It Was a Gift: Difference between revisions

{{trope}}

How to indicate something [[The Hero]] owns is cool, or important, or plot-significant—there are a lot of ways, but one of the most common is to make it a gift from another character. Two birds with one stone, since it can delineate character, and the relationship between two of them, as well as play up the importance of this object. If it is part of the [[Backstory]], often the character will relate it with great pride, which makes a good [[Framing Device]]. Even an otherwise useless gift may [[It May Help You on Your Quest|help you]] on your quest. It can also [[Chekhov's Gift|be used to disguise]] the [[MacGuffin]]'s plot-device status (particularly the [[Memento MacGuffin]]) or to introduce [[Chekhov's Gun]] in an subtle way.

 

 

Not to be confused with [[The Gift]], or [[GIFT]].

{{examples}}

 

* In the Anime series ''[[Inuyasha]]'', Inu Yasha and Sessomarou's swords were not only gifts from their demonic father, they were carved from his very fangs. Ownership of each sword and the skill to properly wield them become a major point of contention and conflict between the half-brothers.

* Vivio's [[Transformation Trinket|Sacred Heart]] in ''[[Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha]] [[Spin Offspring|ViVid]]'' was a gift from her Nanoha-mama after she had deemed her skilled enough at using magic.

* ''[[Hana no Mizo Shiru]]'': Misaki's flower necklace turns out to be a gift from Kawabata, so he can look at it and remember someone is there for him after his grandfather's death. He appreciates the sentiment, and [[Sexy Mentor|also has feelings for Kawabata]], so he wears it every day under his shirt. {{spoiler|Then their relationship sours and Kawabata rips it off his neck - breaking the necklace, and almost choking Misaki. Arikawa later fixes it, but he understandably doesn't want it any more.}}

 

* When Kyon goes with Yuki to buy her a phone in ''[[Kyon: Big Damn Hero]]'' Yuki acknowledges that, even if she could emulate the functions of a phone without effort, she would treasure it as a gift from him.

 

* ''[[Undercover Brother]]''. The title character was given a medallion by his father so he would never forget who he is or what he stands for (protecting black people from racism).

* ''[[Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade]]''. The hat the young Indiana Jones received from the criminal archeologist (named "Fedora" in the credits).

** In [[The Thrawn Trilogy]], [[Big Bad|C'baoth]] recovers the lightsaber and gives it to {{spoiler|his clone of Luke}}. At the end of the book, Luke recovers it from the debris and gives it to [[Love Interest|Mara]].

 

* In [[Graham McNeill]]'s [[Warhammer 40,000]] [[Horus Heresy]] novel ''False Gods'', Horus carries a golden sword, forged for him by a battle brother when he was made Warmaster.

** In [[Graham McNeill]]'s ''Fulgrim'', Ferrus Manus carries a golden sword. When he had first met his brother primarch Fulgrim, they had challenged each other, and Fulgrim had made the sword, while Ferrus Manus made a warhammer. Astounded by the other's skills, they had given each other the weapons they had made to seal their friendship. {{spoiler|When Fulgrim fails to sway him to Horus's side, they fight, and Ferrus Manus breaks the sword, making Fulgrim realize that the break is irrevocalbe. Fulgrim takes back the warhammer and has his ships open fire on the Iron Hands.}}

* In [[Dan Abnett]]'s [[Gaunt's Ghosts]] novel, Ibram Gaunt's swords are both gifts. His first came from the hand of his dead mentor. When [[Wrecked Weapon|it is ruined in battle]], he receives the power sword of Hieronymo Sondar, the founder of Vervunhive, while he tries to defend it in ''Necropolis'', and carries that sword thereafter.

* At the end of [[Lloyd Alexander]]'s ''[[Prydain Chronicles|The Book of Three]]'', the main character are given gifts that they will carry through the series.

* In Tamora Pierce's "[[Tortall Universe|Protector of The Small]]" quartet, Kel receives gifts from a then [[Anonymous Benefactor|unknown "benefactor"]]. Some of these items are rather pricey.

