History Main / EnigmaticEmpoweringEntity

* Parodied in ''WorldOfWarcraft'': In Northrend, there's a lady in ''every'' lake''. And yes, her job is to distribute swords.

* In the second season of ''{{Stormhawks}}'', Piper develops a technique that can grant Aerow various powers, but only while she channels them. However, this is something of a DangerousForbiddenTechnique since it's slowly killing her. However [[spoiler:by the finale, she learns that being "in synch" with the recipient makes the technique lose all harmful side effects, and of course, they're both perfectly in synch. Cue VillainousBreakdown by Cyclonis and the Dark Ace.]]

In TheHerosJourney, an Entity often shows up as the one providing SupernaturalAid. In completely different kinds of stories, however, it might turn out that ThePresentsWereNeverFromSanta. If the Entity is {{God}} Himself, it's a type of DivineIntervention. See also TheChooserOfTheOne.

* In the early 2000s Comicbook/{{Aquaman}} underwent [[ContinuitySnarl yet another]] retooling, which involved him being named 'The Waterbearer' by The Lady of the Lake herself. Rather than a magic sword, he was given a magic hand made of water. It was BetterThanItSounds.

* In ''TheMistsOfAvalon'', The Lady of the Lake is a machiavellian politician who supports King Arthur because she believes that it will save her people... much to the sorrow of our poor protagonist, Morgana Le Fay.

Whether her gift to the hero is a divine blessing, a {{MacGuffin}}, a fancy title, or [[SuperEmpowering something else]], the EnigmaticEmpoweringEntity is the mysterious being behind his power and glory.

In TheHerosJourney, an Entity often shows up as the one providing SupernaturalAid. In completely different kinds of stories, however, it might turn out that ThePresentsWereNeverFromSanta. If the Entity is {{God}} Himself, it's a type of DivineIntervention.

One of her most common incarnations is The Lady of the Lake, originally from the King Arthur mythos -- thus making this PublicDomainCharacter an InternalSubtrope of this trope. Characters such as the FairyGodmother, SantaClaus, and even {{God}} sometimes (but far from always) also fill this role. A person empowered this wy may be TouchedByVorlons.

One of her most common incarnations is The Lady of the Lake, originally from the King Arthur mythos -- thus making this PublicDomainCharacter an InternalSubtrope of this trope. Characters such as the FairyGodmother, SantaClaus, and even {{God}} sometimes (but far from always) also fill this role.

* In the original version of Cinderella, the protagonist have a quite grim version of this. Maybe it's a Guardian Angel, maybe it's her dead mother's ghost. In either case, it helps her with everything - including literally having the stepsisters attacked by birds who devour their eyes while they are fully conscious. Ouch.

* Subverted and parodied in ''ArmedAndDangerous''. The Lady of the Pond exists in the universe, but when the heroes seek her out for her {{MacGuffin}} she takes so long to appear that [[TheLancer Jonesy]] starts skipping rocks in her pond out of boredom. His rock ends up beaning her by accident and gives her amnesia.

* In the early 2000s {{Aquaman}} underwent [[ContinuitySnarl yet another]] retooling, which involved him being named 'The Waterbearer' by The Lady of the Lake herself. Rather than a magic sword, he was given a magic hand made of water. It was BetterThanItSounds.

* In ''TheWizardOfOz'', (Film version ''only''), the wizard ends up in this role. He gives everyone symbolic gifts that are exactly what they need. And symbolic gifts are perfectly valid, since it's AllJustADream. (That's why it doesn't work in the book version, where Oz is a real place.)

Whether her gift to the hero is a divine blessing, a {{MacGuffin}}, a fancy title, or [[SuperEmpowering something else]], the Enigmatic Blesser is the mysterious being behind his power and glory.

In TheHerosJourney, an EnigmaticEmpoweringEntity often shows up as the one providing SupernaturalAid. In completely different kinds of stories, however, it might turn out that ThePresentsWereNeverFromSanta. If the EnigmaticEmpoweringEntity is {{God}} Himself, it's a type of DivineIntervention.

* In Camelot3000, the comic ends with her giving Excalibur to some alien who is obviously intended to be the next champion in the struggle against evil (and who may or may not be an reincarnation of King Arthur, considering that the protagonists was reincarnations of the king and his knights).

* Invoked in MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail. See page quote.

* In {{Spamalot}}, The Lady Of The Lake is one of the main characters of the musical. She is also a Cher impersonator.

* RedSonja encounters one of these (who might be a Goddess, it's never clarified) right after she got [[RapeAsBackstory raped]]. The encounter gives her courage to fight the evil hordes.
* In TheWizardOfOz, (Film version ''only''), the wizard ends up in this role. He gives everyone symbolic gifts that are exactly what they need. And symbolic gifts are perfectly valid, since it's AllJustADream. (That's why it doesn't work in the book version, where Oz is a real place.)

* In TheBible, this role is fulfilled by {{God}} as he show himself to Moses in a burning bush.
* A rather weird example - in PhilipKDick 's novel Valis, an alien godlike being takes over the hero's mind and transmits to him messianic messages.
* The alien godlike being "Old One" in VernorVinge 's [[ZonesOfThought A Fire Upon The Deep]] is even weirder: [[spoiler: the final "messages" aren't conscious thoughts, just subconscious instructions describing how to stop Old One's murderer.]]

