History Heartwarming / TheLordOfTheRingsTheReturnOfTheKing

* Bilbo's final line in the trilogy': "I think I'm ''quite'' ready for another adventure!" Made all the more touching when Elrond, who took care of Bilbo during his stay in Rivendell, escorts the wizened Hobbit onto the ship.

* The AwardBaitSong "Into The West" by Music/AnnieLennox is a CMOH for SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic, basically a song about adventurers/warriors who have gone through harrowing experiences and finally get to rest. It fits not only with the story and characters, but also in a meta example for the whole production crew; It's been an experience of truly epic proportions spanning several years of nonstop production, and they can all finally take a real rest and look back on experiences that brought them together. There's a reason they won an Oscar for this one.

** What's even better is that an orchestral version of the song plays at two points during the film itself: When Gandalf gives his "death is not the end" speech to Pippin, and when Sam literally picks up Frodo and carries him up Mount Doom...both times when two people are in a desperate situation and the (somewhat) stronger makes it his task to help and comfort the other.

* Gimli despairing about dying next to an Elf and Legolas responding about how about dying next to a friend.

'''Gimli:''' Aye...I could do that.

* At the muster of the Rohirrim, Théoden's captains do some math and tell him that they can't break Mordor's lines with the numbers they have. Théoden acknowledges with a simple, "No, we cannot--but ''we will meet them in battle nonetheless.''" The captains realize what he means and simply nod their understanding: the point is not to break the siege, or win the day, or even survive. It's about keeping faith with their allies and refuse to let them be abandoned or forgotten, no matter how hopeless the cause of actually saving them might be.

-->'''Aragorn''': My friends...you bow to no one.
** And then [[KneelBeforeFrodo he kneels to them]]. The camera pans out and shows the entire audience moving to bow to them (as the king does...).Creator/PeterJackson has said that this is his favourite scene out of the entire trilogy.
* Samwise Gamgee's finest hour: At the end of the journey, at the base of Mount Doom, hungry, thirsty, wounded and exhausted by a quest so long and hard they cannot even really remember a time before it, Frodo and Sam are literally dragging themselves up the rocky slope until Frodo just can't go on anymore. Sam knows that he cannot pick up the burden of the Ring from Frodo and destroy it himself for he would fall under its spell, so he does what only a real friend would do: He, although if anything even more tired and damaged than him, picks Frodo up and carries him to the top of the mountain. He ain't heavy, he's my brother indeed.
-->'''Sam:''' Then let us be rid of it... once and for all! Come on, Mr. Frodo. I can't carry it for you... but I can carry ''you!''

-->'''Frodo''': It's gone...it's done.\\
'''Sam''': Yes, Mr. Frodo. It's over now.\\
'''Frodo''' ''[closing his eyes]'': I can see the Shire...the Party tree...Gandalf's fireworks.\\
'''Sam''' ''(wistfully)'': Rosie Cotton dancing...she had ribbons in her hair...if ever I was to marry someone, it would have been her. (Begins to cry) It would have been her.\\
''Frodo opens his eyes and sits up to hugs Sam.''\\
'''Frodo''': I'm glad to be with you, Samwise Gamgee...here at the end of all things.
** It gets better; in a previous scene, it was Sam who was reminiscing about the Shire...but Frodo couldn't, because the Ring weighed so heavily on his mind. Now that the Ring is destroyed, Frodo ''can'' remember the Shire.

* When Aragorn was reunited with Arwen and the kiss that followed.
** Made doubly heartwarming since all the romantic scenes previously have been this very idealized, courtly sort of love; then at the end Aragorn is like, "screw it" and snogs Arwen's brains out.

* "End? No, the journey doesn't end here. Death is just another path, one that we all must take. The gray rain-curtain of this world rolls back, and all turns to silver glass, and then you see it...The White Shores, and beyond, a far green country under a swift sunrise." And just like that, all the darkness and despair goes away for a little while. Moreso when you have read Literature/TheSilmarillion and understand that Gandalf is talking about [[{{Heaven}} Valinor]]. Similar in a manner to the passage of the good thief in Jesus's Passion, Gandalf is telling Pippin that, were he to fall in battle, he knows that he will enter into the Undying Lands.

