destiny theme
Destiny, or "fate", is the idea that some or all of what happens to us is predetermined and cannot be influenced by our decisions. This idea is featured in the story. It shouldn't be confused with the idea of (backwards) "time travel" and usually isn't used in conjunction with the time travel theme.
Notes
Typically, destiny is a major theme in stories where a character has been told about their future through a prophesy or the like, and strives to change some part of it (generally in vain). It is a minor theme for example when a character mentions the idea but it has little relevance to the main storyline. Note that words like "destiny" and "fate" are sometimes used in figures of speech (say "come, destiny awaits" or "that fateful day") where the speaker is not particularly concerned with the idea behind the word in question. In such cases it is not used as a theme at all. Time travel stories are most often paradoxical but tend to involve a character actually changing what has, in a sense, already happened. In some stories a character changes the past futilely in order to escape an event in the present and it may in some sense look similar to the idea of destiny. However, it is difficult to make sense of such stories in the context of "a singular predetermined course of events", which is the basis for the classical idea of "destiny". Therefore, as a rule of thumb, "destiny" stories tend to be completely separate from "time travel" stories.
Examples
Data was destined to find his own severed head in tng5x26 "Time's Arrow".
30 total · 11 major · 18 minor
| Story | Level | Motivation |
|---|---|---|
| bbf1x20 | major | It was thought to be Delenn's destiny to have to leave Babylon 5 and serve as leaded of her people's council. Zathras told Sinclair that Sinclair had a destiny and should not risk losing his life to save Zathras. Delenn described humanity as having a “great destiny” awaiting it among the stars. |
| bbf2x21 | major | Delenn was convinced that a unique destiny and very consequential awaited her. |
| bbf3x09 | major | Lady Morella’s prophesy left Londo convinced that he was destined to become emperor. |
| bbf3x17 | major | Sinclair was assured by Zathras that Sinclair had a special and very consequential destiny. |
| ds97x02 | major | An alien appeared to Benjamin in the guise of Sarah Sisko, and told him that he had fulfilled his destiny to become the prophet to the Bajorans. |
| movie: 2067 (2020) | major | Ethan was convinced that it was his fate (a word that is uttered five times in the film) that Jude would shoot him dead, and in so doing put an end to Ethan's effort to save humanity. Toward the end, however, Ethan changed his tune an resolved to change his own fate, and the fate of humanity by extension. |
| movie: Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005) | major | Palpatine asserted that Anakin was destined to become his apprentice and learn to wield the dark side of the Force. Many of the Jedi thought he was prophesied to bring balance to the force. |
| movie: Throne of Blood (1957) | major | Miki and Washizu had their destinies foretold by a spirit in the forest. Miki acted confidently in support of it but, through some caveats and ironic twists of fate, it turned out to be not all that he thought it would be. |
| nightgallery2x10b | major | Claire's husband had seen Erik killing him in his own dreams. Claire being in love with Erik acted confidently in support of this destiny. |
| play: Macbeth (1606) | major | Three hags foretold that Macbeth would, among other things, rise to become king of Scotland, only to be vanquished at such time when "Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane shall come". Emboldened by the revelations, Macbeth seized the crown through assassination, but, despite his best efforts, he was unable to escape his ultimate downfall as foretold. |