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"I'll be home later!"
Aloha
You'll find the place where you belong
ʻOhana
A family to call your own
Where you feel at home

While more lighthearted than the original film, this series is still all about ʻohana, which means plenty of Heartwarming Moments.

Spoilers Off for Heartwarming Moments pages.

General

  • Stitch and Angel's relationship. Angel's feelings for Stitch cause her to reform and when they got separated it deeply hurt both of them. When they're reunited, Stitch confesses his love for her, which breaks her out of her Heroic BSoD.
  • The entire concept is kinda touching: Lilo, who was able to turn a hostile monster who was created to destroy, into her best friend within a few days. Now her job is to reform all 625 of Jumba's other experiments. While it's hit or miss with some, she does genuinely care about the experiments and sees them as Stitch's family. She's essentially trying to help her best friend's family get into a better life.
  • Every time the titular duo hug each other. Every time.

Episode-specific moments

Season 1

"Richter"
  • After fighting over the orange ball in the episode, Stitch decides to share it with Richter if the living Earthquake Machine helps to stop the earthquakes he caused. When Richter does so, Stitch holds up his end of the deal, handing the ball over to a pleased Richter in return.
"Phantasmo"
  • Lilo's support of Stitch when he gets framed for causing destruction around the house, even after finding her record player broken, shows just how much she trusts him.
  • The moment when Phantasmo gets his "one true place". Lilo realizes that Phantasmo's troublemaking may be a cry for attention, so she decides to trick him into possessing the shoddy animatronic at Mackey Macaw's. When he does so, he's about to hit Lilo and Stitch with Mackey's ukulele, only for the curtain to rise and all the children to applaud. When Lilo tells him that now he can have all the attention and love he wants, Phantasmo changes his tune immediately and happily starts playing music for the kids.
"Clip"
  • After not having been pleased with Clip due to her having eaten his hair after she was first created, Jumba grows back a whole head of hair only to find he doesn't like it that much. He thus allows Clip to eat his hair again at the end of the episode, this time being happy to let her do so.
"Mr. Stenchy"
  • Mr. Stenchy made have been deliberately designed to be cute, but the episode shows that he seems to be a truly friendly and affectionate guy. He even tries to become friends with Stitch when they're left alone, even though Stitch wants nothing to do with him.
  • When Lilo is upset over losing Mr. Stenchy to Gantu, saying that she'll never get into Mertle's FHGH group, Nani tells her that Mertle and the other girls probably wouldn't make very good friends, and points out that Stitch is a much better friend to Lilo, since he would never do anything to hurt her. Granted, they didn't know at the time that Stitch actually let Mr. Stenchy get taken by Gantu (which made Stitch feel really guilty when Nani said much of his loyalty), but still the scene shows that even though he frequently drives her nuts, Nani still sees the virtues in Stitch.
  • Mr. Stenchy is sent to Pleakley's home planet (since aliens of his species find Mr. Stenchy's smell appealing), and the experiment is adopted by a couple who says that Mr. Stenchy's smell reminds them of their first date.
"Spooky"
  • Stitch uses Lilo's coping mechanism (singing "Aloha ʻOe" to himself) to calm himself down, which proves very helpful when he does so to get out of the pool and save her from a high fall. It just goes to show how her positive influence helps him overcome his personal troubles and fears.
