Tear Jerker / The Dragon Prince

Moment Subpages are Spoilers Off. You Have Been Warned.

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"I know... He's gone."

On the Show

Book 1: Moon

Chapter 1: Echoes of Thunder

• When Callum calls the king his father, or refers to himself as his son, Soren is always quick to point out that the king is his step-father, and he's the step-son. He brings it up so often, and you can see a small moment of hurt that crosses Callum's face.
  • At the end of season 3, Soren apologize for it. He only points this out because he was jealous that Callum had a better relationship with his stepfather than Soren had with his father.
• Callum overhearing Viren and Soren talking about the moonshadow elf assassins. He sadly looks over to Ezran who is cheerfully playing with Bait, knowing now that if his father dies, Ezran would have to leave his childhood to be king.
• As the stress of the day as well as knowing their father might die builds, Callum yells at Ezran who doesn't know about the situation and says that the reason they're being sent away is because their father will likely die. Callum's face after he says that shows he immediately regrets his words as Ezran runs tearfully to his room and slams the door in his face, Bait does the same with his own door.
• Runaan blowing up at Rayla after it's revealed that the humans know they're coming because she didn't kill the guard from earlier. From her perspective it looks like she's doomed them all.

Chapter 2: What is Done

• Rayla being ostracized in her group after they learned that she lied about killing one of the king's guard.
• Viren asking why Harrow wasn't accepting his "creative solutions" anymore.
  Viren: I don't understand.
  King Harrow: I know you don't. Leave me.
• Callum trying to get Ezran out of his room and apologizing for what he said in the previous episode. He even offers to do the "Jerk-face dance" to cheer him up, but when he gets no response he sadly tells his brother he'll be back to help him pack. Callum leaves the room with a downcast expression.
• Rayla asking Runaan how she was supposed to kill something that did nothing to harm her.
• King Harrow and Callum's final goodbye. Especially when Harrow tells him he'll know when to open the letter he gave his son.
  Callum: You mean when you've been killed.
  • Callum trying to deny what was going to happen, saying that he wouldn't have to open the letter since he'd see his father again on the weekend.
• Harrow's words to Callum, “The great illusion of childhood is that adults have all the power and the freedom, but the truth is the opposite. A child is freer than a king.”
• Viren and Harrow arguing over how this war came about, with Harrow asking Viren how everything was going to come back and bite them with every shortcut they took. Harrow even yells about how Viren destroyed the dragon egg, despite the other saying how dangerous it would have become.
  King Harrow: IT WAS AN EGG!
  • Harrow then asks Viren a question once he points out that there were men and women in his guard that would gladly give their lives for their king.
    King Harrow: ... Would you, Viren?
    Viren: I... [clears throat]
    King Harrow: Get Out!
• Callum taking his father's last words to him to heart when Rayla asks him where Prince Ezran was.
  Callum: Well, you found me. I am Prince Ezran.
  • Him standing in front of Ezran when Rayla knows who her real target is.
    Callum: You'll have to go through me.

Chapter 3: Moonrise

• The fear on Callum's face when Viren takes his voice away. Having his father so close yet can't speak, and learning that he was a mage whose sole power comes from him being able to speak must have been terrifying when that was stolen from him.
• Callum is torn between calling out for his father, to finding Ezran and Rayla. He then makes up his mind and dashes down the staircase, stumbling across a dead guard and forces himself to keep running. He wanted to help his father, but he knew he still had to protect his little brother.
  • Even more tearjerking was how he always referred to Harrow as the king in this episode when Ezran gently points out that he could just call him dad, and how he would want that. Yet the one time he does call King Harrow "dad", was when the moonshadow elves began to overwhelm the human guards.
    Callum: (coughing) Your majesty! King Harrow! DAD!!
• It does not quench Runaan's bloodthrist but the sight of seeing the egg alive makes him take pause.
  Runaan: It's beautiful.
• Rayla knowing that she doesn't stand much chance in a fight against Runaan and being prepared to do it anyway.
  Runaan: Don't do this. I will kill you.
  Rayla: Probably.
• Rayla's binding falling off notifies her that the king is now dead, which means that her attempt to stop Runaan has failed and at some point she's going to have to break it to Callum and Ezran.

Chapter 4: Bloodthirsty

• Ezran trying to ask Callum why they couldn't just tell their aunt Amaya about Rayla and the egg. Callum sadly explains that it wouldn't work, since Amaya believes all elves are monsters. After he walks away, Ezran looks down at the figurine he was playing with, an elf toy with sharp looking teeth and an evil grin.
• The escape from the Banther Lodge is one huge Tear Jerker montage:
  • Ezran tells Callum that they should just tell Amaya the truth in order to stop the standoff. Instead, Callum makes things worse by telling Amaya that Rayla will kill them and drink their blood. The previously nonviolent standoff turns violent as archers try to kill Rayla, and forces Rayla to create an actual hostage situation in order to escape. Not only does this reinforce Amaya's hatred of elves, but damages Rayla's trust with Callum.
  • Rayla's can tell that something bad is going on when the expressions of Amaya and Gren change to Callum's signs. When Gren translates what Callum said, she looks so heartbroken and hurt by his words.
  • Amaya signing to Callum after he tells her that Rayla would drink their blood; "Don't worry, Callum; I've slain monsters before".
  • Although Callum telling his aunt that Rayla would drink their blood was supposed to just scare the soldiers off, it ends up creating even more motivation to save the princes. Afterwards, Rayla is clearly hurt by this, wearing her hood, hugging her knees close, and angrily tosses Callum the box. She tells him she hoped this trip was worth getting a seemingly worthless toy and how Callum put all of their lives in danger. There’s no such thing as a positive stereotype.
    Rayla: I can't believe you're such a jerk!
    Callum: (genuinely confused) What? What's wrong?
    Rayla: You called me a bloodthirsty monster! You have no idea how that feels!
    Callum: But, I don't actually believe any of that. I was just trying to scare her; I thought she'd back down.
    Rayla: Oh, that went well! They tried to kill me!
    Callum: ...I'm sorry. That's not what I meant to happen.
    Rayla: (returning to her Troubled Fetal Position) Well, it did.

