The Chosen One (trope)

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Luke Skywalker from Star Wars is an example of an archetypal Chosen One Luke Skywalker - Welcome Banner (Cropped).jpg
Luke Skywalker from Star Wars is an example of an archetypal Chosen One

The Chosen One, also known as The One or The Chosen, is a narrative trope where one character, usually the protagonist, is framed as the inevitable hero or antihero of the story, as a result of destiny, unique gifts, and/or special lineage. [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] The trope is similar to the hero's journey template, where the main difference is that The Chosen One usually doesn't have a choice because of destiny. [3] Chosen One narratives often incorporate Bildungsroman, following the growth of a character from childhood to adulthood. [8] [9] [10] The character's gifts, lineage or destiny are often unknown at the start of the plot or presented to the audience as dramatic irony. The Chosen One trope is rooted in religion and mythology, and often appears in speculative fiction that uses elements of mythology. [5] [7] The Chosen One trope has been compared to the religious concept of messiah. [8] [11]

See also

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The Chosen One may refer to:

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An evil empire is a speculative fiction trope in which a major antagonist of the story is a technologically advanced nation, typically ruled by an evil emperor or empress, that aims to control the world or conquer some specific group. They are opposed by a hero from more common origins who uses their guile or the help of an underground resistance to fight them. Well-known examples are the Galactic Empire in Star Wars, which forms as a result of a fascist auto-coup which abolishes the liberal-democratic Galactic Republic and is opposed by the Rebel Alliance including Luke Skywalker, as well as the Galactic Empire in Dune, whose Emperor plots the downfall of House Atreides, and is opposed by Paul Atreides.

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Dune: Part Two is an upcoming 2024 American epic science fiction film directed by Denis Villeneuve, who co-wrote the screenplay with Jon Spaihts. The sequel to Dune (2021), it is the second of a two-part adaptation of the 1965 novel Dune by Frank Herbert, and follows Paul Atreides as he unites with the Fremen people of the desert planet Arrakis to win the war against House Harkonnen. Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Zendaya, Charlotte Rampling, and Javier Bardem reprise their roles from the first film, with Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Christopher Walken, Léa Seydoux, and Souheila Yacoub joining the ensemble cast.

References

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  2. Ma, Dafni (2023-01-26). "7 Great Movies That Feature The Chosen One". Game Rant. Retrieved 2023-09-30.
  3. 1 2 Stoebakk, Anita Olsen (2017-11-05). ""The Chosen One" In Genre Literature". The Nerd Daily. Retrieved 2022-08-29.
  4. "Definition of CHOSEN". www.merriam-webster.com. Retrieved 2022-08-29.
  5. 1 2 "What does the Chosen One mean? - eNotes.com". eNotes. Retrieved 2022-08-29.
  6. Bradford, K. Tempest (2008-07-23). ""The Chosen One" vs. The One Who Chooses". Fantasy Magazine. Retrieved 2022-08-29.
  7. 1 2 Pool, Katy Rose (2019-09-09). "Are You The One? Exploring The Chosen One Trope in SFF". Tor.com. Retrieved 2023-12-13.
  8. 1 2 Chowdhury, Radhiah (2006-12-01). "A chosen sacrifice: the doomed destiny of the Child Messiah in late twentieth-century children's fantasy". Papers: Explorations into Children's Literature. 16 (2): 107–112.
  9. Hoyle, K. B. (2021-11-09). ""Paul Atreides Must Die": Dune as Bildungsroman". Christ and Pop Culture. Retrieved 2022-08-29.
  10. Staff Writer. "Book review | 'Cursed Child': Like series, Harry Potter script is a page-turner". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved 2022-08-29.
  11. Forhan, Connor (2022-04-01). "The One: "Dune's" Paul Atreides as the Quintessential Messiah". POVwinona. Retrieved 2023-08-07.