Characters / Zap Dramatic

Ambition

Ted Hartrup

"You get that Bridget out here, or I'll blow us all to Hell!"

"There's nobody home!"

He appeared inside Klink International with a bomb strapped to his torso, demanding to see his wife and kids. He is later declared to be delusional and is accused of a murder of Angie Raleigh. He returns in Sir Basil Pike Public School as a math teacher.

• Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking: "Ted's Rap sheet" according to Judeki: Blowing us all to hell, Taking two hostages, Lewd Conduct, Battery of a police officer, Escaping police custody, and Noise violation.
• Asshole Victim: Mostly justified. He has a very hard time trusting anyone (including the police) after believing that Bridget is setting him up.
  "The police is only a business."
  • In episode 3, he thinks the (player) psychiatrist may be there to declare him insane and lock him away. In 6, he refuses to talk to the (player) detective.
• Author Avatar: He is theorized to be one.
• Ax-Crazy: Some characters insist he is this and some do not. He really isn't.
• Better Manhandle the Murder Weapon: In the game's final chapter he picks up a gun that was used to shoot a couple of innocent bystanders — the player character, Bridget's lawyer being the actual target — and then declares that it doesn't matter that his fingerprints are now on the gun, because he knows he's innocent. Note that this happens after the player character warns Ted that he's being set up to take the fall for several murders.
• Born Lucky: He somehow manages to repeatedly escape doomed situations. Sometimes it's because his enemies are mind-boggingly stupid, like when Jim the cop literally opens the door for him to get out of the prison van, sometimes it's from seemingly divine intervention like the mattress truck softening his fall at just the right moment. Rolf Klink even comments on this later in the series, saying that Ted's unnatural good luck would make any attempt at framing him a bad idea.
• Catchphrase: In the earlier episodes, Ted frequently threatened to "blow us all to Hell."
• Characterization Marches On: In Ambition, he went from a vagabond, to a suicide bomber, to a crazy man wanting his kids, to buckling up, work out his issues, and become an elementary school teacher. He has changed quite considerably since then.
• Convicted by Public Opinion: A lot of people believe in what the newspapers say.
• Demoted to Extra: He is the main character in the first few episodes. Later, he gradually becomes less important as focus shifts to the mystery of Angie's murder.
• Driven to Suicide: How this all started.
• Expy: His facial hair (mustache, goatee, sideburns) makes him look like Ricky from Trailer Park Boys. His behavior isn't far off from him either.
• Fatal Flaw: His hardheadedness and free-spirited personality constantly bite Ted in the back. As the court case finds, Ted was under the influence of drugs when he threatened to blow up the Klink International building and truly could not have kidnapped his kids or murdered anyone because he had several airtight alibis placing him at a pizza parlor at the other side of town when Angela was killed. He'd have been out of jail within a week or two if he didn't constantly try to escape prison and accidentally incriminate himself in his efforts to be 'free,' and he'd have a far easier time endearing himself to people if he wasn't so stubborn and prone to angry outbursts. By the end of the series, he still looks like a likely suspect for two more murders and could be set up as a fall guy if the attempt to frame Yale doesn't pan out simply because he refused to just let the system work things out. This can even get him set up to die or put in prison for life in some of the last episode's endings.
• Flanderization: Seems to get less and less easy to interact with, to the point that you can't really even talk to him in Episode 6 without him kicking you out of his cell.
• Jerk with a Heart of Gold: As much of a jackass as he can be, he does seem to care for his kids. In one of the deaths from Episode 10, he goes for help after accidentally shooting you, even though this will almost certainly get him arrested again.
• Juggling Loaded Guns: In episode 10, Ted shows the player a gun he found on the floor by pointing it right at them (even before he starts pointing it at them deliberately.) And in one of the game overs, the killer who dropped the gun comes back and Ted accidentally shoots and kills the player trying to hit him.
• Le Parkour: After Ted punches out the cop and runs away, he inexplicably starts jumping off of the sides of buildings.
• Papa Wolf: He deeply cares for his children.
• Pet the Dog: Ted is very kind towards Yale in episode 2, especially when he gets punched in the face by Helen. He'll even berate Helen if she's suddenly sincere.
  "Holy smokes! I thought I had problems. Are you ok?"
• Police Are Useless: Ted seems to believe this
• Prayer Is a Last Resort: Ted ends up calmly pleading for God to save him with a mattress truck, and he'd wash anyone's feet as ordered in return. He ends up being saved by that truck.
  • Discussed in episode 3, explaining that when pushed and having no other options, he turned to the Lord in hopes for help. These words get twisted by Angie in episode 4 to declare him delusional. Although, in episode 10, it seems like she was doing him a favor...
• Smooch of Victory: Ted gives one to Yale in episode 2.
  • It should be noted that this is much like the Vagabond in the Negotiator, who kissed the player for lifting his spirits.
• Tautological Templar: Espouses this worldview during his psychological assessment: The true motivations for actions are unknowable due to paranoid layers of possibilities, so the only sure way to judge people is that good people will always be doing good and should never be held accountable while evil people are always doing evil and must be opposed at any turn by any means.
• Troll: He displays shades of this toward Bridget. While you're interrogating her, he's in his cell singing Amazing Grace, and it's annoying her. She yells at him to stop it, and once he realizes that she's there, he continues singing louder.
• Unwanted Assistance: On episode 4, after being declared delusional in court, Ted fires his lawyer, Yale, who was trying to get him to calm down.
  • In episode 1, because of his fragile state of mind (and the game tells you this if you fail), acts of kindness or desires to help him entirely may be interpreted as a threat to him. Justified as to Ted, it may as well just be another way of being told that he's being strapped in a long sleeve jacket.
  • He gets this from the player's side in episode 10. In one part your goal is to split up from Ted to get to safety, despite his assurances that you need to stick together. Make a wrong move, and you can be hit by Friendly Fire from Ted's attempt to defend you.
• You All Look Familiar: This is the same character that appeared in another game by Zap Dramatic where his co-worker has been told to fire him.
• What the Hell, Player?: In episode 1, if you make Jim say the wrong thing once, Ted will call you an idiot for it and give you another chance to make the right decision. Do it again, and he finishes his countdown.

