History Main / EternalHero

* Creator/MarvelComics has quite a few recurring heroes. Some are immortal like [[ComicBook/TheMightyThor Thor]], [[ComicBook/TheIncredibleHercules Hercules]] and the Eternal Gilgamesh. The first two tend to return to aid humanity time and again and the latter has been a hero under several names including Gilgamesh and Samson and been mistaken for other heroes like Hercules. New heroes will often take up the names and costumes of older heroes to honor them: ComicBook/{{Captain Marvel|MarvelComics}}, ComicBook/CaptainAmerica, ComicBook/SpiderWoman, and ComicBook/WhiteTiger are prominent examples. Others are more like reoccurring archetypes: ComicBook/{{X 23}} for ComicBook/{{Wolverine}}, Thunderstrike for his father and Thor, Power Man for ComicBook/LukeCage, etc.

* ''VideoGame/{{Extrapower}}'': A possible outcome for Zophy as of ''[[VideoGame/ExtrapowerAttackOfDarkforce Attack of Darkforce]]''. When he catches up with [ThePhoenix the Flame Princess]] at Magarda Volcano, she has already begun her rebirth ritual but has left Zophy a choice, relayed to him by the great majin Magma-O: Zophy could choose to continue to live his life as a human and die when his time comes. Or he could choose to unlock the dormant phoenix blood within him and become a flame warrior. He would become an immortal majin, like Magma-O and the Flame Princess herself, and remain as Earth's eternal hero, but at the cost of relinquishing his human relationships.

** This scene starts with the duo meeting a young boy [[NoFourthWall who turns out to be called]] Creator/ThomasMalory...

* In ''Franchise/BreathOfFire'' [[MeaningfulName Ryu]] is a blue-haired hero who appears as the main protagonist of all of the series installments. He is always a supernatural being referred to as a dragon though the nature of his power varies from game to game. It is unknown if the various Ryus are the same person, reincarnations or otherwise but he clearly appears over the course of many generations and alternate worlds.

* ''Franchise/{{EXTRAPOWER}}'': A possible outcome for Zophy as of ''[[VideoGame/EXTRAPOWERAttackOfDarkforce Attack of Darkforce]]''. When he catches up with [ThePhoenix the Flame Princess]] at Magarda Volcano, she has already begun her rebirth ritual but has left Zophy a choice, relayed to him by the great majin Magma-O: Zophy could choose to continue to live his life as a human and die when his time comes. Or he could choose to unlock the dormant phoenix blood within him and become a flame warrior. He would become an immortal majin, like Magma-O and the Flame Princess herself, and remain as Earth's eternal hero, but at the cost of relinquishing his human relationships.

** About half of the [[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters huge cast]] are Detian, which means that they've taken the Omega-2 retrovirus which gave them TheAgeless with a moderate HealingFactor. Began as heroes whose deeds included saving the [[{{Transformers}} Autobots]] from destruction and leading a revolution on the planet [[ComicBook/NinjaHighSchool Zardon]]. They then were scattered by the BigBad's BatmanGambit and went into exile for 100 years. They came back and reconstituted the Wedge Defense Force in the 2380s, just in time to save the whole of the Perseus Arm of the galaxy from coming under the rule of the [[Anime/BubblegumCrisis GENOM corporation]].

* Franchise/{{Superman}} is sometimes this. Depending on the continuity, his lifespan can run into the millions. In ''ComicBook/AllStarSuperman'', Superman even shares an adventure with several of his descendant Supermen.

* Sometimes a superhero keeps coming back in different guises, even when apparently dead. For example, Hector Hall/Silver Scarab dies and becomes the Sandman, but in ''ComicBook/TheSandman: The Doll's House'' he is revealed to be a ghost who has been manipulated into taking on a persona that's an ersatz version of Dream of the Endless. Dream returns from captivity and sends him on into the afterlife. Later, he returns as Dr. Fate.
** ''ComicBook/TheSandman'' also provides another example; when one of the Endless dies, if the right preparations are in place, there will be someone to take their place, until such time as the concept they represent no longer exists.

* Brian Bendis's ''ComicBook/{{Powers}}'' features several. The main character Christain Walker is an immortal who lived before the cavemen but can usually remember as far back as a century. He has been a hero at several time periods in his life including modern. Other heroes like Supershock and Zora were immortals who followed similar patterns. Retro Girl is a case where when one dies she either reincarnates or passes on the mantle/memories/powers to another young girl who becomes a hero.

