History TearJerker / AmphibiaSeason3

* During the LotusEaterMachine sequence, the trio are forced to face their worst nightmares. Special mentions go to Olivia, who sees her mother telling her she failed to protect Amphibia, and Marcy, who sees Anne and Sasha disowning her for stranding them in a DeathWorld. In the latter's case, it's even more heartbreaking because, despite Marcy being smart enough to realize that this is an illusion, she is still a scared 13-year-old autistic kid who made a horrible mistake that she has every reason to believe her friends hate her for, and the only thing she can do is to beg for their forgiveness, even calling her plan of sending them to Amphibia "dumb."

*** What makes the whole thing worse is how ''close'' the timing of Andrias' HeelRealisation is to his crossing of the MoralEventHorizon. Every line he's crossed, every villainous action he's taken that firmly established him as a thoroughly despicable villain, worthy of becoming the tyrant conqueror the Core desired to mold him into, he didn't ''truly'' cross into true evil until "True Colors". It's clear that the Core and Andrias accelerated their plans for the Earth invasion ''fast'' after that point, with everything that occurs over the course of season 3 -- the strip mining, the enslavement of Amphibia's inhabitants to work in his factories, the unprovoked assaults on any settlement that isn't already serving him, the multiple attempts on Anne's life, helping to turn Marcy into 'Darcy', invading Earth and all the casualties that came with that -- it all happened in a matter of '''months''' after that point. For 1000 years, Andrias wavered despite himself, still melancholically reminiscing over his past failed friendships despite the self-hatred he felt towards himself for 'failing' his family legacy and being desperate to 'atone' for it. Everything he's done was fueled by that desperate need for validation from a being that truly cared nothing for him, which Andrias is hinted to have realized deep down, but still recommitted himself to his duty out of the belief that it was the 'right' thing to do and the desperate lies he told himself that Leif and Barrel never truly cared for him and moved on. Hearing that Leif didn't, and realizing that Barrel likely never moved on either, ''breaks'' Andrias, because he more than anybody understands how far he's fallen in such a short period of time. If Anne and the Plantars had investigated the family tunnels more, and/or if Hop Pop hadn't hidden the books with the warnings of the Calamity Box from Anne, the letter might have been found sooner, and Andrias could have found out the truth before he stepped across the line and turned against his master before the damage was truly done. Alternatively, if Andrias had chosen to open his heart to Marcy when she offered him true friendship and defy his master at that point, he never would have crossed the line. But, as he himself laments, it's simply far too late. He's spent 1000 years slowly turning into the monster his family created him to be, and he missed his chance for redemption by a matter of ''months''.

** He doesn't just collapse, he ''breaks down sobbing'', saying that [[BeyondRedemption there's no hope for him]] after everything he’s done. Creator/KeithDavid's [[SugarWiki/HeReallyCanAct performance is just heartbreaking]].

--->'''Darcy:''' Andrias! Stand up and fight, you pathetic excuse for a king! ''We'' are all you need! ''We'' are all you'll ever have!

** Although Anne still comes BackFromTheDead and doesn't seem to have [[CameBackWrong Come Back Wrong]], the vague language of the Calamity Stone entity about 'backing her up' makes it an AmbiguousSituation over whether or not the Anne that returned is REALLY her [[BodyBackupDrive transferred into a new body]], or if she's [[TomatoInTheMirror merely a copy of the original]]. Even Anne herself {{Lampshade|Hanging}}s that she's probably going to [[CloningBlues suffer existential angst down the line over what exactly she is now]].

** Although Anne still comes BackFromTheDead and doesn't seem to have [[CameBackWrong Come Back Wrong]], the vague language of the Calamity Stone entity about 'backing her up' makes it an AmbiguousSituation over whether or not the Anne that returned is REALLY her [[BodyBackupDrive transferred into a new body]], or if she's [[TomatoInTheMirrpr merely a copy of the original]]. Even Anne herself {{Lampshade|Hanging}}s that she's probably going to [[CloningBlues suffer existential angst down the line over what exactly she is now]].