Jim

Jim confronting Ted.

"Hi, my name's Jim. Put your hands in the air! What are you upset about?"

The police officer who holds up Ted at Klink International, and the first character you have to advise.

• The Bad Guys Are Cops: Subverted. He's no bad cop, but he appears to be under Rolf's payroll, if one of the bad endings of episode 9 are any indication.
  • However, a retcon, thanks to episode 10, has him as the very same cop who wanted to take Ted "for a walk" in episode 3, in addition to his somewhat aggressive attitude, implied that he may have been going to silence him, playing this straight.
  • Episode 10 pretty much confirms this, where he denies the evidence of a double murder, outright claiming nobody will believe you over him. He then ignores the pleas of the taxi driver, sets up the evacuation of the courthouse for Duke in one of the bad endings and was probably the one driving the cop car Ted was in during the junkyard scene.
• Demoted to Extra: He's a major character in Episode 1, and then he only appears in quick cameos in episodes 2, 3, 4, and 6, and one of the bad endings of Episode 9. He does, however, come back for some full scenes in Episode 10.
• Dirty Communists: He accuses the player of being a "pinko socialist agitator" for absolutely no reason in episode 10.
• Face–Heel Turn: A minor, and subtle one. See above for more information.
• Hanlon's Razor: The pale-faced clone of Jim often invites players to wonder whether he's stupid or evil. Could someone with his years of forensic experience really be fooled into mistaking blood (which the killers had no time to clean up) for engine oil, or is he helping to cover for the murder by throwing the lawyer into a state of doubt? Was he really overpowered by a handcuffed Ted, or was he leaving an opening for Ted to make a scapegoat of himself in a new location? Would a cop who shoots a motorist just for asking if he's married really swallow your silly excuses for speeding, or is he only setting you up for harsher punishment down the line?
• Perfectly Cromulent Word: In "The Mediator Episode 1: The Angry Neighbors", Sonia calls Jim out on making up the words "planticide" and "vindicative", then accuses him of not knowing what he means by the latter.
  Jim: "I know what 'vindicated' means. I've got the scar."
• Reasonable Authority Figure: Mainly because of the situation at hand, but Jim does show some sincerity towards Ted for his situation. In episode 2, he even sympathize with him when he investigates the apartment. Until he became a Jerkass in episode 10, that is.
• Sinister Shades
• Sunglasses at Night: Except for the first two episodes of Ambition, Jim always wears his sunglasses, even at night and inside basements.
• Took A Level In Jerk Ass: Episode 10 implies that Jim may have intended to silence Ted in episode 3. His attitude in said episode does not help things.
• You All Look Familiar: Averted. While he looks similar to the cop from Altered States, they are two completely different characters. The gray-scaled cop even makes an appearance in episode 2 and obviously has different mannerisms.
  • A retcon in episode 10 however, has him as the same cop.

Yale Johnson

Yale's shining moment.

"Mmm, Helen makes the most sumptuous pastries!"

A highly respected lawyer at his law firm. He is said to have a great future and is married to Helen, his boss' daughter. Unfortunately, he found himself in an affair with Angie, his friend.

• A Lighter Shade of Black: Make no mistake; while Yale isn't outright evil, his ambitions make him one of the roughest characters in the series. If he got what he wanted, he'd screw Helen out of all her money and marry the mistress he cheated on Helen with. He's also a sexist thorn in the player's side in multiple episodes, where his lies or attitude make a happy, peaceful resolution nigh-impossible. ^note  He doesn't listen to any advice that would have him call off his affair; his views towards where women belong in society makes gaining progress as a marriage counselor an uphill battle; his lies about his car make life more difficult for everyone involved and nearly implicate an innocent woman for murder; and he's unhelpful and unwilling to listen to the player when they show up to his house panicked and with their life in danger. This all being said, next to his father-in-law and Duke Crabtree, he's really only an ambitious idiot getting in your way, and he truly is trying to help Ted get his kids back.
• "Angry Black Man" Stereotype: Mostly an aversion; however, he makes a comment in Episode 9 about how white men got where they are today by enslaving the black man. It's completely unprovoked, and he doesn't say anything more on the matter.
• Delusions of Eloquence: Plays out in episode 9 where he comes off as quite pretentious towards Helen.
• Dirty Coward: It's blink-and-you'll miss it, but you can see him briefly look in on Helen in Episode 5, after she grabs hold of a violin and starts threatening the player character. He quickly disappears, apparently more comfortable with letting his wife assault a completely innocent stranger than doing anything that might defuse the situation.
• Dull Surprise
  Angie: Yale, I'm pregnant!
  Yale: Oh.
• Even Evil Has Standards: Yale's not evil, but he does act like a jerk and does some morally questionable things. However, if the player character tells him that Rolf Klink thinks it would be best for everyone if Ted takes the fall for Angie's murder, Yale will say that it wouldn't be best for Ted. He then says that he'll see you disbarred for saying that (you play a lawyer in that particular episode), and you get a "Game Over."
• Fall Guy: In Episode 10, you have to make a deal with Rolf and Duke to frame Yale so that Duke doesn't kill you. The last episode ends with Yale getting arrested.
• Hypocrite: Episode 2 shows Yale scolding Helen for accidentally walking into an intelligent pick-up line and even makes fun of her for it. This is the same man who is cheating on her!
• Informed Attribute: Episode 10 calls him a decent man who would never betray his client in one of the Game Over screens. This would seem true if not for the fact it has been well-established that he cheated on his wife and seems proud of it.
• JerkAss: Yale goes full force on this in episode 9, unless you play out the episode properly.
• Love Triangle: Is married to Helen and having an affair with Angie.
• Professional Butt-Kisser: The moment he sees Rolf Klink in episode 9, he holds a wide smile and offers him snacks. Let it go on for too long, and Yale will do exactly as he suggests which leads to a bad ending. It almost doesn't make sense, considering he is not loyal towards his wife, who happens to be Rolf's daughter.
• Token Minority

