Lost Heir
This article or section needs expansion. |
| Tropes and genres | |
|---|---|
| Synonym(s) | Secret Scion |
| Related tropes/genres | Chosen One, Royalty AU, Secret Identities |
| Related articles on Fanlore. | |
The lost heir, also known as the secret scion, is a character archetype and narrative trope common in both fanon and canon. It typically involves a character learning or revealing that they are the heir to a royal title, but may also involve inheritance of a special power, artefact, or position.
The character may or may not be aware of their privileged status at the beginning of the story. Sometimes, the character has been forced to conceal their identity, typically due to the murder and/or ousting of the royal family. In other cases, the character has voluntarily concealed their identity for less serious reasons, as in the trope of the rebellious princess who adopts an alter ego to defy royal strictures. When an unaware character discovers their status, it may be an example of the chosen one trope. In some cases, a character who had formerly been unaware of their status develops a sense of betrayal, and has a knee-jerk reaction to try and reject their newfound privilege and responsibility.
Examples
Fanworks
External Links
- Let’s Talk Tropes: The Lost Heir, Archived version by Katie Bachelder (October 5, 2020)
- Lost Heir search results on the Ao3
- Lost Orphaned Royalty, Really Royalty Reveal, and Secret Legacy at TV Tropes