-->'''Aragorn''': Sons of Gondor, of Rohan, my brothers! I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me. A day may come when the courage of men fails! When we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship - but it is not this day. An hour of woes and shattered shields, when the age of men comes crashing down! ''But it is not this day!'' This day we fight! By all that you hold dear on this good Earth, I bid you ''stand, Men of the West''!"

** Almost every scene with the two of them together count, really. At Duneharrow she outfits him with Rohirric armour, making him "a true esquire of Rohan". It's apparent that the two of them riding into battle together is not random, that there is a genuine bond between them. Éowyn recognizes that Merry shares her desire to go into battle and her anguish at being forced to sit on the sidelines because of the notion that they don't belong on the battlefield. She seems genuinely happy when she's dressing him in his armour, smiling ''and'' laughing, and she tells her brother that he should not doubt Merry's capabilities to contribute. The scene between them at the encampment en route to Gondor is also wonderful and wonderfully heartwarming, with Merry giving Éowyn encouragement and comfort, telling her that she is fair and brave and that many people love her. By the time they reach the battlefield they are closely bonded, at one point during the battle she even gives him the reins and tells him where to steer the horse, while she uses both hands to wound and Oliphaunt.
*** While Merry's statement from the books as Éowyn faces down the Witch King didn't make it into the film ("She should not die, so fair, so desperate. At least, she should not die alone, unaided") he still sees her being held by the throat, strangled, hearing the words "''No man can kill me. Die now''..." and going up to the freaking ''Witch King of Angmar'', ''stabbing'' him behind the knee. And after Éowyn has delivered the fatal blow, what is her first instinct? Not to call out for, or try to reach, the uncle she stepped in front of the Witch King to save. She's instead calling out for Merry.
* After the Battle of the Pellenor Fields, Pippin finally locates Merry amidst the debris, after they had been separated for the first time in as long as they can remember. The other hobbit says five simple words. Cue the (happy) teardrops.

* Frodo wakes up in Gondor...and Gandalf, the mentor he thought died and whose memory he has been mourning for the past two movies, is there for him.

** Theoden has another wonderful moment when he confronts Saruman and Gríma Wormtongue at Isengard. He looks up at Wormtongue--a traitor who had helped to drive him mad and send his nephew into exile--and offers him forgiveness. A touching moment of compassion from a usually stern king.
--->'''Theoden:''' Grima! You need not follow him! You were not always as you are now. (he smiles) You were once a man of Rohan. Come down.

** It's clear they are not expecting Aragorn to hold up his end of the bargain, especially when Gimli starts making comments that they are useful and should be kept around. Aragorn just pauses for a moment and says "I hold your oath fulfilled...be at peace".

''[Gimli hmmms with a bemused expression that says "Oh really?" as Legolas approaches with Arod in tow]''\\
'''Legolas:''' [[IHaveThisFriend Have you learnt nothing of the stubborness of dwarves?]]\\

''[Aragorn sighs and smiles with an air of resignation and gratitude]''

-->'''Sam:''' No! [[HowDareYouDieOnMe Don't you let go!]] ''[more tearfully]'' [[PleaseDontLeaveMe Don't let go!]] ''REACH!''

* When Elrond presents Anduril to Aragorn. On the surface it seems like just an info dump about the Army of the Dead, and Aragorn getting his Awesome Sword, but if you're familiar with Tolkien's work, you know the backstory; for most of Aragorn's life, Elrond has been a father figure/mentor. Taking that into account, listen to Elrond's speech: "Become who you were born to be!" As if to say, "This is your destiny. Stop running from it. [[DareToBeBadass You are ready for this]]!"

'''Sam:''' Well...I'm back.

* The absolutely beautiful, cathartic shot of the angelic Eagles flying down to save Frodo and Sam from the erupting Mount Doom. A first time viewer could be fooled, by the screen fading to black immediately before, that Frodo and Sam died there...then a [[CueTheSun white light shines down from the clearing sky]], and [[SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic the music changes]].
** A [[FridgeBrilliance fridge heartwarming]] moment; it's been observed that Gandalf brings three eagles, with each eagle picking up one hobbit. Perhaps the third eagle was for [[SaveTheVillain Smeagol]].

* When Sam finds Frodo again after he's captured by the orcs, Frodo insists Sam give him back the Ring, because it's ''his'' burden to bear. Frodo's possessiveness over the Ring, or [[MessianicArchetype his utter refusal to let anyone else, especially "[his] dear Sam", suffer so much]]? His warning about the Ring's destructive power suggests the latter.