History Characters / ProfessorLayton

* [[spoiler:GreaterScopeVillain]]: [[spoiler:His actions inadvertently turn Dimitri and Clive into what they are in the story proper.]]

* NeverBareheaded: Never removes his hat.

* NiceHat: His top hat, oh God, his top hat. He [[NeverBareheaded never takes it off]] [[spoiler:until the end of the third game.]] ''VideoGame/ProfessorLaytonAndTheUnwoundFuture'' reveals that it's actually a MementoMacGuffin.
** It's implied in ''VideoGame/ProfessorLaytonAndTheCuriousVillage'' that he does take it off to sleep, though. A cutscene in ''VideoGame/ProfessorLaytonAndTheLastSpecter'' confirms this.

* CoolCar: The Laytonmobile; in ''VideoGame/ProfessorLaytonAndTheCuriousVillage'' he freely admits that "I adore the contraption." Its coolness gets cranked UpToEleven [[spoiler:thanks to Don Paolo's modifications in ''VideoGame/ProfessorLaytonAndTheUnwoundFuture''.]]

* {{Expy}}: Akihiro Hino from Level 5 revealed that he's actually a clever [[Franchise/AceAttorney Phoenix Wright]] expy.

** With this it's not too surprising ''VideoGame/ProfessorLaytonVsAceAttorney'' happened.

* CatchPhrase: ''This reminds me of a puzzle...''

-->'''Layton:''' However, even when Luke's predictions were wrong, residents were still evacuated from the the neighborhoods where the specter appeared. Isn't that odd? I find that odd. [[spoiler:Doland]], do you find that odd?

-->[[spoiler:'''Layton:''' "You can't go! I don't want to say goodbye again! I can't! I WON'T!"]]

%%* TallDarkAndHandsome: He is specifically described as such in ''VideoGame/ProfessorLaytonAndTheDiabolicalBox.''

* CoatHatMask: His costume in a nutshell complete with both a CoolHat and matching CoolMask.

* YouAreNotMyFather: At the end of ''Azran Legacy'', he tells [[spoiler:Leon Bronev]] that he considers [[spoiler:the Laytons to be his real parents]], but he remains open to the possibility of [[spoiler:seeing Leon as a fellow archeologist]].

Note: This series has LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters if you include every single NPC, so let's just stick to the main cast.

!!!'''Voiced by:''' Maki Horikita (Japanese - Games), Creator/SomaSaito (Japanese - ''Anime/LaytonMysteryDetectiveAgency''), Creator/LaniMinella (English - North America), Creator/MariaDarling (English - United Kingdom and ''VideoGame/ProfessorLaytonVsPhoenixWrightAceAttorney''), Marie Zidi (French), Sophia Längert (German), Cinzia Massironi (Italian)

* {{Meganekko}}: Since SmartPeopleWearGlasses.

!!!'''Voiced by:''' Yo Oizumi (Japanese), Christopher Miller (English), Matrial Le Minoux (French), Mario Hassert (German), Oliviero Corbetta (Italian)

!!!'''Voiced by:''' Maki Horikita (Japanese - Games), Creator/SomaSaito (Japanese - ''Anime/LaytonMysteryDetectiveAgency''), Creator/LaniMinella (English - North America), Maria Darling (English - United Kingdom and ''VideoGame/ProfessorLaytonVsPhoenixWrightAceAttorney''), Marie Zidi (French), Sophia Längert (German), Cinzia Massironi (Italian)

* TimeShiftedActor: He is voiced by Maki Horikita, Creator/LaniMinella, and Maria Darling as a child, by Shun Oguri and Creator/YuriLowenthal as Future Luke in ''VideoGame/ProfessorLaytonAndTheUnwoundFuture'', and by Soma Saito as an adult in ''Layton Mystery Detective Agency''. [[spoiler:Subverted with Future Luke since he's only Clive pretending to be one.]]

