History Main / LegendaryInTheSequel

** Ditto with Sei's FriendlyRival from the prequel, [[CharClone Meijin Kawaguchi III]]: as of ''Try'', he has won the Gunpla Battle World Championship for ''three years straight'', has been inducted into the Gunpla Hall of Fame, AND now has a DistaffCounterpart who is just as ''[[{{Pun}} amazing]]'' as him. And his current Gunpla - the Amazing Red Warrior - is leagues ahead of the Gunpla he used before.

** ''VideoGame/ZeldaIITheAdventureOfLink'': The names of the towns that Link travels through appear to be named after various ''Ocarina of Time'' characters due taking place long after its events.
* ''VideoGame/AdvanceWarsDualStrike'': The current hero [[JiveTurkey Jake]], sees Andy, a hero from the previous games, as a legend.

* ''Anime/MyOtome'': An odd example since the sequel exists in another universe, but regardless Mai from ''Anime/MyHime'' is a legendary Otome in the sequel

* The protagonists of the original ''Anime/LoveLive'' series became such popular idols that, by ''Anime/LoveLiveSunshine'', there are tons of merchandise and music related to them, they have tons of fans (such as Chika and Dia), and it is their work which inspires the heroines of the show to become idols as well. Averted in later installments of the ''Franchise/LoveLive'' franchise as it evolved into a SeriesFranchise with self-contained stories - no one in ''Anime/LoveLiveNijigasakiHighSchoolIdolClub'' or ''Anime/LoveLiveSuperstar'' ever references the idols of said first two series.
* ''Franchise/LyricalNanoha'':
** By ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaStrikers'', the now adult Nanoha had become a legendary, celebrity-like figure in TheMultiverse, complete with some people doubting the authenticity of official [[TheFederation TSAB]] reports about how she was able to solve two dimensional incidents and killed an unkillable EldritchAbomination back when she was a rookie 9-year old mage.
** ''Manga/MagicalRecordLyricalNanohaForce'' extended this to the entire [[ElitesAreMoreGlamorous Riot Force Six]] unit, with the villains recognizing them as the team that managed to stop the terrorist attack on Mid-Childa that threatened the very existance of TheFederation.
* The original Yugi Muto of ''Anime/YuGiOh'' becomes a legend in later series for being the best at the card game (and saving the world).

* Kamina becomes one in ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann'' after the TimeSkip, though he enjoyed the status almost immediately after [[spoiler:he died]]. It's just the nature of his character that he's most effective as a spiritual paragon.
* The five main Bronze Saints of ''Manga/SaintSeiya'' are referred to as the "Legendary Saints" in the ''Anime/SaintSeiyaOmega'' spinoff, with their amazing feats in the classic series being recognized and respected, even though they're still Bronze, with the exception of Seiya, [[RankUp who's been promoted to Gold Saint]], [[spoiler:and [[TheBusCameBack Shiryu]] who becomes the Gold Saint of Libra in the second season]]. Likewise for the three Steel Saints in the original ''Saint Seiya'' anime, who are now refereed to as the Legendary Steel Saints (since the Steel Saints are now a full class of lesser Saints on their own, with mass-produced, standardized Clothes, rather than only three chosen warriors, and who now act as low rank soldiers to make the bulk of the Saint army fighting for Athena).

* A meta example is used in ''Manga/OnePiece''. The undead samurai Ryuma from the Thriller Bark arc is noted to be legendary for having slain a dragon in a single strike in life, the very same feat he performed in Creator/EiichiroOda's previously unrelated one-shot manga ''Monsters''.

* By 2017 in the ''Manga/DeathNoteSpecialChapter'', the original [[Characters/DeathNoteLightYagami Kira]] went down in the books as one of the worst terrorists in modern history. There are still fringe groups that worship him as a god like in the old days, however, and most people actually regard Kira positively for getting rid of criminals and wars.

* Although an alternate BadFuture and not a true sequel, ''Fanfic/FalloutEquestria'' takes place hundreds of years after Equestria has been blasted into a ravaged hellscape. The Mane Six, heroic but largely unknown civilian ponies in the series, are still recognized for what they did in the years of the war prior to the apocalypse. Although not all are remembered fondly. [[BigBrotherIsWatching With good reason for some.]] Justified as not only were they all bequeathed powerful administrative positions by Princess Luna, there are technologies, buildings, weapons, and even factions they created that still exist. Not to mention individuals and groups that choose to model themselves after the ideals they represented such as Velvet Remedy, Pinkie Bell, and Calamity [[spoiler: this applies to all Dashites.]] The fact that there are ghouls that are still alive that may have even met them doesn't hurt either.

