Tear Jerker / ActRaiser

• It's implied in the SNES version that the story arc in Bloodpool does see the Bloodmen actually give in to the monsters and hold a lottery to determine occasional sacrifices to hold them off. Who's the unlucky one? Teddy...AKA, the kid that you helped bring back home after his parents worried heavily for his safety prior. Thankfully, Renaissance retcons this storyline somewhat, but even then, it tugs at the heart just before Daniella switches things up.
• The event to obtain the Harmonious Music in Kasandora in Renaissance ends with Alonso wanting just the wind to be his companion for a while as he's reminded of his late wife and child.
  • The original iteration even in the SNES version could be summed as thus, courtesy of Roo from the Clan of the Gray Wolf:
    Roo: (sniffling through tears) "Aeris doesn't have a monopoly on sad gaming moments, you know! (sobs) I need a minute!"
• The whole arc for Northwall in Renaissance. The Ambiguously Human Taia was raised by her friend "Frost". When she describes Frost, the Angel immediately recognizes him as one of Tanzra's agents, the Arctic Wyvern. Throughout most of the arc, the Wyvern behaves much like an Expy of Smaug, threatening the Northmen. Taia later makes an attempt to reach out to her former friend, only for the Wyvern to give a Breaking Speech about how he was created to serve Tanzra as a harbinger of death. But the Northmen ask the all important question: He could have killed them all when he sensed their rebirth, so why did he choose to only send out hordes instead? Taia is given a Hope Spot that the Wyvern can be given a Heel–Face Turn, only for it to be dashed when Tanzra's influence upon him causes him to send out the final horde. The Wyvern then begs the Lord to give him a Mercy Kill in order to be freed from Tanzra's influence. Never has one of the bosses in the original game been given a Death Equals Redemption moment.
  • The achievement for defeating the Acts' bosses are usually describing their defeat as as the Master triumphing over them utterly. The achievement for defeating the Arctic Wyvern by contrast is "Wyrm Condemned, Forgiven".