Apathy

Apathy
Apathetic and emotionless, Utsuro (Gintama) considered his 500 years of immortality being an empty existence, and even the mind-reading Batou considers him to be "empty".
Power/Ability to:	Suppress one's emotions or possess none at all.

"It was not apathy. It was an intelligent disinterest in those things that could have no bearing on one's existence."

― Tanith Lee

"It's kinda like how I carry a little piece of onion around with me, to illicit tears in case someone needs me to feel something about what they said or doing; you know what I mean?"

― Dennis Reynolds (It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia)

"Dear God...! It's true... I feel no pain!! Not the slightest jab of remorse...or love. Truly, I am Free!! Free to last purse my scientific work without the moral restraints of Essex, unhurried by the threat of mortality. I AM FREE!!"

― Nathanial Essex after his transformation into Mister Sinister (Marvel Comics)

"Did you expect a tear-filled apology? Do you have no idea who I am? What I do? Asking me to feel bad about killing someone is like asking you to feel bad for breathing."

― Lester/Bullseye to Agent Joy Jones (Marvel Comics)

"As I said, the entire point of emulating Spock was to rise above human emotion, which I’ve spent a lifetime mastering."

― Sheldon Cooper (The Big Bang Theory)

The power to suppress/negate emotions in oneself or possess none at all. Sub-power of Emotion Negation. Opposite to Empathy and Enhanced Emotions. Not to be confused with Tranquil State.

Also Called

• Anti-Empathy
• Belle Indifference
• Blunted Effect
• Desensitization
• Detached Mind
• Emotion/Empathic Defiance/Immunity/Ignoring/Ignorance
• Emotionally Free/Liberated
• Emotionless/Emotionlessness
• Emotionless Shell
• Indifference
• Mushin (No Mind) (無心)
• Perfect Poker Face
• Ruthlessness
• Self-Emotion Negation
• Stoicism
• Untethered Emotions

Capabilities

Users of this ability can suppress or negate emotions in themselves or do not possess emotions at all, allowing them to ignore; emotional distractions, suffering from psychological/emotional stress, and/or feeling from affecting their thinking processes. In some cases, the user is simply unable to feel emotions of any kind.

Applications

• Fearlessness
• Indomitable Will
• Immunity to emotion-based powers
• Power Mimicry Immunity to Empathic Mimicry
• Able to slip past any form of lie detection, and be capable of perfect deception and flawless acting.
• Gain a flawlessly logical mentality, which grants a shrewd, detached perception of the world
• Gain an objective understanding of anything; issues, situations, etc. that others would not be able to achieve
• Gain perfect efficacy and efficiency unhindered by emotions, granting optimal action at all times

Techniques

• Abstinence: unable to feel a physical attraction to another.
• Alcohol Immunity: To a degree, the user can compose oneself from emotional and erratic behavior. Only appearing unfazed even when drunk or lethally intoxicated.
• Aniothability: unable to feel negative emotions. This doesn't mean the user will always be happy, only that they will never feel sad, angry, etc.
• Apprehension Immunity:  unable to feel anxiety, concern, trouble or worries of any kind
• Catiothability: unable to feel positive emotions.
• Clear Mind
• Discomfort Immunity: Unable to feel emotional discomfort.
• Fearlessness: Unable to feel fear.
• Flinching Immunity: Unable to react at all to fear, intimidation, pain, surprise, etc.
• Morality Transcendence: Unable to feel the notions right and wrong.
• Omni-Apathy: Absolute form.
• Pain Suppression: Unable to feel emotional pain.

Associations

• Affinity
  • Calmness Empowerment
  • Loneliness Empowerment
  • Neutral Empowerment
  • Patience Empowerment
  • Peace Empowerment
• Calm State
• Consciousness Shattering
• Empathy
• Empathic Shield
• Emotion Manipulation
• Emotion Negation
• Emotion Regulation
• Emotion Removal
• Heartlessness
• Loneliness Embodiment
• Melancholy Embodiment
• Nihilism Embodiment
• Sloth Embodiment
• Soullessness
• State of Mind
• Tranquil State

Limitations

• Can still suffer from certain mental disorders that don't involve emotions (ADHD, DID, and so on.)
• May not be able to switch it off.
• May only suppress certain emotions.
• Will clash with any emotion-based abilities the user has.
• High-level users of Emotion Inducement may be able to give emotions to the user.
• Weak against Primordial Emotion Manipulation.
• Without emotive drive may lack the will to live.

