History Main / ApocalypseMaiden

* Also done with Colossus in Whedon's run on ''Astonishing X-Men: the [[MadOracle Augurs]]'' of a [[PlanetofHats Planet Of]] {{Blood Knight}}s called Breakworld predict he will destroy the planet, so they try to kill him in various ways, starting at developing a mutant "cure" and ending in blowing Earth to vapor. Fortunately, though an organization of WellIntentionedExtremist SpacePolice are not exactly on Colossus' side, the whole "kill Earth to kill mutants" thing has them pretty pissed off - they're not interested in killing Colossus, because if they can't make the bad guys quit trying to kill Earth, they can have Colossus kill them all. Pragmatism at its best/worst.

* Miriam Natias in the Music/KingDiamond {{concept album}} ''Music/{{Abigail}}''. Her soul is possessed by the titular [[FetusTerrible demon fetus]], and TheHero is told to kill her to prevent its resurrection.

* "Anime/MobileFighterGGundam": [[MadScientistsBeautifulDaughter Rain Mikamura]], the LoveInterest of [[TheHero Domon Kasshu]], is used as the Core Life Unit for [[MechanicalAbomination the Devil]] [[BigBad Gundam]], where it uses it cells to [[TakenForGranite turn her into silver]] and feeds off of her guilt and sorrow of [[SinsOfOurFathers her father's cruel actions]] being creating the Devil Gundam and slaughtering Domon's family in the process to empower itself to further it's plans of slaughtering all of humanity so that the Earth could return to the way it was.

** ''Anime/DigimonUniverseAppMonsters'' has a male example played at its straightest, Yuujin Oozora, or YJ-14, for being both TheHero's [[HoYay most treasured friend]], and the BigBad's creation that is made to serve his goal, resetting and controlling the world by turning all humanity into data. Not that he's willing to do those, of course. As a programmed android, he just can't resist his creator's wish that wants to gain control of him back, after long enough letting the main character has him as a friend. While he does complete his job as Apocalypse Maiden, TheHero still wants to bring him back and restore the world. TheHero's determination interests the BigBad, and which then gives him a chance, by going through SadisticChoice.

* ''Manga/FairyTail'' gives us Mavis Vermillion, seemingly the series' BigGood, in a huge plot twist revealed in the final arc of the series. At first it seems she's a CuteGhostGirl, being the deceased founder of Fairy Tail who was so powerful that she somehow transcended ''death itself''. It later turns out that as a result of an extremely dangerous spell she learned from the series' BigBad, Zeref, Mavis got slapped with the [[FateWorseThanDeath Curse of Contradictions]], which damns the condemned to an [[CompleteImmortality immortal]] life of loneliness via an InstantDeathRadius that kills anyone they ever come to care about. It wasn't until ''after'' she fell in love with Zeref, wanting to give EternalLove a shot to give them both a chance at happiness in their incredibly lonely and miserable existences that Mavis seemingly dies (except [[OnlyMostlyDead not really]]), and Fairy Tail's Second Master, Precht, discovers that deep inside of Mavis lies [[MacGuffin Fairy Heart]], a.k.a. Lumen Histoire, a potential source of infinite magic (and [[GoMadFromTheRevelation loses his mind]] as a result). Which Zeref then wishes to use to power a universal ResetButton to RetGone the current universe and stop himself (and by extension, Mavis as well) from ever getting cursed in the first place. Oops.

*** To clarify: Carmilla is supposed to be destined to create an army of {{Eldritch Abomination}}s from her womb, who will take over the world. Tennyo, meanwhile, just has DBZ level powers (though these are just a tiny fraction of the power of the being she's tapping into, which was meant to destroy the multiverse if the Elder Gods could not be stopped). In a nice example, Tennyo is PERFECTLY okay with her friends having about 26 plans to kill her if necessary. As she trusts them to only use it IF necessary.

** ''Anime/DigimonAdventureTri'': Libra is an entity that has the power to destroy both worlds and she carries fragments of Apocalymon's data in her. Libra is the codename Homoestasis gave to Meicoomon, and it is shown throughout the movie that she is the cause of the infections and distortions. Meicoomon doesn't evolve like other Digimon, but ''mutates'' into stronger and more dangerous forms to increase her power. The highest point of her mutation happens when she fuses with Ofanimon: Falldown Mode, Raguelmon (Meicoomon's Ultimate/[[DubNameChange Mega]] level) takes a completely new form, the true ApocalypseMaiden: Ordinemon.

