History Heartwarming / Watchmen

* Probably an odd one, but I always get a little emotional reading Rorschach [[spoiler: begging Dr. Manhattan to kill him]], because he knows that he [[spoiler:if he survives]], his nature demands that he expose the truth about [[spoiler:Ozymandias' {{plan}}]].

** His [[strike: mask]] [[TheFaceless face]] ''smiles''. It ''smiles''.

*** My brother thoughtfully suggested that these scenes before all the destruction was a possible refutation to Ozymandias' pessimistic belief that humanity would be doomed to destroy itself without outside intervention.
* For this troper, easily the biggest is Nite Owl and Silk Spectre saving a bunch of people from a burning building. An incredible release to see that even in ''Watchmen'''s {{Crapsack World}}, there's still room for self-proclaimed heroes to perform pure, unambiguous acts of heroism.

** I think what stops Rorschach in his tracks is the fact that he identifies himself with the children at that point. His mother was a prostitute, he had a miserable life about it. The fact that his landlady's children don't know yet, that they are sheltered from it, is what stops him. His mom being a prostitute, and him being aware, is what contributed him to being Rorschach. By backing down, doesn't Rorschack offer these kids a better life than he had? (They'll find out anyway, but at least it's not him who broke it to them).
** Also, as the landlady says this, she is hugging two of her children, trying to comfort them as the scary man confronts her. I somehow doubt Rorcharch's mom was much of a hugger.

* A little quote from Rorschach (funny how he keeps making it into this entry): "Nothing is hopeless - not while there's life"

* In Watchmen, after Dr. Manhattan gives his speech about how miraculous human life is, his ship lands on a giant smiley face on Mars. The fact that there actually is a smiley face on Mars makes it especially heartwarming.
* Rorschach's awkward little handshake with Nite Owl, along with his admission that he's a difficult man to know, was so unexpected and nice that it made this troper almost {{squee}}.

** Before that scene, Nite Owl's BerserkButton gets pressed when he is informed of his predecessor's death. When he starts beating up the guy who breaks the news and curses at him, Rorschach (the guy who regularly beats people up at the bar they were in regularly) tells him to calm down, reminding Nite Owl "Not in front of civilians". This kinda shows (aside from a bit of HypocriticalHumor) that Rorschach isn't willing to beat people up for no reason and supposedly has a limit of sorts to his brutality.

** His [[strike: mask]] [[BecomingTheMask face]] ''smiles''. It ''smiles''.

* Meta-example: While AlanMoore hated the idea of the upcoming prequel ''ComicBook/BeforeWatchmen'', Dave Gibbons was more open to it. The heartwarming part is that he actually wished them well, and hopes it will be successful.

** Or it could be treated as CassandraTruth, given [[spoiler:how outlandish Ozymandias' plan is (Nite-Owl takes a ''long'' time to consider its conceivability, even as he sees it in action, and he is arguably the closest to a normal person in this story), and how fractured Rorschach's psyche has become over the years - people could simply write it off as another of his conspiracy theories.]]

* Probably an odd one, but I always get a little emotional reading Rorschach [[spoiler: begging Dr. Manhattan to kill him]], because he knows that he [[spoiler:if he survives]], his nature demands that he expose the truth about [[spoiler:Ozymandiaz's {{plan}}]].

* Another Rorschach one: When Daniel and Rorschach [[spoiler: go to retrieve Rorschach's spare mask]], and he calls his landlady a whore to her face. She responds, "Oh, please, don't say that in front of my kids... please, they... they don't know." and he doesn't press it any further. Again, basic human decency for most, but a Crowning Moment for [[HeroicSociopath Rorschach]].

* HeroicSociopath Rorschach thanks Nite Owl for being his friend and apologizes for being such a pain.

!!Film

* A little quote from Rorschach (funny how he keeps making it into this entry): "Nothing is hopeless - not while there's life"

* Probably an odd one, but I always get a little emotional reading Rorschach [[spoiler: begging Dr. Manhattan to kill him]], because he knows that he [[spoiler:if he survives]], his nature demands that he expose the truth about [[spoiler:Ozymandiaz's XanatosGambit]].

*** In fact, I think that [[spoiler:they were reaching out to shield each other from the explosion.]] Pure selflessness in the face of the villain's most inhuman act.

* Meta-example: While AlanMoore hated the idea of the upcoming prequel ''BeforeWatchmen'', Dave Gibbons was more open to it. The heartwarming part is that he actually wished them well, and hopes it will be successful.

* A little quote from Rorschach (funny how he keeps making it into this entry): "Nothing is hopeless - Not while there's life"

* Meta-example: While AlanMoore hated the idea of the upcoming prequel ''BeforeWatchmen'', Dave Gibbons was more open to it. The heartwarming part is that he actually wished them well, and hopes it will be sucessful.

* Meta-example: While AlanMoore hated the idea of the upcoming prequel BeforeWatchmen, Dave Gibbons was more open to it. The heartwarming part is that he actually wished them well, and hopes it will be sucessful.

* {{Meta}}-example: While AlanMoore hated the idea of the upcoming prequel BeforeWatchmen, Dave Gibbons was more open to it. The heartwarming part is that he actually wished them well, and hopes it will be sucessful.

