History TearJerker / GearsOfWar

* Tai's death, especially since everyone thought he was pretty much unkillable, and of course, ''how'' it ends. Watching a badass that was second only to Marcus in terms of general badassery blow his brains out with a shotgun...

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOjtv044sA4 Dom's death]] is the biggest one of them all in ''3'', and possibly for the entire series as well. He rams a junker into a tank full of Imulsion, parked at a "gas" station uner a leaking Imulsion pipeline, [[HeroicSacrifice just so Marcus and the others can escape]]. And just when you think you can hold it in, Gary Jules' DarkReprise of "Mad World" by Music/TearsForFears, which is practically the series' theme song, begins to play. The one character that people never expected to die actually did -- not to mention how the people that grew attached to him after spending all those times in the co-op of the first two games were affected as well.

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOjtv044sA4 Dom's death]] is the biggest one of them all in ''3'', and possibly for the entire series as well. He rams a junker into a tank full of Imulsion, parked at a "gas" station uner a leaking Imulsion pipeline, [[HeroicSacrifice just so Marcus and the others can escape]]. And just when you think you can hold it in, Gary Jules' DarkReprise of "Mad World" by Music/TearsForFears, which is practically the series' theme song, begins to play. The one character that people never expected to die actually did -- not to mention how the people that grew attached to him after spending all those times in ''Gears 1 and 2'' co-op were affected as well.

** In addition, choosing Del over JD has the added weight of AdultFear, since [[OutlivingOnesOffspring Marcus will have lost the only family he has left]]. This is after he's already lost, in order: his mother, his best friend, his father ([[HesJustHiding or so he thought]]), the only friend he made in prison, his ''other'' best friend (and little brother of the first one), his father ''again'' (for real this time), and finally his wife. It's indescribably heartbreaking to see Marcus Fenix, hardass extraordinaire, being reduced to a shattered mess barely capable of containing his grief. Despite their differences, it's very clear the man loved his son very much. That moment when he hugged Cole after the battle? It actually feels like he needed that hug ''badly''.

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOjtv044sA4 Dom's death]] is the biggest one of them all in ''3'', and possibly for the entire series as well. He rams a junker into a tank full of Imulsion, parked at a "gas" station uner a leaking Imulsion pipeline, [[HeroicSacrifice just so Marcus and the others can escape]]. And just when you think you can hold it in, Gary Jules' DarkReprise of ''Mad World'' by Music/TearsForFears, which is practically the series' theme song, begins to play. The one character that people never expected to die actually did -- not to mention how the people that grew attached to him after spending all those times in ''Gears 1 and 2'' co-op were affected as well.

** hen Dom is about to crash the tanker and blow up the horde, everyone else jumps off the building and runs to cover... except for Marcus, who just stands there and stares, because he knows what's about to happen, and for that moment, his mind simply couldn't deal with it. And after the crash, Anya has to hold Marcus back to keep him from running into the flames to get Dom out, even though he already knows Dom is dead.

* The biggest one of them all in ''3'' goes to [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOjtv044sA4 Dom's death]], possibly for the entire series as well. He rams a junker into a tank full of Imulsion, parked at a "gas" station uner a leaking Imulsion pipeline, just so Marcus and the others can escape. And just when you think you can hold it in as he sacrifices himself, Gary Jules' DarkReprise of ''Mad World'' by Music/TearsForFears, which is practically the series' theme song, begins to play. The one character that people never expected to die, actually did. Not to mention the people that grew attached to him after spending all those times in ''Gears 1 and 2'' co-op were affected as well.

--> '''Marcus:''' Dom, ''what the FUCK are you doing?''
--> '''Dom:''' I'm pulling the plug on them, Marcus!…Jump, will you? '''DO IT!'''

--> '''Dom:''' Never thought it would end like this, huh? Huh, Maria?
* The entire sequence where Dom dies is one. When Dom is about to crash the tanker and blow up the horde, everyone else jumps off the building and runs to cover... except for Marcus, who just stands there and stares, because he knows what's about to happen and for that moment his mind simply couldn't deal with it. And after the crash, Anya has to damn near hold Marcus in place to keep him from running into the flames to get Dom out, even though he already knows Dom is dead.

[[caption-width-right:350:''I love you...so much...!'']]

* ''VideoGame/GearsOfWar2''. Ever since the war started, Dom has been trying to find his missing wife, Maria. He doesn't get anywhere in the first game, but it's a major plot thread in the second. Dom finally finds Maria, and at first she seems exactly how he remembered. But, as he embraces her she starts to slip out of his hands, Marcus tells him to look again, and it's revealed he was hallucinating. Instead of being his beautiful wife, Maria is now an emaciated, brain-dead shell, reduced to nothing after months of torture. Dom tries to talk her out of it until he realizes the only moral thing he can do is euthanize her himself. Quite possibly the single most powerful, painful, and gut-wrenchingly horrifying moment seen in a video game.

