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* In ''AvatarTheLastAirbender'', Fire Lord Ozai is told that the people of the Earth Kingdom can persist for as long as they have hope. His solution? Take away their hope by burning the kingdom to the ground.
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[[ItsAllAboutMe Don't expect them to enjoy their own despair, though.]] [[BadIsGoodAndGoodIsBad Mostly.]]
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[[ItsAllAboutMe Don't expect them to enjoy their own despair, though.]] [[BadIsGoodAndGoodIsBad Mostly.Most of the time.]]
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** In a rare heroic example, [[KamenRiderW Kamen Rider Accel]]'s catchphrase is "Despair awaits you at the end".
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** In a rare heroic example, [[KamenRiderW [[Series/KamenRiderDouble Kamen Rider Accel]]'s catchphrase is "Despair awaits you at the end".
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* Perfectio from ''SuperRobotWarsDestiny'', as an EmotionEater of negative emotions, likes despair the most. To make matters worse, he has a circular wave that will plunge any caught in it into despair, usually via the sheer power he exudes as a NighInvulnerable EldritchAbomination
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* Perfectio from ''SuperRobotWarsDestiny'', ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsDestiny'', as an EmotionEater of negative emotions, likes despair the most. To make matters worse, he has a circular wave that will plunge any caught in it into despair, usually via the sheer power he exudes as a NighInvulnerable EldritchAbomination
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* ''{{Exalted}}'': If someone serves Oblivion willingly, you can bet your yeddim that this is a major aspect of their character. The Archbishop of Chalcedony Thurible is one of the most prominent examples: he spreads a religion that states that hope is a lie.
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* The animated series ''Franchise/{{Robocop}} and the Ultra Police'' had a villain who was actually named Hope Crusher.
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* The animated series ''Franchise/{{Robocop}} and the Ultra Police'' ''RoboCopTheAnimatedSeries'' had a villain who was actually named Hope Crusher.
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->''"This world is nothing but lies, LIES, LIES, LIES!! Allow me to show you the one truth, the truth I'd like to call DESPAIR!!"''
-->--'''Terumi Yuuki''', ''VideoGame/BlazBlue''
-->--'''Terumi Yuuki''', ''VideoGame/BlazBlue''
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-->--'''Terumi Yuuki''', ''VideoGame/BlazBlue''
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** Discord in "[[Recap/TheReturnOfHarmonyPart1 The Return]] [[Recap/TheReturnOfHarmonyPart2 of Harmony]]" had corrupted the rest of the Mane 6 and let them become such {{JerkAss}}es that Twilight Sparkle just gives up on trying to save Equestria.
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** Discord in "[[Recap/TheReturnOfHarmonyPart1 The Return]] [[Recap/TheReturnOfHarmonyPart2 of Harmony]]" had corrupted the rest of the Mane 6 and let them become such {{JerkAss}}es {{Jerk Ass}}es that Twilight Sparkle just gives up on trying to save Equestria.
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[[ItsAllAboutMe Don't expect them to enjoy their own despair, though.]] Mostly.
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[[ItsAllAboutMe Don't expect them to enjoy their own despair, though.]] Mostly.
[[BadIsGoodAndGoodIsBad Mostly.]]
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* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI'': The goal of BigBad Kefka isn't just world destruction, it's to completely break the spirit of everyone who lives in it too. He can't understand why people strive for hope and good feeling against impossible odds, especially when time destroys all things.
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* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI'': The goal of BigBad Kefka isn't just world destruction, it's to completely break the spirit of everyone who lives in it too. [[EvilCanNotComprehendGood He can't understand why people strive for hope and good feeling against impossible odds, especially when time destroys all things.things]].
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-->'''Konan:''' He [[[TheHero Naruto]]] will become the bridge that leads us to peace! And I will be a support, holding the bridge up! [...] It doesn't matter if I'm scattered to the wind! I will stop y-
-->'''Tobi:''' You called me the darkness, didn't you? Then I will make you wilt... I will take your little rainbow bridge and its seven colors and plunge it all into darkness! ''When my illusion ends, so will your life''.
-->'''Tobi:''' You called me the darkness, didn't you? Then I will make you wilt... I will take your little rainbow bridge and its seven colors and plunge it all into darkness! ''When my illusion ends, so will your life''.
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-->'''Konan:''' He [[[TheHero Naruto]]] will become the bridge that leads us to peace! And I will be a support, holding the bridge up! [...] It doesn't matter if I'm scattered to the wind! I will stop y-
-->'''Tobi:'''y-\\
'''Tobi:''' You called me the darkness, didn't you? Then I will make you wilt... I will take your little rainbow bridge and its seven colors and plunge it all into darkness! ''When my illusion ends, so will your life''.
-->'''Tobi:'''
'''Tobi:''' You called me the darkness, didn't you? Then I will make you wilt... I will take your little rainbow bridge and its seven colors and plunge it all into darkness! ''When my illusion ends, so will your life''.