* Creator/MarvelComics has quite a few recurring heroes. Some are immortal like [[ComicBook/TheMightyThor Thor]], [[ComicBook/TheIncredibleHercules Hercules]] and the Eternal Gilgamesh. The first two tend to return to aid humanity time and again and the latter has been a hero under several names including Gilgamesh and Samson and been mistaken for other heroes like Hercules. New heroes will often take up the names and costumes of older heroes to honor them: ComicBook/CaptainMarVell, ComicBook/CaptainAmerica, ComicBook/SpiderWoman, and ComicBook/WhiteTiger are prominent examples. Others are more like reoccurring archetypes: ComicBook/{{X 23}} for ComicBook/{{Wolverine}}, Thunderstrike for his father and Thor, Power Man for ComicBook/LukeCage, etc.

-->-- ''The Security Officer'' [[MindScrew (Maybe)]], VideoGame/{{Marathon}}

* Creator/MarvelComics has quite a few recurring heroes. Some are immortal like [[ComicBook/TheMightyThor Thor]], [[ComicBook/TheIncredibleHercules Hercules]] and the Eternal Gilgamesh. The first two tend to return to aid humanity time and again and the latter has been a hero under several names including Gilgamesh and Samson and been mistaken for other heroes like Hercules. New heroes will often take up the names and costumes of older heroes to honor them: ComicBook/CaptainMarVell, ComicBook/CaptainAmerica, ComicBook/SpiderWoman, and ComicBook/WhiteTiger are prominent examples. Others are more like reoccurring archetypes: ComicBook/{{X 23}} for ComicBook/{{Wolverine}}, Thunderstrike for his father and Thor, Power Man for ComicBook/{{Luke Cage|HeroForHire}}, etc.

* In [=Roderick MacLeish=]'s ''Prince Ombra'', an eternal champion and his evil counterpart are reincarnated to fight periodically. (Several KingInTheMountain legends, including KingArthur, are said to be inspired by some of their earlier battles.) Last time [[WeDidntStartTheFuhrer it didn't go so well for Good]].

* ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'' series has the "Shezarrines", [[GodInHumanForm physical manifestations]] of the spirit of the [[GodIsDead "dead" creator god]] Lorkhan (aka [[IHaveManyNames Shezarr, Shor, Sep, etc.]]). The Shezarrines typically appear at moments of great turmoil for [[HumansAreSpecial mankind]], often fighting against the [[OurElvesAreBetter races of Mer (Elves)]]. The GodEmperor Tiber Septim is thought to be one such manifestation. The LongDeadBadass[=/=][[TheBerserker Berserker]] Pelinal Whitestrake is another. Wulfharth Ash-King is believed to have been another, dying and coming back to life at least three times.

* The song "Outsider Intro" (quoted at the top of the page) by Music/DJShadow features a sample of a storyteller describing a mythic figure known as "The Outsider"

->''I have been Roland, Beowulf, Achilles, Gilgamesh. I have been called a hundred names and will be called a thousand more before the world goes dim and cold. I am a hero. "''

->''I have been Roland, Beowulf, Achilles, Gilgamesh. I have been called a hundred names and will be called a thousand more before the world goes cold. I am a hero. "''

->''"But in the darkest hour\\
Whispers begin to tell of a figure emerging from the darkness\\
A being without a name, faceless and obscure\\
Part presence, part idea they say\\
As if the very force they describe has existed for eons\\
A dormant seed awaiting nourishment."''
-->-- '''Music/DJShadow''', "Outsider Intro"

** Creator/TerryPratchett parodies it in the novel ''Discworld/TheLastContinent'', where Death speculates that Rincewind is a counterbalance to this, the "Coward with a thousand retreating backs".

** Also perhaps Sam Vimes since ''Discworld/{{Thud}}'': his possession by the [[EldritchAbomination Summoning Dark]] and his resulting special abilities seem to be turning him into an eternal policeman, which can be seen in ''Discworld/{{Snuff}}''.

* In ''Franchise/BreathOfFire'' [[AProtagonistIsRyu Ryu]] is a blue-haired hero who appears as the main protagonist of all of the series installments. He is always a supernatural being referred to as a dragon though the nature of his power varies from game to game. It is unknown if the various Ryus are the same person, reincarnations or otherwise but he clearly appears over the course of many generations and alternate worlds.

* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'' has a detailed description on the {{Reincarnation}} page, but in a few words: The world of Avatar is based around four elements: water, earth, fire, and air. The world is roughly divided into four countries, each of which corresponds with a particular element. Certain people from each country can manipulate (or "bend") the element associated with their culture. These people are known as benders; bending gives them abilities significantly above and beyond those of normal people, but nobody can ever bend more than one element. The exception is the Avatar. Every generation, an Avatar is born to one of the nations; this person can learn to bend all four elements. They can also access the Avatar State, which allows them to channel the souls of all the previous Avatars to gain incredible power. Once their training is complete, they typically become an intermediary between the four nations (and between the physical and spiritual worlds), maintaining balance and ensuring that the world does not come to any great harm.Once the Avatar dies, a new Avatar is born to the next nation in the cycle. Avatars can talk to and get advice from previous avatars. Every Avatar has a different personality, but they all share a strong goal of protecting the world and the people around them.

* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'' has a detailed description on the {{Reincarnation}} page, but in a few words: The world of Avatar is based around four elements: water, earth, fire, and air. The world is roughly divided into four countries, each of which corresponds with a particular element. Certain people from each country can manipulate (or "bend") the element associated with their culture. These people are known as benders; bending gives them abilities significantly above and beyond those of normal people, but nobody can ever bend more than one element.\\
The exception is the Avatar. Every generation, an Avatar is born to one of the nations; this person can learn to bend all four elements. They can also access the Avatar State, which allows them to channel the souls of all the previous Avatars to gain incredible power. Once their training is complete, they typically become an intermediary between the four nations (and between the physical and spiritual worlds), maintaining balance and ensuring that the world does not come to any great harm.\\
Once the Avatar dies, a new Avatar is born to the next nation in the cycle. Avatars can talk to and get advice from previous avatars. Every Avatar has a different personality, but they all share a strong goal of protecting the world and the people around them.

* ''[[WesternAnimation/CaptainPlanetAndThePlaneteers Captain Planet]]'', as the {{anthropomorphic personification}} of Gaia's champion and defender of the planet, probably counts.

* The Security Officer from ''VideoGame/{{Marathon}}'' is heavily [[http://marathon.bungie.org/story/kytterm.html implied]] to be one.

Many cultures have the idea of an eternally recurring hero. Not a KingInTheMountain, just a hero who keeps coming back for more. Maybe it's one hero with multiple identities. Either they're immortal, or there's an element of returning from being [[NotQuiteDead apparently dead]] or seeming way [[OldMaster too old]] to fight. The reason both are included is that this trope is as old as mythology, and in its early era the concepts of TheAgeless, [[BackFromTheDead resurrection]], and [[LongLived absurd longevity]] were fairly interchangable.

** ''ComicBook/SupermanRedSon'' shows that universe's Superman living far into the future, and reveals that [[spoiler: he is actually the distant descendant of Lex Luthor, whose descendants were similarly super geniuses who lead humanity through millions of years until humans evolved into Kryptonians and the house of Luthor became the House of L. At the end of the story, the baby Kal-L is sent back in time, where he opposes Lex and causes the foundation of Luthor's accomplishments.]]
* Sometimes a superhero keeps coming back in different guises, even when apparently dead. For example, Hector Hall/Silver Scarab dies and becomes the Sandman, but in ''ComicBook/TheSandman: The Doll's House'' he is revealed to be a ghost who has been manipulated into taking on a persona that's an ersatz version of Dream of the Endless. Dream returns from captivity and sends him on into the afterlife. Later, he returns as Dr Fate.

** In fact, that entire comic is pretty much one big depiction and analysis of this trope, as a side affect of trying to be the end-all be-all summation of Batman in all his forms. (It was written for when Batman died in canon, so it's a eulogy of sorts.)

* Brian Bendis's ''ComicBook/{{Powers}}'' features several. The main character Christain Walker is an immortal who lived before the cavemen, but can usually remember as far back as a century. He has been a hero at several time periods in his life including modern. Other heroes like Supershock and Zora were immortals who followed similar patterns. Retro Girl is a case where when one dies she either reincarnates or passes on the mantle/memories/powers to another young girl who becomes a hero.
* Creator/MarvelComics has quite a few reoccuring heroes. Some are immortal like [[ComicBook/TheMightyThor Thor]], [[ComicBook/TheIncredibleHercules Hercules]] and the Eternal Gilgamesh. The first two tend to return to aid humanity time and again and the latter has been a hero under several names including Gilgamesh and Samson and been mistaken for other heroes like Hercules. New heroes will often take up the names and costumes of older heroes to honor them: ComicBook/CaptainMarVell, ComicBook/CaptainAmerica, ComicBook/SpiderWoman, and ComicBook/WhiteTiger are prominent examples. Others are more like reoccurring archetypes: ComicBook/{{X 23}} for ComicBook/{{Wolverine}}, Thunderstrike for his father and Thor, Power Man for ComicBook/{{Luke Cage|HeroForHire}}, etc.

** About half of the [[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters huge cast]] are Detian, which means that they've taken the Omega-2 retrovirus which gave them TheAgeless with a moderate HealingFactor. Began as heroes whose deeds included saving the [[{{Transformers}} Autobots]] from destruction and leading a revolution on the planet [[ComicBook/NinjaHighSchool Zardon]]. They then were scattered by the BigBad's BatmanGambit, and went into exile for 100 years. They came back and reconstituted the Wedge Defense Force in the 2380s, just in time to save the whole of the Perseus Arm of the galaxy from coming under the rule of the [[Anime/BubblegumCrisis GENOM corporation]].

