The true nature of "Chara" and Frisk (SPOILERS)

[MPO]

I know this is something people have already pieced together, but seeing some confusion and wanting to talk out the whole story in one place prompted me to write this interpretation of the facts.

First of all, we're talking about the first fallen human, whom you meet at the end of a Genocide run. Though the community refers to them as Chara for a few reasons (the game calling it "the true name" and its use in promotional materials), you name this entity when you begin the game. Toby Fox, the creator, was asked on Twitter what players were supposed to name the fallen child, to which he answered that we should name them after ourselves. They had their own life in the game:[undertale.wikia.com] they are long deceased, lacking a soul, was laid to rest in a coffin in the castle, then carried by Toriel to the Ruins for burial under what is now a plot of golden flowers she grooms. However, since we should give them the player's real name, there is still some sort of connection between us. Finally, it's worth noting that Chara takes after the word "characteristics."

This is further complicated by the character Frisk, whom we control and is the eighth fallen human.[undertale.wikia.com] Coincidentally, they fell on the same groomed plot of flowers above Chara! They are described as exceptionally similar to Chara in appearance, even with "similar fashion sense." Both are also depicted as being of ambiguous gender and race, which is key to facilitate them representing the player - but we'll get to that.

Let's quickly review what happens with these two in the Pacifist[undertale.wikia.com] and Genocide[undertale.wikia.com] endings. In Pacifist, we learn that the character we were controlling is named Frisk, despite the player apparently naming them what we had named Chara. In Genocide, we turn out as Chara fully controlling Frisk. But who really is Chara?

We find out in the Genocide endings, in which Chara directly speaks to the player. Remember, we (the player) and Chara have the same name, and they identify as such. In the first Genocide ending, they make the following statements.

Your power awakened me from death. My "human soul." My "determination." They were not mine, but YOURS. At first, I was so confused. ...Why was I brought back to life? ... You. With your guidance. I realized the purpose of my reincarnation. Power. Together, we eradicated the enemy and became strong. ...Every time a [stat] number increases, that feeling... That's me. "[YOUR NAME]."

Regardless of your will at this point, they then permanently destroy the game's world ("SINCE WHEN WERE YOU THE ONE IN CONTROL?"). You will be "together forever" as "partners." Upon a second genocide run, their speech is different:

"[YOUR NAME]." The demon that comes when people call its name. It doesn't matter when. It doesn't matter where. Time after time, I will appear. And, with your help. We will eradicate the enemy and become strong.

However, this time Chara draws a major difference between themselves and the player, which is "a perverted sentimentality" inexplicable to them for reconquering the game.


So, what's the point of all this? The tl;dr is that Chara becomes you, and a part of you is Chara; they represent the player's lust for power. When the player begins the game, Chara (the first fallen human) is reincarnated into your will upon the game's world (i.e. "determination"). As such, they assume your name. The first event is Fritz awaking from their fall on Chara's grave, enabling Chara to control them. You control Chara. Their/your name is displayed in the character statistics. In the Pacifist route, you never express your tendency to seek and display power, allowing Frisk to remain their good-natured self. In the Genocide route, you let your inner Chara run wild, and Frisk is merely their/your in-game vessel. At the end, Chara materializes for a one-on-one with you after you've both won the game. They're not literally a demon; they're that part of you that seeks power in any RPG you play. This is explicitly stated by Chara, and "The demon that comes when people call its name" is a reference to when RPG's let you name your character. Though both Genocide speeches feature the "those stats going up is me!" thing, the second Genocide aftermath speech supports this more general interpretation.

As for them surprisingly finding you different, foreign, and inexplicable after a second Genocide run, I interpret that your lust for power being different from your other sense of sentimentality that motivated you to create and destroy the same thing you just conquered. It wasn't about eradication and becoming strong this time around, but what it identifies as "a perverted sentimentality" - which can either be true or synonymous with your sense of curiosity.

What do you think, and what did I get wrong?

[Tenor Sounds]

Reposting from a previous thread, since it seems relevant:

I always thought that Frisk was actually Chara's body revived, and that the "Soul" in the game is actually yours, the player's soul, and Chara/Frisk is "borrowing" your soul to exist in the world and is using your determination to SAVE and LOAD. By playing as a pacifist you're essentially overwriting Chara's negative aspects with your own intentions of being a pacifist, and this culminates in a new being, "Frisk".

By going the Genocide route, you're playing into Chara's original nature and making those murderous intentions stronger. You're essentially letting Chara use your soul and your determination to their own ends, and by the end they have enough power to simply ignore your commands and turn on you, the player.

I also think that "Chara" is not necessarily the first Fallen Child, but the inherent capacity to hurt and gain power through the suffering of others, and the need to consume all for your own amusement. The line "I'm the demon who comes when it's name is called" makes me think of all the characters I've played in RPGs that I've named after myself or use the same name, and that lines up with the whole "let's erase this world and move onto the next" bit.