Chapter 5: An Empty Throne

• Amaya going to her sister's statue and lighting a candle. Even without translations, you can tell how much love and respect she had for her.
  [General Translation] “Hello, sister. You were my hero. Perfect, strong and unbreakable. Kind and loyal. I’m sorry, older sister, I failed you. Your children were safe and I let them slip away.”

Chapter 6: Through the Ice

• Corvus telling Rayla how the princes would hate her if she ever revealed what she was a part of in the beginning of the season, especially since the boys' father is dead.
• Callum and Rayla thinking that Ezran and the egg died in the lake, with Rayla apologizing for dropping the egg believing Ezran could save it.
• Callum tearfully hugging a cold and drenched Ezran, afraid that he had lost his little brother.
• Lord Viren telling Soren that if he finds the princes alive, "he will know he must do the right thing". Soren is surprised by this and expresses uncertainty about it.
• Claudia jokingly asking her father that if she ever had to come to it, who would she have to choose between Soren and the egg to save. He's surprised by this question and Claudia says she's kidding and everything will be fine, but as she walks out, he answers the egg, much to her surprise and discomfort.
• Claudia and Soren getting ready to leave. They joke around like good siblings, and then try to tell each other that their dad told them some weird stuff. You can tell that the heartbreak is going to happen...
• After this episode ended up with Lord Viren manipulating his children as if they were tools, the end credits show him playing with a young Claudia and Soren and showing them magic.
  • Overall, simply the fact that the show makes it clear that both Claudia and Soren really are good kids, who genuinely believe they're doing the right thing - probably because they still want to believe their father is well-intentioned as well. Get ready for that aspect of themselves to be broken, later on...

Chapter 7: The Dagger and the Wolf

• Ellis and Ava's story, especially how Ellis risked everything she could to save her wolf friend, despite her father telling her putting her down was the kinder thing to do.
• Soren saying that they have to find the princes, because he's scared of what his dad will do to him if they don't.
• The Sunfire dagger is incapable of cutting Rayla's binding, dashing away her Hope Spot of not having to lose her hand for not killing Ezran.
• The moment the man with the dagger realizes Rayla was a moonshadow elf, he begs for her to not kill him and take his dagger or money instead. Later, he's the one who leads the mob driving Rayla and the group out of the town. What's worse, is that you can hear the people angrily yelling "elf", waving pitchforks and brooms.

Chapter 8: Cursed Caldera

• Viren turning Runaan into a coin, noting how he always got the same reaction, stubbornness that turned into fear and it shows a close up of Runaan's terrified face as he slams against the surface of the coin.

Chapter 9: Wonderstorm

• When it's revealed that there is no miracle healer on the Cursed Calderra, the group breaks down because suddenly it seems like their entire quest was All for Nothing.

Book 2: Sky

Chapter 1: A Secret and a Spark

• Callum is seen writing a letter and when Rayla gets a closer look she realizes Callum's writing a letter to Harrow, happily telling her he'd be worried about his son's whereabouts. Rayla's face is stricken with guilt as she can't bring herself to tell Callum what really happened to his father.
• Callum desperately wants to learn magic, but Lujanne turns him away every time, explaining that without the primal stone, he was just another ordinary human and he had to be born connected to a natural source called the arcana. Saddened at this news despite trying everything he can to prove Lujanne wrong, Callum holds the cube up to Zym and Bait before quietly going to sleep, wondering what his real purpose was if his "thing" was no longer magic.

Chapter 2: Half Moon Lies

• Claudia and Callum almost share a kiss, but she falters and tells Callum the truth about his dad. The episode ends with Callum tearfully walking over to Rayla, telling her he knows that his dad is gone.
  • Even worse is that Rayla had finally resolved to be honest with him, but lost her chance at the last possible moment.
• A subtle one, but the fact that Claudia was going to use Callum's crush on her to persuade him to go back to Katolis. To explain — Claudia was going to emotionally manipulate Callum, a childhood friend who she knew liked her. It wasn't until their date at the Moon Nexus that she got cold feet and instead decided to tell Callum about King Harrow's death.

Chapter 3: Smoke and Mirrors

• Callum can't bring himself to tell Ez that their father was dead, and when he goes to talk to Rayla about it, he admits that he understands why she didn't tell him sooner. While he breaks down into tears, all Rayla can do to comfort him is to hug him.
• When Rayla goes to talk to Callum about her suspicions of Soren and Claudia, specifically how the former tried to assasinate Ezran, Callum is understandably skeptical. But what really is the tearjerker is how after Rayla tells Callum to look her in the eye and say that he trusts her, Callum does. Then turns his back and explains that he's known Claudia and Soren all of his life which builds a certain kind of trust. Something that he and Rayla don't have yet. The look of hurt on both of their faces is hard to watch for different reasons.
  • For Rayla, it's obviously because that despite all of the trials she, Callum, and Ezran have shared, he still, to some level, doesn't trust her.
  • For Callum, he wasn't trying to be cruel (and isn't) and words it in the best way he can, but it's a case of realism — You're not going to start distrusting two of your oldest friends from the words of a friend you've only known a week.
• Callum's glare to Claudia after Rayla's plan reveals her (Claudia) and Soren's treachery. He spent this episode and the last defending them both from Rayla's suspicions and not because of his crush on Claudia, but because of understandable reasons. He genuinely thought the two would never betray him or Ezran. And he's proven wrong. And that withering glare he sends Claudia is the first sign that whatever friendship he had with her or Soren, is gone.
• Corvus pulling a Heroic Sacrifice to let the princes escape. He first thought that Rayla had it out for them and kidnapped them. Then he witnesses Rayla proving that Claudia and Soren are traitors by their scheme to capture the boys, with Soren drawing his sword. All bets are off, and he knows he may die for it.

Chapter 4: Voyage of the Ruthless

• Callum being so desperate to connect to the sky arcanum because he wants to be useful to his friends, and without the primal stone, he's just another human. He wants it so badly that he's willing to risk his life for it, and considers himself a coward when he wisely backs down.

Chapter 5: Breaking the Seal

• A small one for Bait. He was usually by Ezran's side throughout season 1, and you can clearly see he's jealous of how close he is now to Zym, barely paying him much attention anymore. So when he's unconsciously slapped away by Ezran in his sleep, he goes over to the only other person he's close with: Callum.

