History TearJerker / AmericanHorrorStoryFreakShow

** It's revealed during her therapy session that she always knew that Dandy was a sociopath. And later we find out that her husband was just like Dandy. It means that most of her CloudCuckoolander behavior was just a veneer to cope with it.

** Pretty much everything having to do with Bette and Dot in “Tupperware Party Massacre”, crossing with SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments when they affirm their love for each other, in stark contrast to the bitterness and anger that existed in earlier episodes.
* “Orphans” is almost an hour and half of utter heart-wrenching. Watching Pepper go from happy in the freak show, to framed for murder by ''her sister'', and then dumped in [[Series/AmericanHorrorStoryAsylum Briarcliff.]]

* The sheer cruelty and pointlessness of Maggie's death make it this as much as it is NightmareFuel. She wanted redemption in the freaks's eyes so badly, but none of them care about her death or try to help her; once they start getting over the gruesomeness they just witnessed, they just rob her corpse and bury her.

** Pretty much everything having to do with Bette and Dot in this episode, crossing with SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments when they affirm their love for each other, in stark contrast to the bitterness and anger that existed in earlier episodes.

* This episode is almost an hour and half of utter heart-wrenching. Watching Pepper go from happy in the freak show, to framed for murder by ''her sister'', and then dumped in [[Series/AmericanHorrorStoryAsylum Briarcliff.]]

** The sister and her husband both hate having Pepper and the baby around, so they plan to kill the baby and frame Pepper: The husband goes into the bathroom while Pepper is bathing the baby, forces Pepper out of the room, locks the door, and mutilates and drowns the baby while Pepper is crying outside.**

* The fate of poor Meep. Who is framed for murdering Detective Bunch and killed in a jail cell.

* In what has high money for surprise tear jerker of the season, Twisty's backstory. From KindheartedSimpleton who loved entertaining kids, to disfigured and mentally broken SerialKiller.

* Hate or Love Elsa, the backstory of how she lost her legs to a snuff film is pretty heartbreaking. Especially since it ruined any hopes she had of stardom.
* Desiree revealing her struggle as intersex individual is really awful. Especially worse considering the state Dell has left her in.
* Gloria revealing to Dora's Daughter how she feels she has failed as a mother and the moment Dandy stopped calling her for help when he needed it as a child.

* Ma Petite's murder by the hands of Dell - he lures her into a false sense of security by giving her a nice dress as a present, and she thanks him with a hug. This allowed Dell to crush Ma Petite's neck, and even his tearful remorse didn't make any sympathetic ''at all''.

** It's revealed during her therapy session that she always knew that Dandy was a sociopath. And later we find out that also her husband was like Dandy. It means that most of her CloudCuckoolander behavior was just a veneer to cope with it.
** It reaches its zenith in the scene where Dandy kills her. Just listening to her voice during that scene is so heartbreaking. She just sounds so broken down and defeated, to the point she doesn't even try to escape when Dandy points the gun towards her.

* This episode is almost an hour and half of utter heart-wrenching. Watching Pepper go from happy in the freakshow, to framed for murder by ''her sister'' and dumped in [[Series/AmericanHorrorStoryAsylum Briarcliff.]]

** Then the sister gets pregnant unexpectedly (she claims that when she was taken in for stomach pains she was informed she was in labour and she had no incentive to lie about that part.)
** The baby is born deformed so it's pretty much only Pepper taking care of it, while the mother is drinking one martini after the next (which she could have done all through pregnancy, causing the deformity.)
** The sister and her husband both hate having Pepper and the baby around so they plan to kill the baby and frame Pepper: The husband goes into the bathroom while Pepper is bathing the baby, picks up Pepper, takes him outside the room, locks the door and stabs the baby to death while Pepper is crying outside.**
** At Briarcliff, Pepper is hitting her head in the wall until Sister Eunice comes, then Pepper asks about the baby with tears running down her face. Sister Eunice takes this as a sign of remorse and redemption and is determined to feed that seed with kindness. She takes Pepper to the library and asks her to sort the different newspapers in different stacks, which Pepper does happily. Then Pepper sees Elsa on the front of one of the magazines and she touches the hand Elsa kisses at their goodbye to her face (which Elsa told her to do when Pepper feels alone).

* The fate of poor [[spoiler:Meep.]] Who is framed for murdering Detective Bunch and killed in a jail cell.
** Becomes HarsherInHindsight due to [[spoiler:the death of Meep's actor.]]
* Ethel's trip to the doctor and [[spoiler:subsequent diagnosis of fatal cirrhosis of the liver.]] Creator/KathyBates really knocks the scene out of the emotional park.

* In what has high money for surprise tear jerker of the season, [[spoiler:Twisty's backstory. From KindheartedSimpleton who loved entertaining kids, to disfigured and mentally broken SerialKiller.]]
-->"I'm so dumb.. [[spoiler:I can't even kill myself.]]"
* Hate or Love Elsa, [[spoiler:the backstory of how she lost her legs to a snuff film is pretty heartbreaking. Especially since it ruined any hopes she had of stardom.]]

* Gloria revealing to [[spoiler: Dora's Daughter ]] how she feels she has failed as a mother and the moment Dandy stopped calling her for help when he needed it as a child.
* What [[spoiler: Dell does to the doctor's hands]]. The poor man was only trying to help.

* Dandy's speech after reading Dot's diary. While he's an unsympathetic asshole [[spoiler: and a murderer]], his words can hit close to home for someone who's dealt with a breakup or unrequited love while struggling with depression or mental illness.

* [[spoiler: Ma Petite's murder by the hands of Dell]] - he lures her into a false sense of security by giving her a nice dress as a present, and she thanks him with a hug. [[spoiler: This allowed Dell to crush Ma Petite's neck, and even his tearful remorse didn't make any sympathetic ''at all''.]]

** It reaches its zenith in the scene where [[spoiler: Dandy kills her]]. Just listening to her voice during that scene is so heartbreaking. She just sounds so broken down and defeated, to the point she [[spoiler: doesn't even try to escape when Dandy points the gun towards her.]]

* This episode is almost an hour and half of utter heart-wrenching. [[spoiler:Watching Pepper go from happy in the freakshow, to framed for murder by ''her sister'' and dumped in [[Series/AmericanHorrorStoryAsylum Briarcliff.]]]]
** The implication that Elsa [[spoiler: sent her away to prevent her from being killed and put in a museum makes it even worse. She was trying to save her.]]

* Jimmy waking up in the hospital with [[spoiler: no hands]].
* The sheer cruelty and pointlessness of [[spoiler:Maggie]]'s death make it this as much as it is NightmareFuel. [[spoiler:She wanted redemption in the freaks's eyes so badly, but none of them care about her death or try to help her; once they start getting over the gruesomeness they just witnessed, they just rob her corpse and bury her.]]

** Pretty much everything having to do with Bette and Dot in this episode, crossing with CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming when they affirm their love for each other, in stark contrast to the bitterness and anger that existed in earlier episodes.

** The sister and her husband both hate having Pepper and the baby around so they plan to kill the baby and frame Pepper: The husband goes into the bathroom while Pepper is bathing the baby, picks up Pepper, takes him outside the room, locks the door and stabs the baby to death while Pepper is crying outside.

** Pretty much everything having to do with Bette and Dot in this episode, crossing with [[CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming Crowning Moment of Heartwarming]] when they affirm their love for each other, in stark contrast to the bitterness and anger that existed in earlier episodes.