History Main / TheOldGods

* ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft''
** In the game's main world, there are immensely powerful EldritchAbomination entities that are referred to as the Old Gods because they were worshiped as such by some of the mortal factions. They did once rule the world, but have now been [[SealedEvilInACan imprisoned]] within it.
** Those who imprisoned them were the titans, who are another example of this trope: ancient beings of even greater power who shaped the world among many others before leaving it to its own devices. They saw the Old Gods as a kind of parasite infesting whole worlds rather than single organisms, but couldn't destroy them without destroying the world at the same time.
** It was later revealed the Old Gods ''also'' have Old God equivalents, the [[UltimateEvil Void]] [[DarkIsEvil Lords]]. They created the Old Gods as living weapons to corrupt the unborn children of Titans in order to take over the universe; since the Titans are born from special planets and the Void Lords couldn't tell them from normal balls of rock, they sent out Old Gods to infest everywhere. It's also explained that [[SatanicArchetype the fallen Titan Sargeras]] is also an indirect creation of the Void Lords -- after being forced to kill a corrupted Titan fetus and coming to believe that the Void Lords' ultimate victory was inevitable, he [[GoMadFromTheRevelation lost his mind]] and decided that in EvilVersusOblivion, Oblivion was preferable to a universe ruled by the Void Lords.
* The name of the ''VideoGame/CrusaderKings II'' DLC that introduces pagans and Zoroastrians as playable religions.

* The name of the ''VideoGame/CrusaderKings II'' DLC that introduces pagans and Zoroastrians as playable cultures.

* Quetzacoatl in Myth/AztecMythology is this in real life. He was already an established god by the time of the Olmec (which started out more than 1000 years ''before'' Hellenistic Greece), and was worshipped in some capacity by virtually every mesoamerican culture up until the Aztec, even having his own pyramid in Teotihuacan.

* Similarly, Hun-Hunahpú from the Literature/PopolVuh has been traced to the Classic Maya Maize God, who’s earliest reliable appearance is on a set of murals at least 100 years before Christ.

* While ''Film/WonderWoman2017'' established the Myth/GreekMythology part of Wonder Woman's origin, ''Film/JusticeLeague2017'' revealed more backstory that involved an ancient invasion [[ComicBook/{{Darkseid}} from Apokalips]] that was repelled using the combined forces of man, Amazons, Atlanteans and the Greek Gods themselves stepping in. The Greek Pantheon died off between then and the modern day, and when Steppenwolf returns and faces Wonder Woman he notes that she "[[DemiGod has the blood of the Old Gods]]" before noting "they died." This is partially a play on words regarding the ''ComicBook/NewGods'' mythos, of which Steppenwolf, Apokalips and Darkseid belong to, while also hinting that the Justice League are descendants of the classical heroes (literally in the case of Wonder Woman and Aquaman).

* There's the [[OurTitansAreDifferent Titans]] in Myth/GreekMythology, parents of the classic gods, who were overthrown by them.

*** While sometimes treated as one of the Protogenoi, in some Greek cosmogonies, [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaos_(mythology) Chaos]] is treated as the first god. It's also one of the closest things to an EldritchAbomination found in classical mythology, representing formless matter and a sort of timeless, shapeless emptiness. While it's not atypical for natural things to have a divine personification in Greek mythology, the idea of the primordial nothingness being alive just seems ''unwholesome''.
* [[Myth/JapaneseMythology Izanami and Izanagi]] in Shintoist beliefs. They were the first humans, created by one god, who had them make more gods.

* While ''Film/WonderWoman'' established the Myth/GreekMythology part of Wonder Woman's origin, ''Film/JusticeLeague2017'' revealed more backstory that involved an ancient invasion [[ComicBook/{{Darkseid}} from Apokalips]] that was repelled using the combined forces of man, Amazons, Atlanteans and the Greek Gods themselves stepping in. The Greek Pantheon died off between then and the modern day, and when Steppenwolf returns and faces Wonder Woman he notes that she "[[DemiGod has the blood of the Old Gods]]" before noting "they died." This is partially a play on words regarding the ''ComicBook/NewGods'' mythos, of which Steppenwolf, Apokalips and Darkseid belong to, while also hinting that the Justice League are descendants of the classical heroes (literally in the case of Wonder Woman and Aquaman).

