Line #84 Main/TheLegendOfChekhov


1	->''She waited in the dragon's keep in the highest room of the tallest tower, for her true love... and true love's first kiss."''
2	->(tears out page, chuckling) Like that's ever gonna happen! What a load of [[[SoundEffectBleep loud flush]]]!
3	-->-- The opening narration of ''WesternAnimation/Shrek1''
4
5	When the heroes of a story are told a myth, legend, or fairy tale, you can almost guarantee that the story is true (although not necessarily literally--sometimes the truth is [[LegendFadesToMyth filtered through generations of retelling]] and/or a primitive culture's viewpoint) and the heroes will have to deal with it at some point. This is used so often, in fact, that it's actually ''more'' notable when the heroes are told a story and it ''doesn't'' turn out to be some flavor of true -- except for those cases where it comments thematically on the heroes' journey and CharacterDevelopment.
6
7	This is largely a result of TheLawOfConservationOfDetail, which demands that taking time out from the main story to tell some other story must only be done when that side story is important to the main plot.[[note]]This applies even when such a tale actually ''isn't'' true, because then it's usually a metaphor for the heroes' current situation, or to teach them some lesson that they'll need to use later.[[/note]] The purpose in labeling something important as a myth rather than just explaining it outright is to build excitement, so that when the legend is later shown to be true, it brings a sense of wonder or discovery. It can also serve to foreshadow future events, while giving the author an excuse for giving only [[MetaphoricallyTrue partial or deceptive information]].
8
9	Compare to PropheciesAreAlwaysRight, where it's a prediction that's virtually guaranteed to be right rather than a story from the past. These two tropes often live side by side, with the ancient legend packaged with an included prophecy. Another sister trope is MythPrologue, where the audience is told a fantastical tale in the opening minutes; unlike here, the importance of the myth is near-immediately apparent and is often the basis of the plot.
10
11	Contrast ShroudedInMyth, where the heroes initially believe a legend that turns out to have been extremely exaggerated (if not outright false), and LegendFadesToMyth, where the reader is shown an inaccurate, mythical version of events they saw first-hand in a previous work, generally for humor or DramaticIrony. Related to AllMythsAreTrue.
12
13	Note that this trope is about the characters within a story being told a myth, which turns out to be based on actual events within the story's universe. This is not about an author using real-world myths in a story (though the myth the heroes are being told may well be borrowed from a real-world source). Also compare InfallibleBabble, the video game equivalent for rumors and legends imparted through {{NPC}}s.
14	----
15	!!Examples:
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17	[[foldercontrol]]
18
19	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
20	* ''Literature/TheStoryOfSaiunkoku'' begins with Shuurei telling her students the story of their country's founding, ending it by saying that according to legend, the eight immortal sages who helped the first emperor found Saiunkoku are still alive in secret among the people. This is absolutely true, and Shuurei goes on to become personally acquainted with several of them. A little later in the first arc, Shuurei begins to tell Ryuuki the story of the Rose Princess and how she married a mortal man. This story is not only true, it's [[spoiler:the story of her parents' marriage]].
21	* In ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'', the ancient Xingese legend of the Western Sage is [[spoiler:about Ed and Al's father]], while the Amestrian legend of the Eastern Sage is [[spoiler:about "Father," the BigBad of the series]].
22	* In ''Anime/DragonBallZ'', the legend of the Super Saiyan, believed to be the most powerful being in the universe comes up, originally in a passing reference in the Vegeta Saga, then suggested in the Namek Saga during the Namekian Great Elder's encounter with Krillin, then brought into the forefront when Goku arrives on Namek and easily mops the floor with the Ginyu Force. Notable in that, the BigBad Frieza knows about this legend as well, [[SuspiciouslySpecificDenial claiming not to believe in it]], yet is discovered to have [[NiceJobBreakingItHerod committed genocide against the Saiyans]] largely because of it. Ultimately, [[HoistByHisOwnPetard his own actions end up creating one]], in the form of Goku.
23	** If you buy the non-canon sequel to a semi-canon TV special ''Anime/DragonBallEpisodeOfBardock'', the legend of the original Super Saiyan is ALSO true, and was caused by Goku's father and a StableTimeLoop. [[CanonDiscontinuity IF you buy it.]]
24	* In the Jaya and Skypeia arcs of ''Manga/OnePiece'', the Straw Hat Pirates investigate the legend of "Sky Island" and its City of Gold, which all turns out to be true, even down to most of the details.
25	* ''Anime/MazingerZ'' and ''Anime/GreatMazinger'': Dr. Hell joined an archaelogical expedition to the Greek island of Bardos, thinking that maybe several ancient legends telling of the island being defended by an army of [[HumongousMecha mechanical giants]] were true. Unfortunately for everybody else, he was right. Myth/ClassicalMythology plays an increasingly important role in each retelling of the series, until the point of Greek gods start showing up and ''Anime/GreatMazinger'' BigBad is revealed being [[spoiler:Hades]] in ''Anime/ShinMazinger''.
26	* ''Manga/ACertainScientificRailgun'' has as a running gag the characters mentioning urban legends that all end up being true. It is frequently [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] and otherwise commented upon.