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** ''KamenRiderWizard'' has this as specifically the bad guy's job - find Gates (victim of the week) and destroy their hopes and dreams or something they love. The despair causes the victim to become a new [[MonsterOfTheWeek Phantom]].
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** ''KamenRiderWizard'' ''Series/KamenRiderWizard'' has this as specifically the bad guy's job - find Gates (victim of the week) and destroy their hopes and dreams or something they love. The despair causes the victim to become a new [[MonsterOfTheWeek Phantom]].
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* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'': King Sombra, the villain of [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS3E1TheCrystalEmpirePart1 "The Crys]][[Recap/MyLittleponyFriendshipIsMagicS3E2TheCrystalEmpirePart2 tal Empire"]]. He's more of a looming threat than a directly active villain, but despair is a recurring motif with him. His former subjects suffer from depression. One of the traps in his castle is a LotusEaterMachine that sticks you inside your worst nightmare, to induce you to just give up. And Sombra's downfall comes when his former subjects use a big crystal to literally weaponize their hope against him.
** Discord in [[Recap/TheReturnOfHarmonyPart1 The Return]] [[Recap/TheReturnOfHarmonyPart2 of Harmony]] had corrupted the rest of the mane 6 and let them become such {{JerkAss}}es that Twilight just gives up on trying to save Equestria.
* The animated series ''Franchise/{{Robocop}} and the Ultra Police'' had a villain who was actually named Hope Crusher
** Discord in [[Recap/TheReturnOfHarmonyPart1 The Return]] [[Recap/TheReturnOfHarmonyPart2 of Harmony]] had corrupted the rest of the mane 6 and let them become such {{JerkAss}}es that Twilight just gives up on trying to save Equestria.
* The animated series ''Franchise/{{Robocop}} and the Ultra Police'' had a villain who was actually named Hope Crusher
to:
* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'': King Sombra, the villain of [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS3E1TheCrystalEmpirePart1 "The "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS3E1TheCrystalEmpirePart1 The Crys]][[Recap/MyLittleponyFriendshipIsMagicS3E2TheCrystalEmpirePart2 tal Empire"]].Empire]]". He's more of a looming threat than a directly active villain, but despair is a recurring motif with him. His former subjects suffer from depression. One of the traps in his castle is a LotusEaterMachine that sticks you inside your worst nightmare, to induce you to just give up. And Sombra's downfall comes when his former subjects use a big crystal to literally weaponize their hope against him.
** Discord in[[Recap/TheReturnOfHarmonyPart1 "[[Recap/TheReturnOfHarmonyPart1 The Return]] [[Recap/TheReturnOfHarmonyPart2 of Harmony]] Harmony]]" had corrupted the rest of the mane Mane 6 and let them become such {{JerkAss}}es that Twilight Sparkle just gives up on trying to save Equestria.
* The animated series ''Franchise/{{Robocop}} and the Ultra Police'' had a villain who was actually named HopeCrusherCrusher.
** Discord in
* The animated series ''Franchise/{{Robocop}} and the Ultra Police'' had a villain who was actually named Hope
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* Otani Yoshitsugu from ''SengokuBasara'', due to being ridiculed with his leprosy, made it his goal to spread misery and despair throughout the world so they feel his misery too. To achieve that, he attempts to kill TokugawaIeyasu, the one who's [[HopeBringer trying to promote bonds and hopes to the war torn land]].
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These guys love the sense of despair. When other people lose hope, they take pleasure in it. It's not necessarily that they'll push them into despair (although they may as well overlap with the pusher); however, they will cherish the feelings of despair of many people around them, especially when directed to them. They might not be {{Emotion Eater}}s, but they sure feel good when people around them despair. Since the sense of despair is something people wanted to avoid at all cost, when they see someone who likes despair so much, they'll know that person is evil.
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These guys love the sense of despair. When other people lose hope, they take pleasure in it. It's not necessarily that they'll push them into despair (although they may as well overlap with the pusher); however, they will cherish the feelings of despair of many people around them, especially when directed to them. They might not be {{Emotion Eater}}s, but they sure feel good when people around them despair. Since the sense of despair is something people wanted to avoid at all cost, when they see someone who likes liking despair so much, they'll know much and inflicting it to others would be a good indication for the audience that person this character is evil.
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* The animated series ''Franchise/{{Robocop}} and the Ultra Police'' had a villain who was actually named Hope Crusher
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* The animated series ''Franchise/{{Robocop}} and the Ultra Police'' had a villain who was actually named Hope Crusher
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* Terumi Yuuki from ''BlazBlue'' is an unabashed {{Troll}} who goes out of his way to make everyone around him miserable, as it's what he counts as 'interesting'. A reason was he thinks that despair is the only truth there is, it, along with hatred towards him, empowers him, and he's hell bent to make it to be the sole accepted truth of the world, claiming that everything else are lies.
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* Terumi Yuuki from ''BlazBlue'' ''VideoGame/BlazBlue'' is an unabashed {{Troll}} who goes out of his way to make everyone around him miserable, as it's what he counts as 'interesting'. A reason was he thinks that despair is the only truth there is, it, along with hatred towards him, empowers him, and he's hell bent to make it to be the sole accepted truth of the world, claiming that everything else are lies.
