Line #137 Main/HumanizingTears


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5	%% Do not include quality judgments of any kind. No potholes to Tear Jerker, Heartwarming Moments, or any other YMMV items. Let the examples speak for themselves.
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11	[[quoteright:300:[[VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorneyJusticeForAll https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/frannyvk.png]]]]
12	[[caption-width-right:300:[[DefrostingIceQueen When the ice queen melts.]]]]
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14	->''Suddenly another sound broke the stillness.\
15	"Katherine...you're...why, you're not crying!"\
16	Somehow, it seemed impossible to think of Katherine crying. But she was. And her tears suddenly humanized her. Anne no longer felt afraid of her.''
17	-->-- ''[[Literature/AnneOfGreenGables Anne of Windy Poplars]]''
18
19	A harsh character breaks down into tears so [[JerkassWoobie the audience can easily sympathize with them in their moment of emotional vulnerability.]]
20
21	The tougher a character is, the more emotional it is when a SparklingStreamOfTears starts pouring out of their eyes. The {{jerkass}}[=/=]tyrant/[[TheStoic stoic]][=/=]{{tsundere}} instantaneously becomes TheWoobie, and their endearingly vulnerable sobs and pleas for sympathy make the coldest of hearts want to comfort them.
22
23	Sometimes this moment acts as a road stop in a BreakTheHaughty arc, a turning point in which the character [[CharacterDevelopment starts to slowly become a better person]]. However, other times, having felt embarrassed for daring to be vulnerable, the character might ''immediately'' thereafter worsen their attitude.
24
25	In the case of male characters, what differentiates this from ManlyTears is that whereas ManlyTears shows the sensitive attributes of an ''already'' decent male, Humanizing Tears is usually used in a softening context. See also TenderTears, where the crier is normally nice and sensitive; TearsOfRemorse, where somebody cries for feeling guilty; and TearsFromAStone, where a seemingly inanimate or emotionless being cries (it may also apply as this trope if used to humanize said being). This is often a sign of CracksInTheIcyFacade.
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27	A SuperTrope to CryIntoChest. Contrast with InelegantBlubbering and CrocodileTears.
28	----
29	!!Examples
30	[[foldercontrol]]
31	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
32	* ''Anime/AnoHanaTheFlowerWeSawThatDay'': Tsuruko always shows herself as the most aloof and level-headed member of the group, but she finally breaks down in tears as [[spoiler:she confesses to her selfish reasons for fulfilling Menma's wish.]]
33	* ''Manga/AssassinationClassroom'':
34	** The usually cool-headed Hayami sheds tears for [[spoiler:Koro-sensei as he is disappearing after she, Chiba and all of Class 3-E finally assassinate him, later weeping bitterly in the aftermath.]]
35	** Invoked and PlayedForLaughs. Ritsu cries just to show how emotional she has become from her EmotionlessGirl state after Terasaka insists that she is still just a machine. Kataoka scolds Terasaka for making her bawl her eyes out, and he admits that such a thing makes him sound like a total douche.
36	* ''Manga/AttackOnTitan'' usually deals with InelegantBlubbering, but several notable examples stand out.
37	** EmotionlessGirl and resident badass Mikasa shows little vulnerability or emotion, right up until she is reunited with Eren after [[spoiler:his supposed death]]. Her stoic mask finally breaks, and she cries while holding him in her arms, showing her softer side for the first time.
38	** After TheReveal [[spoiler:that he is the Colossal Titan, it seemed as though quiet Bertolt Hoover was the only villain without any remorse over his actions. But when his former friends push him hard enough, he suffers a VillainousBSOD and begins to cry hysterically while alternately admitting he knows his actions are unforgivable and stating that his time as their comrade was the only time he was genuinely happy. This breakdown is sufficient to defuse Mikasa's RoaringRampageOfRevenge and earn the offer of a LastSecondChance from the others. His statement that he [[TrappedInVillainy can't do that]], while crying and begging someone to "please find us", reveal him to not be the soulless monster the audience expected]].
