History Main / TheChosenMany

** Prior to recent updates to the game, the Villain side storyline indicated that all PlayerCharacters were all recruited as part of "Project DESTINY", as "Destined Ones" who are foreseen to help lead Lord Recluse and [[RedShirtArmy Arachnos]] to victory over the heroes. [[spoiler:The [[AvertedTrope aversion]] comes in not because the player pretty clearly knows they aren't the only "Destined One", but that your [[PropheticFallacy predetermined fate is actually irrelevant]], you have to ScrewDestiny in order to make sure Lord Recluse doesn't [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness sacrifice your character]] in service to his plan.]]
* ""VideoGame/DCUniverseOnline"": All player characters, including some non-player characters, are empowered by Exobytes thanks to Future Lex Luthor spreading them across the planet to create a large enough force to combat Braniac. Those characters are then recruited by either the Justice League or the Secret Society of Villains, and while they never achieve the notoriety of any of the named characters, later episodes imply that they manage to build up at least a small reputation for themselves.

* "VideoGame/{{DCUniverseOnline}}": All player characters, including some non-player characters, are empowered by Exobytes thanks to Future Lex Luthor spreading them across the planet to create a large enough force to combat Braniac. Those characters are then recruited by either the Justice League or the Secret Society of Villains, and while they never achieve the notoriety of any of the named characters, later episodes imply that they manage to build up at least a small reputation for themselves.

* "VideoGame/{{DCUniverseOnline}}": All player characters, including some NPCs, are empowered by Exobytes thanks to Future Lex Luthor spreading them across the planet to create a large enough force to combat Braniac. Those characters are then recruited by either the Justice League or the Secret Society of Villains, and while they never achieve the notoriety of any of the named characters, later episodes imply that they manage to build up at least a small reputation for themselves.

* "VideoGame/DCUniverseOnline": All player characters, including some NPCs, are empowered by Exobytes thanks to Future Lex Luthor spreading them across the planet to create a large enough force to combat Braniac. Those characters are then recruited by either the Justice League or the Secret Society of Villains, and while they never achieve the notoriety of any of the named characters, later episodes imply that they manage to build up at least a small reputation for themselves.

* VideoGame/DCUniverseOnline": All player characters, including some NPCs, are empowered by Exobytes thanks to Future Lex Luthor spreading them across the planet to create a large enough force to combat Braniac. Those characters are then recruited by either the Justice League or the Secret Society of Villains, and while they never achieve the notoriety of any of the named characters, later episodes imply that they manage to build up at least a small reputation for themselves.

* ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'':
** In the first game, Sora's Keyblade is presented as the only one in existence, and he's the only chosen master (after a brief tug-of-war with [[RivalTurnedEvil Riku]]). Then, at the very end, King Mickey shows up with another, taken from the Realm of Darkness.
** The sequels add Roxas and Xion ([[spoiler:both of whom are extensions of Sora]]), Riku (for real this time) and Kairi, while Xigbar claims to have met Keyblade wielders ''before'' Sora.
** The prequel shows he wasn't kidding: there were 7 or possibly 8 (Terra, Aqua, Ven, Master Xehanort, Master Eraqus, Mickey, [[EnemyWithout Vanitas]] and the retired Yen Sid) before the "new generation". Even this, however, pales next to the army of thousands, possibly ''millions'' (there were enough for five Unions) in the distant past. Problem was, they all got distrustful of the others and went to war with each other, plunging the world into the darkness, and leaving behind an enormous FieldOfBlades, but the hearts of children managed to restore the world but it was splintered to the various different worlds we know of today.
** Then Played With, as the list of Keyblade wielders grows. As it happens, sometimes previous wielders can specifically bestow Keyblade wielder status on people, but sometimes the hearts of worlds can also do so autonomously. There just turned out to not be any other active ones at the time that Sora got his. By the 'present day' of the series, there are over a dozen.
* ''VideoGame/EarthBound1994'' has [[TheAllAmericanBoy Ness]], [[GirlNextDoor Paula]], [[ScienceHero Jeff]] and [[WarriorPrince Poo]] as four chosen teenagers destined to save the universe from [[GalacticConqueror Giygas]], who returns to seek revenge after [[spoiler: [[VideoGame/EarthBoundBeginnings his previous encounter with Ninten and friends]].]]

