History TearJerker / TheBorgias

* For the more of a [[ForTheEvulz ruthless bastard]] Juan was, one can't help but feel [[AlasPoorVillain pity]] on his SanitySlippage as he slowly comes to the grips of madness, losing all edge on reality. [[spoiler: In fact, his final scene has him seemingly genuinely talking to his brother of his pain and how he is plagued by it, and even offers to help him with his pain. His FamousLastWords being "[[EtTuBrute Brother...What is this?]]" doesn't help, either.]]

*** The worst is that [[spoiler: Rodrigo can neither lie to her nor tell her the truth. She takes his silence as confirmation of her hears for her husband and leaves.]]

** Of particular note is JeremyIrons' masterful acting during [[spoiler: Cesare's confession]]. He ''knows'' what he's about to say. He just doesn't have the heart to actually ''believe'' that his [[spoiler: eldest son]] could really be responsible for Juan's death, and has to hear it spoken aloud. His wordless, incoherent reaction when it is just drives home how ''broken'' he is that his beloved family is destroying itself, and he never saw it coming.

* Everything Rodrigo goes through in the Season 2 finale, “The Confession,” especially since Creator/JeremyIrons pulls out all the stops portraying his overwhelming grief and horror. The likelihood that [[spoiler: Juan]] is dead is broached very poorly after a body is presented to him that is ''not'' [[spoiler: Juan’s]], he then goes looking for [[spoiler: Juan]] himself in the city morgue and ''finds him'' (lying indiscriminately amongst a bunch of other corpses, no less), learns that pretty much no one else in the family is particularly sad at the passing (and even actively desired it), refuses to bury him for fear of condemning his soul to Purgatory, hears a matter-of-fact and completely remorseless confession of guilt from [[spoiler: Cesare]], finally comes to grips with what's happened and compulsively carries the body, which he sees as that of a child’s ([[spoiler: no doubt because of being the father]]), off and buries it in the earth. And then, to top it all off, he [[spoiler: drinks a cup of wine poisoned by his new taster Antonello and almost certainly dies in Cesare’s arms]]. Rodrigo, you poor, poor ''bastard''. ;~;
** [[spoiler: Except he almost certainly is NOT dead, as Rodrigo wouldn't die until six years after Juan's death. [[TruthInTelevision In real life.]]]]
** Fair enough and hopefully you’re right, but that's still a bad way for the guy to end his day. =P And it’s worth pointing out the show’s already taken several liberties with history, as demonstrated on the main page. For example, it seems very unlikely that Savonarola [[spoiler: was burnt at the stake]] at around the same time Rodrigo found out about [[spoiler: Juan’s]] death. But RuleOfDrama and all that.
** His shocked face when he finds out that people actually wanted [[spoiler: Juan]] dead. His love for his son truly blinded him and it makes it all the more tragic.
*** Rodrigo, the worst judge of character on the show--Rodrigo, who has lived his life in total denial, finally realizing that... [[spoiler: Cesare, his own child, is essentially his Frankenstein's Monster. He wouldn't have a fraticidal, emotionless kid if it wasn't for his own failings.]]

* From 3x10, Lucrezia [[spoiler: having to MercyKill Alfonso with poison, so he doesn't have to spend the last few days of his life in agony after Cesare's botched attempt to run him through with his sword. Afterwards, all she can do is lay next to his body in a catatonic state, covered in his blood from her earlier attempts to save his life.]]

** [[spoiler: And what about poor Alfonso? At his core, he was nothing but a well-meaning, sweet boy who had fallen head over heels in love with Lucrezia. And from then on, he's involved in so much intrigue and machinations that he can't see straight. His own ''uncle'' is murdered, his cousin holds them both hostage, and just as they escape, he's forced to confront the rumours about his own wife (that he loves utterly) and ''her brother.'' He starts drinking, becomes increasingly paranoid and when Cesare confronts him in his home, he already knows that he's going to end up just like Juan. Just ''listen'' to him as he brokenly tells Lucrezia that Cesare has killed him...'just like you both wanted.']]

* Also from 3x09, when Rodrigo and Cesare are finally forced to confront each other about their deteriorating relationship and stop dancing around the issue, Rodrigo furiously snaps "I look into (Cesare's) eyes and I see myself staring back at me! Do you expect me to love ''that''!?" Though we've seen his weariness and sadness at the state of affairs he's perpetuating before, this is the first time we truly see his self-loathing and furious guilt. He then brokenly explains that the reason he's hobbled Cesare's attempts at war is because he's desperately trying to stop Cesare going further down the road, only for Cesare to point out that [[IveComeTooFar it's too late and they've all already gone too far, and any attempt to stop will get them all killed]]. [[spoiler: Their reconciliation, where Rodrigo promises his trust, and forgives Cesare for murdering Juan, is then the happy kind of Tearjerker]].

** In the previous episode, [[spoiler: when he finds out the truth about Pascal. After brokenly admitting to Cesare that he took Pascal to his bed, he gives him his dagger so he can be killed for his incompetence.]]

* Lucrezia's utterly heartbreaking sobs as she's forced to leave Giovanni behind when she marries Alfonso, all because his uncle the King of Naples doesn't want her bastard child in his court. [[spoiler: Her grief is short-lived, thankfully, when Micheletto kills the King and she sends for her baby.]]

