Season 1
- In episode 3 of season 1, a boy at school with a crush on Veronica hires her to find his missing dad. Except Veronica finds out it was a lie, and his father died when he was little....except they then both find out that that was also a lie the boys mother told him to hide the fact that his father was transgender and has now transitioned and lives 90 miles away. The tearjerking part though? The kid's dad drives 90 miles every single week just to check out a DVD at the store where her son works so she can see him. The revelation and confrontation leaves things on a sour note initially, with the boy hurling transphobic insults at his dad and storming away. In the last scenes of the episode though, we see him calling her to let her know the DVD she was looking for is now available if she wants to come in and get it. Its a very touching scene for any queer viewer, seeing those tentative steps towards healing that relationship.
- The video at the end of The Wrath of Con at the dedication of Lily's memorial fountain. Instead of the schmaltzy version Celeste wants, Logan (with Veronica's help) puts together clips of Lily drinking, flashing a car, skinny-dipping, and seductively telling the camera (and audience) "You love me, don't you?" It's far more like the real Lily, and far more affecting for it. Jake goes from stoic to laughing at her behavior to absolutely sobbing at the vivid reminder of her; even Weevil tears up.
- Mac figuring out that she was switched at birth with Madison Sinclair, and getting to meet her birth mother and biological sister. The end of the episode has her birth mother tearfully pressing her hand to Mac's - even if they never explicitly say it, she knows her real daughter (especially considering how vicious Madison is) and wants to form a relationship with her.
- Veronica's meltdown in her car after Abel Koontz first calls her parentage into question.
- Logan being forced to confront the notion that his mother might really be dead in "Ruskie Business" after he and Veronica discover that the person they thought was her was actually his sister Trina. Logan breaks down crying in Veronica's arms.
- The dream sequence at the end of the first season finale:Lily: Don't forget about me, Veronica.Veronica: I could never.
- Jake Kane showing up to the crime scene having to be restrained from the Police after learning Aaron Echols killed Lilly with him continually trying to rush at him. His sob-screaming "My daughter!" over and over again as he is being arrested for obstruction of justice while a distraught Duncan and Veronica can only watch. Asshole he may be, and as learned in later seasons he really was an asshole, just watching a father still deeply in mourning over his daughter is heartrending.
Season 2
- The scene of Mac and Cassidy at the Sadie Hawkins dance with the extremely fitting lyrics "It was you who picked the pieces up when I was a broken soul, and then glued me back together, returned to me what others stole" becomes this once you've seen the second season finale.
- When Veronica tells Wallace about the night at Shelly Pomroy's party, and shows him everything she had about the Lily Kane investigation.Veronica: This is so not an "I told you so," but do you see why I kind of keep things to myself.
- Mac's interactions with her biological family.
- In "Cheatty Cheatey Bang Bang," a teacher at Veronica's school is happy about his impending early retirement which he is funding off of stocks in Casablanca's company. Veronica talks to him about investor fraud and how it can happen. She reveals to him how Casablanca has been driving up his company's stock by making things look bigger (his "$60 million resort" is a crappy beachside hotel) and the whole thing is going to collapse. She urges him to sell his stocks but he soberly says that he'd just be sticking someone else with the bill and can't live with it. Veronica leaves him as he sadly takes down the photo of the sailboat he was planning to buy to enjoy his retirement.
- The season 2 Cassidy's suicide in "Not Pictured." Especially the moment when Logan tells him not to do it, causing Cassidy to turn around and loudly ask 'why not', to which Logan has no answer. As Cassidy jumps, all Logan can do is just stand there.
- Neptune High's graduation, when Lamb comes to arrest Weevil. In the middle of the ceremony, in front of everyone. Weevil actually begs Lamb to wait ten minutes, until after the ceremony. Lamb (true to character) doesn't, and actually seems to enjoy the pain and humiliation he's inflicting. And we've seen how hard Weevil has worked to earn his diploma, and how he's doing it for his grandmother, and it only twists the knife that much more.
- Logan ruins his relationship with his secret half-brother and ends up telling Veronica "You know what you have with your dad? I've never had that."
Season 3
- Dick's What Have I Done moments in season 3. He breaks down while yelling at his dad about how badly they both treated Cassidy, saying he sometimes can barely live with himself and often wonders if he's responsible for everything his brother did. Later he drunkenly tells Logan about an incident when Cassidy was 10 where he left him tied to his bike for hours riding around in circles. He can barely stop from crying in shame.
The Movie
- In the Movie, Deputy Sacks talking to Keith about his Heel Realization. You can tell he's pretty guilt-ridden over the realization of what he's contributed to. And then he is killed moments later.
Season 4
- Veronica admits to Nicole that she bugged her office, trying to determine if she might be the Neptune bomber. To Nicole, this is a betrayal of trust, and Nicole offers no second chances, telling Veronica to get out. Hits all the harder because their friendship had been one of the few bright spots for both of them throughout season four.
- The finale of Season 4, as Veronica and Logan finally do get married, only for Logan to die in a car bombing meant for Veronica in the very next scene afterwards, set by Penn in vengeance.
