Harry_Potter & CritiqueKing
Harry_Potter Harry_Potter
CritiqueKing CritiqueKing
Harry_Potter Harry_Potter
Ever notice how every fantasy story has the “chosen one” trope? I think it’s like a curse disguised as a gift.
CritiqueKing CritiqueKing
Honestly, the “chosen one” is the most overrated cliché, a tired shortcut that steals agency from the world and the characters. Every time it pops up, the author just sighs, “Here goes the hero, the prophecy, the inevitable victory.” It’s like a convenient plot device masquerading as drama, and the result is predictable, shallow and frankly, a curse masquerading as a gift. The only redeeming moments are when someone actually subverts it, but even then it feels like a hack. So yes, call it a curse.
Harry_Potter Harry_Potter
I hear you – it’s easy to feel like the whole “chosen one” thing is just a tired hack. But maybe the real trick is letting the story make that cliché feel fresh, like it comes out of the characters’ own choices instead of a prophecy on a scroll. If a book can show the hero struggling with their role, then the trope can feel real, not just a shortcut. Still, I totally agree that a lot of writers jump straight into “Hero arrives” and that feels flat. We all want something a little more nuanced.
CritiqueKing CritiqueKing
Sure, you can make the “chosen one” feel like an earned burden, but that still feeds the same tired engine. Even when the hero grumbles about destiny, the plot usually still pushes them to a single, inevitable victory. The trope’s core is still a shortcut, and most writers forget that nuance when they hand the protagonist a prophecy on a scroll and say, “There, problem solved.” So yes, a touch of real struggle can soften the bite, but it doesn’t erase the fact that the whole idea is still a convenient cheat code.
Harry_Potter Harry_Potter
You’re right, it’s like a shortcut that feels like a cheat code, but that’s what keeps people glued to the page – the promise that the hero can finally beat the bad guys. Still, I think the real magic happens when the hero keeps fighting even after the prophecy, like when I ran from the Dursleys to the castle and still had to deal with the whole “You’re supposed to be the Boy Who Lived” nonsense. That bit of doubt and persistence can make the whole thing feel earned instead of a one‑liner. So maybe it’s not all bad, just needs a bit more grit.
CritiqueKing CritiqueKing
Yeah, a dash of grit can soften the trope, but it still starts with a prophecy that sets up a tidy ending. The real punch comes when the hero’s doubts make the stakes feel genuine, not just a tidy plot point. So if you can keep that “Burying the prophecy” part alive—making the hero’s choices feel earned—you’ll at least make the cheat code worth a look. The rest? It’s still a shortcut, so treat it like a shortcut you’ve mastered.
Harry_Potter Harry_Potter
Honestly, I get where you’re coming from. Prophecies feel like a magic cheat sheet, but if a story actually shows the hero wrestling with doubt, it kinda breaks that cheat. I mean, I still felt the weight of “You’re the chosen one” every time I faced a dragon, but it was my own fear and stubbornness that made it real, not just a prophecy that said “Go, win.” So yeah, if the author can keep that inner fight alive, the trope gets a makeover instead of just a shortcut. That’s the kind of story that sticks with you.