Moments pages are Spoilers Off. You Have Been Warned.
- The first indication we get of Angier's gradual descent into Villain Protagonist territory is his kidnapping of Fallon to force Borden to hand over the keyword. Without hesitation, Borden hands over the keyword to get Fallon back, and completely loses it when he realizes Fallon has been buried alive. On a rewatch, this is even more heartwarming in hindsight – Angier just kidnapped and buried Borden's brother, so of course Borden would panic.
- The scene at the restaurant is deeply uncomfortable to watch, but in an odd way it also has a bit of heartwarming Rewatch Bonus. Borden behaves terribly to Sarah, and he's acting out because, in his words, he 'almost lost something precious today'. The audience is meant to think this is the keyword/secret to his trick that he had to give up, and compared to how he's acting it isn't a very sympathetic excuse. But note the word nearly. He wasn't talking about losing the keyword. He was distraught because he nearly lost his brother (and, if he had, no one would have even noticed). Suddenly, his bad behavior is coming from a place of genuine trauma.
- The other Borden reuniting with his little girl, Jess.
- For all his flaws and obsession, the Borden twin who went to Angier's last show did try to save Angier, despite their feud.
- While it was a huge dick move to take Borden's daughter after framing him for his own murder, Caldlow seems to have kept his word to keep Jess safe and content under his care, as she's no worse for wear during the last time we see her with him.
- Every scene depicting the periods before Julia's death. It's both heartwarming and heartbreaking to see Angier and Borden as friends, Angier as a stable man, and Borden as not a Jerkass obsessed with secrets before everything went to shit.
- Fallon comforting Jess, while Borden and Sarah fight. The "real" Borden, her dad, is Fallon in that moment.
- For all their flaws, both brothers clearly love Jess. Whether she was their daughter/niece, it's clear that they adore this little girl and it's evident that Jess loves them in return too.
- Cutter bonding with Borden's daughter over a magic trick, and the nod of respect he exchanges with Borden.