Known Users

See Also: Emotion Suppression and Lack of Empathy.

Cartoons/Comics

• Darren, The Ancient Sleeper (Adventure Time)
• Olrik (Blake and Mortimer)
• Eustace Bagge (Courage the Cowardly Dog)
• Bruce Wayne/Batman (DC Comics)
• Slade Wilson/Deathstroke (DC Comics)
• The Dawnbreaker (DC Comics)
• Raven (DC Comics)
• Scarecrow (DC Comics)
• Midnighter (Wildstorm/DC Comics)
• Timmy Turner (Fairly OddParents); in Emotion Commotion!
• Six (Generator Rex); formerly
• Aya (Green Lantern: The Animated Series)
• Viltrumites (Image Comics); formerly
• Adam Destine (Marvel Comics)
• Nathaniel Essex/Mister Sinister (Marvel Comics)
• Kraven the Hunter (Marvel Comics)
• Lester/Bullseye (Marvel Comics)
• Morris Maxwell (Marvel Comics)
• Man-Thing (Marvel Comics)
• Sage/Tessa (Marvel Comics)
• Teon Macik/Primal (Marvel Comics)
• Practitioners of the Hercules Method (The Strange Talent of Luther Strode)
• Alexander Solomon (Valiant Entertainment)
• Bloodshot (Valiant Entertainment); formerly
• Huey Freeman (The Boondocks)
• The Whisperers (The Walking Dead)

Live Television

• Marcus Ayers (Alphas)
• Daniel Osbourne (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
• Rennek Soldiers (Charmed)
• Cybermen (Doctor Who)
• Daleks (Doctor Who)
• Stabs (Doctor Who)
• Zoe Washburne (Firefly/Serenity)
• Petyr Baelish/Littlefinger (Game of Thrones)
• Tywin Lannister (Game of Thrones)
• Kirsten (Stitchers); mental condition
• Sayid Jarrah (Lost)
• Mork (Mork & Mindy)
• Cora (Once Upon A Time)
• Vulcans (Star Trek)
• Angels (Supernatural)
• Soulless Humans (Supernatural)
• Vampires (The Vampire Diaries)
• Naga Ray (Uchu Sentai Kyuranger)

Video Games

• Revenant (Apex Legends)
• Yasha (Asura's Wrath)
• Handsome Jack (Borderlands)
• Tranquil (Dragon Age origins, Dragon Age 2, and Dragon Age Inquisition)
• Byleth (Fire Emblem: Three Houses)
• Eve (Elsword); as Code: Battle Seraph/Code: Sariel
• Claude (Grand Theft Auto III)
• Agent 47 (Hitman)
• Bronya Zaychik (Honkai Impact 3rd)
• Xehanort (Kingdom Hearts)
• Heartless (Kingdom Hearts)
• Non-humanoid Nobodies (Kingdom Hearts)
• Unversed (Kingdom Hearts)
• Widowmaker (Overwatch)
• Zombies (Quake Series)
• Hikage (Senran Kagura)
• Chara (Undertale)
• Iron Maiden (Valkyrie Crusade)
• Astaroth (Valkyrie Crusade)
• Ayano Aishi (Yandere Simulator)

