15 Best Chosen One Stories in Movies and Shows

15. Jack Kline from Supernatural

Jack Kline is the son of Lucifer, born with world-ending power, but raised by hunters who believe in his humanity. Instead of giving in to his dark legacy, Jack chooses love, sacrifice, and hope, becoming the most unlikely chosen one in Supernatural. | © Warner Bros. Television

14. Frodo from The Lord of the Rings trilogy

Frodo Baggins isn’t a warrior or a wizard, just a quiet hobbit handed the most dangerous task in Middle-earth. What makes him the chosen one isn’t strength, but his willingness to carry the burden when no one else could. | © New Line Cinema

13. Emmit Brickowski from The Lego Movie

Emmet isn’t special until someone tells him he is, and he starts to believe it. The LEGO Movie flips the chosen one trope on its head, reminding us that imagination, not prophecy, is what makes a true hero. | © Warner Bros. Pictures

12. Jake Sully from Avatar

Jake Sully wasn’t born Na’vi, but the tribe, and their god Eywa, chose him anyway. Whether by fate or faith, he becomes the leader who unites a world he wasn’t born into, but grows to protect as his own. | © 20th Century Studios

11. Buffy from Buffy The Vampire Slayer

Buffy didn’t choose to be the Slayer – she just wanted to get through high school without fighting vampires. But she not only embraced her calling, she rewrote the rules, turning a lonely destiny into a legacy shared by girls everywhere. | © 20th Television

10. Aang from Avatar: The Last Airbender

Aang might be the Avatar, but he’s still a 12-year-old kid trying to stay hopeful in a world at war. His story balances lighthearted moments with heavy responsibility, making his journey from runaway to world-saver one of the most heartfelt chosen one arcs ever told. | © Nickelodeon

9. Chandler Jarrell from The Golden Child

Chandler Jarrell isn’t your typical chosen one, he is wisecracking social worker dragged into a mystical rescue mission. Eddie Murphy’s charisma turns this bizarre fantasy into pure ’80s gold, proving that sometimes sarcasm is the real superpower. | © Paramount Pictures

8. John Connor from The Terminator

John Connor was destined to lead humanity against the machines before he was even born. Terminator 2 showed a kid carrying the weight of the future on his shoulders, with a killer robot as his protector and just enough heart to make it unforgettable. | © Warner Bros. Pictures

7. King Arthur from Excalibur

Before lightsabers and prophecies, there was King Arthur pulling a sword from a stone. Excalibur delivers the classic chosen one tale in all its gritty, mystical glory with betrayal, bloodshed, and just enough magic to make it legendary. | © Warner Bros. Pictures

6. Paul Atreides from Dune

Paul Atreides goes from exiled noble to desert messiah, leading a rebellion on a planet that wants to kill him at every turn. His rise is epic, unsettling, and filled with questions about power, prophecy, and what it means to be “chosen.” | © 20th Century Studios

5. Po from Kung Fu Panda

Po starts as an awkward, dumpling-loving panda who dreams big, and somehow ends up being chosen as the legendary Dragon Warrior. His journey proves that destiny isn’t about looking the part, it’s about believing in yourself (and maybe knowing a few awesome kung fu moves). | © Paramount Pictures

4. Harry Potter from Harry Potter

Harry Potter didn’t ask to be the chosen one, but from the moment he survived Voldemort’s curse, his fate was sealed. What made him special wasn’t power, but heart, loyalty, and the courage to face darkness even when he was scared. | © Warner Bros. Pictures

3. Ash from Evil Dead trilogy

Ash Williams never wanted to be a chosen one, he just wanted a quiet weekend in the woods. But after battling demonic forces across time (with a chainsaw for a hand), he embraced his fate with blood, sarcasm, and a whole lot of deadites. | © Renaissance Pictures

2. Neo from The Matrix

Neo starts as a lost hacker and ends as the prophesied savior of humanity, waking up to a reality far darker than the one he knew. His journey blends sleek action with existential questions, and no chosen one dodges bullets quite like him. | © Warner Bros. Pictures

Anakin Skywalker from Star Wars franchise

1. Anakin Skywalker from Star Wars

Anakin Skywalker was prophesied to bring balance to the Force, but instead, he became the very thing he was meant to stop. His story flips the chosen one trope on its head, showing how fear and power can twist even the most gifted. | © Lucasfilm