How to write the Darkest Hour of a story?

Apr 20, 2025

Every great story has a moment when all hope seems lost, when the protagonist hits rock bottom and everything they’ve worked for feels out of reach. This moment is known as the “Darkest Hour” in storytelling. It’s emotionally intense, often painful, and absolutely essential for creating a satisfying character arc.

The Darkest Hour is the crucible that forces your protagonist to grow, change, or surrender. When written well, it hooks your readers, makes them root harder for your characters, and deepens the emotional payoff of the climax that follows.

What Is the Darkest Hour Trope?

The Darkest Hour is the part of the story, usually toward the end of Act 2, when things fall apart. It’s when the protagonist experiences:

A major failure or defeat
A personal loss
A crisis of faith or identity
A betrayal or revelation that shakes them
Or all of the above

It’s not just about external events; it’s also emotional and internal. The character might question their purpose, feel completely alone, or consider giving up entirely.

This moment is often paired with what screenwriters call the “All Is Lost” beat, where it genuinely seems like the story can’t recover.

Think of it as:

The hero getting kicked out of the team
The lovers breaking up for good
The villain winning temporarily
The death of a mentor
The discovery that what they believed was a lie

The Darkest Hour sets the stage for transformation. Without it, the eventual victory (or failure) won’t carry the same emotional weight.

How to Write the 'All Is Lost' Moment

The “All is lost” moment is often the emotional center of the Darkest Hour. It’s where the character hits their lowest point.

Here’s how to write it effectively:

1. Make the Consequences Feel Real

The reader should feel like this is a real defeat. Maybe the villain really wins. Maybe the protagonist is too late. Don’t soften the blow.

Example: In The Hunger Games, Katniss believes Peeta is dead. She feels alone, emotionally drained, and traumatized: this is her darkest hour.

2. Strip Away the Safety Net

Take away the character’s support system: mentors, allies, magic, money, or emotional anchors. Isolation makes the moment hit harder.

Example: In Toy Story, Woody is trapped with no friends and sees Buzz mentally broken. He’s lost his place and his purpose.

3. Make It Personal

Tie the loss to the character’s internal arc. Maybe they realize they’ve become the very thing they feared, or that their flaw has caused the failure.

Example: In Spider-Man 2, Peter gives up being Spider-Man. He feels he’s let everyone down and starts to question if he can be both Peter and the hero.

4. Foreshadow It

The darkest hour shouldn’t come out of nowhere. Lay the groundwork. Let small cracks build into a break.

Example: If your hero’s overconfidence leads to betrayal, make sure you’ve hinted at their arrogance earlier.

5. Keep the Tone Consistent

This isn’t the time for comic relief or sudden tone shifts. Let the scene breathe. Let the emotions linger.

Checklist for Your Darkest Hour

Here’s a handy checklist to make sure your Darkest Hour delivers maximum impact:

Have you taken something important away from your protagonist? (Not just a thing, but something emotionally vital—like trust, belief, love, or control.)
Is the character’s goal now seemingly impossible? This raises stakes and sets up the final act.
Does the character feel truly alone or powerless? Isolation increases vulnerability and tension.
Has their flaw or fear contributed to the loss? This connects the external event to internal growth.
Does this moment force a choice or turning point? The best darkest hours lead to clarity, courage, or change.
Is the scene emotionally resonant for the reader? If the reader cares about your character, they should feel this moment deeply.
Is this followed by a slow rise or spark of hope? The next beat, often called the “Break into Act 3”, should show the beginning of a comeback.

When Should You Write a Darkest Hour in Your Story?

In most standard three-act structures, the Darkest Hour happens around the 75%-85% mark of the story, just before the final act kicks off.

Here's where it sits in context:

Act 1 (Beginning): Introduce character, world, inciting incident ;
Act 2A (Middle Rising Action): Character actively pursues goal ;
Midpoint: A big twist or shift in understanding ;
Act 2B (Descent): Things get harder, stakes escalate ;
Darkest Hour / All Is Lost (End of Act 2): Everything falls apart ;
Act 3 (Final Act): Character regroups, grows, and confronts the climax.

Tip: The more your protagonist has grown attached to something (an idea, relationship, or belief), the more it hurts when that thing is shattered.

If you’re writing a longer novel or a multi-POV story, you might have several "mini darkest hours" for each arc, but there’s usually one major moment that unifies or breaks the characters just before the end.