Helen Johnson

"ARRRROOOOOOOOOOOH!!!"

"Do you think I'm crazy? Do you think I'm having a bad day?"

Yale's wife, and the daughter of Rolf Klink. She is faithful to Yale, but is constantly annoyed by him, and sometimes gets violent.

• Boyish Short Hair
• Deadpan Snarker: Doesn't come up much, but there's this:
  Yale: (on phone) Honey, it's me.
  Helen: Hello, me.
• Driven to Madness: Briefly in episode 5 after finding out about Yale's affair.
• Dull Surprise: In stark contrast to her borderline insanity in episode 5, when she only suspects that Yale is having an affair, she doesn't react at all in episode 10 after finding out that Yale did have an affair with Angie, got her pregnant, and as far as she knows, may have killed her.
• Fiery Redhead: Almost literal, as even when indoors, her hair is in motion.
• Improvised Weapon: She grabbed an expensive violin from a co-worker's office, threatening to whack Yale, or him/her.
• Properly Paranoid: Helen believes that Yale may have killed Angie, and also believes her dad is involved in a conspiracy. She's gotten half of that right...
• The Scream: A rather hilarious one in episode 5 when negotiating with her.
  "ARRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!"
• Spoiled Brat: Implied. Money isn't an issue to her, but she does have her doubts on her father.
• What the Hell, Player?: In episode 5, Helen bursts into your office and boldly announces her intention to beat Yale to death with a violin, forcing you to try to talk her out of it without setting her off. At one point Helen asks straight-out if she should go through with it, and if you say "Yes", she may call you out for your thoughtless cowardice and give you one more chance to say "No." Should you ever answer "Yes" again, Helen will beat you over the head with the violin.
• Woman Scorned: In the end of episode 5, Helen believes that Angie may have bewitched Yale into an affair.

Angie Raleigh

You'd be nervous too, confronting someone with a lazy eye.

A criminal psychologist who has an affair with Yale. She is also the murder victim in episode 5. She also communicates with the defense attorney as a spirit in episode 10 to help them solve the case.

• Love Triangle: With Yale and Helen.
• My Secret Pregnancy: Does this to Yale.
• Shout-Out: Her coming back as a ghost to help the defense attorney is very similar to Ace Attorney. However, Ambition came out much later, making this accidental.
• Spirit Advisor: In Episode 10. She's not particularly helpful though, as she shows up for part 1, and part 5 just to say "Bridget isn't the killer, and you won but got the wrong man arrested. That's it!
  • Angie's status here may have been reflected in her role as "virtual tour guide" for an Online Negotiation Course.

Bridget Hartrup

"helphelphelphelphelphelp"

Ted's ex-wife who is believed to be framing Ted for a crime while trying to maintain custody over their two children. She appears to have Tourette's syndrome, which causes her to wink at random intervals.

• Asshole Victim: In episode 10, you are her defense attorney! She treats you as nicely as she's treated everyone else.
• Blatant Lies: A rather hilarious one occurs in episode 8 where she pretends to be caught by Ted behind bars, until the player holds Duke back and Ted steps away, showing Bridget embarrassingly faking it.
• Jerk with a Heart of Gold: What she is deep down. She's in an escalating series of bad situations that are getting her deeper into trouble, but she cares deeply for her children and really didn't commit any of the murders. Even her fear of Ted is genuine; she doesn't have the full context for what's going on, so from her perspective Ted truly is a threat to her children.
• Ms. Fanservice: A rather poor example of this appeared in the Lusty Barfly. However, this trope was played more better in episode 10 of Ambition. Too bad Rolf Klink showed up with no shirt on. There's also times where her animation is pretty... uncanny, especially during what appears to be cleavage shots.
• Obviously Evil: The ending to episodes 1 and 2 seem to imply heavily that she is what Ted makes her out to be. We later learn that she actually averts this, though.
• Hypocrite: If altered states applies in continuity, she has a deep hatred towards liars to the point of willing to shoot one. She does the complete opposite and lies herself. To be fair, it is for a good reason...
• Properly Paranoid: Bridget believes that Ted has friends in the police force that are making things easy for him to escape from prison. Played with, in that she isn't completely right on that. The police (or rather, Duke and Jim) are making it easy for Ted to escape from prison, but this is merely to cause him to dig himself deeper and continually act as a fall guy for all the murders being committed.
• Smooch of Victory: Gives one to the player in Episode 10 after she's found not guilty. At least, that's what it's supposed to be. It actually looks like her head, and then her mouth, inflate to fill the screen.
• Troll: Like her ex-husband, it doesn't really come up much. But there is one moment in Episode 10, when Bridget is taking the oath she responds with a long-winded statement. The judge is clearly annoyed by this, and tells Bridget that a simple "I do" would suffice. Bridget has them repeat the oath again, just to clarify what she's saying "I do" to.
• Victoria's Secret Compartment: Does this with a VHS tape (don't ask) in "The Lusty Barfly."
• What the Hell, Player?: She pulls a big one in episode 10.
• Wounded Gazelle Gambit: Attempts this when you interrogate her, as she tries to make it look like Ted is holding her from the prison bars, giving the image quote. Getting Ted to back away from her will reveal that she's faking it.
• You Look Familiar: She originally appeared in "The Lusty Barfly" in the Negotiator.