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----
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----
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* In a subverted way, Kyubey of ''PuellaMagiMadokaMagica''. His goal is to stop the heat death of the universe, by making young girls make a contract with him, become Puella Magi, [[spoiler:in which they will be doomed to despair, furthering him further to the aforementioned goal.]] Kyubey doesn't necessarily enjoy the role, but [[spoiler:he's unabashed in driving girls in despair, as he thinks that having emotions to think that despair is bad... ''is a mental defect''. But on that revelation, we all know that Kyubey is the closest thing the series got for BigBad.]]
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* In a subverted way, Kyubey of ''PuellaMagiMadokaMagica''.''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica''. His goal is to stop the heat death of the universe, by making young girls make a contract with him, become Puella Magi, [[spoiler:in which they will be doomed to despair, furthering him further to the aforementioned goal.]] Kyubey doesn't necessarily enjoy the role, but [[spoiler:he's unabashed in driving girls in despair, as he thinks that having emotions to think that despair is bad... ''is a mental defect''. But on that revelation, we all know that Kyubey is the closest thing the series got for BigBad.]]
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Contrast with HopeBringer and HopeSpringsEternal. Also compare with {{Sadist}}, someone who delights in someone else's pain and suffering, but the Hope Crusher can occasionally overlap with how they dislike the concept of hope and likes it better when their victims are pushed into the depths of despair. Can also overlap with those who believe that DystopiaJustifiesTheMeans.
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Contrast with HopeBringer and HopeSpringsEternal. Also compare with {{Sadist}}, someone who delights in someone else's pain and suffering, but the Hope Crusher can occasionally overlap with how they dislike the concept of hope and likes it better when their victims are pushed into the depths of despair. Can also overlap with those who believe that DystopiaJustifiesTheMeans.
DystopiaJustifiesTheMeans. Sometimes overlaps with {{Troll}} if they use this as one of their trolling tactics.
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* Examples from ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'':
** Ulquiorra spends every interaction with Ichigo attempting to dash any hopes he has. He does this to the point that during their final battle, he could finished Ichigo off just in his second form alone, but transformed into his ''third'' one just to emphasized how screwed Ichigo truly was. He also does this with Orihime, although her humanity starts to rub off on ''him''.
** Aizen says this line to Urahara, Isshin and Yoruichi:
-->"The number of plans you have devised are equal to the amount of hopes you have. So, I will simply crush them all."
** Ulquiorra spends every interaction with Ichigo attempting to dash any hopes he has. He does this to the point that during their final battle, he could finished Ichigo off just in his second form alone, but transformed into his ''third'' one just to emphasized how screwed Ichigo truly was. He also does this with Orihime, although her humanity starts to rub off on ''him''.
** Aizen says this line to Urahara, Isshin and Yoruichi:
-->"The number of plans you have devised are equal to the amount of hopes you have. So, I will simply crush them all."
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->''"Hopes are worth '''DIRT!!''' I'm going to destroy '''EVERYTHING!!"''''
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->''"Hopes are worth '''DIRT!!''' I'm going to destroy '''EVERYTHING!!"'''''''EVERYTHING!!"''''''
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-->--'''[[FinalFantasyVI Kefka Palazzo]]''', VideoGame/DissidiaFinalFantasy
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-->--'''[[FinalFantasyVI Kefka Palazzo]]''', VideoGame/DissidiaFinalFantasy
''VideoGame/DissidiaFinalFantasy''
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-->--'''Terumi Yuuki''', ''BlazBlue''
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-->--'''Terumi Yuuki''', ''BlazBlue''
''VideoGame/BlazBlue''
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-->''Hopes are worth '''DIRT!!''' I'm going to destroy '''EVERYTHING!!'''''
--->--[[FinalFantasyVI Kefka Palazzo]], VideoGame/DissidiaFinalFantasy
-->''This world is nothing but lies, LIES, LIES, LIES!! Allow me to show you the one truth, the truth I'd like to call DESPAIR!!''
--->--Terumi Yuuki, ''BlazBlue''
--->--[[FinalFantasyVI Kefka Palazzo]], VideoGame/DissidiaFinalFantasy
-->''This world is nothing but lies, LIES, LIES, LIES!! Allow me to show you the one truth, the truth I'd like to call DESPAIR!!''
--->--Terumi Yuuki, ''BlazBlue''
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--->--[[FinalFantasyVI
-->--'''[[FinalFantasyVI Kefka
--->--Terumi Yuuki,
-->--'''Terumi Yuuki''', ''BlazBlue''
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* The animated series ''Franchise/{{Robocop}} and the Ultra Police'' had a villain who was actually named Hope Crusher
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[[folder:Web Original]]
* "Crushing Hopes and Dreams" has become a CatchPhrase of the ''Gundamn!'' podcast, as certain ''{{Gundam}}'' fans tend to develop unrealistic expectations to which they need to administer a sometimes lethal dose of reality.
