Line #9 Main/TakingUpTheMantle


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4	[[quoteright:350:[[ComicBook/AllNewWolverine https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/laurastrangewolverine.png]]]]
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6	-> ''And it came to pass as they still went on and talked that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind onto heaven. And Elisha saw it, and he cried, "My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof." And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes and rent them in two pieces. And he took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan.''
7	-->-- '''[[Literature/BooksOfKings 2 Kings 2:11-13]]''', ''Literature/TheBible'' (King James Version)
8
9	So you're two-thirds of the way through a book/movie/whatever, when suddenly, TheHero / TheLeader / TheChosenOne, etc. dies, is imprisoned, performs a FaceHeelTurn, or is otherwise unable to act as their important role. [[DarkestHour All seems lost]], a TakeUpMySword hasn't been pulled! What is to be done?
10
11	But wait! A {{Sidekick}}, the LoveInterest, TheRival, a MauveShirt, or even a FriendlyEnemy steps or is forced into this important role, and the work that you are reading focuses on them for the rest of the time it takes to finish the work. Essentially, it's when someone invokes LegacyCharacter.
12
13	TakeUpMySword is different in that it implies that the original had time to say something along the lines of ImDyingPleaseTakeMyMacGuffin to his successor, whereas with Taking Up The Mantle, the character has to take the initiative or be shown that it's what they have to do, but ultimately, they have to make the decision themselves.
14
15	In so far as it applies to sidekicks, it's a relative to YouAreInCommandNow, which applies to more rigid situations where the Big Hat Of Command lands on a person's head whether they want it to or not, based on their level in the hierarchy.
16
17	May or may not be related to and/or overlap with LegacyCharacter, PassingTheTorch, AllUpToYou, YouAreInCommandNow, FieldPromotion, or ItsTheJourneyThatCounts.
18
19	The TropeNamer comes from a line in Literature/TheBible where Elisha literally takes up the mantle of Elijah the prophet.
20
21	Due to the nature of this trope, spoilers are bound to follow.
22
23	----
24	!!Examples:
25
26	[[foldercontrol]]
27
28	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
29	* ''Manga/DeathNote'': When L died, his disciples did their best to take over the job, eventually it was Near who took the codename L after Kira's death.
30	* ''Manga/MoriartyThePatriot'': After ''The Final Problem'', Louis [[spoiler:takes Albert's codename and role as "M" and head of [=MI6=] working under Mycroft after Albert chooses prison for his sins, and takes over command of the Moriarty crew after William's apparent death]].
31	* ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann'': Kamina dies relatively early on, just as Team Daigurren comes together. It's not until after the TimeSkip when the GreaterScopeVillain appears that someone truly takes up his mantle piloting Gurren: former [[TheRival rival]] Viral.
32	[[/folder]]
33
34	[[folder:Comic Books]]
35	* ''ComicBook/TheFlash'': Wally West took up the mantle of the Flash after his mentor Barry Allen died saving the universe in ''ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths''. He is considered to be one of the most successful {{Legacy Character}}s and is the first one among his own generation from Teen Titans to do so.
36	* The page image comes from '' ComicBook/AllNewWolverine'' where [[ComicBook/{{X23}} Laura Kinney]] takes on her father's mantle of ComicBook/{{Wolverine}} after the latter died. She briefly gave up the mantle after Logan returned, but eventually, they both decide to share it.
37	* ''ComicBook/{{Batman}}'':
38	** After Batman's [[NotQuiteDead "death"]] during ''ComicBook/FinalCrisis'', [[ComicBook/{{Nightwing}} Dick Grayson]] is forced to become Batman because Bruce Wayne never appointed a successor, and Gotham City was descending into chaos without Batman's presence to strike genuine terror into the hearts of criminals. Dick was reluctant to become Batman because Bruce left specific instructions ''not'' to don the cowl. But Bruce was a bit shortsighted on the matter, so Dick eventually wound up doing so anyway. Bruce was understanding when he inevitably got back.
