Because Destiny Says So: Difference between revisions
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{{trope}}
{{quote|''"Destiny is unstoppable. Everyone has to give in... Give up--let life win."''
|''[[Gravitation]]''}}
[[The Hero]] finds that they are fated to accomplish some task or face some overwhelming foe. Sometimes this is a prophecy, sometimes it's predestination or [[Karma Meter|karma]] left over from a [[Reincarnation|previous life]], and sometimes it's because someone [[Time Travel|went back in time]] and told what he knew.
Whatever the mechanism, the prediction can become a central issue for the hero, either as a goal to pursue or [[You Can't Fight Fate|a fate to dodge]], and can drive much of a storyline.
Characters based on the [[Heroic Archetype]] are often saddled with issues of destiny, [[Secret Legacy|family]], and fate. See [[The Chosen One]]. '''Because Destiny Says So''' is a common excuse for why [[The Chosen One]] is [[The Only One]] allowed to save the world, or what have you.
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Contrast with [[Screw Destiny]].
{{examples}}▼
▲{{examples}}
== Anime
* Fuu, Umi and Hikaru of ''[[Magic Knight Rayearth]]'' must fulfill an ancient prophecy—but what they think they have to do and what they actually must do are two very, very different things.
* Honoka and Nagisa of ''[[Futari wa Pretty Cure]]'' are fated to become [[Magical Girl]]s, according to their mascots.
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** It also seems to be the only reason Mamoru and Usagi are together, as they hate each other before their civilian identities are revealed to each other.
*** Only in the anime. Manga-wise the two where on friendly terms as their civilian selves and had apparently already started to like one another in their secret identities.
*** Also, in the Japanese version of the anime while the two do bicker almost every time they meet, their bickering does get less antagonistic and more banter-like in nature; it arguably starts to reach a level of [[Slap Slap Kiss]] prior to the reveal. And in the episode where Tuxedo Mask's identity is revealed, Usagi is clearly disturbed when the conversation she starts with Mamoru doesn't follow that pattern; that along with the shoulder wound makes her realize something's wrong.
** Subverted in [[Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon|the live-action series]], when Mars decides to actively work against what was decided by their past lives.
* ''[[
** For those who don't speak Japanese "hitsuzen" refers to "inevitable fate" or "what is determined".
** However, it is important to note that hitsuzen is not as written in stone as the Western concept of destiny is, and can be altered to some extent. "What is determined" is a better translation than "inevitability", really.
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* ''[[Berserk]]'': When the Eclipse happens, Void said that the Band of the Hawk and the demons were all gathered to that cozy place called hell, in order to {{spoiler|make [[The Chosen One|Griffith]] a new demon lord and to make his followers sacrifices for the rite}}, because ''causality'' said so. And Guts, being one of the few [[The Determinator|survivors]] of this event, continues to [[Screw Destiny|deny that notion to this day]].
** The Skull King actually stated that since Guts and Casca survived being offered as sacrifices during the Eclipse when they were fated to die, they now stand outside of fate. And this is why they are ''able'' to fight the Godhand (Though Casca at present isn't mentally capable of doing so at the moment).
== Comic Books ==
* In ''[[The
**
{{quote|'''Delirium:''' Do you know why I stopped being Delight, my brother? I do. There are things not in your book. There are paths outside this garden. You would do well to remember that.}}
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* The members of [[The Adjustment Bureau]] will do everything in their power to ensure "things happen according to plan", regardless of reasoning.
** Of course,{{spoiler|the ending clearly shows that plans can change}}.
== Literature ==
* In [[Dan Abnett]]'s ''[[Warhammer
** In ''[[Brothers of the Snake]]'', the Space Marine squad Damocles disgraced itself in its leader's eyes, [[Youth Is Wasted on the Dumb|confessing to breaking rules]]; he refused to let them go on a certain undertaking. Somewhat thereafter, Petrok insists on their going on the rescue mission for that undertaking. He tells the leader that first, he has [[Dreaming of Things to Come|dreamed of it]] and second, he thinks the squad's disgrace was Fate's way of ensuring that they would be kept off the mission itself, so as to be available for the rescue.