* The Nexus Force from ''VideoGame/LEGOUniverse'', split into four factions:
** '''Assemblers''': The group who builds models out of LEGO bricks. Led by [[GadgeteerGenius Doc Overbuild]].
** '''Sentinels''': The group specializing in fighting the [[TheHorde Maelstrom]]. Led by [[BloodKnight Duke Exeter]].
** '''Venture Force''': The exploration-based team. Led by [[SpacePirates Hael Storm]].
** '''Paradox''': The DarkIsNotEvil group, which uses the dark energies against the enemy. Led by [[{{Ninja}} Vanda Darkflame]].
* ''VideoGame/EternalDarkness: Sanity's Requiem'' invokes this by name, with Ellia being told she is "One of the Chosen Many, Flesh and blood." The main characters live all around the world in different eras trying to fulfill a common goal: Preventing [[OurLichesAreDifferent Pious Augustus]] from summoning his master. [[spoiler: It's all a BatmanGambit by the Great Ancient Mantorok to destroy all of his enemies in one stroke.]]
* Implicit in ''VideoGame/PlanescapeTorment'': the Nameless One had led at least one previous party into the Fortress of Regrets, consisting of [[spoiler:Morte, Dak'kon, Deionarra and Xachariah]].
* ''[[VideoGame/DragonQuestIV Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen]]''. Although [[TheHero The Hero / The Heroine]] is the one who can use the Zenithian Equipments, The team are considered chosens as a whole.

* ''VideoGame/GuildWars'' Prophecies features this. The White Mantle seeks out the Chosen in Kryta to [[spoiler: Prevent the Flameseeker prophecies from being filled; as this will result in the death of most of the Mursaat, their unseen gods]]. The Chosen is not one, but many, and in fact, it's even revealed that [[spoiler: ''all'' the player characters, Henchmen, Heroes, and all, are in fact, TheChosenMany.]]

* You are not the only Arisen in ''VideoGame/DragonsDogma'', you are just the latest of many. Through the course of the story, you learn that Duke Edmun and the Dragonforged are both Arisens who were made so by the current dragon, Grigori. Given they're still alive, considering what we see happens to Arisens when the dragon that picked them dies, it's possible that Barroch and Olra are contemporaries of yours as well.
* In ''VideoGame/TheSecretWorld'', you play one of many agents chosen by Gaia to save her from [[MysticalPlague the Filth]]. A side character offhandedly remarks that the Filth may be the reason so many Chosen of Gaia have been showing up in recent times: the world is evolving defence systems against it, like an immune system producing antibodies against a virus.
* Although the main storyline in ''VideoGame/TreeOfSavior'' can make you feel as if you are ''the'' Revelator (and characters will refer to you as such), it's made clear early on that your character is not the ''only'' Revelator in the story -- every player character is one, including some non-player characters. One NPC in the starting area of the western Šiauliai Woods even [[LeaningOnTheFourthWall comments]] on just ''how many'' people seem to be Revelators.
* In the ''VideoGame/MegaManZX'' series, anyone who has the potential to use a [[SoulJar Bio]][[TransformationTrinket metal]] is referred to as a [[TheChosenOne Chosen One]], and there are multiple such beings on both sides of the conflict. It's also possible to use more than one Biometal, but not just anyone can use one in the first place. [[spoiler:This is because [[BigBad Master Albert]] designed the system so that only those who had his [[TheChooserOfTheOne special blood donation]] ([[LukeIAmYourFather or are his descendants]]) could access the Biometal's power, all in the name of finding someone worthy of accessing the true power of [[ArtifactOfDoom Model W]] and gathering the data to [[GodhoodSeeker become the Mega Man King]]]].
* In ''VideoGame/BlazBlueCentralFiction'', those who are not reduced to goo because of what Izanami did were called "The Entitled". Summoned to fight and decide the course of the world due to one strong wish that they had. [[spoiler:The only exception here is, for some reason, Litchi Faye-Ling. The only reason she was still around was because her pet Panda has an essence of Entitled. Also, deconstructed that while all of them were chosen, they also bear selfish desires about how to change the world, making the world unable to change and forces [[TheHero Ragna the Bloodedge]] to face on these Chosen Many as the world's enemy, just so they stop sticking with their selfish desires and move on.]]
* In ''VideoGame/PokemonMysteryDungeonGatesToInfinity'', [[spoiler:the player character is not the only one who was summoned from the human world to save the Pokémon world, but is the only one left due to all the others being defeated and banished back.]]
* In ''VideoGame/{{Deltarune}}'', soon after Kris and Susie end up in the Dark World, they meet Ralsei, who tells them that they are part of the three legendary heroes, which consist of a Human (Kris), a monster (Susie) and a Prince of the Dark (Ralsei).
* ''{{VideoGame/Destiny}}'''s Guardians, i.e. the player base, all started out as corpses. Each one was resurrected by a [[RobotBuddy Ghost]] who detected a spark or potential in their remains, signifying their worthiness to live again as one of the Traveler's chosen Light-bearers. The first of these Risen ended up as brutal Warlords duking it out for personal gain and lording over post-apocalyptic humanity, but later generations got their act together, wiping out those Warlords who refused to become nicer people and taking on the mantle of Guardians proper.

