Taking the Mantle

NEW HERO TAKES THE MANTLE OF CARRACOSTA SYMBOL

By Noelle Night

On the night of Independance, acolytes of the long-gone villain Machinist attempted to disrupt Carracosta public systems. While police had been aware of a possible attack, they were unprepared for the assault of the group of thugs.
The face off could have been a great tragedy. The criminals had intentions of disrupting the eletrical grid, risking the lives of thousands of people. However, the Admiral took to stop them and save the day.
On the morning of St. Valles, the unhinged couple Psythorn and Liontooth risked the civilization as a whole with a plan to turn people into antropomorphic individuals. And kill those the serum couldn't change. Admiral and Allman steped up and stoped the plans.
Even as many mourn the loss of Colonel Shore only a year ago, the skies soar with a new dawn, a new protector of Carracosta and the World: Admiral.

— Shore's Herald, 1969

The process of acquiring the responsabilities or stepping over a former hero's shoes. Taking the Mantle is often used to describe heroes that fill the role of a retired or fallen antecessor. It has also been used by villains in a similar manner.
Even as something that has happened more than once, and is part of common life, the process is hardly set in stone. That, however, doesn't stop certain similarities in diverse cases of sucessors taking roles left unatended. Most usual, in case of a retiring hero, is the public endorsement of the predecessor; in case of deceased hero, the statement is often a news article from a reputable source that was related or is considered an expert on the predecessor.

Known Examples
Colonel Shore -> Admiral

Related Profession

Sidekick, Superhero, Supervillain

Related to

Retiring Hero, Hero's Doubt, Passing the Cape

Taking the Mantle vs. Passing the Cape

While some use the terms interchangeably, Passing the Cape is the case where the transfer happens when both parts are still alive. Most often, when the sucessor is a direct apprentice or sidekick of the predecessor.
And not only is the responsabilities and duties passed, in the case of Passing the Cape, the persona is commonly also passed to the sidekick. In cases where the mentees have already a established persona, they rarely take their mentor's name and symbol.