Anime/Manga/Manhwa/Manhua

• Hajime Nagumo (Arifureta Sekai Saikyou)
• Kei Nagai (Ajin)
• Takeshi Kotobuki (Ajin)
• Elias Ainsworth (Ancient Magus' Bride)
• Yuuichiro Hanma (Baki the Grappler)
• Yuujiro Hanma (Baki the Grappler)
• Kazuo Kiriyama (Battle Royale)
• Shu (Blades of the Guardians)
• Sosuke Aizen (Bleach)
• Baraggan Louisenbairn (Bleach)
• Ulquiorra Cifer (Bleach)
• Tokinada Tsunayashiro (Bleach)
• Yu (The Boxer)
• Fyoder Dostoevsky (Bungo Stray Dogs)
• Mori Ougai (Bungo Stray Dogs)
• Osamu Dazai (Bungo Stray Dogs)
• Schneizel el Britannia (Code Geass)
• Rei Ogami (Code:Breaker)
• Yukihina (Code:Breaker)
• Hokuto (Corpse Princess)
• Contractors (Darker than Black)
• Dolls (Darker than Black)
• Lulu Bell (D.Gray-man)
• Ryuk (Death Note)
• Hit (Dragon Ball Super)
• D (Dual! Parallel Trouble Adventure); when in her bioroid body
• Lucy (Elfen Lied)
• Mard Geer Tartaros (Fairy Tail)
• Father (Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood)
• Sloth (Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood)
• Motoko Kusanagi (Ghost in the Shell)
• The Puppet Master (Ghost in the Shell)
• Utsuro (Gintama)
• Oboro (Gintama)
• Nobume Imai (Gintama); formerly
• Housen (Gintama)
• Duke Togo (Golgo 13)
• Euclid Lucifuge (Highschool DxD)
• Tsukiko Tsutsukakushi (Hentai Ouji to Warawanai Neko)
• Ruru Amour (Hugtto! Pretty Cure)
• Hida Nayuta (Hybrid × Heart Magias Academy Ataraxia)
• Thanatos (Hybrid × Heart Magias Academy Ataraxia)
• Kanna (InuYasha)
• Parasites and fusees (Parastye)
  • Migi
  • Shinichi Izumi; formerly
  • Gotou
• Doma (Kimetsu no Yaiba)
• Muzan Kibutsuji (Kimetsu no Yaiba)
• Ou Sen (Kingdom)
• Hou Ken (Kingdom)
• Bi Ki, the Queen Mother (Kingdom)
• Earl Shi (Kingdom)
• Yuu Ren (Kingdom)
• Demons (Love Tyrant); except Mavuro
• Orb of Caldia (Marchen Awakens Romance)
• Loco (Marchen Awakens Romance)
• Chimera (Marchen Awakens Romance)
• Kei Munakata (Medaka Box)
• Shigeo Kageyama/Mob (Mob Psycho 100)
• Johan Liebert (Monster)
• Gowther (Nanatsu no Taizai)
• Mamiko Kuri (Narutaru)
• Most Uchiha clan members (Naruto):
  • Fugaku Uchiha
  • Itachi Uchiha
  • Madara Uchiha
  • Obito Uchiha
  • Sasuke Uchiha
• Root Members (Naruto)
• Kimimaro (Naruto)
• Kushimaru Kuriarare (Naruto)
• Jinpachi Munashi (Naruto)
• Indra Otsutsuki (Naruto)
• Deepa (Boruto: Naruto the Next Generation)
• Kyubey (Puella Magi Madoka Magica)
• Bartholomew Kuma (One Piece)
• Vinsmoke Ichiji (One Piece)
• Vinsmoke Niji (One Piece)
• Vinsmoke Yonji (One Piece)
• Vergo (One Piece)
• Ainz Ooal Gown (Overlord)
• Renner Theiere Chardelon Ryle Vaiself (Overlord)
• Cyrus (Pokémon)
• Paul (Pokémon)
• Mytho (Princess Tutu)
• Mordred (Radiant)
• Sakura Kashima (Rewrite)
• Sojiro Seta (Rurouni Kenshin)
• Anji Yukyuzan (Rurouni Kenshin)
• Aoshi Shinomori (Rurouni Kenshin)
• Yuki Nagato (The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi)
• Tatsuya Shiba (The Irregular at Magic High School)
• Kusuo Saiki (Saiki Kusuo no Psi-nan)
• Woo Jin-Chul (Solo Leveling)
• Index Librorum Prohibitorum (Toaru Majutsu No Index); via John's Pen mode
• Arima Kishou (Tokyo Ghoul)
• Legato Bluesummers (Trigun)
• Kirei Kotomine (TYPE-MOON)
• Mitsuru Kamekura (TYPE-MOON)
• Solomon (TYPE-MOON); via Revelation
• D (Vampire Hunter D)
• Violet Evergarden (Violet Evergarden)
• Strings (Yu-Gi-Oh!)
• Humans who lost their dream demons (Yumekui Merry)
• Clear Note (Zatch Bell!)
• Dufort (Zatch Bell!)

