While Thomas the Tank Engine isn't necessarily animation, it probably fits best under here. One particular example that stands out is A Close Shave. Pretty much all of it, but there's one part that always gets this troper, after Duck stopped the freight cars from hurting passengers by crashing into a barber shop, and the barber yells at him without knowing the scenario:
Barber: I'm sorry. I didn't know you were being a brave engine. Duck: That's alright, sir. I didn't know that either.
Along with Duck being told that he can come home, he rolls into the shed, greeted by whistles of all the other engines.
Edward's Exploit falls under this as well, with Edward, often mocked for being the oldest engine, uses everything in him to pull a train after a serious breakdown. He shows up late at the station, but the passengers are so proud of him that they give him a round of applause.
A short, but memorable moment, was when Thomas returned from being mended during the Daisy arc.
The Deputation's end definitely qualifies. The Fat Controller has been contemplating whether to send Donald or Douglas home.
Fat Controller: Donald, Douglas, I heard your work in the snow was good. You shall have a new coat of paint. Donald: Thank ye, sir! Fat Controller: But your names will be painted on you, so there will be no more mistakes. Douglas: Does this mean that the both of us...? Fat Controller: It means - Narrator: But the rest of his speech was drowned by a delighted chorus of cheers and whistles. The twins were here to stay.
The ending of Henry's Forest, doubles as a Tear Jerker
In Four Litle Engines, Skarloey, who was long overdue for repairs at that point, pulled a passenger train for Sir Handel after he fails. But that's not all, one of his springs give way and he struggles on to the station, and makes it. He earns a respectful silence from James, and we get this nice exchange at the end of the episode.
Skarloey:Old engines can't pull trains like the young ones can... Skarloey's driver:They can if they're mended, Old Faithful. You deserve it.
The end of All at Sea
Narrator:Duck still wonders about the lands beyond the horizon, but he enjoys being with friends most of all, and I think he knows that sometimes, the best travels are those we can only dream about ** All of this accompanied by heartwarming music and a beautiful shot of the engines looking out of the sunset.
In "Harvey To The Rescue", Thomas and the Fat Controller cheer up a dejected Harvey after he hears about his bad first impressions from the other engines. He later proves his worth and gets a much different reception:
Harvey: The other engines don't like me. I'm too different.
Fat Controller: Different is what makes you special.
"Trust Thomas" sets Thomas up for a Break the Cutie moment, after starting the day exceptionally cheerful, he gets grumbled at by Bertie due to his broken road, is tricked by James into taking his trucks, which then push him into a river. However following the crash, he discovers the missing tar wagon for the road. James is genuinely remorseful for getting Thomas in trouble, while a joyous Bertie takes back everything he said before, with Thomas' optimism paying off.
Thomas' first meeting with the Fat Controller in Thomas And The Trucks. After his mishap with some mischievious trucks, the Fat Controller bluntly asks what he's doing in the yard. An intimidated Thomas whimpers his problem. The Fat Controller decides Thomas needs experience and puts him to work with trucks for the next few days. Come the next episode, he is cheerfully encouraging Thomas, who is now much more confident and competent in handling trucks (which would come in handy later on).
The ending to "Happy Birthday Sir", in which Thomas and Winston find and restore Sir Topham Hatt's old riding carriage from his younger days. His reaction is nearly overwhelmed.
In "Edward the Great", while racing Spencer, Edward starts to get tired and considers stopping at a station. However, some workers, who had caught word of the race, start to cheer Edward on, gibing Edward the strength to continue.
