History TearJerker / BatmanArkhamKnight

'''Joker:''' ''(snidely)'' He ''heard'' you! He's wondering how he can live with himself...

** If you choose to doom Ra's to a final death, Batman laments his end, citing that while he was evil, he still had conviction in what he did. Furthermore, rather than just throwing him in and slamming the door, he simply lays Ra's down on his deathbed...and gently shuts the cell. He may have been the biggest mastermind of the rogues' gallery, but Bruce ultimately still respected and honored him for the man he used to be, and his firmly held beliefs in eliminating all crime.

* Ra's al Ghul's [[HowTheMightyHaveFallen epilogue]]. His fears of what will eventually become of him through using the Lazarus Pit time and again are finally realized; now a weak, decrepit corpse who seems aware of his surroundings, but can just barely speak much less move. He was a fierce and brutal megalomaniac, but to see him go out in such a pitiful, downbeat note is a tragic end to his storied legacy.

* [[AntiVillain Mr.Freeze]]'s [[ShaggyDogStory epilogue]]. He's been blackmailed by the Militia ([[KickTheDog who captured Nora to that effect]]) to take down Batman, [[AntiVillain which he refused]]. By the time Batman comes, Freeze has turned into a mere [[EmptyShell shadow of his former self]], sinking into the DespairEventHorizon. When Batman finds Nora, she is out of cryogenic stasis for so long that she wakes up. But Nora wishes to live the few days of her life she has with Victor, rejecting her survival if the survival costs Freeze his sanity. In the end, they both disappear from Gotham to live Nora's remaining life together. It's implied that Victor is turning off his own cryogenic suit, meaning [[TogetherInDeath he'll likely die with her]].

*** By the end of it all, he seems a little desperate to get one last laugh out of everybody after finishing the song, still sounding depressed himself.

--> '''Joker:''' (''sadly sighs'') You're a great crowd. I'll be here all week. Try the veal.

-->''"The last will and testament of the deceased, Thomas Wayne: In the event of my death, I hereby declare that all my worldly possessions pass to my son, Bruce Wayne. Bruce, I ask that you honor the Wayne family legacy, and commit yourself to the improvement of Gotham City, its institutions, and its citizens. Please, be strong. You are young but destined for great things. Make the most of your opportunities. Use them to give back to a city that has given us so much, to change the lives of millions of people. Do not be frivolous with this wealth. [[{{Irony}} Please, do not waste it all]] on [[CoolCar fast cars]], and [[NonPoweredCostumedHero outrageous clothes]], and [[TheCowl the pursuit of a destructive lifestyle]]. Invest in Gotham. Treat its people like family. Watch over them and use this money to safeguard them from forces beyond their control. My deepest regret is I will not see you grow into the good man I know you will become. And finally, my son, I ask that you never abandon this city to fate. We have lived through dark days, and no doubt there are more to come. But it is the good and great men who stand up for Gotham when others turn and run. In death, I will love you forever. Your father, Thomas."''

* The sequence in ACE chemicals where Batman deploys neutralizing agents to reduce the blast radius of the fear toxin bomb so it won't cover the Eastern coast. The canisters are extremely unstable and so the player has to move incredibly slowly to transport them, meaning there's no time for Batman to escape the bomb himself. Alfred knows this and is continually trying to talk him out of it in a state of panic, while Batman calmly continues his work, convinced his life doesn't matter at this point, slowly succumbing to the hallucinatory effects of the fear toxin being released. And this all happens before the Joker JumpScare.

** Normally, when Batman brings in a criminal to the High-Security Wing, like Two-Face, Penguin, Firefly, etc., Joker's on standby to give commentary when the criminal is brought in. When it comes to Man-Bat, Joker is nowhere to be seen, unable to make a crack about a grieving man. [[BaitTheDog At least unless you talk to Kirk again.]] [[KickTheDog By then he's actually thought of a cruel joke.]]

** Although that's nothing compared to the audio log. His conversation with Barbara begins with Todd in his cynical, totally in control, Arkham Knight persona, but once he opens his visor, allowing Barbara to see who he really is, the tragic, utterly broken, barely sane young man who is on the verge of cracking rises to the surface with a vengeance.
** The audio log also features Jason awkwardly asking how Alfred is, and Barbara says that he still misses Jason. However, partly because of Jason's actions in helping Scarecrow unmask Batman, Alfred, and Batman are forced to blow up Wayne Manor to ensure no one will target Bruce Wayne's loved ones in reprisal. Either Alfred committed suicide with Bruce, or faked his death and cut off all ties with his allies. Either way, Jason will never see Alfred again, and it's partly his own fault.
** Batman apologizes for not saving Jason leaving him tortured by the Joker for over a year. To make this more sad Batman rarely apologizes so it see him actually saying sorry to Jason is heartbreaking to hear.

