History TearJerker / ChronoTrigger

* The scene where Lavos is falling. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDH8izdv0Aw The song playing in the background]], titled either "At the Bottom of Night" (SNES) or "Depths of the Night" (DS), really emphasizes how sad this really is: you know [[BeastOfTheApocalypse what's]] [[PlanetaryParasite falling]], [[PhlebotinumKilledTheDinosaurs you know it's bad for you and the rest of life on Earth]], you've ''seen'' [[AfterTheEnd what it will do]], [[PlayerPunch and there's]] ''[[HitlersTimeTravelExemptionAct nothing]]'' [[TheCretaceousIsAlwaysDoomed you can do about it]], all you can do is retreat into a time gate while you helplessly watch an ancient civilization predating modern humanity fall. Even if thy FaceDeathWithDignity, it still leaves a sour spot in your mouth, though with the DS remake, at least some Reptites survived into the modern age, albeit isolated and separated from humanity.

*** In the Japanese version of the script, what ultimately snaps Schala out of it is Magus calling her "Ane-ue", [[note]] "big sister" [[/note]], [[SomethingOnlyTheyWouldSay which is how Janus would often address her.]] Magus reveals his identity to Schala in a last-ditch bid to wake her up, and it works... ...but only for so long.

* Marle's subplot involving hers and her father's strained relationship, no thanks to the impostor chancellor.

'''Guardia:''' Do as you please! [[IHaveNoDaughter You are not my daughter!]]

* On its own, "Corridors of Time" is a [[SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic beautiful song]], but the [[https://youtu.be/f78Nt2Nnj5Y remix]] that Creator/YasunoriMitsuda composed for ''Chrono Trigger & Chrono Cross Arrangement Album'', featuring guest vocals from Laura Shigihara, is downright ''heartbreaking''. The song is sung from [[TheWoobie Schala]]'s perspective, telling how she knows the Kingdom of Zeal is doomed to fail due to [[GodSaveUsFromTheQueen her mother's actions]], and desperately pleads for her little brother, Janus, to stay by her side as the kingdom of dreams falls apart.

* The scene where Lavos is falling. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDH8izdv0Aw The song playing in the background]], titled either "At the Bottom of Night" (SNES) or "Depths of the Night" (DS), really emphasizes how sad this really is: you know [[BeastOfTheApocalypse what's]] [[PlanetaryParasite falling]], [[PhlebotinumKilledTheDinosaurs you know it's bad for you and the rest of life on Earth]], you've ''seen'' [[AfterTheEnd what it will do]], [[PlayerPunch and there's]] ''[[HitlersTimeTravelExemptionAct nothing]]'' [[TheCretaceousIsAlwaysDoomed you can do about it]], all you can do is retreat into a time gate while you helplessly watch an ancient civilization predating modern humanity fall. Even if thy FaceDeathWithDignity, it still leaves a sour spot in your mouth, especially since we never see any living Reptites beyond 65,000,000 B.C....

** Ever the kindhearted ones, Marle and/or Lucca, are horrified at being ForcedToWatch this display, which leads to a [[Awesome/ChronoTrigger Moment Of Awesome]] when you take out all six of those big metal bastards. It's clear that this still takes a toll on Lucca, though, as she works overtime desperately trying to save her new friend, who's still sparking and glitching, barely able to talk.

*** The actual absolute worst? Good news: You are not responsible for Schala's fate. Bad news: according to both VisualNovel/RadicalDreamers and VideoGame/ChronoCross , ''she was attempting suicide.''

** But possibly the absolute worst? It's arguable that the person responsible for all of this is [[PlayerPunch you]]. In the original timeline, free of the Crono gang's meddling, they weren't present at the Ocean Palace, meaning that Schala would have used the last of her power to save herself and (possibly) Queen Zeal. Instead, since you were there, she [[HeroicSacrifice had to use it to rescue you instead.]] Schala is dead [[FateWorseThanDeath or worse]], the Black Omen exists and Queen Zeal is infinitely more dangerous ''because of you''.

!!'''As a Moments subpage, all spoilers are unmarked [[Administrivia/SpoilersOff as per policy.]] Administrivia/YouHaveBeenWarned.'''

* On its own, "Corridors of Time" is a [[SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic beautiful song]], but the [[https://youtu.be/f78Nt2Nnj5Y remix]] that Creator/YasunoriMitsuda composed for ''Chrono Trigger & Chrono Cross Arrangement Album'', featuring guest vocals from Laura Shigihara, is downright ''heartbreaking''. The song is sung from [[TheWoobie Schala]]'s perspective, and how she knows the Kingdom of Zeal is doomed to fail due to [[GodSaveUsFromTheQueen her mother's actions]], and is desperately pleading for her little brother, Janus, to stay by her side as the kingdom of dreams falls apart.

* Lucca's side quest to save her mother from the accident that ruined her legs. An uplifting moment follows if you get it right, but if you get it wrong...Oy.
** *Shudder* [[HellIsThatNoise That...Sound...when you fail is]].....*shudder*

** It turns FromBadToWorse in the DS version. You find Schala fusing with Lavos, her consciousness slowly being absorbed into the space parasite, and furthermore, she's become an OmnicidalManiac as a result! And even after fighting against the new form of Lavos with all your might, all it does is piss him off and briefly snap Schala out of it long enough for her to make a really vague statement of how you can save her in VideoGame/ChronoCross before teleporting you and Magus away.

