Tear Jerker / Elena of Avalor

Season 1

• Elena and Isabel's parents getting vaporized by Shuriki while Elena watches. Elena is helpless to do anything but run after she witnesses this happen right before her very eyes.
  • The pilot episode reveals that it started like any other normal day: Isabel fed the jaquins, Elena attended to her duties as princess, and the King and Queen were returning home before dark for dinner. Elena told Isabel to go clean herself up and went to greet their parents at the palace entrance... only to see Shuriki kill them. And the next thing they knew, Elena never saw Isabel, Esteban, or their grandparents again for the next forty-one years.
  • This being a show aimed towards younger viewers, they can't show dead bodies. So instead, the vadisima spell vaporizes the King and Queen. There were no bodies to bury, and it's not likely that Shuriki would've given them a proper burial anyways. A clever way to avoid having Elena's family visit their graves and instead set up an ofrenda too...
• Elena spent the last forty-one years trapped in an amulet, hoping that each wearer would be the one to free her. She never knew if Shuriki had found a way to break Alacazar's protection spell on Isabel and their grandparents, and never knew the fate of Esteban and Avalor. When she sees them again for the first time in the pilot episode, she's heartbroken — Isabel and their grandparents have been turned into a painting and essentially asleep for the past few decades, and Esteban has aged that amount of time and has been forced into being Shuriki's right-hand man (or that's what Esteban claims).
• Though Esteban seems to be smug about his position as The Dragon, it seems to not quite be the case as the special goes on. When Shuriki wants him to stop a little boy from playing music, he seems to look reluctant about it, yet has it carried out because he knows that doing anything besides follow Shuriki will make things worse.
• Armando asking Esteban how could he not support his own cousin upon her return to take back the throne from Shuriki, with Esteban answering that after everything Shuriki has done to him and his family, he doesn't believe an uprising has a chance against her and angrily tells him that he does not need him to remind him of what happened to his family.
• Elena doesn't recognize an older Esteban until Shuriki smugly tells her who her right-hand man is.
  Shuriki: And you haven't said "Hello!" to your cousin yet — Esteban?
  Esteban: [looks away]
  Elena: What?! No... This Cannot Be! Esteban!
  Shuriki: While you were gone, Esteban aged! And he's on my side!
  Elena: Esteban?! You're on her side?
  Esteban: Elena, I... I had no choice...
  Shuriki: Ha! So you say, Esteban!
  • Imagine what was going through Esteban's mind at the time. It seemed like a normal day for a delegation with a couple of things almost not going as planned, but it was otherwise going smoothly. And then he hears a familiar voice and figure from down the hall, and it's his cousin, the long-lost princess of Avalor, like she's back from the dead... and then he's also reminded of all his past deeds including the murder of his aunt and uncle, how Avalor's descent into an authoritarian regime is partly his fault, and how his other cousin and their grandparents are sealed away in a painting that Shuriki unashamably hangs in her throne room.
• Elena hates Shuriki enough for taking everything away from her that she tries using the vadisima spell on her, which says a lot for a Disney Princess heroine on a Disney Junior show.
• Eagle-eyed viewers may notice that in one of Queen Lucia's paintings, she has a blue and yellow sash, just like Esteban in the present day, implying that Esteban kept her sash as a Tragic Keepsake.
• Imagine what poor Rafa and Alacazar had to go through. The day the royal family was overthrown was probably also the last time they ever saw each other. It's entirely possible that Alacazar didn't return to his home to say goodbye to his family so to keep Shuriki from going after them. Alacazar ends up passing away in a land far from his own and Rafa never knew if he was going to come back.
  • Rafa didn't learn magic, likely in part because she was scared of learning it with Shuriki, a sorceress that not even her father could defeat, around.
  • Rafa was only a child when her father fled.
• The last time Abuelo and Abuela saw Esteban, he was a teenager and they had raised him ever since he was a boy. Now, he's maybe ten plus some years younger than him.
• All There in the Manual states that Esteban's parents died when he was eight.
  • According to Word of God, why wasn't Esteban paying his respects with the others at King Raul and Queen Lucia's altar in "A Day to Remember"? He was at his own parents' altar, and he still hasn't gotten over their deaths either. Presumably the same reason why he wasn't in "The Jewel of Maru" or "The Return of El Capitan" either.
• Word of God says that Esteban's mother was Lucia's sister, meaning that Francisco and Luisa lost both their daughters and sons-in-law.
• Still think Esteban is completely evil? Well, "King of the Carnaval" begs to differ. He really does feel bad for betraying his family to Shuriki — it got them killed or sealed away for four decades, after all — and it's a regret he has to live with for the rest of his life.