* ''VideoGame/DarkSouls'': Your character isn't the first Chosen Undead. Heck, there's every chance there are multiple Chosen Undead running around simultaneously, even before you consider Lordran's [[TimeyWimeyBall very tenuous grasp of linear time]]. The title goes to any old human with a darksign who goes chasing after an ancient rumour, and several bosses turn out to be actively filtering or exploiting this endless source of Humanity. The PlayerCharacter only starts to really stand out once they acquire the Lordvessel.
* The same applies to ''Dark Souls''' SpiritualSuccessor ''VideoGame/EldenRing'', in which the player is the latest of many Tarnished to be resurrected by the guidance of grace and commanded to become Elden Lord, repair the shattered Elden Ring, and restore order to the Lands Between. After a certain point, you even gain access to the Roundtable Hold, a gathering place for Tarnished who seek to become Elden Lord. However, when you get there, it turns out most Tarnished don’t really care about any of that, and have actually ''lost'' their chosen status as a result — after ignoring (or actively revolting against) the guidance of grace for long enough, they’ve stopped being able to perceive it and no longer gain its benefits. The only Tarnished who are confirmed to still see Grace are yourself, Sir Gideon Ofnir (who's quite frustrated about his fellows getting distracted from their quest), and Goldmask.
* ''VideoGame/TheLastSovereign'': The Chosen are young men blessed with great power by the goddess Ivala and sent off to slay evil. Unfortunately, [[ExtremeOmnisexual raging libidos]] and [[TooDumbToLive lack of self-preservation]] lead to high mortality rates. One of them, who ultimately [[RefusalOfTheCall renounced his status]], rightfully likens selecting a Chosen to giving incredible power to an impudent child who never got told no.

* ''VideoGame/OctopathTravelerII'': In the [[VideoGame/OctopathTraveler original game]], the eight travelers [[TheUnchosenOne aren’t chosen for anything special in the grand scheme of things]]. They are just eight people pulled in the circumstances and driven by personal motives. [[spoiler:Yet they easily derail the BigBad Lyblac’s master plan to resurrect Galdera]]. Making them feel more like [[SpannerInTheWorks Spanners In The Works]]. But here in the sequel, it’s completely different. It's all but stated that the eight travelers are chosen by the eight gods as the inheritors of their wills, as the altars scattered around representing each deity will only bestow their blessings when that character is in the party. In the final chapter, [[spoiler:each Sacred Flame and the statues of the divinities protecting them resonate with the travelers, and each one willingly takes the fight against Vide himself to reseal the ancient evil like the gods did once before]].

** Ever since ''ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths'' back in the 1980s, it has been DC canon that most of the universe is lifeless, and those star systems that can and do support sapient life tend to be clustered together. The official number of such planets given at that time (in Marv Wolfman's 1986 ''History of the Universe'') is not so large that 7200 Green Lanterns couldn't handle them. Thus far, no one has provided a different number than that given in 1986, nor has the book been removed from official DC canon. Furthermore, it's also held that most sectors have a lot less going on in them than Sector 2814 (Earth's sector), which is considered the "bad neighborhood" of the universe. This is why it was the first sector to be assigned two Green Lanterns before the expansion from 3600 to 7200 members made that a standard arrangement. Not only isn't Green Lantern unique, but the Green Lantern ''Corps'' isn't unique; Sinestro and Star Sapphire have formed parallel Corps (Yellow/Fear and Violet/Love), and there are also the Red, Blue, and Indigo Lanterns for Rage, Hope and Compassion. The exception is the Orange Lantern Corps (of Avarice); it only had one member, ''Larfleeze'', who hogged all the rings for himself. ''Lex Luthor'' became member #2, and as expected they had issues with sharing. [[note]]Technically the Orange Lantern Corps has lots of members...it's just that none of them are alive. Whenever Larfleeze kills someone he steals their soul and turns them into a ring construct. Larfleeze's prolonged contact with the orange light has caused him to become one with it, and he has the power to summon ''thousands'' of Orange Lantern Constructs at a time. One of the later human Green Lanterns, 11-year-old Keli Quintela, became one in unusual circumstances -- while most Green Lanterns were usually chosen by Green Lantern Rings seeking new potential recruits, Keli got her hands on a Green Lantern Power Battery and hacked into it, managing to channel its energy through a gauntlet and becoming an unofficial Green Lantern. Due to her becoming part of ComicBook/YoungJustice's adventures while on her way to Metropolis for an internship at the Hall of Justice, the Green Lantern Corps remained completely unaware of the so-called Teen Lantern until John Stewart encountered her by the end of ''ComicBook/YoungJustice2019''. As of ''ComicBook/DCInfiniteFrontier'', Keli's in the process of becoming an official Green Lantern, with ''ComicBook/DCFutureState'' showing a potential future where she is an actual member.