Chapter 6: Heart of a Titan

• Callum finally opening Harrow's letter, and the words he reads are nothing but supportive to his sons, causing Callum to tear up in between reading.
• Sarai repeatedly wondering if the creature they're hunting is intelligent, has a family, is the last of its kind, etc.
  • When Harrow refuses to budge, Sarai angrily walks away, stabbing her spear into the ground.
• Sarai, proud of their achievement, signs to her sister that she did it. However, when she notices Amaya stumbling, she signs in confusion before running over in a panic after her sister and catching her before she falls. As she looks over her sister, there is terror in her eyes when she removes her helmet, but Amaya signs back and assures Sarai that she's fine.
• Amaya trying to tell Harrow to leave her and the others behind so they wouldn't slow them down (and because she said she'd recover after some rest), but he refuses and tells Viren they would not leave anyone behind. Viren spitefully yells that Harrow wouldn't consider doing this in his right mind if one of the people they would leave behind didn't happen to be his wife's sister. Harrow angrily reaffirms his order, and it's at this moment that shows the small strains in Viren and Harrow's relationship.
• Viren breaking his usual practical ways by staying behind to help the Queens of Duran. Alas, it was for naught and lead to Sarai's death too. This is even sadder contrasted with the first episode, where Harrow calls out Viren for being willing to sacrifice his soldiers but not himself - here Viren forgets his survival really is the most important, because only he can perform the spell, and it results in tragedy.
• In their last moments, the Queens of Duren are seen reaching for one another, one last time, knowing that they won't survive.
• Viren recovering from the blast and looking over to see Sarai on the ground, not moving. As he goes over to help her up and escape, she can only weakly breathe as he holds her, and he then narrates that he was with the queen until her last breath.
• It's horrifying to think that the scar on Amaya's face might forever remind her of the day that her sister died to the dragon king.
  • Even Harrow when he later goes to see Callum, can only quietly lean down and give him a hug. He then goes on to tell Callum about life, which later becomes something Callum tells Ezran.
• Later on in the letter, it's implied that Harrow was the one who helped orchestrate the mission to kill Avizandum using Sarai's spear. Yet, he doesn't look remotely happy about taking his revenge and feels that the dragon queen sending the Moonshadow elves to assassinate him was only fair for them after he took their king.
• Aanya tears up at finally hearing the story of how her mothers became heroes, and while she wonders if it's strange to feel so sad over two people she'd never met, she thanks Viren for the story.

Chapter 7: Fire and Fury

• Callum grabbing Claudia's tome of dark spells and a bug for him to use. Terrified of him hurting himself, Claudia tries to tell Callum to put the items down because he needs someone more experienced to help him. However, after all he's seen of Claudia in this season, his crush on her seems to have disappeared and he no longer seems to trust her anymore despite having insisted earlier that Claudia was one of his closest friends.
  Claudia: Callum! What are you doing?!
  Callum: (coldly) Your kind of magic.
  Claudia: You don't want to do this, Callum. It's really dangerous unless someone shows you how!
  Callum: (glaring at Claudia) You already did. (crushes the bug and starts chanting as his eyes glow)
• Claudia is about to shoot her magic at Ezran, but when Soren weakly begs for her help, she pauses and looks between Ezran who's holding Zym, and her brother whose voice is strangled. She looks back and forth for a few more moments before running towards her brother to help him.
• Soren realizing something is very wrong.
  Soren: [Beat] I can't move, Claudia. [Beat] I can't move.

Chapter 8: The Book of Destiny

• For one of the first few times in the story, we see Claudia break down mentally and emotionally. She prides herself in being prepared, and yet everything she tries fails to bring back her brother's feeling to his limbs. Even as she searches for a solution in her bag, she comes up with nothing. She starts lashing out at anyone who tries to tell her to stop, and she even tears down a cabinet full of medicine at the hospital because nothing she found was good enough.
• Soren saying he is glad he is never going to walk again. It is difficult to convey just how soul crushing it is to hear a man, who admittedly in many ways is still a bit of child, say he is "okay" with never walking again.
  • Claudia comes into the hospital mentally preparing herself for the monumental task of telling her brother that he will never walk again, when...
    Soren: I already know. I can't move, I can't walk, and it's not going to get better. [Soren sees children playing outside his hospital window] You know what? It's for the best, I'm glad I can't move.
    Claudia: What are you talking about? Soren, why would you say that?
    Soren: Before we left, Dad gave me a secret mission. [...] I was confused and I didn't want to do it, but [beat] I do want Dad to love me and be proud of me... [Soren starts tearing up; Claudia tries wiping the tears, but her attempt hurts Soren so she can't dry his eyes] […] Dad is so smart, so I figured there must be a good reason.
    Claudia: Soren, what did Dad ask you to do?
    Soren: ...Kill the princes. […] Now I can't do anything terrible, because...now I can't do anything.
  • Yet, Claudia doesn't tell Soren what their dad told her, retrieving the egg even at the cost of Soren's life.
• Rayla beginning to understand how serious Callum's fever dream, or dark magic coma, is after Callum begins having trouble breathing.
• The moment when Ezran learns the truth about his father. Made even harder when Rayla tries to talk to him, and for maybe the first time we see Ezran get truly, coldly angry at someone.
  Ezran: When we met you, you had two of those assassiny-ribbony things. But one of them came off that night!
  Rayla: [tearing up] That's right. That must have been when he fell.
  Ezran: …"Fell?"
  Rayla: [not meeting his eyes] ...Yes.
  Ezran: "Fell?" He didn't fall, Rayla! He didn't trip and land on the ground, he got killed!