** ''[[Gaunt's Ghosts]]'' has this with the involvement of the Ghosts in general, and Gaunt and Milo in particular, in the reincarnation of Saint Sabbat.
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* In [[Teresa Edgerton]]'s ''The Queen's Necklace'', {{spoiler|Rath}} recounts how the religious group who raised him thought him a miracle: a Maglore appearing centuries after (they believe) the Maglore had been wiped out. Obviously, he had been transported through time for a purpose. Although he later learned that they were wrong about the wiping out, he had survived several things that should have killed him as a child, and he thinks it may have been his destiny that saved him.
* It's probably easier to count the ''[[Redwall]]'' books ''not'' hung on this trope. There's even a [[Prophecy Twist]]: the beginning of ''The Bellmaker'' has the prophecy "Five will ride the Roaringburn, but only four will e'er return"; five leave Redwall, but {{spoiler|Joseph stays behind to help the country they save rebuild itself.}}
* [[Robert Jordan]]'s ''[[The Wheel of Time]]'' novels take this trope and turn it up to eleven. Not only must the Prophecies of the Dragon (which apparently run on long enough to fill a largish book) be fulfilled, but various characters are either having prophetic dreams, seeing prophetic visions, or travelling through magical gates to get prophetic answers, all of which inevitably come true. It's very nearly reached the point where major characters can fulfill a half dozen ancient prophecies without even meaning to just by having breakfast.
** This is also a literal case of Because Destiny Says So when the [[Chosen One]], not knowing what to do next, consults the prophecies written about himself in a deliberate effort to fulfill them.
** At the same time it is stated in the books that the prophecies are just a guideline under which events ''could'' play out the way one hopes. Characters are warned that intentionally attempting to fulfill the prophecies could really fuck things up while in an interesting twist ''ignoring'' them could do just the same. In Book 3 a Portal Stone trip through countless [[Alternate History|parallel worlds]] shows the many ways that already could have happened in this age alone...
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* Two of the main characters in [[Neil Gaiman]] and [[Terry Pratchett]]'s ''[[Good Omens]]'' possess a book of highly accurate (if not always understandable) prophecies from Agnes Nutter, witch. The Because Destiny Says So reaches such a point that, toward the end of the book, these two characters realize correctly that they can pretty much select any prophecy at random and it will be ''exactly'' the one they need at that time.
** This is also the logic with which Anathema lives her life, {{spoiler|until [[Screw Destiny|Newt convinces her to live her own life instead of sticking to her ancestor's prophecies.]] Though this part may also be playing it straight,as knowing Agnes Nutter, she might have predicted this too.}}
* In [[Graham McNeill]]'s [[Warhammer
** Later, Leonid speculates that they recovered a woman from a daemon's control in order that he might not [[Dying Alone|die alone]], since she comes from his regiment.
* In [[Philip Pullman]]'s ''[[His Dark Materials]]'', various witches claim that most of what Lyra does is destiny ([[Subverted Trope|although]] just because it's destiny doesn't mean it ''has'' to happen).
* Because Destiny Says So is a factor in the ''Sign of Seven'' trilogy by Nora Roberts. After their friends have gotten involved in relationships with each other. Gage and Cybil are actually pretty annoyed at the idea that they should get romantic because destiny said to. (They do anyway.)
* From ''[[
* This is a repeated theme in [[James Swallow]]'s ''[[Warhammer 40,000]]'' novels:
** In
** In
** At the end of ''Red Fury'', {{spoiler|Seth}} declares that the events of the novel had been sent by the Emperor to test the [[Blood Angels]] and {{spoiler|to remind the other Chapters from Sanguinius's gene-seed that they were not cousins but [[Fire-Forged Friends|brothers]].}}
** In
*** Of course, this was said by a Repentia Mistress who does nothing but spout of litanies and such.
* In Nick Kyme's novel ''[[Salamanders|Salamander]]'', an artifact calls Dak'ir toward it—so powerfully that he doesn't even notice that he ransacks crates, looking for it, or that he had found it. He confides in another brother later, who agrees that it looks as if he were ''meant'' to find it.