** Inverted in the ''ComicBook/New52''. The Justice Society has suffered a major legacy implosion, with the all of the children and grandchildren wiped from existence and the original JSA members becoming young again. The divide between ''ComicBook/Earth2 and the main DCU also has brought up a kind of OneSteveLimit, in that ComicBook/TheFlash and ComicBook/GreenLantern are the only superheroes with ongoing stories to have versions in both universes[[note]] Earth 2 also had versions of Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman, but they get killed off in the prologue of the series[[/note]]. Every other superhero is editorially confined to either one continuity or the other. So, for example, ComicBook/TheSpectre, traditionally a JSA character, is now in the main DC universe instead of Earth 2 with the rest of the rebooted Golden Age characters.

* ''ComicBook/TheFlash'': Inverted in ''ComicBook/InfiniteCrisis'', as Bart Allen absorbed the entire [[MetaOrigin Speed Force]] into himself, and became the only ComicBook/TheFlash-style super-speedster. The ensuing series lasted only 13 issues, and ended in favor of a ''Flash'' series by Mark Waid, the guy who pretty much built the previous "Flash Family", focusing on Wally West and his [[SpinOffspring superpowered kids]].

* ''ComicBook/GreenLantern'': The Green Lantern Corps, made up of members from all over the universe and this trope's original TropeNamer. Being an Earth-based Green Lantern is doubly non-impressive, because there are ''seven'' human [=GLs=] already, though they tend to be [[HumansAreSpecial among the best]] in the Corps. However, this has varied over the years, as the Corps has wavered between a pure police/military outfit and a 3600-member super-hero team where everyone just happens to have the same power. Today, it's somewhere in between: All Green Lanterns have the same power and order is strictly enforced, but individual members can have highly distinctive costumes and styles of using said power. For instance, John Stewart has a fairly standard costume but his ring constructs are highly-detailed pieces of engineering, whereas Guy Gardner has a very unusual costume but just blasts things with his ring, and honorary member Alan Scott's costume is ''bright red and purple'' and his ring constructs appear covered in spectral flames[[note]]in the Golden Age, there was no Corps or Guardians, and Scott actually ''was'' unique; this has since been retconned all over the place, but in most reimaginings of the character he's only distantly connected to the Guardians and the Corps at best, and his ring is powered by a different source[[/note]].

* ''ComicBook/XMen'': : Inverted, as after ''ComicBook/HouseOfM'', millions of mutants all over the world were depowered, except for 198, supposedly chosen at random. Very few characters anyone cared about at all lost their powers, and those who did gained them back pretty quickly. The eventual birth of Hope Summers signaled the return of mutants to the wider Franchise/MarvelUniverse.

* Franchise/TheDCU's ComicBook/GreenLantern Corps, made up of members from all over the universe and this trope's original TropeNamer. Being an Earth-based Green Lantern is doubly non-impressive, because there are ''seven'' human [=GLs=] already, though they tend to be [[HumansAreSpecial among the best]] in the Corps. However, this has varied over the years, as the Corps has wavered between a pure police/military outfit and a 3600-member super-hero team where everyone just happens to have the same power. Today, it's somewhere in between: All Green Lanterns have the same power and order is strictly enforced, but individual members can have highly distinctive costumes and styles of using said power. For instance, John Stewart has a fairly standard costume but his ring constructs are highly-detailed pieces of engineering, whereas Guy Gardner has a very unusual costume but just blasts things with his ring, and honorary member Alan Scott's costume is ''bright red and purple'' and his ring constructs appear covered in spectral flames[[note]]in the Golden Age, there was no Corps or Guardians, and Scott actually ''was'' unique; this has since been retconned all over the place, but in most reimaginings of the character he's only distantly connected to the Guardians and the Corps at best, and his ring is powered by a different source[[/note]].

