Unleashing Lara Croft: The Ultimate Convergence of Past and Present
Lara Croft's highly anticipated Netflix series has the potential to bring together the two main timelines of the Tomb Raider franchise, showcasing the aftermath of the Survivor Trilogy and setting the stage for the next thrilling installment
Highlights
Netflix's soon-to-be-released animated series, Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft, offers an exciting opportunity to delve into an untold chapter of Lara's life that remains unexplored in the primary game series. By filling the void between two eras from the protagonist's past, the show holds immense potential for fans to uncover a captivating journey of Lara's experiences.
The new series is set to occur after the Survivor trilogy and prior to the first Tomb Raider game, showcasing Lara's transformation from a capable yet inexperienced character to the polished and bold adventurer depicted in the original games.
By consolidating the franchise's timeline and delving into Lara's undisclosed backstory, the series aims to present a more comprehensive portrayal of the character and lay the groundwork for her speculated comeback in another Tomb Raider game.
Netflix's upcoming animated series, Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft, not only introduces Lara to a new medium but also bridges the gap between two important eras of her past. Created by Powerhouse Animation Studios, known for their successful Castlevania series on Netflix, this new show delves into a period of Lara's life that has yet to be explored in her mainline game adventures. By uncovering Lara's previously unseen past, the series has the potential to showcase her evolution from an inexperienced yet capable character in the Survivor trilogy to the confident and worldly adventurer seen in her early video game appearances.
While specific details about the plot remain scarce, the production team has hinted that the series takes place between the Survivor trilogy and the first Tomb Raider game. This temporal connection allows Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft to reveal how the traumatic events of the Survivor trilogy influenced Lara's development as the agile archaeologist beloved by gamers in the original games. Additionally, it sets the stage for Lara's rumored transformation in a new Tomb Raider game that is currently being developed.
Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft Should Explore the Aftermath of the Survivor Trilogy
Tomb Raider’s Survivor trilogy captures Lara's significant development, both in her skills and her perspective on the world, despite spanning only a few in-game years. Initially an eager archaeology graduate embarking on her debut expedition, Lara transforms into an inner warrior in the face of perilous encounters with human and supernatural enemies in the 2013 installment. While the focus on combat in Tomb Raider drew criticism, it served as a foundation for Lara's evolution in subsequent entries.
The Survivor trilogy depicts Lara Croft's progression from a fearful young woman struggling to survive to a poised, confident, and occasionally overconfident individual. This growth extends beyond her combat prowess and physical abilities, as her perception of the artifacts she quests for gradually changes. Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft should further explore this maturation of her mindset, solidifying her as the iconic heroine in a unified version across the original games.
Lara’s Netflix Series Can Unify the Character and Set the Stage for the Next Tomb Raider
The Survivor trilogy concludes with an homage to the original games as Lara returns to Croft Manor, embarking on the next chapter of her life. This journey explores how she harnesses her vast inheritance to safeguard powerful artifacts from falling into the wrong hands, offering fertile narrative ground for the story of Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft. Through her formative years, her exploits can illuminate the impact of her recent gaming appearance, shaping her into the resourceful and seasoned woman navigating the trials of the original Tomb Raider trilogy.
By seamlessly merging elements from her past and future, this approach can provide fans with the most cohesive portrayal of Lara yet. Unveiling the missing pieces of her backstory would allow the Netflix series to further develop the character, setting the stage for her upcoming appearance in the rumored new Tomb Raider game. This ensures that Lara's next interactive adventure presents the most fully realized version of the iconic heroine to date.
The premiere of Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft on Netflix is scheduled for 2024, introducing an evolution that will redefine the perception of the franchise. This groundbreaking connection between Lara's video game exploits and the Netflix series promises to bring forth the most immersive depiction of the character to date, while also laying the foundation for the future of the Tomb Raider storyline.
