History TearJerker / BatmanTheAnimatedSeries

* As much as it is Narm, Joker mourning Captain Clown.
-->" You killed Captain Clown... You ''killed'' Captain Clown!!"

--->'''Freeze:''' I failed you. I wish there were another way for me to say it. I cannot. I can only beg your forgiveness. (''voice breaks as he starts to cry'') And pray you hear me somehow, some place... [[TogetherInDeath someplace where a warm hand waits for mine.]] (''lowers his head despairingly as Batman sympathetically watches in through the window from a nearby rooftop'')

'''Freeze:''' (''nods'') Think of it, Batman. To never again walk on a summer's day with the hot wind in your face and a warm hand to hold... oh, yes... I'd ''kill'' for that.

* "[[Recap/TheNewBatmanAdventuresE17OldWounds Old Wounds]]" is one of the worse tearjerkers in the DCAU as it shows the events leading up to Dick's split from Bruce/Batman. The worst part is if you go back and watch the series from the beginning, you can actually see their relationship slowly break down over time due not only to the clash in their personalities and ideologies, but also Bruce's growing obsession and struggle with his own inner darkness. Truth be told, by the time Dick returns to moonlight in Gotham as Nightwing, he's NotSoDifferent from Bruce, but it's too late to salvage any relationship they had and he's mostly seen working with Tim and Barbara or else on his own, and then ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'' reveals that Bruce and Dick ''never'' truly reconcile, and while the elderly Bruce will occasionally reminisce about past adventures with Barbara and Tim, he ''never'' talks about Dick.

[[caption-width-right:350:[[TragicVillain I can only beg your forgiveness, and pray you hear me somehow. Someplace...]] ''[[TragicVillain someplace where a warm hand waits for mine.]]'']]

--->'''Freeze:''' I failed you. I wish there were another way for me to say it. I cannot. I can only beg your forgiveness. (''voice breaks as he starts to cry'') And pray you hear me somehow, someplace... [[TogetherInDeath someplace where a warm hand waits for mine.]] (''lowers his head despairingly as Batman sympathetically watches in through the window from a nearby rooftop'')

'''Batman:''' That suit you wear--a result of the coolant?\\

'''Freeze:''' ''[nods]'' Think of it, Batman. To never again walk on a summer's day with the hot wind in your face and a warm hand to hold...oh, yes...I'd ''kill'' for that.
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VfVTWGwLFo The ending]], where Freeze tearfully apologizes to the small dancing doll that represents Nora in his Arkham cell for not being able to save her or avenge her apparent death at the hands of Boyle.
--->'''Freeze:''' I failed you. I wish there were another way for me to say it. I cannot. I can only beg your forgiveness and pray you hear me somehow, someplace... someplace where a warm hand waits for mine.

** What makes it even worse is that, in this episode specifically, Freeze's wife Nora was meant to be dead already. Due to censorship reasons, the producers weren't allowed to state this, but it was implied in how Freeze acts. He doesn't act like a man trying to save someone, rather trying to get vengeance for something he's lost. In later episodes, it was revealed that Nora survived, with adaptations like ''Film/BatmanAndRobin'' and ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamCity'' taking the route that says Freeze is committing crimes to fund research to save Nora, which adds a light at the end of the tunnel of sorts for Freeze. But in "Heart of Ice"? She's already dead. If you've never considered that before, re-watch the episode and listen to everything Freeze says. He talks about the pain of loss, how it feels to lose something so dear to you. And just to hammer the point home, scroll up and read the quote under the image one more time, and consider that Nora is dead, and Freeze is talking about the afterlife. God dammit, that's painful.

* The show's re-imagining of Jervis Tetch/Mad Hatter. In the comics and [[Series/Batman1966 Adam West series]], he was a gimmicky villain with an ''[[Literature/AlicesAdventuresInWonderland Alice in Wonderland]]'' theme. Here, he's depicted as a lonely genius who's developing MindControl technology for a science company run by a BadBoss who treats him like dirt. Tetch falls hard for Alice, a secretary at the company [[BecauseYouWereNiceToMe who's the only one to treat him pleasantly]], [[AllLoveIsUnrequited but she has a boyfriend named Billy]]. Jervis refuses to infringe on their relationship... but when she has a fight with Billy, [[HopeSpot he sees his chance]]. He plans to woo Alice, but decides that she would never fall for someone like him; he instead develops the Hatter persona to impress her, giving her a grand night on the town (albeit toeing the MoralEventHorizon by using his technology to brainwash people, thus creating the illusion that he's a wealthy society gentleman). Unfortunately, he is shut down when Billy comes back into the picture with an apology and a proposal. Enraged, Tetch crosses the MEH firmly by mind-controlling Billy into breaking off the engagement, then abducting and brainwashing Alice. He's eventually bested by Batman in an Alice in Wonderland theme park. Then, as Tetch is lying beneath the [[ItMakesSenseInContext claws of the Jabberwock]], he's ''forced to watch'' as [[KickThemWhileTheyAreDown Alice (who can't even bear to look at Tetch anymore) runs into Billy's arms]], moaning out very softly...

