History Main / LegacyOfTheChosen

* ''Webcomic/{{Housepets}}'': The Avatars of Tarot and Pete. Every generation, the two Gods pick a mortal to fight for them on Earth, essentially their player character in a cosmic game of D&D. The rules state that an Avatar must be willing, and must be a cat or dog- but the Gods frequently use LoopholeAbuse to get around this. In the comic, only four avatars are ever seen; Tarot and Satau for Dragon, and King and Bailey for Pete.

* In Creator/JMichaelStraczynski's [[ComicBook/TheAmazingSpiderManJMichaelStraczynski run on]] ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'', Ezekiel Sims is a previous bearer of the Spider-Totem, who teaches Spider-Man that his powers don't exactly work the way Peter thought they did and warns him that Morlun is hunting him for them.

When all of the chosen ones assume a singular identity, it overlaps with LegacyCharacter. Compare EternalHero and GreaterScopeParagon. Compare TheChosenMany where multiple chosen are active at one time. Can result from a MasterApprenticeChain if the bequeathal of the title has been passed down long enough.

* In ''Franchise/StarWarsLegends'', the Skywalker bloodline protected the galaxy for generations (sometimes from itself) starting with Anakin Skywalker, then his son Luke, ''his'' son [[Literature/NewJediOrder Ben alongside Ben's cousins Jacen, Jaina, & Anakin Solo]], and finally their descendants [[ComicBook/StarWarsLegacy Cade Skywalker and the Fel family]].

** One mission of the main quest in ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind Morrowind]]'' has the [[PlayerCharacter Nerevarine]], the {{reincarnation}} of the LongDeadBadass Nerevar, visit the Cavern of the Incarnate where they can speak to the shades of half a dozen people who previously tried and failed to become the Nerevarine. (The series often inverts the usual way TheChosenOne is played: If you fulfill the prophecy, you ''are'' TheChosenOne, rather than the other way around.)

** One mission of the main quest in ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind Morrowind]]'' has the [[PlayerCharacter Nerevarine]] visit the Cavern of the Incarnate, where they can speak to the shades of half a dozen people who previously tried and failed to become the Nerevarine. (The series often inverts the usual way TheChosenOne is played: If you fulfill the prophecy, you ''are'' TheChosenOne, rather than the other way around.)
** In the ''Dragonborn'' DLC for ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim Skyrim]]'', the PlayerCharacter, who is one of the eponymous Dragonborn (mortals born with the soul of a dragon), clashes with the very ''first'' Dragonborn, who became [[ImmortalityImmorality immortal]] and [[EvilCounterpart thoroughly evil]].

* In ''ComicBook/TheSandman'', it's revealed that the [[BigScrewedUpFamily Endless]] operate this way. If one of their number is killed, another aspect will rise to take their place, because the universe ''needs'' them. It's happened to Despair [[spoiler: and, at the end of the main storyline, it happens to Morpheus, with Daniel being called to become the new Dream.]] Interestingly, it's also shown that death is the only thing that summons a replacement: Destruction gave up his post, but since he's still alive, there can't be a "new" Destruction yet.

* ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooMysteryIncorporated'' reveals that there must ''always'' be a Mystery Inc. in the world. Furthermore, the group will always have the same makeup: four people--a [[TheBigGuy strong]] [[TheLeader leader]], a [[TheSmartGuy brainy]] [[NoSocialSkills nerd]], a [[LovableCoward cowardly]] [[TheSlacker slacker]], and a [[TheBeautifulElite beautiful]] [[TheChick ingenue]]--with a TalkingAnimal sidekick; those roles will be maintained even if the genders are distributed differently (one incarnation was an all-male group of monks, while another was an all-female cowgirl gang). If a member of the current Mystery Inc. departs, someone else might try to take their place, but the rest of the group will be compelled to kick them out at the first opportunity if they don't fit the "role" that is currently vacant (as is the case with Daphne and Marcie "Hot Dog Water" Fleach, who was another nerd and thus couldn't stay). [[spoiler: The GrandFinale reveals that this is part of [[GreaterScopeVillain the Evil Entity's]] curse--it's bending reality to slowly ensure that the seal trapping it can someday be broken.]]

* ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'': [[FarmBoy Oscar Pine]] is the latest incarnation of [[BigGood a man]] who has spent thousands of years protecting Remnant from [[BigBad Salem]]. [[spoiler:Previous lives include: the [[WorldsBestWarrior legendary hero]] Ozma; the Wizard who first [[SuperEmpowering empowered]] the [[ElementalPowers Maidens]]; the last [[RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething King of Vale]], who won the [[GreatOffscreenWar Great War]]; and [[ChildProdigy Professor Ozpin]], Headmaster of [[ExtranormalInstitute Beacon Academy]]. All of their memories and abilities now reside within a fourteen-year-old farmhand from Mistral, who has inherited from the [[TheChooserOfTheOne God of Light]] the task of redeeming humanity in the eyes of the gods; if he fails, the gods will [[TheDayOfReckoning destroy the entire world]]. So, no pressure then.]]

* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'': ''Shadowbringers'' reveals that it was not a coincidence that the PlayerCharacter became the Warrior of Light, [[GodOfGood Hydaelyn's]] champion and bearer of the Echo. [[spoiler: Before the world was sundered into fourteen lesser worlds, the Warrior of Light's past incarnation was holder of the office of Azem, the fourteenth seat of the ruling body of Amaurot. Azem's duties were those of a traveler, one who would explore the world, learn from it, and help others in need, even when said help often went against the decisions made by the rest of the Convocation of Fourteen. After the Sundering, Azem's split soul would continually reincarnate and become wandering heroes who would defend the Shards of the world from evil, including the Ascian's, the reincarnations of the rest of the Convocation, led by the three who escaped the Sundering.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooMysteryIncorporated'' reveals that there must ''always'' be a Mystery Inc. in the world. If a member of the current group leaves the team, a SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute will feel compelled to join in their place (as is the case with [[spoiler: Velma and Hot Dog Water]]). Furthermore, the group will always have the same makeup: four people--a [[TheBigGuy strong]] [[TheLeader leader]], a [[TheSmartGuy brainy]] [[NoSocialSkills nerd]], a [[LovableCoward cowardly]] [[TheSlacker slacker]], and a [[TheBeautifulElite beautiful]] [[TheChick ingenue]]--with a TalkingAnimal sidekick; those roles will be maintained even if the genders are distributed differently (one incarnation was an all-male group of monks, while another was an all-female cowgirl gang). [[spoiler: The GrandFinale reveals that this is part of [[GreaterScopeVillain the Evil Entity's]] curse--it's bending reality to slowly ensure that the seal trapping it can someday be broken.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooMysteryIncorporated'' reveals that there must ''always'' be a Mystery Inc. in the world; if a member of the current group leaves the team, a SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute will feel compelled to join in their place (as is the case with [[spoiler: Velma and Hot Dog Water]]). Furthermore, the group will always have the same makeup: four people--a [[TheBigGuy strong]] [[TheLeader leader]], a [[TheSmartGuy brainy]] [[NoSocialSkills nerd]], a [[LovableCoward cowardly]] [[TheSlacker slacker]], and a [[TheBeautifulElite beautiful]] [[TheChick damsel]]--with a TalkingAnimal sidekick. [[spoiler: The GrandFinale reveals that this is part of [[GreaterScopeVillain the Evil Entity's]] curse--it's bending reality to slowly ensure that the seal trapping it can someday be broken.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooMysteryIncorporated'' reveals that there must ''always'' be a Mystery Inc. in the world; if a member of the current group leaves the team, a SuspiciouslySimiliarSubstitute will feel compelled to join in their place (as is the case with [[spoiler: Velma and Hot Dog Water]]). Furthermore, the group will always have the same makeup: four people--a [[TheBigGuy strong]] [[TheLeader leader]], a [[TheSmartGuy brainy]] [[NoSocialSkills nerd]], a [[LovableCoward cowardly]] [[TheSlacker slacker]], and a [[TheBeautifulElite beautiful]] [[TheChick damsel]]--with a TalkingAnimal sidekick. [[spoiler: The GrandFinale reveals that this is part of [[GreaterScopeVillain the Evil Entity's]] curse--it's bending reality to slowly ensure that the seal trapping it can someday be broken.]]

* The holders of One for All in ''Manga/MyHeroAcademia'' cultivate the Quirk's power and when their time's up, pass it on to the next generation. However, it's not predetermined who gets it. Midoriya proves himself to All Might during a chance encounter, and thus is chosen by the hero as his successor; [[spoiler:but as it's later revealed that All Might already had someone in mind: Mirio Togata, a third-year student at UA, recommended by All Might's former sidekick Sir Nighteye, as well as Principal Nezu.]] Months after inheriting One For All, Izuku realizes that he has [[spoiler:a spiritual link to every past One For All user and can communicate with them.]]

** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSword'' takes this trope UpToEleven with the reveal that [[spoiler: ''the main characters'' fill this role. Zelda, Link, and Ganon represent the battle between the goddess Hylia, her Champion, and Demise, the personification of evil, respectively; at the end of the game, it's revealed that this battle will ''always'' rage on, and as long as it does, a "new" Zelda, Link, and Ganon will arise as their avatars to yet again embody the cycle.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/RandyCunninghamNinthGradeNinja'': The Ninja of Norrisville, which has been protecting Norrisville and particularly Norrisville High, in truth is a LegacyHero, whereupon every four years a freshman is bequeathed the Ninja's suit and the Ninja Nomicon to become the new Ninja after the last Ninja's graduation. While for the most part this legacy is held up well, there has been at least [[ThePoorlyChosenOne one bad egg]]. Mac Antfee, the Ninja of 1985, is that bad egg, and he later becomes a major antagonist to Randy for two episodes. In addition, a later episode shows a young Randy and Howard meeting the Ninja of 2005.

* ''WesternAnimation/RandyCunninghamNinthGradeNinja'': The Ninja of Norrisville, which has been protecting Norrisville and particularly Norrisville High, in truth is this, whereupon every four years a freshman is bequeathed the Ninja's suit and the Ninja Nomicon to become the new Ninja after the last Ninja's graduation. While for the most part this legacy is held up well, there has been at least [[ThePoorlyChosenOne one bad egg]]. Randy is the latest in this line, and while he has made many mistakes, he always makes up for them and has proven to be a fine choice to be the next Ninja.