  • In a Tear Jerker-kind of way, it's revealed that Nani's worst fear is ultimately losing her sister (this is shown in the form of Cobra Bubbles coming and telling Nani that he has take Lilo away from her and have her stay with a foster family). As much as they drive each other crazy (particularly Lilo towards Nani), but they really do love and care about each other.
"Cannonball"
  • What is Stitch's first idea with Cannonball's powers? To help Nani from losing her job. It seems that he doesn't just love the youngest of the two Pelekai sisters.
"Yapper"
  • Despite the fact that Mertle is... Mertle, it is shown that she does genuinely love her dog/experimental alien Gigi and is saddened when she thinks she is gone.
  • Stitch holding himself back from causing destruction in Honolulu so he can help Lilo.
"Yin-Yang"
  • The scene where Yin and Yang meet each other for the first time. Jumba spends the whole episode warning everyone that if they ever came into contact they could destroy the world due to the clash of their powers. When they do meet, however, they actually look happy to see each other. And it soon turns out that their powers mixing isn't really dangerous—they end up creating a whole new landmass together.
    • The fact that Yin and Yang become practically inseparable after their first appearance together.
"Kixx"
  • At the end of the episode, Stitch thanks Lilo for training him before and during his fight with Kixx.
    Stitch: Thanks. Teaching is good. Yeah, good.
"Splodyhead"
  • After finding that Jumba and Pleakley survived (albeit a bit charred) Sploadyhead's attack on their tent, Lilo hugs Jumba and Stitch resuscitates Pleakley.
  • After a lot of fighting, Gantu and Stitch actually manage to work together.
"Amnesio"
  • When an amnesiac Lilo and Gantu meet an equally amnesiac Stitch, what's Gantu's first instinct? Assure the "little guy" that everything's going to be okay. It's easy to miss, but it shows that without their history as enemies, Gantu would've been nice to Stitch.
  • Having suffered amnesia, Lilo and Gantu make a surprisingly cute team-up. Lilo even makes him a clay cup that says "World's Greatest Cop". Aww...
    • Even more heartwarming with how it shows, even after he gets his memory back and goes back to being a bad guy, Gantu keeps the pot that Lilo made for him.
"Fibber"
  • The end of "Fibber", where we see that Pleakley's family truly does love him despite his faults.
  • Lilo goes all out with wanting to help her "aunt" impress his family, since she does care about him.
  • A small Ship Tease between David and Nani. When he learns that she's getting married, David later comes running to disrupt the wedding, flowers in hand. He had something important to tell Nani, but then he sees that the bride is Jumba instead.
  • Fibber bonds with 625 at the end of the episode after having been captured by Gantu.
"Tank"
  • Lilo and Stitch apologizing after their short problem with each other, and even Lilo's friends acting a tad nicer for once. Shows that if Mertle didn't do a lot of the controlling, they could potentially be real friends.
"Sprout"
  • After Stitch has to forfeit a fair rodeo to save the day, despite training extremely hard for it, the returning champion gives up the belt and his title anyway, just because he's too honorable to accept a victory on a technicality.
    • Even better, this act of sportsmanship convinces Lilo to give her prize to Mertle, instead of taking it unfairly. Even quoting the cowboy's speech.
"Elastico"
  • Elastico's Circus Family. They are a very accepting lot of people who took in the alien monster with the Rubber Man powers. He was able to find his one true place on his own, just like Stitch.
  • When Stitch first introduces himself as "Cousin" to Elastico, the clown looking alien accepts it in stride and even returns it.
  • Upon learning that Stitch has a family of his own, the ringmaster voids the contract Stitch had previously signed, even though he could have easily insisted that Stitch continue to work for him.