[[caption-width-right:350:''Oh, no... no! No, no, no, no... No, baby, no, no, no, no...!'']]

For all of the general over-the-top nature of the franchise, this series is not without [[{{Tearjerker}} its sad moments]].

** In addition, choosing Del over JD has the added weight of AdultFear, since [[OutlivingOnesOffspring Marcus will have lost the only family he has left]], as if the loss of his mother, best friend, father, and wife hadn't been enough already. It's indescribably heartbreaking to see Marcus Fenix, hardass extraordinaire, being reduced to a shattered mess barely capable of containing his grief. Despite their differences, it's very clear the man loved his son very much. That moment when he hugged Cole after the battle? It actually feels like he needed that hug ''badly''.

** In addition, choosing Del over JD has the added weight of AdultFear, as [[OutlivingOnesOffspring Marcus will have lost the only family he has left]], as if the loss of his best friend, father, and wife hadn't been enough already. It's indescribably heartbreaking to see Marcus Fenix, hardass extraordinaire, being reduced to a shattered mess barely capable of containing his grief. Despite their differences, it's very clear the man loved his son very much. That moment when he hugged Cole after the battle? It actually feels like he needed that hug ''badly''.

** Speaking of Anthony, you can find his [[BoomHeadshot ruptured helmet]] in ''Gears 5'' near where he fell several decades ago. Marcus has this to say about it;
--> War is Brutal. War is messy. War is shit. And this kid deserved better.

* While on the topic of ''Gears 5'', whichever option you take for the SadisticChoice is equally gut-wrenching. Picking either Del or JD robs the survivor of a long-time friend and comrade, and [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge JD doesn't handle his grief well at all should he be the chosen one]].

** In addition, choosing Del over JD has the added weight of AdultFear, as [[OutlivingOnesOffspring Marcus will have lost the only family he has left]], as if the loss of his father and wife hadn't been enough already. It's indescribably heartbreaking to see Marcus Fenix, hardass extraordinaire, being reduced to a shattered mess barely capable of containing his grief. Despite their differences, it's very clear the man loved his son very much. That moment when he hugged Cole after the battle? It actually feels like he needed that hug ''badly''.

* The death of [[spoiler: Adam Fenix]], particularly the point where [[spoiler: the pulse fires that turns his body into ash, and Marcus is reaching out to hold him one last time.]]
** Even more heartwrenching as the unshakable, emotionless Marcus kneels over his father's ashes; you can actually hear his voice ''breaking''.
** When [[spoiler: Adam Fenix disintegrates into ash, Marcus just…falls to his knees, completely [[HeroicBSOD stunned]] as Anya exclaims "God!" in the background. Imagine fighting to get back to finding your father again after thinking he was dead for years, realizing that he was proud of you all along, and then he just ''disappears'' before your very eyes.]]
* The expression on Marcus' face at the very end as[[spoiler: he stares out over the beach. He has literally spent his entire adult life at war, and he has nowhere to go and no idea what to do, especially after both Dom and his father died.]]
** His reaction really serves to spell out the toll the war has taken on humanity; the world's destruction was so complete that you realize that even though they've finally won, it seems as though they truly have lost everything there was to live for.
** [[spoiler: Quickly becomes heartwarming when Anya goes over to comfort him.]]

* When JD returns home there is an optional scene that can be triggered by going to a gate before meeting Marcus. Whats the first thing JD does once he gets home? [[spoiler: Visit his mother Anya's grave. Apparently [[HappyEndingOverride her tomorrow was just a bit shorter]].]]
** The [=DeeBees=] attack and destruction of the house is suddenly a lot sadder when you realize Marcus has been trying to fix [[spoiler:his dead wife's home]] alone for years, only for it to all get wrecked right in front of him. What if [[spoiler:her grave got destroyed too?]]

* It really is heartbreaking to see just how strained Marcus' relationship with JD is. Almost every word they say to each other comes off as SnarkToSnarkCombat and according to Del, it's the norm for them to be constantly yelling at each other. It's shown that Marcus really didn't want JD to join the COG and a lot of his frustration with his son stems from this, but JD [[WellDoneSonGuy just wanted to live up to his family's legacy and make his parents proud]]. Should the player decide to visit [[spoiler: Anya's grave]], before meeting Marcus, you can see a typical conversation between the two.
-->'''JD:''' Dad, I-[[spoiler:I visited Mom]].\\