* By the time ''VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddys3'' rolled around, Freddy Fazbear's Pizza (and by its extension, the animatronics) has become well-known nationwide... as a scary urban legend told during Halloween or in campfire gatherings. Legendary doesn't necessarily mean that it has to be good, you see. At the very least, a certain developer tried to cash in on the infamy by creating a scary attraction based on the old tales.

* By 2017 in the ''Manga/DeathNoteSpecialChapter'', the original Kira went down in the books as one of the worst terrorists in modern history. There are still fringe groups that worship him as a god like in the old days, however, and most people actually regard Kira positively for getting rid of criminals and wars.

* "VideoGame/GrandTheftAuto": Niko Bellic, the main protagonist of "VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIV", has his exploits reach even the ears of the criminal underworld in Los Santos by the time of "VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoV". [[spoiler: He's never been heard from again after the events of ''GTA IV'' though. Patrick "Packie" [=McReary=] assumes that he's dead, but it's just as possible that he finally abandoned his life of crime and settled down.]] Subverted with Johnny Klebitz, the main protagonist of "VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIVTheLostAndTheDamned" who only appears for a minute when Trevor Phillips is reintroduced and is mentioned to have used to run a version of "The Lost" biker club back in Liberty City [[spoiler:and ends up being killed by Trevor in his reintroduction cutscene with Trevor killing Johnny's fellow members from that game in the same mission.]]

* "VideoGame/GrandTheftAuto": Niko Bellic, the main protagonist of "VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIV", has his exploits reach even the ears of the criminal underworld in Los Santos by the time of "VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoV". [[spoiler: He's never been heard from again after the events of ''GTA IV'' though. Patrick "Packie" [=McReary=] assumes that he's dead, but it's just as possible that he finally abandoned his life of crime and settled down.]]

* "VideoGame/GrandTheftAuto": Niko Bellic, the main protagonist of "VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIV", has his exploits reach even the ears of the criminal underworld in Los Santos by the time of "VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoV". [[spoiler: He's never been heard from again after the events of ''GTA IV'' though. Patrick "Packie" McReary assumes that he's dead, but it's just as possible that he finally abandoned his life of crime and settled down.]]

** In ''VideoGame/FireEmblemPathOfRadiance'', Ike starts as the son of the commander of a relatively obscure mercenary company. By the time of sequel ''VideoGame/FireEmblemRadiantDawn'', both Ike and his Greil Mercenaries have become heroes and household names across the continent.

** The ''WesternAnimation/TransformersPrime'' incarnation of Bumblebee has become this in ''WesternAnimation/TransformersRobotsInDisguise2015'', renowned as a war hero and celebrity.

** Other than [[SixthRanger Suki]], the only member of the Gaang ''not'' to have a statue of themselves shown so far is Katara, and even then, she is revered as the greatest healer in the world and even served as Korra's waterbending teacher. Zuko and Toph are still alive, and make their debut in Book 3 and 4 respectively.

* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyANewGeneration'': The protagonists of ''Friendship is Magic'', from the previous generation, are now legendary heroes known as the Guardians of Harmony.

** In the beginning of ''Ben 10'', Ben Tennyson was just a kid with a super-powerful watch. [[WesternAnimation/Ben10AlienForce 5 years later]], he was fairly popular within circles of the alien community. [[WesternAnimation/Ben10UltimateAlien By the third series]], his identity became public and is now a full-blown celebrity.
** By ''WesternAnimation/Ben10Omniverse'', his adventures are being taught as part of the curriculum at the Plumbers' Academy and his new partner Rook is his AscendedFanboy.

** By nature, Avatars are destined to be legendary, but [[TheChosenOne Aang]] has become this in particular in the SequelSeries ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra''. This is because unlike most Avatars, he defeated the oppressive regime of the Fire Nation and ended a 100-year war.
** [[{{Deuteragonist}} Zuko]] also has a statue of himself in Republic City and is presumably even more well-known in the Fire Nation.
** [[CuteBruiser Toph]] went on to found the Republic City police force, complete with a ''gold'' statue of herself outside of HQ. She's also revered by the Metal Clan of Zaofu due to the fact that she pioneered metalbending as well as the fact that the city was founded by her daughter Suyin.
** [[BadassNormal Sokka]] eventually earns an influential position on the City Council, and is commemorated with a statue outside the Southern Water Tribe Cultural Exchange Center.