%%!!!'''Voiced by:''' [=LiLiCo=] (Japanese), Maria Darling (English)

* AdjustingYourGlasses: Often seen doing this.

* YouGottaHaveBlueHair: Her hair is purple to match [[spoiler:her grandmother Sophia's]].

* YouGottaHaveBlueHair: Purple hair to contrast with Anton's blond.

* AnimeHair: A HornedHairdo, to be precise.

* BigBad: Definitely of ''VideoGame/ProfessorLaytonAndTheCuriousVillage'', and arguably of the entire first trilogy.

* AuthorityEqualsAsskicking: Not only is Bronev the leader of Targent, he is also a very capable fighter, as seen at the end of Miracle Mask when Descole tries to take him down, only for Bronev to dodge Descole's punch and knee him in the stomach for his trouble.

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[[caption-width-right:225:"As expected from you, Layton."]]

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** "Every puzzle has an answer".

* CoolCar: The Laytonmobile; in ''VideoGame/ProfessorLaytonAndTheCuriousVillage'' he freely admits that "I adore the contraption." Its coolness gets cranked UpToEleven [[spoiler:thanks to Don Paolo's modifications in ''VideoGame/ProfessorLaytonAndTheUnwoundFuture'']].

** [[spoiler: In episode 35 of ''Layton's Mystery Journey'', it's revealed that he was cryogenically frozen together with Luke.]]

-->'''Hino''': From the outset, Professor Layton owed a lot to Phoenix Wright in some ways. We researched the good and bad points of Phoenix Wright, developed the good points and overcame what I saw as the bad points - that's how we created Professor Layton.

* OutOfCharacterMoment: He breaks his gentleman code several times throughout the events of ''VideoGame/ProfessorLaytonAndTheUnwoundFuture'', including breaking a promise to Flora that he would take her with them on the investigation and [[spoiler:hitting a young Klaus/Clive after the explosion that killed his parents]]. And then he [[spoiler:''cries'']] at the end.

--> [[spoiler:'''Layton''': "You can't go! I don't want to say goodbye again! I can't! I WON'T!"]]

** This is averted with [[spoiler:the ‘’Layton Mystery Journey’’ anime, where he gives Katrielle a full hug after finally reuniting with her.]]

* StrongFamilyResemblance: Averted. Despite being his parents, Roland and Lucille don't resemble him much. [[spoiler:That's because they're his adoptive parents. As soon as you see what his biological parents, Leon and Rachel Bronev, look like, the resemblance to his mother [[BlackBeadEyes can't be mistaken.]]]]

-->'''Luke''': Professor, what did you do to Don Paolo? Why does he want to get revenge on you?\\
'''Layton''': I haven't the slightest idea, Luke.

* TheLoad: She insists on tagging along with Layton and Luke despite being written as near useless. In ''VideoGame/ProfessorLaytonAndTheUnwoundFuture'', her only significant role is [[spoiler:being kidnapped]]. She tries, though.

* IconicSequelCharacter: [[spoiler: While he is an important character in the Professor Layton franchise, Chelmey technically doesn’t appear until the second game as his appearance in the first game was actually Don Paolo in disguise.]]

* DodgeTheBullet: In ''VideoGame/ProfessorLaytonAndTheAzranLegacy'' [[spoiler:from hitmen sent by Targent]]

* EnemyMine: Joins forces with Layton in ''Unwound Future'', despite his loathing of the man, because he wants to know the truth about what happened to [[spoiler:Claire]].

* ExpositoryHairstyleChange: In a flashback in ''VideoGame/ProfessorLaytonAndTheUnwoundFuture'', when he sees [[spoiler:Claire, the object of his affections, giving a love letter to Layton and kissing him. It goes from relatively normal to the "horns" he has in the present day]].

