The concept of the protagonist as a chosen one has always held strong in the gaming industry. People enjoy playing as a hero destined for greatness. But others prefer to play as a talented hard worker who survives the most dire situations. Which of the two hero types is better suited to a world of powerful creatures and ancient prophecies? Let’s find out!
Disclaimer from the editors: Unfortunately, it’s impossible to discuss all the main characters of video games in a single article. We chose these characters after extensive discussions with the author, as well as based on his own desire to write about their adventures and escapades. The main thing is that this is an easy-to-read article that will help you remember your favorite games. We also ask readers to share their favorite characters from games in the comments, whether they would easily fit the label “chosen hero” or “hostage of the situation.” Let’s reminisce about more of our favorite protagonists together!
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Skyrim’s protagonist embodies the concept of “the chosen one.” From the very beginning, a common criminal is called the Dragonborn. He is summoned to the summit of Mount Hrothgar to cultivate the Thu’um—a great gift that empowers the voice—among the Greybeards. The Dragonborn’s status allows him to stop wars and commandeer facilities for dragon captivity. And the powerful obey, for the great warrior is destined to stop the end of time.
The game also offers plenty of mundane activities, such as blacksmithing or fetch-and-serve quests. However, a common hero has no place here, as the Dragonborn’s chosen status extends to virtually every aspect of their life:
- The Dragonborn is capable of becoming an Archmage while being a complete zero in magic;
- Joining the ranks of the Dark Brotherhood’s assassins makes you a chosen one, one who can communicate with a dead goddess called the Night Mother;
- You try to become a thief, and now you are a member of the secret society of Nightingales, and the Daedric princess Nocturnal bestows her favor on you;
- If you wish, you can become the champion of all the Daedra and use their powerful artifacts in battle. Or gain the useless skill of “cannibalism.”
In fact, the game allows you to be chosen in all areas, and, contrary to all logic, it doesn’t get boring. As the famous phrase goes: “It just works!” During my playthrough, I opted out of the main story quests so that the dragons wouldn’t get on my nerves during my journey. But this didn’t affect my ability to enjoy being chosen in other areas!
Gothic
If the Dragonborn embodies the very idea of being chosen, then the hero of “Gothic” is its complete opposite. He starts out so low, a worthless criminal, that others don’t even bother with his name. He’s a completely ordinary man who doesn’t even know how to hold a weapon properly.
By the time a typical chosen character receives their first magical weapon or unique ability, the Nameless Hero is already taking a beating from the locals. He must hoard and steal resources so experienced warriors can teach him the ropes of life in exchange for barter. And even after becoming a confident warrior, he’ll have to work hard to be noticed by the powers that be. Only by following this path will he be able to accomplish a great feat and defeat the embodiment of evil.
The beginning of the second part finds the Nameless One in a greatly weakened state. He will have to suffer in battle against weak opponents and earn money, both honestly and dishonestly, to rebuild his muscles and learn forgotten skills. His status also loses all meaning – previously, the Nameless One was the most notorious criminal within the Mining Colony, but outside of it, he is a nobody. He isn’t even a citizen! And only such status will allow him to fully confront the latest incarnation of evil – for only then will he be able to wear armor like the paladin Lothar.
At the end of the second game, the main villain reveals that the protagonist is not a hostage to the situation, but rather the chosen one of the gods Innos or Adanos. Even his name isn’t all that important; only his status as the chosen one matters. On the one hand, such a revelation changes nothing, as the Nameless One remains who the player made him: a powerful warrior, a clever mage, a skilled archer, or a thief. But the point of Gothic is that the protagonist achieved everything through hard work, cunning, and the help of his comrades, and the status of the chosen one, which suddenly appeared out of nowhere, doesn’t diminish his achievements. Even though the Nameless One was chosen by the gods and his path was predetermined, Gothic makes it clear that only the journey and adventure are important, not any status.
DOOM
Another series where the protagonist’s status changed as the franchise progressed, but that doesn’t make it any less vile. In the first two installments, you control Doomguy: a common infantryman whose skill with a massive arsenal of weapons has repeatedly saved humanity. Doomguy has shot down Demons on Mars, Earth, and even traveled to Hell—proving that the hellish creatures aren’t so easily disposed of by a man with a shotgun.
In 2016, Doomguy earned the pretentious moniker of the Doom Slayer. He’s now a legendary warrior, feared even by demons. At least, that’s how the game portrays him in various messages. Gameplay-wise, the hero remains Doomguy—exterminating demons with an arsenal of weapons and learning to tear them into beautiful, bloody shreds in close combat. This idea was further developed in DOOM: Eternal, where people made way for the protagonist in reverence and fear, as after so many years of battling demons, he’d acquired the status of a near-divine being, an angel of doom. But it always feels like something’s been left unsaid—as if part of the story has been left behind.
DOOM: The Dark Ages settles this question. The developers managed to fully realize the Doom Slayer’s chosen status, depicting the time when he was just earning his reputation. Moreover, the hero is not simply a machine for the destruction of all living things – his terrifying status is evident in every movement and the demons’ reactions to his appearance. He is a massive man in a fur cloak, armed with a sawshield and a double-barreled shotgun, which tear through hundreds of creatures with a roar and a roar. Doomguy climbs atop a massive mech to trample entire armies of hellish invaders, never wavering in his credo: to kill demons.
