History TearJerker / Cars

* The aftermath of the press finding Lightning again. It may not have drawn tears, but still... That scene was like a more painful version of the "Our Town" song mentioned below, because it essentially shows Radiator Springs coming back to life, and then dying again when Doc Hudson finally gets rid of the press and [=McQueen=]. The neon lights shutting off at that exact moment is good symbolism: when Lightning, the first customer in Radiator Springs after twenty or more years, had to leave without saying goodbye to the others, all the happy atmosphere that was present just a couple minutes earlier was gone with him. No lights on, no hope to see the town get back on the map, just a dark silence like it was always was, only broken by the yellow traffic light.

** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGwpw5dwVz0 The "Our Town" sequence]], which virtually anyone from such a town in real life can sympathize with. ''Especially'' the part where Luigi pushes up the sign that says "We're still open". It's the "[[WesternAnimation/ToyStory2 When She Loved Me]]" of ''Cars''. Even WebVideo/CinemaSins thought so; despite having a low opinion on the movie, Jeremy is compelled to remove a sin for the song no matter what else happens.

'''Doc:''' (shocked) You think I ''quit''? (shows Lightning an old newspaper)\\

** Even worse, in WesternAnimation/Cars3 [[spoiler:[=McQueen=] actually watches the crash as it actually happened in an old, grainy 8mm newsreel. Even moreso, Doc looks like he's really in pain. To top it all off, we see a flashback of Doc's speech from the first movie with the same archival recordings from the late Paul Newman.]] Way to inject us with emotional insulin, Pixar.

* The scene where Sally is explaining to [=McQueen=] about the glory days of Route 66 and the pleasure of driving not just to get place to place as fast and as efficiently as one can, but to see and explore and have ''fun'' on the journey. Until the interstate caused the town to get bypassed just to save 10 minutes worth of driving and Radiator Springs got taken off the map.
-->'''Sally''': 40 years ago, that interstate down there didn't exist. Back then, cars came across the country a whole different way.\\
'''Lightning''': How do you mean?\\
'''Sally''': Well, the road didn't ''cut through'' the land like that interstate. It ''moved with'' the land; it rose, it fell, it curved... Cars didn't drive on it to ''make'' great time. They drove on it to ''have'' a great time.
--> '''Lightning:''' What happened?
--> '''Sally:''' The town got bypassed just to save 10 minutes of driving.

** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGwpw5dwVz0 The "Our Town" sequence]], which virtually anyone from such a town in real life can sympathize with. ''Especially'' the part where Luigi pushes up the sign that says 'We're still open'. It's the "[[WesternAnimation/ToyStory2 When She Loved Me]]" of ''Cars''. Even WebVideo/CinemaSins thought so; despite having a low opinion on the movie, Jeremy is compelled to remove a sin for the song no matter what else happens.

'''Doc:''' ''They'' quit on ''me''. When I finally got put together, I went back expecting a big welcome. Y'know what they said? "You're history." Moved right on to the next rookie standing in line... There was a lot left in me. I
never got a chance to show 'em. I keep that to remind me never to go back. I just never expected that that world would... would find me here.

'''Doc:''' ''They'' quit on ''me''. When I finally got put together, I went back expecting a big welcome. Y'know what they said? "You're history." Moved right on to the next rookie standing in line... There was a lot left in me. I just never got a chance to show 'em. I keep that to remind me never to go back. I just never expected that that world would... would find me here.

'''Doc:''' They quit on ''me''. When I finally got put together, I went back expecting a big welcome. Y'know what they said? "You're history." Moved right on to the next rookie standing in line... There was a lot left in me. I just never got a chance to show 'em. I keep that to remind me never to go back. I just never expected that that world would... would find me here.

* The scene where Sally is explaining to [=McQueen=] about the glory days of Route 66 and the pleasure of driving not just to get place to place as fast and as efficiently as one can, but to see and explore and have ''fun'' on the journey. Until the interstate cause the town to get bypassed just to save 10 minutes worth of driving and Radiator Springs get taken off the map.

'''Lightning:''' What happened?
'''Sally:''' The town got bypassed just to save 10 minutes of driving.

* The scene where Sally is explaining to [=McQueen=] about the glory days of Route 66 and the pleasure of driving not just to get place to place as fast and as efficiently as one can, but to see and explore and have ''fun'' on the journey.

