History Tearjerker / Starbound

** We learn this through [[spoiler:Esther Bright's journal, which contains a first-person account of Esther's reaction to Asra's rise and fall; adding the tragic AdultFear of seeing your adopted daughter grow up into a genocidal villain.]]

-->"[[spoiler:I tried to reason with her, but she WOULD NOT see sense. Her excitement became rage, incensed by my 'ignorance'. I reached out to her but she pushed me away. I pleaded with her but to no avail. She left. My Asra, my little girl, is gone.]]"

-->'''Glitch PC:''' "Sentimental. A bunk bed, not dissimilar from those at the Protectorate Academy."
-->'''Floran PC:''' "Floran would like to sssleep in bunk bed."

-->'''Hylotl PC:''' Earth. Such a small planet, yet the hole I now feel in my heart is immeasurable.

* Just listen to some of the more sad tracks like "Mira" and "Tranquility Base". Doesn't make it any less [[{{AwesomeMusic}} awesome]] though.

* It's hard to not feel some form of pity towards [[spoiler:Big Ape. Specifically, the ''original'' Big Ape, before he got {{Brain Upload|ing}}ed and his uploaded mind rewritten by Apex scientists into the 24-hour full SinisterSurveillance dictator that he is now. Most of his original personality is pretty much [[DeathOfPersonality dead and gone]], and he may not even have been a harsh dictator before he was rewritten. It's kind of a MercyKill when you have to destroy him in the Apex mission.]]

* The description of the [[https://starbounder.org/Imagination_Memorial Imagination Memorial]], a tribute from a Kickstarter backer to their departed father.

** Apex characters are probably the worst, having suffered unimaginable torture and fear at the hands of the Miniknog, only to seize a rare chance and flee their oppressive home. Somehow, they ended up in the Protectorate, a place of unimaginable freedom and found a new life in that sanctuary. They enrolled in the Academy, finding a purpose in life that could be beneficial to so many, and right on the cusp of beginning that new life of promise, of finally shedding that last vestige of their past nightmares, that new home is ripped away from them forever.

-->'''Floran PC:''' "Floran would like to sssleep in bunk bed."

-->''[[spoiler:Nothing is ever really lost to us as long as we remember it.]]''

** Almost every Protectorate-related speech - including the Codex entry on your duties as a Protector - includes a single phrase that sounds ''significantly'' HarsherInHindsight: "Wherever you may go, you will always have Earth to come home to."

* After the player [[spoiler:destroys The Ruin's heart, it explodes with the player inside, ''[[TakingYouWithMe actually killing them]]''. The reactions of your companions is just tragic as they all hang their heads down in sadness. Thank goodness the final bit of The Cultivator manages to save you, but sacrifices itself in the process]].

-->"[[spoiler:I tried to reason with her, but she WOULD NOT see sense. Her excitement became rage, incensed by my 'ignorance'. I reached out to her but she pushed me away. I pleaded with her but to no avail. She left. My Asra, my little girl, is gone.]]"

* It's hard to not feel some form of pity towards [[spoiler:Big Ape. Specifically, the ''original'' Big Ape, before he got {{Brain Upload|ing}}ed and his uploaded mind rewritten by Apex scientists into the 24-hour full SinisterSurveillance dictator that he is now. Most of his original personality is pretty much [[DeathOfPersonality dead and gone]], and he may not even have been a harsh dictator before he was rewritten. It's kind of a MercyKill when you have to destroy him in the Apex mission.]]

* It's hard to not feel some form of pity towards [[spoiler:Big Ape. Specifically, the ''original'' Big Ape, before he got {{Brain Upload|ing}}ed and his uploaded mind rewritten by Apex scientists into the current, 24-hour full surveillance dictator that he is. Most of his original personality is pretty much [[DeathOfPersonality dead and gone]], and he may not even have been a harsh dictator before he was rewritten. It's kind of a MercyKill when you have to destroy him.]]

* Big Ape. [[spoiler:Specifically, the ''original'' Big Ape, before he got {{Brain Upload|ing}}ed and his uploaded mind rewritten by Apex scientists into the current, 24-hour full surveillance dictator that he is. Most of his original personality is pretty much [[DeathOfPersonality dead and gone]], and he may not even have been a harsh dictator before he was rewritten. It's kind of a MercyKill when you have to destroy him.]]

* Big Ape. [[spoiler:Specifically, the ''original'' Big Ape, before he got BrainUploaded and his uploaded mind rewritten by Apex scientists into the current, 24-hour full surveillance dictator that he is. Most of his original personality is pretty much [[DeathOfPersonality dead and gone]], and he may not even have been a harsh dictator before he was rewritten. It's kind of a MercyKill when you have to destroy him.]]

** Almost every Protectorate-related speech - including the Codex entry on your duties as a Protector - includes a single phrase that sounds ''significantly'' HarsherInHindsight: "Wherever you may go, you will always have Earth to come home to."

* Every PC's reason for leaving their home and race behind. The Human because Earth is destroyed, the Floran and Avian because they're outcasts, Hylotl because of the Floran wars, the Apex is escaping the torture and constant surveillance, and the Glitch would likely be executed for self-awareness.

* You can find an Avian temple. At the top are two Avians who were supposed to jump off the edge. Talk to them and they say the following; "I can't do it. I... I just can't."

* Just listen to some of the more sad tracks like Mira and Tranquility Base. Doesn't make it any less [[{{AwesomeMusic}} awesome]] though.

* Just listen to some of the more sad tracks like Mira and Tranquility Base. Doesn't make it any less [[{{AwesomeMusic}} awesome]] though.

* Just listen to some of the more depressing tracks like Mira and Tranquility Base. Doesn't make it any less [[{{AwesomeMusic}} awesome]] though.

* Every PC's reason for leaving their home and race behind. The Human because Earth is destroyed, the Floran and Avian because they're outcasts, Hylotl because of the Floran wars, the Apex is escaping the torture and constant surveillance, and the Glitch would likely be executed for self-awareness.

* Every PC's reason for leaving their home and race behind. The Human because Earth is destroyed, the Floran because he/she's an outcast, the Hylotl because of the Floran wars, the Apex is escaping the torture and constant surveillance, and the Glitch would likely be executed for self-awareness.