Other

• The Entity (Atop the Fourth Wall)
• Grey Lanterns (Channel Awesome)
• Michael Myers (Halloween)
• Lie Ren (RWBY)
• Keill Randor (Last Legionary)
• Mycroft Holmes (Sherlock Holmes novels)
• Professor James Moriarty (Sherlock Holmes novels)
• Cris (The Golden Man)
• The Jedi Order (Star Wars)
• Grey Jedi (Star Wars)
• Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader (Star Wars)
• Tom Riddle/Lord Voldemort (Harry Potter)
• Severus Snape (Harry Potter)
• The Warlock (The Warlock's Hairy Heart)
• Dr. Charles Gears (SCP Foundation)
• "Cured" Foundation personnel; SCP 5000 - Why? (SCP Foundation)
• SCP-5514 - The Dragonslayer (SCP Foundation)

Gallery

Anime/Manga/Manhwa

Partially driven mad by suffering, Nagumo Hajime (Arifureta Sekai Saikyou) has abandoned most of his compassion and mercy, killing all his enemies in cold blood.

Akame (Akame Ga Kill!) has been conditioned to be a near-emotionless assassin who is notorious for killing her targets in cold blood.

Kurome (Akame Ga Kill!) has been conditioned to be a near-emotionless assassin who is notorious for killing her targets in cold blood.

Kazuo Kiriyama (Battle Royale) is completely emotionless due to brain damage, allowing him to operate at full efficiency in everything, and is considered a demon of emptiness.

Once known for his heartlessness during his time as an Eraser for Chronos, Train Heartnet (Black Cat) would kill his targets efficiently and mercilessly.

The Executive Militia (Bleach) of the Onmitsukidō are known for their cold-bloodedness to execute traitors.

Ulquiorra Cifer (Bleach) represented the nihilistic aspect of death, and as such, showed no emotions.

Tokinada Tsunayashiro (Bleach) was a complete apathic sociopath, due to reading the Original Sin committed by his ancestors corrupting his sense of morality.

With eyes like that of a reaper, Rei Ōgami (Code:Breaker) can kill anyone he deems evil in cold blood, ignoring all pleas and reasons.

Yukihina (Code:Breaker) remains stoic whether expressing to avenge his friend's death, slicing through Houkabe's hostage, or blowing a pleading Houkabe apart.

LuluBell (D.Gray-man) is the only Noah who doesn't show emotions or caring at all, mercilessly killing Akuma's if failed to do the task. The only time she ever showed emotions when witnessing Mimi's death.

Hei (Darker than Black) became a Contractor when his sister fused with him, thus (mostly) acting on rationality and logic while not letting emotions get in his way.

Luc (Darker than Black) is typical for a Contractor, being aloof and indifferent even when his partner Kenneth insulted him.

Wei Zhijun (Darker than Black) is a Contractor, thus acting on rationality and logic while discarding his emotions. However, he developed an obsessive grudge against Hei, which was unnatural for Contractors.

Harvest (Darker than Black) is a Contractor, thus acting on rationality and logic while discarding his emotions. However, he developed an obsessive grudge against Hei, which was unnatural for Contractors.

Tanya Akulova (Darker than Black) is a Contractor, thus acting on rationality and logic while discarding her emotions. Such that she easily killed her boyfriend when he would not give up on her.

As a doll, Yin (Darker than Black) has no emotions, however, Yin displayed emotions and her own will. Although emotionless she possesses a deep connection to Hei to the point of falling in love with him.

Showing the typical apathetic trait of Saiyans, Vegeta (Dragon Ball Z) easily dispose of Nappa for losing his ability to fight despite their longtime comradeship.

