Danganronpa: Despair’s Philosophy
by ETNMystic
is an ongoing second-person perspective Danganronpa fanfic utilizing the website AI Dungeonn and available to read on archive of our own. The reader takes on the perspective of Lydia Binx, a fifteen-year-old girl in a killing game with 16 other students with little to no recollection of who she is only for her to begin to experience strange, recurring dreams.
Danganronpa: Despair's Philosophy in general provides examples of:
A–F
- Abusive Parents: A couple of the kids have them actually:
- Frank, but his grandparents telling him that astral projection was of the occult and would get him sent to Hell.
- In a flashback in Chapter 2, Part 8, it's implied that Cleo and Karla both have strained or even no relationship with their families. It's also implied that this could be due to the fact that she and Cleo are both gay, as on their wiki pages, Karla is confirmed to be a lesbian and Cleo is confirmed to either be lesbian or bisexual.
- It's also confirmed that both families are/were extremely strict; both families were stated to be religious, with Karla citing rules against things like makeup, candy, and talking during meals and religious studies in her family. Cleo's family expected nothing below a B+, but with an A expectation; otherwise it's implied the punishment was physical abuse and being locked inside.
- In Chapter 3, Part 5, Jacob talks about how he actually hates video games due to his father pushing him to get good at them day and night. He did just about everything to keep his son awake, including injections and IVs of coffee or pure caffeine, a strict diet of high-caffeine foods, tasering him awake, and even taping his eyelids open after a particularly-bad night for Jacob. He wouldn't even let his son use the bathroom unless he beat a personal best. This caused Jacob to develop kidney stones the size of golf balls. After the surgery to remove them, he told the staff about what his dad was doing to him and he was arrested for child abuse.
- In Chapter 4, we learn of this from Mr. Demar's godson Dmitri who then confronted him not long after.
- Amnesiac Hero: Lydia has little to no memories of herself, aside from her name and that she like the movie Pocus Focus.
- Anti-Villain: A couple of the students have good reasons.
- Frank is likely the best example, killing Envy due to his motive video, which was his terminally-ill mother in the hospital with someone reaching out from off-camera to pull the plug on her. Couple this with the fact that his mother was basically the only source of support in his life after his dad left him and because his grandparents told him his talent would send him to Hell and it seems more understandable.
- Essex, but in a more tragic example. Monokuma states that the motive in Chapter 4 is called “Unleash the Beast” and he states this as his answer to the question of what would happen if no one decided to kill. Coincidentally, it’s Mona, Essex’s twin sister who suggests the implication of hypnotic suggestion on whoever is the beast. This ends up being confirmed at the end of the trial.
- Asshole Victim: Thalia could qualify as this in Chapter 3 as she had Jacob the culprit as her partner for the motive, which made it so he had to do everything she said.
- Betrayal by Inaction: Mr. Demar to Lydia in the final dream of Chapter 3 when Nagito is becoming obsessive over and harassing her, even trying to propose to her, setting much of the tone for future interactions so far.
- Compelling Voice: As a singer, let alone the Ultimate Singer, Meredith ends up luring some of the Ultimates to the pool on accident.
- Cruel and Unusual Death: As in practically the entire franchise, the executions are rather twisted.
- The Chapter 1 killer, Frank Norris the Ultimate Astral Projector, uses his talent in his execution to meet with the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy and Compassion; he begins to float on his own lotus heart to a place with no more suffering, only for the lotus heart to fall apart and drop him into Hell where he's tormented by demons who push him into the pit of fire. It's especially brutal as, just before the execution, he states that his grandparents told him he was going to go to Hell because they believe that Astral Projection is part of the occult.
- The Chapter 3 killer, Jacob Bradley, the Ultimate Gamer, ends his execution through a confrontation with his dad, who pushed him to get good at video games to the point of abuse. Add on the fact that his dad, who essentially controlled his life, also ends up controlling how his son is ultimately killed and you've got yourself an even more twisted execution.
