There comes a point in every person’s life when it’s time to move on, even for fictitious movie characters. That point may be a break-up, retirement, death, or just simply moving on to the next chapter. This transition may occur in a single movie. These characters quickly fulfill their story arc and then pass the torch onto their successor, to the character who will now complete the journey and finish the movie in their stead. Other characters fight the good fight for multiple films, sometimes across multiple decades.
Despite our love for these characters, there does come a time to hang things up and make room for the next generation. Perhaps it’s a fresh face, who will now rise up and claim the mantle for themselves. Or maybe it’s a new franchise that will keep the story going while steering it in a unique direction. The beautiful thing about movies is that we can always go back and watch those original, beloved characters, picking up the torch that they carried for so long. And then later, we can watch the iconic moments when they passed that torch along, just like in the following eight films.
8 V for Vendetta (2006)
Based on the graphic novel of the same name, V for Vendetta is a dystopian action film that imagines England as a fascist totalitarian society. A masked vigilante, known only by the letter V (Hugo Weaving), rebels against this fascist government. When he’s not killing people with knives or blowing up government property, V spends much of the film grooming Evey Hammond (Natalie Portman) into his protégé, trying to liberate her from the government’s restraints. He even tricks her into thinking that she’s a captive of the government and shaves her head.
At first, Evey despises V for this dupe. But at the end of the film, she reunites with the vigilante and ends up finishing his rebellion. She places V’s dead body onto an explosive-filled train and sets it in motion, sending it straight into Parliament. The building explodes as Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture booms in the background, while countless people, all donning V’s iconic Guy Fawkes mask, watch on in amazement. V’s torch and legacy has been passed on — not just to Evey but to every English citizen who longed for hope and freedom.
7 Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021)
After the all-female Ghostbusters movie bombed, producers needed a new direction for their beloved franchise. The answer turned out to be Ghostbusters: Afterlife. Set about forty years after the original film, Afterlife introduces new ghosts and a fresh cast of characters and actors, including Paul Rudd and Stranger Things’ FInn Wolfhard. But it also brings back some familiar faces, like the original film’s antagonists Gozer and the Terror Dogs. We’re also treated with a surprise appearance by the original Ghostbusters, who help save the day: Peter Venkman (Bill Murray), Ray Stantz (Dan Aykroyd), and Winston Zeddemore (Ernie Hudson). Unfortunately, Harold Ramis, who played the nerdy Egon Spengler, passed away prior to the film, though we do get to see his ghostly, digitized form. It’s an epic send-off for this iconic gang, as they pass the torch, and their franchise, into the hands of these new characters.
6 Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Avengers: Endgame is the final movie in the Infinity Saga, the first major story arc that every MCU film had been building toward. And as such, it wraps up the stories of many of its superheroes. One of them is Captain America/Steve Rogers (Chris Evans). At the end of the film, Rogers returns the Infinity Stones and Mjolnir to their proper timelines and promises to come right back. He eventually does but as an old man. As it turns out, Rogers chose to remain in the past and live with his long-lost love, Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell). Although only a few seconds have gone by for us, an entire lifetime has passed for him. Content with his decision, the elderly Rogers passes the torch — or in this case, his iconic shield — to his good friend and fellow Avenger Falcon/Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie), who would later become the MCU’s new Captain America.
5 The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
The Dark Knight Rises is the third and final movie in Christopher Nolan’s critically acclaimed Batman franchise. When asked if Batman’s famous sidekick, Robin, would appear in his trilogy, Nolan reportedly answered, “Dick Grayson’s still in a crib somewhere. I seriously doubt I will even be involved when Robin’s in the franchise.” This, however, turned out to be a dupe.
Since day one, Nolan’s Batman has been looking for someone to pick up his mantle and save Gotham City in his place. Batman was only meant to be a temporary solution, until the day came that Gotham no longer needed Batman. Well, in The Dark Knight Rises, Batman finds that successor in a young cop named John Blake (Joseph Gordon-Levitt). At the end of the film, Batman/Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) deceives Gotham City, and the audience, into thinking he’s dead. But he’s really alive, enjoying life and traveling the world with Selina Kyle (Anne Hathaway). He also leaves directions to the Batcave for John Blake, whose birth name is shockingly revealed to be Robin. The film ends with John, or Robin, entering the Batcave. Will he adopt his birth name of Robin and become his own hero? Or will he don the cape and cowl and become a new Batman? We never get the answer. But one thing is clear: the torch has been passed, and Gotham City has a new hero.
