Chosen One vs. Everyman

Chosen One vs. Everyman

So, in fantasy in particular, some other genres as well, it’s common to have the protagonist fit in one of two camps, Chosen One or Everyman. (Website does use NSFW language)

The Chosen One is special. Maybe there’s an actual prophecy involving them. Maybe they have a strong natural gift or talent that sets them apart from the others. Maybe they are the ones who stand to inherit the McGuffin. James Bond could be argued to be a Chosen One. Harry Potter is definitely a Chosen One. Moana is a Chosen One. Diana Prince, aka Wonder Woman, is a Chosen One.

The Everyman could be anyone. The whole goal is that readers can imagine themselves as that character. They generally don’t have a lot of specialized experience or skills that the average person wouldn’t have, at least in the beginning. There shouldn’t be a whole lot about them that stands out as exceptional. Katniss Everdeen is an Everyman. Frodo Baggins is an Everyman (Everyhobbit?). Cinderella is an Everyman. Sam Spade is an Everyman.

Whether you are writing a story with a Chosen One or an Everyman, the side characters will probably be everymen. The antagonist may or may not be. Both stories have their advantages and work better for some stories than others.

Chosen Ones:

Pros:

You have a built-in protagonist. Not only do you know exactly who the story is about, you know why they are involved in the problem.

There is a strong element of wish fulfillment. Who doesn’t want to believe that they are special and see that recognized?

The tropes involved go back as far as mythology, which is why the Hero’s Journey resonates so well with readers.

Cons:

Can lead to some apathy in others in the world. After all, if only the Chosen One can defeat the Evil Wizard, why should they bother doing anything to resist?

Can be overdone. Which can actually work sometimes, especially if you are writing more humor.

The trope is a little bit cliché. Not that there still isn’t room for more, when done well.

Everyman:

Pros:

It can be a lot of fun to watch ordinary people in extraordinary situations. Readers like to compare and contrast what they would do in the same situation.

Seems to be a little more popular right now, probably tied to cynicism.

The trope is very versatile. This could be someone with absolutely no special gifts or powers, someone who suddenly develops powers or a magical artifact (to be a true Everyman, it’s best if this is through accident, coincidence, or mistake), or someone who works and strives to be the pinnacle of the skill, trait, etc.

Cons:

It’s very easy to start with an Everyman who turns to the Chosen One (more on that later.)

Can be a little boring or unrealistic if done wrong. Sure, we expect James Bond to be able to disarm a bomb blindfolded, but Sam, the plumber who was mistaken for a spy, had better have at least been shown a book on bombs.

Sometimes it can be hard to explain why John/Jane Normal is suddenly trying to overthrow the Dark Wizard, solve a murder, or find the magical McGuffin.

As you can see, both have their advantages and disadvantages. Some work better for some stories than others. Either are fine, and good stories are written with both.

Do NOT cross the tropes!

Your Chosen One should be special somehow. Something that sets them apart from others. Why did the prophesy choose them? Preferably it’s because of some kind of special gift. Take Harry Potter. According to the author, he really isn’t supposed to be all that different from other wizards, except for the prophecy. And the fact that he survived the unsurvivable, but that was less him and more the people around him. As such, he’s almost a disappointment as a Chosen One. He does have a few special gifts, his skill at defense and flying. But neither of those are how he defeated the Dark Lord. Not to criticize Rowling, who was far more successful than I likely will ever be, (not to mention more controversial than I ever want to be), but I can see why it is so popular in fanfiction to give Harry real Chosen One powers (lots of money/resources, special magic aptitude/gifts, etc.). Basically, she tried to make a Chosen One an Everyman.

It is also sadly common to take your Everyman and slip him into a Chosen One. No, this wasn’t just an ordinary person taken at random, it turned out to be very deliberate as this one has a special gift and probably came from a long line of other Chosen Ones. It sort of worked with Luke Skywalker. Mostly because there were a few hints and they followed the Chosen One framework of the Hero’s Journey. If your character is a Chosen One who thinks they’re an Everyman, you had better hint at it early. Play fair with your readers.

Basically, don’t take the thing that makes the trope good and do the opposite.

One thing I have seen suggested, but can’t identify examples of (but would like to see) is the Chosen One who chooses themselves. They move beyond ‘Someone needs to do something,’ to, ‘And that someone is me. Let’s go.’  How well this works for the character probably depends on the tone of the story.

As I said, both have their advantages and disadvantages. Have some fun with them.

Which trope do your characters tend to fall in?