Season 2

• Victor's claims of not feeling respected by the people he knew while growing up may or may not be a case of him blowing up things to proportion thanks to self-serving memory or him genuinely lacking self-esteem from lack of respect, but Carla appears to have a genuine Freudian Excuse as to why she acts the way she does: she's been raised by her father her whole life, so she knows nothing else, and because they were always on the move, she never developed a sense of home or friendship towards other people.
  • After being turned into malvagos with her father, Carla says she wishes her mama could see this. Word of God states that Carla's mother is still alive, though it's implied that Carla is unaware of this.
• Elena having a PTSD flashback when she sees Shuriki, alive and well, in the palace. She freezes long enough that had Naomi not been there to push her out of the way, Shuriki would've killed her.
• In "Race Through The Realm", Elena is clearly struggling with seeing Shuriki again, repeatedly flashing back to her parent's deaths. Then at the climax Shuriki exploits this to drive her away from the jewel, letting Elena tire herself out desperately trying to catch her until she's too weak to stop her and Fiero from taking the final pieces. Shuriki wins and assembles the scepter, and Elena realizes it's completely her fault.
• Isabel being snubbed and judged for being small in "Blockheads". Elena, Mateo, Naomi, and Gabe tell her that she's too little to play Olaball with them, and when they say that she can play, they don't actually let her—all they do is pass the ball over her head and ignore her when she says "I'm open!" This hurts Isabel so much that she leaves without Elena and her friends noticing, which is difficult to watch. Only after the Coza Kex giving Elena, Naomi, Gabe, and Mateo a taste of their own medicine do they realize how unfairly they treated Isa.
• In "Song of The Sirenas", when Cristobal, Elena's other cousin, betrays her and her family to Shuriki. What made it really hurt for Elena was that he would betray his own family for gold, and did so long, long before Elena came back. During the final scene where Cristobal is about to be taken away by the guards, when he tells Elena that they're family and she responds "you don't even know what that means", is very heartwrenching to watch.
  • King Pescoro's whole backstory. He started off continuing the long-standing way of the sirenas to irrationally hate humans and kill them by sinking their ships, but then fell in love with Camila, a human woman he rescued, turning her into a sirena who became his wife. Learning the error of his peoples' ways, he stopped the ship sinkings in order for there to be peace between sirenas and humans. But then, after his toddler daughter was revealed to be able to turn into human form on a family trip to the beach, two humans spot them and assume that the sirenas are trying to lure and drown this "human child", whom they try to "rescue". Pescoro and Camila are able to prevent Marisa from being taken, but the incident convinced Pescoro that no matter what, humans will always see him and his kind as murderous monsters, and that they are beyond forgiveness for their sins. And that's why he insists on isolating sirenas from humans: he doesn't think humans will ever forgive his kind, nor does he believe they even deserve forgiveness.
• In "The Tides of Change", Naomi holds a grudge against the Sirenas and is very reluctant to have a treaty of peace and unity held between them and the Avalorans, because her grandfather died in a sirena attack, long before Naomi could ever meet him. It's a feeling that can hit home for viewers who have never met family members to due to war and conflict with a group that now wants to seek a peaceful relation to help make up for past aggressions.
• In "The Return of El Capitan", we're reminded that Abuelo is an elderly man and that he outlived his friends when he was sealed away in that painting for forty-one years.
• Esteban's story about his parents in "Snow Place Like Home": they died in a storm at sea when he was just a child. And he had attempted to warn them about going out to sea because he had a bad feeling about it, but they didn't listen, which goes a long way at explaining why he desires power and acts like a strict authoritarian so much of the time.
  • Carla straining her leg in the blizzard, forcing Victor to have to carry her through it, at great risk to them both. Also qualifies as a Heartwarming moment and - for Victor - an Awesome one.
  • Victor and Carla reuniting with Ash, Victor's ex-wife and Carla's mother, is played as a touching moment but becomes this in retrospect when you realize that this was not only the first Navidad they spent together as a family in who knows how long, but it's to be the last Navidad the three of them would ever spend together as a family, period.
• In "Movin' On Up", Rafa is suffering from Empty Nest syndrome with Mateo growing up and living in the palace. Like most parents, she is at that time of her life when her kid has to move out when he has a job.
  • Esteban crying when Mateo reassures his mom that he'll always love her and Rafa accepting to move out is Played for Laughs, until you realize that he was probably emotional about it because he could never have this experience with his own parents.