4 The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring begins with a prologue explaining the history behind the dark lord Sauron’s One Ring: how it came to be and its journey into the unsuspecting hands of Bilbo Baggins (Ian Holm). Although Bilbo doesn’t realize it, we in the audience know that the Hobbit possesses an evil and dangerous artifact that has unnaturally prolonged his life. Bored with his life in the Shire, Bilbo decides to leave home and live among the Elves. He leaves all of his possessions to his relative Frodo (Elijah Wood), though it takes some convincing from Gandalf (Ian McKellen) to abandon the ring. Unbeknownst to both Gandalf and Bilbo, Frodo has just inherited the most evil and powerful object in Middle-Earth. It’s an iconic passing-of-the torch, or in this case, of a ring — and also of a tremendous burden that now rests on Frodo’s shoulders.
3 Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (1983)
There are a few passing-the-torch moments in the legendary Star Wars franchise. But perhaps the best one occurs in what should’ve been the last movie of the Skywalker saga, Return of the Jedi. In the prior film, The Empire Strikes Back, Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) cuts his training short with Jedi master Yoda (Frank Oz) to rescue his friends. In between these two films, Luke trains himself and strengthens his abilities with the Force. He then goes back to Yoda in Return of the Jedi to complete his training and become a true Jedi master. “No more training do you require,” Yoda rasps from his deathbed. The realization suddenly dawns on Luke’s face: “Then I am a Jedi.”
Yoda insists that Luke isn’t there yet; he must first confront his father, the evil Darth Vader. But at the end of the day, Luke is the closest thing to a new Jedi that the galaxy has seen in decades. And after Yoda passes on, Luke becomes one of the last force users left in the galaxy, a pivotal moment in the franchise.
2 The Godfather (1972)
Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando) from The Godfather is one of cinema’s most famous characters. On one hand, he’s a generous, family-oriented, and respectful old man. But on the other, he’s a powerful crime boss and a ruthless murderer, pulling the strings on politicians, cops, and lawyers from the shadows. While much of his family is involved in his Mafia empire, Vito never wanted his youngest son Michael (Al Pacino) to follow in his footsteps. “But I thought that, that when it was your time, that you would be the one to hold the string. Senator Corleone,” Vito fantasizes to Michael wistfully. “Governor Corleone…” But after Vito is nearly killed by rival gangsters, Michael winds up getting very involved and avenges the attempt on his father’s life.
Later on, Michael steps in as the new crime boss, while Vito becomes his consigliere or advisor. There’s a scene where this transition is established. However, it’s at the very end of the film — after Vito has passed away, and Michael has relentlessly vanquished his enemies — that the torch is truly passed. From a distance, Michael’s wife Kay (Diane Keaton) watches her husband in his office. Numerous high-ranking gangsters are in there with them, who all stoop down, kiss Michael’s ring, and call him “Don Corleone.” It’s the moment when Kay and the audience realize that Michael has established himself as the new boss, bringing us to one of the most chilling and greatest final shots in cinema.
1 Creed (2015)
Portrayed by Sylvester Stallone, Rocky Balboa is one of the most iconic sports figures in cinema. He’s the star of his own franchise, which produced six Rocky films over a 27-year period. The last film, Rocky Balboa, places the 60-year-old Italian Stallion back into the boxing ring. Despite positive reviews, Stallone and studio executives knew that they had taken Rocky’s boxing career as far as they could; the idea of another movie about the aged fighter, returning for yet another match, just wasn’t appealing. So they went in a different direction.
Creed focuses on Donnie Creed (Michael B. Jordan), the illegitimate son of Rocky’s original rival and deceased good friend Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers). For the first time, Rocky is made into a supporting character. He becomes Donnie’s boxing trainer and mentor, placed in the corner of the ring rather than at its center. The whole film is an iconic passing of the torch, the famous Rocky Balboa passing his knowledge, and his franchise, onto this new character. The film’s sequel, Creed II, is Rocky’s last film appearance…so far. It’s Donnie Creed’s show now, with the third film featuring just him and no Rocky.