History Main / DespairGambit

* In the MagicalGirl CrisisCrossover ''FanFic/ShatteredSkiesTheMorningLights'', [[Anime/SmilePrettyCure Joker]] wants to pull this on everyone, everywhere, in every universe...[[spoiler:[[OmnicidalManiac before he negates everyone and everything in existence, that is.]]]]

* In ''VisualNovel/DanganronpaTriggerHappyHavoc'', Monokuma [[spoiler:turns out to be broadcasting footage of the DeadlyGame, in order to inflict this on the ''entire world''. The best-of-the-best students were sheltered at the school to protect them from the chaos of the Tragedy, and seeing them instead pushed into murdering each other would tear apart the hope of the outside world. The BigBad also directly tries to break the resolve of the remaining students by revealing [[CrapsackWorld the state of the outside world]], but [[HopeBringer Makoto's]] RousingSpeech causes both gambits to ultimately fail]].

* [[spoiler: the Incubators]] from ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'' drive teenage girls to despair by [[spoiler: making [[DealWithTheDevil contracts]] with them and encouraging them to MakeAWish that [[JackassGenie they know will backfire]], [[YouDidntAsk leaving out important details of the Magical Girl contract]] such as the required [[OurLichesAreDifferent lichification]], and eventually driving the girl to the DespairEventHorizon wherein they will become a [[EldritchAbomination Witch]], which will then be killed by other magical girls for it's energy. The witches will also drive people to suicide, ensuring more despair.]] The point of this is to [[spoiler: [[WellIntentionedExtremist use that energy to save the universe from heat death]].]] It backfires: [[spoiler: [[IncorruptiblePurePureness Madoka]] uses her wish to [[AbstractApotheosis become a god]] and erase the whole witch system from existence, and when the Kyubeys try to bring it back in TheMovie, Madoka defeats them again- [[KarmaHoudiniWarranty for good this time.]]]]

* [[spoiler: [[ItWasHisSled Ozymandias]]]] convinces Doctor Manhattan that he's giving his acquaintances cancer in ''ComicBook/{{Watchmen}}'', basically for this purpose.

* In ''VideoGame/LiveALive'', this is [[spoiler: [[AlwaysSecondBest Straybow's]] plan for surpassing Orested. Given the latter's [[ThenLetMeBeEvil reaction,]] it's safe to say it's GoneHorriblyRight.]]

* ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'': Salem's ImageSong and her Volume 3 finale speech discuss her plan to destroy humanity by turning them against each other and sinking them into despair. She is determined to ruin Ozpin, stating that her only route to success requires first destroying Ozpin's faith in humanity, which can't be shattered until she has destroyed the hope and optimism his "simple soul" represents; this is implied to be the resolutely optimistic Ruby. [[spoiler:They were both made immortal by the gods, she as a punishment for turning humanity against them and he for a mission to redeem humanity. Salem thinks she can end her curse by destroying the planet, which requires Ozpin to give up the fight. Ozpin has been so beaten down by the fear that his task is impossible while Salem lives that he's closer to the DespairEventHorizon than anyone realises. Meanwhile, Ruby herself is implied to be hiding despair of her own, implying that Salem might be closer to success than she knows.]]

* ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'': Salem's ImageSong and her Volume 3 finale speech discuss her plan to destroy humanity by turning them against each other and sinking them into despair. She is determined to ruin Ozpin, stating that her only route to success requires first destroying Ozpin's faith in humanity, which can't be shattered until she has destroyed the hope and optimism his "simple soul" represents; this is implied to be the resolutely optimistic Ruby. [[spoiler:They were both made immortal by the gods, she as a punishment for turning humanity against them and he for a mission to redeem humanity. Salem thinks she can end her curse by destroying the planet, which requires Ozpin to give up the fight. Ozpin has been so beaten down by the fear that his task is impossible while Salem lives that he's closer to the DespairEventHorizon than anyone realises. Meanwhile, Ruby herself is implied to be hiding despair of her own, suggesting that Salem's on the right track to target them both.]]

* ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'': Salem's ImageSong and her Volume 3 finale speech discuss her plan to destroy humanity by turning them against each other and sinking them into despair. She is determined to ruin Ozpin, stating that her only route to success requires first destroying Ozpin's faith in humanity, which can't be shattered until she has destroyed the hope and optimism his "simple soul" represents; this is implied to be the resolutely optimistic Ruby. [[spoiler:They were both made immortal by the gods, she as a punishment for turning humanity against them and he for a mission to redeem humanity. Salem thinks she can end her curse by destroying the planet, which requires Ozpin to give up the fight. Ozpin has been so beaten down by the fear that his task is impossible while Salem lives that he's closer to the DespairEventHorizon than anyone realises.]]

* ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'': Salem's ImageSong and her Volume 3 finale speech discuss her plan to destroy humanity by turning them against each other and sinking them into despair. She is determined to ruin Ozpin and implies her only route to success requires first destroying Ozpin's faith in humanity, but that Ozpin's own faith will not be shattered until she has managed to destroy the hope and optimism his "simple soul" represents; this is implied to be the resolutely optimistic Ruby. [[spoiler:They were both made immortal by the gods, she as a punishment for turning humanity against them and he for a mission to redeem humanity. Salem thinks she can end her curse by destroying the planet, which requires Ozpin to give up the fight. Ozpin has been so beaten down by the fear that his task is impossible while Salem lives that he's closer to the DespairEventHorizon than anyone realises.]]

* ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'': Salem's ImageSong and her Volume 3 finale speech suggest that her plan is to destroy humanity by turning them against each other and sinking them into despair. Her goal appears to be to ruin Ozpin. She strongly implies that the only way to truly destroy humanity is to destroy Ozpin's faith in them and their future, but that Ozpin's faith will not be shattered until she has managed to destroy the hope and optimism his "simple soul" represents, implied to be the resolutely optimistic Ruby.

* Kahn tries this in Film/StarTrekTheWrathOfKhan when kirk is trapped with his friends underneath miles of solid rock inside a dead satellite (well, dead on the outside, anyway) [[spoiler: of course Kirk is simply toying with him; they only need a few hours to repair the ship and beam back up, rather than the several days Spock reported in code]]

* ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer}}'' and ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}'' both feature Nurgle, the [[UltimateEvil Chaos God]] [[PlagueMaster of Pestilence and Despair]]. When mortals watch their loved ones wither from disease, or despair as their bodies bloat and decay from a hideous plague, they turn to Nurgle to escape the terror of their imminent death. Rather than cure them, Nurgle's blessings allow his followers to [[BeneficialDisease survive his disgusting attentions]] [[FeelNoPain free of pain or fear]], [[DealWithTheDevil trading their immortal souls to preserve]] [[BodyHorror their disfigured and corrupted flesh]]. The process leaves Nurgle's followers with a morbid sense of good humor and eager to lead others into "[[AffablyEvil Grandfather Nurgle's]]" scabrous embrace.

* Similarly to the Anti-Spirals, [[spoiler: the Incubators]] from ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'' drive teenage girls to despair by [[spoiler: making [[DealWithTheDevil contracts]] with them and encouraging them to MakeAWish [[JackassGenie that they know will backfire,]] [[YouDidntAsk leaving out important details of the Magical Girl contract]] such as the required [[OurLichesAreDifferent lichification]], and eventually driving the girl to the DespairEventHorizon wherein they will become a [[EldritchAbomination Witch,]] which will then be killed by other magical girls for it's energy. The witches will also drive people to suicide, ensuring more despair.]] The point of this is to [[spoiler: [[WellIntentionedExtremist use that energy to save the universe from heat death.]]]] Also like the Anti-Spirals, it backfires: [[spoiler: [[IncorruptiblePurePureness Madoka]] uses her wish to [[AbstractApotheosis become a god]] and erase the whole witch system from existence, and when the Kyubeys try to bring it back in TheMovie, Madoka defeats them again- [[KarmaHoudiniWarranty for good this time.]]]]

* In ''VisualNovel/DanganronpaTriggerHappyHavoc'', [[spoiler:Monokuma turns out to be broadcasting footage of the DeadlyGame, in order to inflict this on the ''entire world''. Footage of the best-of-the-best students failing to work together and murdering each other would tear apart the hope of the outside world. The BigBad also directly tries to break the resolve of the remaining students by revealing [[CrapsackWorld the state of the outside world]], but ultimately fails]].

** [[spoiler: It's later mentioned that Madara taught this tactic to Obito. In the anime there's a flashback showing Obito (successfully) pulling this on Nagato. He later tries it on Naruto, who manages to resist.]]

** This sort of thing is done more than once. In ''Neverending Battle'' [[{{Expy}} Manchester]] [[ComicBook/TheAuthority Black]] throws all of Superman's available nemeses at him then finishes up by killing Lois [[spoiler: turns out the killing is a telepathic illusion]]. The point in this case is to try to get Superman to sink to his level via tragedy. Superman's allows the telepath into his mind to reveal there's a part of him that really wants to do that, but he doesn't succumb.

* ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'': Salem's ImageSong and her Volume 3 finale speech suggest that her plan is to destroy humanity by turning them against each other and sinking them into despair. Her goal appears to be to ruin Ozpin. She strongly implies that the only way to truly destroy humanity is to destroy Ozpin's faith in them and their future, but that Ozpin's faith will not be shattered until she has managed to destroy the hope and optimism his "simple soul" represents. The "simple soul" is implied to be the resolutely optimistic Ruby.

* This was [[VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublicIITheSithLords Darth Nihilus's]] plan for Jaune in the ''RWBY''/''Star Wars'' crossover ''Fanfic/JauneArcLordOfHunger''. [[spoiler:After Jaune falls to the Dark Side, Nihilus's spirit instills him with a paranoid fantasy in which everyone is out to steal his Force powers. This makes Jaune prone to lashing out, which is exactly what happens when Pyrrha tries to pull an intervention on him. When he physically hurts Pyrrha, Jaune snaps out of his stupor and is [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone horrified by what he's done]] to the point where he nearly throws himself over a cliff. In order to escape the feeling of guilt, Jaune resorts to handing Nihilus's ghost full control over his body. This was exactly what Nihilus wanted from the start, as he now has a host through which he can revive himself.]]

