Forest of Despair

***Spoiler warning:** Plot and/or ending details follow.*

The **Forest of Despair** is a forest that first appeared in *Salvaged Dreams*.

## Description

### General

"*How do you think all of these souls ended up in this forest to begin with? They just wanted to find a place where they could be happy and* completely *free from the harsh realities of the life they were living in, and I gave it to them. [...] They* did *get help, and they all chose* me*. They all wanted an escape from all of the problems that they didn't want to deal with anymore. But they're a lot happier now, because they don't need to worry about the horrible things that led them to this forest* ever *again!*"
―The mist speaking through Lucifero *The Skyworld Rebellion*, Season 1

The Forest of Despair is a forest surrounded by an endless mist. Many trees in the forest are mentioned to have pieces of string wrapped around them, with ropes hanging from their branches, implying that others have entered the forest before. A trail exists inside the forest that leads the way back to the entrance. There is also a river inside the forest, which is deep enough to drown in.
It is mentioned that those who choose to stay inside the forest will die. The reason for this is said to be caused by "embracing the mist" within the forest, which is said to become stronger the further into the forest you go. Those who refuse to "embrace the mist" either forced to constantly switch between being alive and being dead and slowly become unable to feel happiness, but this can be completely circumvented to some extent by maintaining a clear and calm mind. This mist can also be consumed as data to trigger a Dark Digivolution.
### Relation to the living world

A large majority of Skyworld residents is aware of the forest's presence, including its location and will do their best to prevent anyone from entering it. The Skyworld Tribes are also aware of its location, as it can be accessed by traveling deep into the forest where they reside.
### Life in the Forest of Despair

"*The mist in that forest can make you forget your past. And if you take there for an extended amount of time, your memories will end up being completely erased.*"
―Misty about the mist *Divine Horizons*

There are two different kinds of visitors to the Forest of Despair, which are classified as either "lost souls" (who enter the forest to with the intention of dying there) or "hopeful souls" (who have no intention of staying there permanently). Visitors are allowed to camp inside the forest, as the Mysterious Camper was able to set up a small campsite. However, there appear to be others who enter the forest in order to try and convince anyone who is camping there to leave.
Spirits inside the Forest of Despair are noted to have lost the "life" in their eyes, but are able to regain it, as was the case with Caroline. If a spirit resides in the forest for a long time, they will also begin to gradually lose their memories of their old life, including how they died, their allies, family members, and even their former residences until their memories are completely erased.
## History

### *Salvaged Dreams*

"*Be careful. The further in you go, the stronger the power of the mist becomes.*"
―Sram about the Forest of Despair *Salvaged Dreams*, Season 4

The Forest of Despair makes its first appearance when Ren finds themselves lost inside the forest. They encounter a human who is currently camping there. After spending some time in the forest, Ren decides to leave, and the "Mysterious Camper" chooses to leave alongside them.
Several months later, Ren briefly mentions this location when they say that Skyworld needed to stop an unspecified group from hurting anyone before they were trapped inside the forest forever.
The forest makes another appearance when Kerberos hallucinates seeing Soldat outside the window and begins to experience even more hallucinations that involve the forest and has later a nightmare about Soldat being trapped here.
#### *The Skyworld Rebellion*

The Forest of Despair is used by Raguelmon to train her two apprentices, Luce and Lucifero.
Sometime after the Battle against the Rebels, Blaine is mentioned to have trained there in his dreams. He eventually runs into the forest, and refuses to leave it when his mother arrives to bring him back home.
When Misty is a young nestling, Luce discourages her from exploring it, and explains to her that he nearly died inside it before. Shortly after being given this warning, Misty wanders into the forest and gets lost, but eventually decides to stay there permanently.
### *Chaos Express 2022*

Following Misty's death, several spirits of the people who were slain the battle against her end up in the Forest of Despair. With the help of Caroline and a kitsune, they are all reunited with their loved ones and guided to their destined afterlives.
### *Divine Horizons*

"*I was able to leave the forest. But the mist just wouldn't leave me alone. It wanted to be 'become one with them'...but I refused! [...] I feel really guilty for walking away from the mist in that forest. Is...is that wrong?*"
―Misty about the Forest of Despair *Adventures in Elysia*, Divine Horizons

Following her escape from the Dark Area, Misty flees to the Forest of Despair. She initially refuses to leave, but eventually agrees to leave with Ray.
## Known residents

### Palutena's Army

* Blaine *(formerly)*
* Caroline
* Hibana *(formerly)*
* Katia *(formerly)*
* Katrina *(formerly)*
* Micah *(formerly)*
* Ren *(formerly)*
* Soldat *(escaped)*
* Tip *(formerly)*

### Characters of unknown origins and/or affiliations

* Ashly
* Libitina

## Known visitors

* Barkeater
* Bember
* Blaine
* Clever Wave
* Kerberos
* Lightheart
* Luce
* Lucifero
* Misty
* Raguelmon
* Ray
* Ren
* Zephon

## Quotes

"*I was able to leave the forest. But the mist just wouldn't leave me alone. It wanted to be 'become one with them'...but I refused! [...] I feel really guilty for walking away from the mist in that forest. Is...is that wrong?*"
―Misty about the Forest of Despair *Adventures in Elysia*, Divine Horizons

*End of spoiler warning*
## See also

* Forest of Despair residents
* Forest of Despair visitors

## Notes and references

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Revealed in *The Chaos Express: Salvaged Dreams*, "Monochrome Blue Skyworld"
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 Revealed in *The Skyworld Rebellion*, Season 1
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Revealed in *The Skyworld Rebellion*, Season 2
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Revealed in *Divine Horizons*
5. ↑ 5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 5.11 Revealed in *The Chaos Express: Salvaged Dreams*, Season 4
6. ↑ 6.00 6.01 6.02 6.03 6.04 6.05 6.06 6.07 6.08 6.09 6.10 Revealed in *Chaos Express 2022*, Season 2
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Revealed in *The Chaos Express: Salvaged Dreams*, Season 3
8. ↑ Revealed in *Chaos Express 2022*, Season 1