Is Your Hero A Chosen One?

Give your characters the opportunity to overcome adversity. That will make them feel more impressive to readers.

A scene where the character cannot rely on his usual powers is another way you can establish that this character is creative and savvy. Additionally, mixing up the plot will make it feel more lively.

The character is not born to a royal or high-ranking family.

Death is normally a scary and threatening fate. **The fear of death is the main dramatic element of combat.** But if your character can overcome death, then it doesn't matter when he wins or loses. The result is that the character will seem much less impressive and dramatic.

Most publishers hate prophecies. A prophecy is the ultimate sign of a Chosen One; prophecies are always received rather than earned.

Generally, strong heroes choose their own quests. If the character is selected from an early age, he's not really his own man. Please have your hero pick his own quest: he will seem more morally complex and active.

Readers generally prefer heroes that win their own powers. If someone is born super-powerful, that isn't very impressive. That's just luck. In contrast, someone that earns his powers is a real winner.

Eragon and Peter Parker receive their powers because of luck and chance. That's not very satisfying. In contrast, Wonder-Woman only won her powers because she won a competition that established that she *deserved* to be Wonder-Woman. That's much more impressive than a lucky spider-bite.

It will feel like a deus ex machina if a hero is saved by some factor out of his control. I'd recommend having the hero fight his way out with his own skills or try something else to escape. Alternately, just let him lose... then he can deal with the negative consequences of that later.