Player Characters

The unnamed and unseen player characters. During episode 1, your role is unknown. From episodes 2 to 5, you are apparently an acquaintance of Yale and Angie. From episodes 6 through 9, you play as a detective working on the case. In episode 10, you play an attorney for Bridget.

• Ascended Extra: From a Certain Point of View. In episodes 1 and 2, you're sort of a character, but you don't directly do anything to move the plot forward. You just tell the other characters what to do, and they take care of everything else. They do interact with you, but only to comment on certain choices that you make. From Episode 3 onward, you start to get involved in the story directly and do things that advance the plot.
• By the Lights of Their Eyes: If "Move Or Die" is indeed part of the Ambition canon, then you play as a googly-eyed silhouette. Further supported by your hand when you punch Duke in the face.
  • Curiously, the hand is colored in when you punch Duke or unlock your car in episode 10. ZapDramatic's school-based games start with a similar "silhouette with eyeholes" entrance, but they show your character's legs in full color when running. Are we wearing a burqa like the women in the elevator?
• The Confidant: In Move or Die, siblings Syd and Wilma share important secrets about their lives with you that they refuse to share with each other. In "The Tryst" episodes of Ambition, everyone expounds their situations and runs their proposals of how to deal with the Love Triangle by you first. Sir Basil Pike Public School has Janina and Julia confide their secret plans with you as the story develops.
• Disproportionate Retribution: The detective gets the option to punch Duke in the face when the latter asks why the former is exposing the witness to a known violent criminal. It gets you a game over, but it's still worth it for his reaction and the fact that it doesn't make you repeat too much.
• The Faceless
• Featureless Protagonist
• Lights Off, Somebody Dies: The lawyer can become the victim of this in Episode 10, if (s)he chooses to doublecross Rolf and Duke.
• Non-Entity General
• Noodle Incident: Whatever the detective said to annoy Frank Crabtree on Sunday in episode 6. Attempting to find out only fails the negotiation for extra time.
• Sleepy Head: The detective.
• The Voiceless: Technically, they do talk, but the voices are never heard.

Frank Crabtree

Frank, with his nephew.

"Don't be such a pussy!"

The superintendent who assigned the player detective to the murder case of Angie. He appears to be antagonistic towards him/her and more eager to assign his nephew, Duke, to the case.

• Da Chief
• Demoted to Extra: He doesn't really show up much after Episode 6, save for game over scenarios and cameos. Even what dialogue he does get in Episode 8 seems to have all been recycled from Episode 6 to save the bother of bringing back the voice actor.
• Palette Swap: His body is identical to Duke's, except for the color of his clothes.
• Reasonable Authority Figure: Despite being antagonistic towards the player and imposing a strict time limit, he is willing to hear him/her out when wanting more time to find a suspect. He also hears them out when a possible suspect has been found.
• Walk It Off: He frequently tells people not to be such pussies.
• What the Hell, Player?: He gives this if you suspect Yale or Helen in episode 6. He can also give you quite the word if you fail in episode 8.

Duke Crabtree

Seemingly the only character anyone likes even a little bit.

"Ok, so you want to watch the master? Stand back and be amazed."

A young and up coming detective, who is the nephew of the superintendent, Frank Crabtree. While somewhat egotistical and competitive in behavior, he does support the player every now and then during episodes 6 and 8, and can walkthrough 9 if the player has too much trouble. In Episode 10, it is heavily implied that he is the one who murdered Angie at the behest of Rolf Klink. He is also part cat and possesses the amazing ability to change his facial structure completely when facing you at a 3/4 angle. He (or a relative of his with the same name) later appears in Sir Basil Pike Public School as a student in the girl's path. For more information on that incarnation of Duke, as well as his twin brother Luke, see the Sir Basil Pike Public School section.

• The Bad Guys Are Cops
• Break the Haughty: You have the option to punch him in episode 8. His reaction and how Frank handles it is somewhat worth it, even if it is a game over.
  Frank: Don't be such a pussy.
  • You can do it again in Episode 10, but it also gets you a game over. After Duke hijacks your cab, you can punch him in the back of the head and then in the face once he turns around. It causes him to wreck and presumably kill you both.
• Card-Carrying Villain: Has no problems calling himself a terrorist.
• Crowbar Combatant
• Detective Mole
• Dirty Cop
• The Dragon: To Rolf Klink
• Evil All Along: The night before you would bring a crucial piece of evidence from Duke's notebook to light, Duke hijacks your taxi cab and reveals that he is part of the plot to frame Ted for murder—the next being yours, unless you can come to an agreement on a new plan to protect Rolf Klink's secrets.
• Gosh Dang It to Heck!: Says things such as:
  (Player selects the option to call Duke a meddling creep and punch him in the face)
  Duke: "Who the bejiminey do you think you are?"

