History TearJerker / DragonAgeII

** There is also Anders, who obviously sounds desperate.

* Anders seem to fall in love with Hawke even if he's not being romanced, or they're with someone else. [[GreenEyedMonster He acts the most jealous and nasty towards Fenris]], and makes hypocritical comments about why Hawke shouldn't be with him. Poor Anders [[LoveHurts knows any romance he has is doomed.]] Yet he can't help how he feels.

* There is an optional conversation that Hawke can have with Bodahn. Bodahn tells Hawke that it is time for him and Sandal to be moving on. He (Bodahn) is getting old and he needs to see that Sandal is taken care of. Hawke can offer to care for Sandal, but Bodahn turns down the offer, explaining that he and Sandal have been offered a place in Empress Celene's court in Orlais. At this point Hawke will turn away from Bodahn and face the fireplace (back to the camera). Then you realize that Hawke is coming to the realization that they are alone. Their father, their mother, and at least one of their siblings are dead. The other sibling is either also dead, is a Grey Warden, or is in the Gallows as a Circle Mage or a Templar. It serves to highlight that Hawke has utterly failed as the leader of the family despite their best efforts, and the toll it has taken on them. It becomes even more heartbreaking with a friendly Hawke: They go above and beyond to help their companions with their fears, doubts, trials, and tribulations, but still ends up unable to resolve their own troubles. HurtingHero and HeartbrokenBadass, thy name is Hawke.

* Losing a character can cause personal tearjerkers, or at least melancholy. Not even going into the crueler decisions Hawke is allowed to make (regarding Fenris, for example), or Hawke's sibling(s) dying, or having to kill former companions if their rivalries or friendships aren't high enough by Act 3 -- one can lose Isabela as early as Act 2. Most of the rest of the characters have some opinion on the Mage and Templar conflict or types of magic (Anders, Fenris, Merrill all have extensive personal quests in Acts 2 and 3), Hawke's siblings are already heavily skewed one way or the other, Varric doesn't have a crisis point with Hawke, Sebastian is really only around in Acts 2 and 3, and Aveline is the earliest companion met outside of Hawke's family (and thus a little ahead of anyone besides the sibling in racking up friendship or rivalry). But if one doesn't give some focus to Isabela one way or the other in Act 1 as well as 2, it's really easy to lose her in comparison, and it can leave a hollow feeling to know she's off adventuring elsewhere, having left her TrueCompanions of the game behind (since if you don't take them to the Deep Roads without Anders, even Bethany or Carver can come back). It's especially frustrating with low rivalry, since Hawke and Isabela are catty to each other but not to the point of confiding in each other, which is driven home by the meta kind of acknowledgement that Isabela won't be coming back, like she would have if you had a high friendship or rivalry.

* Bethany's time as a Grey Warden if she's brought along for the Deep Roads and survived has not been kind to her in the least. Whereas becoming a Warden actually helps Carver be a better person and curb his worst traits, Bethany's experience is the exact opposite and grows more cynical. This even affects her relationship with Hawke, who she previously adored, acting cold of distant towards them. Thankfully she does get better near the end of the game, stating that while life as a Grey Warden is not ideal, she knows they serve a higher purpose.

* Anders seem to fall in love with Hawke even if he's not being romanced, or they're with someone else. [[GreenEyedMonster He acts the most jealous and nasty towards Fenris]], and makes hypocritical comments about why Hawke shouldn't be with him. Poor Anders [[LoveHurts knows any romance he has is doomed.]] Yet, he can't help how he feels.

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* The mages in the party get a raw deal, Merrill being of course no exception. Utterly devoted to her clan and her heritage, she tries to fix one piece of her people's past at a [[KillThemAll tragic cost]] in the end, though this was not entirely her fault alone. Her reaction to how she's slowly turned into a story her clan's mothers tell their children to keep them in line over the course of the game is utterly heart wrenching.

* Bethan's time as a Grey Warden if she's brought along for the Deep Roads and survived has not been kind to her in the least. Whereas becoming a Warden actually helps Carver be a better person, Bethan's experience is the exact opposite and grows more cynical. This even affects her relationship with Hawke, who she previously adored, acting cold of distant towards them. Thankfully she does get better near the end of the game, stating that while life as a Grey Warden is not ideal, she knows they serve a higher purpose.