27	* The second episode of the ''Literature/{{Baccano}}'' anime gives us the {{Urban Legend\|s}} of the Rail Tracer: a monster that slowly snatches up and devours the passengers of the train [[SpeakOfTheDevil on which its tale is told on]]. Then a [[GambitPileup 3-way war]] breaks out over [[TrainJob train-hijacking rights]] and...''something'' decides to start picking off instigators and leaving their twisted and mutilated corpses. [[spoiler:Turns out that the Rail Tracer is the [[BadassNormal entirely human]] and [[RedHerringShirt supposedly dead]] train conductor that first told the story, and doesn't particularly like people messing up his train. Did we mention that he's also a not-entirely-sane assassin that likes a good RoaringRampageOfRevenge?]]
28	[[/folder]]
29
30	[[folder:Comic Books]]
31	* ''Toys/{{Bionicle}}'':
32	** In most cases, the Matoran consider most of the Turaga's stories as mere fairy tales. But most of them wind up becoming painfully true. From [[GiantEnemyCrab giant Manas]] to the hellish [[PlaceWorseThanDeath Karzahni]].
33	** In the backstory of the Matoran, which claimed that the Great Spirit brought the Matoran out of darkness to the island of Mata Nui. We later find out that it was actually the Turaga who rescued them (as Toa Metru) from their ruined city; they just credited the Spirit with giving them the strength and abilities to do so.
34	[[/folder]]
35
36	[[folder:Fan Works]]
37	* ''Fanfic/AlternateTailSeries'': The "Rewrite The World" starts with Bisca reading the story ''The Priestess of Celtia'', where the priestess Relbeo and six kings came together to summon the war goddess Brigid to fight the Yakuma clan and their war gods. Two chapters later, we learn the story was real, and that the artifact Clan Garten is after can be used to summon Brigid.
38	* In ''Fanfic/TheresMoreMagicOutThere'', Juleka and her class read a poem regarding a female pirate and a fairy queen, and how they fall in love. In chapter 34, [[spoiler:Juleka learns that the pirate in the story was her mother Anarka, who became immortal after marrying the fae]].
39	[[/folder]]
40
41	[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
42	* In ''Anime/CastleInTheSky'', Pazu believes the city of Laputa exists from the start when other say it's just a myth. He's not wrong, otherwise the movie would be a lot less interesting.
43	* In ''WesternAnimation/TreasurePlanet'', Jim's mother assures him in the opening scene that the planet's just a legend.
44	* ''Franchise/DisneyFairies'': In ''Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure'', the song "Fairy Tale Theater" just happens to be a prophecy of her journey later in the movie that was being performed the one night that she went to the theater.
45	* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirlsLegendOfEverfree'': The eponymous legend of Gaea Everfree starts out as a campfire tale by Timber Spruce. Not surprisingly, it is bound to become important later, although it's a subversion: the legend doesn't happen so much to be true than to be a cover story for the supernatural shenanigans already happening, [[spoiler:as a result of Gloriosa Daisy meddling with a magic she doesn't understand]].
46	* In ''WesternAnimation/AnAmericanTail'', Papa Mousekewitz entertains Fievel and his sisters with the story of the Giant Mouse of Minsk, a giant mouse who scared away the cats (not doubt inspired by the {{Golem}} of UsefulNotes/{{Central Europe}}an Jewish folklore, since the mice here are also Jewish). Later, when the mice of New York are planning to do something about the cats oppressing them, it's Fievel who suggests building their own Mouse of Minsk to attack them.
47	[[/folder]]
48
49	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
50	* In ''Film/TheSecretOfRoanInish'' the grandfather tells the legend of the selkie, which is important to the climax of the film.
51	* ''Franchise/IndianaJones'': The Jewish story of the TheArkOfTheCovenant and the medieval Christian tale HolyGrail are both proven to be unambiguously true. But so are some elements of Hinduism and the legend of the {{Crystal Skull}}s. Not to mention (much as some people would like to pretend it didn't happen) stories of extraterrestrial visitation, and theories about AncientAstronauts.
52	* A variation shows up in ''Film/UndercoverBrother'', when Eddie Griffin learns from "The Brotherhood" that all the supposed conspiracy theories about black people are true:
53	-->'''Conspiracy Brother:''' What do you think? Things don't just happen by accident! Sometimes people -- mostly ''white'' people -- make things happen!\
54	'''Undercover Brother:''' So the conspiracies we've believed for all these years are true? The NBA really did institute the three point shot to give white boys a chance?\
55	'''Conspiracy Brother:''' Of course!\
56	'''Undercover Brother:''' Then the entertainment industry really ''is'' out to get Spike Lee?\
57	'''Conspiracy Brother:''' Come on man! Even Cher's won an Oscar! Cher!\
58	'''Undercover Brother:''' Then O.J. really didn't do it?\
59	''[everyone looks away and mumbles]''
60	* ''Film/TheMummy1999'':
61	** "Hamunaptra's a myth." ...No it isn't. And no, the cursed mummy isn't a myth either. Although the curator who says that knows very well that Hamunaptra isn't a myth. He is a [[AncientTradition Medjai]] who is ''trying'' to discourage Evy and Jonathan from looking for Hamunaptra.
62	** The sequels add the [[Wrestling/DwayneJohnson Scorpion King]] and the [[Creator/JetLi Dragon Emperor]].