* Another DC example are the ComicBook/{{Blue Beetle}}s; besides the ones on Earth there are plenty of other Blue Beetles in the galaxy belonging to different alien species. The catch is they are agents of the Reach, who use the Beetles to infiltrate world to gather information on them, and conquer them when they are ready.
* Marvel's ''ComicBook/{{Nova}}'' fits this category. The Nova Corps is basically the Marvel counterpart to the Green Lantern Corps, but with helmets that turn its members into {{flying brick}}s instead of imagination-based power rings.
* The Guardians of the Galaxy in the third ''ComicBook/PaperinikNewAdventures'' series.
* ComicBook/CaptainBritain is part of the Captain Britain Corps in the ''ComicBook/{{Excalibur}}'' series, where each different Britain in the Marvel multiverse has one to defend the country. Most of them are different versions of Brian Braddock, but this isn't always the case. Since there's one for almost every reality, not every Captain Britain is Caucasian, male, or even good for that matter. There have been at least two Nazis in the role, since they technically represent the ideals of their Britain. Also Captain Granbretan and Captain Angleterre, who come from Britains that had been conquered by Napoleon. More esoteric Captains Britain have included [[Literature/NineteenEightyFour Captain Airstrip-One]], Britanicus Rex, [[UsefulNotes/TheRomanEmpire Centurion Britannus]], [[ComicBook/CaptainAmerica Captain Colonies]], [[ComicBook/SpiderMan Spider-UK]], and at least two Skrulls. Oh, and Captain UsefulNotes/{{Wales}}.
* ComicBook/GhostRider now fits this trope. Every nation has its own Spirit of Vengeance. [[spoiler: Until they were all killed except for Johnny and Dan, but even then a power such as Zadkiel's can't truly erase a Rider from existence, as was seen in the last issue of ''Heaven's on Fire'' when every Rider in history showed up to take him down.]]
** While [[ComicBook/AllNewGhostRider Robbie Reyes]] resembles the classic Spirits (fiery head, fiery vehicle), he has a somewhat different origin and power-set, being bonded to an actual ghost rather than a Spirit of Vengeance.
* ''ComicBook/{{Superman}}''

* In ''ComicBook/ImmortalIronFist'', Danny Rand discovers not only is K'un Lun not the only capital city of heaven, but each city has its own Immortal Weapon, its own protector and representative like him. Also, he learned that there were lots of other Iron Fists throughout history, including the terminally awesome Wu Ao-Shi, the Pirate Queen of Pinghai Bay. And also when he first met his arch rival, the Steel Serpent, he learned that K'un Lun housed another sacred and ancient power that rivaled the Iron Fist: The Serpent Sting. There are seven main colored Lantern Corps in DC and seven Immortal Weapons, so there's that too.
* The situation with the original Green Lantern is specifically pastiched in ''ComicBook/NineteenSixtyThree'', where Hypernaut, during a time travel adventure, meets with a [[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks Golden Age]] counterpart. While the two compare notes, the Golden Age Hypernaut is dumbfounded at the idea that there is an entire cosmic order of others like him.
* ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'':
** Spider-Man started out as a guy who got powers from a radioactive spider... until it was revealed he was connected to a supernatural force called the Web of Life, which also empowers every other arachnid-themed hero and villain.
** ComicBook/{{Venom}} was originally a super suit that Spidey himself wore to augment his powers. However, it was later revealed to be a sentient alien symbiote... and even later revealed to be just one member of an entire race. It was also capable of self-replicating, and so far several symbiotes have appeared in the comics canon.

