As a Heartwarming Moments page, spoilers are left unmarked.
- Basch's status as A Father to His Men is cemented right at the beginning when he refuses Vossler's advice to abandon Reks, an injured naive young soldier who probably may have slowed down the operation to guard the king, behind.
- Balthier giving Penelo a handkerchief as a consolation for Vaan being sent to Nalbina Dungeon. Once the party has assembled together in Bhujerba, she does not forget to return it back.
- He was also keeping her out of harm's way from the Imperials at the time. For how aloof he's been acting up to this point, it was a very sweet gesture to someone he didn't even know.
- After the trio help get Basch out of prison: "To think Dalmasca's air could taste so sweet".
- By the time the team arrives at Rabanastre from Nalbina, Vaan already forgives Basch for apparently killing Reks and betraying Dalmasca. Note that this is not because he believes Basch's story about an Evil Twin slandering his reputation (though he learns later on that it's true); he forgives him because he doesn't like keeping grudges for long. A great Foreshadowing for his role as a balance to Ashe, who does like keeping grudges, as he attempts to discourage her from seeking revenge at Archadia.
- Larsa's friendship with Penelo. Despite their vast differences in social class, Larsa immediately takes Penelo under his wing after her escape from Ba'Gamnan and offers to return her home. He also tells her that, despite his being the younger brother of the current Consul for Dalmasca, she should not fear him.
- After Larsa absorbs Vayne's attack using the manufacted nethicite, the first person to console him is Penelo.
- This friendship continues well into the epilogue, where Larsa is now the Emperor of Archadia. He still communicates with Penelo through letters and eagerly anticipates a future visit from her. After losing almost everyone in his life, it's really nice to see that Larsa's friendship with Penelo is still going strong and serves as a source of happiness for him.
- Penelo and Vaan reuniting aboard the Leviathan.
- Vossler's dedication to work for Ashe in the two years after Dalmasca's subjugation. Regardless of there being a Ship Tease involved, Vossler has the complete trust of Ashe, who views him as her Knight in Shining Armor. This also involves a Parental Substitute of some sort, since he is 19 years older than her. This tragically breaks when she discovers that he has made a deal with Archadia to make her a puppet queen without her consent, even if he sincerely believes that this is the best way to save Dalmasca. And he stays loyal to her to the very end; his last words to Basch before he goes down with the 8th Fleet is for him to take his place as Ashe's guardian.
- At Jahara, Ashe is contemplating what to do about the nethicite when she sees Rasler's spirit again and runs towards it before then running into Vaan. For the first time ever, the two have an honest to god talk about their fears, their pasts, and why Vaan decided to come along. He was frightened that he would begin to feel hollow and alone, simply wallowing in self-pity as his talk about being a sky pirate was something he knew he honestly could never achieve and he used it to keep his mind off his brother. He then tells Ashe that he knows he'll find his purpose in life if he follows her, leading Ashe to say "I wish I knew", but Vaan reaffirms that he'll find them. To many people, the scene may not be heartwarming, but simply the two characters treating one another as equals when Ashe had previously treated Vaan like shit and Vaan's complete trust in Ashe even when she is in doubt is something amazing.
- In the same vein, atop the Pharos, Vaan tells Ashe (interrupting her speech) that he knows she's going to destroy the nethicite, she responds back softly "Don't interrupt Vaan", which doesn't seem like much, right? However, "don't interrupt" had been Ashe's catchphrase for most of the early game, usually said scathingly to Vaan or the other party members. But this time, she sounds nostalgic and happy, if a little bit sad. It highlights just how far Ashe had come and how well those two now know one another.
- At one point in the game, Balthier confides in Ashe about how his father, Dr. Cid, became obsessed with nethicite to the point of losing his mind. Then he tells her this:Balthier: Don't become slave to a stone, princess. You're better than that.
- In the beginning, Ashe is annoyed by Vaan and Penelo's naivety. By the time the party arrives in Archades, Ashe watches the pair with a warm smile when they see the capital for the first time.
- Gabranth's Redemption Equals Death.
- Just before the last boss, when Venat basically tells Vayne: "I am proud of you, and I forsake my immortality this instant so you do not have to die alone."
- Vaan and Penelo's reaction to Balthier and Fran reclaiming the Strahl at the end. Penelo jumps on Vaan and forces him to give her a piggyback ride.
- Bonus points for Balthier's note, which includes Ashe's wedding ring and asks Vaan and Penelo to return it for him.
- One of Clan Centurio's toughest hunters, a large bangaa named Monid, is always shown in the clan hall speaking with a little hume boy. As it turns out, that young boy is the orphaned child of Monid's deceased friends, who were killed while hunting the Trickster mark in the Paramina Rift. Monid now takes care of the boy and is raising him as his own adoptive child.
- He also fights alongside the main party during the Trickster hunt. All to avenge his fallen friends and bring some closure for their orphaned son.
- The little boy is always at the hall, even when Monid is out on a hunt, so it's likely that the rest of Clan Centurio watches over the child when his adoptive guardian is out doing his job, too.
- Speaking of Bangaas, Migelo's entire character is heartwarming. He looks after many of the city's orphans and goes out of his way to give them work where he can. He also freaks out when Penelo is kidnapped.
- There's a little one when you take the Wyvern Lord mark. The person who hires you turns out to be an Archadian soldier who has been occupying Rabanastre. However, the soldier hiring you explains that he saw the dragon while on patrol, but his peers and superiors thought that if it attacked the town, they'd take care of it then. The soldier, fearing for the civilian casualties that would result and believing them to be inevitable, pays out of his own pocket for the dragon to be put down. It soon becomes clear that this goes well beyond Grey-and-Gray Morality; he as a law enforcement officer cares for Rabanastre and its people, and isn't just one of the generic Faceless Goons.
- It's the last bit of dialogue before the hunt starts proper that's truly heartwarming: "This has naught to do with the Empire. I want you to hunt this Wyvern Lord for me!" You can't help but smile and think to yourself: "Alright, sure."
- In the Fafnir mark, the petitioner is a Light of Kiltia acolyte worried that the mark is threatening the existence of Mt. Bur-Omisace. He's alive right before you decide to take up the quest, after which he dies battling the mark and a jaded Viera named Relj takes his place to reward you. Once you defeat the creature, you'll find the petitioner's ring, the last proof that he existed, which you can give to Relj. Moved by how the petitioner wants to revive the old spirits of Mt. Bur-Omisace, she decides to lead the efforts to rebuild the location. This is then reflected by the change in the background theme (from the depressing "White Room" back to "Discard Power", i.e. the one you hear when you first enter the place) and weather (the rain has stopped pouring).
- Regarding Fafnir, the creature is the true cause for the blizzard that plagues Paramina Rift and the endless rain pouring down on Mt. Bur-Omisace. These events happen because previously Fafnir is sealed by the Gran Kiltias, but once he is murdered, the seal breaks off. By defeating Fafnir, you essentially give hope for a whole settlement (and a Holy City at that) to rebuild itself.
- As you complete the mark hunts in Nalbina, you repeatedly run into a Seeq named Jovy who has been listening to everyone's problems in the town. When he sees Vaan, always runs off without a word. When you've finished the last hunt and you speak to Jovy, you find out his personal hero bailed him out of some trouble with the law four years back and that same person died during the king's assassination. Finally, he says that Vaan looks like his old hero. That's right, Reks helped him out back then and Vaan now has the same place in his heart!