  (Duke gets punched in the face)
• Groin Attack: Can become the victim of one in Episode 10, though it leads to a game over.
• Jerk with a Heart of Jerk: Despite his arrogant demeanor, he has some moments that suggest he's not a bad person deep down. He's willing to acknowledge when the player has accomplished something and even helps you out if you're having trouble in Episode 9. Then he kidnaps you in Episode 10, reveals himself to be a terrorist, and kills you.
• Karma Houdini: Due to the fact that the series has No Ending.
• Manchild: Maybe. He has a shrill, whiny voice, cries for his uncle when you punch him in the nose, and uses bizarre minced oaths like "begiddley" and "bejiminey" in place of stronger language used elsewhere in the series like "hell." It turns into Psychopathic Manchild when he's revealed to be a villain.
• Nepotism: Possibly. He is the nephew of the superintendent, after all. While Frank does seem eager to take you off the case and replace you with Duke, he won't do so unless you screw up. Also, if you punch Duke in the nose, Frank does scold you, but for a different reason (he even tells Duke not to be such a pussy). Duke is clearly favored over you, but he gets no special treatment.
• Not My Driver: Hijacks your cab in Episode 10 to take you to a discreet location and kill you.
• Palette Swap: His body is identical to Frank's, except for the color of his clothes.
• Pet the Dog: After witnessing Bridget faking a struggle with Ted, he allows you to interrogate her and lets you know when you miss a contradiction he caught just to help you out (though it's still considered a game over).
  • If you fail three times in episode 9, checking the help button has him offer to fill in for you.
  "I don't know a thing about marriage counseling, but these people are so desperate, I don't think they'll notice."
• Reasonable Authority Figure: He'll sometimes listen to you if you have the right argument, helps you out and allows you to do your own thing, and even does your work for you in episode 9 if you fail three times. Averted with regards to the lawyer player character, however, where he's a Corrupt Cop working for a Corrupt Corporate Executive.
• The Rival: To the second player character.
• Spoiled Brat: Possibly.
• Well-Intentioned Extremist: His nicer qualities and willingness to listen when someone can prove him wrong, and his acceptance of most criticism, paints him initially as well-meaning but immature. When grilled over why he helped Rolf Klink by being his button man and killing Dr. Angela Raleigh, he'll explain that he isn't doing it for money or out of a sense of ambition, but because he honestly thinks Angela was a threat to society as a result of 'standing in the way of progress,' which necessarily means he's also after the defense attorney for coming close to uncovering the truth and bringing the Paxwic scandal out into the light. He even calls himself a 'public servant.' It's hinted these feelings and his actual helpfulness are genuine, largely because he takes offense to the defense attorney double-crossing him and Klink if they choose to renege on the deal they reach later on, rather than just being mad at the defense attorney for exposing the truth.
• Wham Line: In Episode 10.
  Player: (selects the option to calmly ask Duke why he has hijacked your cab)
  Duke: "Because I'm a terrorist."
• You Don't Look Like You: Was completely redesigned for his appearance in Sir Basil Pike Public School.
  • Interestingly enough, he sounds and looks almost exactly like the Ambition version in an early draft of the game, just with different clothes. The final version has him remodeled though, as can be seen below under the Sir Basil Pike section.

Rolf Klink

Rolf, seconds before turning into a demon.

"A good marriage is built on mutual delusion. The pursuit of truth will only lead to misery."

The head of Klink International, and Helen's father. He is also Bridget's boyfriend, since she dumped Ted. In Episode 10, he is revealed to have masterminded Angie's murder in order to silence her criticism of Paxwic, a drug that his company was trying to get approved.

• Benevolent Boss: In the Negotiator (which hasn't been confirmed to be canon), he was willing to listen to the player's concerns about his/her cat, but can only offer money saving advice (meaning he'll suggest you euthanize the cat) and can not offer a raise. He is willing to give you more work on a sizable commission if you seize the opportunity though.
• Big Bad
• Corrupt Corporate Executive
• Creepy Changing Painting: A minor, and probably unintentional example. Rolf's picture in the newspaper blinks, for some reason. It's not referenced in the game and was most likely the result of an error on the animator's part.
• Devil in Plain Sight: He's introduced as a member of the Facist party, and Part 7 opens with him giving a speech about controlling the masses through fear.
• Equal-Opportunity Evil: Zigzagged. He is more than happy to accommodate Yale up to a point and takes no issue with a black man being his son in law and eventual successor. Like Yale, however, he has very strict views on traditional gender roles, and considers Yale's adultery to be more of a speedbump his daughter and son should get over rather than the potentially marriage-ending issue it actually is. He subscribes heavily to masculinity and will berate Yale about not addressing the issue quickly and decisively if their couple's counseling doesn't go well.
• Hypocrite: In "The Negotiator Episode 3: The Raise", bringing up the topic of pets makes Rolf call it "deplorably unsanitary to willingly invite a live beast into your home", yet he sees nothing wrong with keeping a mouse on his desk. He will fire you if you admit you are digressing with your concerns about your cat, yet he begins the meeting with a digression about his personal life. And while he considers it important to celebrate his wedding anniversary due to his unceasing love for his wife, the Rolf Klink of Ambition derides marriage counselors, saying marriage is founded on "mutual delusion", and has a new girlfriend that he is implied to merely be using to enact a convoluted revenge scheme.
• It's All About Me: He'll express sympathy for his son in law's situation and rail against the idea of Yale being framed for a murder Duke committed on Rolf's orders - at least until the defense counsel explains Rolf will end up looking like the most likely suspect if Yale isn't given the mounting evidence against him and his operatives that will only look worse if the defense counsel suddenly dies.
• Karma Houdini: Because the game has No Ending.
• The Man Behind the Man: Rolf seems to be this to both Duke and Bridget. The end of Episode 9 informs us that in the next episode, we will be taking on Klink's role and talking with "pure evil," so there is likely one behind Rolf as well.
• May–December Romance: Has one with Bridget, who appears to be roughly the same age as his daughter.
• Pet the Dog: Ultimately subverted. At first, he balks at the idea of framing Yale for the murder of Angela because, for all his acknowledged faults, Yale is both his son and not a murderer. However, he will quickly change his tune and go along with a plan to shift blame to his son in law once the defense counsel makes it clear to him that Ted is a poor choice for a frame job given his alibi and Bridget has a solid case built in her favor at this point - meaning if Rolf doesn't frame his son in law or goes through with killing the defense counsel, the evidence will very quickly point back at him and Duke... and he just can't have that, now can he?
• Red Eyes, Take Warning: In Part 10, his eyes turn red when lightning flashes outside the window.
• Obliquely Obfuscated Occupation: Apparently, Gibson just had "generic rich guy" in mind for Rolf, because it's unclear just what it is that his company does. In Negotiator Part 3, it is mentioned that Klink International is a copyrighting company. In Episode 4, Yale says that Helen's father owns the law firm Yale practices at. Helen's father is later revealed to be Rolf, so that indicates that Klink International is a law firm. Then, there's the fact that Rolf is apparently the leader (or at least a high-ranking member) of the Fascist Party, so that would likely mean that he is a politician or has a political background. Finally, there's the Paxwic subplot, which at first calls Rolf a "real estate magnet" implying that he's selling some land to Somaplex Pharmaceuticals for its new plant, but later Somaplex is mentioned to be owned by Klink International, which could make it both a real estate company and a drug company. It's also hinted that Rolf may have some ties to the mob as well, so there's that too.
• What the Hell Is That Accent?: Rolf's accent is somewhere between posh and British, although the story is presumably set in Canada.
  • It may be an allusion to the mostly-forgotten Canadian Dainty accent that was popular in elite circles before WWII.
• Your Days Are Numbered: According to, Yale in episode 4, he only has six months (at best) to live due to prostate cancer. This can be used as leverage for Yale to stop his affair with Angie.
• You Look Familiar: He also appeared in "Negotiator Part 3," as the player character's boss.
  • In-universe example for episode 9. If you attempt to interrogate him, he will recognize you as a detective and have officer Jim remove you.