[[/folder]]
* "Crushing Hopes and Dreams" has become a CatchPhrase of the ''Gundamn!'' podcast, as certain ''{{Gundam}}'' fans tend to develop unrealistic expectations to which they need to administer a sometimes lethal dose of reality.
[[/folder]]
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* In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOracleGames'', the true big bads need to light "the flames of sorrow, destruction and despair" in their plan to [[spoiler:resurrect Ganon]]. The first two are lit by Veran and Onox respectively, and they light the last one personally by [[spoiler:kidnapping Zelda in broad daylight, in view of the villagers]].
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Per the YKTTW with 5 hats on. And since I don\'t know about indexing, please help
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-->''Hopes are worth '''DIRT!!''' I'm going to destroy '''EVERYTHING!!'''''
--->--[[FinalFantasyVI Kefka Palazzo]], VideoGame/DissidiaFinalFantasy
-->''This world is nothing but lies, LIES, LIES, LIES!! Allow me to show you the one truth, the truth I'd like to call DESPAIR!!''
--->--Terumi Yuuki, ''BlazBlue''
We know the DespairEventHorizon is a line when someone crosses it, then they lost all hope. The crosser might still be a good person, or take a turn to evil. However, not all who crossed it will be deemed as evil.
Not these guys.
These guys love the sense of despair. When other people lose hope, they take pleasure in it. It's not necessarily that they'll push them into despair (although they may as well overlap with the pusher); however, they will cherish the feelings of despair of many people around them, especially when directed to them. They might not be {{Emotion Eater}}s, but they sure feel good when people around them despair. Since the sense of despair is something people wanted to avoid at all cost, when they see someone who likes despair so much, they'll know that person is evil.
Their favorite line will be "Fall into despair!" or any variations thereof. They will be very fond of the DespairGambit tactic.
Very often, they'll give a HopeSpot to their victims, and then yank it away as the last seconds, mostly thinking that despair is at its finest when the last ray of hope is destroyed right in front of their eyes. If they would instill HopeIsScary, the merrier, that'll make people turn towards despair instead! Has a very high chance to become a CompleteMonster, since one is more likely to have the mindset of ForTheEvulz to be one (but not always, as this is also often seen in GenericDoomsdayVillain).
[[ItsAllAboutMe Don't expect them to enjoy their own despair, though.]] Mostly.
There are also some villains that believe that despair is necessary, and don't seek pleasure in destroying hopes and dreams, but do so because they think they have to.
To note: This isn't DespairEventHorizon (but related). That's about a line that when crossed by someone, that someone loses all hope. An event or sorts. This trope is about someone who delights in seeing people crossing that horizon, and occasionally makes his modus operandi to make everyone fall into despair, thus a good indication that he's a villain.
Contrast with HopeBringer and HopeSpringsEternal. Also compare with {{Sadist}}, someone who delights in someone else's pain and suffering, but the Hope Crusher can occasionally overlap with how they dislike the concept of hope and likes it better when their victims are pushed into the depths of despair. Can also overlap with those who believe that DystopiaJustifiesTheMeans.
!Examples:
[[foldercontrol]]
[[folder:Anime And Manga]]
*Many of a ''PrettyCure'' villain use this modus operandi, liking despair of men. Examples include [[FreshPrettyCure Northa]], [[SmilePrettyCure Joker]], [[YesPrettyCure5 Kawarino]].
** The BigBad of ''YesPrettyCure5'', Despariah, usually [[OrcusOnHisThrone sat on her throne]] with the goal of obtaining the Dream Collet to obtain immortality, then finally shroud the people in despair. In the end, she [[spoiler:subverts this by showing absolute fear over how the Cures won't despair no matter what. Realizing that despair is not the answer, she pulls a HeelFaceTurn.]]
* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'': Pain lost everything he loved in the constant wars that ravaged his home country of Amegakure. This led him to grow into a cynical nihilist who goes to great lengths to teach his enemies to [[TeachHimAnger feel pain]]. This includes crushing every bit of hope they have left.
** Same applies to Tobi[[spoiler:/Obito Uchiha]], the man who [[EvilMentor taught Pain everything]]:
-->'''Konan:''' He [[[TheHero Naruto]]] will become the bridge that leads us to peace! And I will be a support, holding the bridge up! [...] It doesn't matter if I'm scattered to the wind! I will stop y-
-->'''Tobi:''' You called me the darkness, didn't you? Then I will make you wilt... I will take your little rainbow bridge and its seven colors and plunge it all into darkness! ''When my illusion ends, so will your life''.
* Ms. Chono from the ''Manga/YuGiOh'' manga lives to crush the hearts of men, and delights in expelling students on technicalities.
* In a subverted way, Kyubey of ''PuellaMagiMadokaMagica''. His goal is to stop the heat death of the universe, by making young girls make a contract with him, become Puella Magi, [[spoiler:in which they will be doomed to despair, furthering him further to the aforementioned goal.]] Kyubey doesn't necessarily enjoy the role, but [[spoiler:he's unabashed in driving girls in despair, as he thinks that having emotions to think that despair is bad... ''is a mental defect''. But on that revelation, we all know that Kyubey is the closest thing the series got for BigBad.]]