* While ''Film/WonderWoman'' established the Myth/GreekMythology part of Wonder Woman's origin, ''Film/JusticeLeague'' revealed more backstory that involved an ancient invasion [[ComicBook/{{Darkseid}} from Apokalips]] that was repelled using the combined forces of man, Amazons, Atlanteans and the Greek Gods themselves stepping in. The Greek Pantheon died off between then and the modern day, and when Steppenwolf returns and faces Wonder Woman he notes that she "[[DemiGod has the blood of the Old Gods]]" before noting "they died." This is partially a play on words regarding the ''ComicBook/NewGods'' mythos, of which Steppenwolf, Apokalips and Darkseid belong to, while also hinting that the Justice League are descendants of the classical heroes (literally in the case of Wonder Woman and Aquaman).

* ''Series/StarTrek'' gives us the Klingon creation story. The gods created the first Klingon man, who complained that he was lonely, so they created a wife for him, [[WomenAreWiser who was superior to him in every way]], including as a warrior (which he was jealous of)...but also more compassionate and humble. When they decided to put their differences aside and join forces, they were unstoppable. And they destroyed the gods that created them.

* Creator/AnnLeckie's ''Literature/TheRavenTower'': The difference between younger {{Physical God}}s and the "Ancient Ones" who predate humanity isn't clear (even to the Ancient Ones), but they are much less [[GodsNeedPrayerBadly reliant on worship for power]], are much harder to {{kill|TheGod}} (and to keep dead), and are rumored to be able to break the usual limits on divine RealityWarping. Other gods tend to be cautious and a bit afraid of them.

* ''Film/GodzillaKingOfTheMonsters2019'' establishes that in the Film/{{Monsterverse}}, {{kaiju}} were the first gods, worshipped since the earliest Palaeolithic human civilizations and known in legends worldwide (for example, King Ghidorah is said to be the basis of serpent deities such as the Lernean Hydra, the Aži Dahāka, and the Rainbow Serpent). To drive this point home, they're referred to as Titans, and midway through the film [[spoilers: a sunken city older than Ancient Egypt is discovered beneath the Atlantic, and carved upon a vast wall within it is Godzilla surrounded by human figures]].

* While ''Film/WonderWoman'' established the Myth/GreekMythology part of Wonder Woman's origin, ''Film/JusticeLeague'' revealed more backstory that involved an ancient invasion [[ComicBook/{{Darkseid}} from Apokalips]] that was repealed using the combined forces of man, Amazons, Atlanteans and the Greek Gods themselves stepping in. The Greek Pantheon died off between then and the modern day, and when Steppenwolf returns and faces Wonder Woman he notes that she "[[DemiGod has the blood of the Old Gods]]" before noting "they died." This is partially a play on words regarding the ''ComicBook/NewGods'' mythos, of which Steppenwolf, Apokalips and Darkseid belong to, while also hinting that the Justice League are descendants of the classical heroes (literally in the case of Wonder Woman and Aquaman).

* While ''Film/WonderWoman'' established the UsefulNotes/GreekMythology part of Wonder Woman's origin, ''Film/JusticeLeague'' revealed more backstory that involved an ancient invasion [[ComicBook/{{Darkseid}} from Apokalips]] that was repealed using the combined forces of man, Amazons, Atlanteans and the Greek Gods themselves stepping in. The Greek Pantheon died off between then and the modern day, and when Steppenwolf returns and faces Wonder Woman he notes that she "[[DemiGod has the blood of the Old Gods]]" before noting "they died." This is partially a play on words regarding the ''ComicBook/NewGods'' mythos, of which Steppenwolf, Apokalips and Darkseid belong to.

* The Celestial Court in ''TabletopGame/RuneQuest'' fits the bill. They were original gods of cosmic principles that created the younger gods and the races that would become mortal once the Time began. They were for the most part rather passive, focusing on obscure spiritual matters and paying little heed to the conflicts among the young gods that ultimately led to the destruction of them and their home when the Spike that bound the cosmic order together exploded under onslaught of Chaos. It is believed, however, that the mysterious goddess above all other deities, ''Arachne Solara'', may be the ghost of the world goddess Glorantha, one of the original Court.

** The Dalish elves revere a set of elven deities known as the Creators, who were once the gods of their ancestors. They were opposed by evil gods known as the Forgotten Ones. The Creators were said to be sealed in the Fade by a [[GodOfEvil deity named the Dread Wolf]], along with the Forgotten Ones. [[spoiler: The events of ''VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition'' reveal that the Creators did exist and were known as the Evanuris, but were simply powerful sorceror-kings. The Dread Wolf did seal them away in the Fade, but only after they had killed one of their own and threatened to destroy the world.]]

* ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSword'' introduced more layers to the series pantheon: the Three Goddesses introduced in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkToThePast'' are here called the [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Gods of Old]] while other less powerful divinities, like [[spoiler:[[BigGood Hylia/Zelda]] and [[BigBad Demise]]]], who seem to stand somewhere between the Golden Goddesses and the embodiments of natural powers (spirits, dragons, deku trees, great fairies, etc...), are introduced.

** The season 10 finale reveals that [[spoiler:the Darkness predates both God and possibly Death and could not be defeated even by God on his own.]]

** Those who imprisoned them were the titans, and the titan Pantheon are another example of this trope: ancient beings of even greater power who shaped the world among many others before leaving it to its own devices. They saw the Old Gods as a kind of parasite infesting whole worlds rather than single organisms, but couldn't destroy them without destroying the world at the same time.
** It was later revealed the Old Gods ''also'' have Old God equivalents, the [[UltimateEvil Void]] [[DarkIsEvil Lords]]. They created the Old Gods as living weapons for corrupting the unborn children of Titans in order to take over the universe; since the Titans are born from special planets and the Void Lords couldn't tell them from normal balls of rock, they sent out Old Gods to infest everywhere. It's also explained that [[SatanicArchetype the fallen Titan Sargeras]] is also an indirect creation of the Void Lords as well -- after being forced to kill a corrupted Titan fetus and coming to believe that the Void Lords' ultimate victory was inevitable, he [[GoMadFromTheRevelation lost his mind]] and decided that in EvilVersusOblivion, Oblivion was preferable to life under the Void Lords.

** Those who imprisoned them were the titans, and they or at least the "Pantheon" that leads them are another example of this trope: ancient beings of even greater power who shaped the world among many others before leaving it to its own devices. They saw the Old Gods as a kind of parasite infesting whole worlds rather than single organisms, but couldn't destroy them without destroying the world at the same time.
** It was later revealed the Old Gods ''also'' have Old God equivalents, the [[UltimateEvil Void]] [[DarkIsEvil Lords]]. They created the Old Gods as living weapons meant expressly for corrupting and killing the ''unborn children'' of Titans, since they find it difficult to manifest in the mortal realm; since the Titans use special planets as incubators and the Void Lords couldn't tell them from normal balls of rock, they sent out Old Gods to infest everywhere. It's also explained that [[SatanicArchetype the fallen titan Sargeras]] is also an indirect creation of the Void Lords as well -- after being forced to kill a corrupted Titan fetus and coming to believe that the Void Lords' ultimate victory was inevitable, he [[GoMadFromTheRevelation lost his mind]] and decided that in EvilVersusOblivion, Oblivion was preferable to life under the Void Lords.

* In ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'', there are immensely powerful EldritchAbomination entities that are referred to as the Old Gods because they were worshiped as such by some of the mortal factions. They did once rule the world but have now been [[SealedEvilInACan imprisoned]] within it. Those who imprisoned them were the titans, and they or at least the "Pantheon" that leads them are another example of this trope: ancient beings of even greater power who shaped the world among many others before leaving it to its own devices. They saw the Old Gods as a kind of parasite infesting whole worlds rather than single organisms, but couldn't destroy them without destroying the world at the same time.
** It's been recently revealed the Old Gods ''also'' have Old God equivalents, the [[UltimateEvil Void]] [[DarkIsEvil Lords]]. They created the Old Gods as living weapons meant expressly for corrupting and killing the ''unborn children'' of Titans, since they find it difficult to manifest in the mortal realm; since the Titans use special planets as incubators and the Void Lords couldn't tell them from normal balls of rock, they sent out Old Gods to infest everywhere. It's also explained that [[SatanicArchetype Sargeras]] is also an indirect creation of the Void Lords as well-after being forced to kill a corrupted Titan fetus and coming to believe that the Void Lords' ultimate victory was inevitable, he [[GoMadFromTheRevelation lost his mind]] and decided that in EvilVersusOblivion, Oblivion was preferable to life under the Void Lords.

** It is also a misconception that the Abrahamic God needs any sort of prayer or belief to exist or work, being the I AM THAT I AM, the self-existent one.

** As Discworld is a place where GodsNeedPrayerBadly, it is often the case that "old gods do new jobs." In ''{{Hogfather}}'', [[spoiler: the first boogieman]] becomes the Tooth Fairy, and [[spoiler: the Hogfather]] has evolved into his current form over many millennia.