What Happens if You Name Yourself Gaster in Undertale and Deltarune?
The mystery surrounding W.D. Gaster is one of the most compelling aspects of the Undertale and Deltarune universes. He’s a character shrouded in ambiguity, existing more as a collection of cryptic hints and unsettling glitches than a tangible entity. Therefore, it’s no surprise that players are fascinated by what happens when they attempt to directly engage with this enigma by naming their characters after him. The answer is simple yet profound: in both games, naming yourself Gaster results in the game preventing you from playing, albeit in slightly different ways.
In Undertale, attempting to name your character “Gaster” triggers a unique response. Instead of allowing you to proceed with the game, the characters within the game universe will seemingly communicate to you in various ways to chose your own name instead. When you try this, the game will prevent you from continuing further, effectively preventing you from starting your adventure with the name Gaster. The reasoning stems from Gaster’s lore; in the game’s narrative, he is an individual who “doesn’t exist.” As such, choosing his name essentially makes you not exist within the game’s reality.
In Deltarune, the interaction is even more direct. If you name either your vessel (the player character) or the game’s creator “GASTER,” the game will close immediately upon hitting the final “R”. There are no cryptic messages, no in-game interventions—just a complete and sudden termination of the application. This abrupt shut down underscores the game’s design intent: Gaster is not a name you can use within the established framework. It is a name that breaks the rules, resulting in the player being kicked out of the game.
Gaster’s Impact: Why the Name Matters
The reaction to the name “Gaster” is not just a quirky programming easter egg. It’s a deliberate move by the developers to maintain the character’s mystique. Gaster’s ambiguity is central to his appeal; making him a usable character would undermine his enigmatic nature. This is why he is a character that has no in-game appearance. He is presented only through scattered evidence and fan speculation.
The actions surrounding the name Gaster also serve as an interesting form of fourth-wall breaking. It communicates to the player that they are not just playing a game, but are within an established world with rules even the game’s code seemingly enforces. This reinforces the core themes of choice, consequence and self-awareness often explored in the Undertale and Deltarune universes.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What other names have unique responses in Undertale?
In Undertale, several character names trigger special responses. Naming yourself after existing characters prompts the game characters to suggest that you choose a different name. For example, naming yourself Toriel, Sans, Papyrus, or Undyne will illicit a response in order to discourage that name, ultimately preventing the player from using these names.
2. Does naming yourself Chara affect gameplay?
Naming yourself Chara does not alter gameplay mechanics. It does, however, add a meta-narrative element, acknowledging you are using the name of the first fallen human from Undertale lore. It essentially makes your gameplay more lore-accurate, but it has no other mechanical effect.
3. What is Hard Mode in Undertale and how is it triggered?
Hard Mode in Undertale is a slightly modified and more difficult version of the game, but is incomplete. It’s triggered by naming yourself Frisk. However, the Hard Mode route ends after the Ruins area of the game because it was not completed by the game’s developers.
4. Can you name yourself Flowey in Undertale?
You can name yourself Flowey in Undertale. Similar to other character names, it prompts characters to suggest you chose another name. While it doesn’t trigger a unique event, it shows that the game recognizes the characters’ names and reacts accordingly.
5. Why does naming yourself Frisk activate Hard Mode?
Naming yourself Frisk activates Undertale’s Hard Mode because Frisk is the default name assigned to the human when no name is entered. As the player can change this, the game recognizes it as being an intentional action to use a name that is not your own. The game then triggers the Hard Mode version.
6. What happens if you name yourself Kris in Deltarune?
If you name either the vessel or the creator Kris in Deltarune, the game responds with “
7. Is Frisk a girl or a boy?
Frisk is canonically a gender-neutral character. The game uses they/them pronouns for Frisk, allowing players to project their own gender onto the character. The ambiguity surrounding Frisk’s gender is intentional to facilitate player immersion.
8. Does naming your character Frisk make the game harder?
Naming your character Frisk makes the game harder only for as long as it allows you to play. The change only occurs in the Ruins of the game, and ends after the Toriel fight. As this path isn’t fully implemented, after the fight the game presents a splash screen and forces you to restart the game with a different name.
9. How is the Genocide ending achieved?
The Genocide ending in Undertale is achieved by killing every monster in every area. This includes triggering random encounters to ensure all enemies are eliminated. This path permanently affects your save file, tainting it even in future playthroughs.
10. Is Flowey afraid of Frisk or Chara?
Flowey is not afraid of Frisk in most situations. However, Flowey is afraid of Chara. This is based on the premise that Chara’s influence in the game is dangerous and they are an antagonist.
11. Why does Flowey cry?
Flowey “cries” during the Photoshop Flowey fight when his health drops below half. The face Flowey makes after loading a save file is a reference to the “Troll Face” meme, indicating he has “trolled” you, the player.
12. Does killing Flowey ruin a pacifist run?
Killing Flowey in a neutral run does not disqualify you from achieving the Pacifist ending. However, Flowey will not be available at the end of the game to provide you with instructions on how to trigger the ending.
13. Is Chara evil?
In Undertale’s canon, Chara is often depicted as an evil character. Asriel, Chara’s own friend, states that they were not a good person. This is directly in the games canon.
14. What is the soulless pacifist ending?
The Soulless Pacifist ending occurs when you attempt the True Pacifist ending after having already completed the Genocide ending. In the final scene, Frisk will be depicted with red eyes and a sinister smile, implying Chara is taking over.
15. Is Gaster related to Sans?
The connection between Gaster and Sans is intentionally ambiguous. While many fan theories posit they are related (often as father and son), the game leaves this up to interpretation. There is some speculation that they are brothers. Some alternate universes have Gaster being portrayed as the father to both Sans and Papyrus.
In conclusion, the reaction to the name “Gaster” in Undertale and Deltarune goes beyond a simple programming trick. It’s a deliberate attempt to uphold the character’s enigmatic nature and emphasize the self-aware and meta-narrative aspects of the games. It’s a reminder that some mysteries are best left unsolved, and some names carry weight beyond just a string of letters.