The concept of a spiritual successor extends beyond fictional works.

As a spiritual successor to the film, cutscenes in the game are presented with live action video clips with actors cosplaying the characters.

This structure was enforced by the teaching of apostolic succession, where a bishop becomes the spiritual successor of the previous bishop in a line tracing back to the apostles themselves.

The pirate radio pioneers of the 1960s broadcast from out at sea but their spiritual successors are keeping the flame alive from school dormitories.

These bishops considered themselves the spiritual successors of those apostles.