* Arguably, the [[ZeldaClassic original game]] contains a trio of ''male'' embodiments of this trope -- the three old men who provide Link with his swords.
* Subverted and parodied in ''ArmedAndDangerous''. The Lady of the [[strike:Lake]] Pond exists in the universe, but when the heroes seek her out for her {{MacGuffin}} she takes so long to appear that [[TheLancer Jonesy]] starts skipping rocks in her pond out of boredom. His rock ends up beaning her by accident and gives her amnesia.
* Do you know why [[DotHack Kite]], a level 1 {{Noob}} gets to become TheHero? Because [[MysteriousWaif Aura]] gave him a Bracelet that gives him hax powers. To be fair, the real Chosen One MissedTheCall, and he had to pick up the slack.
* Ditto Kuryuu Tokio in LINK. If it wasn't for Amagi Saika giving him the black device, he won't be TheHero in it.

* This trope goes through a DoubleSubversion in the first episode of ''Doraleus And Associates''. The being called "The Lady of the Lake" is obviously supposed to be a EmpoweringLakeLady, guarding the [[InfinityPlusOneSword Zephyr]] [[SwordOfPlotAdvancement Blade]] in waiting for TheChosenOne to wield.

* In [[Disney/{{Cinderella}} Disney's version of Cinderella]], the Fairy Godmother fills this role.
* In [[Disney/{{Pinocchio}} Disney's version of Pinocchio]], the Blue Fairy fills this role.

->''"The Lady of the Lake, her arm clad in the purest shimmering samite held aloft Excalibur from the bosom of the water, signifying by divine providence that I, Arthur, was to carry Excalibur. THAT is why I am your king."''
-->-- '''King Arthur''', invoking this trope in a ''MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail'' scene that moves on to [[ShamCeremony other tropes]] [[InherentInTheSystem directly after]] the quote has been said.

There is a saying that "Behind every great man there's a great woman", and this trope often follows this theme: The receiver tends to be a man, usually a mortal [[{{muggles}} muggle]], while the EmpoweringLakeLady tends to be female - often a divine/supernatural female of mysterious origin and identity.

One of her most common incarnations is TheLadyOfTheLake, originally from the King Arthur mythos - thus making this PublicDomainCharacter an InternalSubtrope of this trope. Characters such as the FairyGodmother, SantaClaus, and even {{God}} sometimes (but far from always) also fill this role.

!!Examples of The Lady Of The Lake

* Parodied in WorldOfWarcraft: In Northrend, there's a lady in ''every'' lake''. And yes, her job is to distribute swords.

* Kyuubei from ''PuellaMagiMadokaMagica''.

There is a saying that "Behind every great man there's a great woman", and this trope often follows this theme: The reciever tends to be a man, usually a mortal [[{{muggles}} muggle]], while the EmpoweringLakeLady tends to be female - often a divine/supernatural female of mysterious origin and identity.

* Yoruichi from ''{{Bleach}}'', due to her training of Orihime and Chad [[spoiler: subverted with Byakuya, who got stronger as a child because Yoruichi ticked him off]].

* A rather wierd example - in PhilipKDick 's novel Valis, an alien godlike being takes over the hero's mind and transmitts to him messianic messages.

Whether her gift to the hero is a divine blessing, a {{MacGuffin}}, a fancy title or [[SuperEmpowering something else]], the Enigmatic Blesser is the mysterious being behind his power and glory.

There is a saying that "Behind every great man there's a great woman", and this trope often follow this theme: The reciever tends to be a man, usually a mortal [[{{muggles}} muggle]], while the EmpoweringLakeLady tends to be female - often a divine/supernatural female of mysterious origin and identity.

One of her most common incarnations is TheLadyOfTheLake, originally from the King Arthur mythos - thus making this PublicDomainCharacter an InternalSubtrope of this trope. Characters such as FairyGodmother and SantaClaus sometimes (but far from always) also fill this role.

In TheHerosJourney, an EnigmaticEmpoweringEntity often shows up as the one providing SupernaturalAid. In completely different kinds of stories, however, it might turn out that ThePresentsWereNeverFromSanta.

* C.C. from ''CodeGeass'' does give the protagonist the eponymous Geass power.

* A very dark twist on this is in ''AlanWake'': The Dark Presence ''is'' [[spoiler: Cauldron Lake]], and take sont he form of [[spoiler: an old hag in a burial shroud.]]

* In several versions of The Holy Grail, the Lady of the Lake acted on God's behalf when she gave King Arthur Excalibur and the right to rule over all Britons. (This may or may not include Monty Python's Film version, making the anarcho-syndicalist protester either a FlatEarthAtheist or someone correctly pointing out a StrangePondWoman. In either case: The Dennis quote belongs in that ''trope'', not here.)
** However, in most, it was the mysterious Sword in the Stone -- which is not Excalibur -- that announced he was the rightful king of Britain. Excalibur was just a sword.

** Arguably, the [[ZeldaClassic original game]] contains a trio of ''male'' embodiments of this trope -- the three old men who provide Link with his swords.

** Ditto Kuryuu Tokio in LINK. If it wasn't for Amagi Saika giving him the black device, he won't be TheHero in it.

* Yoruichi from ''{{Bleach}}'', due to her training of Orihime and Chad [[spoiler: subverted with Byakuya, who got stronger as a child because Yoruichi ticked him off]].

[[redirect:EmpoweringLakeLady]]