* There's a subtle one for Leandra. After the will is found, she talks to Hawke about her parents. She mentions that she wrote to her mother when each of the children were born, and her mother never wrote back; this makes sense when speaking just of Hawke. But it's stated in the game that Leandra's parents' funeral took place the same week that Bethany and Carver were born, which is why Leandra couldn't be there. (She probably couldn't even get out of bed at that point.) She must have written to her mother to tell her that she had given birth, or would shortly give birth, to twins; her mother didn't respond and it must have felt like a repeat of the earlier snub, but then Gamlen's letter arrived to inform her of their parents' deaths. They were gone and she would never have the chance to make amends or even see them again. This coming on the heels of the rigors of birth, and knowing what we in the real world know about post-partum depression... Leandra must have had a difficult time.

There's a reason why ''Dragon Age II'' is the most depressing game in the franchise, possibly [[UpToEleven even more so]] than ''Inquisition''.

** Another thing that's more Fridge Tearjerker than anything: Anders doesn't have a modified outfit that reflects his love for Hawke, but for one he fully commits to his plans. It's a subtle way of showing that for all that he does genuinely love Hawke, Anders will never put him/her above his cause.

* One of the most tragic (though difficult to achieve without actively trying) moments can happen towards the end, if Hawke romanced Fenris and sided with the mages ... and can't convince Fenris to join them. Not only does Hawke have to kill Fenris, it also gives one this tragic line.
--->'''Fenris''': I should have never allowed myself to love you.

* Isabela's back story. Isabela’s mother coldly sold her to an Antivan merchant when Isabela refused to convert to the Qun, and although they married, it was basically slavery for her. She was his plaything, punished when she misbehaved, forced to [[RapeAsBackstory entertain his friends]], and was completely miserable until Zevran came and assassinated him. The best thing she says she can say about him is that he didn't beat her. After that, she fell in love with someone else, and when the man she loved proposed to her, Isabela fled, triggered by her horrible experiences with her first husband, which broke the guy’s heart. Isabela became afraid of love and relationships because everyone in her life that should have loved her betrayed her, used her for their own selfish gain, and was abusive towards her. How is that not heartbreaking?

*** To be fair, Fenris follows that up with "Let's hope the sacrifice of someone who cared for you that much isn't wasted." This makes sense, really. He doesn't hate the Keeper, even though she was a mage too, because she was strong enough to sacrifice herself to protect someone from dangerous magic. He's basically saying he hopes Merrill can become like her.

* Kelder is a ReluctantPsycho who kills elven children because of the demons in his head. He doesn't want to but can't stop himself, begging his would-be victim to flee and then breaking down and pleading Hawke to kill him to stop him from killing any more children.
* This game truly drives home the horror of the Tranquil. Anders attempts to rescue another mage named Karl only to realize that Karl had been made Tranquil and the Templars had been waiting for him. After Vengeance seizes control of Anders briefly, the disturbance in the Veil allows Karl to temporarily regain his emotions, in which he begs Anders to kill him before he forgets what feeling emotions is like. Even worse is that Karl then lapses back into Tranquility.
** If Anders is romanced by a male Hawke he will also mention that he and Karl were lovers, making it even more tragic.

* There's a subtle one for Leandra. After the will is found, she talks to Hawke about her parents. She mentions that she wrote to her mother when each of the children were born, and her mother never wrote back; this makes sense when speaking just of Hawke. But it's stated in the game that Leandra's parents' funeral took place the same week that Bethany and Carver were born, which is why Leandra couldn't be there. (She probably couldn't even get out of bed at that point.) She must have written to her mother to tell her that she had given birth, or would shortly give birth, to twins; her mother didn't respond and it must have felt like a repeat of the earlier snub, but then Gamlen's letter arrived to inform her of their parents' death. They were gone and she would never have the chance to make amends or even see them again. This coming on the heels of the rigors of birth, and knowing what we in the real world know about post-partum depression... Leandra must have had a difficult time.

