El Goonish Shive/Heartwarming

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.



  • The second last strip of Hammerchlorians storyline: Susan runs up and hugs the soon-to-be-dead Immortal Jerry. It ends with both of them in tears, as well as any and all who read it.
  • Here for a Lampshaded example.
  • A part of the drama in the story, as this Troper recalls, has been of Nanase being afraid to come out, to her family in particular, and the difficulties that this has caused, including, this Troper believes, insisting that the relationship be kept secret. When her partner's life is in jeopardy, however, she literally risks her life to save said partner; this is not, however, the Heartwarming Moment itself. Later, while she lies in the hospital, recovering from her wounds, her partner by her side and in tears, and having just being told that it may be months before she can again use magic, having burnt herself out in defence of the one that she loves, we have the following exchange between her and her partner:

"Small price to pay. You're alive, that's all that matters."
"I... You know what I want to say, but I know you wouldn't want me to say it in public..."
"I love you too, Ellen."

  • And then in later strip, when Nanase thinks her mother is okay with her lesbian relationship ... but subverted as it turns out she just doesn't take it seriously, thinking they'll eventually grow out of it.
    • And her next line immediately after that. She is able to put her disagreement aside and remember that her daughter could very well have died that evening.

Nanase's Mother: Shh... We have all the time in the world to argue.

  • This troper feels that this comic deserves mention on this list.
    • This troper wholeheartedly agrees with you.
  • In this troper's opinion, Part IV of Grace's Birthday Party could be listed as a whole. Especially the final page.
  • When Nanase is stressing out about coming out to her strict mother, she has a small rebellious outburst that causes her to be denied dessert. However: Best. Cookies. Ever.
  • Towards the end of the Painted Black Arc, Grace thinks she's going to die. Her final words? "I love you Tedd!"
  • At the very end of the same arc, when Grace and Elliot return home safe, and Tedd embraces them both with tears in his eyes.
  • The final strip in the Painted Black Arc: Mr. Verres' letting go of his dislike for Grace, coming to consider her more than what her origins were, makes this troper tear up every time he reads it.
  • How can you possible not want to give Noah a hug?
  • "I know she's not real. She's like some weird magic, semi-autonomous puppet thing...But I like her."
  • The last line in this comic, which is better in the shy/It's Not You, It's My Enemies context: "There will be dancing."
  • This page shows Nanase's mother genuinely happy that shy, little Tedd has a girlfriend; yet again proving that while Nanase's mother may be Jerkass-ish in certain ways, she still has her moments.
  • This troper wants to nominate this recent comic. To see the formally shy Tedd so firmly defend what was essentially a big string of screw ups is rather smile-inducing.
    • Especially his choice of words: "If you're the result of my mistakes, then they were the best mistakes I ever made." Awwwww...
  • This Troper would like to say that these strips are both a heartwarming and awesome moment for Elliot. Why do you think Ellen is so protective of everyone? Keep in mind that just before this, Ellen thought that she was going to die and had told Elliot that she was going to do nothing but cause trouble for him, yet he still sticks up for her.
  • This recent comic. Ellen and Nanase. That is all.
    • "This is the fifty-sixth day we've been together." "You know how many days we've been together?" "...Maybe."
  • This. This troper couldnt help but go "Awww" when he saw it. Just think about it: Tedd could choose ANYONE for his bridge crew. He could have tons of different women in short skirts and Star Trek shirts, but instead he wants them all to look like Grace. Awwww.
  • Ice cream.
  • Doubles as a Tear Jerker. Near the end of Sister II, as Angel!Nanase has Abe in her grip, she makes her tell him what he promised, but not what he said. She reminds him that he promised to protect innocents, and, despite being born of the Dewitchery Diamond, Ellen was an innocent. The look on Abe's face as he realizes that he can't harm Ellen (especially since he was very reluctant to do so in the first place), and his exclamation of relief just pulls at this troper's heartstrings, especially when he instantly swears not to harm Ellen when told to.

Abraham: You're...right...Oh, thank God, you're right!

  • Although it's probably going to come back to bite them, Susan telling her boss that Elliot knows Cheerleadra in order to get him hired is an excellent contrast to her normal Spock behavior.

Elliot: What the hell, Susan? I thought you were smart.
Susan: You're my friend. He wasn't going to hire you. I wanted to help.