It also depends on the target audience. Matrix is a movie for an older audience primarily.
Most of the "destined to save the world" type novels are under teen fiction, and so include teens.
Start reading normal fiction then. Why are you reading YA and then complaining that it’s young people? There’s so many good books about adults who fight against oppressors and seek to change the world you just have to get out of the already small YA section
Some others have made good points on the subject, but I will say it is VERY common for “chosen ones” to be teens and young adults even in fiction that isn’t YA- classic sci fi and fantasy are full of this trope. But I think the point is that the protagonist ISNT fully developed. Not o it are they generally then an “underdog” but also a “blank slate” due to their relative inexperience and the fact they haven’t had decades to craft skills and knowledge base. It also helps give them much more room to develop as a character and explore morality. While we are always changing and growing- you generally wouldn’t expect a 40 year old veteran mom to undergo fundamental shifts in world view- save perhaps on specific issues- and that’s a very different story- usually we see that in stories where someone learns “what is important in life” or so on such as the “workaholic parent” or the “freaky Friday” where they see the world from another perspective.
The meme has a valid point- not every story has to be that way, and perhaps it’s become too common, too safe, but there are certainly cases where the protagonist should be a young adult or teen etc in the “chosen one” style story. Especially in YA where the protagonist is supposed to be an “avatar” or relatable to the reader. Older people can relate to younger characters having once been young, it’s harder for someone who’s 14-20 to relate to a 40yo corporate worker with a rocky and complicated marriage and office politics and such. But part of the point of the original trope was it was a fresh take- which has become a common one. But it works. It keeps things to where you can focus on the narrative as opposed to having to tie up and deal with all the baggage a 40 year old brings on a journey.
Where will their home be when they get finished? Will their family be ok? Are they going to be missed? Their job? What about them and their emotions? For a “grand adventure” you’re going to have to find some way to deal with these loose ends so we aren’t asking “Well it’s great Janet or Jim is out here having a grand adventure.... but.... aren’t they missing their kids? Aren’t they worried about things back home? Who’s paying the bills?” Stuff like that. And then if we want a romance- we need to find someone they can connect to who’s also out having an adventure- and 40yo romance tends to be different than 16yo romance and.... it just makes sense narratively and gives us a character who usually is a bit naive about the world they live in- which allows an audience not familiar to the world to learn about it along with their “avatar” as opposed to everyone just knowing things the reader has no idea about.
My first Elder Scrolls Online beta character was an old Orc.
Cracks me up thinking about a retiree Kwama farmer or something not only having the misfortune to be murdered by Molag Bal's minions, but also ending up being a sentient Soul Shriven, and the only one who can save the world.
Most of the "destined to save the world" type novels are under teen fiction, and so include teens.
Cracks me up thinking about a retiree Kwama farmer or something not only having the misfortune to be murdered by Molag Bal's minions, but also ending up being a sentient Soul Shriven, and the only one who can save the world.