The greatest films that feature a 'Chosen One' protagonist

The Harry Potter series presents one of the most iconic chosen ones in movie history. Harry’s destiny to fight Lord Voldemort was always a given, thanks to a prophecy that foretold the birth of a baby boy would be capable of defeating The Dark Lord. It was also foretold that neither could live while the other survives, meaning Harry is often faced with his mortality. Literally referred to as "The Chosen One," Harry is the key to ridding the wizarding world of dark forces. 

Frodo Baggins from The Lord of the Rings is an example of a character who stumbles into being the chosen one. As an ordinary hobbit, Frodo lives a normal life until he happens upon the One Ring. As a result, he must take the ring to Mordor to be destroyed and go on a sprawling fantastical journey that tests his wits and purity. Despite being tempted by the ring's power many times, Frodo’s goodness and decency help him fight through and achieve his goal. 

When we first meet Neo in The Matrix, he is an ordinary computer hacker until he finds out that the world he lives in is a simulation created by machines who have enslaved the human race. As his mentor Morpheus explains, Neo is prophesied to be "The One," who will free humanity from the machines and bring them liberation. Morpheus trains Neo to become the ultimate warrior, which helps him fulfill his destiny and free society from the imprisoning clutches of The Matrix.

Although Anakin Skywalker is originally destined to be the chosen one who will bring balance to the Force in Star Wars, it is his son Luke who actually fulfills this task. Luke grows up on Tatooine without knowing who he really is, but when he meets and is trained by Obi-Wan Kenobi, he learns he must achieve what his father was too weak to do. While Anakin gives in to the dark side and becomes the villainous Darth Vader, Luke remains strong and defeats the Empire.

Many fantasy films have tried to recreate the success of Harry Potter by playing on the chosen one trope. While the Percy Jackson movies were met with mixed results, they feature a very strong example of this kind of character. Percy is a demigod and the son of Poseidon who discovers a war going on between the gods. The Oracle prophesies that a child of Zeus, Hades, or Poseidon will either bring the rise or fall of Olympus. Early on, it’s safe to presume that Percy falls into the former.

In the dystopian world of The Maze Runner, Thomas finds himself trapped in a maze with other boys. They have been searching for a way out for years, and Thomas is the last boy to be dropped in. This is no coincidence, and Thomas becomes the unofficial leader of the group as they fight for their freedom and survival. As the sequels reveal, Thomas is not only an integral part of the maze’s creation but also holds the key to finding a cure for the deadly virus that has ravaged humanity. 

Superman himself is about as legendary as chosen ones come. The movie Man of Steel tells the origin story of Kal-El, whose father sends him to Earth to save him as their home planet of Krypton is destroyed. This sends Kal-El on a path to become a human known as Clark Kent, who later learns of his origins and superpowers. Destiny forces him to become Superman, a defender of the people and a symbol of hope against the evil forces that threaten Earth. 

Katniss Everdeen starts out as an ordinary girl living in District 12 in Panem but changes the world when she volunteers to take her sister’s place in The Hunger Games. After Katniss takes a stand against the Capitol, she becomes the face and leader of the rebellion and is known as The Mockingjay. Katniss’s actions lead her to become the chosen one, even though she initially doesn’t want to take on the responsibility. However, the strength of her character gives her no choice. 

Po from Kung Fu Panda may be one of the most unlikely chosen ones ever, but that’s what makes him such a great chosen one. When the clumsy and untrained panda is revealed by Master Oogway to be the prophesied hero, The Dragon Warrior, no one can believe it, including Po. With no kung fu experience or physical skills, he is a complete underdog and is underestimated by all. However, Po lives up to the title and brings peace to the valley without changing who he is. 

In 2021’s sci-fi epic Dune, Paul Atreides is heir to the noble House of Artreidis, who enter a war to gain control of the desert planet Arrakis. Paul is already destined for leadership because of his family heritage and is trained to prepare him for duty. However, he is plagued by unexplained visions that insinuate he is destined for something more. When Paul is accepted by the Fremen on Arrakis at the end of the first film, it teases he has a much bigger and more complicated part to play.