** Later, a strange eruption from the planet Nocturne is regarded as a portent of ill fortune.
* Destiny is very much the driving force in Virgil's ''[[The Aeneid|Aeneid]]''. The gods repeatedly tell Aeneas, as well as one another, that the Trojan refugee has a destiny to fulfill; and at the point when Aeneas finds himself comfortable & happy, pretty much playing house with Dido in Carthage, the gods get impatient and interfere, reminding Aeneas of his ''duty'' to keep sailing until he reaches Italy so he can get around to founding what will become the Roman empire. Definitely [[Older Than Feudalism]].
* The Tralfamadorians, an imaginary alien species from [[Kurt Vonnegut]]'s ''[[Slaughterhouse-Five]]'', take this to ridiculous extremes. They literally experience the entirety of history at once, and don't understand the concept of free will. They know they're going to destroy the universe doing pilot testing but don't try to stop it. Of course, to them, if something is ever alive, they can infinitely look at when it was, so death isn't a big deal to them.
** It's not so much that they "don't understand the concept of free will" as the fact that they ''know for a fact that it doesn't exist''.
* Taken really literally in ''[[Left Behind]]''. There doesn't have to be logic behind some of the things people will do. They do it because it's in the prophecy.
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{{quote|"I meddled in all the possible futures I could create until, finally, they created me."}}
** It's stated that "absolute prediction = completion = death". The Guild Navigators can get away with it because their glimpses into the future are limited to allowing their FTL ships to avoid disaster, and are done on a journey-by-journey basis, but anything more than that is implied to be a lethal trap for the prognosticator.
* This trope drives the whole plot of ''[[The Prophecy of the Stones]]''. Literally every action taken by the protagonists is to fulfill their role as foretold by the eponymous prophecy.
* In Lloyd Alexander's ''[[Prydain Chronicles]]'' there is the ''Book of Three'', a book that details the past, present, and possible futures of the land of Prydain. At least the future until all enchantment is broken in the land. At the end, [[The Magic Goes Away]] and prophecy goes with it.
* In the ''[[Warrior Cats]]'' series, Firestar is told that he is the subject of a prophecy, "Fire alone can save our clan". Later, three of his kin find out about their own prophecy "there will be three, kin of your kin, who will hold the power of the stars in their paws".
** As if this weren't enough, Destiny made it impossible for Jayfeather to be a warrior on top of his blindness
* In [[Robert E. Howard]]'s "[[The Phoenix on the Sword]]" it's why Epemitreus insists on aiding [[Conan the Barbarian]], because "Your destiny is one with Aquilonia".
** In "The Tower of the Elephant" Yog tells Conan that he is the hand of fate.
* More of the "powerful ancient mage says so" than this in ''[[Night Watch (novel)|Night Watch]]'' with Anton and Svetlana, whom Geser predicted would have an extremely-powerful child. Anton, who has knows Geser for years, trusts him implicitly and simply goes along with this. Svetlana is, understandably, a little more reserved and is upset that Anton is with her mainly due to some prediction. Then again, her previous marriage was a failure, with her ex suing her for custody of their child (something that is only mentioned once and completely forgotten in later novels), so it's understandable why she'd be wary of future relationships. Eventually, this frustration results in her having a threesome with a couple of Anton's coworkers... with Anton sleeping next door. The next morning, she's even more infuriated that he doesn't seem to care that she did that (one of her justifications appears to be that she hasn't had sex since the end of her marriage, which means that Anton hasn't even made a move to be more intimate). Somehow, though, their relationship and, later, marriage, works out.
* The entire plot of ''[[The Saga of Darren Shan]]'' happened because [[Evil God|Desmond Tiny]] [[For the Evulz|wanted to have some fun.]] Subverted in that Darren was able to say [[Screw Destiny]], and [[Took a Third Option]].