39	** In the aftermath of the Female Titan's battle with Levi and Mikasa, Levi takes one final look in her direction and sees her sitting against a tree, weeping. However, her actual feelings at that moment remain a mystery and it isn't clear whether her tears are because of [[TearsOfRemorse remorse]], frustration, or something else. Nevertheless, it provides a hint that she's more than a ruthless monster and serves to humanize her.
40	* [[{{Tsundere}} Louis the red deer]] has an emotional breakdown in ''Manga/{{Beastars}}'' at the height of his character development. Louis tries to dissuade Legosi, who is in terrible condition, from returning to a fight that could possibly end with the latter being killed. Despite Louis' best efforts, Legosi is determined to see the fight through to the end, and something he says triggers a memory of [[ParentalSubstitute Ibuki]] saying something similar before he died. Upon realizing that nothing he says will convince Legosi to stop the fight, Louis angrily tells Legosi do what he wants, but to leave him out of it. Louis tries his best to keep his cool-headed persona and remain detached, but inside he questions why he feels hot. Finally, he tells Legosi to go as tears pour from his eyes. Louis finds himself puzzled, and at first mistakes the tears for rain. However, when wipes his face, more tears spring forth. The sudden emotional display catches Legosi off guard. Legosi, being the kind wolf he is, offers to stay a little while longer with Louis while the latter loses his composure completely, collapsing to his knees. It is apparent that crying is a new experience for Louis, as he comments on how the tears feel, and even mentions that it is likely the first time he has ever cried. Louis is left unable to stop crying and it takes quite a while for him to calm down.
41	* ''Manga/DeathNote'': Light Yagami, [[JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope starting as a vigilante and evolving into a megalomaniac tyrant killing everyone trying to get on his way]] is given a moment of sympathy from the audience when he [[spoiler:cries over the death of his father]].
42	* In ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'', the [[NotSoStoic generally stoic]] Riza freaks out when she thinks Lust has killed Roy and, after putting a dozen bullets in her body (to no effect), slumps down in tears. Lampshaded later on when Roy fondly remembers Riza crying and tells her he'd like to see her "pure tears" again.
43	* In her introductory chapter, {{I\|ceQueen}}nomata from ''Manga/GakuenBabysitters'' has a moment of this kind when she realizes and admits in an emotional state that she's studied so much in her school life that she knows little else in terms of socializing. This is what allows the daycare children to be able to sympathize with her after she's been (as they perceive it) mean to them.
44	* Ichiko Sakura of ''Manga/GoodLuckGirl'', otherwise a selfish, haughty RichBitch [[BitchInSheepsClothing in Sheep's Clothing]], has already broken down crying many times throughout the series: when she fears her butler and ParentalSubstitute Suwano could die after suffering a heart attack, after finding a box containing Suwano's letters since she "dismissed" him in the middle of a large landfill after they were mistaken for garbage, after humiliating herself by wetting her bed while staying with the Tsuwabuki siblings (whose elder brother Keita was her crush), and recently after being restored to her teenage form after said stay stuck in child form (implying that she will miss her happy days with them).
45	* In ''[[Anime/MobileFighterGGundam G Gundam]]'', Domon Kasshu is a HotBlooded JerkAss... but the few times he spends tears are a sight to behold. Specially when he finds his master again and explains his trouble to him [[spoiler: not knowing about his FaceHeelTurn]], and much later when [[spoiler: he must give his brother a MercyKill ''right after finding out the truth about him'']] and '''almost immediately afterwards''' he [[spoiler: fights his Master for the last time and the old man dies in his arms, asking for forgiveness.]]
46	* ''Webcomic/HetaliaAxisPowers'': England is a diehard {{Tsundere}} (and ''extremely'' heavy on the 'tsun', especially when [[LoveFreak America]] is [[IShallTauntYou around]]), but his tears in [[spoiler:"Cleaning Out the Storage"]] tagged him as an DefrostingIceQueen.
47	* ''Manga/KOn'': For all her attempts playing [[SugarAndIcePersonality cool-headed and reasonable]], Azusa Nakano finally breaks down crying in front of her senior bandmates after Graduation Day, venting out all her pent-up feelings since they hit third-year (and she second-year) of melancholy and loneliness, begging them to not leave her all alone.