** ''Anime/DigimonUniverseAppMonsters'' has a male example played at its straightest, Yuujin Oozora, or YJ-14, for being both TheHero's [[HoYay most treasured friend]], and the BigBad's creation that is made to serve his goal, resetting and controlling the world by turning all humanity into data. Not that he's willing to do those, of course. As a programmed android, he just can't resist his creator's wish that wants to gain control of him back, after long enough letting the main character has him as a friend. While he does complete his job as ApocalypseMaiden, TheHero still wants to bring him back and restore the world. TheHero's determination interests the BigBad, and which then gives him a chance, by going through SadisticChoice.

* ''Anime/FenaPiratePrincess'': The Maidens of Choosing must choose whether the world will end or continue each generation. [[spoiler:The titular character is revealed to be the current Maiden and ultimately chooses to let the world continue]].

* ''Manga/TheLuciferAndBiscuitHammer'': Played with. The ApocalypseMaiden ''wants'' to cause the EndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt, and the [[AntiHero protagonist]] is helping her to accomplish that goal. At least, that was his cover for almost the entire series. He had been plotting to ''stop'' her since Day 1.

** Robin is also a potential ApocalypseMaiden, as she could allow the recreation of an ancient WeaponOfMassDestruction because she's the only one who can read Poneglyphs it may be written on. It's part of the reason the World Government considers her very existence a crime. [[{{Hypocrite}} Even though they're trying to make that same weapon themselves.]]
* ''Anime/PacificRimTheBlack'': As revealed in Season 2, [[spoiler: [[HalfHumanHybrid the Boy]] was created to be a Kaiju Messiah who would lead the Kaiju in finishing the destruction of Earth, but somehow slipped away from [[ApocalypseCult the Sisters']] possession and ended up in a PPDC lab, where Taylor and Hayley found him. Ultimately, his love for them causes him to reject the Sisters' control, personally killing the High Priestess.]]
* ''Manga/PandoraHearts'': The Children of Misfortune all turn out to be tragic subversions. The Jury, beings who have done their best to pre-plan every event in every world to create the best 'stories,' created the Baskervilles to act as their enforcers against [[YouCantFightFate any possible]] [[SpannerInTheWorks. Since the Children of Misfortune were abnormal and unpredictable beings born at the whim of [[SentientCosmicForce the Core]] and naturally ImmuneToFate, they were the main targets. Due to situations suspicious in hindsight, these Children were often born as close family members of the Baskervilles, but this did not save them from being [[HumanSacrifice ritualistically executed]] in [[SarcasmMode celebration]] every time a Baskerville heir came of age. To be fair, the Baskervilles had been raised on the belief that the Children of Misfortune were too dangerous to be allowed to live for ''centuries'', and the Jury fed into the Baskervilles' own self-importance by glorifying their job as critical to the survival of the world. To be unfair, killing one of these Children caused a series of events that nearly ended the world for real.

* ''Roleplay/RecordOfLodossWar'': It is revealed that Little Neese, the girl that spends most of the first part of the show sleeping in the arms of several of the older characters, or as an [[ShrinkingViolet extremely shy]] [[MysticalWaif teenage priestess]] in the second, is one of the three key objects for a ritual that will destroy the entire continent. As there's no place where she would be safe from being kidnapped by the evil sorcerer ''and'' she has known her condition as an ApocalypseMaiden ever since she was young, she rather takes her chance and tries [[StormingTheCastle to take him down before he finds her]].

* ''Anime/SonicX'': Cosmo turns out to have been implanted with an audio and visual tracking device allowing the BigBad to see every single move she makes, thus leading them right to the good guys the whole time, basically dooming their every effort. Understandably, [[TheWoobie Cosmo angsts about this considerably]]. [[WellIntentionedExtremist Shadow]] just outright wants to kill her and even just removing the transmitter would blind and deafen her permanently, and everyone else rallies to her side deciding to [[TakeAThirdOption defeat the Big Bad]] even ''with'' the transmitter. She still dies, but in an HeroicSacrifice.

** Cruelly played with in the ending where after [[StormTheCastle overcoming impossible odds and saving the entire galaxy]] from the Anti Spirals Nia fades away on her and Simon's wedding day - as a virtual lifeform created by the Anti Spirals, [[NoOntologicalInertia she can't exist without them]]. The poor girl survived until said wedding day ''[[PluckyGirl only out of sheer willpower]]''. Then again...