** As he's in the throes of his VillainousBreakdown after the last race, Nygma goes on a rant about how he has a photographic memory and perfect recall, and can thus completely re-experience every time he's been hurt with perfect clarity and senses at will, and sometimes involuntarily. In particular, he screams furiously about the fact that he wakes up at times with the feeling of Batman's hands around his neck from some victory or another, unable to get rid of it. His inability to just prevent further trauma by walking away feeds into his self-destruction.

* Barbara Gordon's (thankfully fake) suicide. Batman finds Barbara in the same safe house he found Ivy in, but [[KickTheDog Scarecrow injects her with his fear toxin, causing her to see Batman as a monster]] and [[BoomHeadshot shoots herself in the head so Batman couldn't get to her]]. Batman falls to his knees in shock and when he informs Alfred of her death, Alfred can barely resist the urge to cry, his voice quivering as he tries to focus on the mission. It was only a hallucination caused by Scarecrow's fear gas but it's still painful to watch.

* Tripling as a SugarWiki/{{Heartwarming Moment|s}} and a SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome, Poison Ivy's heroic sacrifice. Merging with a giant tree, Ivy uses the full extent of her power to dispel the fear toxin around Gotham, but the action took everything she had and she dies in Batman's arms. In one final, noble act, one of Batman's most misanthropic enemies showed a level of humanity that she herself probably never realized she had. Her final BadassBoast made the moment all the more powerful.

*** There's also her body language during the confrontation with Henry. She's trying to go back into the familiar patterns, but compare Henry threatening to shoot her here with her in the A Matter of Family DLC, when Joker does the same. In the DLC, she is calm about it, even seeming a little turned on in that moment - she wholly trusts that Mistah J won't pull the trigger on her, despite him being... well, the Joker... But when Henry does it, she's scared, and uncertain about it - At that moment, she's fully aware that this isn't actually him and genuinely afraid that Henry might pull the trigger. That betrayal is basically where her story in the game ENDS, too.

* [[AntiVillain Mr.Freeze]]'s [[ShaggyDogStory epilogue]]. He's been blackmailed by the Militia ([[KickTheDog who captured Nora to that effect]]) to take down Batman, [[AntiVillain which he refused]]. By the time Batman comes, Freeze has turned into a mere [[EmptyShell shadow of his former self]], sinking into the DespairEventHorizon. When Batman finds Nora, she was out of cryogenic stasis for so long that she wakes up. But Nora wishes to live the few days of her life she has with Victor, rejecting her survival if the survival costs Freeze his sanity. In the end, they both disappear from Gotham to live Nora's remaining life together. It's implied that Victor is turning off his own cryogenic suit, meaning [[TogetherInDeath he'll likely die with her]].

** Made even sadder by the fact that it has been 10+ in game years since Origins to now that we have seen Mr. Freeze do everything he could to save the love of his life and cure her of her ailment. And he completely and utterly ''''' fails'''''.

** As he's in the throes of his VillainousBreakdown after the last race, Nygma goes on a rant about how he has a photographic memory and perfect recall, and can thus completely re-experience every time he's been hurt with perfect clarity and senses at will, and sometimes involuntarily. In particular, he screams furiously about the fact that he wakes up at times with the feeling of Batman's hands around his neck from some victory or another, unable to get rid of it. His ability to just prevent further trauma by walking away feeds into his self-destruction.

--->'''Batman:''' Your Robin, Jason. You're not what he made you!\\

** Batman spends the whole of his fight with Jason begging him to stop.

'''Jason:''' STOP ''CALLING'' ME THAT!!

[[caption-width-right:350:"You [[LeftForDead left]] [[BrokenBird me]] to [[MindRape rot]] in that [[ColdBloodedTorture abandoned wing of Arkham]] for over a ''year''... with ''[[Characters/BatmanTheJoker him]]''!"]]

** The audio log also features Jason awkwardly asking how Alfred is, and Barbara says that he still misses Jason. However, partly because of Jason's actions in helping Scarecrow unmask Batman, Alfred and Batman are forced to blow up Wayne Manor to ensure no one will target Bruce Wayne's loved ones in reprisal. Either Alfred committed suicide with Bruce, or faked his death and cut off all ties with his allies. Either way, Jason will never see Alfred again, and it's partly his own fault.

