The Chosen One, also known as The One or The Chosen, is a narrative

trope Trope or tropes may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Trope (cinema), a cinematic convention for conveying a concept * Trope (literature), a figure of speech or common literary device * Trope (music), any of a variety of different things ...

where one character, usually the

protagonist A protagonist () is the main character of a story. The protagonist makes key decisions that affect the plot, primarily influencing the story and propelling it forward, and is often the character who faces the most significant obstacles. If a st ...

, is framed as the inevitable

hero A hero (feminine: heroine) is a real person or a main fictional character who, in the face of danger, combats adversity through feats of ingenuity, courage, or Physical strength, strength. Like other formerly gender-specific terms (like ...

antihero An antihero (sometimes spelled as anti-hero) or antiheroine is a main character in a story who may lack conventional heroic qualities and attributes, such as idealism, courage, and morality. Although antiheroes may sometimes perform actions ...

of the story, as a result of destiny, unique gifts, and/or special lineage. The trope is similar to the

Hero's journey In narratology and comparative mythology, the hero's journey, or the monomyth, is the common template of stories that involve a hero who goes on an adventure, is victorious in a decisive crisis, and comes home changed or transformed. Earlie ...

template, where the main difference is that The Chosen One usually doesn't have a choice because of destiny. Chosen One narratives often incorporate

Bildungsroman In literary criticism, a ''Bildungsroman'' (, plural ''Bildungsromane'', ) is a literary genre that focuses on the psychological and moral growth of the protagonist from childhood to adulthood ( coming of age), in which character change is impo ...

, following the growth of a character from childhood to adulthood. The character's gifts, lineage or destiny are often unknown at the start of the plot or presented to the audience as

dramatic irony Irony (), in its broadest sense, is the juxtaposition of what on the surface appears to be the case and what is actually the case or to be expected; it is an important rhetorical device and literary technique. Irony can be categorized into ...

. The Chosen One trope is rooted in religion and mythology, and often appears in speculative fiction that uses elements of mythology.

Genres

Fantasy

fantasy Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction involving Magic (supernatural), magical elements, typically set in a fictional universe and sometimes inspired by mythology and folklore. Its roots are in oral traditions, which then became fantasy ...

, The Chosen One often has supernatural abilities and a related prophecy.

Anime and manga

anime and manga Anime and manga are forms of mass media produced by the content industry of Japan. The anime and manga industry forms an integral part of Japan's soft power as one of its most prominent cultural exports. Anime is a Japanese cartoon with a sp ...

, The Chosen One often has exceptional skills in martial arts, a unique ability to inspire others, child-like personality traits, and supernatural abilities.

Science fiction

science fiction Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel unive ...

, The Chosen One often has unique technological and supernatural abilities.

Religion

Religious figures are sometimes described as fitting into The Chosen One narrative because they are believed to be predestined or have a special connection to the spiritual realm.

Journalism

Journalism Journalism is the production and distribution of reports on the interaction of events, facts, ideas, and people that are the "news of the day" and that informs society to at least some degree. The word, a noun, applies to the occupation (profes ...

sometimes describes public figures as The Chosen One, often in reference to athletes.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chosen One (trope), The Mythological archetypes Literary motifs Fantasy tropes