History Main / ItWasAGift

* 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 weild them become a major point of contention and conflict between the half-brothers.

* Rolo's heart-shaped locket charm on his cellphone in {{Code Geass}} was a birthday present from his older brother Lelouch. Despite being a ridiculously girly gift ([[spoiler: Lelouch was thinking of Nunnally when he got it]]), Rolo refuses to part with it and is extremely protective and sentimental about it.

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* 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 weild them become a major point of contention and conflict between the half-brothers.
* Vivio's [[TransformationTrinket Sacred Heart]] in ''MagicalGirlLyricalNanoha [[SpinOffspring ViVid]]'' was a gift from her Nanoha-mama after she had deemed her skilled enough at using magic.
* Rolo's heart-shaped locket charm on his cellphone in {{Code Geass}} was a birthday present from his older brother Lelouch. Despite being a ridiculously girly gift ([[spoiler: Lelouch was thinking of Nunnally when he got it]]), Rolo refuses to part with it and is extremely protective and sentimental about it.
* Luffy's straw hat in OnePiece is a gift from Shanks. Luffy treats this hat as his treasure.

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* In Jim Butcher's DresdenFiles novel ''Small Favor'', after Harry talks with Jake ([[AngelUnaware who is the janitor -- really]]), Jake vanishes, leaving behind a copy of ''[[LordOfTheRings The Two Towers]]'', which opens on some -- interesting passages.

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* This troper once took an Improv course where you had to describe why an imaginary item was important to you, without using obvious examples. One of those was "It was a gift". The temptation to say it is surprising when you've only got three seconds to think.

* William King's {{Warhammer 40000}} SpaceWolf novel ''Wolfblade'' recounts [[FamedInStory a story]] that, among other things, tells how Ragnar got his [[CoolSword frostblade]]. Indeed, in the FrameStory, explaining it is the motive for telling the story.

* In Simon Spurrier's {{Warhammer 40000}} novel ''Lord of the Night'''s BackStory, the Night Haunter had named Sahaal his heir and decreed that he should receive the ''[[RequisiteRoyalRegalia Corona Nox]]'' as a symbol of that. Which was why it's being lost was so important.

* In Chris Roberson's {{Warhammer 40000}} BloodRavens novel ''Dawn of War II'', the governor tries to justify having the SpaceMarine sword [[CoolSword Wisdom]] by claiming it was a gift. It doesn't save him.

* In L. Jagi Lamplight's ''Prospero Lost'', when the woman in a thrift shop asks if Miranda wants to sell her Edwardian dress, Miranda contents herself with saying it was a gift from her sister for why not.

* In CSLewis's ''[[{{Narnia}} The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe]]'', Peter, Susan, and Lucy receive magical gifts from Father Christmas. When they find themselves back at Cair Paravel in ''Prince Caspian'', the first thing they retrieve from their treasury was the Gifts.

* While most notably an AncestralWeapon, Luke Skywalker's first lightsaber was also a gift from Obi-Wan Kenobi, his friend and mentor. When he lost it in Empire Strikes Back he lost his only physical link to two of the most important figures in his life.
** Though, given the circumstances ([[YouShouldKnowThisAlready he loses it when his hand's chopped off by one of those two people, in the process of that person revealing the other was lying to Luke]]) he almost HAD to lose it. And if you take the EU at face value, he does sort of get it back eventually.

Contrast GiveMeASword, which is temporary -- though it may convert into this after the fight is over. SuperTrope of SupernaturalAid and often overlaps TheCallTwinksYou, when the gift helps start out a heroic career, and .

Contrast GiveMeASword, which is temporary -- though it may convert into this after the fight is over. SuperTrope of TheCallTwinksYou, when the gift helps start out a heroic career, and SupernaturalAid.

Contrast GiveMeASword, which is temporary -- though it may convert into this after the fight is over. See also TheCallTwinksYou, when the gift helps start out a heroic career.

** And in the middle of the fourth book, ''Tara Wanderer'', Dorath demands for Taran's sword as "payment" for "protection." Taran refuses because it was given to him by his guardian Dalben and first put on him by the girl he loves. [[spoiler: After a fight in which Dorath's sword is broken, Dorath treacherously pulls a dagger and steals it.]] At the end of the book this proves to be symbolic, because [[spoiler: Taran faces Dorath again, this time fighting with a sword Taran had forged himself, and when the two swords meet, it is the sword of his childhood that shatters]].

Contrast GiveMeASword, which is temporary -- though it may convert into this after the fight is over.

How to indicate something TheHero owns is cool, or important, or plot-significant -- there are a lot of ways, but one of the commonest 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 FramingDevice. It can also [[ChekhovsGift be used to disguise]] the {{McGuffin}}'s plot device status (particularly the MementoMacGuffin), or to subtly introduce a [=~Chekhov's Gun~=].

The PowersThatBe [[ForgedByTheGods make the most]] [[SupernaturalAid impressive sources]], but ordinary characters can serve. [[MentorArchetype Mentors]], {{Anonymous Benefactor}}s, the ReasonableAuthorityFigure, and parents are likely to present such an item, which may be a physical manifestion of SoProudOfYou -- as is the DeadLittleSister. When the gift comes from an equal, it is likely to be reciprocal, often marking FireForgedFriends. It is not unknown for them to have strings that only become evident later.

AncestralWeapon sometimes falls into this, but only if the character was particularly chosen to receive or inherit the weapon.

The CoolSword is particularly likely to be a gift. Partly, no doubt, because there are so many {{Cool Sword}}s out there.

TakeUpMySword and PassingTheTorch often involve such a gift, a concrete expression of what is being passed on. TheLadysFavour is a SubTrope.

Contrast GiveMeASword, which is temporary -- though it may convert into this after the fight is over.

** 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 Fists.]]