WARNING: Spoilers are unmarked.
Fable
- The Hero of Oakvale breaking down into sobs after being brought to the Heroes Guild following the bandit raid on Oakvale.
- One of the Demon Doors will only allow his three friends to enter it: A gallant knight, an evil mage, and a bandit. Naturally, this means you need to wear a Bright Plate Outfit, a Dark Will User's Outfit, and a Bandit Outfit in that order. Once his requirement is met, he allows you entry. When you get in, you discover that the reason he hasn't seen them in so long is because, once they were inside, they fought among themselves for the treasure and ended up killing each other. It's bad enough on its own, but the Demon Door just sounds so happy at finally seeing his friends again.
- The Hero's reaction to seeing Jack of Blades slit his mother Scarlet Robe's throat, at least in the original version of the game.
Fable II
- Rose's death early on. Lucien finds out that Rose and Sparrow are Heroes. That means one or maybe both of them is the person destined to oppose his Evil Plan to rebuild and use the Tattered Spire. So he takes out a pistol and shoots Rose in front of her sibling. Then he turns his pistol on Sparrow and says "I'm sorry." Then we get treated to a cut-scene where Sparrow is shot and sent crashing out the window. The bereft child falls to the ground far below, all the while absolutely heartbreaking music plays.
- It's saddening to see the Heroes Guild, a once-proud institution dedicated to training Heroes and protecting Albion, left in ruins. Only the Chamber of Fate is left more or less intact to serve as a base for the Hero of Bowerstone and Theresa.
- Something rather sad can happen if you aren't careful when romancing a NPC. If you get a married NPC to react positively to the "Come Hither, Dear" expression and their child sees, they'll ask "Mommy/Daddy, where are you going?" or, alternately, "Mommy/Daddy, who's that strange lady/man?" in a completely heartbroken voice. The fact that you can unintentionally break apart families is in itself depressing.
- Hammer's angry statement that she wasn't "Hannah" anymore but "Hammer" after screaming in anger at the pointlessness of her father's death was an emotional moment. Even more emotional (and satisfying) was her realization that she was sick of violence by the end of the game. She'd avenged her father enough, and she just wanted to be happy again.
- When you first come back from the Spire after ten years of being away and your beloved dog is the first one to greet you by running up to you and licking your face. Doubles as a Heartwarming Moment. The dog wasn't there the entire time, either; he knew you were coming back a week before you actually did, letting Hammer know that you were going to be alright. (sniff)
- Theresa's exposition to Sparrow over the Guild Seal about Wraithmarsh, formerly Oakvale, is as saddening as it is chilling. Oakvale was attacked by bandits in the first game, but the villagers rebuilt the place. Unfortunately, one of their own, the future Reaver, made a Deal with the Devil and damned his own home, all because he was afraid of dying. Now Oakvale sits in ruins, infested by all manner of evil creatures.
- Near the end of the game, after Lucien's big Moral Event Horizon scene, you end up trapped in a dreamworld where you're a child again and Rose is alive. You have a big farmhouse with lots of fun things to do, and parents are mentioned though never seen. In short, it's everything your character could have ever conceivably wanted. After a day spent playing with Rose, however, you hear the music box that started everything playing in the distance. Rose tells you to ignore it and go back to sleep. However, in order for the game to proceed, you have to head towards the sound of the music box. As you do, Rose's pleas for you to go back to sleep become more and more desperate until you cross the threshold of the farm where Rose cannot follow. At that point, she screams "Don't leave me again!" as you head towards the music box. It's heartrending to hear, since you're never quite sure if the dreamworld is a trick of Lucien's, or if that really IS your sister's spirit trying to give you the life you and she never had, and you have to leave her behind again to stop Lucien.
- The game's endings:
- If you choose "The Needs of the Many," there is a bittersweet element to it when you realize that you won't ever see Rose or your spouse and any of your children again. It gets worse when you also realize that you don't get your beloved dog back either, after he sacrificed his life to save you from Lucien. There's something heartbreaking about running around Albion without your best friend.