-->'''Officer Wicker:''' It used to be funny, you know, you'd haul Eddie in and he'd sit in his cell lecturing anyone who'd listen about how stupid you were. And then one day, it just wasn't funny anymore. It was pathetic. He stopped taking care of himself, got that crazy look in his eyes. I swear man, he's broken. ''You'' broke him. And now you threw ''me'' in here for feelin' sorry for him. Screw you!

* Barbara Gordon's (thankfully fake) suicide. Batman finds Barbara in the same safe house he found Ivy in, but [[KickTheDog Scarecrow injects her with his fear toxin, causing her to see Batman as a monster]] and [[BoomHeadshot shoots herself in the head so Batman couldn't get to her]]. Batman falls to his knees in shock and when he informs Alfred of her death, Alfred can barely resist the urge to cry, his voice quavering as he tries to focus on the mission. It was only a hallucination caused by Scarecrow's fear gas but it's still painful to watch.

* In a strange way, Joker's final fate qualifies as this. Again, hallucination or not, you can't help but feel sorry for him when Batman literally locks him away from his memory, left to be forgotten by him and all of Gotham.

-->'''Alfred:''' Master Bruce, I had hoped it would never end like this. Rest in peace.

* During Harley Quinn's story pack, occasionally, at certain points while using her equivalent of detective mode, a voice will ask her a question or comment on her actions, such as telling her to stop, almost like Harley has a regret what she's doing for Joker, the worst part? The voice is labeled ''Harleen'' as in Harley's name before she was seduced by Joker. There is still a part of Harleen left, but Harley will almost never listen to her.

* The [[https://youtu.be/7qlguc6tIcs secret history]] of the Seagate Amusement Park in ''A Matter of Family'' -- which can be pieced together by finding and completing various carnival games hidden throughout the park -- is nothing short of ''tragic'' to listen to. It tells the story of the park's founder; Edward Burke, a wealthy oil baron (and distant parent due to being too involved in his work) who discovers that his young daughter, Katie, has cancer. While she's in treatment, Burke goes to see a therapist to help him cope with the stress. His doctor, [[Comicbook/HarleyQuinn Dr. Quinzel]], suggests that he commit more to be a good father, put aside work, and start doing kind things for his little girl in her hour of need. Nice enough, right? So Dr. Quinzel introduces Burke to [[ComicBook/TheJoker a man in a purple suit]] named Jack White, who suggests doing something extravagant for his daughter. Katie likes the ocean, so why not build her an aquatic-themed amusement park? Burke spends millions buying and refurbishing a decommissioned oil rig, building ocean-themed rides and attractions while "Jack" refers Katie to a specialist, [[Characters/BatmanArkhamSeriesArkhamStaff Dr. Penelope Young]], trying out a new treatment called TITAN that might be able to cure her cancer. As [[DeathOfAChild Katie dies a slow, painful TITAN-induced death]], Dr. Quinzel flat-out [[KickTheDog tells Edward that the pain and grief he is feeling will never go away]], and that [[SuicideDare it will only get worse for as long as he lives]]. So he gathers up all of his daughter's drawings in his office and does his final diary entry [[DrivenToSuicide as he kills himself]] with pills that "Jack" gave him. He was told that said pills were quick and painless, but they're actually concentrated [[DieLaughing Joker Venom]]. Burke spends his last few minutes [[CruelAndUnusualDeath screaming and howling like a lunatic before he finally dies]], leaving "Jack" the rights to his amusement park.

-->'''Victor:''' I don't want you to die, Nora...\\

'''Nora:''' (''reassuringly holds Victor's hand'') Time never has been on our side, Victor.
** Made even sadder by the fact that it has been 10+ in game years since Origins to now that we have seen Mr. Freeze do everything he could to save the love of his life and cure her of her ailment. And he completely and utterly '''''fails'''''.