** The animation is absolutely brilliant for this. Also, if you're in a romance, your LI will come by your house afterward to offer condolences. It feels very real and very raw; if Hawke hasn't romanced anyone, it's Aveline who "came as soon as I heard," and offers an invitation to come and talk with her later if you feel up to it. Regardless of who comes for that scene, Hawke can have a conversation with Aveline after the fact, in which she talks about mourning her father, and clicking on party members on your first outing after the murder will have them offer sympathy as well; anyone who has ever lost a loved one will be both touched and shattered by all the condolences.

** What's even worse is that, looking back, in Act 1, Hawke comes within moments of apprehending Quentin when they investigate the Foundry, arriving only to see the bastard book it back to his StalkerShrine. That's right: Hawke came within moments of preventing not only their mother's death, but the deaths of almost all the other women Quentin butchered as well as Ser Emeric's.

** Oh, and if the sibling is still alive? Gamlen volunteers to be the one to break the news. Now picture Circle!Bethany in the Gallows with no one to console her, or Templar!Carver trying to do his duty despite his pain. Or either twin as a Grey Warden, receiving a letter about the matter. At least Hawke has their friends; the surviving twin is, in many ways, alone with their grief.

* Immediately before First Enchanter Orsino's HeroicBSOD, he says in complete despair, "Why don't they just drown us as infants? Why give us the illusion of hope?" after seeing his every effort at capitulation and cooperation be met with ever-increasing dickishness from the Templars. Aside from a very small handful of mages who manage to bear up under the incredible pressure of living in Kirkwall (mostly your party members) under the oppressive Templar regime, you really might as well just kill yourself and be done with it. Unless you're playing a Mage Champion.

* Many of Carver's lines during the last part of the game if he became either a Warden or a Templar. Particularly effective if the player developed a BigBrotherInstinct towards him. Also especially poignant considering you don't see him for most of the game.

* Most possible endings to the Anders romance arc. The tragedy starts from his personal quest in Act 2, "Dissent." Justice seizes control of him towards the end. If Hawke doesn't talk him down, Anders will kill an innocent mage. Even if he spares the girl, he's still filled with doubts. Enter the romance. Anders seems to perk up. He believes Hawke is his anchor... until Act 3 rolls around. At the beginning, Anders claims to want to rid himself of Justice. He asks for Hawke's help in doing so. Witness Anders trying to get rid of his personal belongings. Witness him putting distance between himself and Hawke. Witness him blowing up the Chantry with innocents still inside so he can send a message about oppression. He also used Hawke to unwittingly help him, which could easily be seen as a personal betrayal. At this point, Hawke has a tough decision: Keep him around knowing he betrayed them, send him away, or kill him outright. Worse, he won't even really fight this. He believes his life is forfeit. His face and Hawke's after the Chantry blows up makes it abundantly clear he's not fully comfortable with what he's done. He just felt it had to be to save his people. It's such a change from the light, flirty Anders in ''Awakening'', it seems even sadder in comparison.

* Merrill and Fenris even have a small conversation about Anders in Act 3, and Merrill says she feels sorry for him because he's broken the thing he was trying to save. It's heartbreaking, especially considering how nasty he is to her. Even worse, after Fenris tell Merrill that she's a step to becoming like Anders, she replies that broke things you love is not exclusive of mages, to which Fenris just agrees with a bitter "Sadly true".

* There's a conversation with Aveline in Act 3 where she mentions that, according to the Fereldan army, she has been assumed dead for the past seven years, since few survived Ostagar. Her recollection of the battle is heartbreaking, because it recalls that sinking feeling as Loghain withdrew, leaving those who looked at the beacon on top of the Tower of Ishal, expecting salvation, with nothing. She mentions that any officer who returns to Ferelden will be reinstated with honors by King Alistair/Queen Anora, but it's clear from both her tone and Hawke's that, were they to return, they would [[StrangerInAFamiliarLand be out of their element, though back home]]. It just shows how much the years in Kirkwall have changed all of them.

