Tear Jerker / Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War

• The unused dialogue for Mission 11B: Reprisal has one of the rescue team crew members saving a child that's been affected by the chemical weapons' attack by giving his own mask at the cost of himself.

  Rescue Team Crew member 1: Patient is suffering from convulsions, reduced heart rate, respiratory failure...

  Rescue Team Crew member 2: I've never seen symptoms like these. What is this?

  Rescue Team Crew member 3: That kid just collapsed! I'm gonna give him my mask!

  Rescue Team Crew member 2: Gordon! No! Don't take off your mask!

  Rescue Team Crew member 4: I saw someone over at that window!

  Rescue Team Crew member 1: He didn't make it out? I'll go get him! I heard someone crying inside. I'm positive! Inside here, huh... Somebody get me a light!

• In mission 15, "White Noise," if you failed to find Nagase in time, you'll hear her saying in a resigned voice that the enemies are closing in on her position, before announcing that this will be her last message as she readies her gun and prepared to go down fighting — or worse...
• The death of Chopper, aka Captain Davenport, made quite a few players cry after they'd grown to like the character. The exact details in the mission that lead to it don't help any, but seeing the rest of the squadron collectively snap and cut a path of destruction through the invading enemies does make the player feel a bit better. The Sad Battle Music, "Into the Dusk", and the fact your allies are crying over the radio do not help!
  • It probably helps that he gets a rather tear-jerking moment in the previous mission, where you're providing ground support for a unit that include the brother of Grimm (one of your squadron's pilots).
    Chopper: Hey, Grimm, do you know where your brother is down there?
    Grimm: Sir, you can't play favorites during war!
    Chopper: Fine! Then everyone down there is your brother!
  • And in a later mission (18, "Fortress"), you provide air support for ground troops (and bail them out from a bad situation):
    Friendly Soldier 1: They're called the "Four Wings of Sand Island", but I only see three of them.
    Friendly Soldier 2: Don't you know? Only good little kids get to see the fourth one.
• The fate of the Yuktobanian frigate Pitomnik during the mission "Sea of Chaos." Despite Nikanor's declaration of his intentions of peace between Osea and Yuktobania, the Yuke fleet commander is unmoved and orders his ships to attack. Pitomnik's crew pleads with the commander to reconsider, even going so far as trying to pull their ship in front of the fleet. The fleet commander orders Pitomnik sunk without a hint of regret or hesitation, and we're treated to the scene of Yuke ships firing on their former comrade and not even slowing to assist the foundering vessel. It's probably one of the most iconic examples in the game of how war and hatred turns men into absolute monsters. Thankfully the scene becomes a moment of heartwarming and awesome not a minute later when several ships in the Yuke fleet, disgusted by the commander's actions, immediately switch sides and put on full steam to join the Kestrel Fleet. Still, Pitomnik's pleading voice as they turn to try and stop the madness of war can break a few hearts, especially when it is almost immediately silenced by the guns of their former comrades.
  Pitomnik: Please, stand down, we don't know what we're fighting for anymore. Sir, please, cancel engagement...
• The Kestrel's demise in the penultimate mission. Nowhere near the level of Chopper, especially since everyone escapes, but still, seeing everyone saluting it, the sad music and the fact it was sunk off for real by a random attack after lasting at least 15 years was quite a blow.
• In the mission "Aces." You and your squadron head off to fight the Big Bad, and squadrons from both Osea and Yuktobania help you do it. Some of them directly against orders.
  • In at least one case (the First Osean Fighter Wing), after punching out their brigade commander.
• The final cutscene after Razgriz completes its mission and ends the war. Peace has returned to Osea, for the time being, but, much like the myth they're named after, the Ghosts of Razgriz disappear into history. The Fellowship Has Ended, and the Fire-Forged Friends have gone their separate ways, never again to fly together in the skies of battle. Sand Island now stands decommissioned and abandoned, its only inhabitants being the seagulls which gather on the tarmac where the Nuggets that would become heroes once rolled their planes from their hangars. And with this, Kirk, Chopper's faithful dog which followed Wardog/Razgriz all the way through their adventure, gives a silent howl in remembrance to the legends—both living, and dead.