* ''Anime/YuGiOhArcV'': Yuya, Yugo and Yuto cross this trope with AntiAntichrist. These characters were ''supposed'' to become violent, dangerous duelists who wanted only destruction, but all turned out to be decent people. Thus, the person who set them up as AntiChrist in the first place has begun forcing them to carry out his apocalypse plan [[SuperpoweredEvilSide via possession]]. The fourth counterpart, Yuri, is a straight AntiChrist, and if he manages to [[YourSoulIsMine absorb the other three]] [[GodhoodSeeker he'll become a god]] [[ApocalypseHow and destroy the multiverse]]. As long as these characters exist, it's only a matter of time before the apocalypse gets kicked off.

* ComicBook/{{Raven}} from ''ComicBook/TeenTitans'' is the daughter of the demon Trigon. She was conceived specifically to destroy the world.
* ''[[ComicBook/XMen Uncanny X-Men]] #137'', "The Fate of the Phoenix". The Phoenix Force, pretending to be ComicBook/JeanGrey, was so powerful she could no longer control it, and became the Dark Phoenix, risking the destruction of the universe. She eventually made a HeroicSacrifice to end the threat. It gets retconned back and forth all the time whether it was actually Jean or the Phoenix Force pretending to be Jean who did this, but it fits the trope either way.
** In at least one ''ComicBook/WhatIf'' issue, the HeroicSacrifice doesn't happen and Dark Phoenix ''does'' [[ApocalypseHow destroy the universe]].

* ComicBook/{{Gambit}} of Earth-616 was also fated to destroy the world by losing control of his Omega-level mutant powers and cannibalizing the energy of the whole planet, and in many universes he already had. In fact, everything that happened in his life before X-Men was the result of an alternate universe version of him manipulating him into going back in time and arraging things so that the events surrounding his prophecy would come about sooner. Everything from the Thieves Guild's allegiance to the immortal Candra, to Mr. Sinster's shapeshifting powers, to his own father adopting him were because another version of himself (powerful enough to single-handedly destroy the Phoenix) had already become a PlanetEater and was trying to stop it from happening in other universes.

* ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk can turn into this as of Comicbook/WorldWarHulk, where it's revealed that if gets angry enough, his strength becomes too much for him to control and will devastate entire countries simply through his footsteps and his voice destroys entire cities.
** ''ComicBook/ImmortalHulk'' expands the mythos by revealing that gamma radiation is backed by the omnicidal antithesis to the all-loving One Above All. Its ultimate goal is to possess gamma mutates like the Hulk, hijack the multiversal reincarnation cycle, and extinguish all light and life forever.

* ''Fanfic/HarryPotterAndTheMethodsOfRationality'': [[spoiler:It's eventually revealed that Dumbledore has been monitoring the Hall of Prophecy and routinely eliminating people who are prophesied to destroy the world. However, that merely delayed what seemed to be a persistent problem, and in Harry's case, the prophecy only specified that he would end the world, not the people in it, so Dumbledore decided to let him live and bring about sweeping changes that would be the ''figurative'' end of the world.]]

* ''Fanfic/ShadowsOverHell'': [[spoiler:Octavia becomes one for Mother, due to the unique circumstances of her birth; being the daughter of a pair of great demons, apowerful, magical Prince and a cunning, fearless princess, born under just the right convergence of stars and a flash of dying galaxies. All of these impressive, almost impossible criteria, was what drew Mother's attention to her, and caused the Eldritch Horror to abduct her, wanting to turn the poor princess into her a Key to the Empty Night, which would open her dimension, allowing her and all of the inhabitants of the Void to finally escape and consume the whole universe.]]

* This is the entire plot of the movie ''Film/EndOfDays''.

* The Antichrist (who later becomes an AntiAntichrist) Adam Young in ''Literature/GoodOmens''.

* ''Franchise/KamenRider''

* In ''Series/{{Smallville}}'', Chloe Sullivan becomes this when she is possessed by ComicBook/{{Brainiac}}. She hacks every computer and hypnotizes half the world, intending to download all information before making Doomsday destroy what is left. The Legion arrives and prepares to kill her as they think it is the only way to get rid of Brainiac for good, but [[TheCape Clark]] convinces then to figure out a way [[ThouShaltNotKill without killing her]].

* ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'': Edith Keeler from the episode "The City on the Edge of Forever" is a particularly [[TearJerker heartbreaking example]]. An [[ActualPacifist peace activist]] during the Great Depression, her peace movement eventually [[GoneHorriblyRight gains enough clout]] to delay the US's entry into World War II, [[NiceJobBreakingItHero knocking history off course]] and preventing TheFederation from existing. So Kirk (who's [[LadykillerInLove completely fallen for her]]) has to has to make sure she dies in the traffic accident the way she was supposed to.
* ''Series/StarTrekPicard'': [[RidiculouslyHumanRobot Soji Asha]] is prophesied to summon {{Mechanical Abomination}}s to cleanse the galaxy of organic life in an apocalyptic RobotWar. Thanks to a TraumaCongaLine she very nearly does, before [[TeamDad Picard]] talks her out of it using ThePowerOfTrust.