* At the end of Creator/GregBear's ''City at the End of Time'', it's revealed that [[spoiler: Daniel is actually Sangmer, the legendary missing-presumed-dead hero that the characters in the scenes set several trillion years in the future read stories about. When [[CrapsackWorld the entire multiverse started to unravel]] during his lifetime, his demiurge EternalLove Mnemnosyne regressed him to childhood and sent him to be a KingInTheMountain in a PocketDimension. Eventually he is released, with his memories of being Sangmer suppressed, as a human fate-shifter (someone who can jump between parallel universe versions of themselves to avoid bad luck). He then starts from the beginning of human history, journeying to the recent past, where he has shifted into the identity of Daniel, who in turn shifts between multiple Daniels until he ends up in a universe where he is a beggar called Charles Granger. It turns out that this is because [[FromBadToWorse Daniel died as a teenager in this universe]], so he ended up in the nearest equivalent. He then transfers his consciousness into the body of theoretical physicist Fred, his best friend in his home universe and married to the late Daniel's sister in Granger's world. He does all this, as well as being a ManipulativeBastard and TheSociopath, because his suppressed memories are driving him forward to the point where he can stop the multiverse's destruction and reunite with his love. Because she's a demiurge and he's a far-future descendant of humanity, they don't really care how many human identities he sacrifices to succeed.]]

* ZigZagged in ''Maurauders of Literature/{{Gor}}''. Torvald, the legendary founder of Torvaldsland, is said to be sleeping in his tomb and [[KingInTheMountain will awaken when a warrior comes to him in a time of crisis]]. The protagonists find the tomb only to find it empty except for a War Arrow. They realize that [[ItWasWithYouAllAlong it was a metaphor, that they themselves need to help themselves]]. But then after the battle Tarl finds himself talking with a man from near the mountain, who volunteers to return the War Arrow back to the tomb, who is named Torvald. It is possible that this man really is the thousand-year-old king, given that on Gor they have "stabilization serums" which is basically a cure for the aging process.

* The song "Outsider Intro" (quoted at the top of the page) by Music/DJShadow features a sample of a storyteller describing a mythic figured known as "The Outsider"

* In ''Franchise/BreathOfFire'' [[AProtagonistIsRyu Ryu]] is a blue haired hero who appears as the main protagonist of all of the series instalments. He is always a supernatural being referred to as a dragon though the nature of his power varies from game to game. It is unknown if the various Ryus are the same person, reincarnations or otherwise but he clearly appears over the course of many generations and alternate worlds.
** In ''VideoGame/BreathOfFireII'' its all but confirmed that the current Ryu is the descendant of the first one, according to Nina's ancestor.
* In ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'' various boys called Link across three alternate versions of the same universe take up the mantle of the legendary hero Link to save the world. However, they're not simply {{Legacy Character}}s, but Chosen Heroes who bear the Spirit of the Hero. ''Hyrule Historia'' revealed that, in-universe, the various Links may not share a name at all. Whether this means their given name or surname isn't specified. In the case of the former, "Link" could very well be the Hylian word for this trope. It also states that the various Links can be descendants or reincarnations, but can also be completely unrelated to former heroes. This seems to imply that the Spirit of the Hero is more an aspect that a hero possesses (spirit in this case meaning a defining quality), rather than referring to a reborn soul. Or something even more screwier as both Demise and his reincarnation Ganondorf have cursed Link to continue their battle forever (i.e., the Spirit of the Hero might reincarnate into another person when a savior is needed).

** The Unlimited Blade Works route brings up the darker side of this with [[spoiler: Servant Archer - Heroic Spirit EMIYA]]. In addition to the great heroes of myth and legend, there are also the unsung heroes who were not BornLucky enough to have anything like divine blessings or artifacts. Because these heroes are not famed and revered enough to properly ascend to the Throne of Heroes, but are still Heroic Spirits, they serve as Counter Guardians that protect humankind from existential threats. However the Counter Force only summons Guardians once a situation has truly gone to Hell and there is no other way to avert disaster. In order to eliminate the threat, which is often human in origin, the Guardians are tasked with killing everything in the vicinity, [[TheNeedsOfTheMany sacrificing even the victims to ensure that the threat to humankind as a whole is completely eradicated]]. While never actually seen in the game [[spoiler: being unable to save the people suffering before his eyes every time he is summoned put Archer across the DespairEventHorizon and led him to want to kill his past self to try and erase his own eternal existence via TemporalParadox. Luckily, thanks to the efforts of Rin and Shirou, he rekindles the fire that used to drive him and in the end he assures Rin with a smile that he will be okay filling his role as an EternalHero from now on]].