->''"Never despair, but if you do, work on in despair."''
-->-- '''Edmund Burke'''

Tropes that deal with the horrible feeling of having lost all hope.

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