== Live-Action TV ==
* In ''[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]'', Buffy learns that she is prophesied to be killed by the Master. This does happen, but she's [[Only Mostly Dead|only clinically dead]] (after drowning), and after some timely CPR she's as good as new.
** In Season 8 {{spoiler|this is adverted. Angel and Buffy are destined to fuck a new universe into existence, which they do. Then they abandon it to save this one, which they weren't supposed to. Then they destroy all magic to save this universe from the new one.}}
* In ''[[Babylon 5]]'', the (highly accurate) prophecies of Valen are a central pillar of Minbari culture for a thousand years. Unlike many shows, however, there is a ''reason'' for the accuracy of Valen's prophecies... Other characters (Lady Ladira, Elric the Technomage) were also prophetic, mostly in regard to the future of Londo Mollari. (Londo himself had prophetic dreams on many occasions.) In fact, the use of prophecy in ''[[Babylon 5]]'' is so extensive that there's an [http://www.chronology.org/noframes/b-five/visions.html entire Web page] detailing it. As with all good prophecies, however, when the events foretold eventually come to pass, they [[Prophecy Twist|rarely happen in the expected or obvious context]].
** In ''The Passing of the Techno-Mages'' trilogy, it's revealed that Elric's "prophecy" was based on little more than psychology and common sense. The technomages don't have any precognitive powers. They're just trained from young age to be good observers and performers.
* In ''[[Kings]]'', it's more like "Because [[God]] says so." And He's not always nice about it.
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* ''[[Stargate Universe]]'' features the [[Precursors|Ancient]] starship ''Destiny'', the most advanced rust bucket you'll find this side of the cosmos. The characters find themselves dependent on ''Destiny'''s needs for their own survival (like material to get the air filters working), but ''Destiny'' conveniently brings them to planets where they can gather the necessary materials. Some characters early on decide to [[Screw Destiny]] and abandon ship, but most of the crew members view the ship's presence at a location as proof enough that it is worth exploring.
** Also, those who abandon ship are revealed not to have survived the winter. An unknown entity temporarily resurrects them and brings them to the ''Destiny'' aboard a brand-new shuttle, only for them to die one-by-one in the same manner they previously died. But hey, the ''Destiny'' crew has a new shuttle!
* Chloe King, from ''[[The Nine Lives of Chloe King]]'', who was destined to unite the Mai prides.
* There are tons of prophecies in ''[[Legend of the Seeker]]''. Somehow, they all end up working out in one way or another. {{spoiler|How does Richard defeat Darken Rahl at the end of the first season, as he is prophecied to do? He doesn't. Rahl dies trying to break up a ritual set up by Richard and Kahlan to mind-control all of D'Hara}}. The second season is resolved in an even more improbable manner. {{spoiler|Richard ends up unknowingly handing the [[The Devil|Keeper]] the Stone of Tears, which would ensure the end of the world. Then Kahlan kills Richard, snaps out of her "blood rage", and sheds a tear on Richard, which somehow turns into another Stone of Tears}}.
* Only cursorily invoked overtly in [[Smallville]], but viewers knew from season one that Lex Luthor might be trying to be a good guy ''now'', but he was [[Doomed by Canon]], and he and Clark were ''going'' to become archenemies, and there was no stopping it. Also, ancient Native American / Kryptonian prophecy said so.
== Music ==
* This is the entire point of the deceptively cheery song [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZbKHDPPrrc "Que Sera, Sera"], originally recorded by Doris Day in 1956. Then again, she performed it for an [[Alfred Hitchcock]] film (''[[The Man Who Knew Too Much]]'') so it is perhaps not surprising that it suffers from [[Lyrical Dissonance]].
== Tabletop Games ==
* It's essentially the job of the Sidereal [[Exalted]] to ensure this. Complicating matters are the facts that a) Fate is designed by committee, with all the attendant foibles, b) it can be defied by sufficiently powerful beings or simply through [[Heroic Willpower]], and c) certain beings exist outside of Fate entirely, and tend to function as the [[Spanner in the Works]] whenever they come into contact with anyone or anything that doesn't share their immunity.