* The goal of the Anti-Spiral, the ultimate BigBad in ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann'', is to eliminate Spiral Power, which is derived from hope and courage, in hopes of preventing the Spiral Nemesis from destroying the universe. As such, they deliberately fight just beyond their opponents' abilities and dispense plenty of {{Hope Spot}}s before snatching victory away in the cruelest, most unfair way possible with the aim of destroying their will to fight.
* ''Manga/MagicKnightRayearth:'' The anime-only BigBad of the second half is one of these. Not only does she want to destroy Cephiro, she wants its citizens to completely lose their hope of salvation while she's at it. [[spoiler:This is because she is a being that was created by their extreme fear and despair after the death of their Pillar.]]
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Comic Books]]
* MarvelComics has D'Spayre, an AnthropomorphicPersonification who both induces and feeds off the emotion of despair.
* ''ComicBook/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicIDW'': The Nightmare Forces gave everypony in Ponyville nightmares and in issue 5 used the nightmares to kidnap Rarity in her sleep and convinced her that she will be forgotten and replaced [[spoiler: so that they can force her to become the new Nightmare Moon]]. Issue 6 also has the nightmare forces trying to break Luna (and give the other ponies nightmares as well, but they broke through that). And in issue 8, the Nightmare Forces try this again with Luna, but fail.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Film]]
* ''Film/RiseOfTheGuardians'' has main villain Pitch, whose goal is to grow more powerful by spreading despair amongst the children of the world.
* Palpatine from Creator/GeorgeLucas' ''Film/StarWars'' excels at this. First, he completes Anakin Skywalker's turn to the [[FaceHeelTurn Dark Side]] by telling him that the Jedi Knights have turned against him, and murdered his pregnant wife. Much later, he implements the same tactic upon Luke Skywalker by showing him the rebel fleet in a CurbStompBattle, and that his close friends are horribly outnumbered on the Endor moon.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Light Novel]]
* Caster/Gilles de Rais from ''FateZero'' considers inflicting despair to be an ''art''. His debut scene involves letting go of a BoundAndGagged boy at the mercy of his SerialKiller new master, and then right before the boy got out, Caster had his monster devour the boy, stating that despair is at its finest when [[HopeSpot it's about yanking a nearly fulfilled hope]].
*''LightNovel/AccelWorld'': Dusk Taker's entire character arc drives around crushing the hopes and spirit of Silver Crow, and the heroes by [[PowerParasite stealing their powers]], one of their new teammates, and using blackmail to put them past their DespairEventHorizon so that it looks like it's impossible for them to win.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Literature]]
* In ''ThePendragonAdventure'', Saint Dane doesn't just want to beat Bobby, he wants to beat Bobby ''right after'' Bobby think's he's won - which he does on several occasions.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* Many ''Franchise/KamenRider'' villains are also pretty fond of this modus operandi.
** ''KamenRiderWizard'' has this as specifically the bad guy's job - find Gates (victim of the week) and destroy their hopes and dreams or something they love. The despair causes the victim to become a new [[MonsterOfTheWeek Phantom]].
** In a rare heroic example, [[KamenRiderW Kamen Rider Accel]]'s catchphrase is "Despair awaits you at the end".
* VillainProtagonist Francis Underwood of ''[[Series/HouseOfCardsUS House of Cards]]'' seems to take some pleasure in this, even though he doesn't generally do it for its own sake but as part of his schemes. For example, in one of his asides, after he sets Peter Russo up to [[spoiler: fall off the wagon and end his political career with a drunken radio interview]], he says with some relish "it takes just ten seconds to crush a man's ambitions." Other remarks he's made similarly indicate that he takes some pleasure in being ruthless and destroying people or "discarding" people he's done using.
** Also where he quietly tells the deranged homeless man trying to get into the congressional offices: "Nobody can hear you. Nobody cares about you. Nothing will come of this." That seemed [[KickTheDog pointlessly cruel]] even if he was a risk to security.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
* Nurgle, the embodiment of despair in ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer}} and TabletopGame/Warhammer40K'', is strengthened whenever large amounts of people start feeling it (his opposite god is the embodiment of hope), so naturally his followers tend towards this. Ironic, given that Nurgle and many of his followers are AffablyEvil while Tzeentch and his followers tend to be cruel manipulative {{Troll}}s.