- Both "The Few" and "The Many" had moments of this in addition to your family and dog; you get a letter from Rose, telling you she's okay in the afterlife and she knows you'll be together again. For "The Many," you're told you get nothing, but you will get a letter from the People of Albion, who know what you did, thank you for giving them their families back, and have erected a statue in your honor ("We hope you like it").
- After any of the endings, if you return to Hero Hill by Bower Lake, you will find your dog's grave. And what does it say?Here lies your faithful friend. He died as he lived: by your side.
- Marcus's poem, which is behind the last Demon Door. Specifically, it was written by a Lionhead Studios employee named Marcus, who died of leukemia at the age of 19 while working on the game. Even more depressing is that it was written on his deathbed. The language of the poem makes it clear that he did everything in his power to live his short life to its fullest, and that he thanks you for taking the time to read his last words.
- Herman's Quest. Good fucking Lord. Among all the whimsical fantasy and tongue-in-cheek humor is Herman, who asks Sparrow to help him rescue his son Joey from the Hobbes who kidnapped him. So you and he venture to the Abandoned Mine where he was taken, fighting your way past the Hobbes that guard Joey, while Herman, despite being scared at first, gains confidence as he fights by Sparrow's side. Then he hears his son Joey's voice ahead. Forgetting his fears, he rushes towards the source...and finds Joey turned into a Hobbe. If you managed to save him from the now-Hobbe Joey, he falls to his knees, whimpers out a few sobs, and then just dies. Then you escape the cave and that's it. Quest complete.
Fable III
- The pressuring decision that Logan puts on you at the start of the game: Do you kill the peasants so you can keep your love interest (Elise/Elliott), or do you sacrifice him/her for them? If you sacrifice Elise/Elliott, you share one last kiss before he/she is executed.
- There's also later on, when the tables turn on Logan, and you become the ruler. Your first decision as the new monarch? Kill your brother or not. If you grant him mercy, he'll help you later on. If you execute him, a small cinematic plays where he is executed by a firing squad of royal soldiers.
- The bit that comes after "The Masquerade" quest. "This is the face of a traitor." *sniff*
- Especially Ben's reaction as he watches his friend and mentor (and possible father figure) get publicly humiliated and executed. Damn. Why is there no "Comfort" option?
- After trudging through most of the Auroran Temple and rescuing Walter from the Crawler, you have to help him out of the Auroran Temple. When you finally get outside, Walter is too weak to go on and even tries to persuade you to leave him. He tries to get you to go on alone, though you can convince him you won't abandon him. And even if you get him to hold onto you, a few seconds later, you are forced to let him go as you are too slow to get anywhere and he lets go of you, lying on the ground as he convinces you to go on alone.
- The City of Aurora. The people's memorial letters to their deceased loved ones are all horribly sad, though the way Kalin's voice over gradually breaks down into tears in her letter to her father is heart-wrenching.
- The Hero, while exploring the devastated town, will meet an Auroran named Selan. This is the conversation that ensues:Hero: What are you doing here? Everyone else seems to be hiding.Selan: I am honoring the dead. My wife and child. And I stand here because I do not fear joining them.
- The Hero, while exploring the devastated town, will meet an Auroran named Selan. This is the conversation that ensues:
- This one overlaps with Heartwarming Moments: Walter's fate.Hero: Teach me to be a Hero...
- During Walter's memorial at the end of the game, Ben starts talking in a very "I'm trying to lighten the mood" tone and asks what Walter would have to say about the memorial if he was there. The Hero's response is "Shut up, Ben," but their delivery isn't always the same: If you're playing as a King, he sounds like he's offering that as what Walter would say, to play along with Ben; if you're playing as a Queen, her voice is heavy and she sounds genuinely miffed. Either way, Ben quickly, ruefully, lets it drop.