* ''Series/WandaVision'': If Agatha Harkness is to be believed, Wanda Maximoff, as the Scarlet Witch, is destined to end the world. Agatha supports her claim by stating that there's an entire whole chapter in the [[TomeOfEldritchLore Darkhold]] dedicated to the Scarlet Witch and predicting her role in the apocalypse.

* ''VideoGame/ANNOMutationem'': Ann, the protagonist, doesn't harbor any power that endangers the world, she instead possesses a connection with an eldritch being called [[EldritchAbomination Amok]], who according to the [[MysteriousStranger Masked Woman]], is capable of destroying the world if released. [[spoiler:In the [[EarnYourHappyEnding Good Ending]], Ann manages to sever the connection, ensuring that Amok can never emerge again. In the [[NonStandardGameOver Bad Ending]], Amok uses Ann's MomentOfWeakness to fully take over her body, and proceeds to turn the entire world into a desolate HellOnEarth]].

* ''VideoGame/FosteringApocalypse'': Barrett is a demon child known as the [[PlanetEater World Eater]] summoned by an ApocalypseCult to cause TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt but has the heart of a nice and innocent CheerfulChild. The hippies you find midway are the "nip it in the bud" antagonists and the villains want her to fullfil her destiny. Del is the main character who protects her.
* Shana from ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfDragoon'', along with all the moon children that Rose continued to kill every time one was born. The prophecy didn't come to pass because [[BigBad Melbu Frahma]] [[NiceJobFixingItVillain made himself the next moon child]], effectively saving Shana from her role in destroying the world and giving the rest of the party [[DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu a target they could beat down]] [[DebateAndSwitch without feeling bad about it]].
* Princess Elise in ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog2006'', because Iblis, the immortal fire monster, is sealed inside her and will be released to destroy the world if she cries.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Loom}}'', the Elders try to stop the player character from destroying the world. They fail. NiceJobBreakingItHero.
* In ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaDawnOfSorrow'', the main villain Celia Fortner seeks to revive Dracula. Oddly, this is a twisted example. Celia's cult, unlike Graham's from ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaAriaOfSorrow'', worships ''God'', and they fear for the Light [[BalanceOfGoodAndEvil if there is no Darkness]]. Hence, they wish for a new Dark Lord only to cover their own asses.

* ''VideoGame/TalesOf''
** ''VideoGame/TalesOfSymphonia'' plays with this. To Sylvarant, Colette is the [[TheMessiah Messianic]] BarrierMaiden. But to Tethe'alla she is this trope. Finding that out is what makes the main party decide to ScrewDestiny and TakeAThirdOption. Helps that the BigBad is behind the whole corrupt system, giving them a target to beat up.
** The reason why Richter's after Marta in ''VideoGame/TalesOfSymphoniaDawnOfTheNewWorld''. He should have been more concerned with Emil.
** The [[BecauseDestinySaysSo Score]] in ''VideoGame/TalesOfTheAbyss'' has Luke fon Fabre ultimately be this. The prophesied destruction of Akzeriuth is supposed to kick off a series of events that results in TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt. The plot kicked off because Van decided to make the world end on ''his'' terms and thus created the replica of the original Luke fon Fabre to take the original's place. This instead ends up kicking off events that result in ''preventing'' the end of the world and the choice to ScrewDestiny by the main party.
** Estelle in ''VideoGame/TalesOfVesperia''. As a Child of the Full Moon she naturally disrupts the [[{{Mana}} Aer flow]] of the planet, making her very existence a huge contributor to the decay of both the world and the seal on an ancient EldritchAbomination.
** Shirley from ''VideoGame/TalesOfLegendia''. [[NiceJobBreakingItHero Great job taking away all her reasons for ''NOT'' wanting to destroy humanity, Senel]].