* The Fall of New York setting supplement for Fast Company, the action rules for the JAGS system, features Dr. Nothing, a [[PsychoPsychologist Psycho Psychotherapist]] who specializes in crushing the dreams of those who seek to make a difference in the WretchedHive that New York has become. In addition to his skills as Fast Company (which makes him as {{Badass}} as any player character), he likes to BreakThemByTalking as well as other dirty social tricks.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Video Games]]
* Perfectio from ''SuperRobotWarsDestiny'', as an EmotionEater of negative emotions, likes despair the most. To make matters worse, he has a circular wave that will plunge any caught in it into despair, usually via the sheer power he exudes as a NighInvulnerable EldritchAbomination
* Terumi Yuuki from ''BlazBlue'' is an unabashed {{Troll}} who goes out of his way to make everyone around him miserable, as it's what he counts as 'interesting'. A reason was he thinks that despair is the only truth there is, it, along with hatred towards him, empowers him, and he's hell bent to make it to be the sole accepted truth of the world, claiming that everything else are lies.
* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI'': The goal of BigBad Kefka isn't just world destruction, it's to completely break the spirit of everyone who lives in it too. He can't understand why people strive for hope and good feeling against impossible odds, especially when time destroys all things.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Visual Novel]]
*This is the modus operandi of [[spoiler: Super High-School Level Despair]] in ''DanganRonpa''. The true mastermind behind Monobear, [[spoiler: Junko Enoshima]], takes the concept to its extreme by being obsessed with her ''own'' despair as much as anyone else's: she's thrilled when her plans are thwarted, because it means she can inflict the ultimate despair ''[[DrivenToSuicide on herself.]]''
* [[spoiler:Bernkastel]] from VisualNovel/UminekoNoNakuKoroNi is a {{Troll}} comparable to Terumi in terms of cruelty (and if Umineko were more widespread would equal or even surpass him in notoriety) that takes absolute delight in the despair she sows.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Web Comics]]
* Eridan Ampora from ''{{Homestuck}}'', whose title is Prince of Hope. Don't let the title fool you, the Prince class is a destroyer of/through its aspect, and so Eridan is literally a destroyer of hope. Proving the point, [[spoiler:after the trolls were denied entrance into the new universe they had created, Eridan took away their last hope for restoring their race by destroying the matriorb.]]
* The cubi of clan Seme in Amber Panyko Williams' ''Webcomic/DanAndMabsFurryAdventures'' feed upon the emotion of despair. Since cubi can exert some amount of Thought Control, clan Seme can create the despair upon which they feed.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Western Animation]]
*''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'': King Sombra, the villain of [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS3E1TheCrystalEmpirePart1 "The Crys]][[Recap/MyLittleponyFriendshipIsMagicS3E2TheCrystalEmpirePart2 tal Empire"]]. He's more of a looming threat than a directly active villain, but despair is a recurring motif with him. His former subjects suffer from depression. One of the traps in his castle is a LotusEaterMachine that sticks you inside your worst nightmare, to induce you to just give up. And Sombra's downfall comes when his former subjects use a big crystal to literally weaponize their hope against him.
** Discord in [[Recap/TheReturnOfHarmonyPart1 The Return]] [[Recap/TheReturnOfHarmonyPart2 of Harmony]] had corrupted the rest of the mane 6 and let them become such {{JerkAss}}es that Twilight just gives up on trying to save Equestria.
[[/folder]]
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--->--[[FinalFantasyVI Kefka Palazzo]], VideoGame/DissidiaFinalFantasy
-->''This world is nothing but lies, LIES, LIES, LIES!! Allow me to show you the one truth, the truth I'd like to call DESPAIR!!''
--->--Terumi Yuuki, ''BlazBlue''
We know the DespairEventHorizon is a line when someone crosses it, then they lost all hope. The crosser might still be a good person, or take a turn to evil. However, not all who crossed it will be deemed as evil.
Not these guys.
These guys love the sense of despair. When other people lose hope, they take pleasure in it. It's not necessarily that they'll push them into despair (although they may as well overlap with the pusher); however, they will cherish the feelings of despair of many people around them, especially when directed to them. They might not be {{Emotion Eater}}s, but they sure feel good when people around them despair. Since the sense of despair is something people wanted to avoid at all cost, when they see someone who likes despair so much, they'll know that person is evil.
Their favorite line will be "Fall into despair!" or any variations thereof. They will be very fond of the DespairGambit tactic.
Very often, they'll give a HopeSpot to their victims, and then yank it away as the last seconds, mostly thinking that despair is at its finest when the last ray of hope is destroyed right in front of their eyes. If they would instill HopeIsScary, the merrier, that'll make people turn towards despair instead! Has a very high chance to become a CompleteMonster, since one is more likely to have the mindset of ForTheEvulz to be one (but not always, as this is also often seen in GenericDoomsdayVillain).
[[ItsAllAboutMe Don't expect them to enjoy their own despair, though.]] Mostly.
There are also some villains that believe that despair is necessary, and don't seek pleasure in destroying hopes and dreams, but do so because they think they have to.
To note: This isn't DespairEventHorizon (but related). That's about a line that when crossed by someone, that someone loses all hope. An event or sorts. This trope is about someone who delights in seeing people crossing that horizon, and occasionally makes his modus operandi to make everyone fall into despair, thus a good indication that he's a villain.