** This applies hard to the Five Maidens. The Maidens possess the ability to observe samsara (the underlying blueprint of reality) in order to be given hard knowledge of the future and their own purpose in it, but they become completely bound to whatever they see. It's suspected that the Maidens (and possibly the world in general) have a lot more freedom if they don't actually look at samsara, but that is (of course) unverifiable.
== Theater ==
* Prometheus's accounts to Io in ''[[Prometheus Bound]]'': both her miserable wanderings, and that her descendant will free him.
* The eponymous king in ''[[Agamemnon]]'' is fated to be killed. Cassandra tries to warn him about his destiny, but . . . [[Cassandra Truth|it's Cassandra]].
==
* The Hero (the player) from ''[[Dragon Quest V]]'' was fated to get married, but he obviously wasn't fated to marry his childhood friend, Bianca Whitaker. Because "The Legendary Hero," of folklore, was born, regardless of whether the player took his marital vows, with some blonde country bumpkin girl or not. So in a way it's almost like a subversion with ''[[Screw Destiny]]'' because the player can literally screw Bianca over by marrying somebody else. (If they're cold-hearted enough. Or if they dislike Bianca for whatever reason.)
* Knuckles from the ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog]]'' series is fated to spend the rest of his life on Angel Island, guarding the immensely powerful Master Emerald (although, considering the number of times it's been stolen or broken to pieces by a baddie or even himself, Knux is a pretty bad guardian). Whether he does this solely out of choice or whether someone told him to be the guardian isn't clear.
** Either that, or he subconsciously wants to be be done with fate.
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** On the other hand, this plays a giant role in ''[[Tales of the Abyss]]'', with the existence of the Score, a telling of fate lasting thousands of years, and whether or not the heroes decide to fight it or go along with it. ''Abyss'' arguably deconstructs the whole trope because it shows that most people are dependent on knowing their own part in the Score at all times, and that most of it is a [[Self-Fulfilling Prophecy]] because the people blindly act according to what the Score has told them to do. It has given rise to a massively powerful [[Corrupt Church]] (even though the head of the church is a pretty nice guy) that has monopoly on reading the Score. {{spoiler|The [[Big Bad]] is motivated to [[Omnicidal Maniac|destroy the world]] to [[Screw Destiny|free it from the Score]], as the predictions in the Score led to the war that destroyed his homeland.}}
* Played with in ''[[Final Fantasy Mystic Quest]]'': {{spoiler|The Dark King informs you at the end that he made up the prophecy foretelling his defeat. When you beat him, your [[Trickster Mentor]] reveals he's the Crystal of Light - implying that he arranged things so that you'd fulfill the prophecy, true or not.}}
* This trope is the entire premise of the ''[[Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time]]'' trilogy, although at the same time frequently and ruthlessly subverted by the [[Reset Button|Dagger of Time]].
** Ironically, the combination of Because Destiny Says So and [[You Can't Fight Fate]] is what drives the second and third games, wherein {{spoiler|the Prince is hunted in an attempt to remove him from time for screwing with, er, time, and the third game wherein everything he prevented in the ''first'' game comes to pass anyway because of what he did in the ''second'' game.}} In the end, he only escapes his rightfully deserved punishment because he accepts that he's ''not meant to change the past''. Which, again, ironically, he then does ''anyway''.
* Played with in ''[[Metal Gear Solid]] 3'': Snake Eater, where Snake, when you call Sigint while equipping the cardboard box, displays such a fondness for it that he claims that it was his ''DESTINY'' to be in the box.