Sir Basil Pike Public School

Dave the Brave

Dave, bravely cowering on the ground.

"Hey, wh-wh-wh-what's your p-problem?"

A young boy with a stutter. While in the convenience store, you see him ride off on what appears to be your bike. You attack him for it, and he goes and tells his friends about it. Later, it is revealed that Dave has an identical bike, and you left yours at the convenience store.

• Butt-Monkey: In the first episode you (unwittingly) steal his bike from him, then successfully persuade the rest of your friends that it was always your bike. Then in the second episode, he gets an insulting message written in toothpaste on the back of his jacket.
• Demoted to Extra: He's a pretty major character in the boy's plot on Monday, but after that he becomes a background character. The one other time he speaks, it's via recycled audio.
• Informed Attribute: Despite having "the Brave" as his soubriquet, he whines to his friends instead of standing up for himself. The Retsupurae duo speculate that "Dave the Brave" is a nickname he gave himself, and the others call him by it to humor him.
• Offscreen Teleportation: Even though you take his bike, he still somehow manages to get to school before you do.
• Speech Impediment: He has a stutter.

Max

Sir Basil Pike's answer to Eric Cartman?

"No-one makes fun of Dave the Brave!"

A very large boy, and Dave's best friend. While he can be quite the jerk at times, he's fiercely protective of his friends, Dave in particular.

• Berserk Button: Anyone making fun of Dave, particularly his stutter.
• Disproportionate Retribution: Some kids from a rival school use toothpaste to write "Pike stinks of dead fish" on the back of Dave's jacket. Max's completely reasonable response is to tell the player character to go and get their baseball bat so that he can break their kneecaps.
• Fat Bastard: While he doesn't usually initiate fights with other people unless either they've already offended him or they happen to be called Janina, you do not want to get on his bad side.
• Hypocrite: Calls Janina "dough girl," despite being just as fat as her if not fatter.
• Troubling Unchildlike Behavior: Wants to break the kneecaps of some kids from a rival school for writing "Pike Stinks of Dead Fish" on Dave's jacket.
• Vocal Dissonance: He's yet another example of a character with a large frame and a high-pitched voice.

Tony

"When I grow up, I wanna be just like Bob Saget!"

"No, you're not going to stand in the way of progress!"

One of your friends in the boy's path. In episode two, he uploads the embarrassing video of Julia to his "page" in order to help her become famous, but does not consider the possibility that it may humiliate her.

• The Bully: Seems to be the biggest one to Janina, as he initiates the taunting of her before her music video, and also says something to her in math class which gets him a punch in the arm. On Tuesday, Zoya says that she thinks Janina's disappearance is Tony's fault for teasing her so much.
• The Generic Guy: Even compared to the other boys, he doesn't really have that much of a personality beyond enjoying watching people get humiliated.
• Instant Humiliation: Just Add Tony's Page!: Does this to Julia in order to help her become famous.
• Jerk Jock: Maybe. He plays tennis with your character, but it isn't stated if he's on the tennis team or not. He certainly can be a jerk, though.
• Karma Houdini: He doesn't show up during the scene where everybody apologizes and sorts out their differences, despite the fact he is the one that posts Julia's humiliating video. This combined with the fact his other actions include shifting blame onto others out of nowhere makes one wonder why he didn't receive any comeuppance (as everybody else did).
• Well Intentioned Jerk: Claims that he's uploading the video of Julia to make her a superstar, though given his behavior elsewhere that's debatable.

Julia

"Like, oh my god, I have my own character sheet, how cool is that?!"

"Have you ever been betrayed by, like, your best friend?"