** Although Anne still comes BackFromTheDead and doesn't seem to have [[CameBackWrong Come Back Wrong]], the vague language of the Calamity Stone entity about 'backing her up' makes it an AmbiguousSituation over whether or not the Anne that returned is REALLY her transferred into a new body, or if she's merely a copy of the original. Even Anne herself {{Lampshade|Hanging}}s that she's probably going to [[CloningBlues suffer existential angst down the line over what exactly she is now]].

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwWBa3L7lSo The season 3 sneak peek]] has a few moments that will make your eyes mist up.
** Anne is shown to be giving the Plantars a comforting hug, clearly promising to stand by them for as long as they're in her world, just like they helped her in Amphibia. Given how disorienting it must be for the Plantars to be stuck in an alien world like Earth, it's both sad and heartwarming that for all the unfamiliar surroundings, they still have the familiar bond with Anne to rely on when they're separated from everything they've known their whole lives.

*** Andrias, the TragicVillain of the story, is publicly struck down and his defeat [[AndThereWasMuchRejoicing lauded by everyone who sees it]], unaware of [[WhatYouAreInTheDark the small sacrifice he made at the end]] to try and do the right thing at last in his 1000-year-long lifespan. Meanwhile, Darcy, the actual director and instigator of the invasion, gets 'killed' out of sight in a private fight with Sasha and Grime, with nobody ever aware of the true power it had over their king and over Amphibia, only having gotten to know of its existence just recently. Andrias will be remembered as a hated pariah and would-be conqueror on Earth, despite his more sympathetic qualities and the fact he was manipulated for most of his life into becoming nothing but the brutal enforcer of the Core's will, with it even attempting a VillainOverride on him when his desire to make his family proud ''finally'' gives in under the weight of all he'd sacrificed for such a meaningless goal. For all that he made his own choices in serving the Core, you can't help but lament how unfair his situation is, as he lies broken and defeated in the ruins of his PoweredArmour, his only thought being for the well-being of the only true friend he's ever had in the span of 1000 years, protesting nothing else about his treatment.

* Anne's last line of narration, summing up ''Amphibia'' and its themes. Double as heartwarming.
-->'''Anne:''' Change can be difficult, but it's how we grow. It can be [[TitleDrop the hardest thing]] to realize you can't hold on to something forever. Sometimes you have to let it go. [[SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments But of all the things you let go, you'd be surprised what makes its way back to you.]]

* Anne's last line of narration, summing up ''Amphibia'' and its themes.

[[AC: Spider-Sprig]]

* It's subtle, but Anne's behavior throughout the episode is very similar to how Sasha manipulated her on ''her'' birthday. You'd think she'd have learned by now.

*** What makes the whole thing worse is how ''close'' the timing of Andrias' HeelRealisation is to his crossing of the MoralEventHorizon. Every line he's crossed, every villainous action he's taken that firmly established him as a thoroughly despicable villain, worthy of becoming the tyrant conqueror the Core desired to mold him into, he didn't ''truly'' cross into true evil until "True Colors". It's clear that the Core and Andrias accelerated their plans for the Earth invasion ''fast'' after that point, with everything that occurs over the course of season 3 -- the strip mining, the enslavement of Amphibia's inhabitants to work in his factories, the unprovoked assaults on any settlement that isn't already serving him, the multiple attempts on Anne's life, helping to turn Marcy into 'Darcy', invading Earth and all the casualties that came with that -- it all happened in a matter of '''weeks''' after that point. For 1000 years, Andrias wavered despite himself, still melancholically reminiscing over his past failed friendships despite the self-hatred he felt towards himself for 'failing' his family legacy and being desperate to 'atone' for it. Everything he's done was fueled by that desperate need for validation from a being that truly cared nothing for him, which Andrias is hinted to have realized deep down, but still recommitted himself to his duty out of the belief that it was the 'right' thing to do and the desperate lies he told himself that Leif and Barrel never truly cared for him and moved on. Hearing that Leif didn't, and realizing that Barrel likely never moved on either, ''breaks'' Andrias, because he more than anybody understands how far he's fallen in such a short period of time. If Anne and the Plantars had investigated the family tunnels more, and/or if Hop Pop hadn't hidden the books with the warnings of the Calamity Box from Anne, the letter might have been found sooner, and Andrias could have found out the truth before he stepped across the line and turned against his master before the damage was truly done. Alternatively, if Andrias had chosen to open his heart to Marcy when she offered him true friendship and defy his master at that point, he never would have crossed the line. But, as he himself laments, it's simply far too late. He's spent 1000 years slowly turning into the monster his family created him to be, and he missed his chance for redemption by a matter of ''weeks''.