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* Used in an interesting fashion in the ''[[Baldur's Gate]]'' series-the prophecies of Alaundo, which you discover towards the end of the first game, seem to lay out a specific path for the protagonist and his/her siblings, which indeed appears to be true throughout the first and second games-and in ''Throne of Bhaal'', even the bad guys are still operating from the prophecies and what they mean. The twist comes late in ''Throne of Bhaal'', when you find out that {{spoiler|the prophecies aren't a foretelling of what you will do-they're warning of what will happen if you fail}}, and that the [[Big Bad]] {{spoiler|is using the prophecies to manipulate everyone, and has no intention of following them.}}
* The meaning behind the word "Survivor" in the title of ''[[Devil Survivor]]'' is a combination of this and [[Screw Destiny]]—the main characters are told the major events of every day and the exact date of their (and most other peoples') deaths, and the goal of each day is to find a way to get around it.
* This is pretty much the driving force of any ''[[The Legend of Zelda|Zelda]]'' game. It's destiny that if you are a blond-haired boy who wears a green tunic at any point in his lifetime, you are morally/contractually bound to [[Save the Princess]].
** [[The Legend of Zelda CDI Games|It is written: Only Link can defeat Ganon]]. [[Plot Hole|Two out of three of said games actually have Zelda defeat him]].
** There is, however, no ''specific'' prophecy or god stating that Link ''must'' save Zelda/Hyrule. Instead, it's almost always a case of Link ''choosing'' to save Zelda. There's only one instance where there's a prophecy, which is ''[[Zelda II: The Adventure of Link|Zelda II the Adventure of Link]]'', in which he still technically has a choice. In other words, Link saves the day not because he's [[The Chosen One]], but rather because he ''chooses'' to be [[The Chosen One]].
* Subverted in ''[[Quest for Glory I]]''. The [[Muggles]] of Spielberg believe there's a prophecy concerning a hero who will restore the missing royal children and drive off the witch Baba Yaga, breaking her curse on the valley. [[Eccentric Mentor|Erasmus]] explains that the "prophecy" is actually just a counter-curse - put simply, a list of instructions on how to break the curse.
** And in the sequel, Ad Avis invokes a prophecy to revive the evil djinn Iblis, which implies that he is guaranteed to win. It isn't until after you beat him that you learn that the prophecy Ad Avis was using was horrifically mistranslated. The true prophecy predicts that an attempt to revive Iblis would occur, but did not ensure that it would succeed.<ref>which does not, however, mean that [[It's a Wonderful Failure|it can't]]</ref>
* The reason Ness must go on his journey in ''[[
* Played with in ''[[The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind]]''. You have to run around completing the prophecy, because the prophecy says so. You aren't [[The Chosen One]], and the prophecy is really just a check-list of tasks a person, any person, must complete to be considered [[The Chosen One]]. If they fail, clearly they weren't the right person and someone else
* This trope turns out to be behind a lot of plot developments in ''[[Final Fantasy VIII]]''. In particular, Cid [[You Are in Command Now|handing command of Garden and SeeD to Squall]], a newly-graduated SeeD with limited field experience and no actual successful missions under his belt - Cid doesn't exactly come out and ''say'' that it's because Squall is destined to defeat the sorceress, but he treats it as enough of a foregone conclusion that Squall, shocked and confused by the sudden unwanted promotion, protests, "Don't talk about this like it's been decided since my birth!" In fact, Cid is acting on {{spoiler|1=foreknowledge of a [[Stable Time Loop]] in which Squall is indeed the one who not only defeats the sorceress but, having accepted his role in the whole thing, provides Cid and Edea with the foreknowledge upon which they founded SeeD to begin with}}.
== Web Comics ==
* ''[[Digger]]''. [[Zig-Zagging Trope]] is the best I can describe it.▼
* ''[[Bob and George]]'' [http://www.bobandgeorge.com/archives/040917c Foreordained!!!]▼
▲* [[Digger]]. [[Zig-Zagging Trope]] is the best I can describe it.
▲* [[Bob and George]] [http://www.bobandgeorge.com/archives/040917c Foreordained!!!]
* A large chunk of ''[[Homestuck]]'' and Sburb, mainly through use of [[Stable Time Loop]]s. This is also a huge basis of Aradia's character, and her adherence to predestination makes her a really [[The Eeyore|depressing conversation partner.]] But she's 0kay with that. She's 0kay with a lot of things.
