History Main / LegacyImmortality

* Another Marvel {{Elseworld}}, ''The 5 Ronin'', has a unique version of this trope. The equivalent of ComicBook/{{Wolverine}} is reputed as a man who cannot die -- you can see him lose his head, bury him, then meet him in town a few days later. It turns out [[spoiler:it isn't one man at all, but rather a large group of identical brothers who had gone their separate ways. They aren't even trying to spread this legend, one of them turned evil and, wearing a mask, started killing the others. By the end of the first issue, only one brother remains, and he's got quite a reputation to live up to.]]

* ''Film/TheDarkKnightTrilogy'':
** Ra's Al Ghul in ''Film/BatmanBegins'', if we judge only by what is seen on screen. If you know about Ra's from other sources, EpilepticTrees suggest themselves. This isn't to be confused with how Ken Watanabe's character went by the name at the beginning of the movie, as it was all but stated Henri Ducard was the title's real holder already with him as a decoy.

* In ''[[ComicBook/MarvelNoir Iron Man Noir]]'', Baron Strucker reveals that Baron Zemo isn't one person, but a series of chemically brainwashed men. Zemo wears a hood in case anyone recognizes him; the current Zemo is [[spoiler:Howard Stark]]. Strucker hopes to turn Tony Stark into the next Zemo, since the one they have now has "[[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness outlived his resourcefulness]]."

* Subverted in the 2011 ''ComicBook/TheShade'' mini-series. The Shade is in Barcelona to help out his adoptive "daughter", the vampire hero La Sangre. He arrives just as her archenemy, a murderous zealot called the Inquisitor, returns. Sangre explains she first fought him during World War I and he seemed to fall into a molten pit in 1944. However, he soon returned for more clashes over the decades. Sangre had assumed that his devoted followers had vowed to take up the mantle to continue his crusade and thus was fighting imposters. However, a check on the blood from the latest fight has her realizing it is indeed the original Inquisitor all this time, kept alive by a deal with a demon and possessing the bodies of his acolytes for his later clashes with Sangre.
* One time ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'' villain the Black Tarantula (now an on and off ally/foe of ComicBook/{{Daredevil}}) was revealed to be passed from father to son in a manner very reminiscent of The Phantom. In fact, the Tarantula cropped up shortly after the 1996 Billy Zane movie.

* ''Film/DeathRace'' series: The masked convict and superstar Death Race competitor known as Frankenstein, whose role is re-cast in secret every time one of the drivers playing the part dies or escapes. Notably, Frankenstein actually becomes this trope in two different ways during the film series: usually when the show's operators coerce yet another convict into taking on the role so the Death Race program's ratings won't drop, but also when [[spoiler: a convict-driver and his allies set up the third movie's ''villain'' to become Frankenstein in karmic revenge]].

* ''Film/DeathRace'' series: The masked convict and Death Race competitor known as Frankenstein, whose role is re-cast in secret every time one of the drivers playing the part dies or escapes. Notably, Frankenstein actually becomes this trope in ''two different ways'' during the film series: once when the incumbent is killed and the show's operators coerce another convict into taking on the role so the Death Race program's ratings won't drop, and once when [[spoiler: a convict-driver and his allies set up the third movie's ''villain'' to become Frankenstein in karmic revenge]].

* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' has Madara Uchiha. The real one died long ago (though not quite as long ago as most people thought); but Obito Uchiha assumed his identity to carry on his plan, and was able to use the name to spark a new war. Madara was resurrected thanks to Kabuto's necromancy, and the two of them began openly working together. [[spoiler:Of course, it eventually turns out [[TeethClenchedTeamwork neither necessary like each other]]: Madara was the one who manipulated Obito into being willing to carry out his will and [[ThanatosGambit always intended to be revived to see his plan through]], even if that meant sacrificing Obito's life in the process. Which is fair, because Obito [[ICanRuleAlone never intended to revive Madara in the first place and intended to go the plan alone and reap the reward]].]]

* This is the explanation for Yoshimitsu appearing in both ''VideoGame/{{Tekken}}'' and ''[[VideoGame/SoulSeries Soulcalibur]]'' -- the leader of the Manji clan adopts the name, personality, and fighting style, while using the same sword. This justified by the fact the sword itself is [[NamedWeapons named "Yoshimitsu"]]. To the clan, referring to the sword or the one who wields it is one and the same. In doing so, they are able to portray their leader as one who can transcend death.
** ''VideoGame/SoulcaliburV'' lends even more credence to this, as the successor of the Yoshimitsu from ''SC'' to ''SCIV'' explicitly refers to himself as Yoshimitsu the Second.