Line #8 Heartwarming/GrandTheftAutoIV


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/cousinsbellic.PNG]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350:Welcome to America.]]
3
4	* Even though he's drunk at the time, Roman's joy at having cousin Niko in [[CrapsackWorld Liberty City]] is a pretty good moment to make you smile.
5	-->'''Roman:''' Niko, my cousin! ''[hugs him]''
6	** Roman comforting Niko after [[spoiler: Niko kills or [[CruelMercy spares]] Darko Brevic]].
7	* The stranger quests, showing a lighter side to Niko (sometimes) involving rescuing a failing rapper being harassed by thugs, giving money to a drug-addled prostitute and taking her home, helping a recently divorced woman, stopping Anna Faustin's (Mikhail's daughter from way back at the beginning) new boyfriend from turning her into a whore, helping [[spoiler: Ivan and Cherise, if you let them live]], paying off some debts with newly reformed ex-drunkard Mel and getting old friend Hossan's money back from an employer.
8	** More needs to be said about Marnie (the drug-addled prostitute). In her second mission you take her to the train station and give her some money for her journey home. Afterwards you get an email from her, telling you just how much you've changed her life. In a game where nearly everyone you meet you kill and end up in a little better situation then you left, it's one of the few genuinely bright spots. [[spoiler:Sadly, the heartwarming part is retroactively undone with her appearance in ''V'', where we see that she replaced drugs with unwavering faith in Cris Fromage's Epsilon Cult...]]
9	** Don't forget Brian Meech, the first person we randomly encounter. In his first appearance, perhaps within a day of Niko's arrival, he [[{{Eagleland}} mocks Niko's accent and condescendingly gives him $100 to show how great America is]]. Then we later help him with a drug deal for a huge crack rock... But in his final appearance, he's actually dried himself out and is in recovery and genuinely apologizes for mocking Niko. All he wants is Niko's support as he tries to make reprimands with his drug dealer (and to help keep him from temptation), and Niko saves him when the dealers try to beat him to death. Brian's story ends on a positive note and is one of the first genuine hints for Niko that it's possible to pick up the pieces and move on with life.
10	* Despite [[spoiler: Kate getting killed in the "Revenge" ending, one of the phone calls that Niko receives during the end credits is from Roman, who says that Mallorie, his wife, is pregnant, and if it's a girl, they'll name her Kate. Happily contrasted with the "Deal" ending, where not only does Roman die, leaving Mallorie a child without a father to raise, but Kate breaks up with Niko for being a greedy jerkass.]]
11	** [[spoiler: The "Deal" ending has a bit of a lighter side too, as Niko makes it clear he'll look out for Mallorie and the baby, and Kate calls and says she'll still be there for Niko. Sadly, it doesn't change anything in-game.]]
12	* Out of all the [[NarrativeFiligree snippets of dialogue]] that accompany the [[ScrappyMechanic much-maligned Friendship Activities]], one really stands out as the most heartwarming of them all: After several friendship activities (and subsequent conversations) wherein they criticize each other's lifestyles, [[TheGamblingAddict Roman]] and [[ProfessionalKiller Niko]] finally tell each other of how much they respect the other. Niko admits that he admires Roman for being so [[WideEyedIdealist optimistic]] even in the darkest of circumstances, while Roman praises Niko for his [[EvenEvilHasStandards integrity and firmness in his beliefs]], and they conclude with both of them wishing they could be like the other. It's one of the few moments in the game that unquestionably succeed at [[HitmanWithAHeart humanizing Niko]].
13	* Bernie Crane's whole character is heartwarming when you think about it: he's seen all the horrors that Niko has, yet he managed to move on and live a very happy life. He managed to start over and move on from the past, something Niko could never do, sadly. That Niko accepts his old friend's lifestyle without judgment fairly quickly is touching, as well. In fact, the mission where you give a homophobic bully the beatdown he deserves for Bernie can be a crowning moment of awesome, heartwarming and funny all rolled into one.
14	* The mission where [[spoiler: Niko rescues Roman from kidnappers]] doubles as a SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome. Niko completely LOSES it during the mission and his normally stoic demeanor is completely dropped for a combination of rage and panic. The visible sense of relief he has at the end makes it all the more worth it.
15	-->'''Niko:''' '''''[[DeclarationOfProtection YOU WILL NOT HARM MY COUSIN!]]'''''
16	* Befriending [[ScaryBlackMan Dwayne Forge.]] His past rivals Niko's in having to be a criminal purely for survival, (hence why Niko invokes a NotSoDifferentRemark,) his time in jail's made him a StrangerInAFamiliarLand with his friends and girl having ditched him despite [[UngratefulBastard all he's done for them, namely Cherise,]] leaving him borderline-suicidal and the game makes you feel like an ''utter'' [[YouBastard bastard]] if [[spoiler: you kill him in "The Holland Play" where gameplay-wise it's embarrassingly easy and only pays out money you could make in a matter of missions anyway, while storyline-wise Dwayne's hatred of you is ''palpable'' as is Playboy X [[NeverMyFault blaming you despite it being on his orders,]] so StoryBranchFavoritism is in full effect,]] but do the opposite and his gratitude is just as palpable both in gameplay in sending ''actually helpful'' Mooks to back you up in fights and giving you the 2nd-best safehouse in the game that includes the [[ShoutOut Claude outfit]] as well as narratively in him opening up to you and that your faith in him was well worth it. GoodFeelsGood, indeed.

Context Heartwarming / GrandTheftAutoIV