* The [[https://youtu.be/7qlguc6tIcs secret history]] of the Seagate Amusement Park in ''A Matter of Family'' -- which can be pieced together by finding and completing various carnival games hidden throughout the park -- is nothing short of ''tragic'' to listen to. It tells the story of the park's founder; Edward Burke, a wealthy oil baron (and distant parent due to being too involved in his work) who discovers that his young daughter has cancer. While she's in treatment, Burke goes to see a therapist to help him cope with the stress. His doctor, [[Comicbook/HarleyQuinn Dr. Quinzel]], suggests that he commit more to be a good father, put aside work, and start doing nice things for his little girl in her hour of need. Nice enough, right? So Dr. Quinzel introduces Burke to [[ComicBook/TheJoker a man in a purple suit]] named Jack White, who suggests doing something extravagant for his daughter. She likes the ocean, so why not build her an aquatic-themed amusement park? Burke spends millions buying and refurbishing a decommissioned oil rig, building ocean-themed rides and attractions while "Jack" refers the daughter to a specialist, [[Characters/BatmanArkhamSeriesArkhamStaff Dr. Penelope Young]], trying out a new treatment called TITAN that might be able to cure her cancer. As the daughter [[CruelAndUnusualDeath dies a slow, painful TITAN-induced death]], Dr. Quinzel flat-out [[KickTheDog tells Edward that the pain and grief he is feeling will never go away]], and that [[SuicideDare it will only get worse for as long as he lives]]. So he gathers up all of his daughter's drawings in his office and does his final diary entry [[DrivenToSuicide as he kills himself]] with pills that "Jack" gave him. He was told that said pills were quick and painless, but they're actually concentrated Joker Venom. Burke spends his last few minutes [[DieLaughing screaming and howling like a lunatic before he finally dies]], leaving "Jack" the rights to his amusement park.

As the GrandFinale of the ''Arkham'' series, ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamKnight'' makes sure to wring out as many tears from you as it can.

-->''"The last will and testament of the deceased, Thomas Wayne: In the event of my death, I hereby declare that all my worldly possessions pass to my son, Bruce Wayne. Bruce, I ask that you honor the Wayne family legacy, and commit yourself to the improvement of Gotham City, its institutions, and its citizens. Please, be strong. You are young, but destined for great things. Make the most of your opportunities. Use them to give back to a city that has given us so much, to change the lives of millions of people. Do not be frivolous with this wealth. [[{{Irony}} Please, do not waste it all]] on [[CoolCar fast cars]], and [[NonPoweredCostumedHero outrageous clothes]], and [[TheCowl the pursuit of a destructive lifestyle]]. Invest in Gotham. Treat its people like family. Watch over them and use this money to safeguard them from forces beyond their control. My deepest regret is I will not see you grow into the good man I know you will become. And finally, my son, I ask that you never abandon this city to fate. We have lived through dark days, and no doubt there are more to come. But it is the good and great men who stand up for Gotham when others turn and run. In death, I will love you forever. Your father, Thomas."''
** The entire thing is depressing, because the trailer poses the question of whether or not Bruce actually did what his father asked. Was becoming Batman actually worth it compared to the other ways Bruce could have helped Gotham?
** It becomes more tragic in hindsight of the end of the game. Batman's identity is outed, he says goodbye to all his friends and allies, blows up Wayne Manor, and either dies in the explosion or goes underground. Either way, the Wayne legacy is gone.

* In a '''very''' weird way, Joker's cremation in the opening sequence. It had already been confirmed that the Joker was KilledOffForReal in this series, and the comics already showed this event, but seeing it actually unfold onscreen truly cements the fact that the Joker isn't coming back. Even though he established himself as a horrible person, he understood Batman in a way that few other people did - and as Gordon notes, Batman just isn't the same person after all is said and done. Just to make it worse, the cremation isn't just a cutscene - ''the player'' has to start the flames. For those who grew up with Mark Hamill's Joker, this is a real punch to the gut. The New Game Plus makes it even sadder by having him open the game with this line:

* Damn near EVERYTHING about the Joker Infected is this. They were normal people before they got Joker's TITAN poisoned blood, which drove them insane and had them acting like the Joker. They all end up dying, ''right'' after it's revealed there is NO cure for their condition.
** Out of all of them, Christina Bell is probably the most gut-wrenching. She got exposed to Joker’s blood via blood transfusion like the others, but the reason why she even needed the transfusion in the first place was because she had a ''miscarriage''.
* The sequence in ACE chemicals where Batman deploys neutralizing agents to reduce the blast radius of the fear toxin bomb so it won't cover the Eastern coast. The canisters are extremely unstable and so the player has to move incredibly slow to transport them, meaning there's no time for Batman to escape the bomb himself. Alfred knows this, and is continually trying to talk him out of it in a state of panic, while Batman calmly continues his work, convinced his life doesn't matter at this point, slowly succumbing to the hallucinatory effects of the fear toxin being released. And this all happens before the Joker JumpScare.

