With the announcement of Tomb Raider now entering a unified timeline, many fans are now wondering what that timeline actually entails.
Well, to make things easier, here is everything that is considered canon in the new complete timeline in chronological order.
Tomb Raider: The Beginning (Comic)
The entry point in the timeline is actually the comic Tomb Raider: The Beginning.
The comic is included with the Definitive Edition of Tomb Raider (2013), and it tells the story leading up to the events of the first game. It introduces us to the cast, explains their motives, and provides additional background information that is key to understanding the complete picture. Although most fans will simply begin with Tomb Raider, this short intro comic is well worth taking the time to read first.
Tomb Raider 2013 (Game)
Tomb Raider (2013) is the first video game entry in the timeline. It was originally introduced as the start of the new Survivor Series, and served as the origin story for Lara Croft.
The game follows Lara and the rest of the crew of the Endurance as they become shipwrecked on a mysterious island. What initially starts out as a survival story however, leads the group to the legendary lost kingdom of Yamatai, and the dark secrets that have been hidden away.
Tomb Raider: The Ten Thousand Immortals (Novel - Seemingly Non-Canon)
The Ten Thousand Immortals was a sequel novel to Tomb Raider (2013), and followed Lara's life after the events that transpired in Yamatai. However, despite being classified as a sequel, this novel has had its canon overwritten by everything else that follows. This is the only non-canon entry on this timeline, but it was originally intended to be a part of the main story.
Tomb Raider - Arc 1: Season of the Witch (Comic)
Following Tomb Raider: The Beginning, the official comic picks up with its first story arc dubbed Season of the Witch.
The comic follows the life of Lara and the remaining crew after the events of the 2013 video game, where they all struggle to rejoin society. Lara especially has a hard time adapting, after having killed countless people, losing those she cares about, and witnessed a world best left hidden; however, the other crew members are not as lucky either. It turns out the island isn't finished with them, and after being attacked by a mysterious group, Lara and her friends once again find themselves fighting for their lives.
Tomb Raider - Arc 2: Secrets and Lies (Comic)
Arc 2 of the comics sees the introduction of the Survivor Series' main antagonist group Trinity. The story follows Lara as she is haunted by the ghost of a friend long since passed, who goes on to ask Lara to save their sister. This leads Lara to the discovery of Trinity, and thus begins her battle against the evil organization.
Tomb Raider - Arc 3: Queen of Serpents (Comic)
Arc 3 follows Lara's adventure through Mexico as she searches for a missing friend she once believed to be deceased. Little does she know, the events from Yamatai will continue to follow her, and her best friend Sam isn't in the clear just yet. The ending of this story arc is what sets the stages for the video game Rise of the Tomb Raider, and provides context to the messages regarding Sam that Lara tip-toes around during the game.
Rise of the Tomb Raider (Game)
The second video game entry in the Survivor Series released in 2015 and was titled Rise of the Tomb Raider.
The game features a Lara Croft who continues to suffer from PTSD following the events of Yamatai—which have yet to fully reach a conclusion. Now, rather than fully dwelling on the past, she has turned her sights towards her own father's research, and his own battle against Trinity. This leads her to discover clues that would lead her to the lost city of Kitezh, which was also said to hold the key to immortality.
Once Trinity locates the region the city is located in for themselves however, it becomes a race against the clock as Lara attempts to prevent the key to immortality from falling into their hands.
Tomb Raider - Arc 4: Spore (Comic)
Arc 4 of the comic takes place after Rise of the Tomb Raider and serves as an introduction to the next major plot point within the series.
The comic sees Lara training with her, soon to be blind, friend Dana, but when events take a turn for the worst, Lara finds herself wrapped up in yet another search for a legendary object. This time it is the Mushroom of Immortality.
Tomb Raider - Arc 5: Choice and Sacrifice (Comic)
Following the events of the previous comic, Arc 5 brings Lara back home to fight a much more personal battle.
