Consider my education expanded. Upon further investigation, I’ve discovered an intriguing connection involving the term “Trinity.” Not only does it serve as the moniker for the military order in the revamped Tomb Raider games, but it also doubles as the code name for the inaugural detonation of a nuclear weapon carried out by the United States Army in 1945.
It seems that this historical reference could be what the Tomb Raider website is alluding to. Quite the oversight on my part!
So, it appears that the mention of Trinity on the Tomb Raider site might just be a coincidence that got my enthusiast’s heart racing a bit too fast. Admittedly, I may have jumped the gun here. However, I’m not one to leave a stone unturned. I plan to reach out to the Tomb Raider team to inquire if they have any insight into the wording of the blog post. My curiosity has been thoroughly piqued.
The official Tomb Raider site may have dropped a subtle hint regarding its strategy to merge the timelines between the original Core trilogy and the recent Survivor trilogy.
In 2021, Crystal Dynamics confirmed its intention to blend the two Tomb Raider timelines in future installments. Since then, we’ve witnessed Lara Croft making appearances in Call of Duty, sporting a design that combines her classic look with elements from the rebooted games. Furthermore, a recent image shared on the Tomb Raider website showcased a unified Lara.
While we have a glimpse of how Lara will appear in Crystal Dynamics’ upcoming game, the unification of the two trilogies’ lore remains shrouded in mystery. However, a cryptic line of text on the Tomb Raider website has provided the first clue as to how the two timelines might intersect.
Before delving into this revelation, let’s briefly recap some key elements from both trilogies. Please note spoilers for various Tomb Raider games follow.
The original Tomb Raider kicks off with an atomic blast in Los Alamos, New Mexico. Following this cataclysmic event, Lara Croft embarks on a mission assigned by Jacqueline Natla, an enigmatic figure, to retrieve the Scion of Atlantis.
This quest leads Lara to various locales, ultimately culminating in a showdown within an Atlantean pyramid on a volcanic island. It’s revealed that Jacqueline Natla is an ancient Atlantean leader who seeks to manipulate humanity using the powers of the Scion.
In the rebooted trilogy, Lara consistently battles against Trinity, a religious militant organization bent on controlling humanity’s destiny through ancient artifacts like the Divine Source and the Dagger of Chak Chel.
Here’s where the convergence occurs. According to a recent post on the Tomb Raider website, it’s hinted that Trinity might have been responsible for freeing Jacqueline Natla from her imprisonment. The circumstances surrounding this event remain unclear—whether it was an accident or part of a sinister agenda.
“In 1945, amid the devastating Trinity Project at Los Alamos, New Mexico, the explosive birth of the atomic bomb liberated Natla from her eternal slumber. Upon gaining her freedom, she adopted the name Jacqueline Natla and established Natla Technologies to finish what she had started all those centuries ago,” reads the post.
While seemingly a minor detail, this revelation could pave the way for an intriguing storyline in future Tomb Raider installments.
On the gaming front, Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered recently launched to acclaim, despite some noted dated qualities. Eurogamer’s review praised the collection for its careful updates while acknowledging its occasional frustrations.
Aside from the games, there are also two Tomb Raider shows in development, one at Amazon and another at Netflix. Additionally, Amazon is reportedly working on a film adaptation of the franchise.