63	* ''Film/{{Hook}}'' is based on this as well. That's far less "all myths are true" as it is "those books that were written are true; I know because I'm the one that experienced it, and [[DirectLineToTheAuthor told the stories to the writer]]."
64	-->'''Wendy:''' The stories are true! I swear to you! I swear on everything I adore. And now he's come back to seek his revenge. The fight isn't over for Captain James Hook. He wants you back. He knows that you'll follow Jack and Maggie to the ends of the earth and beyond. And by heaven, you must find a way. Only you can save your children. Somehow, you must go back. You must make yourself remember.
65	* In ''Film/HellboyIITheGoldenArmy'' all of the backstory of the titular [[SealedArmyInACan Golden Army]] is presented as a legend Hellboy was told as a child.
66	* Zig-Zagged in ''Film/MemoriesOfMurder''. The local children have an urban legend saying the school outhouses are inhabited by a serial killer. The police learn about this early on in the film and ignore it, but later on, getting desperate to find the killer they're hunting for, they decide to take it seriously and investigate the toilets. They don't find a a murderer there, but they do find an important clue -- a crying woman who lives above the toilets and turns out the be the killer's only surviving victim.
67	[[/folder]]
68
69	[[folder:Literature]]
70	* In ''Literature/AlternateRoutes'' by Creator/TimPowers, there's a story several of the characters have heard about a man who was driving on the Los Angeles freeways in the 1960s when he drove off an exit that hadn't been there the day before and wasn't the day after, found himself in the afterlife, and eventually made it back to the world of the living with a mysterious artifact. The story is true; the protagonist eventually meets the man, who helps him figure out what's going on.
71	* The Creator/StephenKing novel ''Literature/{{Desperation}}'' tells the legend of why an old mine was abandoned (a trapped ChineseLaborer summoned a bad spirit). There really ''is'' a monster, though actually they just DugTooDeep and set loose an EldritchAbomination.
72	* In ''Literature/GuardiansOfGaHoole'', The Band set out to find the [[TitleDrop Guardians of Ga'Hoole]], which are a legendary group of owls. [[spoiler:They are real and eventually The Band join them.]]
73	* ''Literature/HarryPotter''
74	** In ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheChamberOfSecrets'', the legend of the eponymous Chamber, which Professor Binns tells to his History of Magic class and dismisses as a preposterous myth, turns out to be absolutely true, including the deadly guardian.
75	** In ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows'', the 'Tale of the Three Brothers' is an exaggerated and mythified version of the truth. Justified since they're exposed to the story by someone who already knew it was true.
76	* ''Literature/AHoleInTheFence'': The legend of "The Bridge of the Old Women" and the gold of the Criarde River which Basile and Sammy tell the kids turns out to be true, and it is the explanation for Basile being secretly wealthy despite being just a shepherd: [[spoiler:his parents found the gold when they built the fence forty years before]].
77	* ''Literature/IgniteTheStars'': Knives tells the cadets a story about an star system called Fugue, abandoned because of a mysterious monster. Ia doesn't think it's real, and neither does Knives. [[spoiler:While there isn't a monster, Fugue is a real place, where the Commonwealth has a secret portal gate called [=GodsEye=].]]
78	* In ''Literature/{{Earthsea}}'', the myth of human-dragon hybrids trapped in human form, mentioned at the beginning of ''Tehanu'', is proven true at the book's end and forms the basis for the plot of the next novel, ''The Other Wind''.
79	* In ''Literature/TheEyesOfKidMidas'', the teacher explains that the mountain they're camped out underneath is called the Eye of God, and some ways away down in the valley there's a tall, thin spire that's known as the Devil's Chair. According to legend, the peak of the Eye of God was the place where the world was created, and once a year, the very tip of the mountain's shadow falls exactly at the peak of the Devil's Chair. Though the teacher admits it's merely a legend (and the mountain's shadow actually never goes near Devil's Chair), Kevin climbs the mountain, and at the top he discovers a pair of sunglasses that allow him to [[RealityWarper harness the forces of creation]]. And lo and behold, when he puts them on, he sees the shadow fall exactly where his teacher said it would.
80	* In Erika Griffin's novel, ''The One Who Waited'', Alice ponders this during the course of the story, as she comes to realize that there are such things as Boogeymen and wonders if other monsters might exist as well.
81	* In Anthony C. Gilbert's ''Farther Up and Farther In'' AllMythsAreTrue about life after death. Except, apparently, the belief that there isn't any, because the narrator is an atheist but gets sent to Hell, the Christian afterlife being the default for Westerners without other positive beliefs. Escaping from Hell (!) leads to a CrossoverCosmology where he meets Freja, Pan, Monkey King and others: the final message (logically, given the opening premise) is that [[spoiler: All Gods Are One and we are One with them.]]
82	* In the ''Literature/TalesOfTheFiveHundredKingdoms'' by Creator/MercedesLackey, all fairy tales, from Russian to Middle Eastern to the Brothers Grimm and anything else, are true. In fact, a magical force known as the Tradition actively works to try and make them come true. Those that are GenreSavvy will use the Tradition to their advantage.
83	* The Bifrost Guardians by Mickey Zucker Reichert is another all myths are true, with the melding of technology to Norse myths to Christianity.
