The mastermind revealed himself, only to lead directly into a chase to prevent The End of the World as We Know It.
- Big Damn Heroes: Just as Makoto was about to be killed off by brainwashed soldiers, Hagakure pushed two out of the way, with Togami commanding his SP to restrain the soldiers.
- Bolivian Army Ending: Asahina is presumably captured by the brainwashed soldiers while Munakata is last seen fighting them off.
- Brainwashing for the Greater Good: The goal of Mitarai and Tengan. The other survivors disagree.
- Dying as Yourself: Though the immediate effect isn't seen, dying restores Chisa back to her old kindhearted teacher self instead of her Despair self, as she eventually rebukes Junko's statement in the Afterlife Theater that the story won't end in Despair as the latter boasted, Hope is starting next. On the other hand, apparently Junko dying didn't restore her to what she was before she got her despair-fetish, meaning that she stays as a despair-loving and hope-crushing girl even in death.
- Determinator: Both Makoto and Mitarai is determined to carry forward with their plan for Hope.
- Face–Heel Turn: Mitarai, after receiving Tengan's recorded message, decides to use his brainwashing Hope Video to turn the world perfect. Naegi, Asahina and Munakata oppose this, so Mitarai turns the Future Foundation's soldiers against them.
- Final Boss: Mitarai, possibly to the entire of Hope's Peak Saga.
- Gainax Ending: The Afterlife Theater is back with Chisa and Junko; averted in that it's only the ending of Side: Future, not of Danganronpa 3 as a whole.
- Heel–Face Brainwashing: Essentially what the Hope Video will do to the world of despair. Junko also describes Naegi's attempt to rehabilitate the Remnants of Despair as being roughly the same thing.
- Hero Worship: Deconstructed, Mitarai believes that Makoto's capacity to have and inspire hope is something he alone can do, and humans don't have the natural power to win over despair, and the sole option is brainwashing.
- The Reveal: Tengan revealed how he received the despair video and the suicide video, as well as the fact that he himself planned the Final Killing Game. Then Makoto deducted the reason behind the Final Killing Game: to give Mitarai the push to broadcast his brainwashing Hope Video.
- Taking Up the Mantle: After the end of the killing game, Mitarai decides to continue Tengan's Hope by forcibly brainwash the entire world into hope, without any pain or suffering or jealousy or any source of despair — As Munakata point out, those brainwashed cannot really be called human any more.
- Well-Intentioned Extremist: Mitarai.
- Wham Shot: Hajime entering the Future Foundation.