"Yaarp"
  • Instead of outright insulting Lilo for being an odd kid, the politician that visits her town actually listens to her (while not believing her) and humors her with having Yaarp be the city's official alarm for alien invasions. A guy like him could have easily just not listened to her, but still did it.
  • Pleakley saves Yaarp by use of step-aerobics from falling stalactites. Yaarp happily kisses Pleakley and toots a happy sound in response. In fact, it's because of this act of kindness that Pleakley gets the honor to name the alien.
    • Jumba praises Pleakley for saving Yaarp at the end of the episode.
"627"
  • During a Thanksgiving dinner, Lilo tells Stitch she's thankful that the latter has learned to be more humble after the events of the episode.
"The Asteroid"
  • When the alien that lives on said asteroid causes a rock slide to fall upon our duo, the first thing Stitch does is fall on top of Lilo to protect her.
  • Jumba accepting that Earth is his home now after deciding to sacrifice the hyperdrive to push the asteroid away from the Earth.
"Topper"
  • It’s a Christmas Episode. Guaranteed moments ensue.
  • Gantu may want to hunt experiments at virtually any cost, but when a little girl (mistaking him for Santa) sadly asks for a present, he feels guilty at denying her the present box that contains 025, and gives it to her as a gift, showing he has a heart.
"Melty"
  • Keoni giving Lilo the "Mud Monster Hula girl" toy that he likely made himself to cheer her up since it was clear she seemed upset. Shows that he does care about her, even if it's just as a friend.
"Houdini"
  • The titular experiment is so adorable and sweet!
"Nosy"
  • Nosy And 625 hit it off rather fast, much to Gantu’s chagrin.
  • The conflict of the episode is that, Nani is interviewing for a job at a Hotel, and has invited the potential boss for lunch. She tries to get the family to act relatively normal, but their strange behavior shows through, especially with Gantu coming to capture Nosy. The boss, however, is actually very impressed with Nani's family; feeling that her willingness to give such a strange collection of people a home, shows she has a strong sense of hospitality, which is just what he is looking for, at the hotel.
"Finder"
  • A lot of the bonding between Hämsterviel and Mertle when he enjoys her treating him like a pet is cute, such as when he asks to be pushed down a slide one more time and smiles as she feeds him gerbil seeds during show-and-tell.
  • When Stitch presents Hämsterviel to the Grand Councilwoman, he is sure to let it be known that it was Finder who found the fugitive. The Grand Councilwoman, though, points out that, even though Finder tracked down Hämsterviel, Stitch was the one who brought him in, and then notes that it is good of Stitch to share the credit regardless.
"Slushy"
  • The excitement Lilo has with the new winter weather, and Stitch learning to try new things for his best friend’s sake.
"Dupe"
  • "Dupe" has a genuine moment of friendship between Gantu and 625; Gantu apologizing for his behavior and taking 625's feelings into account and 625 listening to Gantu's Troubled Childhood and telling Gantu he's not offended by being called a "trog". As someone who calls 626 and other criminals this, it's very sobering.
  • After his team of new experiments capture Stitch and his duplicates, Gantu is briefly shown hosting a victory feast for them to celebrate.
  • Lilo finds out that having Stitch being her friend is enough for her. True Companions at its finest.
"Shortstuff"
  • Lilo reassuring Stitch about his height, and the guy who didn't let him on the other ride allowing him to go on the first day of Shortstuff's ride.
