Summary
A lot of video game narratives tend to deal with twists and turns, and one common twist is that the established identity of a character is false. Though common, different games use this twist in different ways.
Sometimes it highlights a previously unspoken connection between this character and another, with a character often ascending in importance thanks to their true identity. Other times, it can be a gut punch, as an established hero is revealed to have been a traitor. Whatever their motives, here are some characters who hid their true identity from the player, as well as a look at their rationale for doing so.
Monica von Ochs was a student at the Garreg Mach Monastery Officers Academy, part of the Black Eagles. She was, at one point, slated to graduate, but disappeared before she could do so. Players learn that she was captured by the Death Knight, before being recovered by Byleth. Once recovered, she is relaxed and playful. Students who knew her before viewed this as a significant departure from her previous personality. She is alsoclose with Edelgard.
Ultimately, she is revealed to be Kronya, a member of Those Who Slither in the Dark with a sadistic streak. The real Monica was killed. Seteth presumes this was to allow Kronya to slip into her position undetected. Kronya used her disguise to liason with Edelgard, who makes an alliance with the Those Who Slither in the Dark to overthrow Rhea. She eventually fights Byleth, but ends up being sacrificed in a failed attempt by her ally, Solon, to send the professor to a dark dimension.
The real Monica appears intheWarriorsspin-off,Three Hopes, which takes place in an alternate timeline fromThree Houses. While the established lore is largely the same, the paths of the game differ from those inThree Houses. One example is the survival of Monica, who is rescued by Shez and Jeritza, once they raid the bandit Kostas' stronghold. Monica is an obsessive fan of Edelgard, using her impressive memory to document her superior’s life in great detail. Regardless of the choices the player makes, Monica remains loyal to Edelgard throughout the story.
Fassad is a noted antagonistinMother 3.He is a cruel opportunist working for the Pigmask Army, responsible for introducing commercialism to the people of Tazmily under the guise of “happiness.” He is a recurring enemy to Lucas and his allies, even becoming a cyborg after a defeat, whose horn-covered mouth requires him to use an interpreter. After players defeat his final form, Miracle Fassad, he falls into the sewers, to a presumed death.
Fassad is later revealed to be a member of a magic tribe, whose members are described as neither men nor women, implying they exist somewhere in-between. They are good-natured, duty bound to Seven Needles which are connected to their lives. There is a prophecy of an individual who will pull the needles to summon the Dark Dragon, once its power is needed.
While there are Seven Needles, players only meet six members of this tribe in person: Aeolia, Doria, Lydia, Phrygia, Mixolydia, and Ionia. The seventh member, Locria, never appears. However, once the player reaches Locria’s house, it becomes obvious that Fassad was actually Locria thanks to the horns, bananas, and peels left around. This twist is relatively unique in that the identity of the character in question is revealed posthumously, and is not stated outright.
A beloved hero of Greek Mythology, Perseus is a natural fit forWarriors Orochi 4.This title added more interpretations of Greek Mythology to the series after theWarriors: Legends of Troytake on Achilles appeared inthe previous game. Despite being of divine heritage, Perseus opposes Zeus and his forces. He aids the Coalition Army, becoming close with Yukimura Sanada.
However, Perseus is instead the Norse trickster god, Loki, working on behalf of Odin. Disguised as Perseus, his intention was to involve the Olympians and the Coalition in fights against one another, with Odin’s forces wishing to strike them both down. While Perseus ultimately sympathizes with the coalition, the game’s extended version,Ultimate, shows him defecting earlier. This edition elaborates that Loki was truly friends with Perseus. The pair intended to act as Gaia’s spies, but Odin made them fight to the death to prove their loyalty. Perseus let Loki kill him, wanting his friend to live on.
The player can recover fragments of Perseus (inUltimateonly), which allows him to revive. If the player accomplishes this, it reveals the true ending of the game. In this ending, Perseus will lay bare the plans of Hades, who had designs of his own for the chaos Odin caused.