48	* ''Anime/MekakucityActors'': In the manga, after [[spoiler: Kano is shot and killed by Kuroha, Kido runs to him, holding his lifeless body while screaming and crying.]] It's especially hard to read as, up until this point, she's never completely dropped her "tough" persona.
49	* Sure, her facial features aren't the prettiest, but you can't help but feel sorry for her when Tomoko Kuroki of ''Manga/NoMatterHowILookAtItItsYouGuysFaultImNotPopular'' cries to the point of thinking how adorable she looks, [[CringeComedy when her mask of indifference breaks]]...
50	* [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold Fakir]] of ''Anime/PrincessTutu'' spends the first half of the series being an IneffectualLoner; it's not until he cries by the lake (admittedly [[PetTheDog hugging the duck]] didn't hurt) that he starts to become a sympathetic character.
51	* ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'': An interesting variant occurs with [[spoiler:Homura]]. When she breaks down crying in Episode 8 after [[spoiler:shooting Kyubey full of holes with a Beretta 92-FS to prevent Madoka from contracting]], it's adorable, sad, and [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness REALLY STRANGE]] since up until now she's been the EmotionlessGirl. Then comes Episode 10, and [[BreakTheCutie suddenly it all makes sense]].
52	* Akane Tendo from ''Manga/RanmaOneHalf''. Sure, she's uptight, hot-tempered, emotional, and catapults to conclusions far too much for her own good... but when she cries, even Ranma can't help but think this way.
53	-->'''Ranma:''' [[AwLookTheyReallyDoLoveEachOther Gosh, you're cute when you cry.]]
54	* In ''Manga/YoungLadiesDontPlayFightingGames'', the thing that causes Aya to rescind her refusal to play fighting games is witnessing Shirayuki bursting into frustrated tears. After no longer seeing a world that "shone like diamonds" after her love for fighting games fizzled out, seeing Shiraruki's passion and emotions over shows Aya she's more than just a weird fanatic and might be able to reignite the passion she herself once felt.
55	[[/folder]]
56
57	[[folder:Fan Works]]
58	* ''Fanfic/FantasyOfUtterRidiculousness'': Yuuka Kazami. One of Gensokyo's oldest and mightiest youkai, if not ''the'' mightiest. Has no qualms with trying to reduce Megas to dust. Is the type of person to make jokes about violence and genocide... and, after being given some packets of sunflower seeds [[spoiler:after the Garden of the Sun's pieces are blown across Gensokyo]], is surprisingly adorable when she's trying not to cry. "Youkai moe", indeed.
59	-->'''Reimu:''' Look at this. This is the most pathetic thing I've seen in years. Someone with her strength isn't supposed to look so... helpless!
60	* [[Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer Faith]] spends the first several chapters of ''[[http://www.tthfanfic.org/Story-6868-10/GreyMatter+Marching+Orders.htm Marching Orders]]'' being distant if not outright hostile to everyone, especially Xander. But after the teddy bear he bought her gets its ear ripped off by a vampire, she breaks down crying, wondering if Xander will be mad that it got damaged.
61	* In the ''VideoGame/PunchOut'' fanfic ''Fanfic/HomeSickNoonboryKedabory'', [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold Aran Ryan]] cracks under the pain from his illness and [[CryIntoChest cries into Disco Kid's chest]].
62	** Similarly, in ''Fanfic/MaFille'', he sheds some tears after his HeelRealization that he's become the bully he hated so much in his childhood.
63	* ''Fanfic/IHopeYourePreparedForAnUnforgettableWedding'': The first chapter portrays Agnes Skinner as [[GreenEyedMonster jealous]], [[{{Jerkass}} bitter]], [[MyBelovedSmother smothering]], and just as hateable as she is [[WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons in canon]], but in the second chapter, during her mother-son dance with Seymour, she loses all energy to be angry about her son [[EmptyNest moving out]], and [[CryIntoChest breaks down crying into Seymour's chest]] because she's going to miss him so much.