* ''VideoGame/PaperMario'':
** In ''VideoGame/SuperPaperMario'', it's Luigi, who is also one of the [[TheChosenOne Heroes of Light]]. This particular example has the power to save the universe...but also to destroy it.
** ''VideoGame/PaperMarioTheThousandYearDoor'' has Princess Peach as the apocalypse maiden when she's unwillingly made a vessel for the Shadow Queen.
* In ''VideoGame/DawnOfMana'', UnluckyChildhoodFriend Ritzia accidentally becomes this because she gets [[GrandTheftMe possessed]] by SealedEvilInACan.
* ''Franchise/SilentHill''

* In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII'', generally anyone who has been branded a "Pulse l'Cie" will be given a Focus to become an Apocalypse Maiden (Ragnarok). Once branded they either have the choice of carrying out their Focus (destroy the world) or becoming a mindless monster if they refuse.
* A few examples from ''Franchise/FireEmblem'':
** Tiki from ''VideoGame/FireEmblemShadowDragonAndTheBladeOfLight'' is an immensely powerful Manakete put into an enchanted sleep, for fear that she'll destroy the world by mistake. For a time, she's BrainwashedAndCrazy to work for the Dark Dragon.
** In ''VideoGame/FireEmblemGenealogyOfTheHolyWar'' we have Deirdre in the first generation, Julia and Julius in the second. They're Deirdre's children by Arvis. Deirdre had been forbidden to meet any men for fear it would cause a catastrophe. This is because she carries the blood of the dark god Loptyr, and if any child with major Loptyr blood is born they could serve as a vessel for his return--which is exactly what happens to Julius. Good thing that Julia was born with the Holy Blood needed to ''counteract'' that too.
*** Happens again in ''VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening''. But '''not''' to Tiki, actually! Turns out your player-created Avatar, whether a boy or a girl, is in fact of pure enough Grima blood to serve as a vessel for his return. Worked in the BadFuture timeline, but averting it in the present one is one of the drives of the story. Not to mention you can recruit [[SheIsAllGrownUp a teenager/adult]] [[OlderAndWiser Tiki]] as one of the TrueCompanions willing to help you fight against Grima (and if your avatar's a dude, ''[[DidYouJustRomanceCthulhu he can romance and marry her too]]'').
** In ''VideoGame/FireEmblemTheSacredStones'', Prince Lyon of Grado gets possessed by the Demon King after he [[SealedEvilInACan breaks a Sacred Stone]] to get at its immense magical power. The Demon King is about as nice as his title would suggest and starts trying to fully escape so he can wipe out the continent, using the unfortunate victim as a vessel.
* Most of the ''Franchise/ShinMegamiTensei'' games have at least one Apocalypse Maiden, usually referred to explicitly as "The Maiden". Yuko Takao of ''[[VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiIIINocturne Nocturne]]'' is the most obvious; without her, [[WorldOfSilence Hikawa]] would not have been able to [[EndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt create the Conception]] that kick-starts the plot.
** Played in a slightly different way in ''VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiStrangeJourney''. The apocalypse is already underway; Zelenin's role is instead to redirect it, so that instead of the world being overrun by demons, it's an angel-regulated WorldOfSilence.
* In the ''Franchise/BaldursGate'' series, it first appears that the PlayerCharacter him-/herself, along with all the other Bhaalspawn, is prophesied and destined to bring about not quite TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt but hell of a lot of slaughter and chaos simply by existing. Eventually, it turns out that the prophecy in question actually tells about what will happen if the protagonist should fail, making them TheChosenOne instead.
** It's a little more complicated than that. The Bhaalspawn exist to bring back Bhaal (he sired them in response to a prophecy of his own death, which has since come true), and the current prophecy deals with the doom involved in any of the Spawn resurrecting or replacing their father. The protagonist is trying to avert this end...[[YouCantFightFate which is also discussed in the prophecy]], making them both the possible agent of the apocalypse and the potential means to avert it.
*** A moot point in [=DnDNext=]. It takes a hundred years, but Baal is FINALLY back, albeit weakened.
* In ''VideoGame/LunarTheSilverStar'', Luna, a.k.a. The Goddess Althena nearly destroys the world after being brainwashed by the Magic Emperor.
** In ''VideoGame/LunarEternalBlue'', this same role falls to Lucia, a counterpart of Althena in some intentionally vague way, whose job it is to destroy Lunar to prevent [[GodOfEvil Zophar]]'s rise to power. She chooses not to. However, this allows Zophar to capture her and take her power, becoming more dangerous than ever.
* Furiae in ''VideoGame/{{Drakengard}}''. Her body is one of the few seals that prevent the end of the world- Thus it's her brother Caim's job to protect her. So when she [[FailureIsTheOnlyOption inevitably]] dies..
** Pops up again in the game's sequel and prequel. ''VideoGame/{{Drakengard 2}}'' has Manah, [[TheAtoner repentant]] BigBad of the first game by way of DemonicPossession...which unfortunately was never fully dealt with, meaning the Watchers are able to subconsciously manipulate her into becoming their vessel again. ''VideoGame/{{Drakengard 3}}'' has Zero and all of her Intoner 'sisters', though of the latter, only One knows about this. The flower growing in Zero's eye is part of an EldritchAbomination, which granted the Intoners reality-breaking magic that will eventually drive them insane and turn them into monsters. Unsurprisingly, given [[BittersweetEnding the general tone]] of these games, there's no real way to avoid it -- Zero killing them only channels their powers back into her body. After that, it falls to her dragon buddy Mikahil to kill her and the Flower for good.

