1. ToeKneeBlack

    ToeKneeBlack Banned

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    False Prophecy

    Discussion in 'Plot Development' started by ToeKneeBlack, Nov 13, 2015.

    I've been thinking about using a prophecy in my series. Now I know the whole prophecy thing has been overdone, and little to no explanation is given about where the prophecy comes from, so I'm thinking of having a false prophecy.

    Essentially, we reach a point in the series where the main character is recognised for her heroic deeds. Her past is a mystery, as she has no memory of her biological parents. One day she is approached by a cult leader which worships her as the new saviour of humanity. She doesn't like the idea, as she already has religious beliefs and wouldn't dare think of herself as a messiah.

    However, as many cult leaders turn out, he has an ulterior motive. He leads his followers into believing he is her high messenger, and presents her with a prophecy he made up himself, using her past victories as examples of how his prediction is accurate. He makes a few predictions which come true, but he arranged the events in order to make her believe his story. While she isn't completely convinced, she starts listening to him.

    I won't go into the details of how it ends, but would this be a new way to use the prophecy trope?
     
  2. X Equestris

    X Equestris Contributor Contributor

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    I think this would be a nice twist on the typical use of prophecies. Especially if you keep the audience uninformed of this guy's machinations until your POV character finds out.
     
  3. superpeppepower

    superpeppepower New Member

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    I think that's a good idea. It would be a interesting realization moment too, when the POV character figures out that the prophecy is fake. Sounds like it would make a very gripping scene, and would probably tell a lot about the character's development by how they react to this sudden understanding.
     
  4. Mumble Bee

    Mumble Bee Keep writing. Contributor

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    Leo, go deeper. There is a real prophecy that he doesn't tell anyone about. All the things she's doing must be done in sequential order and then she must be sacrificed to fulfil it.
     
  5. ToeKneeBlack

    ToeKneeBlack Banned

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    Thanks for the feedback. I'm glad you like it. I got the idea after watching the Nostalgia Critic's review of Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland. He gave a brilliant argument about the plethora of prophecies in movies and their overuse, how little they make sense and how predictable they are.
    For the twist to work, I can't have a real prophecy hiding in the background.

    It is revealed later in the series that her pregnant mother was unwittingly sent over 140 years back in time with the crew of a space vessel. The only crew member who stays with her is the old man who raised her until she was five.
    The heroine's deeds are the old man's history, so he tells her bed time stories about stuff she's yet to do. I doubt these could be classed as prophecies, since she'd have a hard time remembering the details later on in her life. That's as close as it gets to having a true prophecy.
     

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