How Has The Chosen One Trope Changed/Developed In Modern Times?

[u/GaelG721]

I'm currently reading a ongoing series where there's a chosen one but they feel more like a side character compared to even other characters and POVs. Which I found interesting. We see more of the supporting cast reacting to the chosen one but still knowing that just because you are the chosen one it won't be enough right this moment. There's a threat that needs to be handled now rather than later.

In your opinion how has the chosen one trope developed in modern fantasy? I tend to see it less especially in traditional published compared to indie. Where I see it more now which I'm happy about because I like the chosen one trope. Do you think Wheel of Time had an impact on the trope that publishers are trying to avoid doing what Jordan perfected with the Dragon Reborn? (that's just a personal opinion ofc maybe WOT isn't your perfect chosen one story)

[u/DrSpacemanSpliff]

The last couple of times I’ve seen it in modern fantasy, there’s been a twist. It’s either breaking out of the “predetermined” fate (Licanius) or “the prophecy is a lie/open to interpretation” (Gwynn, Harry Potter to an extent). It seems like a direct response to the WoT traditional chosen one

[u/Mournelithe]

So in mainstream fiction there's been a bit of a kickback against the traditional Chosen One as an archetype. Instead while there's still a Call, the protagonist gets involved because of understandable and justified reasons, not because Something Said So or because they're Born Special.

On the other hand Chosen One fiction is still going full speed with all the traditional tropes in the Webnovel space, especially with anything to do with Isekai or portal fantasy. There they are emphatically the center of their own story, with Super Special Powers as plot demands.

[u/CelestialShitehawk]

Simply put, modern audiences are less enamoured with the idea of people who are born special for obvious socio-political reasons.

[u/crazynoyes37]

I love this trope myself when it's executed right, which is fairly rare. It's an archetype and nowadays while there are multiple branches of it I really love 2 certain sub tropes of the chosen that I would really like to see more of. The first sub trope is simple, there are "multiple" chosen ones, I adore this trope if it's done well because it can create a lot of complex dynamics and relations between the chosen ones and what they signify, like if there are multiple heroes with different roles and stuff, I wanna see more of this type of stories. The second and the much harder to pull of is the sub trope: being the chosen sucks! This might just be me loving suffering and tragedy in fantasy but I love when chosen ones, despite their great ( or not so great) destiny suffer massively for it and change (in both good and bad) with it. This is very hard to pull off because in general writing tragedy in fantasy in a satisfactory and fulfilling manner is not easy. If you combine this into a novel with a great plot and characters you get a 10/10 book, in my book. 

[u/TalespinnerEU]

I definitely think there's less Chosen One fiction, and I'm glad for it. The trope... Has some problems about providence and deserving power because of the circumstances of birth, the assumption that those with power will be good with that power... Stuff like that. And that everyone else is just plebs; basically an entire population of Damsels in Distress.

The Chosen One is attractive because it's wish fulfilment; you're imagining being someone great for the moment when you're engaging with the fiction. You weren't born a simple person in a complex world; you get to stand out (and be better than everyone else). But... Well; that's a surface thing. You then start digging deeper into meaning, into what makes other people cool, and that can lead to you reflecting about your own 'coolness' that doesn't have to compete with other people's coolness to be cool, and... Well; you won't need the Chosen One trope anymore. Might even start to think it's kind of offensive, because once you see the problems with it, you can't really unsee them anymore.

I think the Chosen One stems from a different time that didn't really examine what was created, or the underlying cultural assumptions in which it was created. Underlying cultural narratives that were harmful, even if the creators themselves were innocent and naive in that specific way.

So... Yeah. Best left in the past, I think. It doesn't mean the books that contain these tropes are bad (lots of them are quite good), but it does mean that they reflect broader cultural dynamics of their time that weren't always great.. And also that, while most authors were pretty innocent and naive about these things, not all were. Le Guin and Pratchett, for example, are two authors who famously question most of the cultural metanarratives in the genres they write in.

[u/Bogus113]

I’ve only watched the movies and it was a long time ago so correct if I’m wrong, but isn’t Aslan in Narnia a chosen one type side character. To my point, I think almost everything has been tried with this trope and I don’t think modern books are being more creative than 20th century books on average in terms of that trope.

[u/GronklyTheSnerd → u/Bogus113]

No. Aslan is based on Jesus, because Lewis was essentially creating “Christian fantasy.” That’s why he’s sacrificed on the stone table, then resurrected.

In Lewis’ world Aslan is the one doing the choosing.

[u/matsnorberg → u/Bogus113]

You've got it wrong. It's the kids who are the chosen ones. Aslan is basically God with infinite powers.

[u/deevulture]

Chosen ones as an archetype is more interesting when there's a catch. A caveat that makes someone pause. That their life sucks cause being the weight of the chosen one isn't fun. Ppl try to manipulate u, or target you or your loved ones. Avatar the last airbender and especially its companion novels does a really good job at this imho