  • Likewise, after Stitch defeated Shortstuff, Jumba says that it's time to return Shortstuff to his original size. The crab experiment moans sadly in response, clearly having liked being huge and not wanting to go back to being small again. Fortunately for him, Lilo stops Jumba before he could fire the Shrink Ray and allows Shortstuff to stay gigantic by giving him a "one true place" that fits his new size.
    • There's a rather thoughtful comment on Shortstuff's article on Lilo & Stitch Wiki from an anonymous Fandom user who said that Shortstuff is their favorite experiment because, as they pointed out, the experiment managed to find his true place thanks to the unexpected circumstances given to him that he ended up liking that has nothing to do with what he was programmed for (which for him was sabotaging electronics and machinery) nor involved him becoming someone's pet, and he didn't have to be reprogrammed for it. Basically, he became a giant, he decided that he liked being and wanted to stay giant, and he accepted a compromise to keep being a giant as he personally wanted.
"Angel"
  • Angel's Heel–Face Turn when Stitch shows he has genuine emotions for her, as she becomes remorseful of her prior actions and makes up for it by turning the cousins back to good before they could knock him out. It crosses into Tear Jerker when they are separated though.
  • After meeting Angel face-to-face, Stitch becomes the most gentlemanly he's ever been in the entire franchise.
    • He never fought Angel once and was fully-supportive of her from the start when Lilo wouldn't accept her (even though Lilo was right to do so at the time).
    • He excused himself for picking his nose with his tongue in front of Angel, which actually doesn't seem to offend her and she does the same nose-picking action herself, which delights him.
    • He wakes her up with a bouquet of flowers, and when she sings to him (not realizing what she was really trying to do to him), he compliments her. ("Nice pipes!") Although she was confused by the failure of her siren song, Angel appeared to be touched nonetheless.
      • In fact, it was likely this moment where Angel saw Stitch as more than just someone to use in her plans, especially in the immediate scene afterwards where she looks back at him with regret before running off to start converting the other cousins.
"Felix"
  • Despite the destruction he causes later, Felix and Pleakley did bond over their love of cleanliness.
"Poxy"
  • Lilo and Stitch are clearly concerned for Pleakley's health when Poxy infects him, going very far to keep him and the experiment safe from Gantu until they can get it out.
  • 625/Reuben takes care of Gantu when he ends up getting sick from Poxy instead. Shows that he does care about the big lug and Gantu is somewhat appreciative.
"Babyfier"
  • While Lilo's experiment-placing abilities are largely hit or miss, she couldn't have made better use of Babyfier's ability to turn people into babies. The episode ends with him set up in the animal shelter, turning old dogs slated for euthanasia into puppies. In other words, she's reviving old dogs that can go back to being cute puppies.
    • Doubly so, she didn't just find Babyfier's "one true place": she found the "one true place" for multiple dogs who get a second chance to live a lifetime at a forever home!
  • Baby!Nani hugging Lilo. You got to admit, this helps Lilo really appreciate her big sister seeing her like this.
"Bonnie & Clyde"
  • Despite being criminals, the titular experiments share a close bond like their namesakes and it seems Clyde is concerned for Bonnie when it comes to them finding Lilo and Stitch and getting them involved with their crimes.
"Bad Stitch"
  • When Hämsterviel turns Stitch bad again, the latter seems poised to harm Lilo. Lilo takes out the water bottle she's been using to train Stitch to be a 'good dog'. ...and she tosses it aside. She did it on the principle that she trusts Stitch, and knows she doesn't need it to get him to be good of his own accord. Sure enough, it's enough to bring back the Stitch we know and love.

