Justice League (animation)/Tear Jerker: Difference between revisions
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* Jason Blood's backstory is even more tragic in the DCAU universe than the DCU universe. First he's tricked (most likely bewitched) by Morgan le Fay into betraying
▲* Jason Blood's backstory is even more tragic in the DCAU universe than the DCU universe. First he's tricked (most likely bewitched) by Morgan le Fay into betraying Camalot. Then Morgan stabs him in the back! Then, instead of letting him die for it. Merlin decides to get ''vindictive'' and bind him with the dark and brooding Etrigan.
* The episode "For The Man Who Has Everything." The Black Mercy grants its host their heart's deepest desire at the cost of rendering them completely comatose. In order to break free of the parasite's grasp, the host must sacrifice that desire. Superman gets to {{spoiler|live out a perfect fantasy life on Krypton with a wife, son, and his real parents}}. He's even given memories of all of it. Upon figuring out the illusion, he {{spoiler|tearfully explains to his fake son that none of it was real, that he couldn't stay because he had responsibilities, and promised he'd never forget him. Then the planet goes supernova}}. Supes is so understandably pissed he doesn't even stop to help Batman or Wonder Woman and goes straight for Mongul. Batman, in a rare moment of vulnerability, {{spoiler|regresses to the night his parents were killed. This time, his dad overpowers Joe Chill and starts beating the crap out of him while Bruce cheers}}. You actually see his real world self ''genuinely smile in happiness''. As Wonder Woman rips the Black Mercy off of Batman, {{spoiler|little Bruce watches in despair all over again as Chill regains control and fatally shoots Thomas Wayne}}. Their faces are heartbreaking.
* Aresia's backstory in "Fury" was bad enough with her family being murdered and the survivors displaced by despotic rulers, but then the ship they're fleeing on is destroyed with only the Captain and Aresia left to try and swim to shore. He swims without rest for an unknown amount of time until he's able to safely deliver her to the shores of Themyscira where he dies from hunger, thirst, and exhaustion. He is the only man to ever be buried on the island and at the time it was thought that despite his noble act "he didn't matter."
* "Legends". The Justice Guild sacrificing themselves to do the right thing, even if it means ending their existence.
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** Followed by: "In Seaboard City, crime doesn't pay." It's not the line itself, but the note of resignation in Tom Turbine's voice. He knows he is sentencing himself to die, but he does it anyway, because that is what they do. They fight the bad guys.
** And then there's the ending of the episode, where John Stewart (Green Lantern) is actually mourning their deaths and Hawkgirl comforts him. Doubles as a [[Crowning Moment of Heartwarming]].
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'''Hawkgirl''': They gave their lives for us, that's real enough for me. }}
*** Fittingly, the episode is dedicated to Gardner Fox, the late writer who created the Justice Society, of which the Justice Guild is based on.
* Both times Solomon Grundy dies, because clearly the first death just wasn't enough.
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** Even more wrenching [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFoPc52Kd8I the first time.] And keep in mind that Hawkgirl's culture is ''vehemently'' atheist.
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'''Hawkgirl:''' Grundy, I don't bel- (stops herself) ''Yes''. Yes, it ''is'' waiting for you.
'''Grundy:''' (whispers) Then Grundy gets his reward. }}
* ''[[Justice League Unlimited]]'' had a [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWHHsdE_oQg massively sad scene] in "Epilogue" when Ace, {{spoiler|realizing she's terminally ill and has hours to live}}, asks Batman to stay with her {{spoiler|until the end. Because she's scared. He agrees. And then he carries her lifeless body in his arms.}} This scene gets an added layer of sadness when you take into account {{spoiler|Batman's own troubled childhood, and how he always seems to reach out to children who are suffering from similar tragedies. See also: Robin.}}
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** Not to mention that it's implied that he's like this now because he burnt himself out fighting, training, and getting the living hell pound out of him in his youth. He's literally sacrificed everything including his health.
* In the episode "Starcrossed, Part 3", GL and Shayera Hol's big farewell {{spoiler|after the failed Thanagar invasion of Earth, [[The Mole|Hawkgirl]] is disgraced from both her native and adopted home world}}. The beautiful music and voice-acting did not help matters.
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'''Shayera:''' It doesn't matter.
'''John:''' So, where are you you gonna go?
'''Shayera:''' I don't know. Someplace where the fate of the world isn't in my hands. Someplace where there are no more secrets... No more lies...
'''John:''' [[Was It All a Lie?]]?
'''Shayera:''' I love you, John. I never lied about that. [flies off]
'''John:''' [tearing up] ...I love you, too. }}
** It's the ''hug'' that gets me.
** Also, the scene where Batman {{spoiler|pilots the Watchtower into earth - with him on board, and his farewell to Flash and J'onn}}.
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* The [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53OyPYa7SEI Speedforce scene] in "Divided We Fall". It's more the fact that he sounds so freaking ''serious'' about it all - and this is ''[[Plucky Comic Relief|Wally]] [[Kid Appeal Character|West]]'' we're talking about.
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** I'm okay until all six of them reach into it and ''drag him back'', and he warns them what will happen if he ever dares go that fast again. God damnit, we're talking about [[Plucky Comic Relief|the]] ''[[Plucky Comic Relief|Flash]]''!