Season 3

"To Save a Sunbird"

• The Scepter of Light is fixed, which is good, but the result? Hool used too much of her magic to fix the scepter, and she's dying. She didn't even know that helping Elena would make this happen. Fortunately, it becomes heartwarming when Qapa and Lama use a Vidaflor to make Hool young again, so she can fly with Elena and Mateo to Aziluna. But then it becomes a tearjerker again when the effect wears off by the time they get there because Hool was too distracted by everything in Avalor to stay focused. Again, it becomes heartwarming when Elena gives Hool the breath of life just before she dies.

"The Incredible Shrinking Royals"

• While Esteban's latest scheme to sabotage Juilo was not an attempt to claim the glory for himself, actually thinking he was helping Elena. Elena is still rightfully furious with him when she learns what he and Paloma sabotaged the Feast of Friendship and endangered all the attendees. Just to put down Julio.

"Norberg Peace Prize"

• Esteban, apologetic for his actions in the previous episode, attempts to reach out to Elena by giving her her father's notebook to help her learn about diplomatic mediation. Elena, who gives him the cold shoulder, lights up when he gives it to her and graciously thanks him, but goes back to distancing herself from him, not ready to forgive him just yet. Esteban understands and gives her space, but not before bidding her good luck and a safe journey.
  • Isabel looking on confused when Elena coldly acknowledges Esteban.
• Naomi being disappointed that Gabe has chosen to hang out with Princess Chloe instead of hanging out with her like he promised. Later, we have Gabe feeling bad for not fulfilling his promise to Naomi.
• Hector mentioning that he had a Friendless Background, which explains things.

"The Magic Within"

