Amy: I still can't believe I'm saying such things. We're looking for a spaceship. For an alien. A real alien!
Amy and the player go to an abandoned fairground to meet up with Randolph, the supposed alien inhabiting Rhine Canyon, as Chief Marquez wants to help him go back home. However, they find his body autopsied to death instead.
Tropes:
- Agent Scully: Throughout the case, Amy refuses to believe that Randolph was a real alien despite all of your suspects confirming he was one and Hannah telling you aliens from Krep-9 are coming to Earth.
- Alien Autopsy: Subverted. At first, we're led to believe that the culprit murdered Randolph because they wanted to either see if he was a real alien or study his alien physiology. However, the true reason for his "murder" turns out to be entirely different.
- All for Nothing: It's hard not to feel this way at the end of the case, when Agent Z decides to wipe the entire squad's memories of what happened with Randolph (and anything related to aliens) in Rhine Canyon. Only the player is spared, because the government may want to work with them someday. Andrea does mention that she's come to terms with her past without knowing why, but it's still sad to see everyone in the group have no idea of what they did.
- Amusement Park: Where Randolph is found dead.
- Autopsy Snack Time: One of the killer's traits is that they eat candy, which they did whilst autopsying Randolph.
- Back for the Finale: Otto Schmetterling, Astrid Saucer, and General Freeman return as suspects in this case, which is the last one set in Rhine Canyon.
- Big Damn Heroes: During the Additional Investigation, Haku is the one who helps you make the aliens from Krep-9 land and take Randolph back with him.
- Big Damn Reunion: One between Chief Marquez and Randolph, this time for real.Chief Marquez: <Player's Name>, thank you so much for allowing me to reunite with Randolph. It means so much to me.
- Bittersweet Ending: The Department successfully saves Randolph, restores his spaceship, and reunites him with his brethren from Krep-9. However, Agent Z shows up and mind-wipes everyone except the player, so they have no memories of Randolph and their adventures at all. The group decides to move onto Innovation Valley without a second thought.
- Blackmail: General Freeman wanted to blackmail Randolph with a photo of his spaceship so he could attract and capture him.
- Black Site: One of the crime scenes is a military base known as Area 61.
- I Can't Believe I'm Saying This:
- Amy says a variant of this when you return to the playground to look for the real Randolph, finding unbelievable that she's about to call for a supposedly dead person.
- Then she does it again while looking for something to help Randolph's friends safely land on Earth.Amy: <Player's Name>, did you find anything here that could help us create a landing strip for the aliens?...I can't believe I just asked you that. Is any of this real?!
- The Climax: For the Rhine Canyon district.
- Collector of the Strange: Otto wanted Randolph's head for his collection.
- Ditto Aliens: The aliens from Krep-9
◊ all look the same. - Exposed Extraterrestrials: Randolph's true form, a tiny green alien, sports no clothing. Averted for the other two aliens who appear, since they wear spacesuits.
- Faint in Shock: Amy faints in shock when she sees Randolph's true form in the Additional Investigation.
- Fantastically Indifferent: Amy seems a little surprised by the fact that Hannah, Russell, and Haku are accepting the fact that aliens exist without much thought.
- For Science!: Haku Kamaka helped Randolph communicate with Krep-9 and send him back home for this reason.Haku: I could have gotten in trouble for misuse of equipment, but hey! Scientific research for the win!
- It Gets Easier: Haku tells this to Amy, who is still in disbelief about the fact that aliens exist.
- Good All Along: It's revealed that Agent Z was on your side the whole time, since he was making sure that Randolph was safely delivered home.
- Gratuitous German: Amy says "Gesundheit" to General Freeman after he sneezes.
- Heroic Sacrifice: Non-lethal example. Jarvis "killed" Randolph to help him escape from his human shell fully knowing that it would probably get him arrested.Jarvis: It doesn't matter. My life doesn't count. But <Player's Name>, promise me you'll go help Randolph! You HAVE to help him!
- Humans Are Bastards: Astrid tells you she's ashamed of being human after learning what the government and the military did with Randolph.Astrid: I feel horrible for everything Randolph has suffered at the hands of humans. Especially the military!Do you have any idea what they did to him? The torture they subjected him to in the name of science?!How could anyone NOT feel ashamed to be human after learning such things, <Player's Name>?
- Interspecies Friendship: Jarvis and Randolph had become good friends whilst Randolph was in the military, which is why Jarvis "killed" him so he could be free of his human body.
