Tear Jerker

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"I'm fine. I have something in my eye, that's all. [sobs] ...I have something in my other eye. [sobbing] I have something in my heart..." —Stephen Colbert

Some viewers are impassive when it comes to what they watch. They've seen it all. No fictional death, sacrifice, emotional display or confession can move them.

Except these.

Since most of these involve death scenes, shocking twists, or something just as major, expect many spoilers. However, they can also be as simple as the right imagery, tone, and music coming together - for the sole purpose of working those tear-ducts.

This being one of the Subjective Tropes, one person's Tear Jerker may be another's Narm, which is often a failed attempt to induce this. Some tearjerking moments, especially of deaths, can wind up being traumatizing.

Tropes that often result in Tear Jerker moments

• A Death in the Limelight
• Alas, Poor Villain/Scrappy
• Anguished Declaration of Love
• Break the Cutie/Haughty
• Crossing the Despair Event Horizon.
• Died in Your Arms Tonight
• Disney Death
• Driven to Suicide
• Dying Alone
• Dying Moment of Awesome
• Face Death with Dignity
• Face Heel Turn (if the character was well-known and loved enough)
• False Friend
• Fond Memories That Could Have Been
• Go Out with a Smile
• The Grotesque
• Certain types of Heartwarming Moments
• Heroic Sacrifice
• He Will Not Cry, So I Cry for Him
• It's a Wonderful Failure
• Particularly cruel Kick the Dog moments
• Kill the Cutie
• Let Them Die Happy
• Meaningful Funeral
• Mercy Kill
• Moral Event Horizon
• My God, What Have I Done?
• Never Got to Say Goodbye
• Not So Stoic
• Parting Words Regret
• Planning for The Future Before The End
• Please Don't Leave Me
• Please Wake Up
• Shoot the Dog
• Stay with Me Until I Die
• Tragic Hero/Villain
• Together in Death
• Was It All a Lie?
• Yank the Dog's Chain
• You Are Worth Hell

Many Downer Endings and Bittersweet Endings include tearjerking moments. Either way, make sure to bring the Kleenex. If you want to avoid them altogether, then you might want to consider heeding the Snicket Warning Label.

Examples from works:

• Anime and Manga
• Comics
• Disney
• Fan Fiction
• Film
• Literature
• Live-Action TV
• Music
• Newspaper Comics
• Professional Wrestling
• Radio
• Tabletop Games
• Theater
• Video Games
• Web Comics
• Web Original
• Tear Jerker
• Other
• Real Life