* Merrill's final personal quest is just horrible. To elaborate, after years of build up after she obtains the necessary tools to reconstruct the Eluvian and possibly unlock hidden secrets about her culture, she finds that in order to truly complete it, she must first contact the demon who gave her access to blood magic in the first place. After a long trek back up to Sundermount, you finally approach the cave where Merrill made her blood pact with the demon, only to find that Keeper Marethari has not only beaten you there, but revealed that she has [[HeroicSacrifice allowed the demon to possess her in order to prevent it from taking Merrill]]. You must then go through a lengthy battle with the Pride abomination that Merrill's mentor and adoptive mother has become (as an added kick to the gut, mid-way through the battle the abomination will take the form of Marethari and attempt to fool you into thinking you've won and she's regained consciousness, only to stab Merrill in the stomach as she tries to hug her and then continue fighting once more), and, after losing her only hope of restoring her culture as well as her Keeper, you head out the cave. But wait, there's more! A group of hunters who will be waiting outside the cave will now question you as to what happened. The best case scenario involves Merrill being completely abandoned by her clan, and, as word spreads, all other Dalish clans that she may ever meet. The worst case scenario involves slaughtering the hunters as well as every other member of her clan. To wrap things up, if you've chosen not to romance Merrill, the epilogue states that all of Hawke's companions eventually split apart, and for Merrill, this means that she will now have to travel the world alone, hunted by the Chantry for being an apostate and a blood mage, and rejected by her people for causing the death of her Keeper and potentially the rest of her clan.[[note]]Fortunately, Varric mention in Inquisition that Merrill stay in Kirkwall, helping the elves, and that Aveline is also here, meaning that Merrill wasn't really alone.[[/note]]

* There's a small one, Leandra - after the will is found - talks to Hawke about her parents. She mentions that she wrote to her mother when each of the children were born, and her mother never wrote back; this makes sense when speaking just of Hawke. But it's stated in the game that Leandra's parents' funeral took place the same week that Bethany and Carver were born, which is why Leandra couldn't be there. (She probably couldn't even get out of bed at that point.) She must have written to her mother to tell her that she had given birth, or would shortly give birth, to twins; her mother didn't respond and it must have felt like a repeat of the earlier snub, but then Gamlen's letter arrived to inform her of their parents' death. They were gone and she would never have the chance to make amends or even see them again. This coming on the heels of the rigors of birth, and knowing what we in the real world know about post-partum depression... Leandra must have had a difficult time.

* The ending to the subquest where a serial killer is let loose on Kirkwall. Your mother mentions earlier in the game that she might want to remarry, or at least start dating again. Come this quest, you are on assignment by a Templar to track down a kidnapped woman. You find her in the company of an Orlesian blood mage. He claims that he is protecting the woman from a blood mage who is kidnapping women and killing them after delivering a bouquet of white flowers to his victims. It doesn't matter whether you kill the Orlesian or not. When you return to the Templar, you find him killed by abominations. You rush home, and your mother is missing... after having been delivered the white flowers. You follow a blood trail to the killer's hideout and battle your way through more demons when you reach her. It's clear she is far gone. Her face is emaciated and her throat is cut; she has been kept alive by necromancy in a mage's attempt to resurrect his wife. He kidnapped women who looked like her, and Leandra was the last piece because she had a very similar face. Even after killing the mage, Leandra dies, but not before telling Hawke how proud of them she is. Seeing Gamlen in pure anguish afterwards, back at the estate, is heartbreaking.

* It's a small moment, but if you romanced Alistair in ''Origins'', made a HeroicSacrifice at the end, and Alistair stayed on as a Grey Warden, he will eventually run into Hawke in the second act. He gives Hawke an amulet that once belonged to the Warden and [[TheMourningAfter refers to the Warden as "the love of my life," even though she's been gone for almost four years at this point.]]