39	** ''ComicBook/BattleForTheCowl'' was about ''several'' people trying to become the new Batman. [[ComicBook/{{Nightwing}} Dick Grayson]], [[ComicBook/Robin1993 Tim Drake]],[[note]]who didn't ''want'' the cowl but Dick hadn't stepped up yet[[/note]] [[ComicBook/RedHood Jason Todd]], Two-Face, and Michael Lane, the new ComicBook/{{Azrael}}, all heeded the call to become Gotham City's new Dark Knight. The first two issues of the mini-series mostly focused on [[ComicBook/Robin1993 Tim Drake]], but the final issue mostly focused on [[ComicBook/{{Nightwing}} Dick Grayson]].
40	** In the first arc of ''ComicBook/BatmanInc'', Jiro Osamu steps into the role of his deceased mentor Mr. Unknown to prove himself to Batman. [[spoiler:He succeeds - and is appointed Batman of Japan.]]
41	** [[ComicBook/Robin1993 Tim Drake]], when he was set to become [[LegacyCharacter Robin]], actually had the nerve to don Jason Todd's Robin costume and to go out with Alfred to rescue Batman and ComicBook/{{Nightwing}}. ''And'' he managed to pull it off.
42	** Briefly attempted by ''ComicBook/{{Bane}}'', of all people, when Batman disappears during ''ComicBook/ForeverEvil2013''. Gotham is in chaos, with Arkham's inmates released, and Bane knows this is the perfect time to conquer the city. He runs into a bit of trouble with the Arkham crew though and realizes that to succeed he needs to become something that truly terrifies them- so he makes his own Bat-costume and declares himself the new Batman. Note that he has no real intention of being a hero or living up to Batman's ideals; he just needs the fear. Needless to say, his stint ends [[ShaggyDogStory in the space of a couple pages]] once ''Forever Evil'' is resolved and the real Batman can return to Gotham.
43	** Averted in the pre-Crisis era. On Earth-Two, the Golden Age Batman is killed trying to stop a criminal with mysteriously obtained supernatural power. After the funeral, both Dick Grayson and Helena Wayne both agree that they ''can't'' be Batman and to keep going in their identities as Robin and Huntress.
44	* After ''ComicBook/TheDeathOfSuperman'', four heroes appeared on the radar ready to take Franchise/{{Superman}}'s place; the Cyborg Superman, the Eradicator, and ComicBook/{{Superboy\|1994}} each had an equal stake in the name and his own motives to want to be the Man of Steel. The fourth, ComicBook/{{Steel}}, never claimed to ''be'' Superman but followed his example and tried to protect his legacy.
45	* In ''ComicBook/VForVendetta'', Evey winds up doing this [[spoiler: after V's death]].
46	* ''ComicBook/UltimateSpiderMan'': After Peter Parker is killed by [[NotQuiteDead Norman Osborn]], a tiny [[TwoferTokenMinority black/hispanic]] kid with Spider-powers named Miles Morales decides to pick up the slack and become Spider-Man, partially out of guilt that he didn't help Peter fight off Osborn.
47	* In ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'': Book -1 ''Start of Darkness'' opens with Redcloak being obliged to pick up the Crimson Mantle of the High Priest Of The Dark One, as the only surviving cleric after a Paladin raid on his village.
48	* In the ''ComicBook/DarkwingDuck'' comic series, one storyline features many Darkwings from alternate universes. One of them had taken up Gosalyn's Quiverwing Quack superhero identity after she was killed performing a HeroicSacrifice in his universe, and [[ILetGwenStacyDie there was nothing he could do to save her]]. Interestingly, the comic has him fight Darkwarrior Duck, the BadFuture version of Darkwing from an episode of the TV show, who thought that ''his'' Gosalyn had run away from home, and had a ''[[KnightTemplar very]]'' [[AllCrimesAreEqual different]] reaction to losing her. [[spoiler:Quiverwing [[CurbStompBattle completely wrecks his ass]].]]
