There is a popular theory that Zenji, Jiro, and Haku have all served as spies. Since Zenji has passed away, it is believed that whoever assigned him the role, whether it be the Darkwick administration or a faction within a brewing civil war, needed a replacement to handle the task.
If you look closely, these characters share similar traits that explain why they might be spies: they all have brothers. Zenji and Jiro were raised "in a cage" implying they may have been held hostage or under Darkwick’s control from the start.
The Case of Zenji and Jiro
Many believe one of these two brothers was used to control the other:
Jiro’s Perspective: One theory suggests Zenji was sick, and Jiro studied medicine to save him but failed. Darkwick may have offered Zenji treatment in exchange for Jiro performing assigned tasks.
Zenji’s Perspective: Zenji may have discovered Jiro was being used and chose to take his brother's place. He might have sacrificed himself for Jiro’s freedom, only for Darkwick to turn the brothers against each other. If Jiro was threatened with the end of Zenji’s treatment unless he stopped his brother from revealing secrets, he would have had no choice but to intervene.
The Outcome: Darkwick may have underestimated Zenji’s love for his brother. Zenji died in Jiro's arms, which could be the reason Jiro fell into a coma.
It’s also possible that Jiro was the sick one and Zenji was the one protecting him.
Haku: The Suspicious Transfer
Haku is highly suspicious. Despite his flirtatious behavior with MC, he maintains a distance as if afraid to get too involved. This suggests he knows more than he lets on. If the Time-loop theory is true, he might even retain memories of previous timelines.
The Connection to Yamato
Most players believe Haku has a brother named Yamato, who is suspected to be the fox in Jabberwock. Darkwick could be holding his brother against him as leverage. This would explain his transfer to Hotarubi:
Strategic Replacement: Darkwick may have assigned him to Hotarubi because the previous spy (Zenji) was there.
Personal Investigation: Haku may have transferred by choice because he knows Zenji’s ghost is still on campus. As a former spy, Zenji holds information Haku needs. This is likely why he hides Zenji’s existence from Darkwick and Subaru; he knows Darkwick would "get rid of" Zenji to silence him.
Hyde and Sho
Beyond the three we already know, let's talk about Sho and Hyde. There’s a popular theory that Sho isn't just at school for Leo, he’s there because Hyde needed a "clean" pair of hands for a specific task.
With Zenji gone and Jiro stuck on the suspect list, Hyde needed someone whose background wasn't compromised. Despite their lack of screen time together, they clearly stay in contact. If Sho truly hated Hyde, he wouldn’t interact with him at all, but instead, he’s actively helping him. They don't have "bad blood" so much as a hidden agenda. (Though something could have happened in the past)
I think we need to distinguish between a Spy and a Traitor:
The Spy: Someone forced into the role (likely at gunpoint). Their philosophy doesn't necessarily align with other person. There could be multiple spies working for different sides.
The Traitor: This person is sabotaging everyone. They aren’t loyal to any house or student. They have their own motivation.
Dante and Hyde
It’s possible Dante and Hyde are actually working together to dismantle the Darkwick system from the inside. Dante has Jiro as his "spy," and Hyde brought Sho in as his "assistant" to help sniff out the real traitor.
The Demon Wish Arm Theory:
Hyde carrying the arm might not be a sign of villainy, but a trap. He likely knew the arm was running wild and brought Sho to help specifically to snatch it. When Hyde left through the door, he wasn't escaping, he was heading to a location to use the arm as bait to reveal the traitor's identity.
Why Romeo and not Sho?
Hyde left Sho behind because he actually cares about him. He took Romeo because:
It’s incredibly dangerous.
Romeo’s Stigma might be the specific tool Hyde needs for protection.
He can't reveal the plan out loud because he knows he's being watched by the traitor.
If Hyde were a total traitor, he wouldn't care what happens to the school as long as he, Sho, and Romeo were safe. But by leaving Sho behind and setting this plan in motion, he’s likely setting a trap to force the real enemy out into the light.
The Dynamic Between Haku and Subaru
If Haku transferred to Hotarubi by choice, it’s possible that in past timelines, he wasn't there at all. This would have left Subaru alone to handle the pressure, potentially leading to a mental breakdown.
Subaru’s Other Persona: This aggressive state or "overdrive" might be a side effect of his ability combined with extreme stress. Subaru’s reclusive nature and reluctance to use his powers suggest he is aware of this and afraid of hurting others.