* How about the credits? And it's not just the use of that absolute TearJerker of a song - 'Find Yourself' by Brad Paisley. Those lyrics are bad enough, but at around the same time they begin (when the credits epilogue ends), the screen just ''has'' to display the words '[[InMemoriam Dedicated to Joe Ranft 1960-2005]]'. For those who don't know, Ranft was an actor and close friend of the Pixar crew, who died in a car accident. Made more sad by them showing clips, next to the dedication, of the Pixar characters he played: Heimlich (from 'A Bug's Life'), Lenny (from 'Toy Story 1 & 2') and Wheezy (from 'Toy Story 2'). Made even worse for anyone who watched Toy Story 3 and was wondering where Lenny and Wheezy were ... and it might be bad for anyone who hoped for a sequel to ''WesternAnimation/ABugsLife'', as well. So ... heartwarming song + dedication to lost friend + clips of characters we may never see again = Tear Jerker all around.

* Doc's "they quit on me" speech. Remember that ''Cars'' was the last film for Paul Newman (Doc's voice actor) before he died - he even took a break from retirement when Disney/Pixar summoned him to have a role in it. The line "There was a lot left in me. I never got a chance to show them," [[HarsherInHindsight becomes even more heartbreaking]].

* A small moment, but when Harv asks [=McQueen=] to name some of his friends so he can send them tickets to the race, [=McQueen=] can't think of a single one, and his expression as he realizes this makes it clear [[LonelyAtTheTop what he feels about it.]]

* The aftermath of the press finding Lightning again. It may not have drawn tears, but still... That scene was like a more painful version of the "Our Town" song mentioned below, because it essentially shows Radiator Springs coming back to life, and then dying again when Doc Hudson finally gets rid of the press and [=McQueen=]. The neon lights shutting off at that exact moment is good symbolism: when Lightning, the first customer in Radiator Springs after twenty or more years, had to leave without saying goodbye to the others, all the happy atmosphere that was present just a couple minutes earlier left with him. No lights on, no hope to see the town get back on the map, just a dark silence like it was always was, only broken by the yellow traffic light.

* The aftermath of the press finding Lightning again. It may not have drawn tears, but still... That scene was like a more painful version of the "Our Town" song mentioned below, because it essentially shows Radiator Springs coming back to life, and then dying again when Doc Hudson finally gets rid of the press and [=McQueen=]. The neon lights shutting off at that exact moment is good symbolism.
** To top the scene off, after [[WhatTheHellHero Sally calls Doc out]] on getting rid of Lightning, everyone turns their backs on him and Doc [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone instantly regrets his actions]] as he is left alone at the blinking traffic light.

* A small moment, but when Harv asks [=McQueen=] to name some of his friends so he can send them tickets to the race, [[LonelyAtTheTop [=McQueen=] can't think of a single one.]]

*** Worse yet, [[HarsherInHindsight the teaser for]] ''WesternAnimation/Cars3'' [[HarsherInHindsight implies that Lightning might go through the same thing!]]

-->'''Doc:''' It's best for everyone, Sally.
-->'''Sally:''' Best for everyone? [[ArmorPiercingQuestion Or best for]] ''[[ArmorPiercingQuestion you?]]''

** To top the scene off, after [[WhatTheHellHero Sally calls Doc]] out on getting rid of Lightning, everyone turns their backs on him and Doc [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone instantly regrets his actions]] as he is left alone at the blinking traffic light.

** To top the scene off, after Sally calls Doc out on getting rid of Lightning, everyone turns their backs on him and Doc instantly regrets his actions as he is left alone at the blinking traffic light.

-->'''Doc:''' It's what's best for everyone, Sally.

* A small moment, but when Harv asks [=McQueen=] to name some of his friends so he can send them tickets to the race, [=McQueen=] can't think of a single one.

** Even worse, in WesternAnimation/Cars3 [[spoiler:McQueen actually watches the crash as it actually happened in an old, grainy 8mm newsreel. Even moreso, Doc looks like he's really in pain. To top it all off, we see a flashback of Doc's speech from the first movie with the same archival recordings from the late Paul Newman.]] Way to inject us with emotional insulin, Pixar.

** To top the scene off, after Sally calls Doc off on getting rid of Lightning, everyone turns their backs on him and Doc instantly regrets his actions as he is left alone at the blinking traffic light.

-->'''Sally:''' Best for everyone? [[ArmorPiercingQuestion Or best for you?]]

* A small moment, but when Harv asks McQueen to name some of his friends so he can send them tickets to the race, McQueen can't think of a single one.

** Doubles as heartwarming: when Sally invites McQueen for the ride, he considers running away for a few seconds before deciding to join Sally instead.

* A quickie, but when Harv asks McQueen to list the friends he wants at the big race and McQueen can think of anyone, while glancing sadly at the camera for a second.

'''Doc:''' They quit on ''me''. When I finally got put together, I went back expecting a big welcome. Y'know what they said? "You're history." Moved right on to the next rookie standing in line... There was a lot left in me. I just never got a chance to show 'em. I keep that to remind me never to go back.