* Inverted with the entire ComicBook/JusticeSocietyOfAmerica in ''ComicBook/LastDaysOfTheJusticeSociety'', to get rid of the extra [[ComicBook/TheFlash Flash]], extra ComicBook/GreenLantern, extra Hawkman, etc. They were brought back several years later. And then most of them were killed off in ''Zero Hour'' [[CListFodder just to crank up the drama]], leaving Wildcat, Jay Garrick (the original Flash), Ted Knight (the original ComicBook/{{Starman}}), and Alan Scott (the original Green Lantern).
* ''ComicBook/New52'':
** Inverted. The Justice Society has suffered a major legacy implosion, with the all of the children and grandchildren wiped from existence and the original JSA members becoming young again. The divide between ''ComicBook/Earth2 and the main DCU also has brought up a kind of OneSteveLimit, in that ComicBook/TheFlash and ComicBook/GreenLantern are the only superheroes with ongoing stories to have versions in both universes[[note]] Earth 2 also had versions of Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman, but they get killed off in the prologue of the series[[/note]]. Every other superhero is editorially confined to either one continuity or the other. So, for example, ComicBook/TheSpectre, traditionally a JSA character, is now in the main DC universe instead of Earth 2 with the rest of the rebooted Golden Age characters.
** Inverted. Jaime Reyes is now the first ''ComicBook/BlueBeetle''. He isn't the first user of the Scarab, but the previous user was a ''Mayan astronomer'', meaning both Dan Garrett and Ted Kord were not his predecessors. Ted Kord ''is'' still around running Kord Industries, but he didn't do anything for years until ''DC Rebirth'' set him up as Jaime's mentor.
* ''ComicBook/InfiniteCrisis'': Inverted. Bart Allen absorbed the entire [[MetaOrigin Speed Force]] into himself, and became the only ComicBook/TheFlash-style super-speedster. The ensuing series lasted only 13 issues, and ended in favor of a ''Flash'' series by Mark Waid, the guy who pretty much built the previous "Flash Family", focusing on Wally West and his [[SpinOffspring superpowered kids]].
* ''ComicBook/{{Batman}}'': Inverted following "War Games". Batman's TrueCompanions were imploded piece-by-piece, with the exceptions of marketable stalwarts ComicBook/{{Robin|1993}} and ComicBook/{{Nightwing}}. Orpheus dead, Spoiler dead, long-time confidant Leslie Thompkins implicated in killing the latter "to teach Batman a lesson", current ComicBook/{{Batgirl|2000}} Cassandra Cain realizing a FaceHeelTurn, former Batgirl ComicBook/{{Oracle}} bombed out of her headquarters and sent away from Gotham City along with her ComicBook/BirdsOfPrey team, Onyx inexplicably vanished from the books, Commissioner Gordon (who'd already retired by then) moving out of Gotham, the rest of the GCPD pretty much turning against him... Some of these got [[AuthorsSavingThrow undone]]: Steph [[BackFromTheDead wasn't really dead]], and became the new ComicBook/{{Batgirl|2009}}, Cass turned out to be under mind-control and joined Batman Incorporated as Black Bat, Jim Gordon moved back and was reinstated as commissioner, the GCPD resumed relations with Batman, and Babs returned to the Bat-fold as Batman Inc's computer specialist.
* ''ComicBook/{{Aquaman}}'': Inverted. Similarly to Batman above, Aquaman's supporting cast were killed off one by one to add drama to the book and boost sales.
* Inverted with ''ComicBook/BlackestNight'' and ''ComicBook/BrightestDay''. In the former, the number of non-legacy characters who died and ''stayed'' dead was exactly one, [[ComicBook/{{Aquaman}} Tempest]], with other casualties including [[ComicBook/{{Hawkman}} Hawkgirl II]], [[ComicBook/HawkAndDove Hawk II]], Damage (one of the numerous inheritors of the original [[ComicBook/TheAtom Atom]]'s mantle), Gehenna Hewett (half of ComicBook/{{Firestorm|DCComics}} II), and Doctor Polaris II, the last of these only receiving an offhand mention and never actually being shown. Seeing a pattern here? ''ComicBook/BrightestDay'' killed off yet another Atom legacy and [[ComicBook/MartianManhunter Miss Martian]] was presumed dead for a couple issues, too. The fans didn't take any of this particularly well, and it added more fuel to the EpilepticTrees that the DC suits want UsefulNotes/{{the Silver Age|of Comic Books}} back.
* ''ComicBook/WonderWoman1987'': Inverted. Themyscira was destroyed, leaving Diana as the last Amazon and stranded in the wider world. The next writer brought Themyscira and the Amazons back by revealing they had been shunted into another dimension by Circe where they had to fight for survival and many died before they made their way back.
* ''ComicBook/AntMan'': Inverted with Scott Lang, the second Ant-Man. He was killed off in ''ComicBook/AvengersDisassembled'', but almost as soon as he was resurrected in ''ComicBook/AvengersTheChildrensCrusade'', Marvel killed off Eric O'Grady, Lang's successor. Now Lang stars in ''ComicBook/{{FF}}'' while Hank Pym, the original Ant-Man, operates without a CodeName [[NotWearingTights or costume]].

* ''ComicBook/HouseOfM[=/=]Decimation'': Inverted with the ComicBook/XMen; millions of mutants all over the world were depowered, except for 198, supposedly chosen at random. Very few characters anyone cared about at all lost their powers, and those who did gained them back pretty quickly. The eventual birth of ComicBook/HopeSummers signaled the return of mutants to the wider Franchise/MarvelUniverse.
* ''ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk'': Inverted in ''ComicBook/Hulk2014'', where an intelligent version of the Hulk known as Doc Green ran around the Marvel Universe, depowering all the other gamma-powered characters regardless of alignment, exposure, or popularity. At the end of the storyline, the only remaining gamma mutates were Hulk himself, ComicBook/SheHulk and the super villain The Leader.
* The third ComicBook/{{Robin}}, Tim Drake, was forced out of the role by Damian Wayne, who became the fifth. Tim subsequently became ComicBook/RedRobin, then for a brief period Drake (after the animal) before -- in yet another inversion of the trope -- becoming Robin again after Damian quit.