Chapter 9: Breathe

• Claudia telling Ezran that her mother left their family, and remembers times when she would go to bed, she'd hear her parents fighting late at night. When they divorced, they told their children to choose, so Soren chose to stay with Viren, but Claudia couldn't understand why she was supposed to choose between her parents whom she loved. Her mother ended up telling her to stay with her brother because they needed each other, and then she left. Claudia says that she hasn't seen her mother since and that she needed to be somewhere else to be happy, implying that she may have doubt her mother's love for her even though she understands what happened. This can hit home for many a viewer who also had to witness their parents' relationship strain into a divorce and being in a situation where they may not see their non-custody parent ever again.
• Rayla's continuing break down over Callum's worsening condition.
  • Before, Rayla was annoyed with Callum, for using dark magic, and she spent her time in the last two episodes chastising him for using dark magic^note  though still giving him doting care, and throwing in a gentle word of encouragement every now and again. Now? Rayla is clutching Callum in a bone-crushing hug begging Callum not to die. She is so frightened of losing him, she almost gives a confession to the comatose boy she has known for a week.
  • There's also the fact that Rayla's last words to Callum were to chastise him. To anyone who regrets their last words to someone close to them, this is an added tearjerker.
    Rayla: Callum! Please, come back! It doesn't matter what you did before! I just want you to be ok again!
  • What's even more heartbreaking is that Rayla possibly blames herself for Callum putting himself into a coma to save her life.
• Claudia putting herself under intense stress to fix her brother's limbs and nearly passing out after the spell was finished. The spell has permanently left her with a stripe of white in her hair, but she tells her brother that as long as he was fine, that's all that mattered to her. No matter what, she loves her brother and would do absolutely anything to protect him as much as he has done for her.
  • That last point is particularly heartbreaking in light of later events. (See "Hearts of Cinder" below.)
• We find out what happened to Runaan's party. As Viren places their weapons down and uses their ashes, smoky versions of the Moonshadow elves appear with glowing red eyes and sends them off to attack the other kingdoms to convince them that there is an imminent threat.

Book 3: Sun

Chapter 1: Sol Regem

• Ezran finally arriving at Katolis. However, when he approaches the throne, he merely places his hand on it instead of actually sitting on it. Even though he knows he's now officially king, he's still a kid who's never going to feel ready or worthy.
• Gren's reaction when Amaya makes her Heroic Sacrifice. He at first reluctantly accepts it, only to see her horse throw her and Janai ready to attack with a sword. Gren then runs forward, prepared to give his life for the commander. Amaya uses some clever trickery to light the fuse, causing the magma to break the rock path, just as Gren is about to cross. He gives a devastated look, making it clear this wasn't what he wanted.

Chapter 2: The Crown

• As Prince Kasef enters the Katolis throne room and expects Ezran to want revenge on the elves for killing his father. When Ezran advocates for peace, Kasef says the worst thing anyone could say to a child.
  Kasef: If you can't take action against Xadia, you have failed as a king. And you have failed as a son.
• While Claudia is furious about being a prisoner inside their own home, Soren just accepts their fate. Or rather he accepts his fate since their dad told him to kill the princes, ignoring Claudia's belief that he must have misheard or misunderstood as their dad would never tell him to do something so terrible.

Chapter 3: Ghost

• After two seasons, Rayla finally gets to return home... except not really. Her entire hometown made her a ghost, leaving them unable to perceive her and rendering them all The Blank from her perspective. She describes it as being magically banished, but in a way it's worse than proper banishment. She can still enter her hometown, still see the people she loves, but they'll forever be apart from her.
  • The circumstances and apparent timing of the banishment makes it even worse. Had Silvergrove declared Rayla persona non grata over her trying to talk Runaan into calling off the hit upon learning the supposedly destroyed egg they were avenging was still intact, then joining an impromptu peace mission when that failed, it would have been bad enough. But all they knew what that she lived and the rest of the Kill Team did not, which covers possibilities like 'She's limping home half-crippled after having to bury her mentor in enemy territory' or 'She's getting vivisected by Dark Magicians'; but because the parents that dumped her on her honorary gay uncles to raise supposedly deserted their post she obviously deserted her own....
• Runaan's situation is made even more heartbreaking when it's revealed this episode he has a husband named Ethari waiting for him to return home.
• Ethari sees Rayla's reflection in his blade. While he always believed in Rayla, the fact that she came home but his husband didn't mean he's naturally angry with her. The tone in his voice makes it clear how torn up he feels about it all.
• Viren's gaslighting of Soren when his children confront him on his treason.
• On the orders of the Sunfire queen, Amaya is subjected to "The Light"; a sort of lie detector/purity test using light of the Sunforge shined directly into the subject's eyes. Whether it was the prospect of losing her sight to the light (which for a deaf woman who communicates with visual mediums, would be terrifying), or that the test forces the victim to confront their deepest darkest self... It was clearly a harrowing experience that left Amaya a weeping mess, gasping in anguish.

Chapter 4: The Midnight Desert

• Ezran's monologue to Bait about the potential battle to come.
  Ezran: "Each one of these pieces is 500 people. 500 men and women. Some are moms and dads, and have kids waiting for them at home. All of them are sons and daughters. Sisters, brothers, friends. They're real people, Bait. And after the battle..." [tips over the war flag]
• Rayla puts up a strong front and claims that being exiled is nothing she wants or needs to talk about. However, when she's alone and thinks no one can hear her, her persistent feelings of worthlessness and self-loathing (which existed as far back as Book 1) catch up with her as she begins to sob quietly and break down, thinking there's nowhere she belongs and that it's all her fault. When we hear her speak, it's clear she feels she's reached rocked bottom.
  Rayla: "I'm a mess."
  Callum: "No, you're not. You're okay."
  Rayla: "I've lost everything! My parents, the people who cared about me, my home. There's nowhere I belong now."

Chapter 5: Heroes and Masterminds

Chapter 6: Thunderfall

• The look on King Harrow's face as Viren recounts the loss of his queen is worth a thousand words. Anger... Resolve... Doubt... Sorrow. Even though he claims that things have moved on and that time has healed the wound, it's very clear that this one moment will never stop haunting him.
  • What is the final ingredient of Viren's spell to kill Avizandum? Undying hatred. Harrow makes an attempt to let the past be the past, but in the end he just cannot forget what was taken from him and his sons. That such anger and bitterness could come from someone as noble and selfless as Harrow makes it all the more heartbreaking.
  • Once Viren finishes the spell and says he will leave Harrow with his "grief", Harrow can be seen leaning over the spear as uncontrollable tears fall down his chin.
• As Avizandum tells Harrow that he's giving the human king a choice save his life and flee or die, Harrow breaks into Broken Tears and goes into a fury.
  Harrow: ... You never gave her that choice.
  • As some have pointed out, if you listen closely, once Harrow throws the spear, you can hear Sarai's voice screaming no. She never really wished to harm the creatures of Xadia, and her final breath is being used to reenact the cycle of violence she never wanted.
• Avizandum's last moments, desperately trying to get to his son even as he slowly turns to stone, breaking off his own leg and wing in a futile attempt to protect him. After spending most of the series as a terrifying force of nature, ultimately he's just another father trying to protect his child.
  • His final thoughts as he died were probably that he had failed his son and that he would never see him grow up. As he starts to completely turn to stone, one final tear falls down his eye before he becomes a statue.
• Callum's words to Rayla' at the petrified Thunder about how conflicted and confused he feels. Feeling hate for Thunder having killed his mother and glad that his stepfather got revenge, but also ashamed and full of regret that this is Zym's dad who was slain and how sorry he is for this whole situation with the cycle of revenge starting from the events from his mother's death.
  • Even Rayla's attempts to comfort him have a bitter irony to them. She assures Callum that Zym and Ezran's generation won't inherit their father's conflict... all while blissfully unaware that an entire army just stormed into Xadia, and that hope has already failed.