** When investigating his laboratory, it's obvious that Kirk is socially inept, and is very dependent on his wife when interacting with others. Well adjusted men with a healthy social life have a far better hope of overcoming trauma than those who don't, but Kirk is not and does not. He has lost the only person in his life because of the very research that gave him purpose, and lacks the skills and confidence needed to build new bonds with other people. The poor man might have been better off if Batman hadn't saved him.
** When you realize that a huge motivation of his research was regaining his hearing so that he could keep hearing his beloved wife's voice. And now that he has accidentally killed her, he can never hear or see or feel her again.
** Made even worse when Batman returns to the lab and finds that Francine is still alive, implied to be transformed into the ''She-Bat''. Kirk's wife is coming back for him... but not the way he imagined. Her last written message reading "Forever my love".
** Normally, when Batman brings in a criminal to the High Security Wing, like Two-Face, Penguin, Firefly, etc., Joker's on standby to give commentary when the criminal is brought in. When it comes to Man-Bat, Joker is nowhere to be seen, unable to make a crack about a grieving man. [[BaitTheDog At least unless you talk to Kirk again.]] [[KickTheDog By then he's actually thought of a cruel joke.]]

** Related to that, Tim Drake's reaction when he learns about what happened to Barbara. He also gets angry at Batman and orders him to go away.
** In general, the game is quite the guilt-trip. Everything is focused around Batman being little less than a FailureHero, and this cutscene represents everything falling down on his life.

** It's hard not to feel some pity for the state Jason ends up in at the end of his boss battle. For all his hatred and rage, at the end of the day he's just a broken man who needs help, and is reduced to sobbing upon Batman neutralizing him.
** Watching the hallucination/flashback drives home how tragically screwed up Jason is. Seeing how the Joker systematically kicks him off the DespairEventHorizon, beats him half to death and mutilates him, with the end result being a dull, blank shell is hard to watch.

* The end of the Penguin sidequest, where Nightwing and Batman work together, has Batman trying to tell Nightwing that he suspects he won't last the night. Nightwing doesn't believe it, and takes off before Batman can finish what was becoming suspiciously like a goodbye speech.

** And to an extent, he's not really wrong. Eddie does have a marked decline all through the series, taking his path from Origins to Knight. In Origins, he's cocky, confident, and Batman's victory over him is just stopping his plan, while Eddie gets away. By the time of Knight, he is SO messed up, he's created robotic servants who he's programmed to have a religion to worship him, and, during the final fight with him, he yells about his father. Of course, this isn't really Batman's fault - Riddler's still putting people in danger in his attempt to be the smartest, so Batman is just the focus and target of Eddie's mental illness, but it's still a reminder that Eddie is mentally ill, and in Gotham... Really, there's never been much support for that.
** As he's in the throes of his VillainousBreakdown after the last race, Nygma goes on a rant about how he has a photographic memory and perfect recall, and can thus completely re-experience every time he's been hurt with perfect clarity and senses at will, and sometimes involuntarily. In particular, he screams furiously about the fact that he wakes up at times with the feeling of Batman's hands around his neck from some victory or another, unable to get rid of it. His ability to just prevent further trauma by walking away feeds into his self destruction.

* Barbara Gordon's (thankfully fake) suicide. Batman finds Barbara in the same safehouse he found Ivy in, but [[KickTheDog Scarecrow injects her with his fear toxin, causing her to see Batman as a monster]] and [[BoomHeadshot shoot herself in the head so Batman couldn't get to her]]. Batman falls to his knees in shock and when he informs Alfred of her death, Alfred can barely resist the urge to cry, his voice quavering as he tries to focus on the mission. It was only a hallucination caused by Scarecrow's fear gas but it's still painful to watch.

** This line from Joker shortly after the suicide only twists in the knife deeper;

** More than any other version, even if Bruce is hiding, this adaptation emphasizes that Batman has cut off all ties from his old allies and friends. He and Catwoman definitively end the ShipTease between them with Batman telling Selina, after one last kiss, that nothing will happen between them and he's going to disappear and never call her again. Commissioner Gordon, Tim and Barbara have a life without him ever being a part of it. The fact that his identity is revealed to the world means that the Bruce Wayne persona is gone forever and whatever life that Batman has will be as a figure in the underground cut off from any allies and friends from his old life.
*** What makes that final scene between Batman and Catwoman particularly painful is Selina's reaction to Batman saying that the city needs someone worse than him and that someone can only rise from the ashes of the Batman. Before kissing him, she reminds him that there are things that nobody should do on their own and then she calls him by his real name. She does this even before Batman's secret identity is revealed to the rest of the world. Catwoman's interview tapes from Arkham City mentioned she didn't know who Batman was and the fact that he knew her real identity but wouldn't allow her to know his hurt her, so it's suggested that despite Bruce's guilt over Talia's death, he's allowed Selina to become a SecretKeeper at some point between the two games. It only makes his rebuff of her after that final kiss more heartwrenching.

