The phrase "he's in some kind of snowgrave" has become a chilling, almost darkly comedic piece of internet lore, but its origins lie in one of the most disturbing paths a player can take in a modern video game. As of December 17, 2025, the Snowgrave Route in Toby Fox's *Deltarune Chapter 2* remains the single most discussed and theorized aspect of the entire series, representing a radical, dark departure from the game's core themes of choice and friendship. This article dives deep into the meaning of the quote, the mechanics of the route, and the massive, story-altering implications it has for the upcoming *Deltarune Chapters 3, 4, and 5*.
The infamous line is a fan-made meme, a simplified, almost casual description of a truly horrifying event: the fate of the character Berdly after the player forces their companion, Noelle Holiday, to use the devastating spell SnowGrave. This path, officially known as the Weird Route, challenges the player's moral compass and promises a unique, potentially catastrophic future for the world of the Dark World and its inhabitants.
Key Players and The Architect of The Weird Route
The "he" in the phrase refers directly to the character Berdly, while the "snowgrave" is the ultimate consequence of the player's actions. To understand the route's gravity, one must first know the central figures involved and the visionary behind their story.
Creator and Primary Characters Profile
- Toby Fox (Creator): Born October 11, 1991, Toby Fox is an American video game developer, composer, and musician best known for creating the critically acclaimed RPGs *Undertale* and *Deltarune*. He serves as the primary writer and composer for the series, deliberately crafting the Snowgrave Route to explore the darkest possibilities of player control, much like the Genocide Route in *Undertale*.
- Kris Dreemurr (The Protagonist/Player Vessel): A silent human protagonist and the party leader, Kris is the character the player controls. In the Snowgrave Route, Kris is stripped of their agency, becoming a vessel for the player's cruel commands, forcing Noelle to perform terrible acts.
- Noelle Holiday (The Accomplice): A timid, kind-hearted reindeer Lightner and classmate of Kris. She is the central figure of the Weird Route, as the player manipulates her deep-seated anxieties and fears to force her into killing enemies using her ice magic, leading to severe psychological trauma.
- Berdly (The Victim): A self-proclaimed "Number 1" student and a competitive, often arrogant classmate. In the climax of the Snowgrave Route, Berdly is encased in a block of ice by Noelle's ultimate spell, SnowGrave, leaving his fate ambiguous but dire—hence the fan quote.
The Anatomy of The Snowgrave Route: How to Achieve The Worst Ending
The Snowgrave Route is not stumbled upon by accident; it requires a series of deliberate, meticulous, and morally questionable choices. It is a path of isolation, where the player actively pushes away the main party members, Susie and Ralsei, to focus solely on manipulating Noelle.
The Three Core Mechanics of Manipulation
The route’s progression is tied to three specific actions that differentiate it from a normal playthrough:
- Forcing Kills with Ice Shock: The player must use the "Recruit" menu option, then select "Proceed," and finally command Noelle to use her Ice Shock spell to defeat (kill) every single encounter in Cyber City. This is done by repeatedly selecting the "Proceed" dialogue option, overriding Noelle's increasingly desperate protests.
- Acquiring The Freeze Ring: This exclusive item is crucial. It is obtained by having Noelle freeze the Tasque Manager mini-boss. The item replaces Noelle's standard Silver Watch, symbolizing her descent into a weapon for the player.
- The ThornRing and Spamton's Role: The player must purchase the ThornRing from the secret merchant Spamton G. Spamton in the trash area. This ring, which harms the wearer, is meant to be equipped by Noelle, further emphasizing the player's cruelty and the character's suffering. Spamton, in his own fragmented dialogue, seems to acknowledge the player's dark intent, calling the path the "Pipis Route" or the "Command Route."
The Climax: Berdly's Fate and The SnowGrave Spell
The route culminates in a confrontation with Berdly, who attempts to stop the party's destructive path. The player's final command to Noelle is to use the ultimate spell, SnowGrave. The spell is a direct, terrifying consequence of the player's choices, freezing Berdly solid and leaving him in a state of stasis.
This is the moment that birthed the infamous quote. Upon returning to the Light World, the player finds Berdly's body still encased in ice, suggesting that the effects of the Dark World magic have persisted. The fan-parody "he's in some kind of snowgrave" lightens the mood of a truly horrifying scene, where the player has effectively murdered a classmate by forcing their friend to do it. The original scene is far more unsettling, with Noelle showing signs of deep dissociation and trauma, asking Kris about a watch she doesn't recognize, a chilling sign of the player's control.
The Terrifying Consequences for Deltarune Chapters 3-7
The most compelling reason for the Snowgrave Route's continued relevance is its unknown impact on the rest of the series. Unlike the main path, the Weird Route is confirmed to have unique, lasting consequences that will carry over into the unreleased chapters.
Current Theories and Narrative Implications (2025)
- Permanent Character Changes: Noelle Holiday is expected to be fundamentally changed. Her trauma and the power she wielded under the player's control will likely manifest in new dialogue, abilities, or even a new, darker personality in future chapters.
- The Berdly Question: Is Berdly truly dead? Some theories suggest he is merely in a state of suspended animation, and his frozen body will be a key plot point in Chapter 3 or Chapter 4. His death is not explicitly confirmed, leaving a sliver of hope that the consequences are reversible, though unlikely.
- A Darker Narrative Path: Fan speculation suggests that the Weird Route for Chapters 3, 4, and 5 will be even more diabolical, with the game directly acknowledging the player's actions in Chapter 2. Some unconfirmed theories even suggest that Chapter 4 might automatically place the player on a Snowgrave-like path if the previous route was completed, making the cycle of cruelty harder to break.
- The Role of The Player: The route is a meta-commentary on the player's desire for a "Genocide" path, rewarding the player's curiosity with a narrative that makes them feel like the true villain, not Kris. The future chapters will likely continue to explore the player's relationship with the vessel, Kris Dreemurr, and the true meaning of "choice" in a world where the story is supposedly "set in stone."
The Legacy: Why Snowgrave Endures
The Snowgrave Route and the accompanying meme "he's in some kind of snowgrave" have cemented their place in gaming history. The route is a masterclass in psychological horror, using the player's own power fantasy against them. It is a terrifying exploration of manipulation, control, and the devastating effects of forcing a kind person like Noelle Holiday to commit atrocities.
The narrative weight of this route—the death of Berdly, the trauma inflicted on Noelle, and the subtle shift in the story's tone—is arguably the most important cliffhanger leading into the next installments of *Deltarune*. The community eagerly awaits the release of the next chapters to see just how deep the snow grave truly goes.
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