Trinity has gotten their hands on Lara's best friend Sam, and attempt to use her to reach the "Divine Source," something Lara had previously prevented them from obtaining. However, rather than obtaining this Divine Source, they reawaken the nightmares of Yamatai once again, and Lara is brought back to where it all began—but this time to end it once and for all.
Tomb Raider - Arc 6: Survivor's Crusade (Comic)
Following the conclusion of the Yamatai story, Lara learns the truth of her father's death, and of Trinity's involvement. This begins her search to get to the bottom of things.
Tomb Raider - Arc 7: Inferno (Comic)
Arc 7: Inferno is the final story featured in the comic, and sees Lara coming after Trinity in full force. This is what ultimately leads into the beginning of 2018's Shadow of the Tomb Raider, where Lara has made quite the name for herself as she shuts down Trinity cells.
Shadow of the Tomb Raider (Game)
Shadow of the Tomb Raider follows Lara and her friends as they set out to put a stop to Trinity. This leads them to Mexico, where they not only find Trinity's next target, but they locate the group's leader himself. However when Lara triggers the apocalypse by mistake, she sets off for the Amazon to find the only treasure in the world that can stop it.
This marks the end of the original Survival Trilogy video game series, but it is only just the beginning.
Shadow of the Tomb Raider: Path of the Apocalypse (Novel)
Path of Apocalypse is a novel that takes place between the two opening chapters of Shadow of the Tomb Raider. It details Lara's battle against Trinity, and the events that lead up to her traveling to Peru.
Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft - Season 1 & 2 (Animated Series)
Netflix's animated series Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft is the next entry in the timeline, and takes place shortly after the events of Shadow of the Tomb Raider. Season one focuses on Lara as she attempts to track down a thief who breaks into Croft Manor to steal an artifact, while season 2 focuses on Lara and her friend Sam as they attempt to return artifacts instead. While each season follows a main story arc, individual episodes contain episodic elements as well.
Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis (Game)
Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis is a complete remake of the original Tomb Raider from 1996. The original title was the beginning of the Tomb Raider series, and a part of its on continuity. This world featured a slightly different Lara Croft, with her own background story, friends, and enemies. For the remake, the game has now been reimagined with the current Lara Croft in mind, but will still focus on her journey to the ancient continent of Atlantis. It takes place after the animated series, and before the rest of the previous non-survivor Tomb Raider titles.
Tomb Raider II, III, IV, V, VI Revised (Games)
Following Legacy of Atlantis, Tomb Raider II, III, The Last Revelation, Chronicles, and Angel of Darkness are the next video game entries within the timeline.
Again, these titles follow the original version of Lara Croft, but for the new timeline's sake, still in fact "happen." At this moment a remake of these titles have yet to be announced, but the games themselves contain many key moments in Lara's life. All six of the original titles have been remastered and released in collections, making them easily accessible on modern hardware.
Tomb Raider Legend Revised (Game)
Tomb Raider Legend is the first title in the series developed by Crystal Dynamics, and it served as a "reboot." Featuring a new story where Lara investigates her mother's disappearance. It is the first of three titles set in a new continuity, which has now been incorporated into the main timeline as well.
Similar to the previous Tomb Raider titles, outside of the original Tomb Raider, a remake of Legend has yet to be announced. At this time it is unknown which events are now considered canon, and what changes will be made to incorporate it into the current story.
Tomb Raider Underworld Revised (Game)
Similar to Legend, Underworld was the third and final game of Crystal Dynamics' Tomb Raider reboot. The second title in the series, Tomb Raider: Anniversary, was a remake of the original Tomb Raider, which is once again a version of the story that will be told in Legacy of Atlantis.
Underworld continues Lara's journey to uncover the truth behind her mother's disappearance. This time around the story revolves around Norse Mythology, but brings Lara face to face with her past adventures as well. It is the title that is currently the furthest along in the timeline, prior to the release of 2027's Catalyst.
Tomb Raider: Catalyst (Game)
Tomb Raider: Catalyst is 2027's followup to 2026's Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis, and 2018's Shadow of the Tomb Raider. It will feature an older, more experienced, Lara Croft, and will be the second video game released after bringing the series into a unified timeline.
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