The Best Theory On Carl & Donut's Final Fate In Dungeon Crawler Carl Was Foreshadowed In Book Two

Published Sep 6, 2026, 10:00 AM EDT Carrie is a Senior Writer at ScreenRant who previously managed Geek to Geek Media and wrote for SwitchRPG. She is particularly knowledgeable when it comes to WoW, Diablo, and cozy games. She has a passion for supporting the indies and always enjoys sharing her passions with others through her writing. The incredible popularity of the LitRPG series, Dungeon Crawler Carl, has taken the world by storm. This is particularly true in the last couple of years, when it seems to have gathered a bit of a cult following throughout the world. People who are avid readers of the LitRPG genre have found themselves joined by readers of every genre, from romance to nonfiction. Even many who haven't read a book in years prior to picking up Dungeon Crawler Carl have found themselves drawn into this dystopian universe. The successful series by Matt Dinniman already has eight books that have been released, but things aren't ending there. Dinniman has stated that the complete series is expected to span ten book releases, with the final entry possibly being split into two due to its length. As we wait for book nine, many fans have begun to theorize how the series may end for our two most beloved characters, Carl and Princess Donut. Carl And Donut's Story Is Destined For Tragedy Credit: Dandy House A big part of what people love about the Dungeon Crawler Carl series is the humor. The entire concept as a whole is rather depressing. People are dying left and right, all for entertainment and political gain. So, while we are all rooting for Carl, Donut, and their friends, it wouldn't be nearly as enjoyable without the ridiculous commentary from the system AI, Carl, or even the chaotically silly situations that come up. However, despite the comedic interjections, the audience has frequently been reminded both within the books and in our real world that this story is, at its heart, a tragedy with heavy horror themes. There are no guarantees of happy endings for anyone in this series, even our beloved talking feline, Princess Donut. There is a heavy existential weight in this story, with dark, trauma-filled undercurrents. With each floor that collapses, the number of human lives remaining ticks ever downward. Yet, there is no time for grief for these crawlers. As each crawler is reminded of the surrounding horror through replays, readers should also be reminded that this story is likely on a painful trajectory. "We Don't Put Our Lives In Danger For Our Pets" Matt Dinniman has already provided clever readers with a plethora of foreshadowed moments. Several simple comments or noted items have been proven correct several books later. While we, obviously, do not yet know the ultimate fate of Carl and Donut's adventure, there is a very popular fan theory circulating which suggests that the final moments of the series were already foreshadowed in Book 2. Early in the second book of the series, Carl's Doomsday Scenario, Carl was talking with Princess Donut regarding her newly acquired pet Mongo. Chapter 5 includes the line from Carl, "He's not your child, Donut. He's a pet. We don't put our lives in danger for our pets." Carl, naturally, feels immediate remorse for his comment, given that Donut was originally "just" Bea's pet cat. His comment was said so offhandedly that it's clear that, at that point, Carl had already begun to think of Donut as a partner and not simply a pet, but that simple sentence holds more weight than he could have even realized. Carl and Donut's relationship has grown so much throughout the series, and Donut's character has evolved so much with her dungeon-given abilities and internal emotional growth, that seeing her as anything even close to a pet is a foolish thought, yet that is exactly what she once was. Would Carl Sacrifice Himself For Donut? Credit: Dandy House If theories are correct and that line was placed there as rather dark foreshadowing, it could still mean a couple of options. The most obvious would be showing how Carl and Donut's relationship has changed as he ultimately sacrifices himself for Donut. Carl's intrinsic personality and morals throughout Dungeon Crawler Carl have shown him to be one of the most selfless humans to exist in this terrifying kind of dystopian situation. His inner turmoil whenever he has to make a choice that puts others in danger is powerful, and he will do whatever he can to save those around him, even if he doesn't even know them. Whether that's unknown crawlers in bubbles in The Gate of the Feral Gods or those trapped in different train lines in The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook, and countless other examples, Carl is concerned not with his own power and prestige but with the lives of all creatures. At least all who aren't sadistically pulling the strings. Having his story arc culminate in a gut-wrenching, but poignant, moment of sacrifice fits his character a bit too well. Particularly if he is offering himself up to save Princess Donut, the one soul that he is closer to than any other. Another direction this foreshadowing could take would be for the tables to turn and have Donut make the ultimate sacrifice to save Carl. While this would certainly be a powerful conclusion to her story, chances are high that Matt Dinniman's fanbase would not take that ending well. Generally speaking, the idea of a beloved animal dying in any kind of entertainment is often even more emotionally charged than a human fatality. While having Carl choose to sacrifice himself would certainly be depressing, losing Donut would be far more so. Of course, nothing is a sure thing in this series, and there is every possibility that having the tragic story of Dungeon Crawler Carl end in that kind of climax might be exactly where we are headed. Dungeon Crawler Carl Publisher(s) Penguin Random House Publication Date September 21, 2020 Number of Pages 444 ISBN# 979-8688591507 Author(s) Matt Dinniman