The Unchosen One: Difference between revisions

* While ''[[The Matrix]]'' plays [[The Chosen One]] fairly straight, ''Reloaded'' and ''Revolutions'' reveal {{spoiler|the prophecy was a lie}}. Thus, when Neo continues to fight on against the Machines he has made himself an Unchosen One.

** The script/art book reveals that originally Neo is the ''sixth'' Chosen One by Morpheus, whose poor track record is part of the reason why {{spoiler|Cypher wants back into the Matrix.}}

** Actually, its played straight, but in a rather different way. {{spoiler|The One is pointedly '''not''' an intentional creation of the Machines (or at least, not part of their original plan); he is, in fact, the inevitable consequence of The Matrix, or at least a manifestation of that consequence.}} Previous Matrixes always failed for various reasons because humanity's collective consciousness rejected the virtual world, and The One is supposed to be either an outgrowth of that, or the equations underlying the structure of the Matrix. In any case, the reason it's played straight is that ''The Machines'' keep on forcing him to replay the role they set out for him -- reboot the Matrix or risk the annihilation of the human race. {{spoiler|Smith}}, the ''other'' side effect (who presumably shows up in some form for each Neo), is also unintentional or unwanted, and at the end of the day neither he nor Neo were chosen or created by The Machines; rather, The Machines keep on hijacking them for their own ends.

* In ''[[Willow]]'', the then-infant princess Elora Danan is prophesied to destroy the [[Evil Overlord|evil queen]] Bavmorda. However, it is Willow and others striving to protect the princess who stop her. On the other hand, novels that continue the story after the movie play [[The Chosen One]] straight, as Bavmorda returns and now-grown Elora Danan must fulfill her original destiny.

* Arguably the protagonist of ''[[The Greatest American Hero]]'' was a definition of this trope.

** He ''was'' meant to receive the costume; his alien mentor just happened to have other possible replacements, just in case.

* [[Chuck]], as of the end of Season 2, has graduated to actively being the Not-[[Chosen One]] after being [[The Woobie]] since the beginning.

* ''[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]'''s Potentials, sort of... they don't have much choice on whether or not they'll join Buffy in the fight against The First for much of season 7, because if they don't, they'll probably end up dead... but in the series finale Buffy gives them a choice - {{spoiler|become real Slayers and fight The First and his army, or not}}. They choose the first option.

* Adol Christin of ''[[Ys (Video Game)|Ys]]'' is an inversion: he became [[Badass]] not because he was [[The Chosen One]], he became (or repeatedly gets picked as) [[The Chosen One]] because he's [[Badass]]. Because if your land needs a savior, it's an excellent idea to pick [[Badass Normal|the guy]] who's already killed enough dark gods to fill a pantheon. In the sixth game's Trials of Alma sidequest, the daughter of the goddess running said trials isn't very impressed with this random guy who just showed up, but when Adol started passing the trials, apparently she went and asked around about you. She becomes ''much'' more impressed and respectful after that.

* [[Subverted]] in the ''[[Baldurs Gate]]'' series as a whole. It is implied in the first game that your character, good or bad, is just saying [[Screw Destiny]], and that's true enough in regards to {{spoiler|their divine parent's}} plans. But in the last installment, when it's time to finally put an end to the events foretold by the prophecy that's been haunting their lives, it's revealed that it {{spoiler|actually comes with a clause saying that the protagonist is [[The Chosen One|the one]] who can prevent it and save the world a lot of strife (again, even if they choose the evil option).}}

* In ''[[Kingdoms of Amalur Reckoning (Video Game)|Kingdoms of Amalur Reckoning]]'', everything runs on [[You Can't Fight Fate]]. Except for The Fateless One, who is [[Immune to Fate]] due to being resurrected by the Well of Souls. Which is good because there is no Chosen One destined to defeat the invading Tuatha Deohn.

* In ''[[Dragon Quest V (Video Game)|Dragon Quest V]]'', ''you'' are not the chosen one. {{spoiler|Your son is.}}

[[Category:Fate and Prophecy Tropes]]

[[Category:The Unchosen One]]