* In ''[[VideoGame/FirstEncounterAssaultRecon FEAR]]'', Armacham's researchers, particularly Harlan Wade, came to the conclusion that Alma Wade was perfectly capable of destroying the world with her PsychicPowers. This was one of the reasons why they [[SealedEvilInACan sealed her away in the Vault]] at the age of eight. However, this only delayed the inevitable, and the efforts of Project Origin to make supersoldiers by raising them in Alma's womb]] [[UnstoppableRage only]] [[MamaBear made]] [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge things worse]].
* Franchise/MegaMan
** Zero from the ''VideoGame/MegaManX'' series, of the TyphoidMary type. He's the greatest creation of GreaterScopeVillain Albert Wily, and the original carrier of TheVirus. The BigBad's goal in ''VideoGame/MegaManX5'' is to "awaken" Zero's SuperpoweredEvilSide by forcibly merging him with a new strain of the Virus.
** The Dark Elf of the ''VideoGame/MegaManZero'' series. Originally created to become the cure to the aforementioned [[TheVirus Maverick Virus]], she was later corrupted into servitude under a monster, who uses her as a way of committing genocide on the planet.
** Iris from ''VideoGame/MegaManBattleNetwork6CybeastGregarAndCybeastFalzar'' is a computer program in [=NetNavi=] form that can control even the eponymous {{Eldritch Abomination}}s, allowing Wily to control them and sic them on [=NetSociety=].
* [[EmotionlessGirl Nu]]-[[YouAreNumberSix 13]] in ''VideoGame/BlazBlue'' acts as a literal ApocalypseMaiden, with Hakumen's "[[KnightTemplar the ends justify the means]]" attempts to hunt her down and kill her acting as the "bud nipping" part of the description. The other half of the equation is the protagonist-as-hapless-pawn in the header: Ragna is unwittingly playing into [[ForTheEvulz Terumi's]] hands, with Jin hunting ''him'' down in an instinctive attempt to stop the worst. Tragically, [[GroundhogDayLoop 99% of the time, Terumi wins]].
** ''Ragna himself'' is apparently destined to be the "Destroyer of the World" who wields a power that even Terumi couldn't control if it was unleashed.
* Elizabeth in ''VideoGame/BioshockInfinite'' was to be made into this in one of many timelines by Comstock through brutal emotional and physical torture. Comstock planned to make Elizabeth his heir so that she may reenact his version of the Final Judgment and rain (literal) fire upon the "Sodom below", which we see is New York City, at the very least. However, the Elizabeth who does accomplish this [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone recognizes that she's brought about mass destruction to an uncountable number of people by doing this]] brings Booker to her timeline to give him the notes to control Songbird, so he may go back and prevent from happening in his main timeline.
** Booker [=DeWitt=] is also one of these, since it's revealed at the end of the game that he is both Booker and Comstock, the only difference being that in the timelines where he didn't accept the baptism he stayed Booker, and in the ones he did he became Comstock through religious fanaticism. Before realizing this, Booker says that the only way to stop Comstock from creating Columbia in the first place is to smother him in his crib. Elizabeth and many other timelines' versions of her bring Booker to the baptismal lake, at the moment when he may or may not decide to go through with it, and drowns him to eliminate at least some timelines' Comstocks from being created.
* In ''VideoGame/SandsOfDestruction'', Kyrie can't control his powers; when that [[HearingVoices pesky voice starts talking]], his body acts of its own accord and obliterates everything around him. It's later revealed this is because he was born specifically to bring about the end of the world, as [[TheMaker the Creator]] feels it's too broken to allow to continue. [[AntiAntichrist He's not happy about this, and desperately searches for a way to]] ScrewDestiny. When he decides he's too much of a danger to continue living, he asks Naja to kill him. Unfortunately, ''that'' doesn't work, either, as the Destruct has backup methods of resurrection.
