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->''"It wasn't just the baby that died that day; something inside Sick Boy was lost and never returned."''
-->-- '''Renton''', ''Literature/{{Trainspotting}}''
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The line that, once crossed, destroys any last remaining sense of hope. It could be for a cause, a person, a situation, or simple survival. A character has given up on it, and there is no going back. It can lead soldiers to despair -- or even [[DrivenToSuicide suicide]], if they don't simply [[DeathByDespair lose the will to live]]. It can turn an IdealHero into an AntiHero or [[FaceHeelTurn an outright villain]], or even, in some cases, ''[[HeelFaceTurn vice versa]].'' It is a vital element of {{Tragedy}}.

Coming ''near'' this line is quite common in fiction; frequently, at the end of the [[ThreeActStructure second act]] or the 45 minute mark of a drama or the first hour of a film, the protagonist comes [[DarkestHour dangerously close to the edge]] before a RousingSpeech or DeusExMachina or the like comes along. It makes for a DownerEnding if the protagonist does fall over the edge. Frequently, this is when the WhatYouAreInTheDark test hits him. Alternatively, many stories have a hero "Fighting the Good Fight" and meeting someone who'd [[SillyRabbitIdealismIsForKids been at it longer and lost all hope]].

This is often a goal of some wars. Break the enemy's morale, and you can achieve victory even without military success. Also, one of the worst outcomes of an IdentityBreakdown is a character reaching this as their despair in not knowing who or what they are (or the despair in knowing ''[[TomatoInTheMirror exactly]]'' [[IAmAMonster what they are]]) pushes them to the edge.

Related to HeroicBSOD and HeroicSafeMode, except the hero usually comes back from those. A WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds is often a character who crossed this line long ago (and subsequently crossed the MoralEventHorizon or JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope). It can result in the character entering an AngstComa, being DumbStruck or suffering DeathByDespair. Often a result of WeUsedToBeFriends or some variants of PersonalHorror. This is often the final stage of the BreakTheCutie process. In a video game, often happens during a BleakLevel, and it may be relevant if the game has a MoraleMechanic.

May be preceded with a HopeSpot, just to really twist the knife. And a DownerEnding might follow in really dark stories.

Often a factor in PaterFamilicide. May be feigned by critics engaged in a CriticBreakdown.

Compare SafetyInIndifference, HopeIsScary (the reason it can be so hard to get back over the horizon), HopeCrusher (someone who enjoys seeing characters give up their will to fight, or even worse, pushes them over the horizon personally), and DiedInIgnorance which can initiate this for living characters.

Contrast HeroicSpirit.

'''IMPORTANT:''' This is about a character losing all hope, not merely getting depressed, upset, or bored.

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!!Example subpages:

[[index]]
* DespairEventHorizon/AnimeAndManga
* DespairEventHorizon/ComicBooks
* DespairEventHorizon/FanWorks
* [[DespairEventHorizon/{{Film}} Films]]
* DespairEventHorizon/{{Literature}}
* DespairEventHorizon/LiveActionTV
* DespairEventHorizon/{{Music}}
* DespairEventHorizon/{{Other}}
* DespairEventHorizon/TabletopGames
* DespairEventHorizon/VideoGames
* DespairEventHorizon/VisualNovels
* DespairEventHorizon/{{Webcomics}}
* DespairEventHorizon/WebOriginal
* DespairEventHorizon/WesternAnimation
* DespairEventHorizon/RealLife
[[/index]]
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