** The whole sequence is one for Joker as it showcases his greatest fear: the fear of anonymity. Deep down, underneath his [[StrawNihilist nihilistic tendencies]] and [[LargeHam sense of showmanship]], the Joker fears that he will eventually fade into obscurity, his name no longer feared and despised by the city he's tormented for so long. No matter how many people he murders, no matter how much chaos he inspires, no matter how much damage he inflicts on Gotham, people will eventually move on and put the horror of his atrocities behind them. And unlike his other defeats, he can't come back to bedevil Gotham or Batman ever again. He's gone for good this time. He's nothing but a bad memory locked in the mind of a dying man. The fact that the Joker, who had arrogantly taunted Batman for the entire game, is reduced to ''tearfully begging'' Batman not to leave him truly hammers it home.

* Should you visit Two-Face in the cells after Batman's identity has been revealed, the Harvey Dent persona will have a final talk with Bruce, lamenting how he tried to be a good man, but was ultimately destroyed by Gotham, and that anyone who tries will be consumed by the city as well - showing that even after all of this, there's still Harvey in him, worried about his old friend.

** Also, while most of his dialogue in ''City'' was ranting about killing Catwoman, here it mostly consists of both Harvey '''and''' Two-Face blaming Batman for what happened to him. The worst is when Batman captures him.

--->'''Two-Face:''' So is it true... Bruce? ''Heh, don't answer then. We know the truth.'' You aren’t Bruce Wayne. Jim Gordon and I, we didn't make a deal with Bruce Wayne. ''And it's sure as hell not Bruce Wayne waiting on the rooftops each night.'' This is who you are. See? We get it, "Bruce". It's not the face you’re given. ''It's the face you choose.''
* During Harley Quinn's story pack, occasionally, at certain points while using her equivalent of detective mode, a voice will ask her a question or comment on her actions, such as telling her to stop, almost like Harley has a regret to what she's doing for Joker, the worst part? The voice is labeled ''Harleen'' as in Harley's name before she was seduced by Joker. There is still a part of Harleen left, but Harley will almost never listen to her.

** Also during her detective mode there's words scratched into practically every surface that functions as a wall, usually ramblings of her psyche. Some sentences are highlighted and larger so they're easier to read, usually funny observations or musings. One sentence, with none of the other wall scratchings next to it, simply reads, "Dear God... I'm alone."

*** There's also her body language during the confrontation with Henry. She's trying to go back into the familiar patterns, but compare Henry threatening to shoot her here with her in the A Matter of Family DLC, when Joker does the same. In the DLC, she is calm about it, even seeming a little turned on in that moment - she wholly trusts that Mistah J won't pull the trigger on her, despite him being... well, the Joker.. But when Henry does it, she's scared, uncertain about it - In that moment, she's fully aware that this isn't actually him, and is genuinely afraid that Henry might actually pull the trigger. That betrayal is basically where her story in the game ENDS, too.

* The [[https://youtu.be/7qlguc6tIcs secret history]] of the Seagate Amusement Park in ''A Matter of Family'' -- which can be pieced together by finding and completing various carnival games hidden throughout the park -- is nothing short of ''tragic'' to listen to. It tells the story of the park's founder; Edward Burke, a wealthy oil baron (and distant parent due to being too involved in his work) who discovers that his young daughter has cancer. While she's in treatment, Burke goes to see a therapist to help him cope with the stress. His doctor, [[Comicbook/HarleyQuinn Dr. Quinzel]], suggests that he commit more to being a good father, put aside work, and start doing nice things for his little girl in her hour of need. Nice enough, right? So Dr. Quinzel introduces Burke to [[ComicBook/TheJoker a man in a purple suit]] named Jack White, who suggests doing something extravagant for his daughter. She likes the ocean, why not build her an aquatic-themed amusement park? Burke spends millions buying and refurbishing a decommissioned oil rig, building ocean-themed rides and attractions while "Jack" refers the daughter to a specialist, [[Characters/BatmanArkhamSeriesArkhamStaff Dr. Penelope Young]], trying out a new treatment called TITAN that might be able to cure her cancer. As the daughter [[CruelAndUnusualDeath dies a slow, painful TITAN-induced death]], Dr. Quinzel flat-out [[KickTheDog tells Edward that the pain and grief he is feeling will never go away]], and that [[SuicideDare it will only get worse for as long as he lives]]. So he gathers up all of his daughter's drawings in his office, and does his final diary entry [[DrivenToSuicide as he kills himself]] with pills that "Jack" gave him. He was told that said pills were quick and painless, but they're actually concentrated Joker Venom. Burke spends his last few minutes [[DieLaughing screaming and howling like a lunatic before he finally dies]], leaving "Jack" the rights to his amusement park.