Just think of the moment when the Executioner saves one of the characters with a single harsh word, “Run!”, before blasting the main villain with the plasma cannon of a huge mech.
BLOOD
Caleb embodied the concept of the antihero. He was an exceptional marksman and established himself as a cruel and cynical individual. At some point in his life, Caleb fell in love with a woman named Ophelia, and under her influence, he joined a cult known as the Cabal. His bloodthirstiness and efficiency earned Caleb the status of the cult’s chosen one, for which he paid the price. A deity named Chernabog betrayed Caleb and his comrades and ordered his servants to kill them.
However, his status as the chosen one allowed Caleb to return to life. For corrupting his soul during his service, the undead hero was rewarded with superhuman strength, speed, endurance, and reflexes. He happily used these gifts to destroy members of the Cabal and exact revenge on the deity who betrayed him. But the price of power and authority was high: the death of his loved one and friends, who had also been marked as chosen.
This story is a warning. You need to hold on to the warm feelings that unite you with your friends and loved ones. And you certainly shouldn’t join the ranks of cannibalistic psychopaths in order to be rewarded with a special status that comes with a big, foul-smelling catch.
God of War
In familiar stories about the struggle between good and evil, you need to be an exceptional adherent of one ideology to achieve the status of the chosen one. In ancient Greek mythology, connections are everything. You need to emerge from the loins of a god to enjoy privileges from birth. Or impress with outstanding charisma, which will make the gods notice a small, funny mortal.
Kratos belongs to the first category, a Spartan demigod covered in familial ash deposits. He carried out the will of the god of war, Ares, and proved himself an outstanding warrior and commander. The squabbles surrounding his status as the chosen champion led to an unexpected outcome: Kratos defeated Ares and became the god of war himself. This ascension gave him the rare opportunity to appoint the chosen ones himself.
Alas, the developers failed to grasp the interesting idea and implemented a simpler, less original one. In subsequent installments, it became clear that all the gods were bad. As a result, we have to witness a cycle of revenge, where an evil bald man removes all sources of humor from mythology. At least the consequences weren’t forgotten—the death of the gods was followed by catastrophic destruction and the extinction of most of Greece’s population. After all, being chosen is being chosen, but the fate of funny little mortals is still a thing.
Kratos destroyed the very “chosen one” system in his homeland. The developers could have created a game where the protagonist deals with the consequences of his actions in the previous three games—as the sole god. Instead, they sent Kratos to change the system elsewhere, in Scandinavia, and then made him and the Spartan’s son, Atreus, the chosen ones of the new setting, destined to change their new homeland.
Hades
Another ancient Greek story, depicted from the other side of the coin. In most ancient Greek myths and legends, heroes and chosen ones attempt to enter the Underworld: Orpheus tried to rescue his beloved with the help of music; Odysseus came for a prediction of the future; Hercules set out to perform labors, and so on.
Hades’s son, Zagreus, having been chosen by birthright, thanks to his connections, received a prestigious position in the accounting department. However, he was struck by a wild idea: escape from the Underworld, where—well, “the vibe is total minus.” His father not only shouted and cursed at Zagreus as he fled, but also used all his influence to stop him. The protagonist must destroy hordes of the undead and champions before facing the main obstacle—Hades himself. Oh, daddy will have a field day with his son, believe me. But the special thing about being the son of the god of the underworld is immortality—Zagreus is forced to repeatedly return to Tartarus, attempting new escapes and confronting heroes and demigods on his way to the surface.
This could have been a rare story, where the protagonist, a god of divine descent, is the opposite of the chosen one. However, the events unfolding underground attracted the attention of gods from all over Olympus, who began supporting Zagreus. Some did this to spite Hades, while others did so for fun. Ultimately, this attempt at a breath of fresh air turned the protagonist into a champion chosen many times over, though whose champion is entirely up to the player. And this story isn’t unique to Zagreus—they’ll also have to deal with Theseus, who also enjoys the favor of several gods and resides in Elysium, side by side with his battle-hardened Minotaur.
Analysis
Playing as the Chosen One is full of advantages. The hero receives the best equipment, talents, and training. The powers that be are obliged to pay attention to them, as countless destinies depend on their decisions. However, being the Chosen One can be a major source of trouble for heroes, as was the case in God of War or BLOOD. They must endure strict restrictions, as the Chosen One is expected to perform certain actions, and they must always pay for their benefactors’ gifts—there’s no such thing as a free lunch.
Playing as a mere mortal is harder at first – no handouts or special treatment, just like in Gothic or DOOM. You have to earn everything through hard work. The reward for your efforts is greater freedom of choice or the status of a semi-divine being, as well as the satisfying feeling that all your achievements are yours.
Both storylines are full of strengths, weaknesses, and nuances. They often intertwine, with the average guy becoming the chosen one, and the chosen one possibly being an average guy. The key is for the events to follow the narrative logic—otherwise, you lose faith in what’s happening on screen. Fortunately, we haven’t encountered such issues in the games mentioned today.