• Oh BOY. You knew this day was coming, especially since the first sign of what comes next is the new intro removing Esteban from the "With her family by her side" scene and the group picture. What happened? Well, let's elaborate:
  • At the family dinner, the family reminisces about how Raul and Lucia loved Carnaval and that they were making a Carnaval float at the time Shuriki came. When Flo asks who's Shuriki, Elena tears up while explaining who Shuriki was and that she had killed her parents. Noticeably, this is the first time we've ever seen Elena cry. Elena and Isabel lament that they couldn't see what their parents' float looked like, so they ask Esteban about it since he was still around then. Knowing where this conversation could head into, Esteban claims that he doesn't know because he was out on royal business at the time, but the others remember that he was supposed to be with the king and queen the day they were killed. Flo innocently suggests that Elena uses her newfound scepter powers to see what Esteban was doing that day, which sends Esteban into a panic and causes him to fall into the dining table to beg her not to. Realizing how suspicious Esteban is acting, she ignores his pleads and sees a flashback of him and Victor rowing Shuriki to Avalor's shores as he proclaims that she'll overthrow his uncle and aunt and they'll rule together at her side.
  • Everyone is horrified at this revelation — Francisco and Luisa hold each other, Isa at a loss for words, and Elena gets so angry that her magic throws everything off of the table and slams it back down before telling the guards to throw her cousin into the dungeons. As the guards try to comprehend what's happening, Esteban begs for them to wait as they drag him away. Elena and her family sit silently at the table in shock and sadness afterwards.
  • Esteban's trial. He's convinced that he’ll be Easily Forgiven if he explains his Dark and Troubled Past. This is true for Francisco because he still loves him as if he were his own son, but when Luisa speaks up, she says that her husband is wrong and she can't forgive him for getting her daughter and son-in-law and Avalor's rulers killed, and Naomi agrees with her. Elena tells him that he was like a brother to her, but now she's realized she never knew him at all. To put their own minds at comfort, Elena decides that Esteban's punishment is to be indefinitely exiled to the far-off remote island of Soledad Island and holds a vote, with everyone except for Francisco voting in favor.
  • Luisa, the resident Mama Bear, disowning him because while he may be her grandson, he took away her daughter and son-in-law, and she will never forgive him for this. What hurts even more is that when he explains himself, everyone else bear sympathetic looks on their faces while hearing it only makes Luisa more angry that he would dare guilt-trip about murdering her children and that he believed none of her love meant anything.
    • Elena, in the finale, regrets her decision massively, as she realises she has messed up massively and endangered everyone and that her Abuelo was right; they should have forgiven Esteban, but didn't.
  • Naomi's reaction to all of this. Initially, we see that she's shocked and saddened from what she had just learned about Esteban prior to the trial, but while he talks about his Dark and Troubled Past as an attempt to Freudian Excuse, she looks disappointed in him and somewhat unphased. When Luisa says that she can't forgive him, Naomi speaks up and says she agrees with her, then sadly votes in favor of exiling him. So much for their Fire Forged Friendship...The thing is, Naomi didn't like Esteban at first, they never got along, and then things got better between them. Now Naomi feels like she knew it was a mistake to be friends with him.
  • Esteban pleading with Elena to let him explain whenever she orders the guards to take him away. And after Elena sentences him to exile and throws him in the dungeon so that he'll be shipped off after Carnaval, Esteban is devastated that he'll be missing out on his favorite holiday...
  • When Elena arrives at Carnaval, she's clearly still troubled by the Esteban matter, but tries to cheer up with the celebration. Isa, also still hurting, looks concerningly at Elena before the parade starts. Elena doesn't sound too genuinely happy when she announces the start of the celebration either.
• Then once Esteban is found guilty and has been sentenced, Ash and Carla take pleasure in insulting Esteban, but one can see Victor has very little to say about it all. He too had to suffer from Esteban's lies. After the truth came out, not even Victor has any sympathy for his former best friend. If anything, he's even more disappointed in Esteban than ever.
• Esteban falling back into his Dirty Coward habits by breaking out of prison presumably with the intent of hiding out for the rest of his days. He manipulates an upset Higgins into bringing him the small sunbird statue (actually containing a key) from his room because it was supposedly his mother's. Then he distracts Higgins by asking him to get his papa's pocket watch... using your sob story to guilt-trip your former friends, huh?
• Esteban turning the Delgados' capture into a "Shaggy Dog" Story by freeing them and working together with them.
  • He also could have shot himself in the foot when Elena's anger at his and the Delgados' breakout causes the floats to come to life, nearly wreaking the city and almost getting their family hurt. He also doesn't react when they pass him in their rogue float, but that could be because he didn't know or was too focused on escaping to notice.
• Carla nearly falling to her death. Ash rescues her at the last minute, Victor and Carla hug in relief. When Ash demands that they hurry up so that they can get to Takaína, Victor puts his foot down and says that they won't be going with her, because their evil schemes have nearly gotten Carla hurt and she doesn't seem to care. Ash then unhesitatingly turns him to stone, and when Carla cries over her father's immobilized form and tearfully refuses to leave with her, Ash is initially shocked, but then shrugs and turns her back on her.
  • And the cherry on top? Esteban does nothing when an evil sorceress turns her back on Victor and continues to work with her out of fear for his own life. Oh, Esteban...
  • When Elena and the guards come to arrest Carla, she explains that her own family member betrayed them, which Elena comments is something she can relate to. She begs Elena to find a way to free her father. Though slightly sympathetic to her, Elena doesn't answer her and just asks the guards to take her away. It's rather unsettling to see that Elena was not in a forgiving mood to consider what Carla has to offer.
• When Abuelo asks Elena what happened after she rescues them from the rogue floats, she explains to her family that Esteban broke out of the dungeons with the Delgados. And just to remind you, Abuelo was the only one who had faith that Esteban had changed... it looks like Abuela was right that he hadn't.
• Anytime from now on where Elena talks about her family or how she's surrounded by people she loves. She doesn't mean Esteban.
• Many have been harsh on Elena for not forgiving Esteban because he felt guilty from it for the past 4 decades, but when looking at it from Elena's perspective, can you really blame her? Elena lost her parents that day, saw it happen in front of her, and then spent 41 years in her amulet all because of what Esteban did. This gave Elena serious PTSD that she hasn't been able to recover from, and there's nothing worse than finding out a member of your own family caused this.
• And to think—All this could've been avoided if Esteban had told Elena the truth as soon as he was able, and Elena would've gone easier on him then. Maybe. At the very least he would've spared his family the pain of having to find out for themselves in the most visceral way possible.
• The lack of Esteban from the Discovering the Magic Within shorts, especially in "Modern Royal Family", because you know he would have had a lot to say about Elena's new powers, except the opposite is exactly why he can't be there...
• Esteban and Carla spend this year's Navidad alone. So much for last year's lesson about how "No one should celebrate Navidad alone."...Well, Esteban's got Ash, but it'll be super awkward for both of them and it's not going to be the same.
• Now that Esteban's role in Shuriki's invasion of Avalor is revealed, it only makes the song "Something I Would Never Do" from "King of the Carnaval" even more depressing than it already was before.