64	[[/folder]]
65
66	[[folder:Films -- Animated]]
67	* In ''WesternAnimation/Shrek1'', crying is used to make the Dragon, the terrifying reptilian beast that had kept Fiona imprisoned, sympathetic: Dragon flies off and sobs by a pond after her love interest runs away.
68	* In ''WesternAnimation/TurningRed'', Tyler crying TearsOfJoy [[spoiler: at the 4*Town concert]] along with Mei and her friends emphasizes how he's just like them.
69	[[/folder]]
70
71	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
72	* ''Film/GlassOnion'': For much of the film, Whiskey is little more than a BlondeRepublicanSexKitten, appearing ditzy and party-happy, and later revealing herself to be an ambitious GoldDigger who is [[SmarterThanYouLook smarter than she seems]], using the men in her life to build her career. However, when one of those men, Duke, [[spoiler:is poisoned and dies in front of her]], Whiskey breaks down weeping and [[spoiler:hugs his dead body, having to be gently led away by Blanc]], showing that in spite of her scheming, she does have a heart and probably has at least a little genuine affection for Duke.
73	* ''Film/Godzilla2014'': The [[Characters/MonsterVerseMUTO MUTOs]] that act as Godzilla's enemies throughout the movie are ruthless, and completely indifferent to the destruction and loss of life that they inflict on the cities and other human settlements they invade, but it's hard not to feel a ''little'' bad for the female MUTO when she frantically rushes [[spoiler:back to her exploding nest]], wailing all the way, and she breaks down into anguished cries over [[spoiler:the incineration of all her unborn young]]. Although no ''literal'' tears are shed given the [=MUTOs'=] "eyes" appear to be insectoid compound eyes, the [=MUTO's=] emotions are completely clear and the trope is otherwise in full effect.
74	* Played for drama in ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy2014'' as the foul-mouthed {{Jerkass}} Cyborg Racoon Rocket holds the bundle of sticks that remains of his sentient-tree-man friend Groot (it's that kind of movie) after his HeroicSacrifice, and finally resembles the adorable Racoon he should be as he weeps bitterly like a child.
75	* In ''Film/KickAss2'', Mindy does this after being left in the woods by the AlphaBitch after Mindy was able to beat her on the dance team. She arrives at Dave's house in tears. It is one of the only times in the movie that she actually appears vulnerable.
76	-->'''Mindy:''' ''[in tears]'' I just wanted to see my Robin...
77	[[/folder]]
78
79	[[folder:Literature]]
80	* In ''[[Literature/AnneOfGreenGables Anne of Windy Poplars]]'', Anne decides to invite her antisocial and sarcastic coworker Katherine Brooke to Green Gables for Christmas vacation, since she suspects that despite Katherine's unfriendly behavior, she's really not a bad person deep down. This turns out to be true when they go out for a moonlight walk and Katherine, overcome by the welcoming atmosphere of Green Gables that she never received as a child, suddenly starts crying.
81	-->''Somehow, it seemed impossible to think of Katherine crying. But she was. And her tears suddenly humanized her. Anne no longer felt afraid of her.''
82	* ''Literature/AriaTheScarletAmmo'': Even a [[BadassAdorable battle-hardened]] ActionGirl like Aria H. Kanzaki cannot help but break down crying in the middle of the street after a visit to her mother, imprisoned on false charges of being a serial bomber, ends with said mother having to be dragged back to her prison cell. She tries to fight back her tears in front of Kinji, who joined her visit, only to give in to her soul-crushing grief.
83	* ''Literature/FullMetalPanic''
84	** Kaname Chidori, resident DefrostingIceQueen, has more than one moment when she breaks down crying, probably to keep her sympathetic despite her abrasive personality.
85	** Then there's the climax of the final volume, where [[spoiler:[[https://imgur.com/FdW8SmX Sousuke completely breaks from his lifelong stoic soldier persona and begins sobbing uncontrollably]] upon realizing he's about to die without ever seeing Kaname or his schoolmates again]].