* For the more of a [[ForTheEvulz ruthless bastard]] Juan was, one can't help but feel [[AlasPoorVillain pity]] on his SanitySlippage as he slowly comes to the grips of madness, losing all edge on reality. [[spoiler: In fact, his final scene has him seemingly genuinely talking to his brother of his pain and how he is plagued by it, and even offers to help him with his pain. His FamousLastWords being "[[EtTuBrute Brother...What is this?]]" doesn't help, either.]]

* Everything Rodrigo goes through in the Season 2 finale, “The Confession,” especially since JeremyIrons pulls out all the stops portraying his overwhelming grief and horror. The likelihood that [[spoiler: Juan]] is dead is broached very poorly after a body is presented to him that is ''not'' [[spoiler: Juan’s]], he then goes looking for [[spoiler: Juan]] himself in the city morgue and ''finds him'' (lying indiscriminately amongst a bunch of other corpses, no less), learns that pretty much no one else in the family is particularly sad at the passing (and even actively desired it), refuses to bury him for fear of condemning his soul to Purgatory, hears a matter-of-fact and completely remorseless confession of guilt from [[spoiler: Cesare]], finally comes to grips with what's happened and compulsively carries the body, which he sees as that of a child’s ([[spoiler: no doubt because of being the father]]), off and buries it in the earth. And then, to top it all off, he [[spoiler: drinks a cup of wine poisoned by his new taster Antonello and almost certainly dies in Cesare’s arms]]. Rodrigo, you poor, poor ''bastard''. ;~;

* Arguably, Cesare and Lucrezia's conversation in "The Confession". On the one hand, his teasing misinterpretation of her "I would ask you to marry me" is creepily hilarious/flirtatious. On the other... [[spoiler: He's just killed their brother (partially for her), thus destroying his relationships with his parents. It's quite arguable that he doesn't care for anyone anymore aside from Lucrezia, and, considering his remorseless attitude towards said parents, is realizing this. She's getting married (again) and won't see as much of him. Whatever your interpretation of their relationship, it's clear that it is not normal, and Cesare loves Lucrezia more than anything in the world. When he says "You have a good man at last" the viewer realizes--he's not just talking about bad men like Sforza. He's talking about himself, and forcing himself to give her up.]]

* Pretty much everything Rodrigo goes through in the Season 2 finale, “The Confession,” especially since JeremyIrons pulls out all the stops portraying his overwhelming grief and horror. The likelihood that [[spoiler: Juan]] is dead is broached very poorly after a body is presented to him that is ''not'' [[spoiler: Juan’s]], he then goes looking for [[spoiler: Juan]] himself in the city morgue and ''finds him'' (lying indiscriminately amongst a bunch of other corpses, no less), learns that pretty much no one else in the family is particularly sad at the passing (and even actively desired it), refuses to bury him for fear of condemning his soul to Purgatory, hears a matter-of-fact and completely remorseless confession of guilt from [[spoiler: Cesare]], finally comes to grips with what's happened and compulsively carries the body, which he sees as that of a child’s ([[spoiler: no doubt because of being the father]]), off and buries it in the earth. And then, to top it all off, he [[spoiler: drinks a cup of wine poisoned by his new taster Antonello and almost certainly dies in Cesare’s arms]]. Rodrigo, you poor, poor ''bastard''. ;~;

* Lucrezia's wedding night to [[CompleteMonster Sforza]] .... that [[BreaktheCutie poor,]] [[CorrupttheCutie poor,]] [[MaritalRapeLicense girl.]]

*** Rodrigo, the worst judge of character on the show--Rodrigo, who has lived his life in total denial, finally realizing that... [[spoiler: Cesare, his own child, is essentially his Frankenstein's Monster. He wouldn't have a fatricidal, emotionless kid if it wasn't for his own failings.]]

** Also, when [[TheWoobie Lucrezia]] [[spoiler: Sees [[SacrificialLamb Paolo's]] dead body]]

** Also, when [[TheWoobie Lucrezia]] [[spoiler: Sees [[SacrificialLamb Paolo's dead body]]

* Lucrezia's wedding night.... that [[BreaktheCutie poor,]] [[CorrupttheCutie poor,]] girl.
** Also, when Lucrezia [[ spoiler: Sees Paolo's dead body]]

** His shocked face when he finds out that people actually wanted Juan dead. His love for his son truly blinded him and it makes it all the more tragic.

** [[spoiler: Except he almost certainly is NOT dead, as Rodrigo wouldn't die until six years after Juan's death. [[TruthInTelevision In real life.]]]]

** [[spoiler: Except he almost certainly is NOT dead, as Rodrigo wouldn't die until six years after Juan's death. [[TruthInTelevision In real life.]]

* Pretty much everything Rodrigo goes through in the Season 2 finale, “The Confession,” especially since JeremyIrons pulls out all the stops portraying his overwhelming grief and horror. The likelihood that [[spoiler: Juan]] is dead is broached very poorly after a body is presented to him that is ''not'' [[spoiler: Juan’s]], he then goes looking for [[spoiler: Juan]] himself in the city morgue and ''finds him'' (lying indiscriminately amongst a bunch of other corpses, no less), learns that pretty much no one else in the family is particularly sad at the passing (and even actively desired it), refuses to bury him for fear of condemning his soul to Purgatory, hears a matter-of-fact and completely remorseless confession of guilt from [[spoiler: Cesare]], finally comes to grips with what's happened and compulsively carries the body, which he sees as that of a child’s ([[spoiler: no doubt because of being the father]]), off and buries it in the earth. And then, to top it all off, he [[spoiler: drinks a cup of wine poisoned by his new taster Antonello and almost certainly dies in Cesare’s arms]]. Rodrigo, you poor, poor ''bastard''. ;~;