* The climax of ''[[Literature/TheSwordOfShannaraTrilogy The Elfstones of Shannara]]''. If it isn't bad enough that after declaring his love for her, Wil Ohmsford is forced to witness and accept the fact that [[spoiler: Amberle Elessedil]] must transform into the new Ellcrys, there is the scene later in the Gardens of Life after everything is over. The moment with the little Elf girl and her mother can lead to weeping openly, especially the lines: "Will she keep the demons far away from us?" "Far away." "And protect us always?" "And protect us always." And a few paragraphs before that: "Something of the self must be given back to the land. In the end, she had given up everything. But she had not lost everything. In becoming the Ellcrys, she had gained an entire world."
** Allanon saying goodbye to Wil is almost as bad. At the start of the book, Wil was warned by his Great-Uncle Flick not to trust Allanon, who he had adventured with before. After [[spoiler: Amberle's transformation]], Allanon and Wil have a long talk about what happened. Allanon's last words to Wil? "Tell Flick he was right about me. He'll like that, I think." Ow. Just, ow.
* Wishsong counts too, for the Magnificent Seven-worthy, OK Corral-ish finale at Graymark, wherein [[spoiler: Jair's entire party except himself and Slanter sacrifice themselves so he can reach Heaven's Well. The death of Helt and Garet Jax is particularly poignant. No question of course for Allanon]].
* There are so many deaths in the [[Literature/TheHeritageOfShannara Heritage series]] that it could almost embody this trope. While [[spoiler: Quickening, Cogline, and especially Faun]]'s deaths are heart-wrenching, it was the entire slew of losses in Elf Queen of Shannara that can rip one's heart out. Naturally the loss of Ellenroh and Eowen Cerise was quite a blow, and [[spoiler: Garth]] can easily have one bawling, but even [[spoiler: Gavilan]] can bring a few tears. One of the best and most well-written books in the series, but utterly depressing, too.
* And then there's ''Literature/TheVoyageOfTheJerleShannara''. [[spoiler: Walker's death]], the MutualKill[=/=]TogetherInDeath of [[spoiler: Ard Patrinell and Tamis]], the Woobie-fication of Ahren and Quentin, even Antrax's AlasPoorVillain, and the death of TheMole, [[spoiler: Ryer Ord Star]] can get to you. It's just depressing to read.
* Surprisingly, the death of Iridia to the Moric in ''High Druid of Shannara'' is rather distressing thanks to her also being something of TheWoobie simply suffering from LoveHurts, GreenEyedMonster, and IfICantHaveYou. Grianne's ultimate fate is equal parts this and TearsOfJoy. Also [[spoiler: Ahren]]'s sacrifice in ''Jarka Ruus'', especially considering how [[spoiler: Ryer]] had sacrificed [[spoiler: her]] own life for him in the previous trilogy.
* There can be open weeping at [[spoiler: Cymrian's sacrifice and death]] towards the climax of ''Witch Wraith.'' What really catches you is the aftermath of his penultimate showdown with [[spoiler: Edinja Orle.]] As he lays dying he and [[spoiler: Aphen whisper back and forth that she'll come find him when this is done and "he'll be waiting."]] Starkly, tragically beautiful.
* If you look at Grianne Ohmsford's character development throughout ''The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara'' and ''High Druid'', her ultimate fate [[spoiler: as the eponymous ''Witch Wraith'' is just heartbreaking.]] Even after atoning and trying to heal from her servitude to both the Morgawr and the Straken Lord, even after finding freedom as an aeriad spirit, she is [[spoiler: snapped back into the physical world by Railing Ohmsford, a century later, who is convinced she is needed to combat Tael Riverine. She is reborn as the Ilse Witch, with all semblances of her good self gone.]] That she [[spoiler: kills Riverine and takes his place as the Straken Lord, only to be permanently banished to the Forbidding for eternity]] is both ironic and incredibly tragic, given her past. [[spoiler: However in ''Literature/TheFallOfShannara'', Grianne is finally released from the Forbidding and gets a happy ending by being returned to the Tanequil.]]

----