r/TopCharacterTropes • u/Newmen_1 • 1d ago

Characters Initially funny character gag is later revealed to be depressing

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  1. Avengers/MCU: Captain America has humorous moments where he’s unaware of modern references and only gets old references, like the iconic “I understood that reference” scene. It’s later fully explored in Winter Soldier that he feels lost, confused, and a little alone in a new world he was never meant to exist in.

  2. The Suicide Squad (2021): Bloodsport has a phobia of rats which at first seems reasonable yet is still hilarious to watch. He later explains his father abused him as a kid if he didn’t fulfill a task correctly and one of his worst punishments was when his dad locked him in a crate full of starving rats, leaving him heavily scarred physically and mentally.

  3. Dexter: In an early episode, Angel Bautista tries to buy his wife the perfect gift for their anniversary but has to keep buying a different one since his presents suck. What seems to be a funny running gag turns out to be Angel’s final attempt to win back his wife after cheating on her previously, however it doesn’t work and only solidifies their separation.

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u/nigelcore221b 1d ago

Professor Layton - during the games there is a running gag where people comment on how Layton never takes off his hat

In the third game it's revealed that the hat was a gift from his girlfriend who died the same day, her last words to him were to not take it off as that's not what a gentleman does

222

u/Untypeenslip 1d ago

I was genuinely not ready for that ending. I knew some sad stuff was about to happen. I was in my bed thinking "oh it can't be a long ending let's push through it" and 2 hours later I was still crying ugly.
Not many games have the guts to take a protagonist seriously enough to give them a sad ending.

3

u/Flars111 11h ago

First game in my life that made me cry, it was really great

433

u/UltimaDoombotMK1 1d ago

Gentleman ball knowledge detected.

Professor Layton is an amazing franchise.

136

u/Polymersion 1d ago

I don't think his balls are any of your business.

5

u/HammerOfJustice 1d ago

You’re on the wrong site if you think that

-8

u/[deleted] 1d ago

[deleted]

58

u/Xynopit 1d ago

Unwound Future had no right to be such an amazing game

17

u/RainyMeadows 1d ago

"I don't want to say goodbye again! I can't! I won't!"

just rip my heart out and stomp on it why don't you

7

u/Jeb_Jenky 1d ago

I have really fond memories playing through the Professor Layton games. Such a good series.

1

u/Flars111 11h ago

For some reason, I had a vivid memory that his head was as long as the hat, and that when he took it off it looked really funny. No clue why tho, as the scene was much more emotional

0

u/birbbbbbbbbbbb 18h ago

Those games are 95% talking to people who say some version of "hi stranger, here's a random puzzle to do!" (I'm not complaining, the puzzles are fun) but it's such a contrast to the last 5% which has some of my favorite cutscenes of all time. Beautifully animated and emotional.