History TearJerker / TheIronGiant

-->'''Hogarth:''' A missile! When it comes down... ''[crushing realization]'' ...everyone will die.

--> '''Dean:''' it wouldn't matter...

** The utter ''exhaustion'' in General Rogard's voice after the giant's sacrifice is tear-jerking in its own way as well.
*** General Rogard figured a huge irony out of all this, he realized that the Giant that they were deployed in fighting against was the hero that stopped the missile from destroying them all and it was indirectly ''his'' fault.

** The way [[PleaseWakeUp he nudges]] [[PleaseWakeUp his unresponsive body]], [[MeaningfulEcho just like the deer]], and starts crying as he puts two and two together.
** Watching the Giant succumb to his defense mechanism that he so desperately wants to defy, especially after almost killing Hogarth with it. It's both tragic and horrifying to see this GentleGiant suddenly turn into the monster he doesn't want to be.

* The scene where the Giant approaches the dead deer, and learns about the concept of death for the first time. Even more sad considering [[HeroicSacrifice what happens to him]] later on.

-->'''Annie:''' Oh, you laugh just like your father.\\
'''Hogarth:''' …I miss him…\\
'''Annie:''' ''(sighs)'' So do I, honey… so do I.

** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4dT2eBWI2M The Giant's]] HeroicSacrifice: "[[MeaningfulEcho You...stay. I...go. No following."

-->'''Hogarth:''' [[spoiler:A missile! When it comes down... ''[crushing realization]'' ...everyone will die.]]

--> '''Annie:''' [[spoiler:Shouldn't we get to a shelter?]]
--> '''Dean:''' [[spoiler:...it wouldn't matter...]]
** [[spoiler: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4dT2eBWI2M The Giant's]] HeroicSacrifice]]: "[[MeaningfulEcho You...stay. I...go. No following.]]"

** And hell, just the realization that the Giant takes Hogarth up on his advice of proving to the town that he's good... [[spoiler:by ''sacrificing himself.'' Feasibly, he could've shot the bomb down, but no, he chose to do this so he'd never bring all this chaos to anyone again.]] [[WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds Oh, Giant.]]

* The Giant after [[spoiler: believing Hogarth to be dead. Even savvy viewers that knew otherwise got choked up by the Giant grieving for his friend.]] Especially when he starts trembling and buries his face in his hands.

** The way [[PleaseWakeUp he nudges]] [[spoiler:[[PleaseWakeUp his unresponsive body]],]] [[MeaningfulEcho just like the deer]], and starts crying as he puts two and two together.
** Watching the Giant [[spoiler: succumb to his defense mechanism that he so desperately wants to defy, especially after almost killing Hogarth with it]]. It's both tragic and horrifying to see this GentleGiant [[spoiler:suddenly turn into the monster he doesn't want to be]].
** [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone The Giant hyperventilating like a frightened child]] once he [[spoiler:snaps out of his rage and goes back to normal]].

* The scene after Hogarth [[spoiler:nearly gets vaporized by the Giant when they were playing a game and the Giant mistook Hogarth's toy gun for a real weapon, and Dean yells at him, calling him "a big gun that walks." Giant then gets a "[[MyGodWhatHaveIDone My God, What Did I Almost Do?]]" moment when he sees a bus with a vaporized hole as Dean tells him, "You almost did ''THAT'' to Hogarth!"]]

* The scene where the Giant approaches the dead deer, and learns about the concept of death for the first time. [[spoiler:Even more sad considering [[HeroicSacrifice what happens to him]] later on.]]

!!Movie

!!Meta
* What happens when you combine the Tear Jerker endings of ''Iron Giant'' and ''Disney/WreckItRalph''? [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fvLRA2W1wM Cue the waterworks.]]
* [[http://xombiedirge.com/post/56952728193/you-are-who-you-choose-to-be-by-adam Superman.]]
* Ted Hughes, author of the original novel who [[ApprovalOfGod absolutely loved the film]], died mere months before it was completed.

* Watching the Giant struggle in pain as the electrical wires he had been trying to eat at the power plant electrocute him. It's the first indication that this isn't just a monster, but a sentient being with feelings, which is why Hogarth goes back to save it.