Chapter 7: Hearts of Cinder

• When Soren tries to discuss the tactics and strategy of invading Xadia with his father, Viren all but mocks him for trying to do his job and even hints that Kasef would be a more suitable heir. This moment may be trumped by latter, even more despicable behavior, but it's clear that Viren's contempt for his son has been broiling for some time; his rejection of Soren didn't just happen overnight.
• The corruption of the Sun Forge is indeed horrifying, but also a profound tragedy; it was the absolute pinnacle of the Sunfire's culture and Pseudoreligion, and it wasn't merely destroyed but thoroughly defiled with dark magic (which the Sunfires almost pathologically despise). It's doubtful that the elves will ever forget... or forgive... such a travesty.
• Janai nearly going on a Roaring Rampage of Revenge to avenge her sister, with Amaya having to tackle her to the ground and pin her as her Volcanic Veins burn her hand. When Janai looks angrily at Amaya, all Amaya can do is quietly shake her head. Amaya has already been in this situation when she lost Sarai, and all she can signal to Janai is that she needs to let go. Janai's veins slowly disappear and she breaks down weeping loudly on the ground for her sister.
  • Just the sound of Janai's weeping is heartbreaking. That is not merely grief we hear, that is pain.
• Viren openly and fully rejecting Soren when Soren refuses the power Viren has obtained from the Sunfire forge and his Dark Magic. When Viren offers to give Soren this new power and transformation, it appears as if it could be Soren's final chance to gain his father's approval — Viren even refers to Soren as "son". Soren hesitates, and Viren can't even hold back his disdain. This also fully pushes Soren over to the other side.
  • On the other hand, there's something sad and unsettling about the fact that not only does Viren seem unbothered about the prospect of Soren being turned into monstrous, rage-fueled Dumb Muscle - but neither does Claudia, even considering that she just saw what happened. Poor Soren. He just can't win in his family.
• Claudia begging Soren not to leave is heartbreaking to watch. First, Soren offers that they could both be free of their father, and Claudia pleads for him to not make her "choose" between the two of them again. Then we see it settle on Soren how the choice is hurting his little sister, that Claudia is more loyal to their father, and he resigns himself to it as he says goodbye to her — but Claudia even refuses his goodbye hug with a sharp "no!" Then Soren walks away from her and his departure really dawns on Claudia, culminating in her close to tears, helplessly repeating "no!" and stamping her foot. Try not to have your heart shattered into tiny little pieces.
• Kasef's transformation. He may have been a warmonger, but only because he truly believed that the "elves" nearly murdered his father. A bright young man in the prime of his life was twisted into an abomination over a lie.
  • Twisting the knife further it was Viren's magic, not the elves, that nearly killed King Ahling. Kasef sacrificed his future to the same man who harmed his father and he doesn't even know it.
  • Compared to the rest of the army though, Kasef still got off easy; at least he went along with the transformation willingly. Viren doesn't even deign to grant his soldiers the chance to reject his "gift" and forcibly strips them of their humanity. Most were dedicated men and women who were only trying to safeguard their homes and families from (what they believed to be) a genuine threat, and judging by their post-transformation behavior they don't even have the ability to protest their violation.
  • One can only imagine how Ahling will respond to all this. He was depicted as a good-natured and agreeable man, but now he's on death's door after losing his authority, his army, and his oldest son. Even if he survives his injuries, this will doubtlessly break his heart.

Chapter 8: Dragonguard

• Seeing Callum and Rayla tear into each other is painful to watch. Callum is not gentle at all in telling Rayla he thinks her wanting to stay to defend Zubeia is merely a matter of her pride and formless guilt about her parents, telling her to just let it go. For her part, Rayla accuses Callum of never truly understanding her before storming off in tears. While they love each other, the argument very nearly destroyed their relationship.
  Rayla: If you think I could just "let it go," then you don't know me at all! You never did!
  • Even worse is that said argument is driven by how much they care about each other. Callum is watching the girl he loves throw her life away over something she had absolutely no control over, while Rayla has to deal with the boy she loves calling her selfish over a regret that's been haunting her for months.
  • Later, Callum finds her at the pinnacle, sobbing over the argument. The entire season, she struggled with feeling like she's not good enough and that there's no place she belongs. Now, she feels she has to face certain death alone over her guilt, thinking that the person she's fallen in love with doesn't even understand her. Poor girl...

Chapter 9: The Final Battle

• Zym finally works up the courage to go see his comatose mother. He starts using his magic in an effort to wake her up, and it looks like he may just be able to get through to her where the others failed... but it's all just a Hope Spot. The queen has everything she ever hoped for right in front of her, and she doesn't even know it.
• When Rayla sends herself and Viren plummeting off the spire, Callum looks absolutely distraught. He just watched the girl he loves fall to her potential death. Worst of all, since his entire role during the final battle was to prevent soldiers from ascending the Storm Spire and reaching Zym and Rayla, he no doubt feels he failed to protect her. It's no wonder he decides in that moment that he's going to save her or die trying.
  Callum: No, No, No, RAYLA!
  • They even lock gazes as they plummet from the spire. As far as each of them knew, they were going to die together, yet too far away to say any final words.
• Soren killing his own father, with only the briefest hesitation, to prevent him from killing Ezran is both a moment of awesome for being the culmination of Soren's transition into no longer needing Viren's approval, and a tear jerker for reasons that should be obvious, especially due to his near-breakdown straight afterwards as he realizes what he's done. It's reversed shortly afterwards when it's revealed this Viren was just an illusory decoy, but to think of what Soren must have been feeling without knowing that...
  • Even though Claudia knew what she was seeing was an illusion, to think of how much more broken Soren felt when he realizes he killed their father, right in front of his little sister who's still loyal to him.
    Claudia: (anger boiling over) How could you?
    (Soren drops his sword, falls to his knees, and stares at his hands)
    Soren: (clearly horrified) I-I didn't have a choice...
  • In addition, the illusion is solid enough to utterly pass for the real thing, and was about to bring a weapon down on Ezran. Claudia is far gone enough to risk killing Ezran.