"Flower of Light"

• Elena reuniting with her childhood friend Felicia, who is now an old woman is joyful, but at the same time, rather sobering:
  • Elena saw a picture of her on what she thought was an altar, and believed for a second she died while she was in the Amulet.
  • Elena missed out on Felicia's wedding, and never got to meet her husband while he was alive.
  • It gets sad when you realize Elena wasn't there to help Felicia through her loss, and she had to go through it alone.
• Felicia having become a famous dancer, but she gave it up when her husband died.
• Guillermo's fate is quite sad. He spent his life focusing on music to the point of cutting people from his life, and then he dies alone.
• The altar for Esteban's parents is probably a lot more quieter this year...

"Captain Mateo"

• Flo inadvertently pushing Elena's Berserk Button by bringing up Esteban and talking about how horrible he is.
• Elena makes it clear that she absolutely hates her cousin now and is assured that she's become a good ruler because while she did have second thoughts about exiling him, his current betrayal has shown her that she's made the right choice. Ouch.
  • And then you remember that before they met Ash in "Naomi Knows Best", Esteban told Elena that he had become So Proud of You and had faith that she would become a good ruler someday... well, Esteban, this is what a good ruler does.
• Elena unhesitantly putting Esteban at gunpoint... scepterpoint... twice. She's not even holding back punches against him.
  • The first time, Esteban instinctively reaches for Ash's fallen tamborita after Elena and Mateo knock the two of them away. Elena immediately goes over to him and points her scepter at him, demanding him to put the tamborita down. When Esteban tries to explain that he never intended for her parents or anyone to get hurt, Elena angrily tells him she sincerely doubts it and it's enough to summon her magic again.
  • The second time, she bluntly tells him and Ash to surrender.
• Esteban now having a thunderstorm motif, you know, the exact thing that killed his parents?

"Sugar Rush"

• Elena having to forgo her personal time with Abuela to pick up Esteban's slack now that he's gone.
• The reason behind Luisa's actions throughout the episode: After the fallout with Esteban, she was scared of losing more of her family.
  • Blink and you miss it, but when Luisa brings up Esteban's betrayal, Elena briefly looks away, upset, as if blaming Esteban for putting all this grief on the family.
  • What more? Since Esteban stated he betrayed his family because he felt unloved. Remembering that Abuela looked guilty when he revealed this, she probably thinks now that that despite loving Esteban as if he were her own son and despite what she said to him during his trial, she apparently didn't love him enough according to him, and that's why she lost him, her daughter, and her son-in-law.

"The Family Treasure"

• The obvious subtext of Elena's "siblinghood" with Esteban throughout the episode.
  Pablo: [Antonio's life is in danger after Pablo pushed him into a river] He did this to himself!
  Elena: I hope you don't mean that.
  • In the context of Elena and Esteban's relationship, however, Esteban certainly brought all of this on himself...

