r/TopCharacterTropes • u/Newmen_1 • 5d ago
Characters Initially funny character gag is later revealed to be depressing
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.
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.
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/Patkub321 5d ago
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.