Book 4: Earth

Chapter 1: Rebirthday

• Viren's shock at hearing that he has been dead for over two days, which grows even more upon hearing it's actually been over two years.
  • From the same scene, Claudia's account makes it clear his body was not in good shape when she found it, and Aaravos had to give her instructions to preserve it. What's more, she's apparently done many, many dark things to reach the point where she can bring him back, which have clearly shaken her.
• Callum sitting out on his birthday celebration, admitting to Ezran that Rayla leaving on that same day means he associates it more with her leaving him behind than any feelings of joy.

Chapter 2: Fallen Stars

• Viren suffers two panic attacks as he, Claudia, and Terry climb a mountain, clearly being traumatised by his Disney Villain Death. He brought it on himself, but it's hard not to feel sorry for him.
• Viren has a Heel Realization, and suggests that rather than spend his thirty days of life seeking out Aaravos, instead simply enjoy the extra time he has exploring the world, and spending it with his daughter. Claudia's response is to slap him and deny the action, railroading him back onto the path that led to his death in the first place. It also counts as a sign of how far she's fallen that she can't even consider stopping now.

Chapter 3: Breathtaking

• Ezran's gift of a portrait to Zubeia is undermined by someone vandalizing it in protest of allowing her into the resting place of deceased kings and queens. The young king is saddened to realize that peace will be a lot further out of reach than he thought.
• Ibis' death, for several reasons. First, even though Ibis is fataly injured, he spends his last moments trying to warn Zubeia and his friends about Aaravos' return, which shows that he is so loyal to them that he would spend his last moments alive trying to protect them. Second, Terry's reaction to killing Ibis, despite the latter trying to kill his girlfriend, makes him start crying immediatly after, with Claudia even feeling pity for Terry and hugging him to give Terry comfort. Third, during this, Corvus is playing "A Song of Love and Loss", a very depressing music that plays throught these events.
• After Corvus finishes the music, Ezran is seen wiping a tear from his eyes, showing that he was emotionally touched by the music.

Chapter 4: Through the Looking Glass

• Terry is still distraught at killing someone, and opens up to Viren about it, even asking how to live with the pain. After seemingly showing some sympathy Viren unsympathetically tells him to 'get a grip'.
• Zym's reaction to finding the body of Ibis. He may have given the skymage no end of trouble, but its clear he and his carer had a close bond by the way he grieves for him.
  • Seeing how sad Zym is, Rayla comforts him with a hug, reminding us that despite how much he's grown in the past two years, the dragon prince is still just a child.
• The group have their first face to face meeting with Aaravos through the mirror, who manages to possess Callum. He then gives a Breaking Speech to everyone present, calling Ezran the young ruler in over his head, Rayla an assassin who can't kill, and Soren as the disappointment his father wishes was never born.

Chapter 5: The Great Gates

Chapter 6: The Drakewood

Chapter 7: Beneath the Surface

Chapter 8: Rex Igneous

• Rex Igneous can barely contain his contempt for Avizandum when the Dragon Queen is mentioned, deriding him for spending so much time starting fights at the border to amuse himself and feed his own ego, and he caustically notes that it will get him killed one day. He says this in front of the sons of the man who helped kill Avizandum in the first place, and the late Dragon King's own son.
  • Later, when they tell Rex Igneous that Avizandum is dead, he goes solemn and mournful and apologizes to Zym for his words, clearly upset that he's badmouthed not just a fallen friend, but done so in front of the son who never got to know him to boot.

Chapter 9: Escape from Umber Tor

• When it seems like Rayla didn't make it out of Umber Tor alive, Callum can only silently walk up to her butterfly blade and clutch it close to his chest as tears start to fall, likely thinking he had truly lost her this time. Luckily her Raised Hand of Survival brings him out of his grief, as Callum tenderly embraces Rayla.

Book 5: Ocean

Chapter 1: Domina Profundis

• After failing in his challenge to his sister, Karim is banished from his kingdom, and stripped of all his possessions. Including ring that was given to him by his mother, despite it being made of tin and it's value being sentimental only.
• From the same scene, he is warned that should he return, he shall be executed by the Queen's order. He mostly brought this on himself, but ouch.
• Claudia is so worried about Viren still being in a Dark Magic coma that she starts to get testy even with Terri.
• Rayla speaking to the memory of her parents and Runaan, and admits despite wanting to see them again she has to put the world first and focus on stopping Aaravos.
• Callum being called by Opeli, who informs him that Rayla went behind his back to sneak into the dark mage sanctuary (which he had personally closed off) and was found with Runaan's bow, i.e., the weapon that killed his stepfather. Thankfully, he handles the whole thing incredibly well.

Chapter 2: Old Wounds

• Claudia's concern for Viren not waking up from his Dark Magic coma, and insists upon carrying him for days on end. Terri continues to beg her to sleep, up until she outright collapses from exhaustion.
• The final scene of the episode is Viren's Vision Quest, him playing with a much younger Soren... who starts coughing before slowly fading into dust as his father desperately tries to hold him close. The episode ends with Viren falling to his knees in despair, shouting that he'd do anything to fix this.
  • It gets worse. He resorts to dark magic in order to bring Soren back to normal and Viren looks so happy having saved his son... but because he used dark magic, he's got the gray crackled skin and black eyes of the aftereffects, and Soren sees that and runs away screaming in terror from Viren and he can do nothing to make Soren come back.