* GiantSpaceFleaFromNowhere: In the first game, he's this in-universe for Layton, who has no idea why this guy showed up out of nowhere to try to kill/frame him. He also pulls this trope in a more straightforward manner at the end of the first game [[spoiler:when he shows up out of nowhere in a flying machine with wrecking balls to try to bring down the tower on Layton ''and'' the Golden Apple, which he is ostensibly in town to beat Layton to find]]. This comes completely out of the blue, considering your encounters to this point give no impression that this is the kind of thing he'd pull.

** Invoked by Layton himself in ''Unwound Future''. Before they enter Future Layton's lair, the Professor runs off and infiltrates the place on his lonesome, while having Don Paolo [[spoiler:take his place as they wander around]]. Not only does this prevent Dimitri Allen from [[spoiler:reading Layton's mind with the glasses he puts on (since Don Paolo knows nothing about the time experiment)]], but it also [[spoiler:allows the real Layton to rescue everyone when Allen traps them.]]

* {{Leitmotif}}: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mS4qOBsWyP0 The Great Don Paolo]].

** At one point when searching for the [[spoiler:missing scientists,]] Don Paolo makes a remark (when you click around for quotes from the characters) that "I'll make sure Flora's safe, no matter what happens here."

* {{Hypocrite}}: [[spoiler: As we discover at the end of ''VideoGame/ProfessorLaytonAndTheAzranLegacy'' that he's none other than Layton's biological older brother, Hershel Bronev who held a justified grudge towards Targent for kidnapping their parents for the Azran civilization, he isn't above stooping to their levels as them by kidnapping Luke's mum and butler to manipulate his dad, Clark to help him find the Golden Garden before they do, next, he manipulated Layton's high school close friend, the amnesiac Randall from the start to take revenge upon his childhood friend, Henry for 'stealing' his wealth and Angela from him to also discover the Nautilus Chamber of Akbadain before them as well and getting close to Layton as Professor Sycamore to take revenge against Targent as his next pawn.]]

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* TheButlerDidIt: {{Averted|Trope}}. Matthew is probably the single most helpful resident of the entire village as far as Layton's investigation goes.
* ArtificialHuman: [[spoiler: Averted to some extent, it is unknown if he too is a robot like the rest of the village.]]

* AffablyEvil: He's a charming gentleman and kind enough to [[spoiler:allow Layton a fighting chance when trying to kill the Professor]].

* AntiVillain: [[spoiler:[[SlidingScaleOfAntiVillains Type II]]. Although he is the main antagonist, kidnaps Professor Layton and Luke, and pretends to be a vampire, he is not truly evil. He just misses the love of his life.]]

* OccultBlueEyes: He has turquoise eyes and is a vampire. [[spoiler:It is ultimately subverted when it turns out that he is ActuallyNotAVampire.]]

The ''VideoGame/ProfessorLayton'' franchise has a huge and quirky cast. Surely it needs one of these pages, right? Currently under construction, but feel free to contribute. '''Beware of unmarked spoilers, as well as unmarked trope names that can give the plot away'''. [[{{Administrivia/YouHaveBeenWarned}} You Have Been Warned!]]

The ''VideoGame/ProfessorLayton'' franchise has a huge and quirky cast. Surely it needs one of these pages, right? Currently under construction, but feel free to contribute. '''Beware of unmarked spoilers, as well as unmarked trope names that can give the plot away'''. Administrivia/YouHaveBeenWarned!

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[[caption-width-right:150:[[spoiler:"Sophia belongs to me! YOU CAN'T HAVE HER!"]]]]

* {{Gonk}}: To contrast with Layton's charming, Franchise/Tintin-esque face, Don Paolo's is much more outrageous

A MadScientist and the Professor's self-declared arch rival. Most of his plans involve disguising himself as someone. Also likes playing music.

* ItIsPronouncedTroPAY: "Dess-coal", according to the Japanese dub. "Descolé", according to the English dub.

* SpellMyNameWithAnS: His surname; it's spelled "Schrader" in the English scripts, but it's also spelled "Schröder" on certain things featuring him.