Broly (Dragon Ball series) crushing his father and his space pod for trying to abandon him on a dying planet, showing a cruel disregard for even a parent who raised him.

Although Ryuk (Death Note) may seem sociable and at times vulnerable to easy mind games, in the end he is a still Shinigami, uncaring for humanity, as he coldly killed Light Yagami once he saw the man has nothing more to offer him.

Mard Geer Tartarus (Fairy Tail) has long since suppressed his own emotions and believed that emotions are a hindrance.

Euclid Lucifuge (Highschool DxD) became immensely nihilistic and apathetic after his sister betrayed their master Lucifer, to the point he can destroy countless innocent lives without a single shred of remorse.

Kanna (InuYasha) is a demon of the void and has no emotions as a result.

Learning to deny her emotions during her intense training, Chimera (Marchen Awakens Romance) is amongst the most silent and mysterious Chess Pieces.

Loco (Marchen Awakens Romance) suffered an unknown tragedy in her past which broke her spirit. As a result, her eyes and voice alike display no emotion.

As a creature created from collected evil energy, Orb (Marchen Awakens Romance) never shows any emotion or humanity aside from the malevolent thoughts of the souls that created him.

Due a lack of parental love, Sasori (Naruto) grow into an apathetic and cold man, his puppet body is a physical metaphor of an empty and emotionless vessel.

Sai (Naruto) has gone through Root's extensive mental condition and training, resulting in him being almost completely emotionless, until spending time with Team 7 and Naruto Uzumaki.

Sasuke Uchiha (Naruto) cruelly and apathetically piercing through his comrade Karin to kill Danzō Shimura in order to avenge his brother, Itachi's sufferings.

Obito Uchiha (Naruto) shows no sympathy for anyone due to his hatred of reality, causing the death of his mentor and violently attacking his former comrade and friend, Kakashi Hatake.

Kisame Hoshigaki (Naruto) is like many Blood Mist era Kirigakure ninjas, being conditioned to abandon their emotional attachments by killing comrades, something Kisame is all so willing to do.

Madara Uchiha (Naruto) cruelly and apathetically stabs his fellow-clansman, Sasuke, for the sake of his own Eye of the Moon Plan/Project Tsuki no Me.

Unlike his colleagues, the Sound Four, Kimimaro (Naruto) very rarely showed any emotion.

After massacring his entire clan, Itachi Uchiha (Naruto) hid away his pain, feelings, and secrets for the sake of protecting his brother, Sasuke.

Kushimaru Kuriarare (Naruto) is one of the "Heartless Pair", having committed many cruel acts that included killing his own teacher...

Jinpachi Munashi being the other one, having killed his own brother among other cruel acts.

Indra Otsutsuki (Naruto) was Hagaromo's eldest son, who despite being incredibly gifted in every known jutsu lacked the compassion his sibling inherited.

Deepa (Boruto) is an apathetic sociopath, remorselessly killing civilians after eating in a restaurant simply to keep his own identity elusive, in that even his comrades neither trust nor understand him.

When Bartholomew Kuma (One Piece) became a living weapon, he lost his free will and became a heartless "human weapon".

The Vinsmoke Brothers (One Piece) were genetically modified to have their emotions completely removed to the point they are apathetic even towards their own deaths.

When Shinichi Izumi (Parasyte) had his cells fused with Migi to repair his heart and before the death of Reiko Tamura, he became distant, unsympathetic, and lost the ability to empathize with others, as he not only thinks but feels emotionless like a parasite.

Seta Sōjirō (Rurouni Kenshin) giving his trademark false smile, hiding his emotions and rendering him unreadable.

Yūkyūzan Anji's (Rurouni Kenshin) tragic past led him to become apathetically ruthless towards evil such as the village chief, ignoring the man's pleas for mercy as he crushed his head.

Shinomori Aoshi (Rurouni Kenshin) discarded his emotions when his four comrades died saving him, in his path to gain the title of the strongest.

Gowther (The Seven Deadly Sins) lost all his memories, feelings, and entire sense of self after he removed his artificial heart.