Chapter 3: Nightmares and Revelations

• Janai having a nightmare of the day Aaravos killed her sister and corrupted Lux Aurea, with the subsequent conversation with Amaya making it clear the dream is a recurring one.
• Part of the reason she declared Lux Aurea a Forbidden Zone is because their attempts to reclaim it cost the lives of so many of their remaining numbers, whether through death or the corruption spreading to them. Even worse, she mentions in several cases they had to Mercy Kill friends and family, adding more fuel to the tragedy.
• Viren's Vision Quest continues, and reaches a point where he sees a young Claudia following in his footsteps, before catching up to and passing him by as her current self... with the same ashen skin he has and promising to do whatever she must for her family, no matter how vile as the man looks on in horror at what his example could lead his daughter to become.
• Claudia's worry at an unconscious Viren falling out of the boat, which grows worse after getting him out of the water to find he's not breathing.

Chapter 4: The Great Bookery

• Even though he's not the most likeable character, it's hard not to feel even a little bit sorry for Sol Regem when he rejects Karim's plea to become the Dragon King again with a bitter "The Reason I Suck" Speech. The fact that he admits to losing his hope before losing his sight implies something worse happened to him.
• As the corrupted banthers continue to flood the Great Bookery, Amaya becomes cut off from the others after saving Bait and tells the others to flee, even shouting 'Go' to do so. A heartbroken Ezran reluctantly accepts his aunt's instructions, and Zubeia starts climbing out.
  • Making things worse, the Dragon Queen is bitten by one of the creatures on the climb out, not only injuring her, but causing Corvus to fall off in the process. While he and Amaya manage to find shelter in the book return, it's harrowing watching the heroes be forced to leave two of their closest friends in the middle of such danger.

Chapter 5: Archmage Akiyu

• Despite having woken up from his Dark Magic coma, Viren has apparently remained completely unresponsive since, and a worried Claudia wonders if this means the spell she used to bring him back is starting to fade. She may have already lost whatever time she had left with her father, and to make things worse, it's because she insisted he try Dark Magic again.
• While it's not focused on, Akiyu's fate, having promised The Jailer she'd take the location of Aaravos' prison to her grave, and to that end apparently isolated herself for 'centuries. She seems to take it in stride at present, but it's tragic how simply catching a glimpse of a piece of paper meant that this was the best alternative to death, simply because she saw more than one piece of the puzzle.
• Zubeia promises the group to return to the Tidepools by nightfall, though fails to do so thanks to her injury from the previous episode worsening it's corruption. Zym in looks particularly saddened at the implication that something is wrong with his mother when she fails to return as promised.

Chapter 6: Bait and Switch

• Minor, but Finnegrin flippantly dismisses Ezran's crown (the main memento he keeps of his father) as "worthless", visibly angering the typically composed young king. As does the pirate suggesting he trade Bait for a ship shortly afterwards.
• Terry's concern at the visible glee Claudia takes in terrifying the dragon that was following them.

Chapter 7: Sea Legs

• After a long chase at sea, the heroes are ultimately caught by Finnegrin, the Ruthless being wrecked in the process. Poor Villads has barely any time to mourn his ship before being captured by the merciless ruler of Scumport.
• When Amaya, one of the toughest characters in the whole show, learns her bride-to-be was taken captive while she was away, she seems to physically shut down for a moment, completely overwhelmed by what she's been told.

Chapter 8: Finnegrin's Wake

• Finnegrin's constant attempts to get Callum to use Dark Magic to help him kill Domina Profundis, ranging from bargaining to having Deadwood repeatedly pummel him with electrically charged sea creatures, to outright threatening to cut his friends hands off. The poor boy is put through the wringer this episode.
  • Finnegrin assuming Callum is a Dark Mage is clearly a slap in the face after all the progress he has made as a Sky Mage, especially given how much he's read up on all forms of magic, as well as his vow to never again use Dark Magic. His vehement refusal, guilt over his first use of the art and Finnegrin constantly needling him to use it 'one more time' to help his friends underscores just how uneasy the very thought makes him.
  • Adding salt to the wound, the spell Finnegrin is asking for is the one Harrow used to kill Avizandium, which set off the chain of events that lead to his death and likely dredging up some of Callum's worst memories.
• The reveal that Finnegrin keeps his crew in line through constant threat of freezing their blood should they disobey him, making it hard not to feel bad for them. And Deadwood, the only one immune, is subject to constant verbal abuse that Soren notices is even worse than how Viren treated him. This is capped off by the end revealing 'Deadwood' isn't even his actual name, Finnegrin just went the extra mile to spite what he considers Dumb Muscle.
  • How we learn about Finnegrin's spell; Rayla has just broken free of her bonds and goes to attack Finnegrin, only for him to subject her to being frozen from the inside, calmly describing the process as he forces Callum and the others watch her writhe in agony.
• Despite having connected to the Ocean Arcanum, and helped save his loved ones from the pirate, Callum's mood is visibly heavy, and even a hug from a relieved Rayla is unable to bring him out of his funk, as he holds her tightly. We soon see why; despite everything he vowed to himself, Callum used Dark Magic again in order to undo his chains, and that decision now haunts him deeply.

Chapter 9: Infantis Sanguine

• Zubeia spends much of the episode in agony from her wound, and describes how the corruptive effects are eroding her mind. She confesses all of this to a fever dream of her deceased lover, outright wondering if she should just give in to reunite with Avizandium in death.
  • Even her subsequent attempt to power through it and fly to her son sadly doesn't work, with her collapsing from pain shortly afterwards.
• Viren finally awakening from his catatonic state to see his daughter wade into the sea, a scene eerily reminiscent of one of his greatest fears from his Vision Quest.
  • Not to mention his reaction to learning that in order to continue living, he needs to sacrifice his own child. Unable to go through with this, even with the Chrysalis Child, he resigns himself to his last few hours of life, his final scene being him lying down under the night sky, a single tear from his eye.
  • Viren finally acknowledges how much his insistence on Dark Magic and ambition have damaged his family irrevocably, his daughter making enemies left and right, while his son wants nothing to do with him. He brought this all on himself, but it's hard not to feel bad for him spending his final hours full of guilt, with nowhere near enough time to make amends.
• Just how far Claudia has fallen in her desperation to save her father, going from insisting to Callum and Ezran that despite everything, she's still their Childhood Friend to threatening to murder the young king when it looks like he might know where Aaravos' prison is in the span of a few seconds. Whatever lingering friendship that existed between them is either gone, or buried under the brothers (very justified) distrust of her.
• Janai and Amaya return to the camp, both alive and well... and are greeted with the news that the Queen has been betrayed by Miyana, who not only brought the Sun Seed to Karim (rendering their prior victory moot) but a small army of Sunfire Elves ready to support her brother's rebellion. The poor couple cannot catch a break.
• Claudia's reaction to Viren deciding that he would rather let his time run out and pass on then go through with Aaravos' ritual. After Viren leaves to do just that, Claudia just... collapses into Terry's arms, wailing and sobbing. She sacrificed everything, her morals, her scruples, her friendship and bond with Ezran, Callum and Soren, in order to save her father, and as far as she now knows, it was All for Nothing.
  • To add insult to injury, the shot of her leaving the ocean reveals that Rayla cutting off one of her tentacles also cut off her left leg!

