If you’re a fan of epic narratives—be it films, books, or anime—you might have noticed a curious trend: over time, many sagas morph into grand battles against overarching tyranny. Ever pondered why so many beloved stories culminate in epic confrontations with dark forces? From Harry Potter’s clash with Voldemort to the gallant defiance in The Hunger Games, it seems like no matter how charmingly they begin, these tales inevitably journey toward battles against authoritative villains. This article takes a deep dive into that intriguing pattern, exploring the essential elements that emerge as sagas unfold and grow. So, grab your favorite snack (we all know watching these sagas can be quite the marathon!) and let’s explore the common threads weaving through the stories we love. Trust me, you won’t want to miss out on the insights that await! LEARN MORE.
If a saga has sequential arcs and goes on for long enough, it eventually has to involve one of these three elements
Spoiler alert! This article has spoilers for Harry Potter, Chronicles of Narnia, Hunger Games, Game of Thrones, Peaky Blinders, and the animes Naruto, One Piece, Code Geass, Puella Magi Madoka Magicka, Death Note, and Gurren Laggan.
If you’ve ever watched the Harry Potter movies from start to finish, you’ve followed a story that starts with a young boy who attends a charming magic school but that ends with a violent revolution against a noseless, wizard-version of Hitler. When I look at all of the “epic” narrative sagas, I find that this a common denominator. Chronicles of Narnia, Hunger Games, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, etc. — all ultimately just a fight against dictatorships.
One of the earliest Marvel characters to still have a recognizable name, “The Human Torch”, was originally a fire-wielding cyborg working for the NYPD. Go on long enough down the line, and the series has become a sequence of intergalactic and interdimensional battles against gods and aliens from across the multiverse. If you’ve ever seen the popular anime Naruto, you’ll know it starts with a…