49	* ''Franchise/WonderWoman'': When Diana stepped down from her role and stopped communicating with her allies her sister [[ComicBook/WonderGirl Donna]] took up the mantle of Wonder Woman, and was Wonder Woman for the first few issues of ''ComicBook/WonderWoman2006'' before unquestionably handing it back to Diana when Diana quit trying to walk away from being a hero.
50	* ''ComicBook/{{Starman\|DCComics}}'' is a multi-generational example. Starting with Ted Knight, the titular mantle falls to his eldest son David, then to his younger son Jack. After Jack's retirement, both the legacy and the Cosmic Staff (which gave the Starmen their powers) passed to the [[ComicBook/StarsAndSTRIPE Star-Spangled Kid]] - aka Courtney Whitmore - who adopted the name Stargirl out of respect for her predecessors.[[note]]Courtney had already taken the mantle of the original golden age Star-Spangled Kid, Sylvester Pemberton.[[/note]]
51	* ''ComicBook/BlueBeetle'': The Blue Beetle mantle has passed twice. The original, Dan Garrett, was succeeded by his long-time friend Ted Kord, and who in turn was succeeded by Jaime Reyes. All three possessed the Scarab from which the heroic name was derived, but none of them used it in the same way and the only thing they had in common was the mantle of the Beetle and the desire to uphold its noble legacy.
52	[[/folder]]
53
54	[[folder:Fan Works]]
55	* ''Fanfic/TheNightUnfurls'': Kyril [[DiscussedTrope discusses this trope]] with the Doll, pondering on the decision to take up the mantle of First Hunter, once held by his mentor Gehrman, should the conflict in Eostia take a turn for the worst. PlayedStraight in the original version, where he accepts the mantle the moment he resolves to hunt down his enemies and save the people of Eostia from the Black Dogs. Taking a step forward, he starts training multiple [[TheApprentice apprentices]] at once instead of one at a time.
56	* ''Fanfic/TheSpectacularSpiderManLostInGotham'': The catalyst of the fic's plot is Spider-Man being sent through a portal to Gotham, with no way to return. [[spoiler:Shortly after he disappeared, Gwen Stacy was bitten by the same spider that bit Peter Parker, giving her the same powers as him. To protect her father, May Parker, and NYC from the Sinister Six, she created her own Spider costume and began fighting villains. The press named her Ghost Spider, which she tells Peter when they [[BigDamnReunion reunite]] in the dream world.]] Peter gives the new Spider his blessing to carry on his legacy.
57	* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8933408/18/Wizard-Runemaster Wizard Runemaster,]]'' [[TabletopGame/WarcraftTheRoleplayingGame Medivh's ghost]] appears in Karazhan to appoint Literature/HarryPotter as Azeroth's new Guardian.
58	[[/folder]]
59
60	[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
61	* ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManIntoTheSpiderVerse'': One of the movie's main story lines is Miles Morales learning to become his dimension's Spider-Man after his NYC's Peter Parker dies. [[spoiler:By the end, he manages to defeat Kingpin (avenging the first Spider-Man ''and'' Miles' Uncle Aaron), and the people of NYC happily accept him as the new Spider-Man.]]
62	* ''WesternAnimation/TheTransformersTheMovie'' has Hot Rod spending much of the movie trying to find someone to take over for [[spoiler: Optimus Prime]], only to finally take the mantle of leadership of the Autobots himself and save the day.
63	* In ''WesternAnimation/TwiceUponATime'', when Synonamess Botch attacks the region of Din, the Fairy Godmother is stretched so thin that she's run out of heroes. Ralph and Mum, incompetent workers desperate to be known, are hired on the spot to stop Botch. [[spoiler:They succeed.]]
64	%%* In the 2007 ''WesternAnimation/{{TMNT}}'' movie, [[spoiler:[[TheBigGuy Raphael]]]] briefly takes over for [[TheCaptain Leonardo]] just prior to TheClimax.
