Can’t have kids entering adulthood with any ideas about changing or helping the world. Much better for business if they give up all those hopes and just get a job.
Even if they did have ideas, there’s a good chance they’d still get pushed into a confined and dehumanizing existence.
Which stories are being criticized here? I can’t think of any examples of this kind of coming of age story.
I can’t come up with examples from modern popular culture, but I do remember the C.S. Lewis novels in the Narnia series often ending that way, as though the battles in Narnia were somehow less real. But those stories are a bit niche at this point.
Aslan didn’t allow the oldest girl into “heaven” with the other kids in the last book because she… checks notes… wore makeup and liked boys. C S Lewis got reeeal puritanical towards the end of that series.
That’s not a great representation, she didn’t die in the train crash because she became distant from her family, so since she’s still alive on earth she’s obviously not going to “heaven”.
There is a one off line about those being her interests which was a weird choice, but it’s not like she went to wardrobe hell lol
Didn’t they age into adults in Narnia and ruled there? Then they went home and it was only a few minutes and then they all died as kids at the end, so they didn’t so much “lose their powers” as they just straight up died lol. Been a long time since I’ve read the books though.
Pretty clear that Digimon is one. Which links it to childhood and seems to have a sad/bittersweet ending multiple times. (though averted/retconned for 2 incarnations.)
Not entirely about lost powers but see the Growing Up Sucks trope (and the example subpages)
The concept of “childhood’s end” will probably be clearly illustrated, with the now-grown-up character losing something that was fundamental to their happiness as a child.
The child may lose his guardians, Mons, or even his powers, if these all come with a time limit or are directly linked to his status as a child. For example, children are assumed to be wide-eyed, curious, innocent and trusting; adults are usually portrayed as pragmatic, cynical and set in their ways.
A recurring theme in Hayao Miyazaki’s films
Sometimes it might be subtle, and sometimes the time limit is an open/common reminder such as Fairly Odd Parents (lose+forget fairies after turning 18, though it being a long-running show I don’t know if they even actually ended on that note).
Most magic stories about getting your powers before adulthood hits. Wednesday, Harry Potter, magic school, almost any magic series you search in both Netflix and prime, If you don’t start sensing it before you hit x age you’re not magical just ordinary. It really overplays on the crushing potential older people put on younger people too. This is pretty much all YA formula in books and what has been converted from YA books
The web serial “Worm” (Parahumans) is an interesting take on this. Powers tend to show up around teens, but stay forever. A lot of hero teams have a “youth” team as well. They handle low stakes stuff, to get some practice in, while the adult teams take the bigger risks.
Do the oldest parahumans take the biggest risks? Because that would be ideal.
The job of old people is to clear the way for the young! It’s how humanity is supposed to move forward.
I find it interesting that this is the opposite of how finance works: When you’re young you’re supposed to take the most risks while the old are supposed to play it safe.
Yes, the young parahumans (wards) work in big groups and deal with smaller crime. Usually a ward will never encounter or will be told to let someone else handle a really really powerful or brutal villain but sometimes they don’t have a choice like in the case of sh9
There also another exception; when fighting endbringers ever hero and villain is allowed to fight
When I was a kid I always told myself I’ll never become like most of the dumb adults around me.
I’m 26 now and I think I’m on the right path.
…or worse yet becoming evil in some way because you grew up.