84	* In ''Literature/PrinceCaspian'' from ''Literature/TheChroniclesOfNarnia'': Caspian was always taught that the "old Narnians" were myths and fairy tales, then he learns that they are in fact real. The appearance of the Pevensies and Aslan also turns out to be this for many old Narnians.
85	* In Creator/OrsonScottCard's ''Literature/TheLostGate'' the Westillian Families are the basis of all Indo-European pantheons. It is inferred that other cultures deities, including the Abrahamic one have similar origins.
86	* In ''Literature/TheKingkillerChronicle'', every single story told in Kvothe's narration turns out to be relevant and mostly true sooner or later; for example, Hespe's story about the boy who loved the moon [[spoiler: is a more or less accurate representation of how the mortal world and the fae world ended up going to war.]]
87	* The myths and stories of ''Literature/TheCosmere'' usually correspond to some facet of the magical or historical landscape, so to speak. The local [[PhysicalGod Shards]], for instance, are usually major players in the local mythology, and their stated aims and behavior are recognizably in-character. This is clearest when comparing the religious doctrine on Nalthis (of both major factions, no less, as disparate as they are in almost every other respect) to a character's memories of being returned from the dead, but the examples are too numerous to list here.
88	* The Literature/DiogenesClub story "Richard Riddle, Boy Detective in 'The Case of the French Spy'" begins with the KidDetective protagonist, on holiday in a seaside town, being warned away from a seaside cliff with a local legend that its erosion is caused by angry "sea ghosts" coming out of the ocean at night and clawing away at it, trying to bring down the house built on the clifftop. Later in the story, he also hears another legend about a strange-looking man who was found on the shore near the cliff during the Napoleonic Wars, and was arrested by a guard patrol as a suspected French spy. It turns out that the "sea ghost" legends are inspired by real ancient FishPeople who live off the coast, one of whom was the "French spy" who was captured during the Napoleonic Wars and has been held captive ever since in the house on the clifftop. It's not established whether it's literally true that the captive's people have been undermining the cliff, but in the circumstances it wouldn't be surprising.
89	* One of the tropes called out in ''Literature/TheToughGuideToFantasyland'', which asserts that any legend recounted to an adventurer is guaranteed to be both true ("Legends are an important source of true information. They always turn out to be far more accurate than History.") and something that will be relevant later ("The Management will never allow anyone to tell you a legend unless it is going to be important for you to know.").
90	* In ''Zodiac'', every House has a story about the Thirteenth Guardian, Ophiuchus. While none of them mention him by name, it's clear that all of them are connected. [[spoiler:The Libra tale in particular serves as {{Foreshadowing}} that the Original Guardians got the wrong culprit, with the real villain—Aquarius—walking free.]]
91	[[/folder]]
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93	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
94	* Averted in ''Series/BabylonFive'''s episode "A Late Delivery From Avalon"--an arrival on the Babylon 5 station claims to be King Arthur, brought back among humanity after a long hiatus (when he was "taken to Avalon" on a mysterious "ship"). There is actual discussion among the main characters as to whether this could be true, since there was already a known case where the Vorlons did abduct a historical figure and used him to do their bidding in other times ([[spoiler: "Comes the [[UsefulNotes/JackTheRipper Inquisitor]]"]]). But it turns out [[spoiler: he was from the present time, suffering trauma-induced delusion from being the officer who fired the first shot that started the Earth-Minbari War years ago]].
95	* ''Series/GameOfThrones'': It becomes pretty obvious what Bran's dreams really are when Maester Luwin tells Bran that sure, there are ''stories'' about people who can form a spiritual link with animals, but they aren't true and would be long gone even if they were.
96	* ''Series/TheLordOfTheRingsTheRingsOfPower'': In episode 5, Gil-galad asks Elrond to recount the apocryphal tale known as ''The Song of the Roots of Hithaeglir'', which explains the potential origin of mithril. The mithril was possibly created after a long-ago battle between a nameless elf warrior and a fiery Balrog that conveyed the light of the last Silmaril from a mysterious tree into the depths of the Misty Mountains. Despite the tale being considered apocryphal, the mithril is revealed to truly contain the light of the Silmaril, as for the Balrog from the story, yeah, he will be known one day as [[ForegoneConclusion Durin's Bane]].
97	* ''Series/MythQuest'': Minokichi's mentor tells him the campfire story of Yuki-Onna, an ice demon. Guess who shows up later?
98	* Seeing as how it's a show with time travel and aliens, this trope is practically a requirement in ''Series/DoctorWho'': every time the Doctor visits a place-- real or fictional-- with a famed historical/mythological legend surrounding it, you can guarantee that it heavily involves both the Doctor and whatever monster he has to fight this time. Hell, this extends to the point where ''[[Recap/DoctorWhoS19E6Earthshock the extinction of the greater dinosaurs]]'' was the doing of one of the Doctor's enemies.
99	[[/folder]]
100
101	[[folder: Puppet Shows]]
102	* ''Series/FraggleRock'': The Storyteller sings the ballad of Sir Blunderbrain, who long ago rescued some ancient Fraggles who had gotten sucked into the Terrible Tunnel, at the cost of getting trapped forever in the Tunnel himself. Gobo, Red, and Mokey don't believe the Tunnel exists, but Boober and Wembley think there's a chance it might. During a game of Hidey-Ho (an out-of-water version of Marco Polo), Wembley becomes It, and the Tunnel calls, "Ho!" in response to Wembley's shouts of "Hidey!" Because Wembley's blindfolded, he [[BlindMistake thinks it's one of the other Fraggles playing]], follows the ghostly voice to the Tunnel, and nearly gets sucked into it himself.