- Ironic Echo: While interrogating Freeman, he says he can't say anything about the military's activities that occur in Area 61. Then when you inform him about Randolph's "death" and he asks for more details, Amy smugly tells him they can't say anything about the Police Department's activities either.
- Karma Houdini: Despite being the Arc Villain of the district, General Freeman gets away relatively scot-free from his actions, only receiving a small fine for interfering with justice.
- Laser-Guided Amnesia: Agent Z erases everyone's memories (except for the player's) of what happened in Rhine Canyon at the end of the case, though Chief Marquez admits she's feeling at peace with herself even after not remembering anything.
- Last Episode, New Character: Dr. Jarvis Donne and Haku Kamaka are introduced in this case.
- Little Green Men: The aliens from Krep-9◊ look like this.
- Little Green Man in a Can: The spaceships from Krep-9 are hexagonal-shaped devices big enough for a single alien.
- Locked Out of the Loop: Frank at the end of the case after everyone gets their memories erased.Frank: Great, we're FINALLY leaving those crazy alien theories behind!Amy: What alien theories are you talking about, Frank?!Frank: Well the... Ah, I see. We're pretending nothing happened. Duly noted, and thanks! I couldn't take that silliness anymore!
- The Men in Black: At the end of the case, Agent Z reveals that "GIA" doesn't stands for "Government Investigation Authority," but for "Galactic Intelligence Agency", an organization that has been helping aliens for decades and wanted to send Randolph back home to avoid an intergalactic war with Krep-9.
- Mobile-Suit Human: It's revealed that the "Randolph" you met throughout the district was actually this, with his real form living inside of it.Randolph: Randolph can explain. Randolph was living in a fake body to make him look like a human. He could control it, like a machine.
- Real After All: Yes, aliens are real in the Criminal Case universe. Who would've thought?
- Secret-Keeper: Not counting Frank due to being absent, the player is the only member of the Police Department who doesn't get their memories erased by Agent Z.Agent Z: <Player's Name>, I would suggest you put on some sunglasses: my agency wants you to remember this. Please know that I hope we get a chance to work together in the future.
- Seeker Archetype: Haku wanted Randolph to stay on Earth so he could learn all the knowledge about the Universe he held with him.
- Shout-Out:
- The case's title is most likely a reference to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
- Area 61 is a parody of Area 51.
- In the Fairground Stands scene, there is an alien version of Ghostface's mask.
- In the Army Base scene, there are emblems naming it as the Red Stone Army Base.
- The case's ending is a parody of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.
- Speak Ill of the Dead: You find a recording of General Freeman calling Spangler a bumbling idiot for allowing an alien to escape.
- Sue Donym: Randolph's real name is actually RaN-D-O'lf.
- Sympathetic Murderer: Considering he didn't even kill Randolph in the first place but actually removed him from his human shell, Doctor Jarvis might be one of the most sympathetic and guiltless culprits in the entire franchise.
- These Are Things Man Was Not Meant to Know: The reason why Freeman wanted to recapture Randolph was to salvage humanity's innocence about other life forms in the galaxy.Freeman: Can you imagine what would happen if people learned that humans aren't the only intelligent life in the universe?!There would be mass hysteria! How could people go on functioning in the face of their insignificance?!
- They Call Me MISTER Tibbs!: Jarvis insists on being called a doctor.Jarvis: DOCTOR Donne, thank you. I DO have a PhD in biology and I have worked on several major research projects!
- Victory-Guided Amnesia: At the end of the case, the Department successfully sends Randolph home and Chief Marquez finally comes to terms with what had been tormenting her decades ago. And their reward is... Laser-Guided Amnesia by Agent Z. At least you get spared.
- Wham Line: This little gem Jarvis says during his arrest:Jarvis: You don't understand... I did cut this body open, but Randolph...RANDOLPH IS STILL ALIVE!
- Wham Shot: Seeing Randolph appear during the Additional Investigation and discover that aliens are Real After All in the Criminal Case universe.
- What Happened to the Mouse?: Dr. Jarvis Donne ends up in jail for "murdering" Randolph, when all he did was cut open the human body the alien was using to help the little guy escape. Even after the police learn the truth, they make no attempt to release Jarvis from prison, and since everyone but the player has their memories wiped at the end of the case, they see no reason to get him out. It's possible that Agent Z might help get him off the hook, but it's just as likely that Jarvis will stay locked up to maintain The Masquerade.
- What Is This Feeling?: After getting their memories erased, Chief Marquez admits with a smile that, for some reason, she's feeling at peace with herself.