Contrast with HopeBringer and HopeSpringsEternal. Also compare with {{Sadist}}, someone who delights in someone else's pain and suffering, but the Hope Crusher can occasionally overlap with how they dislike the concept of hope and likes it better when their victims are pushed into the depths of despair. Can also overlap with those who believe that DystopiaJustifiesTheMeans.
!Examples:
[[foldercontrol]]
[[folder:Anime And Manga]]
*Many of a ''PrettyCure'' villain use this modus operandi, liking despair of men. Examples include [[FreshPrettyCure Northa]], [[SmilePrettyCure Joker]], [[YesPrettyCure5 Kawarino]].
** The BigBad of ''YesPrettyCure5'', Despariah, usually [[OrcusOnHisThrone sat on her throne]] with the goal of obtaining the Dream Collet to obtain immortality, then finally shroud the people in despair. In the end, she [[spoiler:subverts this by showing absolute fear over how the Cures won't despair no matter what. Realizing that despair is not the answer, she pulls a HeelFaceTurn.]]
* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'': Pain lost everything he loved in the constant wars that ravaged his home country of Amegakure. This led him to grow into a cynical nihilist who goes to great lengths to teach his enemies to [[TeachHimAnger feel pain]]. This includes crushing every bit of hope they have left.
** Same applies to Tobi[[spoiler:/Obito Uchiha]], the man who [[EvilMentor taught Pain everything]]:
-->'''Konan:''' He [[[TheHero Naruto]]] will become the bridge that leads us to peace! And I will be a support, holding the bridge up! [...] It doesn't matter if I'm scattered to the wind! I will stop y-
-->'''Tobi:''' You called me the darkness, didn't you? Then I will make you wilt... I will take your little rainbow bridge and its seven colors and plunge it all into darkness! ''When my illusion ends, so will your life''.
* Ms. Chono from the ''Manga/YuGiOh'' manga lives to crush the hearts of men, and delights in expelling students on technicalities.
* In a subverted way, Kyubey of ''PuellaMagiMadokaMagica''. His goal is to stop the heat death of the universe, by making young girls make a contract with him, become Puella Magi, [[spoiler:in which they will be doomed to despair, furthering him further to the aforementioned goal.]] Kyubey doesn't necessarily enjoy the role, but [[spoiler:he's unabashed in driving girls in despair, as he thinks that having emotions to think that despair is bad... ''is a mental defect''. But on that revelation, we all know that Kyubey is the closest thing the series got for BigBad.]]
* The goal of the Anti-Spiral, the ultimate BigBad in ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann'', is to eliminate Spiral Power, which is derived from hope and courage, in hopes of preventing the Spiral Nemesis from destroying the universe. As such, they deliberately fight just beyond their opponents' abilities and dispense plenty of {{Hope Spot}}s before snatching victory away in the cruelest, most unfair way possible with the aim of destroying their will to fight.
* ''Manga/MagicKnightRayearth:'' The anime-only BigBad of the second half is one of these. Not only does she want to destroy Cephiro, she wants its citizens to completely lose their hope of salvation while she's at it. [[spoiler:This is because she is a being that was created by their extreme fear and despair after the death of their Pillar.]]
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Comic Books]]
* MarvelComics has D'Spayre, an AnthropomorphicPersonification who both induces and feeds off the emotion of despair.
* ''ComicBook/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicIDW'': The Nightmare Forces gave everypony in Ponyville nightmares and in issue 5 used the nightmares to kidnap Rarity in her sleep and convinced her that she will be forgotten and replaced [[spoiler: so that they can force her to become the new Nightmare Moon]]. Issue 6 also has the nightmare forces trying to break Luna (and give the other ponies nightmares as well, but they broke through that). And in issue 8, the Nightmare Forces try this again with Luna, but fail.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Film]]
* ''Film/RiseOfTheGuardians'' has main villain Pitch, whose goal is to grow more powerful by spreading despair amongst the children of the world.
* Palpatine from Creator/GeorgeLucas' ''Film/StarWars'' excels at this. First, he completes Anakin Skywalker's turn to the [[FaceHeelTurn Dark Side]] by telling him that the Jedi Knights have turned against him, and murdered his pregnant wife. Much later, he implements the same tactic upon Luke Skywalker by showing him the rebel fleet in a CurbStompBattle, and that his close friends are horribly outnumbered on the Endor moon.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Light Novel]]
* Caster/Gilles de Rais from ''FateZero'' considers inflicting despair to be an ''art''. His debut scene involves letting go of a BoundAndGagged boy at the mercy of his SerialKiller new master, and then right before the boy got out, Caster had his monster devour the boy, stating that despair is at its finest when [[HopeSpot it's about yanking a nearly fulfilled hope]].
*''LightNovel/AccelWorld'': Dusk Taker's entire character arc drives around crushing the hopes and spirit of Silver Crow, and the heroes by [[PowerParasite stealing their powers]], one of their new teammates, and using blackmail to put them past their DespairEventHorizon so that it looks like it's impossible for them to win.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Literature]]
* In ''ThePendragonAdventure'', Saint Dane doesn't just want to beat Bobby, he wants to beat Bobby ''right after'' Bobby think's he's won - which he does on several occasions.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* Many ''Franchise/KamenRider'' villains are also pretty fond of this modus operandi.
