History TearJerker / CaptainPlanetAndThePlaneteers

* "A Formula For Hate": High school basketball player Todd Andrews finds out that he is HIV-positive, which of course concerns and depresses him. Then, Verminous Skumm uses this as means to take over the world by lying about AIDS so it will spread faster. Todd becomes a victim of bullies, his own best friend rejects him, and he lies to his girlfriend in an effort to protect her, causing her to think that he dumped her. Later, townspeople attack him, his mom and their living place, and his little brother gets beaten up. In the end, with the help from his coach, everyone feels guilty about treating him badly, and there is AnAesop that HIV-positive people need care and support, not scorn and harassment. However, despite the fact that everyone accepted [[TheWoobie Todd]], the episode's ending is {{bittersweet|Ending}} at best: Todd will not have a chance to marry his girlfriend and have kids because he'll infect his potential kids with HIV, and he probably won't live very long if his HIV turns to full-blown AIDS; even if he lives to 1995, where the first HAART were used, he'll still have to spend the time and money for his treatment.

* "[[Recap/CaptainPlanetAndThePlaneteersS5E2Hollywaste Hollywaste]]": The very fact that Bambi is ''used'' to being distrusted/mistreated because of her sister's attitude and actions is rather depressing.

* "The Great Tree Heist": Captain Planet is so badly wounded by Greedly that when the Planeteers try to bring him back, he can't manifest. This leads to the kids thinking he's dead; the conversation that follows – [[NeverSayDie inability to say "dead"]], denial and crying – is heartbreaking. Even worse is that four out of the five Planeteers have less-than-ideal family lives – three are orphans[[note]]Ma-Ti lost both his parents to anti-environmentalists, Kwame never knew his father, and Linka's father appears only during her childhood, with her mother never appearing at all,[[/note]] and one comes from an abusive home – and Captain Planet is implied to be their surrogate/adoptive father. NOW go watch the scene.

* "[[Recap/CaptainPlanetAndThePlanteersS1E3BeastOfTheTemple Beast of the Temple]]": Wheeler and Linka get a massive amount of ShipTease; during one scene, they flirt openly. When the dragon catches up to them during the mission, [[ActOfTrueLove Wheeler risks his life to save the girl he loves]] and when they're reunited, she [[TheGlomp tackle-hugs him]] in relief. Later, they have some brief banter about the hug; she "[[{{Tsundere}} explains]]" that "it was either [him] or the dragon beast". Though she says it rather lightly, as if half-jokingly, Wheeler's face falls as soon as she turns away...and that's the way the episode ends. [[InnocentlyInsensitive Linka probably didn't think too much about that offhand comment]], but the rejection after getting so close clearly hurt Wheeler.

* "[[Recap/CaptainPlanetAndThePlaneteersS6E13101Mutations 101 Mutations]]": Dr. Blight's and MAL's [[CruellaToAnimals treatment of animals]] in the episode can be depressing enough to make any animal lover cry. Even before the start of the episode, Skippy the puppy died from birth defects at SIX MONTHS OLD. We never see the poor pup, but yikes. You really feel bad for Joey. Also, many of the sicker dogs were implied to be euthanized, and Lady's puppy could have died in the fire if she didn't tip over that bucket.