“Tough Traveling” is a weekly Thursday feature created by Nathan at Review Barn where participants make a new list each week based on The Tough Guide to Fantasyland by Diana Wynne Jones. This hilarious little book cheerfully pokes fun at the most prevalent tropes in fantasy. All are welcome to take part, and there is a link up over at his site. Join in any time!
This week’s trope is MESSIAHS:
If the world needs saving who are you going to call? Perhaps there is someone out there destined to save everything? It sounds like you need…a Messiah. (Thanks Rabindranauth for the topic).
Messiahs or Chosen Ones are all over the place in fantasy, unsurprising since the world always seems to be ending for some poor kingdom or other. Here are some of my most memorable Messiah figures!
 Harry Potter – Harry Potter series by J.K. RowlingThe Boy Who Lived. The boy who must defeat the Dark Lord and save the entire wizarding world…and muggle society too. I mean when you think about it, Harry’s hero arc is literally that of a Messiah. He goes off to die/make the ultimate sacrifice for his friends/people, then he comes back to defeat the forces of darkness. BAM. Messiah. |
 Ender Wiggin – Ender’s Game by Orson Scott CardYes this is sci-fi but everyone else has used it at some point so I say why not! What do you do when an alien race might be amassing their weapons to smite you? Looks like little bitty Ender Wiggin’s gotta save the world from the evil Buggers! Or is it the other way around? |
 Alianne of Pirate’s Swoop (Aly) – Trickster’s Coice by Tamora PierceAly is a the Chosen One, she who will restore rightful rule to the Copper Isles. Unfortunately for Aly, she’s been chosen by Kyprioth, aka the Trickster God. Everyone in the Copper Isles knows that it’s not exactly smooth sailing for his followers. But Aly still manages to get her Messiah on despite the crappy odds. You go, girl! |
 Frodo Baggins – The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. TolkienDoes anyone not know this story? Naive underdog goes on a quest to thwart the powers of darkness and save the world – he’s the only one who can! Not exactly an easy life. Poor Frodo, proof that the Messiahs of fantasyland don’t exactly have it easy. |