History Main / TakeUpMySword

* ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkToThePast'': When Link takes his uncle's sword in where he finds his uncle dying in the sewers of Hyrule Castle, he is told to take his sword and save Princess Zelda.

* This is the basis of ''ThePhantom'', a title that passes from father to son. ''No'' Phantom has ever died of old age or retired, the title is always passed to the next inheritor after the current one has been mortally wounded. The present day Phantom is the 21st to hold the title.

** In the Volume Three finale, "End of the Beginning", Professor Ozpin is missing/presumed dead. Qrow Branwen takes over as the BigGood and carries Ozpin's cane. [[spoiler:At the end of Volume 4, he later gives it to Oscar, whom Ozpin has selected as his successor.]]

* Sam in ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'' becomes the Ringbearer after Frodo seemingly dies. However, they later meet again, and Sam, so to say, "gives the sword back" to Frodo.

** In the Volume Three finale, "End of the Beginning", Professor Ozpin is missing/presumed dead. Qrow Branwen takes over as the BigGood and carries Ozpin's cane.

* ''Series/PowerRangersLostGalaxy'': Leo took his brother Mike's sword as he was about to fall to a pit, and became the Red Ranger. His brother had the sword for about 5 minutes, but the fact that Leo isn't the one to pull it from the stone himself causes him angst.
** Both the Magna Defender and Kendrix had {{Heroic Sacrifice}}s, and their spirits came back to officially bestow their swords and powers on successors (Mike and Karone, respectively).

* In ''VideoGame/{{Hearthstone}}'' when Tirion Fordring dies his deathrattle causes the player's hero (normally Uther) to immediately equips Tyrion's sword Ashbringer.

* ''Series/KamenRiderDouble'''

* ''Literature/TheBible'': The Book of Joshua opens with God telling Joshua that his mentor Moses is dead and he must take over as leader of the Israelites.

** In ''MegaManZX'', Zero and X return as equipable "biometals" that can impart their form unto a new user, who then not only takes up their sword, but also their body.

* In the ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'' prequel ''CrisisCore'', Zack Fair puts Buster Sword into Cloud's hand and and tells him to live "for the both of us".
-->"You are the proof that I existed."
* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyV'' has an example that is reflected within the game mechanic. When [[spoiler: Krile]] replaces [[spoiler: Galuf]] in your party following the latter's death, she gets all his old abilities and exp and suchlike.

* Defied in Transformers: Beast Hunters, since Smokescreen made the wisest decision of his young life and used the Forge to revive Optimus, thus eliminating the need for Smokescreen receiving the Matrix of Leadership.

** The ''ComicBook/DCRebirth'' era has brought this about as well, with the pre-''ComicBook/{{Flashpoint}}'' Superman, post-Flashpoint Comicbook/{{Supergirl}}, Comicbook/LexLuthor, Comicbook/LoisLane and [[spoiler:Comicbook/LanaLang]] taking up the New 52 Superman's mantle after he died. Nex 52 Superman specifically asked his cousin to take up his cape, and [[spoiler:Lois doesn't get through one issue before Lana's forced to take up ''her'' sword.]]

* ''ComicBook/TheDeathOfSuperman'' led to no less than four Supermen standing up to replace or impersonate him. Three were [[AntiHeroSubstitute Anti Hero Substitutes]]; the fourth was as much of a [[TheCape Cape]] as the original (if not [[UpToEleven more so]]), and was regarded as a legitimate successor to Superman even after the original returned.

** The ''ComicBook/DCRebirth'' era has brought this about as well, with the pre-''ComicBook/{{Flashpoint}}'' Superman, Lex Luthor, Lois Lane and [[spoiler:Lana Lang]] taking up the New 52 Superman's mantle after he died. [[spoiler:Lois doesn't get through one issue before Lana's forced to take up ''her'' sword.]]

* ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'': In the Volume Three finale, "End of the Beginning", Professor Ozpin is missing/presumed dead. Qrow Branwen takes over as the BigGood and carries Ozpin's cane.

* Sam in ''TheLordOfTheRings'' becomes the Ringbearer after Frodo seemingly dies. However, they later meet again, and Sam, so to say, "gives the sword back" to Frodo.
* ''TheWheelOfTime'':

* ''GreenRider'': A fallen messenger gives a girl his magic brooch and CoolHorse so she can carry his message for him.

* In [[BookOfTheNewSun The Book of the New Sun]], in book IV the dying Autarch passes his throne [[spoiler: and his memories]] to Severian. It ''shouldn't'' be a surprise since we were told it would happen at the start of book I, and the Autarch has known all along who his successor would be, but given the amount of obfuscation involved..

%%* The BlueBeetle.

* ''RobinOfSherwood'': Robert of Huntingdon (played by Jason Connery) succeeds Michael Praed as 'the Hooded Man' and bearer of the magic sword Albion.

* ''{{ER}}'': when Mark (protagonist of the first eight seasons) has his last day at the hospital, his last words before leaving are "you set the tone, Carter." After he dies, Dr. Carter "inherits" Mark's stethoscope.

* FireEmblemAwakening has [[spoiler: the kids who took up their parents's missions ''come from the future'' to fight with them in an attempt to make said Bad Future better.]]

* In the [[TransformersTheMovie animated Transformers movie]], Optimus Prime gives the Matrix of Leadership to Ultra Magnus but Hot Rod ends up with it by the end. [[MemeticMutation Magnus just couldn't deal with that now.]]
* ''ReBoot''

Most often used at the beginning of a show, to explain exactly [[CallToAdventure how some callow youth loser got the job of defeating]] the BigBad. In this case it was a head fake that had you thinking the ObiWan was actually TheHero. (Which makes the first guy a DecoyProtagonist.) Occasionally done with the original Hero as [[DueToTheDead a ghost or shade, unable to rest until someone completes his aborted quest]].

* In ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsOriginalGeneration Gaiden'' its revealed that Fighter Roar tried to use a kamikaze attack on Dark Brain and is now without a body. He then merges with Kouta so that Kouta can become the new Fighter Roar with the first Roar being his ObiWan.

** ''VideoGame/MegaManX'': If the player fails to acquire the X Buster upgrade, [[TheObiWan Zero]] will relinquish his own for you to use after his HeroicSacrifice.