Through her supporting cast and other allusions, The Legend of Lara Croft is not only a continuation of the most recent Tomb Raider games but a celebration of its various eras. This extends to the set pieces and international locales beyond the Survivor trilogy, including a sequence throughout Paris reminiscent of 2003’s Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness and plenty of nods to Legend and its memorable action beats.
The Evolution of Lara Croft
The changes to Lara herself are subtle throughout The Legend of Lara Croft but they’re definitely there, more so than just keeping Lara as a relatively static protagonist in the inaugural season. The Survivor trilogy started with Lara as a hardened survivalist who has to deal with betrayal before gradually relearning to trust others, with Jonah being one of the first and the closest. Trauma had defined the early installments of the Survivor trilogy and, by the events of The Legend of Lara Croft, it appears that Lara has overcome and reconciled with much of that past trauma as she expands her circle of allies.
Moreover, this is a Lara that has a brighter outlook and her own burgeoning sense of sarcastic humor as The Legend of Lara Croft progresses. Lara clearly is having fun with the acrobatic and perilous antics she gets into throughout the show and openly cracks jokes without venturing into camp as Tomb Raider harkens back to its more escapist roots. The Survivor trilogy started out as a gritty and dark reboot to the franchise and The Legend of Lara Croft leans into the freewheeling action-adventure spirit that made the games so beloved in the first place.
Lara Croft Earns Her Iconic Weapons
At the end of The Legend of Lara Croft, Lara receives her matching pistols, her signature weapons for much of the franchise, including her initial live-action appearances starring Angelina Jolie as the character. For the majority of the Survivor trilogy, Lara primarily relied on her archery skills to fend off enemies, gradually incorporating other weapons into her arsenal as the games’ story progressed. By gaining her pistols, Lara essentially gets her Excalibur, her Skywalker lightsaber, her Wonder Woman Lasso of Truth. Lara was introduced wielding twin pistols as her default weapon and they’ve become a major part of her iconography moving forward.
Between this and Lara becoming a more confident, self-aware, and fun-loving character, The Legend of Lara Croft essentially serves as a bridge between the Survivor trilogy and the classic Tomb Raider that was first introduced to gamers in 1994. More than just a thrilling adaptation and narrative continuation of the games, The Legend of Lara Croft is a missing link between distinct eras for the franchise. And coming in just in time for Tomb Raider’s 30th anniversary, this evolution couldn’t be a richer way to celebrate the franchise.