

* Ivan from ''VideoGame/GoldenSunTheBrokenSeal'' is the youngest party member and he's the BlackMage. In ''VideoGame/GoldenSunTheLostAge'', Sheba also fills in this role. In ''VideoGame/GoldenSunDarkDawn'', Himi is even younger at twelve.