** The song [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7G-I2xquxc Sealed Door]] will have you shedding tears even if you hear only the '''FIRST THREE NOTES.'''

* An early quest sees Frog lose his confidence, blaming himself for the kidnapping of Queen Leene. After giving Crono some kind words, he leaves the kingdom seemingly for good, and a stunned Lucca, who hates frogs, can only say "...Maybe frogs aren't so bad after all."

* The songs "Epilogue To Good Friends" and "To Far Away Times" are this in musical form, or at least they bring TearsOfJoy once you have gotten to know the characters so well. The first, a restating of Marle's Theme, takes the epic yet deceptively simple tune to a whole new level, since it plays when everyone is going their separate ways and may never see each other again, while the latter is a triumphant and hopeful piece that plays over either (depending on your actions) shots of Crono and Marle floating on balloons through the night sky or of Crono, Marle, and Lucca riding the Wings of Time in pursuit of his mother and cat--and [[WhereAreTheyNowEpilogue seeing all their friends in every time period]], showing them happy and at peace or at least doing all right. Basically, showing [[EarnYourHappyEnding everything you've been fighting for the whole game]], and what has now been preserved thanks to the defeat of Lavos. The last shot of the game is even an overview of the world map to emphasize what you've saved.
** The DS version decides to add one more tear jerking song after the animated cutscene that immediately plays following the SNES portion of the credits, a song called "Time to Rest". This new piece is so emotionally empowering and beautiful that its by far the most saddest, and ironically most forgotten song in the entire OST. Its lullaby-inspired melody will make you gush out tears due to the fact that its one last song, a lullaby, that closes the entire game. One could even say that this is a song that Lucca would sing to her new adopted child that she found in the ending. And the last part of the song repeats like time itself, before it fades away as a clock ticks, gradually slowing down until...it stops.
* The scene where Lavos is falling. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDH8izdv0Aw The song playing in the background]], titled either "At The Bottom Of Night" (SNES) or "Depths Of The Night" (DS), really emphasizes how sad this really is: you know [[BeastOfTheApocalypse what's]] [[PlanetaryParasite falling]], [[PhlebotinumKilledTheDinosaurs you know it's bad for you and the rest of life on Earth]], you've ''seen'' [[AfterTheEnd what it will do]], [[PlayerPunch and there's]] ''[[HitlersTimeTravelExemptionAct nothing]]'' [[TheCretaceousIsAlwaysDoomed you can do about it]], all you can do is retreat into a time gate while you helplessly watch an ancient civilization predating modern humanity fall. Even if thy FaceDeathWithDignity, it still leaves a sour spot in your mouth, especially since we never see any living Reptites beyond 65,000,000 B.C....
--->'''Azala''': [[DespairEventHorizon We... have no future...]]

* [[BadFuture 2300 A.D]] is one big example. The entire world is [[AfterTheEnd an apocalyptic ruin,]] the [[AlwaysNight sky is always dark due to some kind of nuclear winter,]] and the few surviving humans have to live underground in abject squalor and misery. At least it's possible for Crono and the gang to prevent it from occuring.

'''As a Moments subpage, all spoilers are unmarked [[Administrivia/SpoilersOff as per policy.]] Administrivia/YouHaveBeenWarned.'''

* The big one that anyone who's played the game remembers firmly and has ascended to a legendary ItWasHisSled: [[TheHeroDies Crono's death.]] While Crono himself doesn't have a lot of character, he was essentially the player's avatar in a time and era where doing this sort of death ''mid-game'' was unheard of. And even worse, the entire party is severely affected by this, to the point that even [[{{Jerkass}} Magus]] has a rather hollow attempt of a KickTheDog mockery at his death and yet [[HiddenHeartOfGold refuses to tell Crono's mother the truth of what happened]]; the ending where you don't revive him by the end of the game has Marle and Lucca dedicate themselves to saving him even. And all because he [[{{Determinator}} refused to back down to Lavos when it was on the cusp of killing everyone.]]
** The way it happens doesn't help either: as the party, Magus and Schala had been defeated thoroughly by Lavos. Crono gets back up with his sword in hand, only for Lavos to release the largest amount yet of [[NoKillLikeOverkill direct, destructive power on him alone]], not even giving him the chance to fight back as he's [[NoBodyLeftBehind completely obliterated]]. He's dosed with such a potent amount of energy that not even ash is left behind. The protagonist the player's directly leveled, saved people and made friends with, and tried to stop Lavos via, is ''utterly erased in an instant'' out of pure destructive hatred - and the party is ForcedToWatch due to being too wounded to get out of there.
* The moment that cements Robo as a TinMan - at the end of your first mission with Robo, a bunch of similar-looking robots (albeit blue instead of Robo's gold) emerge, and Robo greets whom he calls his friends... only to get ''punched to the ground.'' He is then told that he is defective, if only because he failed to eliminate the intruders like he was apparently programmed to do. After just getting to know his new human friends, Robo simply cannot process this concept, before he gets the snot kicked out of him by his "friends" and left for dead. The worst part is Robo slowly trying to crawl away, ''pleading for his robotic life.''
-->[[AC:Please stop. Pl...ease...]]

* [[BadFuture 2300 A.D]] is one big example. The entire world is [[AfterTheEnd an apocalyptic ruin,]] the [[AlwaysNight sky is always dark due to some kind of nuclear winter,]] and the few surviving humans have to live underground in abject squalor and misery. At least it's possible for Crono and the gang to prevent it from occuring.