Season 2

"Spike"
  • Pleakley taming Spike with a hug, which touches the other experiments in his therapy group. Even Nosy cries.
    • Especially notable with Slushy and Splodyhead, who are of elemental opposites (Slushy being an experiment made of ice and Splody being a living, heat-producing Plasma Cannon) that opposed one another in an epic fight in the former's episode. Slushy threw a snowball that accidentally hit Splody (the snowball was meant for Pleakley), angering him enough to start fighting. After seeing Pleakley hug Spike, the two opposite experiments make up and hug each other (even though Splody's warm body causes steam to come off of Slushy).
  • While his powers make people incredibly silly when they get hit with his quills, Spike is really an affectionate creature after E.A.R.W.A.X. He even wanted to give a depressed Lilo a hug to cheer her up.
"Frenchfry"
  • Nani going full Mama Bear in this episode. Seriously, she's dealing with a man-eating alien who stuffed her sister and the semi-indestructible monster to the point that they cannot defend themselves, but she goes against it armed with only a broom. Shows how much she cares about her 'ohana and is willing to defend them when they cannot do so themselves.
  • It's a simple moment, but the thing that helps Frenchfry change for the better is when he tries the healthy food Nani makes. Nani even figures that the reason Frenchfry was previously a cannibal is because no one ever tried offering him healthy food before.
  • Even if it leads to an embarrassing moment for Gantu, 625 mistakenly believing it's Gantu's birthday and throwing him a surprise party, even inviting several of Gantu's friends from space.
"Swapper"
  • Even though it did cause problems with her trying to be "normal" in the episode, and it did lead her to having to run away from security guards and animal control, the fact that Lilo gets to experience what it's like to be in the superpowered body of Stitch and have some fun while she's being chased around the supermarket is just adorable (and can make the show's viewers a bit jealous that they can't be able to enjoy this kind of experience in real life).
  • Victoria accepting Lilo for who she is. While she isn't around much, it's nice that Lilo makes a new friend. It's even revealed she likes some of the same stuff Lilo likes.
  • A small and slightly comical one, but Jumba revealing that he put something in the lemonade Pleakley made for Lilo's lemonade stand that causes those who drink it to temporarily change colors like a kaleidoscope (which works on Stitch because he's the only one who drank it). More specifically, why he did it; Pleakley accuses him of having done something "evil" to the lemonade, but Jumba reveals that, far from being evil, it was supposed to be fun.
"Shoe"
  • Despite his powers, Lilo and Stitch care deeply about the little guy and personally wish to help him despite the fact that he's a walking bad luck charm.
"Slick"
  • Lilo decides that Slick's one true place is to use his ability to raise charity. Slick couldn't agree more, as he sees fit that "[the] customer is your family".
"Skip"
  • When Lilo becomes a teenager, Nani sees her apparently long-lost sister and tearfully hugs her after her disappearance. Though she gets angry, it is expected of her to be relieved that her sister was okay.
  • Lilo, Stitch and Skip all returning to the present. Given Nani and the rest of the family nearly lost out on 10 years with Lilo, it's refreshing to know Lilo and Stitch will make the most of it.
"Checkers"
  • In "Checkers", Nani is overworked in the beginning. When the Pineapple Princess calls in sick for the float, who does she decide to call in to replace her? Her older sister, who has always been there for her.
  • When Gantu usurps Checkers, Stitch goes out of his way to gather as many of his cousins as he can to overthrow the tyrant. The fact that they agree to help him in his cause is very endearing.
"PJ"
  • Despite the fact that Mertle is always mean to her, Lilo takes the heat on a mean prank that the experiment did to the sub.
  • Lilo and Mr. Kaponi, the aforementioned sub, reconciling. While he is strict, Mr. Kaponi proves himself to be a Reasonable Authority Figure by taking Lilo aside and explaining that while he is strict he does genuinely care about his students, even if he's just temporary, and also realizes that he was too hard on Lilo and apologizing to her.
  • When Mr. Kaponi promises to be a better teacher next time, Lilo bemoans that his time as substitute teacher is nearly over anyway. But Moses reveals that he and his team won first place and have been called away for another week, giving Mr. Kaponi a second chance to start over with Lilo and be a better teacher like he promised.
"Snooty"
  • Victoria taking in the small bat-like experiment since he can help with her allergies. She is the fourth person that Lilo knows on a very personal level to own an experiment.
  • Victoria and Stitch getting along well. Given how possessive Stitch is of Lilo, it says a lot that he enjoys her company as well.
"Retro"
  • Nani reunites with some old friends who have succeeded in life, despite one needing crutches when they first see each other again. Despite that, her friends do think that Nani is still doing good since she's a homemaker and likely doing very well for her situation. They don't look down at her for having a normal job.
"Morpholomew"