** In ''VideoGame/TalesOfZestiria'', the party discovers that there are supposed to be multiple Shepherd's at any one time, but they have been reduced to just one for an unknown reason. [[spoiler:When [[TopGod Maotelus]] became corrupted, he could no longer empower Shepherds. Lailah took an [[EquivalentExchange oath]] to be able to do so in his stead, but she is far less powerful and only able to empower one Shepherd at a time.]]

* ''VideoGame/OctopathTravelerII'': In the [[VideoGame/OctopathTraveler original game]], the eight travelers aren’t chosen for anything special in the grand scheme of things. They are just eight people pulled in the circumstances and driven by personal motives. [[spoiler:Yet they easily derail the BigBad Lyblac’s master plan to resurrect Galdera]]. Making them feel more like [[SpannerInTheWorks Spanners In The Works]]. But here in the sequel, it’s completely different. It's all but stated that the eight travelers are chosen by the eight gods as the inheritors of their wills, as the altars scattered around representing each deity will only bestow their blessings when that character is in the party. In the final chapter, [[spoiler:each Sacred Flame and the statues of the divinities protecting them resonate with the travelers, and each one willingly takes the fight against Vide himself to reseal the ancient evil like the gods did once before]].

* ''Manga/DemonSlayerKimetsuNoYaiba'': [[spoiler:Even though Yorichii Tsugikuni is the only one that could deliver a CurbStompBattle to Muzan Kibutsuji, he ultimately couldn't finish him off and dies of old age while the latter is still alive and scheming. However,]] Kagaya Ubuyashiki, the leader of the Demon Slayers in the Taisho era, has unbelievable faith in the current batch, believing the Hashira he has is the finest that's ever built, Tanjiro Kamado is some sort of TheChosenOne who would provide even more hope to the corps, and Tanjiro, Nezuko, Zenitsu, and Inosuke surviving and defeating both the Upper Moon 6 demons being an omen that would inch closer towards Muzan's downfall. [[spoiler:And sure enough, the combined efforts of Tanjiro, Zenitsu, Inosuke, Kanao, Giyu, Mitsuri, Obanai, Gyomei, Sanemi, the more generic Demon Slayers, and even the "Kakushi" are the one who ultimately stall Muzan just enough for the sun to finish him off]].

* ''VideoGame/OctopathTravelerII'': In the [[VideoGame/OctopathTraveler original game]], the eight travelers aren’t chosen for anything special in the grand scheme of things. They are just eight people pulled in the circumstances and driven by personal motives. [[spoiler:Yet they easily derail BigBad Lyblac’s master plan to resurrect Galdera]]. Making them feel more like [[SpannerInTheWorks Spanners In The Works]]. But here in the sequel, it’s completely different. It's all but stated that the eight travelers are chosen by the eight gods as the inheritors of their wills, as the altars scattered around representing each deity will only bestow their blessings when that character is in the party. In the final chapter, [[spoiler:each Sacred Flame and the statues of the divinities protecting them resonate with the travelers, and each one willingly takes the fight against Vide himself to reseal the ancient evil like the gods did once before]].

* ''VideoGame/OctopathTravelerII'': In the [[VideoGame/OctopathTraveler original game]], the eight travelers aren’t chosen for anything special in the grand scheme of things. They are just eight people pulled in the circumstances and driven by personal motives. [[spoiler:Yet they easily derail Lyblac’s plan to resurrect Galdera]]. Making them feel more like [[SpannerInTheWorks Spanners In The Works]]. But here in the sequel, it’s completely different. It's all but stated that the eight travelers are chosen by the eight gods as the inheritors of their wills, as the altars scattered around representing each deity will only bestow their blessings when that character is in the party. In the final chapter, [[spoiler:each Sacred Flame and the statues of the divinities protecting them resonate with the travelers, and each one willingly takes the fight against Vide himself to reseal the ancient evil like the gods did once before]].

