History TearJerker / TheIronGiant

->'''Ted:''' Hey, do me a favor. Keep an eye on these guys, 'cause around the 74 minute mark, there's gonna be a room full of grown men crying.\\

-->-- While Ted's football team, AFC Richmond, watches the film, ''Series/TedLasso'', "[[Recap/TedLassoS1E07MakeRebeccaGreatAgain Make Rebecca Great Again]]"

->''"Hey, do me a favor. Keep an eye on these guys, 'cause around the 74 minute mark, there's gonna be a room full of grown men crying."''
-->-- '''Ted''' to Beard while his team, AFC Richmond, watches the film, ''Series/TedLasso'', "[[Recap/TedLassoS1E07MakeRebeccaGreatAgain Make Rebecca Great Again]]"

-->-- '''Ted''' to Beard while his team, AFC Lasso, watches the film, ''Series/TedLasso'', "[[Recap/TedLassoS1E07MakeRebeccaGreatAgain Make Rebecca Great Again]]"

-->-- '''Ted''' to Beard, ''Series/TedLasso'', "[[Recap/TedLassoS1E07MakeRebeccaGreatAgain Make Rebecca Great Again]]"

*** General Rogard understood the DramaticIrony. The "monster" they were sent to fight ended up being the hero that stopped the missile from destroying them all - a missile fired by forces under ''his'' (indirect) command.

*** General Rogard understood the tragic irony: that the "monster" they were sent to fight ended up being the hero that stopped the missile from destroying them all - a missile fired by forces under ''his'' (indirect) command.

** Watching the Giant succumb to the 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 give into his rage and turn into the monster he doesn't want to be.

!!In-Universe

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/iron_giant_crying_top_image.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:The usual reaction to this movie.]]

* Literally the entire scene once the air raid siren starts going off. Starting with Hogarth [[ExplainExplainOhCrap explaining to the Giant what it means.]]
-->'''Hogarth:''' It's a missile. When it comes down, ''[crushing realization]'' everyone will die.

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

** The way Hogarth whispers "I love you," as The Giant takes off.

** "''[[ItMakesSenseInContext Superman...]]''"

!!Meta
* The entire movie is a memorial to Director Brad Bird’s sister Susan who died from gun violence at the hands of her husband. When he pitched the movie, he asked “What if a gun had a soul and didn’t want to be a gun?”

** And hell, just the realization that the Giant takes Hogarth up on his advice of proving to the town that he's good... 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 deer in the forest and Hogarth's explanation of the concept of death to the Giant. Even sadder considering [[HeroicSacrifice what happens to him]] later on.
-->'''Hogarth:''' Things die... It's a part of life. It's bad to kill. But it's not bad to die.

* Watching the Giant struggle in pain as the electrical wires 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 him.

** The way Hogarth whispers "I love you," as The Giant takes off.
** Hogarth tearfully clinging to the Giant's finger as he pulls it away.

** Watching the Giant succumb to the 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.
** [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone The Giant hyperventilating like a frightened child]] once he snaps out of his rage and goes back to normal.
* The deer in the forest and Hogarth's explanation of the concept of death to the Giant.

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

** And then there's Dean's reaction. Because the Giant's dream was being projected through the TV, Dean sees exactly who the Giant was, where he came from and what he was created to do. He immediately becomes afraid for Hogarth's safety upon realizing he just befriended a weapon of destruction.

*** Who knew that Creator/VinDiesel could reduce grown men to tears with a single word? [[ComicBook/{{Superman}} Kal-El]] himself would be honored.

* Similar source to the above, the deleted scene where the Giant has a nightmare. The way he twitches in his sleep and shouts when he wakes up is simply heart-wrenching.

** This exchange of dialogue. Just the hopelessness and sense of realism in Dean's voice:

** "''[[ItMakesSenseInContext Superman...]]''" Who knew that Creator/VinDiesel could reduce grown men to tears with a single word? [[ComicBook/{{Superman}} Kal-El]] himself would be honored.

** The utter ''exhaustion'' in General Rogard's voice after the Giant's sacrifice is tearjerking 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.

* One of the alternate scenes on the DVD gives us one. In the alternate introduction of Annie and Hogarth, they get their truck unstuck from a mud pit during a rainstorm, and Annie gets covered in mud in the process. Hogarth can’t help but giggle at his mother’s appearance, so she pulls him close and tries to get mud on him in retaliation, making him laugh even harder. This cute moment takes a sad turn pretty quickly though, at the mention of Hogarth’s father, who passed away.

** The way [[PleaseWakeUp he nudges his unresponsive body]], [[MeaningfulEcho just like the deer]], and starts crying as he puts two and two together.

** The utter ''exhaustion'' in General Rogard's voice after the giant's sacrifice is tearjerking in its own way as well.

--> '''Annie:''' Shouldn't we get to a shelter?
--> '''Dean:''' It wouldn't matter.

* One of the alternate scenes on the DVD gives us one. In the alternate introduction of Annie and Hogarth, they get their truck unstuck from a mud pit during a rainstorm, and Annie gets covered in mud in the process. Hogarth can’t help but giggle at his mother’s appearance, so she pulls him close and gets mud on him in retaliation, making him laugh even harder. This cute moment takes a sad turn pretty quickly though, at the mention of Hogarth’s father, who passed away.

-->On a similar note, the deleted scene where the Giant has a nightmare. The way it twitches in its sleep and shouts when it wakes up is simply heart-wrenching.

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