So, basically I agree with most of what you wrote, but believe that lore-wise Frisk is actually Chara reincarnated by the player "calling" their name.

[Kain]

The way I see, Frisk is dead. When you start the game you're on a battle for dominance for the body so to speak, if you're peaceful you regain control as Frisk and leave or stay, it doesn't matter. If you're a murderer you slowly lose your mind and get possessed by Chara. There are a lot of hints about it the most obvious is how the Flower thinks you're Chara if you are evil, then as you perform more evil deeds you start to remember more and more of Chara's past, eventually you become him, the other hint about it is how when you find the coffin the player says, "It's as Comfortable as it looks" at that moment you're fully possessed.

Eventually at the end of the game you become so much like Chara that he is revived and then kills you since both your wishes at first were of complete enthropy.

If you force another reset after the genocide Chara concedes, because you're showing signs of regaining control, you might not have more determination than him but you are showing that you were evil because you wanted. Eventually he asks for your soul, but it was always his in the first place, he just gets it back.

When you destroy the world again he gets scared, because you're proven to be worse than him, he doesn't even ask for his soul again, because he already lost for your determination.

Now, I never did the peaceful playthough, all that I know is from what I read and I certainly don't know what the "tainted" peaceful run is about. But I'll try again.

[Scorpix]

I got theory which is quite interesting.

I think that Chara is some kind of a parasite which inhabits each human's soul which appers in the underground.

She feeds by hatred and souls, becoming stronger and stronger each LV and EXP untill she takes control at you.

Although Asriel at the end also wonders is it was destination or just your couriosity that you have fallen to the Underground.

[WireRedd]

"Chara" is short for "character." Interesting to note, in the sprite and image files for the game, the player sprite (Frisk) is labeled as "mainchara," for main character. There are also sprites that just say "Chara" that are indeed Chara.

I think "Chara" is just a placeholder name and isn't meant to be the first child's name at all. Better off used as a reference to the character that everyone names whatever they feel like.

[MPO]

Thanks guys! I love how this game allows for open interpretation.

[Dodger Fujisaki]

I have my own idea for the existence of Chara. Chara isn't exactly a human but a monster who took the corpse of the first fallen child for his own evil bidding. I also have a theory why the fallen child hates humanity, maybe he was abused by everyone, his family, his 'friends', and people he thought he could trust but in the end he just ran away so no one can harm him again. This may not be as detailed as every other person's ideas but at least I threw my two cents in XP.

[Bigsley]

Youve touched on a really cool concept, and i think your on an awesome track. I think if you dove a tiny bit deeper youd have like, essay material. So what your looking at is the fruedian concept of Id, Ego, and Superego. Id is the human need, the want, the lusting.Superego is the martyr, the mesiah, the community based indivdual, putting the group before the self. The ego is the middle ground, the compromise.I feel the 3 main endings are based around these 3 concepts. I think that in the game, when you give into the ID Your body is taken over by this desire, this need to take and become stronger, and this Id , this lust, is embodied in Chara. The Superego however, is when as a community, You, frisk, and your friends drive out this Id, you overcome your basic desires and become transcended beings, and build a community.(Ego is just the middle ground isnt to important, but would be the nuetral ending.) So what your really looking at, is this internal struggle, between Id and Superego. You can see this struggle in a lot of books, like lord of the flies for example. But the cool thing, is how it touched on power. You have two main ways to gain power, through self, or through murdering and becoming a strong , greedy self, OR you can build a strong community, and become powerful through friendship, and bonds. Great game, great post.

[Bigsley]

I meant Freud, Sigmund Freud.

[MPO]

Thanks, also for your input!

[-W3E-GoatTheftAuto]

Could you not make theories? This isn't Five Nights at Freddie's.

[MPO]

Undertale practically begs you to with its cryptic storylines. There isn't anything inherently wrong or unexciting about it.

[-W3E-GoatTheftAuto]

MPO の投稿を引用：

Undertale practically begs you to with its cryptic storylines. There isn't anything inherently wrong or unexciting about it.

I honestly don't see anything too cryptic about it. But Toby sounds like the kind of dev who would answer theories, like how he confirmed Frisk to be genderless.

[blizzard]

Wow, this is amazing! This isnt a theory. This is Canon! It makes so much sense. I feel like this is what toby fox wanted it to be. Make you feel its your fault they died.

[MPO]

Yep! Thanks!

[Floipd]

Sounds about right. When I rewatched someone else's Genocide playthrough it suddenly dawned on me as well that YOU are never Frisk. You are Chara, and you influence Frisk.
In pacifist you do nothing, or pherhaps you guide Frisk to do good.
In Genocide you use the medium Frisk to satisfy your inner-gamer with the stats ticking up. At the end of genocide the game merely shows you a mirror of what you are/became, the evil side of your conscience appears (much like the devil and angel popping up on people's shoulders in comics).