* This was [[VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublicIITheSithLords Darth Nihilus's]] plan for Jaune in the ''RWBY''/''Star Wars'' crossover ''Fanfic/JauneArcLordOfHunger''. After Jaune falls to the Dark Side, Nihilus's spirit instills him with a paranoid fantasy in which everyone is out to steal his Force powers. This makes Jaune prone to lashing out, which is exactly what happens when Pyrrha tries to pull an intervention on him. When he physically hurts Pyrrha, Jaune snaps out of his stupor and is [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone horrified by what he's done]] to the point where he nearly throws himself over a cliff. In order to escape the feeling of guilt, Jaune resorts to handing Nihilus's ghost full control over his body. This was exactly what Nihilus wanted from the start, as he now has a host through which he can revive himself.

* In ''Fanfic/JauneArcLordOfHunger'', Darth Nihilus sets Jaune up for the DespairEventHorizon in order to make Jaune give up his free will.

* In the MagicalGirl CrisisCrossover ''FanFic/ShatteredSkiesTheMorningLights'', [[Anime/SmilePrettyCure Joker]] wants to pull this on everyone, everywhere, in every universe... [[spoiler:[[OmnicidalManiac before he negates everyone and everything in existence, that is.]]]]

As with other such plots, it tends to backfire. Messing with the hero on this level [[ItsPersonal makes it personal]], incurring the risk of focusing the hero's attention squarely against the villain, or even triggering an UnstoppableRage. There's also the possibility of [[AwakeningTheSleepingGiant riling a previously neutral party]]. Because the story tends to be on the hero's side, this gambit is more likely to fail in the long run, though it may succeed in evaporating their hope at a critical point.

* 'Series/{{Supernatural}}'':

* In ''{{Literature/Worm}}'' [[spoiler:Skitter]] realizes that since [[spoiler:OmnicidalManiac Scion]] has only just begun to feel human emotions he has no way to cope with his grief. So she throws reminders of what he's lost in his face until he's so bewildered and hurt they're able to take him down.

* This was Azazel's plan throughout Sam Winchester's entire ''life'' in ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'', in an attempt to get him to agree to become Lucifer's vessel.

What's a villain to do when the hero is [[InvincibleHero invincible]], or too strong to attack head on? Whether because of tactics, defense, ThePowerOfLove, [[TheDeterminator will]], or because he won the SuperpowerLottery, the conventional tactics just aren't going to do the trick. By contrast, perhaps the villain himself is so weak that physical attack is impractical, or stands to gain if his enemies are not merely killed but admit defeat. In such a case, a good alternative strategy is often to attack the hero's resolve, and make him give up the fight.

[[DoomedHometown Blow up his hometown]]. [[AndYourLittleDogToo Kill his loved ones]]. Spout cutting {{Breaking Speech}}es and StrawNihilist diatribes at every opportunity. [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking Steal his belongings]]. [[NoGoodDeedGoesUnpunished Turn everything good he's done against him]]. The ultimate goal is to drive the goodie past the DespairEventHorizon and make him more an enemy to himself than to the villain.

As with other such plots, it tends to backfire. Messing with the hero on this level [[ItsPersonal makes it personal]], incurring the risk of focusing the hero's attention squarely against the villain, or even triggering an UnstoppableRage. There's also the possibility of [[AwakeningTheSleepingGiant riling a previously neutral party]]. Because the story tends to be on the hero's side, this gambit is more likely to fail in the long run, though it may succeed in evaporating his hope at a critical point.

* In ''VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiIV'', the OmnicidalManiac race known as the White ''dearly'' wish they could just wreck the Yamato Perpetual Reactor and just return Creation to the Nothing it was before to escape God's plans, but they have no real existence to do so; they need a physical proxy to do it. Thus, they pull a massive DespairGambit involving three {{Alternate Timeline}}s, the forces of Law and Chaos, and four Samurai, hoping that at least once, they will get the champion they need.

** Kingpin tries to do the very same thing, and much like the above example, it backfires ''horribly''. With everything taken away from him, Daredevil [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge no longer has anything holding him back]], thus truly becoming a "man without fear."

* This is Knives' instruction to his minions in ''Manga/{{Trigun}}'', in the hopes that it will make Vash give up his stewardship of humans and [[FaceHeelTurn join the other side]]. In the anime, [[spoiler: it works, and Vash breaks down, becoming almost catatonic, at least until a [[SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments moment of redemption]] redoubles his resolve]].

* ComicBook/TheJoker has done this several times, such as in ''ComicBook/TheKillingJoke'' and the film partially based on it, ''Film/TheDarkKnight''. He does it either [[MotivelessMalignity because that's the way he is]] or because he secretly, desperately wants to prove that everyone else is really as hopeless as he is.