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1[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/image284.png]]
2 [[caption-width-right:350:[[HearingVoices Betrayal is inevitable. The clock is ticking. Tick, tock, tick, tock...]]]]
3
4''Inanimate Insanity'' seems like a lighthearted comedy on the surface, but as CerebusSyndrome sets in, it begins to show the negative effects of competing on an ImmoralRealityShow, and more often than not, the results are ''far'' from pretty...
5
6'''(Warning: As per NightmareFuel policy, all spoilers will be unmarked.)'''
7
8! Season 1
9* Idiotic Island, a deserted island with nothing but a cage where the contestants are sent upon elimination. With little to no way for the contestants to keep themselves occupied aside from chatting or some of them bringing items with them (such as Knife's Dora doll), the [[GoMadFromTheIsolation isolation proves too much to bear for Paper]], who undergoes a SanitySlippage that culminates in the development of an evil SplitPersonality, and he makes good on an early promise to kill someone once he leaves the island, remorselessly popping Balloon as soon as he rejoins the game.
10* Paper's SplitPersonality is generally played for laughs, but it’s pretty terrifying from Paper’s perspective since he’s not in control of his screw-ups or the atrocities he commits.
11* In “The Great Escape,” as the eliminated contestants travel back to the island, Lightbulb says she got a splinter. We’re then treated to a [[SarcasmMode lovely]] [[GrossUpCloseUp closeup]] of her making a NightmareFace with a large splinter in her arm, complete with ''[[NauseaFuel pus]]''. [[{{Squick}} Eww.]]
12* In “The Tile Divide”, [=MePhone4S=]'s death trap is played for laughs, but some may find [[TongueTrauma Taco's tongue ripping in two pieces]] (with a paper tearing sound to boot!) quite disturbing.
13* In “Journey Through Memory Lane (Part 2)”, as Taco is about to cross the finish line, Bow suddenly attacks her out of nowhere. [[GoMadFromTheIsolation She is revealed to have gone insane after being isolated in a box, along with her appearance changing drastically]] and her voice [[HellIsThatNoise becoming hellishly distorted.]]
14** The fact that Bow was locked in a box against her will just to prevent her from coming back to the show. ''Inhuman'' doesn't even begin to describe that. No one seems to care that she is locked in there nor does anyone bother to let her out, with Lightbulb even ''scolding'' Bow when she tries to escape.
15
16! Season 2
17* In "Breaking the Ice", as OJ questions what happened to his hotel, Salt assures OJ that it's going to be OK, as they now have time to spend cleaning the hotel together, and in a demonic voice, Salt finishes the sentence with "FOREVER". Salt then drags OJ to the hotel off screen with OJ screaming. It's played for comedy, but [[FridgeHorror just what on earth did Salt really use this opportunity for?]]
18* Trophy telling Tissues to '''die''' when Tissues tries to form an alliance with him. It's not given too much attention in the actual show, but quite a lot of fans see this as ''very'' callous. [[HarsherInHindsight It doesn't help that the official website would later give the strong implications that Tissues is chronically ill.]]
19* A [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDTphHGp3LA cut scene]] in "Tri Your Best" has Yang [[HalfTheManHeUsedToBe ripping Apple in half]] [[DisproportionateRetribution for not knowing what the word "joke" means.]]
20* Let Er R.I.P.: With the episode taking place in a haunted mansion and Marshmallow using Bow to scare off the contestants, there's bound to be more than a few scary moments:
21** Bow (as a ghost) [[JumpScare jumpscaring]] Marshmallow from a music box when she enters a room in the mansion. The box itself plays an OminousMusicBoxTune before Bow jumps out.
22** A lot of Bow's ways of scaring the contestants are pretty terrifying:
23*** Bow [[DemonicPossession possesses]] a [[WesternAnimation/DoraTheExplorer Dora]] doll Knife tries talking to and rips it apart, complete with a VoiceOfTheLegion:
24---->'''''ADIOS.'''''
25*** Bow [[SuperScream yells]] at Microphone to blow her out of the mansion, and to make matters worse, it's ''incredibly'' [[SensoryAbuse loud]], which may cause some to jump upon watching the episode.
26** Test Tube [[LiterallyShatteredLives shatters]] after she [[BreakTheScientist mentally breaks due to Bow's existence contradicting with her scientific views]].
27** And finally, Bow possessing Baseball and running Nickel out of the mansion while screaming at him. Even Nickel finds this impressive.
