Prophecies

Prophecies... predictions of the future, destined to come true right? But there seems to be a contradiction of opinions. The main character is so often foretold to be the one to end the dark lord. This is rarely questioned, nobody ever sends someone more qualified to defeat the evil because they believe the main character has to do that, it's fate right? If that is true, why pretend the main character can die? If the prophecy protects the evil one from being kill by everyone else, why wouldn't the main character share the same protection? The threat of death to the main character isn't a big stake anyway. How many main characters actually die? It is rare and thus unbelievable. You can easily rely on other forms of tension, loved ones, goals, injuries - nobody said they need both eyes after all, and if you do want death on the table you could have specific magic known to break fate. Be careful with that though or the good side should logically use it on your villain just as easily. Alternatively, the prophecy could be a can "only die to each other" kind of deal so your main villain could still kill them.

As for my next point: If it is destined, why make the character go out of their way? It is fate, no one can change that, so the main character should just end up there with no interference from anyone. The prophecy could be a side thing as the main character goes though their story. Perhaps it is commonly known that the bad guy is protected by prophecy but not who will defeat them because people didn't care to track them down. The main character is the one person to not accept that and goes looking for ways to break fate. You could do that regardless of if your main character is the prophesied one or not.

Thirdly, whoever decided prophecies had to be about important things? If it is visions of the future you could see the most random and unhelpful/mundane things. If it is fate/gods decisions, do you know how very attached people get to the most random things? A god could just have their heart set on seeing somebody wear a purple hat for no apparent reason. Getting distracted on that, perhaps prophecies could be the gods saying "Get this done. I don't care how impossible it might be." and people have to figure out how to do it or face the wrath of a god.