'''JD:''' Do you even [[spoiler:visit her]] anymore?\\

* ''Gears of War 4'' hits you with a surprising one right out the gate. Humanity is commemorating all the conflict and sacrifice that was suffered to achieve the peace they now thrive in, and you (the player) are tasked with partaking in the flashbacks that accompany this. We see several familiar faces, and get ready to kick ass as one of your favorite characters... [[spoiler: only to be planted firmly in the boots of a faceless grunt, and you struggle through some of the most intense and pivotal moments in the series as a generic Gear. [[ADeathInTheLimelight And then you die]]. In the first segment, your character is wiped out by a mortar round while dragging a wounded comrade, within sight of safety. During E-day, you find a ''Hammer of Dawn'' while severely outgunned, only for it to go off-line seconds before you could have survived. Finally, you play as a medic at Anvil Gate, who was never even meant to fight, as literally hundreds of Locust march relentlessly toward you, and [[{{Retirony}} die seconds before the whole Locust Horde is wiped out]] by Delta Squad's actions at the end of ''Gears 3''. You never see their faces. You never learn their names. They changed the course of history, [[DudeWheresMyRespect but will never be remembered as anything more]] than one of a thousand others who also fell that day]].

* The ending to ''Gears 4'' has a major one with [[spoiler:JD and the others finally finding Reyna, only she's [[FateWorseThanDeath connected to the hive]], and that cutting her loose will kill her. Reyna begs Kait [[MercyKill to finish her off]], and she tearfully does so. Gets even worse when Kait realizes that Marcus knew about Reyna's fate the whole time, thanks to having been connected to the HiveMind while he was captured in a pod. Although even he admits: "I didn't know we'd find ''this''."]]
* Speaking of [[spoiler:{{Mercy Kill}}s]], there is an Easter Egg in the graveyard in Act 3: [[spoiler:There are several gravestones engraved with letters, and by destroying them in order to spell "Maria", two [[WillOTheWisp ghostly lights]] appear by the exit and re-enact Maria's death cutscene as Dom's dialogue plays. And then she shot rings out, and the lights are gone. In their place is Dom's PreciousPhoto of himself and Maria, and the ''[[WeAllDieSomeday Memento Mori]]'' -- a spectral Boltok Pistol that can OneHitKill anything in the game, but only has about a dozen shots that can't be replenished]].
* ''Gears 5'' presents the heartbreaking prospect of [[spoiler:Kait, driven by paranoia and the Hive's "messages", turning her gun on Del, demanding to know what JD told him behind her back]].

* ''VideoGame/GearsOfWar2''. Ever since the war started, Dom has been trying to find his missing wife, Maria. He doesn't get anywhere in the first game, but it's a major plot thread in the second. [[spoiler: Dom finally finds Maria, and at first she seems exactly how he remembered. But, as he embraces her she starts to slip out of his hands, Marcus tells him to look again, and it's revealed he was hallucinating. Instead of being his beautiful wife, Maria is now an emaciated, brain-dead shell, reduced to nothing after months of torture. Dom tries to talk her out of it until he realizes the only moral thing he can do is euthanize her himself.]] Quite possibly the single most powerful, painful, and gut-wrenchingly horrifying moment seen in a video game.