--> [[spoiler:'''Annie:''' Shouldn't we get to a shelter?]]
--> [[spoiler:'''Dean:''' ...it wouldn't matter...]]

** If you listen close during that scene, you can hear the Giant whimper, "Hogarth."

!!Movie

* [[spoiler: [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4dT2eBWI2M The Giant's]] HeroicSacrifice]]: "[[MeaningfulEcho You...stay. I...go. No following.]]"

* This exchange of dialogue:
--> [[spoiler:'''Annie:''' Shouldn't we get to a shelter?]]
--> [[spoiler:'''Dean:''' ...it wouldn't matter...]]
** Just the hopelessness and sense of realism in his voice...

-->'''Hogarth:''' Things die...It's a part of life. It's bad to kill. But it's not bad to die.

* Ted Hughes, author of the original novel who [[ApprovalOfGod absolutely loved the film]], died mere months before it was completed.

** "''[[ItMakesSenseInContext Superman...]]''"
*** One wonders what Creator/VinDiesel would say to the knowledge that he can reduce grown men to tears with a single word. One that isn't a threat, that is.
*** One also imagines that [[ComicBook/{{Superman}} Kal-El]] would be honored.

*** Even worse is how he realizes [[spoiler: Hogarth is (supposedly) dead]]: [[PleaseWakeUp he nudges his body]], which doesn't respond. [[MeaningfulEcho Just like the deer]].
** Watching the Giant [[spoiler: succumb to his defense mechanism]] can be a TearJerker as well. Yes it can be a SugarWiki/{{Awesome Moment|s}} for some, but it's very much like [[WesternAnimation/MonstersInc Sulley scaring Boo]]; we've gotten so used to this GentleGiant that seeing him like this is legitimately horrifying, especially since he actually tried to resist his mechanism just a few seconds ago.
*** [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone The Giant hyperventilating like a frightened child]] once he snaps out of his rage and goes back to normal.

* Watching the Giant struggle in pain as the electrical wires he had been trying to eat at the power plant electrocute him.

*** [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone The expression on the Giant's face]] once he snaps out of his rage and goes back to normal.

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/quotyoustayigonofollowingquot_76f7f8c98afea2361d7b8f5d4d3a2ace.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:[[spoiler:You...stay. [[HeroicSacrifice I...go. No following.]]]]]]

[[caption-width-right:350:[[spoiler:[[You...stay. [[HeroicSacrifice I...go. No following.]]]]]]

* The ending where [[spoiler:the Giant is piecing himself back together bit by bit after being blown up is a Tear Jerker of the [[TearsOfJoy joyful]] kind]].

*** The expression on the Giant's face once he snaps out of his rage and goes back to normal.

*** One also suspects that [[ComicBook/{{Superman}} Kal-El]] would be honored.

* Ted Hughs, author of the original novel who [[ApprovalOfGod absolutely loved the film]], died mere months before it was completed.

* [[http://theflyingredpig.tumblr.com/post/56977092828/xombiedirge-you-are-who-you-choose-to Superman.]]

* The Giant after [[spoiler: believing Hogarth to be dead. Even savvy viewers that knew otherwise got choked up by the Giant grieving for his friend.]] Especially when he start's trembling and buries his face in his hands.

*** One wonders what VinDiesel would say to the knowledge that he can reduce grown men to tears with a single word. One that isn't a threat, that is.
*** One also suspects that [[{{Superman}} Kal-El]] would be honored.

** Watching the Giant [[spoiler: succumb to his defense mechanism]] can be a TearJerker as well. Yes it can be a CrowningMomentOfAwesome for some, but it's very much like [[WesternAnimation/MonstersInc Sulley scaring Boo]]; we've gotten so used to this GentleGiant that seeing him like this is legitimately horrifying, especially since he actually tried to resist his mechanism just a few seconds ago.

*** Later echoed for a CrowningMomentOfAwesome

* [[http://theflyingredpig.tumblr.com/post/56977092828/xombiedirge-you-are-who-you-choose-to Superman.]]