** It even applies to things like online chats and online memos:
{{quote|{{color|grey|CCG: THIS IS AS GOOD A TIME AS ANY TO START A NEW MEMO. }}
{{color|grey|CCG: IN FACT IT'S A BETTER TIME THAN ANY BECAUSE ACCORDING TO THE LAWS OF CHAT CLIENT PREDESTINATION I DON'T REALLY HAVE A CHOICE DO I.}} }}
* ''[[Goblins]]'': Many Goblins are named by the clan fortune teller based on
* In ''[[Pibgorn]]'', [http://www.gocomics.com/pibgorn/2003/06/24/ Fate, by definition is incorruptible].
* ''[[Underling]]'': [https://web.archive.org/web/20120624082832/http://underlingcomic.com/page-one-hundred-twenty-nine/ This was no random encounter, you realize!]
* In ''[[Endstone]]'', [https://web.archive.org/web/20120702031749/http://endstone.net/2009/05/25/issue-1-page-19/ Kyri believes she was the rocker of Endstone because she will save the world].
* ''[[The Water Phoenix King]]'' [[Zig-Zagging Trope|plays with]] this trope as a core part of the setting. The force Tamantha (a sort of synthetic fate constructed by a [[Lawful Stupid]] god) does things such as pushing those who defy it towards insanity, but it is not all-powerful, and the protagonists are out to destroy it.
== Web Originals ==
* In the ''[[Whateley Universe]]'', Bladedancer seems to be stuck with this in her role as Handmaid of the Tao. The most glaring example to date may be the incident where she was forced to {{spoiler|kill an innocent man}} 'because the Tao required it'. Though the mentor telling her so wasn't necessarily helping her own case by afterwards revealing that she'd been flat-out lying about the actual reason ''why''...
* ''[[Yu-Gi-Oh!: The Abridged Series]]'': "But why would you do such a thing?" "Because a robot from the future told me to!"
* In ''[[The Dragon Wars Saga]]'', the Stevens' quadruplets are so destined to save an alternate universe on the brink of destruction that their bedroom door turns into a portal to that other world.
* Sasha was forced to fight for the salvation of the world in [[Greek Ninja]] because of this.
* ''[[Skippy's List]]'' has examples:
{{quote|7. Not allowed to add "In accordance with the
== Western Animation ==
* In ''[[Teen Titans (animation)|Teen Titans]]'', Raven is doomed to a "because destiny says so" scenario concerning the [[The End of the World as We Know It|apocalypse]]. Her friends attempt to [[Screw Destiny|avoid this scenario by taking precautions against it]] but Raven submits to it upon realizing that resistance would get the other Titans killed.
* Another [[Cartoon Network]] [[Superhero]] team series, ''[[Justice League
* Zuko, from ''[[Avatar: The Last Airbender]]'', eats, breathes, and sleeps this trope. Only his interpretation of his destiny switches twice every season.
** The show's attitude to destiny can be summed up nicely by Iroh's line: [[Prophecy Twist|"Destiny is a funny thing, Prince Zuko. It never happens the way you expect."]]
** This was also Iroh's reason for leading the siege of Ba Sing Se: he had a [[Psychic Dreams for Everyone|prophetic dream]] about conquering the city. Only after a siege of 600 days, the death of his son and three years of banishment, he understands he has to take it ''back'' from his own nation, rather than conquer Ba Sing Se ''for'' the Fire nation.
* In ''[[South Park]]'' season 12, episode 11, "Pandemic 2: The Startling", Craig [[Genre Savvy|consistently and intentionally]] ignores signs that he is destined to fulfill an ancient prophecy. Yet, [[You Can't Fight Fate|it's tough to fight fate]].
** Of course, this is exactly how he ends up
* In
{{quote|'''Jaga''': For it was written that he would be born of fire, a king to lead his people to victory, against ancient spirits of evil.}}
== Real Life ==
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