"Dreamcatcher"

• Isabel having a rightful Oh, Crap! when Elena accidentally sees her drawing of Esteban that she had drawn before they learned his secret, knowing that anything about you-know-who is an instant Berserk Button for her. You'd understandably be worried that Elena would reach over and tear out that page at some point in the episode, but fortunately, it doesn't happen. But that's only the tip of the iceberg.
  • Isabel feeling confused on how to feel about Esteban and what he did, feeling lonely when it becomes evident that Elena seems like she'll never talk to her about it, and apologizing for trying to reach out to Elena about it.
• Elena reaching out for her mother's tiara when she wakes up from her second dream.
• When the creature smashes Lucia's tiara on the ground out of spite. Elena's reaction?
  Elena: Why did you do that?! YOU DESTROYED EVERYTHING!
• Elena confronting Esteban.
  • As Elena sheathes her scepter, Time Stands Still. The wind stops blowing and the leaves chaotically flowing in the air stop in place, reminiscent of when Elsa's blizzard stopped when she was told she killed Anna.
  • Just as Esteban is about to plead for her to listen to him, Elena tells him to stop and listen to her now. And as her dress rapidly switches between all of her colors except for yellow, she then proceeds to tell him through her tears that he's made her so angry, and hurt, and she can't stand the thought of him, and she misses him, but she can never forgive him for what he did, and things will never go back to the way they used to be. Meanwhile, the leaves fall to the ground as she starts to open up.
  • A remorseful Esteban looks like he wants to hold her in an embrace, but knows that it's not something she wants. When he does reach for her hand and softly calls her "prima" for the first time (and quite possibly the only time) in the show, asking her what can he do to make up for his mistakes, Elena tells him nothing — because there's nothing he can do to repair his sins, and to never call her "prima" ever again — because he does not have a family and this is not his home anymore.
  • Now that she's been able to vent out her emotions, Elena's dress turns green, indicating that she's achieved peace of mind. Knowing that the magic that brought Esteban to her will be reversed, she simply bids him goodbye — knowing that this is the last time they will meet on any sort of "amicable" terms. And as he disappears, Esteban calls out her name and reaches out towards her, wanting more time to beg for her forgiveness.
• Esteban reappears in the cave, and still in shock, he ignores Ash and Zopilote asking him where he's been as he processes Elena's parting words to him. Finally realizing that he has nothing to lose now, Esteban picks up his fallen staff and smirks, saying that the past is behind him and asking them to continue training him. Oh, Esteban...

"Spirit of a Wizard"

• Alacazar fondly remembers Esteban as a "fine young man" and is saddened to hear of his Face–Heel Turn.
• Likewise, Esteban is surprised to learn of Alacazar's survival and tries his best not to hurt him just as he does towards Elena and Mateo, and is horrified when Zopilote kills him.
• Alacazar's death. He dies by Taking the Bullet for Mateo and ends up dying in his arms, but not before telling Mateo how proud he is of him and believes in him. Adiós, Alacazar.
  • Not only was Mateo this close to having an active grandparent in his life for the first time, but Rafa almost got to see her father again. She hasn't seen him in 41 years...

"The Last Laugh"

• Elena and Naomi's argument about the latter's responsibilities to the council, culminating in the two making amends but Naomi relinquishing her position so that she can pursue her dreams of travelling the world. Though the two part on good terms and Elena is supportive of her best friend's decision, the princess sadly frowns while hugging Naomi.

"Festival of Lights"

• Rebeca and her family worrying about having lost their hanukkiah, since it was a family heirloom. When the hanukkiah gets wrecked again at the end, it's the only ruined aspect of the day that upsets Bubbe, who briefly excuses herself to deal with the shock. On a happier note, though, she is able to accept that it is gone and that they can use the one Ari and Isabel made instead.
• Esteban and Carla spent Navidad this year alone. The best gift of all is to be at home for Navidad, with you...

"The Birthday Cruise"

• Chloe bursting into tears and running off during Mateo's magic act. When Elena asks her why she's upset, she reveals that she has had a traumatic experience with magic: at one of her birthday parties when she was younger, a wizard accidentally turned her and everyone else into cupcakes.
• Blink and you miss it, but when Chloe and Elena are looking through the presents to find something to use against Maliga, the chest next to Chloe contains Esteban's sailing hat...
  • Not to mention that the last time the royal ship was taken on a birthday cruise, it was for Esteban's birthday...
• Chloe realizing the curse isn't fair to Maliga, who was condemned to live on an island for all eternity. Yes, she was very selfish, but she wanted friends.