103	-->'''Wembley:''' Hidey!\
104	'''The Terrible Tunnel:''' ''HOOOOOO-oooo!''
105	[[/folder]]
106
107	[[folder:Video Games]]
108	* ''VideoGame/AceCombat5TheUnsungWar'': A MaybeMagicMaybeMundane variation occurs with Wardog Squadron and the legend of the mythical demon of Razgriz; a malevolent being said to rain destruction upon the land whenever history "witnesses a great change", until eventually dying and resurrecting after a period of time... [[spoiler:[[HeelFaceTurn as a great hero]]]]. As the plot progresses, it becomes clear that each stanza of the poem narrating said legend -- shown in loading screens -- thematically corresponds to Wardog Squadron and its role in the Circum-Pacific War.
109	-->''Amidst the eternal waves of time\
110	From a ripple of change shall the storm rise\
111	Out of the abyss peer the eyes of a demon\
112	Behold the Razgriz, its wings of black sheath'' [[note]] The Union of Yuktobanian Republics declares war on the Osean Federation, launching attacks against Osean military units and assets. Wardog, a squadron of fighter pilots serving in the Osean Air Force, are dispatched to repel the attacking Yuktobanians, establishing themselves as fearsome {{Ace Pilot}}s.[[/note]]
113
114	-->''The demon soars through dark skies\
115	Fear and death trail its shadow beneath\
116	[[spoiler:Until men united wield a hallowed sabre\
117	In final reckoning, the beast is slain]]'' [[note]] The conflict escalates as Osea launches a full-scale invasion of the Yuktobanian mainland. Wardog Squadron single-handedly turns the tide of the war in Osea's favor, decimating Yuktobanian forces wherever they go, to the point of being considered none other than [[TheDreaded the incarnation of Razgriz itself]]. However, the pilots soon become the victims of a FrameUp and are subsequently declared traitors, now pursued by their former allies until seemingly being shot down by the Osean pilot Marcus "'''Swords'''man" Snow. They were presumed dead, and their remains were never found...[[/note]]
118
119	-->''As the demon sleeps, man turns on man\
120	His own blood and madness soon cover the earth\
121	From the depths of despair awaken the Razgriz\
122	[[spoiler:Its raven wings ablaze in majestic light]]'' [[note]] With Wardog now absent from the scene, the war between Osea and Yuktobania has reached a stalemate. Except the pilots of Wardog did not perish, for Snow, Pops, and the captain of the ''Kestrel'' have arranged for them to [[FakingTheDead fake their deaths]]. Now operating under the name of Razgriz Squadron, the "Ghosts of Razgriz" and the ''Kestrel'' set out to end this meaningless war and establish peace between the two superpowers once and for all, working to foil the conspirators who orchestrated the entire conflict and sought to not only prolong, but escalate it further.[[/note]]
123
124	* The UsefulNotes/GameBoy game ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyLegendII'' avoids this. One world your characters explore has a myth that turns out to be true and another myth that turns out to be false. [[spoiler:Also, there are actually 78 "MAGI", not just 77 as mentioned at the beginning of the game.]]
125	* In ''VideoGame/PaperMarioTheThousandYearDoor'', Professor Frankly encounters conflicting theories on the nature of the treasure he's looking for.
126	** Eventually one of the theories turns out to be true: the treasure is an [[spoiler: ancient demon. But later it is revealed that the 'real' treasure was a Dried Shroom, the weakest healing item in the game.]]
127	** Which really isn't very surprising when you consider it was rotting for the past thousand years.
128	** In the same district of Rogueport that Frankly's house is located in, you can find a quirky storyteller who is glad to spin all sorts of old stories. But that tale about the horrible evil monster and the four heroes who fought it before being themselves sealed away couldn't be true, right? [[spoiler:Of course it is. The monster is a demon sleeping underneath Rogueport ''right now'' and Mario actually encounters each of the heroes in the form of talking cursed treasure chests. They're pretty nice.]]
129	* In the ''VideoGame/ShadowHearts'' series all myths are true, though very often in ridiculous, bizarre and over the top ways.
130	* In pretty much all the ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'' games, if you talk to any random NPC who tells you about some legend, the legend is bound to be true. Hidden magical weapons? Yup. Super-powered monsters? Yup. Maze-like hidden cities? Yup.
131	* In ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsII'', there are TheSevenMysteries of Twilight Town, urban legends which invariably turn out to be for real when Roxas investigates (and serve as clues to the nature of the world he's been living in). But when Roxas's friends come along to do the write-up, they assume each was just a misunderstanding of something mundane.
132	* Bungie's ''VideoGame/{{Marathon}}'' series contains an interesting example. The second game has a ''single terminal'' midway through the game that references a S'pht creation myth where the god Yrro flung a chaotic being into the star that Lh'owon orbits. This terminal is never mentioned by any character for the remainder of the game. The myth then forms the ''entire plot'' of the third game, ''Marathon Infinity'' -- sure enough, the [[SufficientlyAdvancedAlien Jjaro (or Yrro)]] trapped an EldritchAbomination [[SealedEvilInACan inside the system's star]]. Which the Pfhor destroyed in the finale of the second game.