** Not only are they pricey, they are particularly useful to a girl in knight-training. Among them are magical bruise balm, exercise equipment to strengthen her arms, a saddle for her horse, and a new knife {{spoiler|and matching sword}}. The "mysterious benefactor" turns out to be {{spoiler|Sir Alanna, the first lady knight, who presumably, as the sole heir of two large estates}}, has money to burn. It's implied that these gifts are {{spoiler|things Alanna wished she had as a page/squire}}.

** An exceptionally notable and heartwarming payment was when Kel got to keep Peachblossom for ''four years.''

** Alanna herself has her own gift: the mirror with roses on it that her oldest son gave her when he was little. She still uses it to scry twelve years later.

** And there are the cool gifts that Galadriel gave the members of the Fellowship, including the Phial.

** At the beginning, Bilbo hands out gifts at his birthday party. At the end, Bilbo gives the hobbits all gifts—including his writing, which means [[Passing the Torch]] to Frodo. At the very end, Frodo gives the book to Sam.

** Not to mention that in the movie, Arwen actually says It Was a Gift when insisting that Aragorn keep her necklace.

* Subverted in ''[[The Three Musketeers (novel)|The Three Musketeers]]'', where d'Artagnan starts out with three gifts from his father: a [[Cool Sword|sword]], a horse, and a letter of introduction so he can join the Musketeers. He loses all three of them in the first chapter.

** Not the horse - the only item he wouldn't have minded losing, as it was an ancient nag with a ridiculous colour. He manages to sell it in Paris.

* Numerous items in Rick Riordan's ''[[Percy Jackson and The Olympians]]'' are given as gifts. Those from the gods are particularly likely to be important. {{spoiler|Though the knife that Luke gave Annabeth proved to be the most important.}}

** Christmas presents to and from Harry also feature. Especially socks.

* In ''[[A Wrinkle in Time]]'', Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which give the children gifts before sending them off, which proves crucial.

* In [[Jim Butcher]]'s [[Dresden Files]] novel ''Fool Moon'', because both Harry and Murphy have received {{spoiler|gifts of silver from family}}, they can fight the {{spoiler|[[Werewolf|loup-garou]]}}.

** In ''Grave Peril'', Bianca gives gifts at her party. Many are [[Chekhovs Guns]].

* In [[Ursula K. Le Guin]]'s ''[[Earthsea Trilogy|A Wizard of Earthsea]]'', Ged finds an island with an old man and woman. He deduces from the dress the woman shows him—rich, for a child—that they had been abandoned there. She gives him half of an armring. In ''The Tombs of Atuan'', this gift is his driving motivation for his actions.

* In [[Patricia C. Wrede]]'s ''Thirteenth Child'', when Miss Ochiba leaves, she gives William and Eff books to study, and when Eff cries, gives her a handkerchief as well.

* In [[Michael Flynn]]'s ''[[Spiral Arm|Up Jim River]]'', the harper's mother gave her a necklace. It proves significant in the quest for the mother.

 

* On ''[[Supernatural]]'', the pendant that Dean ''always'' wears around his neck was a gift from {{spoiler|his brother Sam}}, who [[Anvilicious|gave it to him to show]] that {{spoiler|Sam considered Dean more of a parent than their father John. (The pendant was originally to be a Christmas gift for their father.}}

** "Always", that is, until {{spoiler|season five, when it turns out to be [[It May Help You on Your Quest|a tool for locating God]], and he ''reluctantly'' lends it to Castiel.}}

* Used for [[Getting Crap Past the Radar]] in ''[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]''. Tara offers Willow a dolls-eye crystal that belonged to her grandmother, but Willow refuses on the grounds that it's a valuable family heirloom. But after they spend the night "casting spells", Willow turns up at her dorm the following morning holding the crystal, implying that she accepted it as a love token.

 

* [[Greek Mythology|Perseus]] was given his sword, his mirror-like shield, and winged sandals by Athena and Hermes.

* In the ''[[The Saga of the Volsungs|Saga of the Volsungs]]'', [[Norse Mythology|Odin]] appears at the wedding of Signy and King Siggeir and drives a sword into the tree Barnstokk, and only Signy's brother Sigmund could pull it out.