** [[spoiler: Tai's death]] was also a heartwrencher, especially since everyone thought [[spoiler: he]] was pretty much [[spoiler: unkillable]], and of course, ''how'' it ends. Watching a badass that was second only to Marcus in terms of general badassery [[spoiler: blow his brains out with a shotgun]]...
*** The real tear jerker is that had [[spoiler: Tai]] not been captured by the Locust, he undoubtably would have survived the entire trilogy, perhaps into ''Gears 4'' as well. He could've been a CoolOldGuy philosopher who would've been able to pass down his experiences and philosophies to the remaining humans, inspiring mental fortitude within them to help deal with the ridiculously hard future they have ahead of them. Instead...
** [[NewMeat The rookie]] in Gears of War 2, Ben [[spoiler: Carmine]]. What else to say? The guy lost [[spoiler: his brother Anthony]] in the first game, gets drafted into the the same squad and exhibits the same impulsive combat behaviour, which greatly concerns Marcus and Dom who still have [[spoiler: [[IdiotHero Anthony]]]]'s death fresh in memory. Ben stays upbeat along the way, tries to be heroic and live up to the standards of his teammates while Marcus and Dom, familiar with the grim reality of the war, realize things aren't going to end well this time around either. [[DownerEnding They're right.]]
*** [[spoiler: What got this troper about Carmine's death was the fact that he died so cheaply, whereas his brother got to go out in a fight. But Anthony was incompetent, whereas Ben was able to hold his own on the field of battle against several waves of Locusts and everything. But instead of going out fighting, he simply wound up getting his insides melted by some giant worm stomach enzymes.]]
*** He was [[spoiler:disemboweled and nearly ''torn in half'' by the Riftworm's immune system. That may actually have been more of a fight than his brother, who was abruptly [[BoomHeadshot sniped]] from about a hundred feet away.]]
*** Even worse is how he actually managed to survive plunging several hundred feet into the belly of the monster, and that a few moments sooner Delta might've been able to save him, instead only arriving just as Ben is being disemboweled and vainly fighting to stay alive.
** [[spoiler: The destruction of Jacinto]]; humanity has managed to utterly devastate the Locust and wipe out much of the horde, but in doing so sacrificed the one city that truly provided sanctuary for humanity since the start of the war, a desperate act that cost the lives of many survivors and has left them without a home as they flee the collapsing and flooded city, knowing too well of the struggle that lies ahead but not of the new threat that is now emerging.
** Well, borderline case perhaps... but just watch the trailers for both games. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccWrbGEFgI8 Just.]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FL_ZjJgbDmc&feature=related Watch.]]
*** And the trailer for the third combines somber music with a BolivianArmyEnding to make one of the most emotional trailers I've witnessed. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7Te5fcnrUA&feature=related Ashes to Ashes...]]
*** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86QvTlQ5ziY&feature=player_embedded ...Dust to Dust.]]
* [[spoiler: The biggest one of them all in ''3'' goes to [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOjtv044sA4 Dom's death]], possibly for the entire series as well. He rams a junker into a tank full of Imulsion, parked at a "gas" station uner a leaking Imulsion pipeline, just so Marcus and the others can escape. And just when you think you can hold it in as he sacrifices himself, Gary Jules' DarkReprise of ''Mad World'' by Music/TearsForFears, which is practically the series' theme song, begins to play. The one character that people never expected to die, actually did. Not to mention the people that grew attached to him after spending all those times in ''Gears 1 and 2'' co-op were affected as well.]]
** [[spoiler: Equally heartbreaking is the last conversation that Dom and Marcus ever have.]]
--> [[spoiler: '''Marcus:''' Dom, ''what the FUCK are you doing?'']]
--> [[spoiler: '''Dom:''' I'm pulling the plug on them, Marcus!…Jump, will you? '''DO IT!''']]
** And if ''that'' doesn't get you crying, [[spoiler: what are Dom's last words?]]
--> [[spoiler: '''Dom:''' Never thought it would end like this, huh? Huh, Maria?]]

* Afterward, when Griffin talks too much shit about the COG, Marcus for the very first time in three games, ''[[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome totally loses his shit]]'' [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome at him]] and starts yelling at him about how [[spoiler: Dom was his brother]] [[ShutUpHannibal and he doesn't care about Griffin or the Stranded who've been belittling the Gears for the last few chapters]]. Considering that Marcus has at most shown annoyance or constrained anger at problems before, to see him totally flip out over [[spoiler: Dom's death]] is heartbreaking.
-->[[spoiler:'''Marcus''': I just lost my fucking brother! You hear that? My ''brother''!! So you, your ''tower'', and all this ''fucking Imulsion can GO TO HELL!!!'']]
** [[spoiler: Marcus has lost friends before, but his reaction to Dom's death is perhaps the most emotional part of the game. The whole idea of the third game is the importance of brotherhood, and seeing Marcus freak out really hits hard. He didn't even react as badly to his father's death.]]
** The entire sequence where [[spoiler: Dom dies]] is one. When [[spoiler: Dom is about to crash the tanker and blow up the horde]], everyone else jumps off the building and runs to cover... except for Marcus, who just stands there and stares, because he knows what's about to happen and for that moment his mind simply couldn't deal with it. And after [[spoiler: the crash]], Anya has to damn near hold Marcus in place to keep him from [[spoiler: running into the flames to get Dom out, even though he already knows Dom is dead.]]

** [[spoiler: The Stranded themselves qualify, given that most of Char was devastated by Hammer Of Dawn strikes and many people were killed and turned to ash, it's hard to blame them for hating the COG. Griffin is a pretty tragic figure as well, many of the people killed in the strikes were his employees, whom he considered family, and then having the remainder of his people die after being attacked by Myrrah's army(indirectly caused by the main characters), leaving him as the lone survivor in a desolate and decrepit city makes his harsh rant to Marcus a bit more understandable]].
*** The bonus materials in the Limited and Epic editions of the game shed some further light on Marcus and Dom's relationship; a copy of Adam Fenix's Will says that if he dies before Marcus comes of age, guardianship passes to Dom's parents: Marcus and Dom apparently grew up together.

* Afterward, when Griffin talks too much shit about the COG, Marcus for the very first time in three games, ''[[CrowningMomentOfAwesome totally loses his shit]]'' [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome at him]] and starts yelling at him about how [[spoiler: Dom was his brother]] [[ShutUpHannibal and he doesn't care about Griffin or the Stranded who've been belittling the Gears for the last few chapters]]. Considering that Marcus has at most shown annoyance or constrained anger at problems before, to see him totally flip out over [[spoiler: Dom's death]] is heartbreaking.

** And then, just to drive the point home and twist the knife, you're treated to a mournful echo of the piano intro of Gary Jules' "Mad World."