** ''KamenRiderWizard'' has this as specifically the bad guy's job - find Gates (victim of the week) and destroy their hopes and dreams or something they love. The despair causes the victim to become a new [[MonsterOfTheWeek Phantom]].
** In a rare heroic example, [[KamenRiderW Kamen Rider Accel]]'s catchphrase is "Despair awaits you at the end".
* VillainProtagonist Francis Underwood of ''[[Series/HouseOfCardsUS House of Cards]]'' seems to take some pleasure in this, even though he doesn't generally do it for its own sake but as part of his schemes. For example, in one of his asides, after he sets Peter Russo up to [[spoiler: fall off the wagon and end his political career with a drunken radio interview]], he says with some relish "it takes just ten seconds to crush a man's ambitions." Other remarks he's made similarly indicate that he takes some pleasure in being ruthless and destroying people or "discarding" people he's done using.
** Also where he quietly tells the deranged homeless man trying to get into the congressional offices: "Nobody can hear you. Nobody cares about you. Nothing will come of this." That seemed [[KickTheDog pointlessly cruel]] even if he was a risk to security.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
* Nurgle, the embodiment of despair in ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer}} and TabletopGame/Warhammer40K'', is strengthened whenever large amounts of people start feeling it (his opposite god is the embodiment of hope), so naturally his followers tend towards this. Ironic, given that Nurgle and many of his followers are AffablyEvil while Tzeentch and his followers tend to be cruel manipulative {{Troll}}s.
* The Fall of New York setting supplement for Fast Company, the action rules for the JAGS system, features Dr. Nothing, a [[PsychoPsychologist Psycho Psychotherapist]] who specializes in crushing the dreams of those who seek to make a difference in the WretchedHive that New York has become. In addition to his skills as Fast Company (which makes him as {{Badass}} as any player character), he likes to BreakThemByTalking as well as other dirty social tricks.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Video Games]]
* Perfectio from ''SuperRobotWarsDestiny'', as an EmotionEater of negative emotions, likes despair the most. To make matters worse, he has a circular wave that will plunge any caught in it into despair, usually via the sheer power he exudes as a NighInvulnerable EldritchAbomination
* Terumi Yuuki from ''BlazBlue'' is an unabashed {{Troll}} who goes out of his way to make everyone around him miserable, as it's what he counts as 'interesting'. A reason was he thinks that despair is the only truth there is, it, along with hatred towards him, empowers him, and he's hell bent to make it to be the sole accepted truth of the world, claiming that everything else are lies.
* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI'': The goal of BigBad Kefka isn't just world destruction, it's to completely break the spirit of everyone who lives in it too. He can't understand why people strive for hope and good feeling against impossible odds, especially when time destroys all things.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Visual Novel]]
*This is the modus operandi of [[spoiler: Super High-School Level Despair]] in ''DanganRonpa''. The true mastermind behind Monobear, [[spoiler: Junko Enoshima]], takes the concept to its extreme by being obsessed with her ''own'' despair as much as anyone else's: she's thrilled when her plans are thwarted, because it means she can inflict the ultimate despair ''[[DrivenToSuicide on herself.]]''
* [[spoiler:Bernkastel]] from VisualNovel/UminekoNoNakuKoroNi is a {{Troll}} comparable to Terumi in terms of cruelty (and if Umineko were more widespread would equal or even surpass him in notoriety) that takes absolute delight in the despair she sows.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Web Comics]]
* Eridan Ampora from ''{{Homestuck}}'', whose title is Prince of Hope. Don't let the title fool you, the Prince class is a destroyer of/through its aspect, and so Eridan is literally a destroyer of hope. Proving the point, [[spoiler:after the trolls were denied entrance into the new universe they had created, Eridan took away their last hope for restoring their race by destroying the matriorb.]]
* The cubi of clan Seme in Amber Panyko Williams' ''Webcomic/DanAndMabsFurryAdventures'' feed upon the emotion of despair. Since cubi can exert some amount of Thought Control, clan Seme can create the despair upon which they feed.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Western Animation]]
*''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'': King Sombra, the villain of [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS3E1TheCrystalEmpirePart1 "The Crys]][[Recap/MyLittleponyFriendshipIsMagicS3E2TheCrystalEmpirePart2 tal Empire"]]. He's more of a looming threat than a directly active villain, but despair is a recurring motif with him. His former subjects suffer from depression. One of the traps in his castle is a LotusEaterMachine that sticks you inside your worst nightmare, to induce you to just give up. And Sombra's downfall comes when his former subjects use a big crystal to literally weaponize their hope against him.
** Discord in [[Recap/TheReturnOfHarmonyPart1 The Return]] [[Recap/TheReturnOfHarmonyPart2 of Harmony]] had corrupted the rest of the mane 6 and let them become such {{JerkAss}}es that Twilight just gives up on trying to save Equestria.
[[/folder]]
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