 

* ''[[The Merchant of Venice]]'': One of Shylock's most notable human moments is buried in his 'wicked old miser-Jew' ranting about how his daughter, who reacently eloped with an enemy of his, taking all his money and jewels with her were dead if it meant he could have his riches back—the scene is a friend of his reporting her progress across the Mediteranean, and he gets especially vitriolic after finding out that Jessica traded the turquoise ring for a pet monkey. Turns out that particular ring was a gift from his dead wife, before they married.

** In fairness to Jessica, she probably didn't know this.

* In ''[[A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum]]'', a set of three rings showing a gaggle of geese (at least seven), given by a father to his two children, stolen in infancy by pirates, play an important part in the denouement.

 

* [[Played for Laughs]] in ''[[Tales of Vesperia]]''. When Judith meets Yuri, she notices the Sorcerer's Ring (commonly used in the series to solve puzzles) and asks if it was a gift from a girl. When Yuri admits that it was, Judith comments that they must have a "special bond", which causes the 21-year-old Yuri to groan that he hopes not—it was given to him by the [[Hot-Blooded]] 15-year-old mage Rita.

* In one of the endings to ''[[Street Fighter]] Alpha 2'', Ken gives Ryu his famous red headband (which Ken had been previously using as a hair tie). Previous to this, Ryu had been wearing a white headband.

* The incongruous possession variant occurs in ''[[Eternal Sonata]]''—if you have Retto explore [[Action Girl|Viola's]] bedroom, he finds a teddy bear, which strikes him as odd. Then he spots the gift tag.

 

* The ring in ''[[Girl Genius]]''. [http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20040705 "Some kind of connector from the gas system] turned to a ring by Gil during his abortive marriage proposal, to give to Agatha, worn by Agatha until she needed to fake her death, found by Gil on what appeared to be her body, worn by Gil on a chain about his neck thereafter. She was quite touched when she realized that.

* ''[[Gunnerkrigg Court]]:'' The blinker stone, from Mort to Antimony. She is ''[http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/archive_page.php?comicID=525 not pleased]'' when [http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/archive_page.php?comicID=523 she learns its significance]. Followed by more complications when she learns why.

* ''[[Homestuck]]'': thanks to time travel shenanigans, John ends up receiving the same present three times, with added modifications each time. The final version (a {{spoiler|cybernetically enhanced toy rabbit (the one from ''[[Con Air]]'', no less) carrying an array of lethal weapons}}) is both instrumental in {{spoiler|the rise of power of the main villain, and John's victory in his first battle against said villain}}.

** At the same time, the presents sent by John to his friends prove instrumental in defining Dave's appearance, Rose's weapon of choice, Jade's liking for wearing blue and gardening, and the very reason that the four kids know each other in the first place.

* In ''[[Squid Row]]'' [http://squidrowcomics.com/?p=284 Randie gives one.]

* [[Fetch Quest: Saga of the Twelve Artifacts]] [http://www.fetchquest.com/archive.php?chapterid=0&comicid=3 It is special because it is a gift.]

* [[Thistil Mistil Kistil]]: [http://tmkcomic.depleti.com/comic/ch01-pg16/ Defending yourself to Odin.]

* Zoe's chest tattoo in ''[[Sluggy Freelance]]'' was a necklace given to her by Torg. It was revealed to be cursed the first time it activated and turned her into a camel, bonding to her skin. {{spoiler|The necklace was found later as evidence of Zoe's death.}}

* ''[[Sinfest]]'':

 

* ''[[Avatar: The Last Airbender]]'': Katara's necklace, from her grandmother by way of her mother. Important in that it gets stolen partway through the first season, then retrieved again; has plot significance in "The Waterbending Master" as well. Also, "The Avatar State" opens with a gifting scene reminiscent of (and slightly parodying) Galadriel's gifting of the party in ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''.

{{quote|'''Master Pakku''': ''(in a serious and ceremonial manner)'' Katara, I want you to have this. ''(Cut to a close-up of the amulet, showing that it is a triangle with a wave-shaped pattern of blue color with a crescent moon on the top.)'' This amulet contains water from the Spirit Oasis. ''(Cut to behind Master Pakku as he hands the amulet to Katara, who is standing in front of Appa and next to Aang.)'' The water has unique properties. Don't lose it. ''(His face softens.)''

 

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Narrative Devices]]

[[Category:Older Than Feudalism]]