- The Chapter 4 killer, Essex Reynolds, the Ultimate Historian, faces various sensory stimuli. There's an implication of him being sheltered and only studying the events from afar, such as in books and documents, instead of talking to people who'd gone through history or actually doing anything that would constitute him actually leaving the house. So being forced to watch and feel the history that this museum exhibit is taking him through puts a lot of suffering on his shoulders. What drives the nail in the coffin is that the voice taunting him during his execution drives it into him that he's no better due to him having murdered Sayaka, he's simply perpetuating history. He's so overcome with guilt that he ends his own life by stabbing himself.
- The Cutie: Several characters could qualify:
- Annie just wants to make others smile, and her Ultimate makes her the perfect person for this.
- Meredith, Ken, and Envy's shy, sweet, and soft-spoken natures give them definite cuteness points.
- Rosanna just wants people to get along and is one of the more outspoken cuties. Plus who doesn't love a 4'10" baker who makes delicious cinnamon rolls and brownies?
- Dark Secret: The chapter 2 motive; a few have already been revealed in canon.
- Lydia: Apparently has a crush on her sister's best friend, Olivia. Has a collection of embarrassing fanfictions about the two of them, and she repeatedly wet the bed until she was six years old. However this is debatable, considering her amnesia.
- Cleo: She's essentially worked as an escort for teens like herself, or a "seductive strategist" in her words.
- Karla: Only part of it is confirmed, the part being she has been using her talent to get into some secret societies, at least according to her killer Cleo post-trial.
- Deadly Game: As with practically every fan story in the franchise, the characters find themselves in a killing game.
- Dead Person Conversation: Just after finding out Ken and Thalia are dead, Lydia has to take a moment to collect herself, falling into another dream where she speaks with the ghosts of the chapter 1 and 2 victims and culprits in order to gain insight.
- Double Entendre: Chapter 3, Part 5 in which they find an art room and Lydia is staring at her crushes, to which Annie states that "SOMEONE has to nail the art to the wall."
- Dream Land: Lydia experiences odd dreams shortly after watching her motive video. But as time goes on, they slowly start to seem as though they're seeping into reality.
- Dream Within a Dream: The stories about Zero could be considered as such, as these are only presented in the dreams.
- Driven to Suicide: Essex's execution, done by stabbing multiple times after experiencing the horrors of humanity, aggravating his own guilt in killing Sayaka.
- Dude, She's A Lesbian: Stated by Annie to Jacob in Chapter 3, Part 5 when he saw Lydia staring at Mona and Ivy.
- Elegant Classical Musician: Meredith and Ken by virtue of their talents.
- Femme Fatale: Cleo uses this to her advantage in Chapter 2, which is how Karla is killed. Not only that, her secret that would've been released had a kill not been made is that she's essentially worked as an escort for teens like herself, or a "seductive strategist" in her words.
G–L
- Gentle Giant: At just over 7 feet, Envy is actually extremely timid and a major pacifist, not wanting to get involved in conflict.
- Guilt-Ridden Accomplice: Ken in chapter 2, pointed out first by the narrative and then by Jacob, the poor guy's more on edge than usual. When Lydia gently pushes for him to answer as to whether or not he assisted the killer in chapter 2, he breaks down in tears.
- Hollywood Autism: Has some aversions and subversions.
- Cleo's played probably the straightest, with the disorder being more implied than stated; she's more focused on logic and getting things done rather than on the feelings of others and her voice tends to be very deadpan. However she tends to be very skilled at manipulation, something she uses to kill Karla in Chapter 2.
- Meredith is very averse to sudden change and her disorder is confirmed in-universe; however she tends to be rather empathetic, focusing more on feelings than logic.
- The protagonist, Lydia, is also autistic, stated by her in-universe. (one of the few things she seems to know about herself) While not fond of being given vague answers and can be very logical, she can also be very prone to emotional outbursts, but does care about those around her.
- I Have Your Wife:
- The Chapter 1 motive is the motivation videos, the protagonist's video being the only known exception to seeing someone they are closest to in danger.
- Frank is the only one whose person has currently been confirmed; his terminally-ill mother in the hospital with a hand reaching out to pull the plug on her.