** Already rather famous among the Alliance by ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack'', Luke Skywalker is a legend in the post-''Film/ReturnOfTheJedi'' timeframe. The first new Jedi in a generation, a general at 24, the man who destroyed the first Death Star and defeated Darth Vader in single combat--and he only gets bigger. This is thoroughly examined in ''Literature/LukeSkywalkerAndTheShadowsOfMindor''. In another book, a nascent bar fight aborts just because he happens to be in the room. Everyone, even the arguing interlocutors, stop and wait for Luke to mediate the dispute. He ruminates on the reputation of the Jedi, but we know who's really famous. Played with in that, at least for a few years after ''Return of the Jedi'', people don't recognize Luke on sight... but they ''do'' recognize a lightsaber. In ''Literature/TheThrawnTrilogy'':

** Big Boss gets this as well. In the original ''VideoGame/MetalGear'', he's Snake's CO who mostly just gives you instructions over the radio and turns out [[spoiler:to be running Outer Heaven at the same time and thus the BigBad]]. By ''VideoGame/MetalGear2SolidSnake'', he's obtained a reputation as a mercenary of some renown. By ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid'', Big Boss is being fawned over left and right by practically everyone as the WORLD'S GREATEST SOLDIER! ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid3'' and ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolidPeaceWalker'', being prequels, go back to establish why he's so legendary by the time of ''Metal Gear Solid''.

* ''Film/{{Rocky}}'' becomes this as the series progresses, moving from nobody to one of the greatest boxers in the world, particularly in ''Film/RockyBalboa'' and the ''Film/{{Creed}}'' series.

* Marth, the protagonist of ''VideoGame/FireEmblemShadowDragon'', was merely a case of RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething. By the time of ''VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening'', set in the same world thousands of years later, Marth is revered as the "Hero-King" and is ShroudedInMyth. [[spoiler:This causes some confusion for Lucina, who takes up his identity, when she meets Tiki, someone who was actually alive during Marth's time and personally knew him. The legendary image of him she based her impression on is ''far'' from what he was really like.]]
* In ''VideoGame/FireEmblemPathOfRadiance'', Ike starts as the son of the commander of a relatively obscure mercenary company. By the time of sequel ''VideoGame/FireEmblemRadiantDawn'', both Ike and his Greil Mercenaries have become heroes and household names across the continent.

** The first season 4 episode reveals that the [[Series/StarTrekVoyager USS ''Voyager'']] and her crew have become legendary since returning to the Alpha Quadrant.

* ''WesternAnimation/StarTrekLowerDecks'': One episode has an epilogue set in the far future, revealing that [[ButtMonkey poor]], [[TheChewToy put-upon]] [[Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine Miles O'Brien]] is revered as one of the greatest heroes on the entire history of Starfleet.

** Ditto with Sei's FriendlyRival from the prequel, [[CharClone Meijin Kawaguchi III]]: as of ''Try'', he has won the Gunpla Battle World Championship for ''three years straight'', has been inducted into the Gunpla Hall of Fame, AND now has a DistaffCounterpart who is just as ''[[IncrediblyLamePun amazing]]'' as him. And his current Gunpla - the Amazing Red Warrior - is leagues ahead of the Gunpla he used before.

* By 2017 in the ''Manga/DeathNoteSpecialChapter'', Light Yagami went down in the books as one of the worst terrorists in modern history. There are still fringe groups that worship him as a god like in the old days, however, and most people actually regard Light positively for getting rid of criminals and wars.

->''"Consequently, when the Pevensie children had returned to Narnia last time for their second visit, it was (for the Narnians) as if King Arthur came back to Britain as some people say he will."''

** ''VideoGame/TheLegendofZeldaALinkBetweenWorlds'': The events of ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendofZeldaALinkToThePast A Link to the Past]]'', which occurred some generations previously, are shown as a series of paintings in the entry way inside Hyrule Castle.

** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild'': The Toys/{{amiibo}} items and DLC items have references to legendary heroes and their allies from all three timelines, which makes it tough to figure out which timeline ''this'' game takes place in. Ruto and Nabooru from ''Ocarina of Time'' are also both mentioned by name and revered as legendary heroes by their respective races. Within the Goron city is also a "Mount Rushmore"-esque carving that features the faces of several past Goron heroes including ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime Darunia]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask Darmani]]''.