Frank: Colonel Dexter Blade? Union? Confederates? Oh crap, <Player's Name>. We just traveled back in time to the American Civil War!
Frank and the player run out of gas near a Civil War reenactment battlefield, where they see actor Joe Stanford being blown to smithereens with a cannonball.
Tropes:
- Bratty Teenage Daughter: Gwen Stanford, the victim's daughter, is presented as this.Gwen: When my old man was around, I wasn't allowed any burgers. The only thing I got was rice and bean rations. Talk about child abuse!
- Broken Pedestal: Wayne Billings, one of the suspects, was a big fan of Joe until the latter rejected his application for playing an Union soldier in the reenactment simply because he's black.
- Cliffhanger: The case ends with Hannah alerting the team that another hurricane is heading towards Jazz Town.
- Disproportionate Retribution: Harriet killed Joe because he tried to get her class to take rifle shooting courses, seeing it as the last straw for her strict anti-war beliefs.
- Distracted by the Sexy: Chief Marquez nags Frank for doing this every time he meets a woman that catches his attention during an investigation.Chief Marquez: I'm counting on you, <Player's Name>. Because apparently Frank can't think straight when a "Lady" is around...
- Hypocrite: Harriet, who is extremely opposed to war and violence, killed Joe by shooting him with a cannon because, according to her, he was the one promoting violence by trying to make her students take shooting classes.
- Impoverished Patrician: Veronica Blade, a descendant of the founders of Jazz Town and the people who won the Civil War portion in Pacific Bay, owns a massive state but that's actually all she has left since she's totally broke.Veronica: But you're right. Joe Stanford ruined my estate and the worst thing is he refused to pay me! I'm broker than an honest man in congress. Now get out!
- Last-Second Word Swap: Veronica almost says Joe wasn't even worthy of being a slave before changing it to servant.
- Love at First Sight: Frank falls for Veronica the second he sees her.Frank: Oh gosh, <Player's Name>, this Veronica is something else! Fierce, gorgeous, shooting cannons: a woman after my own heart!
- Ludicrous Gibs: The victim is killed by being shot with a cannonball, creating a massive hole in his torso that almost detaches one of his legs. See here.
◊ - Parental Neglect: Joe was this for his daughter Gwen.Gwen: The truth is, I think dad loved the Civil War era and his reenactment thing more than he ever loved me!
- Revisiting the Cold Case: During the Additional Investigation, Yann begins to do his own research on The Puppeteer, who has been inactive since ten years ago, up to interrogating Stanley since he used to be a suspect in the past. Naturally, this gets him a scolding from Chief Marquez.
- She Cleans Up Nicely: In the Additional Investigation, Frank wears an Union uniform to replace Joe in the Civil War reenactment, with Veronica and even Chief Marquez complimenting him for it.
- She Is Not My Girlfriend: Frank keeps denying to Hannah that he's not in love with Veronica.Hannah: Call it whatever you want, Frank. But one thing's for sure, this is the uniform you need to play Colonel Blade and impress your lady-friend!Frank: She's not my lady-friend!
- Shout-Out:
- Veronica Blade resembles Scarlett O'Hara.
- Harriet Davis, who opposes the Civil War reenactments, gets her first name from Harriet Tubman, a famous conductor on the Underground Railroad. Her last name (and general appearance) is a reference to philosopher, activist, and author Angela Davis; Davis is particularly well known for her massive Afro, a trait Harriet shares.
- In the Saloon Entrance scene, there is a picture of Abraham Lincoln. Additionally, one of the killer's traits is reading Lincoln's writings.
- In the Saloon Terrance scene, a wanted poster features a man who resembles Heisenberg, as well as a satirical picture of Bruce Lee.
- Southern Belle: Veronica Blade◊ dresses as one, which is fitting considering she's based on Scarlett O'Hara.
- Stern Teacher: Harriet David is presented as this, wanting to protect her students from learning about the horrors of war so they don't start idolizing it like many adults do.
- Still Fighting the Civil War: Stanley Bullock, one of the suspects, is an avid fanboy of the Confederate portion of The American Civil War, up to disapproving Joe's reenactment because it put the Union as victors during the Pacific Bay War when, according to him, it was actually the Confederates who won.Stanley: Because there's nothing more important than history, you hear me? Colonel Blade's myth must be destroyed, along with his plantation house! It's a disgrace to the Truth, to America!
- They Call Me MISTER Tibbs!: Veronica insists on being addressed as Miss Blade, since she hasn't found the correct man for her.
- War Is Hell: Harriet is extremely opposed to wars, their reenactments, and people glorying them, seeing it as senseless violence that should be avoided. Better illustrated during her Motive Rant as for why she killed Joe.Harriet: WHAT? You approve of kids playing war? Now that's why this country is in decline! We need to get rid of this culture of violence!We are so fascinated with weapons and wars that we are forgetting our true History! Just like Stanford forgot the real reason the Civil War broke out!This war should be remembered for its real purpose! It wasn't about violence, it was about preserving the Union and bringing freedom to slaves!My own ancestor was a slave and he joined the United States Colored Troops! He did all the dirty jobs the whites wouldn't. And for what? Cheap entertainment like this reenactment?