Kingdom Hearts
Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 ReMIX
KINGDOM HEARTS HD 1.5 + 2.5 ReMIX is an HD remastered collection of 6 unforgettable KINGDOM HEARTS experiences available for the first time on the PlayStation 4.The HD collection features:• KINGDOM HEARTS FINAL MIX• KINGDOM HEARTS Re:Chain of Memories• KINGDOM HEARTS 358/2 Days (HD Remastered cinematics)• KINGDOM HEARTS II FINAL MIX• KINGDOM HEARTS Birth by Sleep Final MIX• KINGDOM HEARTS Re:coded (HD Remastered cinematics)Key Features• Celebrate 15 years of KINGDOM HEARTS with this essential collection - Remember and relive 6 adventures from KINGDOM HEARTS Dark Seeker Saga before the release of highly anticipated KINGDOM HEARTS III.• Experience the magic of KINGDOM HEARTS - If you are new to the franchise, KINGDOM HEARTS HD 1.5 + 2.5 ReMIX is the perfect opportunity to start wielding your Keyblade to save the Disney worlds from darkness.
This mysterious character is first encountered inChain of Memories,where he disguises himself as Ansem, Seeker of Darkness, and monitors Sora, Riku, and Naminé. DiZ has numerous machinations, most notably inKingdom Hearts II, but they fail due to his difficulties understanding the human heart. After being attacked by Heartless and Nobodies in the castle of Organization XIII, DiZ is rescued by Mickey, and reveals himself as Ansem the Wise.
His motivations for disguising himself have to do with the obligation he felt to take on Organization XIII. Its leader was Xemnas, the Nobody of his former apprentice, Xehanort. Ansem was once the king of Radiant Garden; however, his fear of darkness usurping the garden caused him to take somewhat drastic measures and conduct controversial experiments. Xehanort continued these experiments in secret after Ansem had stopped doing them.
Ansem first took up the alias DiZ (Darkness in Zero) when his former disciples (Xehanort and his allies) trapped him in the Dark World. He disguised himself once he escaped the Dark World. Despite his personal campaign against Organization XIII failing, Ansem was able to make amends for some of his other past misdeeds and even work alongside some of his more remorseful ex-disciples once again.
Dual Destinieswas the first mainline 3DAce Attorneygame. It ushered in a number of new characters, often in the place of previous staples in the series. One example was the boisterous Bobby Fulbright, the third detective character in the series. Partnered with Simon Blackquill, an incarcerated prosecutor who often appears in court in handcuffs, Fulbright tends to be the more affable of the pair. He appears during investigations and also undergoes cross examinations in court, presenting testimony on behalf of the prosecution. This evokes previous characters in the detective role, such as Dick Gumshoe. These established characters offer friendly banter, even with the case’s defense attorney. Despite his goofy nature, Fulbright is a confident detective. He often claims allegiance to his view of “justice,” even when it doesn’t help the prosecution.
However,Dual Destiniesgives this narrative staple a new wrinkle. Detective Fulbright is revealed to be the phantom, an international spy presumed to have assassinated the real Bobby Fulbright and stolen his identity. He is responsible for atrocities beyond those of mostAce Attorneyculprits, including a courtroom bombing. The phantom operates at the behest of an unknown organization, keeping an eye on Blackquill, who was falsely imprisoned for a murder the phantom committed. After Miles Edgeworth reveals that the real Fulbright’s body was recovered, the phantom shows off his impersonation abilities and gadgets, attempting to pass himself off as a spy tracking down the phantom. However, Athena Cykes picks up on his fear of being discovered, and the phantom is recovered and incarcerated.
Impostors are common inAce Attorney. The twist of Fulbright being the phantom is one that works well, subverting establishedAce Attorneyconventions to make the player trust the character before his reveal. Additionally, he is involved in every case in the game, including the DLC episode,Turnabout Reclaimed.Most proper culprits are typically discovered within the same episode they are introduced. That said, there are minor clues to point to his true identity before his unmasking, which are later elaborated upon in court.