86	* ''Literature/{{Haganai}}'' has this trope PlayedForLaughs with Sena Kashiwazaki, a RichBitch who loves lording herself over her male schoolmates at the school her father runs. This is usually triggered by her SitcomArchnemesis, resident {{Jerkass}} [[TheBully Bully]] Yozora Mikazuki, saying or doing something outright mean to her. This is followed by Sena retorting with childish insults before running away crying. And there's another one, courtesy of [[spoiler:''[[{{Tsundere}} Yozora]]'' herself, after Kodaka finally recognizes her, with her hair cut short, as his long-lost childhood friend "Sora", after a few months they spent together with Kodaka none the wiser as to who she is]].
87	* ''[[Literature/RascalDoesNotDreamOfBunnyGirlSenpai Rascal Does Not Dream of a Dreaming Girl]]'': Mai's [[AbusiveParents emotionally and financially abusive mother]] is depicted much more sympathetically once she breaks down in tears, immediately after being notified about [[spoiler:[[OutlivingOnesOffspring the death of her daughter]]]].
88	* In ''Literature/WorldAfter'', [[spoiler:soon after Raffe realizes Penryn is alive, for one of the few times in the series he doesn't hide his emotions and cries]].
89	[[/folder]]
90
91	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
92	* ''Series/TheDevilJudge'': The ruthless, ManipulativeBitch Sun-ah weeps for the first time ever due to feeling guilty when she sees that the teenage girl she liked became unconscious and had nasty bruises on her body because of her own deeds. She has a horrified and heartbroken MyGodWhatHaveIDone reaction when she sees the girl.
93	* ''Series/TheGoodWife'': After hearing about [[spoiler:Will Gardner's death]], David Lee immediately storms out of the main boardroom, finds a conference room, [[WhatYouAreInTheDark orders everybody in the room out]], and then bursts into a brief sob over [[spoiler:the death of his friend]]. It's probably the greatest indication in the entire show that Lockhart/Gardner's TokenEvilTeammate really does have a heart.
94	* ''Series/TheLordOfTheRingsTheRingsOfPower'': Sauron being Sauron, spent most of his time subjugating others, especially the Orcs. And yet, he cries when he confesses to Galadriel how relieved he was to be finally free of Morgoth.
95	[[/folder]]
96
97	[[folder:Myths & Folklore]]
98	* OlderThanFeudalism: Myth/ClassicalMythology states that the monstrous Gorgon Euryale cried mournfully when her sister Medusa was slain by Perseus.
99	[[/folder]]
100
101	[[folder:Video Games]]
102	* The Big Daddies from ''VideoGame/BioShock2'' are essentially monstrous people in diving suits that only exist to protect the gathering girls known as Little Sisters. The Alpha series was scrapped due to getting too attached to their assigned Little Sister and some breaking down in tears as their protected died, eventually going insane.
103	* ''Franchise/FireEmblem'':
104	** Soren from ''VideoGame/FireEmblemPathOfRadiance'', in his A support with [[spoiler:Ike. Normally cold and taciturn, the tears start before telling Ike about his [[FantasticRacism Branded]] nature]]. He does one better in ''VideoGame/FireEmblemRadiantDawn'', with a [[GuideDangIt difficult to unlock]] conversation [[spoiler:about his ForgottenFirstMeeting with Ike that ends with him outright bawling.]]
105	** ''VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening'': [[TheStoic Gerome]] sheds tears during the end of his talk with his mother Cherche in the Future Past DLC.
106	** ''VideoGame/FireEmblemFates'' has several cases of this: The DarkMagicalGirl Rhajat starts sobbing when her father [[spoiler:Hayato]] tells her that despite claiming to be TheAloner, she doesn't ''truly'' [[IJustWantToBeLoved to be alone]].
107	* ''VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddysSecurityBreach'': Roxanne Wolf is initially presented a straight-up {{Narcissist}}, admiring and praising herself in the mirror. While hunting [[KidHero Gregory]], she taunts him with insults such as "I bet you don't even have friends." and "Nobody will miss you!". Later on, the player is treated to a scene of her crying in her room, telling herself she is not a loser, revealing she has [[InferioritySuperiorityComplex self-esteem issues]]. According to Glamrock Freddy (who knows Roxanne personally), she is [[BrainwashedAndCrazy actually supposed]] to be more like [[FriendToAllChildren him]].