* Probably an odd one, but I always get a little emotional reading Rorschach [[spoiler: begging Dr. Manhattan to kill him]], because he knows that he [[spoiler:if he survives]], his nature demands that he expose the truth about [[spoiler:Ozymandiaz's XanatosGambit]].

For a comic book that is reputed to be a [[DarkerAndEdgier hopelessly]] [[SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism cynical]] {{Deconstruction}} of the superhero genre, ''{{Watchmen}}'' is still heartwarming in places:

** I think what stops Rorschach in his tracks is the fact that he identifies himself with the children at that point. His mother was a prostitute, he had a miserable life about it. The fact that his land ladies' children don't know yet, that they are sheltered from it, is what stops him. His mom being a prositute, and him being aware, is what contributed him to being Rorschack. By backing down, doesn't Rorschack offer these kids a better life than he had? (They'll find out anyway, but at least it's not him who broke it to them).

* For a comic book that is reputed to be a [[DarkerAndEdgier hopelessly]] [[SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism cynical]] {{Deconstruction}} of the superhero genre, ''{{Watchmen}}'' is still heartwarming in places:
** The soliloquy from Dr Manhattan at the end of Chapter Nine:

** [[spoiler:Laurie and Daniel]] falling in love.
** HeroicSociopath Rorschach thanks Nite Owl for being his friend and apologizes for being such a pain.
*** His [[strike: mask]] [[BecomingTheMask face]] ''smiles''. It ''smiles''.
*** It's made so much more heartwarming by his awkward phrasing and body language throughout. Even for someone who tends to speak without articles in his sentences, it's clear he's having difficulty saying what he wants to say. And that just makes it so much more powerful when he says it, because it's just as clear that he's not a naturally friendly person, but he's really trying to make a gesture for Dan.
** Just as [[spoiler:Ozymandias' plan is revealed]], we see a group of normal people attempting to stop one stranger from beating another. Two of the people rushing to help are encouraged by the person they're with to just leave it and not interfere in others' problems, but both reject the idea, noting that they refuse to see the pain and troubles of the world and do nothing about it. Of course, [[spoiler:the heartwarming moment is interrupted by the horrifying culmination of Ozymandias' plan]].

**** My brother thoughtfully suggested that these scenes before all the destruction was a possible refutation to Ozymandias' pessimistic belief that humanity would be doomed to destroy itself without outside intervention.
** For this troper, easily the biggest is Nite Owl and Silk Spectre saving a bunch of people from a burning building. An incredible release to see that even in ''Watchmen'''s {{Crapsack World}}, there's still room for self-proclaimed heroes to perform pure, unambiguous acts of heroism.
** Another Rorschach one: When Daniel and Rorschach [[spoiler: go to retrieve Rorschach's spare mask]], and he calls his landlady a whore to her face. She responds, "Oh, please, don't say that in front of my kids... please, they... they don't know." and he doesn't press it any further. Again, basic human decency for most, but a Crowning Moment for [[HeroicSociopath Rorschach]].
*** I think what stops Rorschach in his tracks is the fact that he identifies himself with the children at that point. His mother was a prostitute, he had a miserable life about it. The fact that his land ladies' children don't know yet, that they are sheltered from it, is what stops him. His mom being a prositute, and him being aware, is what contributed him to being Rorschack. By backing down, doesn't Rorschack offer these kids a better life than he had? (They'll find out anyway, but at least it's not him who broke it to them).
----> Also, as the landlady says this, she is hugging two of her children, trying to comfort them as the scary man confronts her. I somehow doubt Rorcharch's mom was much of a hugger.
*** What makes it [[TearJerker heartbreaking]] is the [[http://i44.tinypic.com/256eav5.png look]] on Rorschach's usually expressionless face.
** After the original Nite Owl has been beaten to death over a case of mistaken identity, Dan is distraught. Rorschach comments impassively that the killing might have something to do with the mysterious deaths of other costumes that have occurred recently. Dan angrily demands why Rorschach can't just let his conspiracy theory lie. Rorschach, still impassive, remarks "Merely suggesting that by finding mask killer, can have revenge for Mason's death. Was meant to comfort you." Okay, it's still a more-than-a-little sociopathic, but considering that it's Rorschach, and that he clearly cares about Dan's feelings and wants to comfort him, it's still strangely heart-warming.
** [[TheSpock Doctor Manhattan]] ''smiling'' when [[spoiler: [[IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy he sees Laurie happy with Daniel]].]]
** Adrian Veidt's Vietnamese servants talking to the interviewer. "He is not one of your pop music stars. He does not inject drugs, or treat young women badly. Make sure you say that."
** Probably an odd one, but I always get a little emotional reading Rorschach [[spoiler: begging Dr. Manhattan to kill him]], because he knows that he [[spoiler:if he survives]], his nature demands that he expose the truth about [[spoiler:Ozymandiaz's XanatosGambit]].

** Probably an odd one, but I always get a little emotional reading Rorschach [[soiler: begging Dr. Manhattan to kill him]], because he knows that he [[spoiler:if he survives]], his nature demands that he expose the truth about [[spoiler:Ozymandiaz's XanatosGambit]].

** Adrian Veidt's Vietnamese servants talking to the interviewer. "He is not one of your pop music stars. He does not inject drugs, or treat young women badly. Make sure you say that."