The chosen one trope - hot or not?

[villainesayre]

What do you think about a character described as the chosen one?

Is it hot for you or not?

I tend to avoid writing characters within this trope but what about you, fellow creators?

[VibrantFox]

For me it depends on how it's written. Some uses of the trope can immediately come of as cliché or just a little too obvious, like in an rpg and you as the "main character are constantly referred to as chose one. But if it's something with a bit more subtlety, like in the Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya where it become more and more apparent that Kyon is the one who has the most influence and sway on the title character and how it affects those connected to her.

I think there's a lot of ways to approach it but for me it's all a matter of execution. I've not used the trope myself but it's always interesting seeing different variations of how being the "chosen one" affects a character and those around them.

So I guess the best answer for me is that I'm a little more middle of the road on that trope.

[Kura]

Not a big fan, in fact the introduction of that trope usually makes the story less exciting, even droppable for me.

There are some instances I like it though, such as character is appointed this roll but the story objective is to fight it. As long as they don't eventually accept it it's great. Then of course there will be stories were it works and I still like it despite my obvious dislike for the trope, like Avatar the Last Airbender. Most of the time though, hate it.

This is another trope that has been involved in so much bad writing that it's really hard for me to love.

[HollowEve]

I use it sometimes, but not heavily. Ice Princess uses a version of 'The Chosen One' where the main character is the reincarnation of a significant person and it affects how some people see her.

I think it can be great if it's well-incorporated. However, if it's just stated like 'You're the chosen one! You must do this! You're our only hope!' it's a little annoying.

[Jabbage]

I mostly only enjoy that trope is when it is deconstructed a little - Perhaps the label came about due to the machinations of others and the chosen one is actually just a pawn. Perhaps the wrong person got told they were the chosen one, and everyone has to live with the consequences. Perhaps they've already failed when the story begins and now they have to deal with that.

Although... make them fallible and interesting, make the universe well developed, and make the reason for their chosen-one-ness compelling and I can be persuaded. I really love Avatar the Last Airbender and Korra, and they lean towards having chosen one main characters

[dawgofdawgness]

Pretty much what @VibrantFox said, if it's written well the characters can have a really big impact on your readers. You can write a "chosen" character as someone who has the fate of the world in their hands, and they're put under a lotta pressure to satisfy everyone.
An example of a good "chosen one" character is from Ender's Game.

Howeverrr, this trope is put under bad light because of TV shows (mostly anime) where it's like

Tom is a social outcast!
He's constantly being made fun of because of ______!
But one day, he finds out that he actually has an advantage!
He's actually gasp the CHOSEN ONE.
He goes out on an adventure with a comedic fat kid and a love interest
featuring sexy actor, sexy actress, and Jonah Hill.

[Chroma]

I actually have found that in recent years, the 'Chosen One' trope has been experiencing a bit of a rebirth, with several authors finding new ways to take a spin on it. I won't name series, so that the examples I'm about to list won't be spoiled, but I've seen whole series where the final battle reveals that the villain's lackey was the Chosen One all along, not the hero. I've also seen a series where the Chosen One is actually several people, and they can only awaken their true power together. While some twists on this trope are better than others, I enjoy a good 'Chosen One' story.

[youcannotread]

I see "chosen one" in almost every story involving a weaker force fighting against an evil, or a main character down on their luck but with something to prove. I just want them to work hard. I think most main characters, even in well written stories, have some inherent advantage over everyone. Or at least more potential, and that's why they're the main character.

I want to see them work harder than everyone else. Genetics, opportunity and drive are integral in nearly everything in the real world. I'm annoyed when chosen one's just get stuff to win. Pretty much when macguffin/Mary sue/Deus ex machina developments occur out of nowhere. if they're the offspring of the demon-angel-battlelord-janitor... great! But don't tell me at the last second this is why they're going to win

[Wishjacked]

The main (maybe only?) beef that I have with the chosen one trope is that often it lends itself to an unmotivated main character. If some hapless and directionless shut-in has to be forced to take action just because they're "the chosen one", but would otherwise be willing to watch their world disintegrate into ruins? Soooorrry, I'm not interested.