* Officer Owens fate, if he shot up the diner. He's traumatized, but looking like he'll get back on his feet if he didn't, but here he'll be wracked with guilt, and has a high chance of losing his badge. He doesn't think he'll be able to look at his family the same way again either. It's made worse by the 'False Dawn' city story, where things were starting to look up for him.
* [[AntiVillain Mr.Freeze]]'s [[ShaggyDogStory epilogue]]. He's been blackmailed by the Militia ([[KickTheDog who captured Nora to that effect]]) to take down Batman, [[AntiVillain which he refused]]. By the time Batman comes, Freeze has turned into a mere [[EmptyShell shadow of his former self]], sinking into the DespairEventHorizon. When Batman finds Nora, she was out of cryogenic stasis for so long that she woke up. But Nora wishes to live the few days of her life she has with Victor, rejecting her survival, if the survival costs Freeze his sanity. In the end they both disappear from Gotham to live Nora's remaining life together. It's implied that Victor is turning off his own cryogenic suit, meaning [[TogetherInDeath he'll likely die with her]].

** Made even sadder by the fact that it has been 10+ in game years, since Origins to now that we have seen Mr. Freeze do everything he could to save the love of his life and cure her of her ailment. And he completely and utterly '''''fails'''''.
** There's also a beautifully tragic moment at the start of the mission - Freeze has his weapon pointed at Batman, saying that the militia said they'd return Nora in exchange for Batman, and Batman just says that if Freeze believes them to keep their word, he'll let Freeze take his shot. Freeze's hesitation comes across not as questioning the militia's motives, but questioning if he even cares at that point - Nora's been in her limbo state of neither dead or alive for ten years, she's almost more of a symbol than a person at this point. It comes across as, for that brief moment, Freeze even wonders if it's worth it. Which, of course, plays in to his later desire, once Batman does recover her, to get her back into stasis, that he questioned this for that moment, and now must redouble his efforts... Right up to when Nora pleads for him to let go.

** The end of that plotline is actually pretty sad as well. On the one hand, you've got the survivors and surviving victims, who've been affected/mutilated in such a way that'll haunt them for the rest of their lives. On the other, Pyg himself actually seems genuinely insane. The perp wants to do good, needs to do good, but can't comprehend that their methods are harmful. What the hell happened there?
* The whole of the Knightfall protocol. Ignoring the aforementioned voice password being the name of Bruce's dead mother, when the final cutscene begins, Batman slowly removes the cowl, takes one last look over Gotham, bids Jim goodbye and grapples up to the Batwing, leaving only the cowl. As the Batwing flies away, the Batsignal explodes. Throughout the whole thing, Bruce just sounds so ''[[NotSoStoic crushed]]''- he truly enjoyed being a hero. As Bruce arrives back at Wayne Manor, swarming with reporters, he enters the front door, confirming with Alfred that he has to do this. The door closes... '''[[TheHeroDies BOOM]]'''. Regardless of the [[GainaxEnding speculation fuel]] that was the final scene, the ending confirms that Batman is well and truly gone. In a certain way, {{the bad guy wins}}.

* The secret history of the amusement park in ''A Matter of Family'' can be ''very'' hard to listen to. The founder of the park, a distant parent too involved in work, discovers that his daughter has cancer. While she's in treatment, the father goes to see a therapist to help him cope with the stress. His doctor, [[Comicbook/HarleyQuinn Dr. Quinzel]], suggests that he commit more to being a good father, put aside work, and start doing nice things for his little girl in her hour of need. Nice enough, right? So Dr. Quinzel introduces the father to [[ComicBook/TheJoker a man in a purple suit]] named Jack White, who suggests doing something extravagant for his daughter. She likes the ocean, why not build her an aquatic-themed amusement park? The father spends millions buying an oil rig, building ocean-themed rides and attractions while "Jack" refers the daughter to a specialist, [[Characters/BatmanArkhamSeriesArkhamStaff Dr. Penelope Young]], trying out a new treatment called TITAN that might be able to cure her cancer. As the daughter dies a slow, painful TITAN induced death, Dr. Quinzel flat out tells the father that the pain and grief he is feeling will never go away, and that it will only get worse for as long as he lives. So he gathers up all of his daughter's drawings in his office, and does his final diary entry before killing himself with the pills that "Jack" gave him. He was told they were quick and painless, but they're actually Joker Venom. [[LaughingMad He spends his last few minutes howling like a lunatic]] before he finally dies, leaving "Jack" the rights to his amusement park...

