Line #55 Main/DespairTropes


1	->''"Never despair, but if you do, work on in despair."''
2	-->-- '''Edmund Burke'''
3
4	Tropes that deal with the horrible feeling of having lost all hope.
5
6	Compare CynicismTropes, SadnessTropes, ApathyIndex. Contrast HopeIndex.
7	----
8	[floatboxright:
9	Categories:
10	+ ChoosingDeath
11	]
12	* BreakTheBadass: A badass character has an emotional breakdown.
13	* BreakTheBeliever: A character's strongly-held belief is shattered.
14	* BreakTheComedian: A comedic character is traumatized into losing their sense of humour.
15	* BreakTheCutie: A sweet and lovable character goes through a TraumaCongaLine.
16	* BreakTheHaughty: An arrogant character goes through hell.
17	* BrokenBird: A (usually) sympathetic female character who became cynical or stoic to cover emotional trauma.
18	* ConfidenceSabotage: Intentionally making someone doubt their abilities.
19	* DanceOfDespair: Dancing to deal with a distressing situation.
20	* DarkestHour: The moment in a story when all hope seems lost.
21	* DeathByDespair: A character is so filled with despair it causes them to die.
22	* DespairEventHorizon: The moment a character completely loses hope.
23	* DespairGambit: A villain intentionally tries to drive the hero towards the DespairEventHorizon because they can't defeat them directly.
24	* DespairSpeech: A speech made by a character expressing that they've lost all hope.
25	* DesperatelyCravesAffection: A character who very badly wants to be loved; not getting it can cause feelings of despair.
26	* DesperationAttack: If a character is about to lose a fight, they become more powerful as a last-ditch effort.
27	* DevastatingRemark: Someone says something that leaves another person an emotional wreck.
28	* DrivenToSuicide: A character is so consumed by despair they take their own life.
29	* DumbStruck: A traumatised character is unable to talk.
30	* FaceDeathWithDespair: When facing death, a character breaks down in hopelessness.
31	* HeroicBSOD: A heroic character has a temporary breakdown after experiencing something traumatic.
32	* HopeCrusher: A villain who specializes in taking hope away from other characters.
33	* HopeIsScary: A character is afraid to feel hopeful again.
34	* HopeSpot: Things start looking up, only for that hope to be swiftly taken away.
35	* IShouldHaveBeenBetter: A character thinks they weren't good enough, even if they did their best.
36	* LaughingMad: Sometimes, the only thing left to do when a character's lost everything is to slip into laughing uncontrollably, though there's no mirth to be found.
37	* LookOnMyWorksYeMightyAndDespair: The ruined or destroyed remnants of a once-great civilization.
38	* MaddenIntoMisanthropy: Repeated trauma, losses, betrayals and so on caused this character to hate other people.
39	* MainCharacterFinalBoss: The main character hits despair point and ends up becoming the final boss.
40	* {{Mangst}}: A subtle display of despair from tough characters.
41	* MyGreatestFailure: The one failure or mistake that haunts a character throughout their life.
42	* PacifismBreakingPoint: A {{Pacifist}} is forced to accept the fact that peace with an opposing party is no longer possible.
43	* PerfectionIsAddictive: After a day of enjoying the best possible things, ordinary life seems worse.
44	* PerfectionIsStatic: Never-ending perfection leads to torturous boredom and depression.
45	* PersonalHorror: A character feels alienated from their sense of self, often due to betraying a deeply held value or belief.
46	* PostHistoricalTrauma: A character is filled with horror and despair after learning of a historical tragedy or atrocity.
47	* SafetyInIndifference: A character acts apathetic because caring about things is too painful.
48	* SafeZoneHopeSpot: An area that is supposed to be safe during a crisis turns out to not be, or rapidly becomes unsafe shortly after arrival.
49	* SeparatedByTheWall: Two characters who love each other are physically and symbolically separated by a wall.
50	* SillyRabbitIdealismIsForKids: A cynical character who thinks being idealistic is childish.
51	* StoppedCaring: A character thinks nothing they do matters and so [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin stops caring]].
52	* StrawNihilist: An extreme depiction of an existential nihilist.
53	* SuicidalSadisticChoice: Someone is offered a SadisticChoice between killing themselves or something equally bad, if not worse.
54	* SuicidalCosmicTemperTantrum: A character (usually a villain) wants to kill themselves and take everyone else with them.
55	* SymbolicSereneSubmersion: A character floats limp in the water to represent their despair.
56	* ThousandYardStare: A character having a breakdown stares off into the distance.
57	* TooBrokenToBreak: A character so broken that anything can't be done now that could affect them.
58	* TooInjuredToSave: A character tries to save a dying comrade, even when they know it's useless.
59	* WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds: A character who is tormented too much snaps.

Context Main / DespairTropes