108	* ''VideoGame/GalaxyAngel'': Vanilla H starts out as an EmotionlessGirl who's constantly suppressing her feelings but slowly opens up to Tact as the story advances. On her route, she breaks down into tears when she's unable to save her pet rabbit from dying despite her best efforts, as it reminds her of [[MyGreatestFailure when she couldn't save her adoptive mother]]. Tact hugs her and assures her that she shouldn't blame herself for the death of her loved ones
109	* If a male Shepard romances [[AxCrazy Jack]] in ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'', she comes to his cabin later, and once she is assured that he's not going to bombard her with more questions and will just ''be'' there with her, she embraces him and starts to openly weep, making her makeup run. It speaks volumes that she has allowed herself to be so vulnerable with someone, considering her DarkAndTroubledPast.
110	* Meet Catiua, sister of [[PlayerCharacter Denam]] from ''VideoGame/TacticsOgre''. She's haughty, possessive, manipulative, and ultimately performs a FaceHeelTurn. She's not completely lost yet, though: if Denam manages to talk sense into her, the floodgates open and suddenly the bitchy older sister transforms into a vulnerable little girl who begs for forgiveness for all that she has done. It's a turning point in her characterization.
111	[[/folder]]
112
113	[[folder:Visual Novels]]
114	* ''VisualNovel/AreaX'': As a child, Elcia did her best to present herself as tough, but breaks down crying [[spoiler:when her mother leaves again]], after which she swears never to cry again. [[spoiler:At the end of Livan's route, before she and Livan sacrifice themselves, she breaks out in tears again, with Livan telling her that she's been strong for long enough.]]
115	* Tsugumi in ''VisualNovel/Ever17'' as an example where the character genuinely stops being a {{jerkass}}. There were signs beforehand that she wasn't, sure, and they were even [[CharacterDevelopment getting more common.]] Seeing her cry makes you forget her doing stuff like pretending to push Takeshi down an elevator shaft for shits and giggles or randomly sucker-punching him at the beginning, though. Mostly applicable to Takeshi's routes so they could spring a whole bunch of surprise reveals on you by letting her stay a jerk in The Kid's.
116	* Caius from ''VisualNovel/FrozenEssence'' completely breaks down in his Light path after [[spoiler:Mina almost dies saving him]], pinpointing the moment where he goes from a JerkAss to a JerkWithAHeartOfGold.
117	* ''VisualNovel/MajikoiLoveMeSeriously'' has two notable examples:
118	** Momoyo, while definitely a hero, is a badass BloodKnight whose soft side is strictly limited to flirting with cute girls, but in one of the routes when [[spoiler:her sister Wanko runs away and Momoyo meets up with her]], she cries for probably the only time in the entire series. ''Everyone'' is surprised. She's not all that happy about Yamato praising her for it, though.
119	** Kokoro Fushikawa is a haughty {{ojou}}, but one time when she cries in the anime, Yamato calls her cute. Her reaction, quite unlike Momoyo, is shown as a shot by a Cupid's arrow.
120	* Franziska von Karma spends 99% of ''VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorneyJusticeForAll'' as an overly harsh and physically abusive rival prosecutor who whips anyone who doesn't meet the perfectionist standards she's learned from [[PersecutingProsecutor her father Manfred von Karma]]. In the ending, she has a unique ''crying'' sprite when she meets up with her adoptive brother Edgeworth, which reminds the player that she's still just a teenager who has recently lost her father, feels crushing pressure to live up to the family creed of total perfection in everything, and fears losing Edgeworth so much that the idea of it finally makes her crack and show her vulnerability.