  • Trixie acting as a Cool Big Sis to Lilo and giving her life advice. She may be the Sassy Black Girl in her own show, but she's still a nice person and helps the young girl even when she puts into something. She even calls out on Spud and Jake for encouraging her bad idea.
  • While a little misguided, Lilo wanting to get Keoni the skateboard is kind of sweet in a way.
"Spats"
  • Lilo reassuring Penny about her article. Lilo is a sweet kid and Penny appreciates it: considering that the latter, in her own series, has to deal with unsupportive friends on a regular basis, you can only imagine how much it means, to her, having someone who genuinely cares. Sure they get under Spats' spell, but for the most part, they are getting along great.
  • Oscar and Trudy do have a nice moment or two before Spats gets involved. While they're a kinda harsh couple, they do care about each other.
  • In a way, Wizard Kelly adopting Spats does have a tinge of sweetness about it. Sure it's because Spats has the ability to make his wrestlers fight more convincingly in the ring, but adopting the little guy is notably the only thing he gets without his money.
"Heckler"
  • During the comedy routine, Pleakley is ecstatic when he finally gets his comedy act together and everyone starts to have fun. While it's at Heckler's expense, they all seem to enjoy poking fun at themselves to help how fun the community is.
  • The sheer fact Lilo is able to tolerate and re-habilitate this experiment designed to directly insult people. It truly shows how determined she is.
"Wishy-Washy"
  • Instead of trying to get a family photo that looks like your typical nuclear family, Lilo is content to have a photo of her family as is. We're talking her, Stitch, Nani, Jumba and Pleakley. The quote at the end seals just how much she appreciates her family, however different they may be:
    Lilo: It's like they say: "Be Careful What You Wish For, because you may just already have it."
Bugby
  • In contrast to most other people in the series, the kindly gardener Lilo meets is not at all off-put or frustrated with her eccentricities, gently explaining why she can’t have his ladybugs.
  • Stitch warming up to bugs and realizing they are living things too that deserve respect.
  • The admiration the bugs Of Bugopolis have for Lilo, they are sincerely grateful for protecting and giving them homes. This includes three otherwise thuggish bugs who after realizing her identity are quick to protect and help her.
"Rufus"
  • Ron protecting Rufus from Jumba and Pleakley, who think he's an very dangerous experiment. He is a protective pet owner, even against weird aliens.
    • Towards the end, even when Stitch tells the others Rufus isn't an experiment, Lilo still gives the honor of deciding the little guy's one true place: Ron's pocket. Awww!
  • Kim being concerned about Lilo's safety, but gives her an impressed tone when she sees how well Lilo can handle herself. It shows that an Action Girl like her still has her inner baby sitter being a caring person around kids, so it makes sense why she's so concerned about her safety and keeps her away from them.
"Lax"
  • While it's silly, the Third Street Kids under Lax's spell are just having fun with Stitch. It's kind of cute to see them all having fun despite that. Even a little Ship Tease with T.J. and Spinelli.
  • Lilo meeting an entire group of her (more or less) peers as unconventional as she is. Sure, it's not explicitly stated anywhere in the episode, but just look at how fast the Third Street Kids end to getting along with her, no mention to the fact they immediately believe to all the aliens and experiments' matter (something neither Kim nor Penny did; Jake doesn't count due to his mystic nature) and that they are totally willing to help her with it. Really, that must have been one of the happiest moments in Lilo's life: discovering that there's more than one person who sees things like she does.
"Remmy"
  • Crossing over into Tear Jerker is "Remmy", which takes place on the anniversary of Lilo and Nani's parents' deaths. Lilo is having nightmares, courtesy of the latest experiment, and Nani has Pleakley enter her dream world to give Lilo the photograph of them and their parents. Lilo remembers the day it was taken, and the experiment loses its power. After Jumba, Pleakley, and Stitch successfully capture it, they turn to see that Lilo is dreaming of being with her family, whole once again.
"Mrs. Hasagawa's Cats"
  • The fact that Mrs. Hasagawa, despite being a Scatterbrained Senior, is a very caring woman who took in these creatures and has gotten their habits down to a tee. It shows how caring she is and how good of a caregiver she is.
"Ace"
  • Ace is a truly the Token Heroic Orc of the Experiments, as he was already heroic. And what does he do once he is out? He goes into a fiery building and saves a little girl's kitten.
  • Lilo reassuring Jumba about how he is with his new life and, while the 'ohana helps Jumba in his little farce to the "Evil Genius Organization", they all care about him.
"Woops"
  • Despite his misgivings, giving Woops a spot on the bowling team and helping them win is a big step up. Shows that even a klutz has a place in the world.
"Snafu"
  • After finally having been freed from the capsule after all this time and helping to release the other experiments that Gantu had, the first thing that Angel does in her newfound freedom is to go on a date with Stitch.

Finale film (Leroy & Stitch)


Lilo: I love you, too, Stitch.

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