End cards

Book 1: Moon

• After Harrow's death, one ending card shows him happily sledding with his sons.
• Some fans have pointed out that a male elf who made two necklaces in the season's beginning ending card is later seen crying over a small pond in the penultimate episode's ending card. Some have even begun to speculate that he might have a romantic connection to Runaan. Even more so when this took place the same episode Runaan is turned into a coin. The third season confirms that it is Runaan's husband Ethari.
• Several end cards depict Viren with his kids- showing them magic, trying out Claudia's concoctions, being a good dad. Seeing how Viren was before the series' events, it explains why his children are so loyal- and it's heartbreaking how he's thrown it all away.
  • The credits of "Through the Ice", shows Soren looking solemnly as Claudia sits on Viren's lap as he helps her perform magic. Signifying his position as The Unfavorite.

Book 2: Sky

Book 3: Sun

• One of the illustrations at the end of Dragonguard shows a young Rayla happily playing with her parents, knowing how she regards her parents before this episode makes this heart-wrenching knowing that, at one point, she truly did have a happy relationship with her parents.

Book 4: Earth

• The credits for "Rebirthday" shows Callum reading Rayla's letter with a saddened expression.

Reflections

Inheritance

• This story reveals that following her departure in Through the Moon, Callum found it difficult to even think of Rayla's name, because it hurt too much.

The Royal Council

• The fact that Ezran mentally refers to his mother as "Queen Sarai" instead of anything more familiar like "mom", reminding us that Ezran was still a baby when she died and so, unlike his older brother, has no real recollection of her. All he has of her are his brothers stories, and her Kintsugi plates.

"Dear Callum"

• We finally learn what was in the letter Rayla left for Callum, and it is heartbreaking. Its clear throughout that she utterly adores Callum and would rather stay by his side and be with him on his birthday, but feels she can't because she loves him too much to risk his safety, and pleads with him not to hate her for leaving to hunt Viren without him.
• The final illustration is of Ezran sitting beside Callum consoling him after having read the letter.

Rise Again

• Claudia's first use of Dark Magic was to resurrect her favourite cat Biscuit - oldest of the strays that Barius had adopted - after it passed away, using its ashes as the components of the spell to resurrect it in the form of a smoky familiar so she could still play with it. This unsettled the younger Soren, who pointed out that Biscuit had a natural death after a long life, only for Claudia to brush off his concerns, happy at the chance to play with her friend once more. It's rather sad to see Claudia's good intentions behind her forays into magic study, with the systemic focus on Dark Magic gradually starting to lead her down a darker path out of selfless love for those around her. That same love also means she has immense trouble learning to let go and accept the natural order of things when her impressive magical abilities allow her to 'correct' mistakes, like her father's passing, no matter how unethical the method, even though it's also clearly started to eat deeply into her psyche and wellbeing by the time of season 4.
  • One of the justifications Claudia uses for resurrecting Biscuit is that her kittens still needed her. Though it isn't outright stated, it's implied that Claudia may be projecting her own trauma regarding her parent's divorce and her mother leaving their family onto Biscuit and the other cats.

All Storms End

• Being written from Zubeia's perspective, we get a glimpse of the Dragon Queens emotional state and its obvious why she was in an Angst Coma. Though her son has been returned to her, her grief hasn't fully subsided, and like with many bereaved spouse's, she wakes up expecting to feel her mate at her side, only to find nothing there.
  • It's also revealed she hasn't dared approach the stone remains of her mate either, which makes it all the harder for her to do so to retrieve Zym, innocently playing there in the rain.

After Darkness

• During the failed attempt to reclaim Lux Aurea, Karim saw a childhood friend of his, Osato, corrupted by the darkness which had infested the city. Despite cutting off the infected limb and trying to dispel the taint the same magic he planned to purify the sun forge with, ultimately a Katolis soldier, who was also friend's with Osato, was forced to kill him to save Karim, but rather then having solidarity with her after losing a mutual friend, Karim can only rant at her, saying she interfered and that human's have no business being in their city.
  • Karim's narration makes it clear that he was convinced it was his destiny to restore the sun forge, yet despite it being pointed out that his purification spell could not even save his friend, he remains in denial. Even before the events of Book 4 Karim's refusal to let go of the past, was already turning him against those who only wanted to help.

Deep Bellow

• During their time searching for the Siren Stone in the Arcus Vault of the Storm Spire, Ezran finds an arrow with a message, not just a regular message, but a message of his father's death. Ezran, at that moment, felt great anger that he once felt before back when he found out his father died.
• It's revealed through Pyrrah that Domina Profundis once protected all of the Ocean and was best friends with Zubeia. However, after the death of her friend, the Empress of the Deep, Domina killed her murderers before deciding to stay in the sea, while also turning back on Zubeia when she begged her not to leave.
• After hearing the story of Domina Profundis, Ezran would go back to the arrow, where he stomped on it as hard as he could before breaking it in a fit of anger.

Chasing Shadows

• Despite being two years into her pursuit of Viren, Callum was never far from Rayla's thoughts, from imagining what jokes he'd make to just generally being reminded of him for one reason or another, Rayla obviously longed to be with her mage again for quite a long time before she finally returned to Katolis.
  • It winds up effecting her at the worst time when she glimpses a red scarf while participating in an arena fight, distracting her, and costing Rayla the third victory she'd promised a fellow outcast moonshadow elf, in exchange for information.
• The entire three part story could rightfully be renamed "Rayla badly misses the love of her life", with how often her mind drifts to Callum. The sole upside is that remembering his voice is what ultimately leads to her making the choice to return to him in Book 4.

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