* Occasionally you can get a game over screen of Alfred.

* Minor detail, easily overlooked on a first playthrough given its gruesome context: one of the last voluntary acts of Anthony Lund, the first victim of Professor Pyg whom Batman examines, was to swallow a wedding ring bearing his ex-wife's name, so his captor couldn't take it away from him.

[[caption-width-right:350:"You [[LeftforDead left]] [[BrokenBird me]] to [[MindRape rot]] in that [[ColdBloodedTorture abandoned wing of Arkham]] for over a ''year''... with ''[[Characters/BatmanTheJoker him]]''!"]]

--> ''"The last will and testament of the deceased, Thomas Wayne: In the event of my death, I hereby declare that all my worldly possessions pass to my son, Bruce Wayne. Bruce, I ask that you honor the Wayne family legacy, and commit yourself to the improvement of Gotham City, its institutions, and its citizens. Please, be strong. You are young, but destined for great things. Make the most of your opportunities. Use them to give back to a city that has given us so much, to change the lives of millions of people. Do not be frivolous with this wealth. [[{{Irony}} Please, do not waste it all]] on [[CoolCar fast cars]], and [[NonPoweredCostumedHero outrageous clothes]], and [[TheCowl the pursuit of a destructive lifestyle]]. Invest in Gotham. Treat its people like family. Watch over them and use this money to safeguard them from forces beyond their control. My deepest regret is I will not see you grow into the good man I know you will become. And finally, my son, I ask that you never abandon this city to fate. We have lived through dark days, and no doubt there are more to come. But it is the good and great men who stand up for Gotham when others turn and run. In death, I will love you forever. Your father, Thomas."''

** It becomes moreso in hindsight of the end of the game. Batman's identity is outed, he says goodbye to all his friends and allies, blows up Wayne Manor, and either dies in the explosion or goes underground. Either way, the Wayne legacy is gone.

-->'''Batman:''' Stand ''down'', Robin!\\

-->'''Alfred:''' ''(fighting back tears)'' Sir? Did you hear me?
-->'''Joker:''' ''(snidely)'' He ''heard'' you! He's wondering how he can live with himself...

-->'''Batman: '''Talia... I'm sorry.

--->'''Two-Face:''' [[LittleNo No...]] [[OhCrap No!]] [[BigNo NO!]]
--->'''Batman:''' Settle down, Dent.
--->'''Two-Face:''' Don't call me that! [[ThatManIsDead He's dead!]]
--->'''Batman:''' I don't believe that.
--->'''Harvey Dent:''' I wish I was dead. I'm a freak because of you!
--->'''Batman:''' That wasn't my fault.
--->'''Two-Face:''' You're the man who put that acid-throwing bastard on the dock!
--->'''Harvey Dent:''' [[WeUsedToBeFriends ...You said we'd save Gotham.]]
--->'''Batman:''' I'm sorry, Harvey.

-->'''Victor:''' I don't want you to die, Nora...
-->'''Nora:''' [[LetThemDieHappy Then let me]] ''[[LetThemDieHappy live]]''.
-->'''Victor:''' (''looks out at Gotham as their ship departs; then, opening his visor'') We won't have much time. Days.
-->'''Nora:''' (''reassuringly holds Victor's hand'') Time never has been on our side, Victor.

--> Look after him, Jim. Look after them all.
--> You've been a good friend. The best I could ask for.
--> You were there at the beginning. And now... you get to see how it ends.

-->'''Batman:''' Alfred, it's... I've found Jason...
-->'''Alfred:''' Excuse me sir? I-I must have misheard you, for a second there I thought you said you'd found Master Todd.
-->'''Batman:''' You heard right.
-->'''Alfred:''' My God! Is he all right?!
-->'''Batman:''' No. No, he's not.

** Made [[UpToEleven even worse]] when Batman returns to the lab and finds that Francine is still alive, implied to be transformed into the ''She-Bat''. Kirk's wife is coming back for him... but not the way he imagined. Her last written message reading "Forever my love".

** Watching the hallucination/flashback drive home how tragically screwed up Jason is. Seeing how the Joker systematically kicks him off the DespairEventHorizon, beats him half to death and mutilates him, with the end result being a dull, blank shell is hard to watch.

Tearjerking moments in ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamKnight''.

--> ''"In death, I will love you forever. Your father, Thomas."''