In The Lego Movie, Emmet is an ordinary construction worker who is prophesied to be "The Special," the most extraordinary person in the world and the key to saving the Lego universe from the evil Lord Business. Emmet finds the Piece of Resistance, which makes him the subject of Vitruvius’s prophecy, even though he is the least likely candidate for the role. Still, Emmet manages to become an inspiring leader and master builder who ends up saving the Lego world.

In The Chronicles of Narnia, there isn’t just a chosen one, but instead four chosen ones. The Pensive siblings — Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy — are the subjects of The Golden Age Prophecy of Narnia. It is said that the two sons of Adam and two daughters of Eve will end the rule of the White Witch with the help of Aslan. The arrival of the siblings in Narnia triggers the return of Aslan, and in wake of defeating the witch, they take their place as the land’s new Kings and Queens.

Jake Sully’s role as the chosen one in Avatar was never set in stone. Jake wasn’t even supposed to travel to Pandora had his brother not passed away. Using his avatar form as a Na’vi, Jake is tasked with infiltrating the indigenous community in order to drive them off their land. However, he starts to connect with the Na’vi and learns and respects their ways. Defying his original orders, Jake fights to protect the Na’vi from extinction and leads them to liberation. 

Despite not being born until the events of the second Terminator film, John Connor is the most important character in the franchise. From the get-go, we learn that John eventually leads the fight against the cyborgs and saves humanity from extinction in 2029. This informs the basis for the plot of the first film, which sees a Terminator sent back in time to kill John’s mother, Sarah. Though viewers see many different iterations of the character throughout the series, his value and importance are always clear. 

In Wonder Woman, Diana Prince is raised on Themyscira and is trained to become an Amazon warrior. Diana’s goodness and pure heart lead her to leave home and try to stop the human war, where she discovers her true purpose. Diana isn’t just any Amazonian warrior but is revealed to be the daughter of Zeus and the so-called "God-Slayer" she has been seeking, which she thought was a sword. She is the weapon that can kill Ares, making her more powerful than almost any DC hero.

Before there was the hit TV series starring Sarah Michelle Gellar, Buffy the Vampire Slayer was originally a movie. Buffy Summers is just a regular teenager when she learns that she is "The Slayer," the latest in a long line of vampire hunters who are destined to take on the title. While initially rejecting the idea, Buffy eventually embraces her new identity and discovers her new abilities. She lives up to the title of "The Slayer" while trying to live a regular teen life.

Billy Batson starts out as an orphan teenage boy taken in by a foster family until he is selected by the Wizard Shazam to be his new champion. Upon saying “Shazam!” Billy turns into an adult male with superpowers. He is chosen because of his pure heart, which took the Wizard a long time to find. As Billy tests out and plays around with his new powers, he also discovers the immense responsibility that comes with them and becomes a hero worthy of the title.

DreamWorks’s The Prince of Egypt is an epic musical retelling of the story of Moses from the Book of Exodus. As a baby, Moses is separated from his mother and is found and adopted by the Egyptian royals. Although he grows up as a prince, he eventually learns of his true Hebrew heritage and is called by God to lead his people to freedom. Leaving his old life and going against his own brother Ramses, Moses uses his strength and the power of God to create a miracle. 

Based on the Arthurian legend, Disney’s The Sword in the Stone follows the story of young Arthur (a.k.a Wart), a poor boy and aspiring squire who is trained by Merlin to become the king he was always meant to be. The film explores Arthur’s humble beginnings, eventually leading him to become King Arthur. If Merlin ever had any doubt about the boy’s potential, that is well and truly squandered when Wart pulls out the sword Excalibur from the titular stone, confirming his royal destiny.

In Pan’s Labyrinth, young Ofelia moves with her mother into her ruthless army officer stepfather’s house during the war. She meets a faun who tells her she is a reincarnation of a princess of the underworld but must complete three tasks to prove her royalty. Ofelia only just scrapes through the first two but makes the ultimate sacrifice for the third in the real and fantastical world. She proves her worth and is granted access to her kingdom and long-lost parents in the afterlife.