121	[[/folder]]
122
123	[[folder:Web Animation]]
124	* ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'': After [[Characters/RWBYJamesIronwood General Ironwood]] [[spoiler:descends into complete, murderous and genocidal madness]], which in turn instigates [[spoiler:Winter]] to betray him in favor of aiding Team RWBY, Ironwood gives [[spoiler:Winter]] (whom he admits was previously the only person whose loyalty he ''never'' doubted) one chance to stay out of his way. When [[spoiler:Winter]] refuses, Ironwood's response is to shed a SingleTear whilst trying to keep up his icy HeroicSafeMode before he engages her. It's one of the last and only potent displays of humanity that ever get all the way through Ironwood's ruthless mask following [[spoiler:his fall from grace]].
125	[[/folder]]
126
127	[[folder:Webcomic]]
128	* ''Webcomic/TheGoddesssGuideToFarming'': Lampshaded by Bongsu, who's a little dumbstruck when Seol — who had previously been proud in her financial superiority, confident in her skills, and abrasive — turns up at his doorstep sobbing and in tears because she's scared of the spooky noises. He softens considerably towards her afterwards.
129	[[/folder]]
130
131	[[folder:Western Animation]]
132	* Happens not once, but twice in Phase 5 of Music/{{Gorillaz}} with [[JerkAss Murdoc]] of all characters. First in the music video for Desolè, where the rest of the band leaves Murdoc behind while they go out and have fun. When he realizes he's been left he ends up breaking down and sobbing alone on the couch in their studio. It happens again during the Last Chord video during the band's surprise trip back to Plastic beach, where Murdoc sheds tears upon being reminded of some of his most [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone reprehensible actions.]] Both these moments do wonders to show that, for all the horrible things he's done in the past, Murdoc really might be changing as a person and is starting to regret how he's treated his bandmates, and how his actions have [[TheFriendNobodyLikes pushed them all away.]]
133	* ''WesternAnimation/TheLoudHouse'': Ronnie Anne is a tomboy who is a LovingBully to Lincoln but she can be quite sensitive to Lincoln's opinions, much to his surprise. She cried after hearing Lincoln call her "rude, and gross and totally annoying" and say that he would rather lick the bathroom floor than kiss her. Her crying is definitely another example of how different she is from her older brother Bobby, a KindheartedSimpleton prone to InelegantBlubbering.
134	* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyAndFriends'': King Charlatan spends most of the "Baby, It's Cold Outside!" arc as a cruel penguin with a cold heart who believes [[TheSocialDarwinist the creatures who can't withstand the cold are inferior to penguins]]. However, he shows the first signs of emotions when he cries after accidentally freezing his son, which thankfully thaws him.
135	* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'': Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash are not jerks outright, but they are frequently arrogant, cold-natured, and unwilling to express weakness, and their breakdowns nearly always occur when their prideful act has finally been broken down.
136	* EnforcedTrope for Ren of ''WesternAnimation/TheRenAndStimpyShow''. Executives request a softer side to the character, who was initially written as a JerkAss. One example is "Stimpy's Fan Club", where Ren is miserable upon discovering the fact that Stimpy is a more well-liked character than him and is jealous of the tons of fanmail that he receives. After having pondered murder and several other less radical methods of making himself more popular, Ren eventually gets a fan letter himself and starts rubbing it in Stimpy's nose... before realizing it was from Stimpy himself. Ren breaks down into tears and cries on Stimpy's chest, sobbing about how pitiful his actions were.
137	* ''WesternAnimation/RiseOfTheTeenageMutantNinjaTurtles'' gives us Donnie, an InsufferableGenius with an InferioritySuperiorityComplex who insists every chance he gets that he doesn't[[TheStoic "feel things."]] Said claim loses most of its merit when he ends up breaking down in tears in a later episode when he realizes his [[WellDoneSonGuy Dad lied to him about wanting to spend time with him.]] It's impossible ''not'' to want to hug him after that.
138	** Happens again in ''WesternAnimation/RiseOfTheTeenageMutantNinjaTurtlesTheMovie'', where Donnie spends a good chunk of the movie trying to remind his brothers and the audience how much he isn't a fan of emotion...only to become [[HeroicBSOD utterly broken]] at [[spoiler:witnessing Leo's HeroicSacrifice]].
139	[[/folder]]

Context Main / HumanizingTears