"Giant Steps"

• "You left when we needed you most!"
• Upon noticing two jaquin cubs witnessing their arrival, Esteban suggests they go after them before they warn the jaquin guards, only for Ash to shoot that suggestion down because it doesn't matter. Oh, Esteban...
• Kizin rejecting his "mama" because to him, she abandoned him and the other monsters, despite her trying to explain it was only because she was locked away for the past hundreds of years.

"Shooting Stars"

• Elena's nervous breakdown over not understanding science. It can hit home for anyone who has struggled in school but was afraid to ask for help.

"Crash Course"

• Gabe confessing to Mateo that he tried to rush things because he felt at fault for his guard being unable to stop Team Ash before.

"Sweetheart's Day"

• Luisa thinking that Francisco had forgotten about Sweetheart's Day, which she takes as him not being as passionate about their love anymore. Turns out he was really decorating the garden as a surprise for her.
• Armando's lack of confidence in his singing, and him getting embarrassed when Marlena seemingly reacts badly to his profession of love.

"The Lightning Warrior"

• Victor is finally de-stoned, revealing exactly what he was going to say to Ash when she blasted him, only to find himself back in the dungeon.
  Victor: -Ash, NO!
• Things haven't been great between Elena and Victor, and she doesn't even want to talk to him anymore, and she wants to give him the exact same sentence as Esteban on Soledad Island. We see why—Victor was also a childhood friend of Elena, and while it was bad enough that he betrayed Elena at Carnaval, and a lot of other things he did to threaten Avalor, he betrayed her over 40 years prior with Esteban, and that's what deeply hurts Elena.

"Dia de las Madres"

• This promo art of present-day Elena walking by a happy memory of her, Isabel, and Esteban as young children, with present-day Esteban walking out of frame, past the memory.
• Elena and her abuelos realizing that they forgot to include Esteban in the family portrait that Mother's Day, which must be representative of his claim that he felt out of place in his familia.
  • What makes this year's mother's day the saddest is not just the fact that Raul and Lucia are no longer around, but it's their first year without Esteban.
• We officially find out Luisa and Francisco’s only two children are Lucia (Elena’s mother) and Margarita (Esteban’s mother). One can only imagine how traumatic it was for them to lose both of their daughters.
• Try not to think about how depressed Carla is this day. This would've been the first year in so long she would celebrate mother's day with her. But, after seeing her turn her father to stone, this day only reminds her what a horrible mother Ash is.

"To Queen or Not To Queen"

• Elena has never really thought about what she would do with her life if she wasn’t born royal, and thought she’d be nothing if that were true.
• Elena finding herself in an alternate reality where nobody knows her, and she’s a complete stranger to Gabe, Mateo, and Naomi.
• Esteban as king very much shows what kind of person he would’ve been like if he didn’t have Elena in his life.
• Elena telling alternate universe Esteban that he only thinks about what’s best for him is very likely how she feels about main universe Esteban. One can only imagine what she’s going to say to the real Esteban when they meet again.

"Coronation Day"

