* Throughout the entire story and character history, Odysseus chose Penelope over and over again even when he has multiple more seemingly advantagous women. From the most beautiful woman in the world Helen (who is also a demigod child of Zeus) to immortal powerful goddesses (that offered him ''eternal youth'') like Calypso and Circe.
* Menelaus and Helen are shown to be happily reunited after all they've been through in the [[Literature/TheIliad Trojan War.]]
* Argos--Odysseus's puppy, now an elderly, neglected hound. He dies content when he finally sees his master after twenty years. Odysseus sheds a SingleTear. [[http://www.poetryintranslation.com/PITBR/Greek/Odyssey17.htm#_Toc90268416 Passage deserves reading in full.]] Also a heartfelt TearJerker.
** In one comic book adaptation, Athena arrives afterward to carry Argos's spirit away with a warm, motherly smile on her face.
* When Penelope and Odysseus embrace, it's described in terms of a swimmer who comes crawling back onto the warm shore, "in joy, in joy, leaving the abyss behind."
** Made somehow even more poignant in that you would have every reason expect the shipwrecked sailor of the simile would be Odysseus, whose fate has literally been this, but the shipwrecked sailor it's talking about? Penelope.
** And Odysseus and Telemachus being united as well for the first time since Telemachus was a baby. At first, he is in complete disbelief, but then the two embrace each other tight and weep openly.
* Athena holds dawn back just to prolong Odysseus and Penelope's time together.
* And they live HappilyEverAfter. The end even said so.