Final Fantasy IX/Heartwarming

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.


  • The cutscene where Dagger is on the crumbling tower and Zidane (in a BDH moment) comes out of nowhere to rescue her. You catch your breath as she looks at him in total disbelief of the fact that he is actually there, before she desperately grabs on to him for dear life. Then, as the tower falls away, she gives him this look and a hug of such loving gratitude that it melts your heart into a puddle of mush.
    • Especially when, for a moment, it looks like they're going to die. That Zidane willingly jumped to his death (so it seemed) to be with Dagger when she needed him is one of the most touching moments of all time.
  • The final scenes of Final Fantasy IX Zidane, thought to have died at the Iifa Tree, turns out to be alive and kicking. While Queen Garnet watches the "I Want to Be Your Canary" play, Zidane (disguised as the male lead Marcus) throws off his cloak and yells, "Bring my beloved Dagger to me!" A shocked Garnet then runs down the stairs, shoves her way through the crowd, and although her pendant falls off, she jumps towards Zidane and they embrace onstage while the crowd cheers and applauds. This editor was crying waterfalls. The whole thing's made even more heartwarming by the song that plays as the credits roll, "Melodies Of Life."
    • This troper particularly liked how at first, Garnet thinks that Steiner and Beatrix are going to stop her (Steiner having been no fan of Zidane throughout the game), but in fact they both open the doors for her and smile, basically saying without words "Go to him. It's okay."
    • Also, her throwing her crown to the ground just before she leaps into his arms. Really hammering home her feelings of "screw everything else... you're alive."
    • And this troper liked how the first reaction of Garnet is pound on Zidane's chest in a "why did you leave me alone" rage which she cannot sustain for more than two seconds before she totally melts. Really, do we think cutscenes really need voice acting?

How did you survive...?
I didn't have a choice. I had to live. I wanted to come home to you. So... I sang your song. Our song.

    • The scene preceding the ending is nearly as heartwarming. Despite everything Kuja had done, despite all of the misery and bloodshed that he was directly responsible for, and especially despite what he had personally done to Dagger and Zidane's friends, Zidane heads back into certain death to be next to Kuja on his deathbed. Because, when it comes down to it, that's what family does for each other.
    • The scene which is the Trope Namer for "You Are Not Alone".
  • Let's explain the You Are Not Alone scene in detail. Zidane is told by the Big Bad that he was an 'Angel of Death' created to destroy all life of Gaia so it could be taken over by Terra, and he would have been the one who had essentially ruined his friend's lives with death and destruction. Then, after getting his soul partially drained, he crashes hard into a Heroic BSOD, but not only do his friends not judge him for what he is, they fight alongside him as he tries to push them away; he was there for them during the worst moments of their lives, so they're going to be there for his.
    • This troper's particularly fond of Steiner's in the sequence. Steiner has been adversarial at best toward Zidane for the vast majority of the game. But when he's freaked out, Steiner says in no uncertain terms that he will not abandon Zidane.

Steiner: I shall follow you to kingdom come if I must.

    • A huge part of Steiner's character development is him coming to terms with a lot of things, including his relationship with Zidane. Which makes that statement all the more powerful, and Steiner such an awesome character, to this troper as well.
  • "Beatrix... I will protect you!"
  • The story Zidane tells Dagger in the Inn of the Black Mage Village about "a place to call home".
  • What felt so heartwarming to this troper was during the beginning portion of Disc 4 when the Genomes start living with the Black Mages. Given how similar the two species are, having them interact with one another as they discover the wonders of life with their shared camaraderie is touching enough, but it's Zidane's moments with Mikoto that was absolutely adorable - he tells the black mages to care for her and he tells Mikoto to make lots of friends because "big brother" said so. That was a pile of heartwarming and cute right then and there.
  • The birth of Bobby Corwen the chocobo. Every other black mage sans the leader left with Kuja out of desperation because he promised them he would extend their limited life span ( he was lying) except the two black mages who stayed just so they could take care of the egg. They risked what could have saved them by being selfless and caring for something that means so much to the both of them. When the chocobo finally hatches, the two black mages cheer and get teary. 'Cuse me, I think I got something in my eye, too.
  • Eiko, at the very end, is adopted by Regent Cid and Hilda. She calls them "mother" and "father", much to Cid's surprise and delight.
  • During the events of Burmecia, Vivi worries out loud that he might not be human. Cue Quina coming along with a surprisingly touching response.

Quina: I not human. But you, you definitely human.