# The age 40+ Chosen One? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** books-writing-myths\ **Created:** [January 12, 2022, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-age-40-chosen-one/957622 "2022-01-12T01:26:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2022, 9:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-age-40-chosen-one/957622/21 "2022-01-12T09:49:19Z")
Do TV shows count? If so, I’m pretty sure that Commander Sinclair in Babylon 5, as well as Commander Sisko in the totally-not-a-ripoff Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, are both supposed to be in their early forties when they discover their Special Destinies as Valen and the Emissary respectively. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2022, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-age-40-chosen-one/957622/22 "2022-01-12T12:08:58Z")
> [@Kron](#): > > A semi-answer is available in Dalinar Kholin from **The Stormlight Archives**. He is _one of_ the “Chosen Ones”, the leader of them, and takes it on late in life. Bear in mind that at the time of his “choosing”, Dalinar was already a general and de-facto king, not to mention one of the most dangerous hand-to-hand fighters in the world, so it’s not exactly like he was plucked out of obscurity. ---
**Author:** ![YamatoTwinkie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/cc9497/32.png) [@YamatoTwinkie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YamatoTwinkie)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2022, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-age-40-chosen-one/957622/23 "2022-01-12T14:29:26Z")
Missed OP’s cutoff (maybe on purpose), but Keanu Reeves was mid-thirties in _the Matrix_, and I think the official character (Thomas Anderson/Neo/ the One) is 37 at the beginning of the film. In _the Matrix Resurrections_: Carrie-Ann Moss(54) also becomes “the Chosen One” archetype by the end ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2022, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-age-40-chosen-one/957622/24 "2022-01-12T18:28:03Z")
In Larry Niven’s novel Protector, some 40-something guys become the saviors of humanity. Not sure it counts since there’s no mention of destiny and people are longer-lived in Niven’s future society. How about the TV show Stan Against Evil with a 50ish John C. McGinley defending his home town from the supernatural? ---
**Author:** ![Noelq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/noelq/32/16438_2.png) [@Noelq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noelq)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2022, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-age-40-chosen-one/957622/25 "2022-01-12T20:28:34Z")
Terry Brooks - Magic Kingdom for Sale - SOLD! An interesting series. Rich 50 year old guy answers an ad in the paper to buy a magic kingdom. Turns out to be real, and he’s transported to another land to become its king. People don’t really care, as it happens a lot, but in this case, the guy CARES about it, and starts to make changes. A very nice series. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2022, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-age-40-chosen-one/957622/26 "2022-01-15T06:22:14Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Do TV shows count? Sure! ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2022, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-age-40-chosen-one/957622/27 "2022-01-15T13:21:00Z")
How about Master Li from Barry Hughart’s _Bridge of Birds?_ ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2022, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-age-40-chosen-one/957622/28 "2022-01-16T13:38:23Z")
There’s no Chosen One in _Bridge of Birds_, but Ox is more the lead than Master Li is, in any case. ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2022, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-age-40-chosen-one/957622/29 "2022-01-16T16:48:21Z")
A slightly different kind of “chosen one” perhaps, but John Malkovich in _Being John Malkovich_ He wouldn’t be a “ripe vessel” until 44 IIRC. ---
**Author:** ![Galactus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/galactus/32/3581_2.png) [@Galactus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Galactus)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2022, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-age-40-chosen-one/957622/30 "2022-01-16T19:10:44Z")
Does Doctor Strange count? ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2022, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-age-40-chosen-one/957622/31 "2022-01-16T19:11:16Z")
Excellent user name/post combo. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Galactus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/galactus/32/3581_2.png) [@Galactus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Galactus)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2022, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-age-40-chosen-one/957622/32 "2022-01-17T04:42:01Z")
Strange and I have a history. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2022, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-age-40-chosen-one/957622/33 "2022-01-18T22:42:48Z")
Never mind. Totally mis-read the age part of the question. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-age-40-chosen-one/957622.md?page=1)