133	* In ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'', any myth or legend you hear about from an NPC is almost guaranteed to be a hint as to where to find a particular Legendary pokemon.
134	* A set of daily quests in ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' has you investigate myths about three maidens who will grant powerful swords if you do each a favor. Naturally, all three of them turn out to be true.
135	** The Goblin starting area also has a mine with pygmy rock art. The rock art depicts a warning about a cataclysmic explosion. Turns out the pygmies have been made smart(er) by the kajamite in the mine, and their warnings are totally correct. Also they worship the creature that lives in the volcano and have captured Horde soldiers to sacrifice to it.
136	* In ''VideoGame/{{Borderlands}}'', the person who sends you to kill Crawmerax the Invincible says that most people think he is a myth and doesn't really exist. Naturally, when you get to the designated spot, he shows up. Subverted in that the quest-giver is quite surprised that you actually managed to find and kill Crawmerax since [[spoiler:he made the whole thing up off the top of his head [[{{Troll}} just to mess with people]].]]
137	* Funny subversion in ''Videogame/LufiaCurseOfTheSinistrals'' remake. At one point you're sent to find the legendary sword, which the legends claim to have been forged by the gods and able to cut mountains in half. Just one line after that you're informed that all of that is just legend, and the sword itself is probably not even magical, but that you should get it just to boost the morale of the people. It turns out that the myth ''really wasn't'' true... but the sword is still good enough to be useful by the time you get to it.
138	* In ''Star Wars: VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'', you can learn about the creations myths of the Selkath and the Tusken Raiders. It turns out that both are true and are references to the Rakata, the creators of the Star Maps.
139	* In ''VideoGame/DwarfFortress'' Adventurer Mode, if someone talks to you about [[OurDragonsAreDifferent some dragon who razed his hometown long time ago]] or a forest where [[OurZombiesAreDifferent the dead are said to rise and stalk the living]], you can be absolutely sure he's telling the unvarnished truth. The only exception to this trope are centaurs, chimeras, and griffons, who sometimes appear on engravings but don't exist in the game world... yet. What's more, the stories will be told with impeccable detail. A thousand years on, everybody in the world still remembers which particular tooth was knocked out of the mouth of a random peasant by a marauding Bronze Colossus.
140	* In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker'', the intro cut scene with the story of the hero of legend and the kingdom of Hyrule turns out to be entirely relevant to the storyline, and last part of the game mainly takes place in the now flooded kingdom. Similarly, all those rumours about the 'triumph forks' turn out to be about the Triforce of Courage that Link finds in the endgame.
141	* ''VideoGame/TheLegendofZeldaBreathOfTheWild'' also starts with a myth about Calamity Ganon, which the heroes must use to fight him in the present day. Of course it turns out to be very accurate indeed, although missing a crucial bit of information.
142	* ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'':
143	** ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind'' plays with this trope, in that the particulars of a certain historical event relevant to the main plot of the game are [[TheRashomon recounted differently by different parties]].
144	** Played with humorously in ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIVOblivion'' where [[MadGod Sheogorath]] asks you (or you ask yourself if you've become Sheogorath) to fulfill a prophecy a small village has about the end of the world that includes attacks by rats and ''FLAMING DOGS DROPPING FROM THE SKY''. The prophecy is used as little more than a prank.
145	* Some of the local legends recounted to the protagonists of ''VideoGame/ChronoCross'' are correct but... slightly skewed.
146	* The entire story/legend of the Zeekeeper in ''VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiDreamTeam''. You see a ton of exhibits and signs talking about an ancient guardian of the kingdom that saved it from harm, and well, you should probably have figured out pretty quickly that said figure turns out to be a very important character in the storyline and that he helps you take down the BigBad.
147	* In ''VideoGame/FireEmblemPathOfRadiance'', the heroes learn that a medallion holds a [[SealedEvilInACan dark god]] who will bring TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt if freed, and it can be freed by MagicMusic or a huge war. The fact that certain people can become mindless berserkers by wielding the relic reinforces this belief. But in the sequel, ''VideoGame/FireEmblemRadiantDawn'', it turns out to be a lie spread by the Dragon Laguz king in vain hopes that it'll prevent war between everyone in Tellius. In truth, endless war will actually awaken the goddess Ashera, who will see the wars as a sign that those living in Tellius are failures, and must be purged away to allow for a perfect world.
148	* In ''VideoGame/JaysJourney'', there's a subversion and a straight example. The opening crawl tells a story from the past that [[BaitAndSwitchCredits has nothing to do with the rest of the game]]. However, later in the game, Pixie tells the heroes about how the apparent BigBad, Antignarot, inadvertently got his powers from a demon named Xanabas. Xanabas later becomes a major villain and the FinalBoss.
149	* In ''VideoGame/KingdomOfParadise'', there is "The Forbidden Poem", which got its name because people feared that learning or reciting the poem would bring disaster. It is a beautiful poem. But the poem is about the existence of the Celestial Twins[[spoiler: and their role in opening the Toshintetsu and the gate to Seima.]]