After her dream demon was killed, Yumi (Yumekui Merry) lost all her hopes and dreams, leaving her an apathetic and emotionless shell.

Because of his empty mind, Strings (Yu-Gi-Oh!) is unable to display any emotions.

Having been experimented on and abused for most of his life, Dufort (Zatch Bell!) rarely displays emotion for the world he has come to hate.

Believing his destiny is to cause absolute destruction, Clear Note (Zatch Bell!) can do sadistic and evil actions in a calm and near-emotionless manner.

Ou Sen (Kingdom)

Bi Ki, the Queen Mother of Qin (Kingdom)

Earl Shi (Kingdom)

After killing her little sister in the Shiyuu ritual, Yuu Ren (Kingdom) completely severed any emotional attachments to finalize her training as a full-fledged assassin of Clan Shiyuu but slowly went insane as a full result.

When she was human, Hida Nayuta (Hybrid × Heart Magias Academy Ataraxia) lacked any human emotions, feeling nothing for all forms of life. Even her own children meant nothing to her when they had no more uses for her.

A quiet man, Golgo 13/Duke Togo (Golgo 13) shows no remorse toward his targets as he coldly kills anyone who gets in his way.

Johan Liebert (Monster) often shows complete apathy for life, he is able to use others without any remorse.

Kyubey (Puella Magi Madoka Magica)

After shattering his heart to seal the Raven away, Mytho (Princess Tutu) lost his ability to feel emotion.

A solid man, Woo Jin-Chul (Solo Leveling) rarely shows any emotional expressions.

As a skilled assassin, Killua Zoldyck (Hunter x Hunter) can suppress his emotions to focus on killing his enemies.

Cartoons/Comics

Olrik (Blake and Mortimer) is known for his extreme ruthlessness, as he ignored Septimus' desperate begging and crying for mercy and disintegrated him with the Telecephaloscope in revenge for brainwashing him.

Phoebe (Charmed) discovers that Rennek's soldiers had no emotions.

Raven (DC Comics) uses her empathic abilities to negate her own emotions.

Due to years of exposure to his own chemicals, Scarecrow (DC Comics) lost his capacity to feel, granting him immunity to the cause of the Black Lantern Corps.

The Dawnbreaker (DC Comics) feels no emotion, leaving only a void of darkness he can manifest through his corrupted ring.

After his transformation into Mister Sinister, Nathanial Essex (Marvel Comics) became a ruthless and sadistic man who has no compunctions about ruining or taking away the lives of others, his creations, and test subjects.

The Whisperers (The Walking Dead comic) are a cult who brainwash themselves into believing civilization is a myth, they refuse to believe in things like names and emotions.

Live Television

Daleks (Doctor Who) possess no emotions other than hate and an instinct to survive, thus making them very ruthless.

Cybermen (Doctor Who) believe emotions and biological urges are beneath them.

Sayid Jarrah (Lost) lost all feelings of emotion after being "claimed" by the Man in Black.

Spock (Star Trek) is a well-known user of this ability.

Sam Winchester (Supernatural) became emotionless after losing his soul, becoming "Robo" Sam.

Video Games

Agent 47 (Hitman) is the iconic hitman, with supreme control over his emotions. It's this and his many skills, that make him one of the best assassins around.

Ansem (Kingdom Hearts), being a Heartless, cannot feel emotions.

Each incarnation of Master Xehanort (Kingdom Hearts) inherits the original's lack of empathy and selfishness towards the lives of others. It's this quality among other things that have kept him alive for so long.

Widowmaker (Overwatch) has been altered to have a drastically slowed heart rate, numbing her ability to feel emotion and making her an effective assassin.

Iron Maiden (Valkyrie Crusade) being an automaton designed to kill, is completely emotionless.

Astaroth (Valkyrie Crusade) is completely immune to and unable to feel love.

Revenant (Apex Legends) has a disturbing lack of emotions and empathy, that even by machine standards he's abominable.

Others

The Warlock (The Warlock's Hairy Heart) removed his heart from his own body via dark magic to prevent himself from feeling emotions, specifically love.

Doctor Charles Gears (SCP Foundation)