Haku’s Role: Haku seems to be actively supporting Subaru. In one of their messages, Subaru panics and overthinks, fearing he is pushing too much work onto Haku. Haku’s reassurance him, that suggests he might have moved to Hotarubi to act as a stabilizer for Subaru, preventing him from reaching a breaking point.
Back to Haku's House Transfer
If Zenji and Jiro were indeed spies, it is likely that Haku moved to Hotarubi by choice because he felt he could trust Subaru and Zenji. His history of transferring from Cle to Frostheim suggests he may have been investigating the inner workings of each House to determine who he could trust and where he could gather the best information.
Despite Frostheim holding a great deal of privilege and power within Darkwick, Haku likely found it a difficult environment to work in. This is supported by the way students spoke about Jin before the Clash.
In the past, Jin was the pretty much honor student, striving to achieve greatness and successfully completing missions (maybe with Yuri by his side at the time). However, they may have been somewhat naive at the time, genuinely believing in the Darkwick system.
Haku, on the other hand, likely knew from the start that the system was not what it seemed. Because he could not align his philosophy with Jin’s approach, he may have left Frostheim to find allies who were also skeptical of the school. It was likely during this search that he accidentally discovered the truth about Zenji.
When Jin eventually discovered the truth about Darkwick, the administration likely realized they needed to strip him of his power. Given his intelligence and ability, a fully informed Jin could cause Darkwick to lose control over the school.
To prevent this, Darkwick likely worked to tear Yuri and Jin apart, knowing that together, they were too powerful to manage. Haku’s presence might have been the catalyst, based on Yuri’s reaction when meeting Haku, it’s possible Haku shared classified information that shattered Yuri’s trust in the school. With tensions already high, Darkwick only needed a small push to create a permanent rift between the two.
The Jiro and Zenji Connection
The fallout between Jin and Yuri may have been directly linked to the fate of Jiro and Zenji. If Darkwick ordered their "elimination" Yuri might have tried to help Jiro and asked Jin for support. However, Jin was likely facing his own pressures and responsibilities. This disagreement, whether to follow school orders or protect their peers, could have led to their eventual fallout: Yuri left to help Jiro, while Jin stayed to manage the internal crisis.
Dissenters and Sympathizers
This aligns with the game's mention of "dissenters" and "sympathizers". The students were likely divided over Darkwick’s treatment of students labeled as "criminals."
Some students likely agreed with the school’s harsh discipline, while others rebelled.
This conflict led to the Clash, resulting in probations and the closing of certain Houses.
Zenji’s and others death may have been the final trigger. To avoid further rebellion, Darkwick might have pivoted from execution to imprisonment for "troublesome" students, allowing others the choice to transfer.
Haku’s True Intention
We know through Subaru and Alan that. At the time, Vagastrom and Hotarubi seemed to share a similar "dissenter" philosophy. This would explain why Haku chose to transfer to Hotarubi. If he aligns with their values, it suggests he is not a spy by choice.
While Darkwick may attempt to exploit and control him, Haku is likely operating on his own terms. It appears that Haku, Zenji, and Subaru are all working together on a private plan to navigate the system, rather than simply acting as pawns for the school.
The Haku and Rui Connection
Furthermore, the fact that Haku and Rui are actually close friends feels incredibly suspicious. Like, let’s not forget that Rui was one of the original 5 suspects, and Darkwick was already breathing down his neck because he’s more than capable of taking someone out without breaking a sweat.
Rui even "admitted" to the murder, but honestly, it’s hard to tell if he was being serious or if he just reached his limit with the arguing and decided to end the conversation. He always seems to know way more than everyone else, and sometimes "knowing less is better", maybe he just wanted the investigation dead and buried, so he took the fall regardless of whether he actually did it.
That confession is what lead Edward to crash the professors' meeting and claim he was the one who killed the student. And even then, we have no idea if Ed is telling the truth or just covering for someone.
My theory:
Whoever died that day probably "deserved" it, or at least had it coming. If Rui or Ed hadn’t stepped in, someone else would have eventually, because that student likely knew too much to stay alive. That might be why Rui didn't even try to argue with Ed, he genuinely believed the person needed to go.
If Haku is tight with Rui, it implies he at least understands (or even approves of) Rui’s philosophy. We don't know the exact details of why that student died, but if they were a supporter of Darkwick’s "aggressive" policies, the ones pushing for the imprisonment and torture of students and anomalies then they were a direct threat to the Houses. Killing them wasn't just a crime, it was a solution. And that might be why nobody talks about them anymore.