One of the female students, and apparently a close friend of the protagonist regardless of gender.

• Dumb Blonde: It's difficult to tell whether she's supposed to be this. While she talks about bees "biting" people and seems to think that phone numbers and e-mail addresses are the same thing, she makes the former statement while in obvious distress and suffering a nasty allergic reaction, while the latter is actually shown to be correct in-universe.
• My God, What Have I Done?: If she goes through with her plot to humiliate Tammy, and you don't warn Tariq ahead of time so that he can bail her out, Julia will soon get upset at her own actions and then openly blame you for persuading her to go through with the plan in the first place.
• Plot Allergy: She has a non-lethal allergy to bee stings, which causes her face to swell up considerably. Tammy gets a video of her in the middle of a reaction and uploads it to some website, and the humiliation of this leads to Julia trying to take revenge on her.
• Prank Date: Pretends to be Tariq and texts Tammy after the latter didn't delete an embarrassing video of Julia from her phone.
• This Ain't Rocket Surgery: She says it doesn't take "a rocket surgeon" to know why she feels ruined and betrayed. You can correct her on this phrase to send her into Sarcasm Mode.
• Token Minority: A rare instance of a white character being this, as all the other girls (save Janina) are black, Asian or Ambiguously Brown.
• Valley Girl: Skirts this trope. While she seems to be reasonably intelligent and has a good grasp of technology, she's a little inarticulate and tends to get very emotional about things.

Janina

Janina, pre-makeover

"Your bike is a changeling. Do you know what that means?"

An unpopular girl at Sir Basil Pike Public School. She is overweight, and gets picked on a lot for it. She informs you of the fact that you mistook Dave's bike for your own by sending you a picture of your bike still at the convenience store that she took with her cell phone. She is revealed to be a talented musician, and she sings a song about bullying.

• Animated Music Video
  • Surreal Music Video: Performs one inexplicably after our character agrees to "rock" with her.
• Expy: Thought to be this for Michael Gibson's daughter, considering her role in the storyline, the content of her anti-bullying song, and the fact that her voice actress is some relation of Gibson.
• Fourth-Wall Observer: Janina makes multiple mentions of game features such as her ability to modify Persuasive Power and the player's ability to travel back in time and is privy to knowledge of character actions she couldn't possibly have been able to witness. On one occasion where you get sent back in time for fighting with her, Janina even shows up afterward to say, "Look, if you want to win the game, you have to play smarter."
• Goth: Becomes one post-makeover.
  • Perky Goth: She seems a lot happier post-makeover than pre-makeover.
• Hidden Depths: In-universe, she is revealed to be a talented musician. Out of universe, your mileage may vary on the "talented" part, though.
• Loner-Turned-Friend: Possibly with the other characters. She helps them resolve the conflict at the end, and they express gratitude for it, but it is unknown if they actually befriended her or if they just experienced Aesop Amnesia.
• Smug Snake: She unintentionally comes off as one sometimes.

Mr. Hartrup

"Go down to the vice-principal's office or I'll blow us all to Hell!"

"Well, I hope you're jamming with whole-wheat bread."

Ted Hartrup from Ambition returns as a math teacher in Sir Basil Pike Public School. He's a stern but fair authority figure who just wants what's best for his students. He's not the best math teacher, though, as a lot of his lessons tend to be more psychological in nature.

• Adults Are Useless: If he gets involved in any of the conflicts, there's usually no winning solution by that point.
• Art Evolution: Not too noticeable, but just compare this picture of Ted to the one in the Ambition section.
• Continuity Cameo
• Cool Shades: A pair of literal rose-colored glasses.
• Cool Teacher: Invoked. Badly. Very badly.
• Grammar Nazi: As evidenced by this exchange:
  Ted: Did you just threaten Kim?
  Max: No.
  Ted: Nobody makes threats in my class. Go down and speak to the vice-principal.
  Max: I didn't do nothing.
  Ted: You didn't do nothing? Hmmm. If you'd said you did do nothing, then we'd have to discuss it. But since you said you didn't do nothing, you're admitting to doing something. Thank you for the confession. Go!
  Max: Wha?
  Ted: Go!
• Monty Hall Problem: Teaches it on Tuesday to the class, though he explains it rather poorly.
• Judgment of Solomon: Offers to do this in order to settle the bike dispute between you and Dave. Notably, "failing" the problem results in the bike being given to Dave while "winning" results in him declaring a tie.
• The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything: Despite being a math teacher, his class consists of very few math lessons. Granted, on Monday, he does do a quick lesson on compound fractions... with improper fractions written on the board. He teaches the Monty Hall Problem on Tuesday, but that's more of an exercise in psychology than math. He also teaches the class about paradigm shifts, which have nothing to do with math at all.
• Psychologist Teacher: Ironic, considering his actions in Ambition.
• Pun: After Janina's inexplicable music video, he shows up and asks what's going on. Janina says that they're just jamming, and he responds with "well, I hope you're jamming with whole-wheat bread."
• Reasonable Authority Figure: If there's an argument between two students, he'll try to come up with a solution that's fair to both parties. Unfortunately, the usual ZapDramatic logic means you might get different results than you think.
• Same Character, But Different: He's certainly a lot more on the ball than how he was in Ambition. Then again, he could just be an homage.
• Stealth Insult: His "jamming with whole-wheat bread" comment mentioned above could be taken as this. He says it to Janina (who is overweight), and when she laughs at it, he responds with:
  "Laugh all you like, but you should develop healthy eating habits when you're young, or you'll regret it when you get to be my age."
• Transplant: While it isn't made clear this is the same Ted from Ambition, all the similarities are quite damning. At best, it could be an Alternate Universe form of him.