150	* In ''VideoGame/BoxxyQuestTheGatheringStorm'', you can buy a [[InGameNovel storybook]] that contains heavy foreshadowing disguised as myths and fairy tales. Specifically, it has stories about the duel between Virtua and Legion, the Sky Queen searching for her master, and Lady Ny’agai abducting children, although none of the characters are actually mentioned by name. There’s also a hermit who will tell you more about Legion long before he becomes relevant to the plot.
151	* ''VideoGame/SeaOfStars'': Many of Teaks's stories end up contributing to the plot in some way. From [[GhostShip the Vespertine]] to the Vampire Rose to the Three Sisters. [[DownplayedTrope Downplayed]] in that other stories are obtained right after the relevant plot point and yet others are relevant to sidequests.
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153
154	[[folder:Visual Novels]]
155	* ''VisualNovel/NineHoursNinePersonsNineDoors'' spends a lot of time having characters tell you about Allice, an Egyptian mummy that was being transported in the Titanic. June believes that the ship sank because of Allice's curse, and Seven and Ace add to the legend with their own bits of info. Near the end of the game, you find the coffin where Allice was being carried, you open it... [[spoiler:and you find nothing but a key and an emblem, both used to solve a puzzle. Allice is just a way to talk about ICE-9, which is tied to the morphogenetic field, which is a powerful theme in the game]].
156	* In ''VisualNovel/TyrionCuthbertAttorneyOfTheArcane'', all the legends Harold Haroldson tells you in case 4 (except the [[RedHerring Earrings of Vitality]] which never come into play) foreshadow future plot points, like [[spoiler:[[DealWithTheDevil Blood Contracts]], demons being able to nullify magic, and intelligent animals]].
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158
159	[[folder:Web Animation]]
160	* ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'': There are numerous myths, legends and fairy tales in Remnant. If one gets mentioned in-universe, it usually ends up being revealed to have an historical basis that is plot-relevant in some way. For example, a little known legend exists about silver-eyed warriors who possess the ability to slay Grimm with a single glance. TheHeroine's silver eyes are seen as a threat to the villains partially because of this legend.
161	** "The Story of the Seasons": A fairy tale about an Old Wizard whose isolated existence comes to an end with the help of four kind sisters, to whom he gifts his magic. In Volume 3, it's revealed that the Four Maidens really do exist, and the villains are hunting them for their magical power. [[spoiler:In Volume 5, it's confirmed that Professor Ozpin is the Wizard from the fairy tale and that the four Maidens are also the key to obtaining the four divine Relics that Salem is so desperately seeking.]]
162	** "The Two Brothers": A creation story about two Brother gods -- the Gods of Light and Darkness -- who end their sibling feud by creating humanity together. In Volume 4, Qrow tells the heroes that these two gods really do exist. [[spoiler:The gods created the Relics that Salem is after, and are also responsible for making both Salem and Ozpin immortal, the reasons for which have contributed to the existence of the ForeverWar between them.]]
163	** "The Girl in the Tower": A tale of a woman who is locked in a tower by her cruel father until she is rescued by a noble hero. They fall in love, have adventures and live happily ever after. As the heroes learn, not all fairy tales tell the truth. [[spoiler:This is the story of how Salem was rescued by Oz. They did indeed fall in love and have adventures together, but his premature death from an incurable sickness sets Salem on a path to becoming the BigBad and the eventual resurrection of Oz as the BigGood, pitting them against each other in a ForeverWar for the fate of humanity.]]
164	** "The Girl Who Fell Through The World": The story abour a girl who falls from Remnant into a magical world. She causes chaos in the new realm until she learns from her mistakes and returns home. [[spoiler:When Team RWBY fall into the Ever After, they spend Volume 9 learning the truth behind the fairy tale as they attempt to find their way back home.]]
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166
167	[[folder:Webcomics]]
168	* ''Webcomic/{{Digger}}'' spends more than a few strips explaining the hyena mythology surrounding their progenitor-gods "He-Is" and "She-Is", and the "badness" that came from their [[DealWithTheDevil interactions]] with the demonic [[TheCorrupter Sweetgrass Voice]]. Naturally, it's eventually up to Digger to SetRightWhatOnceWentWrong.
169	* In ''Webcomic/TheAdventuresOfDrMcNinja'', if ''anyone'' mentions ''anything'' unusual or absurd-sounding -- like giant lumberjacks, dinosaur-riding bandito paleontologists, zombie ninjas, or the ghosts of dead NASA astronauts -- you can bet it'll not only exist but have a direct impact on the plot of the current arc.
170	* Myths and superstitions in ''Webcomic/TalesOfTheQuestor'' tend to be problematic after a few too many generations. Some of them end up being accurate, but for each one that actually is, you've got a few dozen that are corrupted from translation issues or pure age, and hundreds that are plain false or started up from illogical premises. It's also a rule for the setting that no one can see the future, so prophecy tends to ''always'' be wrong.
171	* [[http://www.skindeepcomic.com/archive/ridiculous-creatures-1/ This]] short story from ''WebComic/SkinDeep''. "How am I supposed to know what is actually fiction around here anymore?"
172	* In ''Webcomic/EightBitTheater'', [[PowerCopying Blue Magic]] is considered to be the "holy grail of wizardry", and the seven documented attempts at it ended in explosive failure. Then Black Mage gets the power of Blue Magic thanks to a GodOfEvil... and it turns out to be a ''[[PowerupLetdown massive disappointment]]''.