65	%%* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Megamind}}'', [[spoiler:Megamind himself fills Metro Man's role]].
66	[[/folder]]
67
68	%%[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
69	%%* The ending of ''Film/TheDarkKnightRises'' implies that [[spoiler:Robin John Blake]] is going to become the new Batman.
70	%%* ''Film/{{Deerskin}}'' does this very literally as [[spoiler:Denise takes the deerskin jacket from George when he dies]].
71	%%[[/folder]]
72
73	[[folder:Literature]]
74	* ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'':
75	** ''Literature/SummerKnight'' introduces the concept of supernatural power and identity called a Mantle that takes the form of a package of power that can be passed from person to person, and that starts to shape the identity, will, and personality of the wielder. In the case of the Sidhe mantles there are at least eight, and take the forms of Mother, Queen, Lady, and Knight for the Summer and Winter courts each. The Mother, Queen, and Lady mantles are so powerful that they will [[spoiler:overwrite the original person entirely given enough time]].
76	** The short story ''Aftermath'', taking place just two hours after ''Literature/{{Changes}}'', after [[spoiler: [[OurHeroIsDead with Harry shot and thrown into Lake Michigan]]]], there is no one to protect Chicago from the supernatural baddies until [[spoiler: [[BadassNormal Murphy]] and [[OurWerewolvesAreDifferent the Alphas]] take up the charge [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome "untill Dresden gets back."]]]]
77	* ''Literature/AlanMendelsohnTheBoyFromMars'': At the end of the book, after [[spoiler: Alan Mendohlson leaves to return to "The Bronx"]], Leonard takes over his role at school, challenging the teachers with facts they don't want the students to know and behaving confrontationally to the other jerkish students. Eventually he is able to make the school a better place.
78	* The TropeNamer comes from a line in Literature/TheBible (specifically, the book of 2nd Kings) which states that the prophet Elijah's protégé Elisha literally took up Elijah's mantle after Elijah was taken up into heaven. Elisha was automatically endowed with a significant portion of Elijah's power and assumed his place as the de facto leader of all of the prophets of {{God}} residing in Israel, as well as becoming one of the greatest prophets ever.
79	* In the ''Literature/CodexAlera'' series, Tavi is assigned a minor role in the Legions. When a lightning storm kills all of the commanding officers higher than him in rank, he steps in to command the Legion.
80	* About halfway through ''The Sea Runners'' by Ivan Doig, [[spoiler: Melander]] is killed, forcing [[spoiler: Karlsson]] to take up the role of leader.
81	[[/folder]]
82
83	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
84	* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'': The Scoobies combine their talents and abilities to hunt vampires in Buffy's absence [[spoiler: after her death]]. They don't seem to be very good at it judging from the one occasion we see.
85	* In ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'', Sam and Dean take up their father's hunting responsibilities after their father disappears, and Garth assumes [[spoiler: Bobby's role after his death]].
86	* Thematically, this is what is going on all through ''Series/BabylonFive's'' [[PostScriptSeason fifth season]], with the various leads moving on to other roles in life and PassingTheTorch to supporting characters, to show that even with the main cast being broken up, Babylon 5's mission continues.
87	* In ''Series/XenaWarriorPrincess'', Gabrielle takes up the mantle left by Xena [[spoiler: after her death at the end of the series]].
88	[[/folder]]
89
90	[[folder:Toys]]
91	* This happened once in ''Toys/{{Bionicle}}'', specifically in the third DirectToVideo movie, ''Bionicle 3: Web of Shadows'', when [[FailureKnight Vakama]], the leader of [[TrueCompanions the Toa Metru]], and TheHero of the previous film, performs a FaceHeelTurn about halfway through the movie. [[PluckyComicRelief Matau]] steps into the role of TheHero, and wages a successful IKnowYouAreInThereSomewhereFight with Vakama, after which he becomes co-{{Lancer}} with [[TheHeart Nokama]].
