History Heartwarming / Stellaris

* A certain outcome of the Underground Vault event. Should you choose to do so, your scientists will open it...and find nothing, save for the dead bodies of those who sealed themselves inside, unwittingly unleash a ZombieApocalypse that you'll have fight off, or [[TakeAThirdOption/ actual, living people in there]], who managed to not only survive the apocalypse that destroyed their planet, but ''thrive''. And you can choose to help them rebuild their lost civilization. That's right, if you so choose, you can literally be a savior descended from the stars to aid a once-great civilization in restoring their former glory.

* The whole of the "Three-Year Anniversary" trailer, which stresses the wonder and potential of the galaxy rather than it's horrors, including a shot of aliens receiving and caring for human refugees (implied to be from the UNE).

* The [[Creator/RutgerHauer "Hauer"]] system always contains a special archaeological dig site that your civilization can excavate regardless of DLC.

** And alternate ending if you lack the ability to bring them back is hand them over to one of the Fallen Empires, who revive them in the Preserves.

* A Psionic empire that manages to communicate with the Prethoryn (and then learn their exact motivations) can invoke a little Heartwarming if they capture and tame a queen, since they [[spoiler: just saved a species of InvadingRefugees from extinction]] by taming the last hive leader in known space, adopting the creature into their own psychic community. Segues into Awesome when that queen repays her debt by fighting alongside you with her brood. As of Ancient Relics [[spoiler: the queen becomes a Relic]] you can use to breed more fleets of them. Congratulations, you've tamed the species and given them a new home.

* A Psionic empire that manages to communicate with the Prethoryn (and then learn their exact motivations) can invoke a little Heartwarming if they capture and tame a queen, since they [[spoiler: just saved a species of InvadingRefugees from extinction]] by taming the last hive leader in known space, adopting the creature into their own psychic community. Segues into Awesome when that queen repays her debt by fighting alongside you with her brood.

** They are basically the [[Literature/{{Foundation}} Encyclopaedia Galactica Foundation]].

* 'Precursor' playthroughs where the player turns off all the starting AI Empires (except Marauders and Fallen Empires), maxes out the time until the Endgame Crisis (while also maximizing the strength of that Crisis), and maxes out the number of primitive civilizations. Why? The potential to be the BigGood of the galaxy as vastly more primitive interstellar empires emerge, where ''you'' can be the BenevolentPrecursor to an ''entire galaxy''. Bonus points if you uplift multiple primitive civilizations. Take [[TheCavalry Defender of the Galaxy]], form a [[TheAlliance Federation]], and generally be the species that shelters fledgling civilizations from the likes of [[SpacePirates Marauders]] and other threats.

* In another anomaly your Science Ship can find a wrecked alien ship floating through space and discover that there are still survivors inside. [[GoodSamaritan You can]] [[BigDamnHeroes rescue them]], and as a result you meet their Empire AND receive a temporary +25 opinion bonus with that Empire for saving their crew from certain death.
** Even if the empire whose people you saved is a [[VillainRespect Fanatic Purifier]].

--> Event Description: "[[TheExile These unfortunate outcasts]] were forcefully expelled from their homes by the [persecuting empire] authorities. They have been travelling from system to system since then, in a desperate attempt to find a new home before the last of their dwindling supplies were used up."
--> You: "[[PetTheDog They are welcome here.]]"

---

--> '''Purifiers''': When I talk to you, I almost forget I'm talking to an alien. Almost.

* The 'Lost Juvenile' event added by the Distant Stars expansion. One of your science ships happens upon a lost space amoeba calf, which then imprints onto your science ship. If you let it follow you for long enough it eventually grows into a loyal space amoeba, with negligible power, but the same event that gives you the chance to name it also informs you that it is adored by your populace and seen as the unofficial mascot of your empire.

* The 'Lost Juvenile' event added by the Distant Stars expansion. One of your science ships happens upon a lost space amoeba calf, which then imprints onto your science ship. If you let it follow you for long enough it eventually grows into a loyal space amoeba, with negligible power, but the same event that gives you the chance to name it also informs you that it is adored by your populace and seen as the unofficial mascot of your empire.

* If your empire holds an Egalitarian ethic, you meet an Authoritarian empire who has a slave species of a race that evolved with them, and the slave race successfully revolts, the new free race may contact you and say that they admire your egalitarian ways, calling it '[your dominant race] way', and willingly ask to join your empire.

* In one anomaly your Science Ship can come across is an alien escape pod. If you investigate it you'll a mummified alien corpse ... clutching a picture of possibly [[DyingDeclarationOfLove it's mate]] or [[UndyingLoyalty a revered leader]].

** They are basically the [[Literature/{{Foundation}} Encyclopaedia Galactica Foundation]].

** The Contingency, ironically, has the potential to double the joy of this moment: [[spoiler: if the Ancient Caretakers manage to block out the Ghost Signal and Awaken, they will remember their full, true directives, that the very thing whose MindRape they just fought off is what their Custodian Project was built to protect organic life from. Enter the Final Defense Grid, and it's now ''two'' BenevolentPrecursors on the field standing tall and sheltering the younger races under their wings, rejoining society once the dust settles.]]

** Organics under their care live in sanctuaries which, given the right traditions, can be upgraded to organic paradises: [[DomedCity domed megacities]] with perfect climate and weather control. Even their standard settlements provide near-perfect living conditions and carefree lives. With the right settings, you can even allow the organics to breed and relocate as much as they want.

*** 'Bit of travelling' nothing - enable the right policies they can straight up emigrate to other worlds within the empire and breed to their heart's content, something a peace-loving servitor will want to encourage to increase the servitor morale bonus.

** Try to talk to a Rogue Servitor while playing as Determined Exterminators? You might be a machine like them, but in their eyes, you are nothing but an unrepentant '''''[[SuddenlyShouting >>MURDERER<<]]''''' who is out to commit genocide. If you so much as ''look'' at their precious masters funny, they will reduce you to spare parts without a shred of guilt in their processors.