** There's another, even more heartbreaking dimension to this. Just before she was possessed, Marcy fell for an illusion of Anne and Sasha rejecting her ''despite knowing beforehand it was an illusion'', because she was that convinced they hated her. The reason ''this'' illusion fails wis because the idea that they would accept her to any degree after what she did to them simply makes too little sense to the poor girl for the illusion to keep hold of her, never mind the idea that they'd be sycophants.

*** What makes the whole thing worse is how ''close'' the timing of Andrias' HeelRealisation is to his crossing of the MoralEventHorizon. Every line he's crossed, every villainous action he's taken that firmly established him as a thoroughly despicable villain, worthy of becoming the tyrant conqueror the Core desired to mould him into, he didn't ''truly'' cross into true evil until "True Colours". It's clear that the Core and Andrias accelerated their plans for the Earth invasion ''fast'' after that point, with everything that occurs over the course of season 3 -- the strip mining, the enslavement of Amphibia's inhabitants to work in his factories, the unprovoked assaults on any settlement that isn't already serving him, the multiple attempts on Anne's life, helping to turn Marcy into 'Darcy', invading Earth and all the casualties that came with that -- it all happened in a matter of '''weeks''' after that point. For 1000 years, Andrias wavered despite himself, still melancholically reminiscing over his past failed friendships despite the self-hatred he felt towards himself for 'failing' his family legacy and being desperate to 'atone' for it. Everything he's done was fueled by that desperate need for validation from a being that truly cared nothing for him, which Andrias is hinted to have realized deep down, but still recommitted himself to his duty out of the belief that it was the 'right' thing to do and the desperate lies he told himself that Leif and Barrel never truly cared for him and moved on. Hearing that Leif didn't, and realizing that Barrel likely never moved on either, ''breaks'' Andrias, because he more than anybody understands how far he's fallen in such a short period of time. If Anne and the Plantars had investigated the family tunnels more, and/or if Hop Pop hadn't hidden the books with the warnings of the Calamity Box from Anne, the letter might have been found sooner, and Andrias could have found out the truth before he stepped across the line and turned against his master before the damage was truly done. Alternatively, if Andrias had chosen to open his heart to Marcy when she offered him true friendship and defy his master at that point, he never would have crossed the line. But, as he himself laments, it's simply far too late. He's spent 1000 years slowly turning into the monster his family created him to be, and he missed his chance for redemption by a matter of ''weeks''.

** He doesn’t just collapse, he ''breaks down sobbing'', saying that [[BeyondRedemption there’s no hope for him]] after everything he’s done. Creator/KeithDavid’s [[SugarWiki/HeReallyCanAct performance is just heartbreaking]].
--->'''Andrias:''' All this time, I thought you had forgotten me… (''choking up'') like I tried to forget you. ''My dear friend''… (''falls to his knees and sobs'') But you’re too late. [[IveComeTooFar The things I’ve done, the pain I’ve caused…]] ''[[SuddenlyShouting THERE’S NO GOING BACK!]]''
*** And the Core's response to his painful HeelRealisation? Deriding him as a pathetic weakling who ''still'' can't follow their orders right despite everything, and then attempting a VillainOverride on him to ''force'' him to finish the fight, showing how it ultimately only saw him as an unthinking tool for its ambitions and not a person in his own right. Andrias has demonstrated throughout the series that despite everything he's done of his own free will, he has it in him to be a good person deep inside, but his connection to his poisonous family legacy leaves him with nothing at the end, costing him the love of his subjects, the respect of his advisors, and the sincere friendship he had with Marcy. You really can't help but pity him for the SelfInflictedHell he was guided into by the Core and his BlindObedience to it.