Summary
- Netflix's "Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft" bridges the gap between video game series.
- The series serves to unify the Tomb Raider timelines, from the Survivor trilogy to the 90s games.
- Characters from the Survivor trilogy return in the Netflix series.
Netflix's latest animated video game adaptation brings Lara Croft's adventures to the small screen in Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft. The Tomb Raider franchise has over 20 years of video game history and the Netflix series is intended to fit in with the existing lore.
The first Tomb Raider game was released in 1996 and went on to inspire mobile games, board games, movie adaptations, and even immersive experiences. All have focused on the central protagonist Lara Croft, a British archaeologist who specializes in investigating the long-lost tombs and ruins of ancient times. The latest of these is Netflix's Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft, an animated series created by Tasha Huo (The Witcher: Blood Origin) and animated by Powerhouse Animation Studios (Castlevania: Nocturne). From the various releases over the years came a lot of Tomb Raider lore, some of which new entries abandoned, and others adapted.
Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft Review
Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft earns its place as a worthy animated expansion of the popular franchise.
Is Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft a Prequel or Sequel?
Newcomers discovering Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft may be unaware that it is actually connected deeply to the video game franchise, specifically the Crystal Dynamics Survivor trilogy. Crystal Dynamics' Tomb Raider games consisted of Tomb Raider (2013), Rise of the Tomb Raider (2015), and Shadow of the Tomb Raider (2018) and were widely loved by players. The games established an origin story for Lara Croft before her appearance in the '90s games, fleshing out the adventures that made her the capable heroine she's known as today.
Netflix's Tomb Raider series is a sequel to these video games and references many of the plot elements that occurred throughout the trilogy. However, the Tomb Raider animated series is also technically a prequel, as it takes place before the events of the 1996 games. It is designed to bridge the gap between these video game series and provide viewers with more context about how Lara Croft became a dual-pistol-wielding action hero.
Tomb Raider Games Timeline Explained
With so many different installments and spin-offs in the Tomb Raider franchise, it's easy to get confused as to what happens when in the timeline. Some of the Tomb Raider titles, like the movies starring Angelina Jolie or Alicia Vikander, generally do away with the established lore to create their own stories, but Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft does the opposite, serving to clean up and unify the timelines between games.
Tomb Raider Classic and Survivor Timeline
Off the back of this, those wondering how the Tomb Raider timeline looks in chronological order following the release of the Netflix series can view it below:
- Tomb Raider (2013)
- Rise of the Tomb Raider (2015)
- Shadow of the Tomb Raider (2018)
- Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft (2024) [Netflix]
- Tomb Raider (1996)
- Tomb Raider II (1997)
- Tomb Raider III (1998)
- Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation (1999)
- Tomb Raider: Chronicles (2000)
- Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness (2003)
Tomb Raider Reboot Timeline
Tomb Raider also went through a reboot of the original games, which established some alternate timelines. One of these was the Legend trilogy, which essentially stands on its own. The order to play these games chronologically is:
- Tomb Raider: Anniversary (2007)
- Tomb Raider: Legend (2006)
- Tomb Raider: Underworld (2008)
As for the future of the Tomb Raider games, Crystal Dynamics is currently developing another Lara Croft title, which will work to even further unify the various Tomb Raider timelines, while also adhering to the plot of the Netflix series. The next game will also aim to blend gameplay aspects of the Survivor trilogy with the that of the classic games.
Which Characters From The Games Return in The Netflix Series?
Lara Croft may be the tomb raider, but she rarely works alone. Lara was aided by many friends and colleagues in the Survivor trilogy, quite a few of which are referenced again in the Netflix series. Some characters, like Jonah, receive full character arcs in Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft, and Earl Baylon even returned to reprise his voice role from the Survivor trilogy. Other characters, like Lara's mentor Roth, are either mentioned by name only or appear in flashbacks.
Many fans have been waiting to see what happened to Sam, Lara Croft's best friend, following her appearance in Tomb Raider (2013). The character was barely mentioned in the subsequent sequels but is seen trying to get in contact with Lara at one point. While Sam does not appear in Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft, she does phone Lara in distress in the final moments of the last episode, which causes Lara to leave Jonah's wedding early to find her. This hints that should there be more seasons of Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft, Sam may be a featured character next time.
All eight episodes of Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft are now available to stream on Netflix.
Tomb Raider is one of the biggest names in action-adventure gaming. The series began in 1996 and has had three trilogies of games: the original trilogy, the legend trilogy, and the survivor trilogy, as well as a handful of other titles in-between.
The Tomb Raider series is led by protagonist Lara Croft, who is considered to be one of the most important female characters in gaming history.
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