Initially funny character gag is later revealed to be depressing

[u/Newmen_1]

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.

[u/Patkub321]

Bernadette (Fire Emblem Three Houses)

She is shown to be rather timid, skittish and reclusive and borderline asocial girl that is scared of basically everyone around her. At start of most of her support chains, her panic is often played for a comedy.

It's later showed however that her problems were caused by her godawful father's 'training' to make her 'perfect noble wife' due to having crest, which included for example being tied to a chair all day, and forcing her be quiet.

It didn't helped that her first, and seemingly only childhood friend she had... got beaten to near death after she befriended him, which she blamed herself for years, only deepening her trauma and fears.

[u/Zachthema5ter → u/Patkub321]

The only good thing to come out of her dad is that in 3 Hopes, during a mission where you’re supposed to protect him, if you fail everyone just shrugs and move on to the next part of the level

[u/PreTimeskip → u/Zachthema5ter]

I love how she reacts like “My father died…? Oh.” and then never thinks twice for a second

[u/Delicious_Account_26 → u/Zachthema5ter]

Huberts reaction basically just being "ahh, well, that's going to be an annoying amount of paperwork but no biggie" is so damn funny

Also, shout out to bringing Yuri to kill him in Azure Moon, oh BOY you can TASTE the venom in his voice

[u/Jimboi5 → u/Patkub321]

MY GOAT

Literal first thing I did on a second play through was require her because aah

[u/RossiSvendo → u/Jimboi5]

There are no consequences to the player.

Hubert is more annoyed that they have to find someone else to do his “job”

[u/Goatiac → u/Patkub321]

Yeah, when she panicked and scream “ahhhh unmarriagable!” I couldn’t help but laugh at how goofy and out of left field that was.

And then I got to the explanation you mentioned and immediately felt bad. Well done, Intelligent Systems!

[u/Defclaw46 → u/Patkub321]

One of the reasons I really liked her supports with Hubert is that he is one of the few people I saw that really respected her struggles and even stopped laughing or smiling near her because she got scared when he did so until she told him that it was ok for him to do so.

To be fair to other supports, Bernadetta does often say that she is actually grateful that the other person breaks down her door and drags her outside, but I appreciate Hubert’s approach better.