* There's hints throughout ''VideoGame/YuGiOhBAM'' that ''you'' are this. You have amnesia, every villain wants to capture and recruit you, and your BAM skills quickly become the stuff of legends.
* In ''VideoGame/DiabloIII'' Leah is unknowingly the final piece in Diablo's XanatosGambit to become the Prime Evil. Possessing her body by means of the Black Soulstone used by Adria, Diablo was successfully resurrected and nearly destroyed the High Heavens.
* In ''VideoGame/StarcraftII'', this is the initial interpretation of the Xel'Naga prophecy about Kerrigan, and she indeed believes that the future (including hers) is doomed, to the point that "the galaxy will burn with their passage". And is straightly the intended scope planned by Amon and his right-hand Narud: to make the former resurrect into this universe from the Void and lead the Hybrids to galactic domination, the energy of a powerful psionic entity such as Kerrigan must be harvested, which eventually happens at the end of ''Wings of Liberty''. However, Zeratul states that the prophecy is still unclear and there is always hope, so he manages to convince Raynor to save Kerrigan after being de-infested. This will prove to be averting the trope in the final chapters, when Kerrigan, after mutating again thanks to the Primal Zerg mutagens (which are free of the evil influence of Amon), in the end ascends to Xel'Naga and destroys Amon.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Exmortis}}'', the AmnesiacHero of the first game turns out to be the Hand of Repose, empowered by HumanSacrifice to link the SpiritWorld to the Earth and unleash [[SealedArmyInACan the Army of Exmortis]]. AfterTheEnd, the protagonist of the sequel game journeys into the Spirit World to kill him, which severs the link -- though it's a bit late for humanity by that point.
* In ''VideoGame/HonkaiImpact3rd'', the "Herrschers" (a.k.a. "Lawmakers" or "Rulers") are humans who are "chosen" by the [[GaiasVengeance Honkai]] to become their "agent" of spreading Honkai's influence. They naturally use vast amounts of Honkai energy and each has an unique ability, such as the 3rd Herrscher that wields [[ShockAndAwe lightning]] or the 4th Herrscher who [[BlowYouAway commands the winds]]. They can also [[TheBeastmaster command Honkai Beasts]], and people who don't have Honkai resistance will turn into mindless zombies just by being near a Herrscher's presence. [[TheHero Kiana]] is revealed to possess the core of the [[PowerOfTheVoid 2nd Herrscher]], which ends up taking her over during the course of [[WhamEpisode Chapters 6 through 8]].
* Critical to the story of ''VideoGame/BravelySecond'' is the fate of StarCrossedLovers Altair and Vega. Two HappilyMarried scientists hailing from the Celestial Realm, an unfortunate accident suddenly strands Altair in Luxendarc, and believing she was abandoned, Vega fell into the DespairEventHorizon, which attracted the "false god" Providence. Luxendarc is then besieged by [[EldritchAbomination Ba'als]], created by Providence from the memories Vega had of her life with Altair. The heroes decide that, to put an end to the Ba'al invasion, they need to defeat Providence, save Vega and reunite her with Altair (currently SharingABody with [[VideoGame/BravelyDefault Tiz Arrior]]).
[[/folder]]

