Highlights
- Netflix's upcoming animated series, Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft, has the potential to explore a period of Lara's life that hasn't been covered in the mainline games, bridging the gap between two eras of the protagonist's past.
- The new series is expected to take place between the Survivor trilogy and the first Tomb Raider game, showing how Lara transitioned from a capable but inexperienced character to the sophisticated, sassy adventurer seen in the original games.
- By unifying the franchise's timeline and exploring Lara's previously unseen past, the series can provide a more fully-realized portrayal of the character and set the stage for her rumored return in a new Tomb Raider game.
When Netflix releases its Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft animated series, it won’t just represent a leap for Lara into a new medium, but also a chance to bridge the gap between two eras of the groundbreaking protagonist’s past. Coming from Powerhouse Animation Studios, the same company responsible for Netflix’s acclaimed Castlevania animated series, Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft explores a period of Lara’s life that hasn’t been covered in her mainline gaming outings. Its exploration of Lara’s previously unseen past holds the potential to show how she transitioned from the capable but still inexperienced character of the Survivor trilogy to the sassy and sophisticated, globe-hopping adventurer seen in her earliest video game outings.
While little is known about the plot of the new series, which features Agent Carter actress Hayley Atwell as Lara Croft, comments from the production staff over the years strongly suggest that it takes place between the Survivor trilogy and the first Tomb Raider. Unifying the franchise’s timeline in this manner would let Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft explain how the traumatic events of the Survivor trilogy shaped Lara into the acrobatic archaeologist gamers know and love from the original games. It can also help set the stage for Lara’s latest transformation in what’s rumored to be a new Tomb Raider game currently in development.
Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft Should Explore the Aftermath of the Survivor Trilogy
Despite taking place over only a few in-game years, Tomb Raider’s Survivor trilogy shows Lara undergoing significant growth in both her skillset and her outlook on the world. Beginning as a bright-eyed archeology graduate on her first major expedition, the harrowing events of 2013’s Tomb Raider see Lara discover her inner warrior as she’s forced to do battle with both human and supernatural foes. Although Tomb Raider received criticism for its focus on firefights rather than the exploration elements of the original games, it set the stage for Lara’s evolution in later entries.
The Survivor trilogy reveals Lara Croft’s evolution from a scared young woman simply struggling to survive to a calm, confident, and occasionally cocky character by the time it draws to a close. Lara’s growth throughout the trilogy isn’t limited to her combat abilities and athletic prowess, though, it’s also seen in the changing way she views the relics she pursues. Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft should further explore this maturation of her mindset as she grows into the character familiar from the original games, finally providing a unified version of the iconic heroine.
Lara’s Netflix Series Can Unify the Character and Set the Stage for the Next Tomb Raider
The Survivor trilogy ends with a nod to the original games as Lara returns to Croft Manor to begin the next phase of her life. This journey of learning how to use her immense inheritance to prevent powerful relics from falling into the wrong hands provides fertile narrative ground for Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft’s story. Her adventures during these formative years can show how the events of her most recent gaming appearance shaped her into the wealthy and world-wise woman flipping and fighting her way through the original Tomb Raider trilogy.
Combining elements of her past and future in this way could give fans of the character the most unified portrayal of Lara yet. Finally filling in the gaps in Lara’s backstory would let the Netflix series further develop the character ahead of her appearance in the new Tomb Raider game rumored to be in development. This would ensure that Lara’s next interactive adventure presents the most fleshed-out version of the heroine seen to date.
Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft marks a new evolution for the franchise, one that will likely shape how the character is viewed for years to come. By bridging the gap between her video game adventures the Netflix series can deliver the most fully-realized portrayal of Lara yet and pave the way for the next chapter in the Tomb Raider story.
Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft is set to premiere on Netflix in 2024.