- I'd Tell You, but Then I'd Have to Kill You:
- Said to Lydia twice in Chapter 1, Part 2 by Cleo and Karla during introductions, with the latter being cut off before she can finish.
- Stated by Ken during the Chapter 2 trial that if he said who the killer was during the trial, they would kill him; this is due to Ken having been recruited as the killer's accomplice.
- Jerkass Has a Point: Cleo in her final confrontation with Karla; strategic alliances are important in a killing game. A lot of the people who were killed were by themselves.
- Knife Fight: Occurs in Chapter 4 between Lydia and Mr. Demar, with the former still feeling rage towards the latter for not stopping Nagito from harassing her.
- Last Words: (Before death, not after.)
- "Please......I don't wanna die.....Alyssa....Ivy.....they need me....I need them....." -Envy
- "I'm sorry I was such a jerkass to you all. Please.....get out of here if you can....all of you.....and don't lose hope....." -Frank
- "How did you—?" -Karla.
- "I-I-I DON'T KNOW!" -Cleo
- "N-no! I won't let you! We can't keep falling to Monokuma's motives like you're doing right now! I'm gonna stop you from killing anyone! I'll....I'll even fight you! I’ll fight for them. For hope!" -Ken
- "Do as I say or I'll turn you into a frog again!" -Thalia
- "Nan(am)i?! Are you for real? You couldn't have let me have a say in how my life ends?!" -Jacob
- "Essex, stay back!" -Sayaka
- "MEA CULPA!!!!!" -Essex
M–R
- Madness Mantra: Downplayed and discussed in Chapter 3 with Jacob being cornered as the killer of both victims with the phrase "So what?!" There's some repetition, but it's mostly spaced out overall. Lyra references this being a trend in the canon, calling it a "repeated phrase freak-out".
- NO INDOOR VOICE: Several examples, actually.
- Discussed with Sayaka, though not capitalized, a couple times, implying she has ADHD.
- Happens with Lydia plenty of times.
- Jacob is also a prime candidate.
- "Not So Different" Remark: Said by Cleo to Karla in the killing flashback of Chapter 2, saying that their talents and their lives are very similar if not the same.
- No, You: In the Chapter 1 Ultimate Breakfast Chapter while Lydia is asleep; Lyra and Karla have this exchange during Never Have I Ever in response to Karla's confession about sneaking out of school to hang out with some girls.Lyra: "Sounds pretty gay to me."Karla: "You're pretty gay."
S–Z
- Shared Dream: These have started to show up with Lydia, Meredith, Ivy, and JC, with all but one of them having been approached in their dreams by Mr. Demar.
- Shout-Out: Several of these, particularly to the canon franchise.
- Many of Lyra's meta comments elude back to it (by virtue of her being the Ultimate Meta Commentator); one such example is the Chapter 2 motive being the secrets motive, or as Lyra says, "So Game 1, Case 2."
- Another is in Chapter 3 following a speech given by the protagonist meant to give the group hope; Lyra points out that she's nearly the protagonist of a killing game, with her only needing an ahoge to complete it; this references to many canon DR protagonists sporting ahoges.
- Smite Me, O Mighty Smiter: Lydia has this moment in Chapter 4 during a dream where it begins to rain and thunder.Lydia: "Joke's on you! I love thunderstorms! You can't scare me! I'm not letting you win, Demar!"
- Yank the Dog's Chain: The chapter 1 execution is an excellent example. Frank Norris the Ultimate Astral Projector, uses his talent in his execution to meet with the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy and Compassion; he begins to float on his own lotus heart to a place with no more suffering, only for the lotus heart to fall apart and drop him into Hell where he's tormented by demons who push him into the pit of fire. What's more twisted is that aside from grandparents who claimed he was going to Hell for his talent, Frank was born into poverty, he was constantly picked on at school for being the weird kid even before astral projecting, and had almost no one who supported him astral projecting except for his mom, who worked so much to keep them above the poverty line and turns out to be terminally-ill and is the one who appears in his motive video.