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174
175	[[folder:Web Original]]
176	* In ''Phaeton'' if a myth isn't true already then it can become true through the power of the Enigma. Sometimes mythical versions of creatures who already exist become true, that's when things get complicated.
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178
179	[[folder:Western Animation]]
180	* ''Franchise/ScoobyDoo'' [[PlayedForLaughs plays this trope for laughs]]. Typically, something spooky is going on, but is [[DoingInTheWizard actually engineered]] by someone wanting to scare people away. Half the time, it's an InvokedTrope, as the fake monster is based on an old local legend (or, occasionally, the villain makes up a story and ''claims'' it's an old legend). Once in a while, there's [[RealAfterAll some evidence]] of ''actual'' spookiness, which the heroes may or [[GaveUpTooSoon may not]] see.
181	* ''WesternAnimation/JackieChanAdventures'' [[PlayedForLaughs plays this for laughs]] in an episode about Stonehenge. Apparently, it has some sort of great magical powers, but nobody really knows what it ''does''. Jackie Chan, upon being told this, sarcastically remarks "Yeah, and some people think it's used to contact aliens." The bad guys figure it must be some kind of weapon, and Jackie Chan goes into action to stop them from activating it. Amazingly, the bad guys actually succeed at pulling off their EvilPlan to activate Stonehenge, revealing to everyone present that Stonehenge does... ''absolutely nothing''. Everyone goes home, and then, in the last scene of the episode, a [=UFO=] lands at the now-deserted Stonehenge.
182	%%* ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'': Mystical Monkey Power is all about this trope.%%ZCE
183	* ''WesternAnimation/HeManAndTheMastersOfTheUniverse1983'' does this constantly. Anything that's supposedly just a myth, turns out to be real. EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.
184	* ''WesternAnimation/TheRealGhostbusters'' and its SequelSeries ''WesternAnimation/ExtremeGhostbusters'' follow this trope pretty faithfully:
185	** It's subverted in one episode of ''WesternAnimation/TheRealGhostbusters'', where the Ghostbusters must deal with a creature from Irish folklore. According to legend, the creature can only be stopped by a FourLeafClover. All the characters go out searching for one, except Egon, who, playing the role of AgentScully, insists that the creature can be captured using the same "scientific" methods they always use. In the end, the four-leaf clover fails (it was a fake taken from a parade float), and Egon saves the day by capturing the creature "scientifically", exactly as he said he would.
186	* ''WesternAnimation/Ben10'' devoted an episode to the Navajo legend of [[OurWerewolvesAreDifferent the Yenaldooshi]], as told by one of Max's former teammates. The monster in question is indeed real, although it turns out the legend got a lot of things wrong and it was actually an alien.
187	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'': The in-universe legends of mutants living under the city and El Chupanibre turn out to be completely true -- as does the more common myth of alligators in the sewers. [[InsistentTerminology Except they're actually crocodiles]].
188	* In ''WesternAnimation/Thundercats2011'', the CatFolk-populated magical kingdom of Thundera, stuck in MedievalStasis, considers [[LostTechnology technology]] to be mythical. Stories of "ships that could fly" are [[OutgrownSuchSillySuperstitions fairy tales told to cubs]]. The populace has become similarly skeptical of the existence of the Book of Omens and Mumm-Ra. In the space of one night, protagonist Lion-O and the Thunderians see their kingdom ruined when old enemies the [[LizardFolk Lizards]] invade, bringing with them ''futuristic'' technological [[SuperweaponSurprise superweapons]], given them by SorcerousOverlord Mumm-Ra. Lion-O and his Thundercats are then sent on a race to find the very real Book of Omens before Mumm-Ra can get his hands on it.
189	* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'':
190	** [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E1MareInTheMoon The first episode]] has a StorybookOpening of the tale of "The Mare in the Moon". Despite being referred to as an "old ponytale" by others, Twilight Sparkle believes the legend has a basis in reality and is concerned by prediction of Nightmare Moon's escape from her [[SealedEvilInACan imprisonment on the moon]], which is scheduled to happen within days. Of course, it's all absolutely, literally true, and [[PropheciesAreAlwaysRight the return happens exactly as predicted]]. Later episodes feature novels starring Indiana Jones {{Expy}} Daring Do, initially thought to be a ShowWithinAShow but later also revealed to be RealAfterAll.
191	** Throughout the series, Twilight Sparkle and other ponies mention [[TheArchmage Starswirl the Bearded]], a legendary unicorn from ancient times who acted as a mentor figure for Princesses Celestia and Luna prior to their ascension to the throne, only to disappear without a trace. And then throughout Season 7, there have been passing mentions of other legendary ponies in Equestria's history that form the [[PrecursorHeroes Pillars of Equestria]]. All of this culminates in the Season 7 finale "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS7E25ShadowPlayPart1 Shadow Play]]", in which the Mane Six manage to discover what has happened to those historical ponies and find a way to bring them back to Equestria, although they realize too late that the Pillars have [[SealedEvilInADuel a very good reason for trapping themselves in Limbo for over a thousand years]]...
192	[[/folder]]

Context Main / TheLegendOfChekhov