28* "Everything's A-OJ" reveals that [=MePhone=] sent the eliminated contestants to a cramped closet in Hotel OJ, and they were locked in there for ''months.'' For added [[SarcasmMode fun]], Tissues was constantly sneezing on them, and once they're finally let out [[{{Squick}} they're all covered in snot]]. It makes being sent to Idiotic Island seem ''tame'' in comparison, and it really shows what a ''sociopath'' [=MePhone=] is at worst. InUniverse, [[EvenEvilHasStandards his inmates in jail see this as more than a little inhumane]].
29* Suitcase's hallucinations in later episodes, especially when you consider just how close they are to real-world panic attacks.
30** Her hallucination in "Mazed and Confused" is the maze walls ''[[TheWallsAreClosingIn closing in on her]]'' while [[VoiceOfTheLegion multiple voices]] [[HearingVoices speak to her]], with it only being broken once Balloon tries to talk to her.
31** The one in Kick the Bucket is ''even worse'', with an arm grabbing her as multiple tentacles '''with skeletal arm-shaped light shining on them''' look like they're about to attack her as the same voices play, before a final shot lasting only a split second of a shadow on a white background flashing, of a round character with no arms, presumably Nickel. After this, Suitcase seems entirely defeated, and when Balloon concernedly asks if they're okay, they say in an [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness uncharacteristically deadpan, monotone voice, "never better."]] It gets even worse when you consider Balloon says that Suitcase [[FridgeHorror was down there]] [[AndIMustScream for quite awhile...]]
32* "Alternate Reality Show":
33** Something about Baseball's DeathGlare directed towards Suitcase after she wins immunity by default is more than a little terrifying, especially since it [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness starkly contrasts]] with his usual NiceGuy attitude and status as an older brother figure to her. [[https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/inanimateinsanity/images/c/c3/S2e12_test_tube%2C_knife%2C_baseball%2C_suitcase_and_fan.png/revision/latest?cb=20180217130818 Take a look for yourself.]]
34** Lightbulb's knocking of Salt and Pepper creating the "Inanimate Insanity Infinity" reality is enough, but it's implied that the contestants other than Lightbulb and Apple have been thrown into Black Hole for elimination. Not to mention that Black Hole mentions millions have fell into him.
35** Watching [[CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass Pepper]] beat the snot out of Salt in Episode 12 is pretty disturbing - she hits her hard enough for her to ''crack and fall into Black Hole.'' The worst part? [[NoSympathy The alternate dimension contestants find it]] [[BlackComedy absolutely hilarious.]] ''Jesus Christ.''
36* "Mine Your Own Business" reveals that Steve Cobs abused [=MePhone4=] and pressured him to be perfect, and if his creations aren't the way he wants them to be, Cobs either destroys them or leaves them to rot in a closet. [=MePhone4=] discovers his predecessor, [=MePhone3GS=], ''begging for his life'' before running out of battery, and it prompts him to run away with [=MePad=].
37** To make matters worse, most of [=MePhone=]'s descendants were sent to kill him, meaning that Cobs believes he's outdated and imperfect and he wants him ''dead'' as soon as possible.
38* '''''Hatching The Plan''''':
39** Fan's [[CatapultNightmare nightmare]] at the beginning of the episode.
40** The Shimmers' backstory involving their planet being colonized by Cobs, including having their ''children stolen.'' Fans have likened this to colonization in real life, a ''very'' relevant topic in the present day.
41** Taco killing Test Tube and shooting Fan, because she comes ''right out of nowhere'' after the two share a heartwarming moment together.
42** How about the introduction of [=MePhoneX=] at the stinger? He makes horrifying alarm noises, and doesn't speak while marching towards Toilet, and the flashing red X (which is his face) getting redder. [[SarcasmMode What makes this even better?]] It's unknown if he killed Toilet or not. After the Adamationz logo it precedes, unnerving piano music plays.
43** [[FromBadToWorse Even worse]], if that thing just so happens to find [=MePhone=] (which is probably why they exist) and the contestants, who knows what might happen...
44
45! Season 3
46* '''In general:'''
47** The very concept of Indefinite Island. Once a contestant is flung to the island by the Fist Thingy, they are greeted by a walkie-talkie strapped to a palm tree and an unknown voice talks to them welcoming them to the island and telling them that if they want a second chance, then they must stay on the island. Is it any wonder why Fan left to return to Hotel OJ?
48* '''"Spring On The Breakfast"'''

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