The “Chosen One” is a common trope in movies, books, TV shows, and fiction in general. It’s an easy way to explain a protagonist’s importance early on. He/she is destined to save the world and/or vanquish some evil and must therefore go on an epic journey. This is especially common in video games.
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Developers often use this trope to justify the player character doing such amazing feats. Some writers buck this trend, though, presenting Chosen Ones who don’t succeed in their missions. These stand out far more to audiences due to their difference from the usual success story. In essence, these guys distinguish themselves through failure. How ironic.
9The Bard - The Bard’s Tale
The eponymous Bard is one of many chosen ones, all of whom met untimely ends. Mystical princess Caleigh communes with the selfish hero to slay the sinister sorcerers holding her captive. Promised everything his heart desires (no matter how filthy), the Bard embarks on a quest to defeat these wicked wizards. Not all is as it seems, however.
It turns out Caleigh is a demon, and the sorcerers are trying to keep her from unleashing her hellspawn on the world. Thus, the Bard has a couple choices. Neither one is enticing. If he kills the last sorcerer, then he’ll complete his quest and get the girl…at the expense of everyone else in the land. If he slays the demon, then he saves the world but fails in his selfish pursuit. It’s a lose-lose scenario.
8Riku - Kingdom Hearts
Sora may be the main protagonist of the series, but he wasn’t the Keyblade’s first choice. Riku was actually the one meant to open the mysterious door toKingdom Hearts. He certainly has the initiative.
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Sadly, that drive leads him down a path of darkness. His actions help inflict untold turmoil on the worlds and their residents. The mythical Keyblade then passes to its altruistic backup: Sora. Thankfully, Riku redeems himself in later entries.He’s even the first of the two boys to become a Keyblade Master. Better late than never.
7Desmond Miles - The Assassin’s Creed Series
No one liked this guy from the beginning. The attraction ofAssassin’s Creedwasstepping into the shoes of Desmond’s intriguing ancestors throughout history. Unfortunately, this was all to service the modern-day storyline, enhancing Desmond’s skills and providing clues to prevent world from ending in 2012. These segments were the most boring parts of every entry. Miles finally made himself useful and sacrificed his life to stop the apocalypse. That should have been the end of it.
Regardless, the series continued. Recent titles have resurrected the modern plot and the apocalyptic threat. Apparently, Desmond only delayed the planet’s doom. He also activated an ancient machine, throwing the Earth’s weather and atmosphere out of balance. He annoys fans even in death.Ubisoft’s not done with this trope, though.
6Jason Brody - Far Cry 3
Another oftheir open-world titlesbirths another boring chosen one. While stranded on an island full of terrorists, Jason Brody receives aid from the Rakyat natives in rescuing his friends. This comes in the form of various magical enhancements. The shamaness Citra believes Jason is a legendary warrior foretold by Rakyat lore. He can’t live two lives, though.
In the end, he must choose a side. Saving his friends results in Citra’s death. This confirms that she bet on the wrong horse. Alternatively, Jason can execute his friends and ally with Citra. She kills him, in turn, saying that their child will usher in a new age of prosperity for the tribe. He sacrifices everything only to be betrayed. The promise of a better tomorrow probably proves cold comfort for a dead man.
5Spyro - The Legend Of Spyro Series
This reboot trilogy frames purple dragons as legendary figures. Unlike other dragons, they can harness all four elements and reshape the world in ways undreamt of.Spyrois obviously one of these chosen few, and he uses his gifts to fight the legions of Malefor the Dark Master ravaging the land.
His mission hits a snag in the second entry, though. To save himself and his friends from a cave-in, Spyro encases them in crystal and inadvertently puts them in suspended animation.
Fast-forward three years to the finale. Malefor’s minions have run rampant, and the heroes are on their last legs. Needless to say, Spyro feels pretty guilty.
4Lok - Tak And The Power Of Juju
One would thinkTak and the Power of Jujuwould have the titular shaman apprentice as the hero right out of the gate. The joke is that he spends the whole game propping up the actual prophesied savior: a warrior named Lok. At first glance, he’s definitely more what you’d expect from such a figure. He just has one problem: stupidity.
Lok is a muscle-headed moron too dim to thwart any villain with more than two brain cells. He’s first trampled to death by a sheep stampede, and he then comes down with diarrhea after his resurrection. Tak constantly tries to aid the would-be champion yet often get stuck doing his job for him. By the end,the kid’s already fulfilled the prophecy and saved his people. It’s a shame this does little to deflate Lok’s ego.
3Shepard - The Mass Effect Series
TheMass Effecttrilogy is a gripping sci-fi adventure about a starship commander and his/her loyal crew as they desperately battle the mechanized menace of the Reapers. Plagued by visions of ages past, Shepard has unique knowledge of these doomsday bots. The whole galaxy eventually looks to him/her to lead the charge. As many fans know, though, the series trips at the finish line.
Mass Effect 3presents a sadistic choice on the verge of victory. Players can destroy all organic life or all synthetic life. The best option is probably integration: fusing these two forms of life to create the next stage of evolution. Even then, many would probably object to having their entire biological structure changed without their consent.All of this is made worse by the destruction of the mass relays, meaning that the countless alien races can’t jump to light speed and go home. Granted, it’s better than galactic extinction, but it’s still hard to look at any of these options with optimism.
2Trevor Belmont - The Castlevania: Lords Of Shadow Series
TheCastlevaniaseriesloves tormenting this unlucky clan. Gabriel Belmont makes a compelling case for this spot since he becomes Dracula and unleashes terror on the world. Despite that, he technically still fulfills his role as God’s champion by defeating Satan (twice). It’s ultimately his son, Trevor, who meets a more tragically ironic fate. Trained by the Brotherhood of Light, this moody warrior battles the legions of darkness with everything he has. He’s naturally poised to end his father’s tyranny, but the ensuing duel doesn’t go his way.
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The climactic confrontation ends when Dracula kills him. Upon realizing Trevor is his son, however, the Dark Prince tries to save him using some of his own blood. This turns the vengeful hero into a vampire, aptly named Alucard. He has now become one of the creatures he hates. On the upside, this leads him to reluctantly reconcile with his dad in the following game. If you may’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.
1Link & Zelda - The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild
Fans know the drill.Ganon does evil things, and Link and/or Zelda stop him.Breath of the Wildis aware of this expectation and turns it into a prophecy. With Ganon’s impending return, Zelda trains in magic while Link serves as her bodyguard with the Master Sword. The stage is set for things to proceed like any otherLegend of Zeldaentry. Unbeknownst to everyone, however, the villain possesses Hyrule’s guardians and defeats the heroes in an event known as the “Great Calamity.”
Better luck next time. Zelda hides the wounded Link in a healing chamber and seals herself in the castle along with Ganon. Link awakens 100 years later to find Hyrule in ruins. It’s a good thing he can’t remember how badly he and Zelda messed up.