Duke and Luke Crabtree

Duke... or is it Luke?

"You've got to watch out for my stupid twin brother, Luke. He always lies, and I always tell the truth."

Twin brothers who appear on the female player character's path and pose a "twin's riddle" in order to correctly/incorrectly direct you to the tennis court. Duke always tells the truth, while Luke always lies. It's not exactly clear whether this Duke is a young incarnation of the character who would later appear in Ambition (which would make Sir Basil Pike Public School a prequel to that series), or whether he and Luke are younger relatives of the Duke seen in that story.

• Art Evolution: If Duke is the same character from Ambition, he's gone through one hell of a redesign.
• Continuity Cameo: Assuming this Duke and Ambition Duke are one and the same.
• Evil Twin: Luke, which has led to many jokes about how he's probably the "Duke" who appears in Ambition.
• Knights and Knaves: Duke only tells truths, and Luke only tells lies. If the player chooses the wrong door, they get sent to the vice-principal's office and lose persuasive power.
• Transplant: Same deal with Ted. See his entry above.
• Trickster Twins
• Vocal Evolution: Their voices are slightly lower than Duke's in Ambition.
• You Don't Look Like You: If we weren't told that this was Duke, it would be impossible to tell.

The Negotiator

Homeless Man

"I've been rolling around in cigarette ash, and, uh..."

"You're a heartless bastard, and you deserve what's coming to you!"

An alcoholic hobo with grey skin, an awful taste in clothing and a nasty habit of smashing beer bottles over people's heads. He appears in the first Negotiator episode, where he accosts you for the $200 that he believes will get his life back on track. Can be seen as an early prototype for Ted, having a similar backstory — particularly his wife and kids abandoning him — and almost exactly the same voice.

• Aesop Amnesia: During his stint as a Web tour guide, the Vagabond reveals that before he took a negotiation workshop and became the Ted we know today, he resorted to begging, fighting, and using irrelevant arguments about the United Nations to try to win disputes. It's hard to make the case that the Ted of later cartoons has gotten any more successful at avoiding any of these pitfalls.
• Amazing Technicolor Population: It's not clear if his dark grey skin tone is a deliberate example of this trope, or a failed attempt at a lighting effect. Either way, most future ZapDramatic characters would avoid this trope.
• Author Avatar: He actually bears something of a resemblance to Michael Gibson himself, though obviously the real Gibson doesn't have grey skin.
• Author Tract: Much like Ted Hartrup in his "Red-neck rant", the Vagabond was once the mouthpiece of some videos criticizing Stephen Harper on such issues as the funding of the arts.
• Disproportionate Retribution: Sometimes he'll freak out and kill you over a seemingly innocuous statement, yet not react at all to being insulted or punched, due to the choice buttons linking to the wrong dialogue tree and/or the fact that there are only two possible endings to the game (giving him a small amount of money wins the game; anything else results in him breaking a bottle over your head).
• Hair-Trigger Temper: An unusual example, since it's possible to give him thousands of dollars and yet have him kill you the minute you refuse to give him any more (mostly due to Stupidity Is the Only Option) — yet he'll quite happily take just $2.37 from you and wish you a pleasant evening.
• Hypocrite: According to him, it's perfectly okay to approach strangers, accost them for hundreds of dollars and then brutally assault them if they fail to pay up. Going to Social Services for a one-time handout, on the other hand, is apparently a big no-no.
• Insane Troll Logic: It's unclear why he thinks asking one person to give him $200 is a better idea than asking lots of people to give him small donations which would gradually build up to the $200. Possibly he's afraid that he might spend smaller sums on booze, but then again there's no guarantee that he wouldn't just spend $200 on really expensive booze, considering he once maxed out his credit cards on the stuff.
• Random Passerby Advice: He appears at the beginning of the game "Customer Service", and if the player fails enough times, he begins to offer hints about the best approach.
• Soapbox Sadie: Will rant at length about the evils of social services if given the opportunity, at least in the original version of the game. The updated version has a much shorter rant, but he begins it by saying "Social Services can kiss my ass" and then mooning the player.
• Ungrateful Bastard: If you agree to his request he'll keep asking for more money, and won't stop no matter how many times you agree. Meaning it's theoretically possible to hand him millions of dollars, or more. He'll still kill you the moment you stop paying him.

Lola

"Next!"

"If I had to give every bellyaching customer who comes in here a refund, we'd go out of business and I'd lose my job."

The refunds clerk at a department store. Initially seems quite friendly and cheery, but will rapidly turn into a snarky bitch if you spend more than thirty seconds pressing for a refund. Unfortunately for you, the object of her Negotiator episode is to get a refund for a faulty iron. She later appears again in the first episode of Ambition, where she's working as a receptionist at Klink International.

• Berserk Button: While she doesn't like people attempting to haggle her for a refund, she really doesn't like being condescended, to the point where she'll order you to leave the store if you treat her like that.
• Deadpan Snarker: She won't pass up any opportunity to call you a moron.
• Hair-Trigger Temper: While she mentions early on that she used to have severe anger management problems, along with a habit of throwing bowls of soup at people, she won't actually do anything worse to you than calling security if you refuse to leave.
• Stepford Smiler: Carries the same broad smile throughout pretty much the entirety of her Negotiator episode, whether she's being nice to you or accusing you of being Too Incompetent to Operate a Blanket. Averted in her Ambition appearance, where her facial expressions are a little more appropriate to the situation.
• Unusually Uninteresting Sight: She reacts this way in Episode 1 of Ambition to Ted coming into the Klink International building with dynamite strapped to himself. She doesn't completely ignore it, but she acts as though people threatening to blow up the building is a regular occurrence.

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