* There is an optional conversation that Hawke can have with Bodahn. Bodahn tells Hawke that it is time for him and Sandal to be moving on. He (Bodahn) is getting old and he needs to see that Sandal is taken care of. Hawke can offer to care for Sandal but Bodahn turns down the offer, explaining that he and Sandal have been offered a place in Empress Celene's court in Orlais. At this point Hawke will turn away from Bodahn and face the fireplace (back to the camera). Then you realize that Hawke is coming to the realization that they are alone. Their father, mother and at least one of their siblings are dead. The other sibling is either also dead, is a Grey Warden, or is in the Gallows as a Circle Mage or a Templar. It serves to highlight that Hawke has utterly failed as the leader of the family despite their best efforts, and the toll it has taken on them. It becomes even more heartbreaking with a friendly Hawke: They go above and beyond to help their companions with their fears, doubts, trials, and tribulations, but still ends up unable to resolve their own troubles. HurtingHero and HeartbrokenBadass, thy name is Hawke.

* The ending, if you stop and think about it. Hawke loses one of their siblings at the beginning of the game, and then loses the other either to the taint, the Grey Wardens, the Templars, or the Circle. Their mother gets murdered in a gruesome manner by a completely ''insane'' serial killer. They cannot save the Viscount of Kirkwall, who is murdered by the Arishok. They are unable to stop the fighting between Meredith and Orsino, which leads to mage-Templar relations dropping to an all-time low. They are duped by Anders' plot and made an (unwitting) accomplice in an act of iconoclasm. They are forced to flee Kirkwall, abandoning the city that they worked so hard to try to save. Their friends eventually [[TheFellowshipHasEnded go their separate ways]], still friends but no longer united. At ''best,'' Hawke is able to find some happiness with a romanced partner (if you went that route), who is the only one accompanying them on the run after the end of the game. The poor Champion cannot catch a break. And, as if [[CosmicPlaything the world didn't hate them enough]], it is possible for Hawke to die in the Fade during ''Inquisition''.
** Though if Hawke lives in ''Inquisition'', in the ''Trespasser'' DLC they return to Kirkwall to work together with Varric, who has been elected Viscount. So there is a HopeSpot.

* Merrill and Fenris even have a small conversation about Anders in Act 3, and Merrill says she feels sorry for him because he's broken the thing he was trying to save. It's heartbreaking, especially considering how nasty he is to her.

* Merrill's final personal quest is just horrible. To elaborate, after years of build up after she obtains the necessary tools to reconstruct the Eluvian and possibly unlock hidden secrets about her culture, she finds that in order to truly complete it, she must first contact the demon who gave her access to blood magic in the first place. After a long trek back up to Sundermount, you finally approach the cave where Merrill made her blood pact with the demon, only to find that Keeper Marethari has not only beaten you there, but revealed that she has [[HeroicSacrifice allowed the demon to possess her in order to prevent it from taking Merrill]]. You must then go through a lengthy battle with the Pride abomination that Merrill's mentor and adoptive mother has become (as an added kick to the gut, mid-way through the battle the abomination will take the form of Marethari and attempt to fool you into thinking you've won and she's regained consciousness, only to stab Merrill in the stomach as she tries to hug her and then continue fighting once more), and, after losing her only hope of restoring her culture as well as her Keeper, you head out the cave. But wait, there's more! A group of hunters who will be waiting outside the cave will now question you as to what happened. The best case scenario involves Merrill being completely abandoned by her clan, and, as word spreads, all other Dalish clans that she may ever meet. The worst case scenario involves slaughtering the hunters as well as every other member of her clan. To wrap things up, if you've chosen not to romance Merrill, the epilogue states that all of Hawke's companions eventually split apart, and for Merrill, this means that she will now have to travel the world alone, hunted by the Chantry for being an apostate and a blood mage, and rejected by her people for causing the death of her Keeper and potentially the rest of her clan.

* Ghyslain de Carrac's tale. He's the initial quest giver for the SerialKiller plotline. At first, he seems like he's just some chauvinistic douche who wants his wife to be dragged home. However, by the end of the quest, it's obvious that he has genuine regrets about his marital problems with Ninette. The somber tone in his voice when you give him Ninette's ring really makes it hard to not feel a little bad for the guy, especially when he mentions that they really were happy together once upon a time. It hits particularly hard if the player themselves has had relationship problems.