(LOL Carlton fortune teller)
You know what? I like certain tropes in fantasy and sci-fi. That means prophecy. Someone posed the question about whether or not to include prophecy in fantasy writing, whether or not it’s cliche, or an overused trope. I say go for it. Read some Nostradamus.
Arthurian legend has good prophetic material.
The best prophecies are the ones that aren’t 100% true/legit, whatever. It’s like the great Azor Ahai prophecy from George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series. You have the obvious choices and you have the not-so-obvious choices, and you have the whole notion that you can probably make the prophecy fit whomever because the clues aren’t always literal but metaphorical. Or are they?
It’s a great way to say, “Hey! Look at what I’m doing with my hand. Yeah! Shiny prophecy! Signs point HERE,” then the writer is using sleight of hand to sneak in the less obvious choice.
I think of Lady in the Water (sorry, I know a lot of people hate that movie, but I enjoyed it). You have someone that completely misinterprets the signs and almost fracks the whole thing up. Then, the real interpretation unfolds.
Lots you can do with it.
Here’s the thing. You wait around long enough and most prophecies would probably come to pass, right? Just look at Nostradamus. People are constantly trying to say, “YES, he predicted 9/11! Here is the proof! I’m interpreting it in X way and I’m right!”
And you have no idea if it’s right, but it sounds like it might be. And that’s magical and mystical. And ooooo, what if?
In another 20 years, we might have another “two steel birds falling from the sky on the Metropolis….” situation that will also fit.
Consider why a prophecy might be created. To bring hope in a time of turmoil and suffering? Religious reasons? (Control, hope, eternal salvation.)
Also consider self-fulfilling prophecies like Oedipus. Someone goes out of their way to avoid a prophecy and because they took those severe actions, they ended up bringing it about themselves.
I think they’re great in fantasy, especially when they:
1. Don’t come true exactly as you think they might.
2. Mean something completely different than what you imagine.
3. Come true but make things a lot worse (or trigger a nastiness).
You’re going to get the cliche eye-roll from a lot of people. Oh my GAWWWWD, PROPHECY!
Just like you get people saying, “OMG, MEDIEVAL FANTASY…………”
There are obviously markets for these things. Big, fat, glorious markets.