92	[[/folder]]
93
94	[[folder:Video Games]]
95	* In the lore of ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'' there is a theological concept where beings can "Mantle" the essence of or certain aspects of gods. In this world, due to the fact that the gods have a very real and physical impact on the world, it is rather more literal than in most cases. The most notable instances of this are when Tiber Septim, or Talos, took up the Mantle of the dead god Lorkhan, specifically his aspect as the god of man. The other case, arguably, is when his descendent merged with Akatosh to defeat an invasion by Mehrunes Dagon.
96	* In ''VideoGame/Persona3 [[ExpansionPack FES]]'', when [[RobotGirl Aigis]] gains the "Wild Card" ability, she also gains the "field leader" status from the [[spoiler:[[TheHeroDies recently deceased hero.]] And also gains the role as a player character.]] This does cause some resentment from another love interest, Yukari.
97	* In ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'', Liara is trying to find the Shadow Broker, an information dealer who is possibly the most powerful individual in the entire galaxy, who hides on a ship drifting inside a storm on an uninhabitable planet and never shows his face to anyone and communicates with his top agents only through digital voice synthesizers. While trying to free Liara's assistant, who has been captured, the Shadow Broker and all his personal guards are killed in his office. After the fight, dozens of agents call in to inquire about the disrupted connection. [[spoiler:In that moment, Liara realizes what could be lost if no reply is sent, and seizes the opportunity:]]
98	--> '''[[spoiler:Liara]]:''' This is the Shadow Broker, the situation is under control. We experienced a power fluctuation while upgrading hardware. It disrupted communications momentarily. However, we are now back online, resume standard procedures. [[MeaningfulEcho I want a status report on all operations within the next solar day.]] Shadow Broker out.
99	** [[spoiler: And this is not the first time this has happened either, with the Shadow Broker Liara deposes being an alien of a largely unknown pre-spaceflight species that the previous Shadow Broker kept as a "pet" and underestimated until it was too late.]]
100	[[/folder]]
101
102	[[folder:Webcomics]]
103	* ''Webcomic/TheNonAdventuresOfWonderella'': In one strip, Dana has been missing for months, and Titania claims to be too old to resume being Wonderella. Out of desperation for when a giant bug monster asking for Wonderella attacks the city, Titania bestows the mantle onto Rita. Dana returns from an unseen CrisisCrossover as soon as Rita defeats the monster, and things go back to normal.
104	[[/folder]]
105
106	[[folder:Western Animation]]
107	* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'':
108	** Terry [=McGinnis=] becomes the new Batman after Bruce Wayne retires, although Bruce is retired for several decades before Terry happens upon the Batcave. The twist is that Bruce may be out of the field, being an old man with a cane and all, but he becomes Terry's VoiceWithAnInternetConnection.
109	** In ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyondReturnOfTheJoker'', Terry manages to do the one thing Bruce couldn't: force the Joker to lose his composure and get angry. How? By making fun of the Joker, something Bruce would never do. Of course, [[spoiler:this isn't the original Joker, it's a copy created by the original Joker, who implanted a chip into Tim Drake's body before his death that made him look and sound like the Joker, with the chip overtaking Tim's personality. Terry manages to fry the chip, restoring Tim's appearance and personality]].
110	* ''WesternAnimation/JadeArmor'': Lan Jun is the 8th Jade Armor. [[spoiler:Her mother was the 7th.]]
111	* ''WesternAnimation/TronUprising'' begins as the young Program Beck is told by the legendary hero Tron that Beck must be a hero to the programs and fight Clu because Tron was severely injured by Clu and will never fight the same way again.
112	* In ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice2010'', [[spoiler:when Kid Flash dies saving the world in the episode "Endgame", Impulse honors him by taking up his persona]].
113	[[/folder]]

Context Main / TakingUpTheMantle