* ''Literature/TheQuintessentialMarySue'' fully [[CosmicHorrorReveal shifts to]] being a CosmicHorrorStory with the reveal that [[spoiler:the Seer of the Planet of the Gem had misinterpreted the prophecy of Mary-Sue's birth. Instead of it being the only way to save the Universe from destruction, it was a hypothetical possibility never intended to be actualized, in which Mary-Sue destroys everything worthwhile in the Universe and makes the remainder serve her exclusively. Forever.]] [[TheBadGuyWins By ensuring Mary-Sue's birth, he causes the prophecy to indeed come to pass.]] There was no chance of any other outcome.

* ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'': In "Dipper and Mabel Vs. The Future", during a moment of emotional instability, Mabel Pines makes a [[BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor sympathetic but incredibly destructive and selfish wish]] and ends up turning the world into HellOnEarth.
* Raven in ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans''. A prophecy made at her birth pretty much guarantees that she will act as a portal to bring her demon father Trigon to Earth so he can take over the dimension, starting by bringing about the end of the world on Earth. Raven, believing there is no hope, complies, but saves her friends, who work on defeating Trigon after the world ends, shockingly enough with the help of Slade. In the end, Raven decides her father has no power over her after all, and proceeds to beat the tar out of him.

* In ''VisualNovel/SlayThePrincess'', the Narrator certainly insists that the Princess is this, and implies that she'll end the world regardless of whether or not she intends to or even knows how. But the Narrator refuses to elaborate as to how this will happen, how he knows this, or provide any proof that she even can end the world. [[spoiler:The truth is that she is a fragment of a [[GodOfChaos the Shifting Mound, a personification of change in all forms.]] The Narrator fears the death that she will inevetiably bring, even as she brings new life.]]

* In ''VisualNovel/SlayThePrincess'', the Narrator certainly insists that the Princess is this, and implies that she'll end the world regardless of whether or not she intends to or even knows how. But the Narrator refuses to elaborate as to how this will happen, how he knows this, or provide any proof that she even can end the world. [[spoiler:The Spectre route brings up the possibility that she may instead be a BarrierMaiden, as you can note that the world outside the cabin seemed to vanish after you killed her.]]

** In ''VideoGame/SuperPaperMario'', it's Luigi. No, really. The curious thing is, Luigi is also one of the [[TheChosenOne Heroes of Light]]. This particular example has the power to save the universe...but also to destroy it.
** ''VideoGame/PaperMarioTheThousandYearDoor'' has the far more likely Princess Peach as the apocalypse maiden. This makes TheReveal in ''Super Paper Mario'' all the more shocking since Peach is actually in the game, and even helps out the heroes.

* In ''ComicBook/TheSandman1989'', Rose Walker is a variation; she is a "vortex", whose existence causes the barriers between different people's dreams to break down, which drives them mad in the short term, and since dreams have the power to literally shape reality, she would ultimately destroy the world. The damage she could do is so serious that stopping a vortex is the only situation where Morpheus is allowed to actually kill a mortal. He states that the last time he didn't stop such a vortex, it brought about the end of an entire planet.

[[folder:Film]]

%%* ''Film/TheHauntingOfMollyHartley}}''.

** Alessa Gillespie. She was born with psychic powers in an EldritchLocation, with Dahlia, the leader of the local [[ReligionOfEvil cult]], for a [[AbusiveParents mother]]. Dahlia's plan was to release/summon the cult's God, which would probably be TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt, and doing so would involve [[Mystical Pregnancy impregnating]] a girl with the God's [[FetusTerrible fetus]]. After several attempts on random kidnapped girls failed, Dahlia decided to use her own daughter, and the ritual actually succeeded. However, Alessa [[VideoGame/SilentHillOrigins somehow]] split off a piece of her soul, which went on to manifest as a baby in the local graveyard, where it was found by a young married couple who were subject to the LawOfInverseFertility and believed that BabiesMakeEverythingBetter. Dahlia had her severely burned daughter imprisoned in a secret room in the basement of the town hospital and got started on a spell that would draw the other piece of Alessa's soul back to the town so they could make her whole again and complete the birthing ritual. Meanwhile, the fetus in Alessa is feeding on her hatred and anger. Eventually, it's up to the adoptive father of the soul's missing piece to navigate the GambitPileUp and save the day.

%%* ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'': Edith Keeler. Damn it.

* The ''LightNovel/ScrappedPrincess'', Pacifica Cassul. 99% of the world wants to kill her because she's destined to bring about TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt, while some feel oddly compelled to protect her. Resultantly, we've got both 'villains' who are really just scared people who are afraid to see their world collapse around their ears, or obeying orders from up on high...and REAL villains who are manipulating events for their own advantage, with complete disregard for the number of lives involved. It turns out that the apocalypse she's set to bring isn't so bad after all...
* ''LightNovel/{{Slayers}}'': Lina Inverse may have fallen into this by the second season (NEXT). When the team is facing the BigBad, Lina wonders if she should fight it because a) she doesn't think she can possibly win and b) the only way she can win is with a DangerousForbiddenTechnique called Giga Slave that has a high chance of wiping out all existence. At this point, some of the members have to warn her that under certain circumstances, they may have to fight her. Turns out that the [[TheManBehindTheMan true]] BigBad wants her to use the technique and tries to force her into it, because the ultimate goal of demons is to [[OmnicidalManiac return the universe to empty blackness]].

*** A moot point in DnDNext. It takes a hundred years, but Baal is FINALLY back, albeit weakened.

* ''LightNovel/HaruhiSuzumiya'': In a rather weird example, Haruhi herself can bring about the end of the world on a whim, and she does not know it. Everyone tries to keep her pretty happy and/or occupied, so her subconscious doesn't act on such things. Although Kyon tends to push this when he gets annoyed at her.

* In one of the endings in ''VisualNovel/SayaNoUta'', Saya blooms and gives Fuminori her final gift: the world. She does so in the expense of transforming everyone on Earth into an EldritchAbomination much like herself.