** Similarly, when he realizes he ''can't slow down'' and stumbles toward his friends, with a dazed "I feel kind of... funny." It's anything but.
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* The entire first half of "Hereafter, Part 1" after {{spoiler|Superman "dies"}}. The aftermath of the battle, the mourning, and especially J'onn's eulogy are all very tastefully done. Then {{spoiler|Lobo}} shows up, and the episode quickly skips into a series of what, depending on your point of view, might be either [[Crowning Moment of Awesome|Crowning Moments of Awesome]]... or not.
** Special mention has to go to Lois, who ends up breaking down in the the arms of ''Lex Luthor'', of all people. Speaking of which, it's the one moment where you can tell Lex is genuinely sad.
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** The Flash hugging the little girl he was in the midst of saving when Toyman "kills" Superman, as everyone starts to realise what had just happened.
** Batman has adamantly refused to believe that Superman has died, even avoiding going to the funeral. He shows up at Superman's memorial on his investigation to find out what happened to the Man of Steel, but is stymied by another dead end. It's then that Batman admits how much he respected and admired Superman, and how he showed him that "justice doesn't have to come from the darkness." It's a wonderful piece of acting from Kevin Conroy, who's voice subtly breaks during his confession, showing that the Dark Knight is truly affected by the loss of one of his teammates.
** Speaking of ''Hereafter'', there's also its ending: {{spoiler|The alternate, eccentric but now good-natured Vandal Savage fading out of existence as the dystopian wasteland is replaced with a more optimistic future... and before disappearing, he simply says, "Thank you, my friend."}}
** Worth mentioning in regards to Hereafter, when Supes seemingly dies, [[Wonder Woman]] almost kills Toyman for what he had done. This scene alone gets to this troper.
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'''Flash:''' (gently restraining her hand) "We don't do that to our enemies."
'''Diana:''' [[Roaring Rampage of Revenge|"Speak for yourself."]]<br />
'''Flash:''' "I was trying to speak for Superman." }}
* The episode "A Better World" has Batman and his alternate universe duplicate arguing ethics and morality in the Batcave. Batman actually agrees with and surrenders to his Justice Lord counterpart when the latter declares, "With that power, we've made a world where no eight year old boy will ever lose his parents because of some ''punk'' with a ''gun''" (Conroy's emphasis just hammers it all the more in). It's easy to forget, but beneath all the training, the fighting, the costume, and the gadgets, Batman is still a scared little boy crying in that alley.
** Similarly, there was an episode in which a magic spell turns the League into children. At the end, after they're restored, Wonder Woman and Batman have this exchange:
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'''Batman:''' ''(in a bitter, completely un-nostalgic tone)'' I haven't been a kid since I was eight years old. }}
** Even in his brief fantasy in "[[For the Man Who Has Everything]]", he doesn't leave that alley - just changes what happens there. (Possibly because that's all that's actually shown in the original story, or because they didn't want to go back over ground already covered in "[[Lotus Eater Machine|Perchance to Dream]]" in [[Batman:
*** As [[Deep Space Nine|the Prophets explained to the Sisko]] when he asked why they kept bringing him back to the moment of ''his'' personal tragedy and loss, "You exist here."
* In "Flashpoint", after they've rescued [[The Question]] from being tortured, he and Huntress share a moment.
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'''Huntress''': Not in my eyes. }}
** Speaking of them torturing Question, the torturer explicitly states that if Question gives them what they want, the ''visions'' will stop. In other words, they don't just torture him ''physically'' with the electric shocks; they're also thrusting visions of the [[Bad Future]] he was so afraid of into his head.
** And in the same episode, after having to beat Captain Atom to unconsciousness, [[Superman]] refuses the help of the Cadmus lackies, and then gently picks him up.
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* "The Enemy Below" becomes a [[Tear Jerker]] when [[
* Anybody else feel tears well up for Captain Marvel during "Clash"? He spends almost the entire episode gushing about how much he loves being in the League, especially since it gives him a chance to hang around with his idol Superman (Who acts abnormally hostile and jealous toward the kid). His life as Billy Batson is shown to be complete crap, but he doesn't seem to mind now that's he's on the League. What happens? Superman, his idol, the man he aspires to be like, ends up attacking and betraying him all because of petty jealousy. If you don't feel your heart break after his speech at the end of the episode, you have no soul.
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** To be fair, it wasn't jealousy, it was Superman being insanely paranoid of what looked like a bomb Luthor planted. Its really more power to Lex being a [[Magnificent Bastard]]. But even so, Superman is not supposed to act like a total tool in public, and definitely not throw punches at other heroes completely unprovoked, Captain Marvel was the sensible one, requesting to call someone in to see what the device was.
*** And this was part of Lex's plan all along, to discredit the Justice League, which Batman figured out. And Captain Marvel's speech made them realize what they're becoming, {{spoiler|like the Justice Lords}}.
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{{reflist}}
[[Category:DCAU (Franchise)/Tear Jerker]]▼
[[Category:Justice League]]▼
[[Category:Tear Jerker]]
▲[[Category:Justice League (animation)]]
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