• The beginning may be very joyful highlighting Elena’s story up to this very moment, but even the kindhearted Marlena calls Esteban Elena’s lying cousin in her song. While that is true, that was just the tip of the iceberg; Marlena’s whole song demonizes Esteban and ignores any good thing he did for the kingdom. And, to add insult to the injury, Marlena gives far more sympathetic treatment towards Victor and Carla than what they’ve really earned.
• Francisco is still willing to forgive Esteban, reminding Elena that it was because of him that she was able to defeat Shuriki the first time. Elena, who once admitted Francisco was "the wisest person [she] knows" simply dismisses this (and not for the first time, judging by her words). The hurt on Francisco's face is plain to see.
  • Luisa at first disagreed with Francisco and could not forgive Esteban for the death of her daughter. But clearly, "Dia de Las Madres" has shown this doesn't mean she loves him any less. After seeing the Scepter visions in that episode, she can't even take a side when this is brought up again.
• Esteban tries to warn Elena away from the Shadows' prison for her own safety, but Elena coldly tells him not to pretend he cares about her. It's painful to see that Elena's resentment of Esteban has grown to the point where she now thinks he never cared about her (especially when you remember the scene in "Island of Youth" where she teased him by saying she knew he loved her). Very likely, this sentiment comes from what she saw of the alternate Esteban from "To Queen or Not To Queen", and believes that really is what he's like.
• Carla facing Ash again. Ash is more surprised at Carla pointing a tamborita at her, but Victor doing so, not so much. Carla tells her what a horrible mother she is, but Ash reiterates she at least wanted Carla to join her and be a part of her goals. But when Carla still refuses to join her, she sneers and lowers her guard while telling Carla to take her best shot. Poor girl chickens out and can’t bring herself to hurt her own mamá, so Victor decides to do it instead, only to get spun haphazardly.
  Carla: You never loved us.
  Ash: That's not true, I loved you more than anything or anyone!
  Victor: Except yourself.
  Ash: All I wanted was for us to rule the world together Carla. But, if this is what you want... (grins wickedly) take your best shot.
  • You can't help but feel bad for Victor, too; this was his big chance to get some payback on the wife who treated him like dirt and endangered their daughter's life, and he was unable to do so.
• When Elena explains to her parents that she's still angry at Esteban for what he did, Raul and Lucia explain to her that getting revenge on Esteban won't make things any better, and Elena is remorseful that she went after Esteban instead of Ash when she had the chance, and she's upset that she'd never get to be as good a ruler as her father. Turned out Raul is responsible for Shuriki's invasion and Esteban's betrayal—he stopped Shuriki from invading Avalor's allies and didn't consider that she would set her sights on Avalor. Esteban tried to warn him, but his uncle didn't believe him—so that's why he helped Shuriki invade Avalor in the first place.
  • And of course, Elena's parents make it clear right then and there that they forgave Esteban a long time ago. Since they're the ones Esteban really hurt, knowing that they forgive him makes a huge difference, and it would give Esteban some peace of mind. All this time, Esteban went through life thinking they would never forgive him, nor will he ever know that they do... unless Elena tells him.
• Say what you want about Ash, but nothing changes the fact that she’s Carla's mother. All Carla ever wanted was to have both of her parents, and that last exchange clearly broke Carla. Even with Ash trapped in the Spirit World, Carla will be left feeling empty knowing she won’t ever have a mother figure, as much as she doesn’t have to deal with her anymore.
• Esteban has really hit rock bottom and his lines in “Never Too Late” are just so heart wrenching to listen to, and you can clearly hear his voice break. He sings about how he only wanted power because he wanted to be heard, and now he realizes that he made a huge mistake and hurt everyone and constantly says how it’s too late for him. He truly believes he doesn’t deserve redemption.
• Perhaps the most tearjerking scene was Esteban’s sacrifice, with Elena about to be trapped in stone by Cahu:
  • Esteban’s expression at the moment? The horror, pride, envy, and agony that Esteban has to be feeling at that second? "My primá. I was like her big brother. She’s been through so much and I hurt her even more just because I wanted to be heard. She has every right to be mad at me. This is not unlike what happened when Shuriki struck her down. Why did it break ME? How can I ever live up to HER example?" THAT is what makes that scene so powerful. Elena is reminding Esteban of what it MEANS to be familia—the sacrifices she makes for those she loves...something he admittedly has forgotten.
  • "I...am...sorry..." as Esteban turns to stone. In what he thought were his final moments, he accepted death and said goodbye without anger or sorrow; only regret for having ever hurt the ones he loved. And when he does, he does so while looking his own primá straight in the face one last time.
  • Elena seeing ESTEBAN, the one cousin who betrayed her, sacrifice himself in spite of her disowning him and wanting to hurt him. Elena cries out to him, only for him to turn to stone. She could do nothing but sob quietly, believing that he’s died unforgiven and hated by his family, and now it’s too late for her to forgive him. This is followed by Elena saying "I. forgive you."
    • Her tears are even more poignant considering her earlier claim that Esteban didn't care about her. She just got proven wrong in the most heartbreaking way possible.
    • The moment when Elena realises that her decision to banish Esteban was wrong in all and every way as it led to him teaming up with Ash, unleashing the shades, and invading Avalor and her "anger" has put everyone in danger and that she is a failure as a royal. That is what makes whether she can forgive Esteban her greatest test.
• It's really sweet that Sofia and her family made it to Elena's coronation, but one can only imagine how Elena would react had she learned that Sofia was also trapped inside the Amulet in the Sofia the First finale "Forever Royal". It is probably for the best Elena does not know that.