  The intensity of our feelings of suspense seems to rely on two  features of an event’s outcome: (1) its uncertainty and (2) the  significance of what is at stake. Although the standard view does not claim a direct relationship between uncertainty, what is at stake,  and suspense, it does suggest that the greatest suspense is felt in  cases where the outcome is very uncertain and the stakes are very  high. The standard view also tells us that you can have suspense with low stakes if there is great uncertainty, or with low uncertainty if  there are high stakes. However, on the standard view, if there is no  uncertainty, there can be no suspense. Similarly, if nothing is at  stake, there can be no desirable or undesirable outcome, hence no  fear or hope, and consequently no suspense. 