History TearJerker / TransformersPrime

* The way [[spoiler:Orion Pax is treated throughout "Orion Pax, Part 3", culminating in him being beaten up by two Vehicons who talk about how good it feels, ''while he's preaching to their better nature''.]] This leads to a MomentOfAwesome (and a possible [[FunnyMoments Moment Of Funny]]) when [[spoiler:Orion realizes that he has guns and kills the Vehicons.]]

** Part TearJerker, part NightmareFuel: when the Decepticons [[spoiler:capture the human children and threaten to kill them via Cybertron's toxic atmosphere, Jack and Raf look absolutely terrifed.]] Miko, for her part, just looks pissed off, which is kind of [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome badass]] of her.

* After agreeing not to [[spoiler: kill off Optimus Prime in "Rebellion", the crew somehow forgot to remind Creator/PeterCullen about Optimus' recovery.]] This resulted in the veteran voice actor growing more and more depressed [[spoiler: while having flashbacks to his experience working on ''WesternAnimation/TransformersTheMovie'' in the 80s.]] [[spoiler:[[HeartwarmingMoments While the crew was finally able to inform Peter Cullen that Optimus will in fact live,]] you still see the bond between him and Optimus and the heartbreak as the two are to be yet again separated from each other. Peter Cullen would be nothing without Optimus Prime in his life.]]

*** [[spoiler: [[HeroicSacrifice They will never]] [[HarsherInHindsight see him again.]] ]]

* Dreadwing's SkywardScream in "Patch".
** Starscream's JerkassWoobie status is on full display in this episode. There's a brief moment when we pan by his unconscious body and see him twitching, as though trapped in a nightmare. Which of course, he is.

--> "This isn't how the story's supposed to end!"

* Arcee and Optimus each come dangerously close to the DespairEventHorizon in "Alpha; Omega". Seeing either of those two on their knees is a real hit to the gut.

** On a more meta level for the episode, the dedication at the end of the episode to the late Captain H.L. Larry Cullen, brother of Creator/PeterCullen, ShellShockedVeteran of the VietnamWar, and the inspiration for the voice of Optimus Prime. Truly understated. His influence on the series is not often thought of, but is truly incalculable. Before Peter auditioned for Optimus, Larry told him, "Don't be a tough hero; you are strong enough to be gentle."

* June proves to be a MamaBear for ''all'' three of the kids, chewing out the Autobots for placing them in such danger on a regular basis. Despite the best intentions of the Autobots, everyone agrees that June is not lying at all, and Optimus himself apologizes to June, saying "it deeply grieves me that ''I'' have failed". It's a very adult moment in which Optimus takes responsibility for Raf nearly dying and for always endangering June's child, and even June is moved and softens a little.

** When Ratchet describes Optimus and Megatron's backstory, there's a scene where Orion Pax and Megatronus are standing next to each other smiling on a vibrant Cybertron. Megatron once genuinely wanted a better world, but both that Megatron and the world is now dead.

* Ratchet telling Raf about how the field medic who saved Bumblebee's life after Megatron tore out his voicebox and left him for dead wasn't able to fix Bumblebee's voice. Of course, he's speaking about his OWN inability to completely fix Bumblebee, since he was the "field medic" who saved Bee's life.

** Hell, Bumblebee's depression was quite sad too.
** Followed by Ratchet's heartwrenching plea to donate his T-Cog to Bumblebee, saying he rarely needs it anyways. Both the viewers and Optimus instantly see this as Ratchet's way of trying to atone for not being able to fix Bumblebee before.
* Bumblebee's utter despair at [[spoiler: his T-cog being destroyed... initially.]]

* In ''Thirst'', Silas, the vile, murderous terrorist who tormented Autobots and Decepticons alike, ends up as a heavily tortured guinea pig for Knock Out's synthen experiments. It's initially [[AssholeVictim satisfying to watch]],but by the time Airachnid kills him,he's outright grateful, the one time he showed any genuine humanity. Even if Cylas was an amoral scumbag,the thought of losing your humanity in a horrific accident, going mad with power,and then getting tortured to the point of suicide is truly horrible.

* In ''Thirst'', Silas, the vile, murderous terrorist who tormented Autobots and Decepticons alike, goes out on a rather pitiful note, peacefully thanking Airachnid for ending his pain before expiring. Granted, the sincerity of this is debatable, but to see such a bastard die after a rare show of humanity...

* In "Evolution", we're given reason to feel sympathy for [[spoiler: ''Predaking'' of all bots, who, just after gaining self awareness, loses all of his newfound brethren created by Project Predacon. The way the cloned Predacons cry out just before they're blown to smithereens is as heartwrenching as it is terrifying, and PeterMensah's performance totally nails the anguish Predaking feels over their demise.]] And on top of all that? [[spoiler: The Decepticons ''set the whole thing up'', and Predaking has absolutely no idea about the truth.]]

** On a more meta level for the episode, the dedication at the end of the episode to the late Captain H.L. Larry Cullen, brother of PeterCullen, ShellShockedVeteran of the VietnamWar, and the inspiration for the voice of Optimus Prime. Truly understated. His influence on the series is not often thought of, but is truly incalculable. Before Peter auditioned for Optimus, Larry told him, "Don't be a tough hero; you are strong enough to be gentle."

* After agreeing not to [[spoiler: kill off Optimus Prime in "Rebellion", the crew somehow forgot to remind PeterCullen about Optimus' recovery.]] This resulted in the veteran voice actor growing more and more depressed [[spoiler: while having flashbacks to his experience working on ''WesternAnimation/TransformersTheMovie'' in the 80s.]] [[spoiler:[[HeartwarmingMoments While the crew was finally able to inform Peter Cullen that Optimus will in fact live,]] you still see the bond between him and Optimus and the heartbreak as the two are to be yet again separated from each other. Peter Cullen would be nothing without Optimus Prime in his life.]]

* The death of Peter Cullen's brother Captain H.L. Larry Cullen (the man who basically helped inspire the Optimus Prime we all grew up with).

*** The fact that throughout the whole ordeal, as Megatron and Starscream view Starscream's memories together and despite finding out ample evidence that Starscream truly did want to [[TheStarscream betray him and kill him]], instead of [[YouHaveFailedMe outright killing him]] right there or [[CurbStompBattle beating him to within an inch of his life,]] all Megatron does is ask Starscream WasItAllALie .

--> '''Ratchet''': Optimus, I didn't return to save a life [[spoiler: only to lose the one I care most about...]]

* The murder of Solus becomes (if possible) even more tragic in the ''[[{{Retcon}} true]]'' version of the events. As it turns out, [[spoiler: her murder]] was actually orchestrated by [[PoisonousFriend Liege Maximo]]. Turns out Megatronus and Solus had a strong bond of trust and faith in each other. But Maximo set the two against each other by sowing distrust among the pair, culminating in Megatronus unintentionally [[spoiler: killing Solus]] during an argument.

* The murder of Solus becomes (if possible) even more tragic in the ''[[{{Retcon}} true]]'' version of the events. As it turns out, [[spoiler: her murder]] was actually orchestrated by Liege Maximo. Turns out Megatronus and Solus had a strong bond of trust and faith in each other. But Maximo set the two against each other by sowing distrust among the pair, culminating in Megatronus unintentionally [[spoiler: killing Solus]] during an argument.