* ''VideoGame/OctopathTravelerII'': In the [[VideoGame/OctopathTraveler original game]], the eight travelers aren’t chosen to stop Lyblac’s plan to resurrect Galdera are just eight people pulled in the circumstances and driven by their motives to stopping the mastermind; making them feel more like [[SpannerInTheWorks Spanners In The Works]]. But here in the sequel, it’s completely different. It's all but stated that the eight travelers are chosen by the eight gods as the inheritors of their wills, as the altars scattered around representing each deity will only bestow their blessings when that character is in the party. In the final chapter, [[spoiler:each Sacred Flame and the statues of the divinities protecting them resonate with the travelers, and each one willingly takes the fight against Vide himself to reseal the ancient evil like the gods did once before]].

* ''VideoGame/OctopathTravelerII'': In the VideoGame/OctopathTraveler original game, the eight travelers aren’t chosen to stop Lyblac’s plan to resurrect Galdera are just eight people pulled in the circumstances and driven by their motives to stopping the mastermind; making them feel more like [[SpannerInTheWorks Spanners In The Works]]. But here in the sequel, it’s completely different. It's all but stated that the eight travelers are chosen by the eight gods as the inheritors of their wills, as the altars scattered around representing each deity will only bestow their blessings when that character is in the party. In the final chapter, [[spoiler:each Sacred Flame and the statues of the divinities protecting them resonate with the travelers, and each one willingly takes the fight against Vide himself to reseal the ancient evil like the gods did once before]].

* ''VideoGame/OctopathTravelerII'': In the VideoGame/OctopathTraveler original game, the eight travelers aren’t chosen to stop Lyblac’s plan to resurrect Galdera are just eight people pulled in the circumstances and driven by their motives to stopping the mastermind; making them feel more like [[SpannerInTheWorks spanners in the works]]. But here in the sequel, it’s completely different. It's all but stated that the eight travelers are chosen by the eight gods as the inheritors of their wills, as the altars scattered around representing each deity will only bestow their blessings when that character is in the party. In the final chapter, [[spoiler:each Sacred Flame and the statues of the divinities protecting them resonate with the travelers, and each one willingly takes the fight against Vide himself to reseal the ancient evil like the gods did once before]].

* ''VideoGame/OctopathTravelerII'': In the VideoGame/OctopathTraveler original game, the eight travelers aren’t chosen to stop Lyblac’s plan to resurrect Galdera are just eight people pulled in the circumstances and driven by their motives to stopping the mastermind; making them feel more like SpannerInTheWorks spanners in the works. But here in the sequel, it’s completely different. It's all but stated that the eight travelers are chosen by the eight gods as the inheritors of their wills, as the altars scattered around representing each deity will only bestow their blessings when that character is in the party. In the final chapter, [[spoiler:each Sacred Flame and the statues of the divinities protecting them resonate with the travelers, and each one willingly takes the fight against Vide himself to reseal the ancient evil like the gods did once before]].

* ''VideoGame/OctopathTravelerII'': In the VideoGame/OctopathTraveler original game, the eight travelers aren’t chosen to stop Lyblac’s plan to resurrect Galdera are just eight people pulled in the circumstances and driven by their motives to stopping the mastermind; making them feel more like SpannersInTheWorks. But here in the sequel, it’s completely different. It's all but stated that the eight travelers are chosen by the eight gods as the inheritors of their wills, as the altars scattered around representing each deity will only bestow their blessings when that character is in the party. In the final chapter, [[spoiler:each Sacred Flame and the statues of the divinities protecting them resonate with the travelers, and each one willingly takes the fight against Vide himself to reseal the ancient evil like the gods did once before]].

* ''VideoGame/OctopathTravelerII'': It's all but stated that the eight travelers are chosen by the eight gods as the inheritors of their wills, as the altars scattered around representing each deity will only bestow their blessings when that character is in the party. In the final chapter, [[spoiler:each Sacred Flame and the statues of the divinities protecting them resonate with the travelers, and each one willingly takes the fight against Vide himself to reseal the ancient evil like the gods did once before]].

* ''VideoGame/OctopathTravelerII'': It's all but stated that the eight of them are chosen by the eight gods as the inheritors of their wills, as the altars scattered around representing each deity will only bestow their blessings when that character is in the party. In the final chapter, [[spoiler:each Sacred Flame and the statues of the divinities protecting them resonate with the travelers, and each one willingly takes the fight against Vide himself to reseal the ancient evil like the gods did once before]].

* ''VideoGame/OctopathTravelerII'':
It's all but stated that the eight of them are chosen by the eight gods as the inheritors of their wills, as the altars scattered around representing each deity will only bestow their blessings when that character is in the party. In the final chapter, [[spoiler:each Sacred Flame and the statues of the divinities protecting them resonate with the travelers, and each one willingly takes the fight against Vide himself to reseal the ancient evil like the gods did once before]].