[JenniferBourne]

I agree. Some other variations: our hero doesn't want to be the chosen one (maybe it comes with a serious price? Maybe he's trying to get something more important (to him) done and this Chosen One business gets in the way?
I like the idea about the wrong person being named. Maybe someone bribed (or blackmailed) a prophet to name them (or their kid) as a status symbol. Perhaps the "real" Chosen One is getting clues that it might, in fact, be him, even though he "knows that's impossible."
You could get silly:
What if the identity of The Chosen One keeps changing because The Chooser can't make up his mind? What if Chosen One status is something that can be sold or given away? Or (assuming it comes with a burden,) handed off to one sucker after another?

[DiegoPalacios]

I follow the sacred rule of tvtropes. Tropes are tools.

The chosen one trope can be used to improve a story by raising tension, deconstructing fate and free will, playing with how it affect the main character and his/her loved ones. Or it can make it worse by using it as a cheap excuse for the hero to do something, it can easily lead to a "Mary Sue" if handled poorly and can easily become a generic cliché.

So, my answer is... Depends on execution.

Also, you can always give it a twist. For example, maybe the villain made up a prophecy so his enemies end up relying of a nervous teenager instead of doing the logical thing and sending an army.

[teagirlvn]

I myself don't like it, I prefer characters that trained hard and get what they should

[lunaartemisasama]

I loved Harry Potter series and read at least the first season of Naruto lol, so I suppose the answer is yes.
For me as long as the characters and scenaries are interesting I like it.

[XzynderVexymous]

Yes and no. See, I don’t call my protagonist “The Chosen One” not in the story or even in mind. Instead, I refer to others, esspisally antaganist, as an important character. These other characters make the story mysterious and engrossing.

[Luminosophy]

I don't care if it's "written well", the concept in it's entirety is stupid. By being "chosen", it self defeats any inherent "specialty" it bestows upon the character, because literally any other average joe could've been "chosen" for the same task and it wouldn't matter. It's like the concept of being unique. "You're unique, just like everyone else." I will not read a story about a character who has to find something important about himself by having it given to him by other people. He's a worthless person.

There is not a single redeeming factor about this trope that makes it worth my time. The only possible way it could work is when it's set up to destroy itself later, such as in the Lego movie.

[NickRowler]

I feel like the trope works for very very basic plots like in a retro style video game or stuff for young kids. But when it comes to more complex story plots targeted at teens and adults, I find the whole chosen one to be sort of silly and forced. And maybe that's why it sort of worked in the Lego Movie, that movie is suppose to be silly and for kids.

I remember reading the Keys to the Kingdom series which had the whole "dorky weakling kid gets thrown into a magical land and is the chosen one" plot. I hated him by the last book but he was being described as being wonderful and perfect. And maybe the issue with the whole Chosen One narrative is how the audience is told over and over that the MC is great and will save the day....and then they save the day (what a twist /s).

I sort of like how Un Lun Dun (by China Miéville), handles the Chosen One trope. The book sort of deconstructs it.

[AmysGames]

_{sweats because unironically writes "Chosen One" stories}

Anyway uh, I don't really have strong feelings on the Chosen One trope tbh. As long as it's a well-written character, whatever prophesies may be associated with said character don't really matter to me.

[VikiKuli]

I'm generally good with them as long as the phrase "you are the Chosen One" or something along those lines are not explicitly said. I think someone can appear like a chosen one even if it's not explicitly said.

[zigmenthotep]

My take on it—and most tropes—is that something becomes a trope because it works. A "chosen one" story is fairly accessible and easy to get going. Moe or less it's a shortcut to get the hero on their journey, and let's be honest here, the space between introduction of character and introduction of conflict is usually the least interesting part of a story.
Of course that really only works when you're dealing with traditional narrative structure. Once you start getting into meta or post-modern narrative territory the "chosen one" trope only works when it's self-aware or being used as part of a genre deconstruction.
Personally, I lean way more towards the post-modernist persuasion, so I would avoid something like that unless it was for satirical purposes.

[nikaalexandra]

ahhhhh the chosen one trope speaks to my inherent love of tangled fates and predetermined universal outcomes that were decided a millennia ago by unspoken gods and weaved into the fabric of eternity

but ya i agree with all of the above- if it's not written right, it's paint by numbers garbage