Truly tickles me how many people are fully in the 'Hyde is evil' camp bc of this chapter now. Bc like. TO ME? THIS ALL FEELS VERY NEUTRAL STILL.
Like I genuinely can read it as Benevolent or Malevolent and I really adore that aspect of TKDB's writing. BECAUSE LIKE?
Hodge and Podge were pissy with him. Could be evil! Could also be that they're pissy with him bc he's annoying (lovingly). They cut him off when he's asking to see the mark, which could honestly be a 'He's up to no good' moment or a 'He's a perv and they're about to throttle him' moment (like Rui @ Ed)
Hyde gives Romeo a 'fake' warding card. Malevolent reading says hey yeah, bitch lied about that. Benevolent reading says hey no, he did say anomalous damage could go either way, and Taiga's gun is An Anomaly. They were In The Anomalous Building. You know?
Even the warding card itself goes either way, which is the best thing of all. Snowdrops mean hope and comfort / consolation, etc. It is ALSO associated with death and can accidentally mean 'I hope you die'. Benevolent and Malevolent reading Still Works.
Honestly? I'm on the fence! Taiga hates him a ton which is interesting, but not damning to me. Hyde is rooting for Taiga and Romeo to reconcile in at least one way or another, and he does seem like the kinda guy who'd make himself the villain to give two students a common enemy, doesn't he?
For every Seemingly Bad thing he does, he does a Seemingly Good one. Lies to MC about some things, but lies to Darkwick about others (for his students' sakes). Seems carefree for some things, but intensely serious for others.
You can even read his actions in respect to reinstating the crown in this way. Malevolent reading says he forces us into that bunk deal so we fail at it and the gala isn't reinstated. Benevolent reading says he forces us into that bunk deal because it is genuinely important for the ghouls to Work Together. Malevolent reading says he's tearing Romeo and Taiga apart on purpose, Benevolent says the opposite. It's AWESOMEE.
I just love how often this dichotomy of 'Good or Bad' comes up with him. Black or White. Benevolent or Malevolent.
And I mean this very literally. His colour scheme is Black and White. His ID is black and white (Benkei's, notably, is in colour). His name is Hyde, derived from Jekyll and Hyde. Hodge and Podge are his companions and they are two vastly different personalities and looks. On one hand, on the other hand. This, or that.
He's also like.... His eyes are covered. Is he blinded himself? Or is he blinding Us? Is he covering his eyes so We don't know, or is he shielding them from Us? Kyklos reproduces by having you look at her eyes, the security cameras are Cyclops Eyes, Mesmer Matches require you to look into the flames for them to work... Seeing and sight and Looking are all deeply important to the world of Tokyo Debunker on both a physical and meta level (people are blind to the issues, things are hidden out of sight, etc) and so it's interesting to have a character like Hyde, especially contrasted against other characters like that!! Those who seem the most 'blind' to their circumstances are actually the ones who know the most. I'd argue in some ways MC fits this too. It's just so, so interesting.
It's fun! It's so fun. I genuinely can't make a judgement on him for certain yet. Is he good? Is he evil? Can't he be both? Is he pro-Darkwick or anti-Darkwick? Is he Helping us or Hurting us?
And like, we don't have answers yet to Big Important Questions. Shit like, hey, what's Sho's special mission? What's his involvement in the trial? What is his End Goal? And it's fun to poke at and look at and just explore. God Hyde is so fun. There's so many questions to ask about him and it's fun to try to piece together the answers.
I just love the staff in general too. I love how all of them have very unique motivations and viewpoints, and how many layers there are to it all. I think either version (Hyde is foe vs Hyde is friend) is really, really interesting, and I think TKDB can easily go either way. I love the idea that he's a red herring to somebody else but I also think evil Hyde goes hard. Ough. Hyde............ let me into your brain!!!!!
Thinking about how during an affinity chat, if a specific dialogue option is chosen Romeo tells MC to seduce information out of Kaito if she can’t get it through other means (“Seduce it out of him if that’s what it takes”), so he considers it a reasonable (albeit undesirable) option
Also thinking about episode 16 where [it’s generally agreed that] Romeo’s info-gathering method is flirtation/seduction-based
Which I’m sure could mean nothing regarding his relationship with Hyde