** The scene where Batman [[ExplainExplainOhCrap tells Lloyd’s ex-wife Helen what’s going on, which makes her realize who “Mojo” really is]], which makes her run into her house to check on Kimberly, [[AdultFear only to find to her horror that’s it’s too late. The window to Kimberly’s room is wide open, and Kimberly is gone]]. Helen desperately crying out her daughter’s name before breaking down in tears in gut-wrenching.

'''Freeze:''' ''[nods]'' Think of it, Batman. To never again walk on a summer's day with the hot wind in your face and a warm hand to hold. Oh, yes... I'd ''kill'' for that.

** When Mr. Freeze accidentally blasts one of his mooks in the legs with his cold gun, he orders his other henchmen to leave him behind. The other underlings protest he is one of them, but Freeze threatens to kill them if they don't hurry up and leave. The other mooks are visibly heartbroken as they leave, with the man tearfully begging them not to go. Fortunately, Batman thaws him out and saves his legs.

** When Mr. Freeze accidentally blasts one of his mooks in the legs with his cold gun, he orders his other mooks to leave him behind. The other mooks protest he is one of them, but Freeze threatens to kill them if they don't hurry up and leave. The other mooks are visibly heartbroken as they leave, with the man tearfully begging them not to go. Fortunately, Batman thaws him out and saves his legs.

'''Harley:''' ...circus. He said it was the circus.\\
'''Batman:''' He's got a million of them, Harley.\\

*** And this IS (was) the last time Harvey Dent appears in the entire DCAU, aside from an alternate universe version, leaving the viewer with the impression that he spent the rest of his life in that cell, saying nothing else.

* "[[Recap/BatmanTheAnimatedSeriesE14HeartOfIce Heart of Ice]]":

* The show's re-imagining of Jervis Tetch/Mad Hatter. In the comics and [[Series/{{Batman}} Adam West series]], he was a gimmicky villain with an ''[[Literature/AlicesAdventuresInWonderland Alice in Wonderland]]'' theme. Here, he's depicted as a lonely genius who's developing MindControl technology for a science company run by a BadBoss who treats him like dirt. Tetch falls hard for Alice, a secretary at the company [[BecauseYouWereNiceToMe who's the only one to treat him pleasantly]], [[AllLoveIsUnrequited but she has a boyfriend named Billy]]. Jervis refuses to infringe on their relationship... but when she has a fight with Billy, [[HopeSpot he sees his chance]]. He plans to woo Alice, but decides that she would never fall for someone like him; he instead develops the Hatter persona to impress her, giving her a grand night on the town (albeit toeing the MoralEventHorizon by using his technology to brainwash people, thus creating the illusion that he's a wealthy society gentleman). Unfortunately, he is shut down when Billy comes back into the picture with an apology and a proposal. Enraged, Tetch crosses the MEH firmly by mind-controlling Billy into breaking off the engagement, then abducting and brainwashing Alice. He's eventually bested by Batman in an Alice in Wonderland theme park. Then, as Tetch is lying beneath the [[ItMakesSenseInContext claws of the Jabberwock]], he's ''forced to watch'' as [[KickThemWhileTheyAreDown Alice (who can't even bear to look at Tetch anymore) runs into Billy's arms]], moaning out very softly...

** For that matter, even though she escaped at the end of the episode "House and Garden," where she tried to have some kind of a family and normal life (even though it was all a fake) left you feeling [[SympathyFortheDevil some pity for Pamela]].

*** And this IS the last time Harvey Dent appears in the entire DCAU, aside from an alternate universe version, leaving the viewer with the impression that he spent the rest of his life in that cell, saying nothing else.

** And this setting could have provided the perfect opening for ''ComicBook/{{Shazam}}''[='=]s Mr. Tawky Tawny in the DCAU; a tiger man who refused to surrender to Tygrus' despair and sought out human society.

*** Taken even darker in "[[Recap/TheAdventuresOfBatmanAndRobinE3Trial Trial]]" where he admitted that if he couldn't have her, [[IfICantHaveYou he would as soon kill her]]. When that confession is compared with his early remark about refusing to even ''consider'' brainwashing Alice, we realize just how far Tetch has gone.

--->'''Freeze:''' You want to live like this? Abandoned and alone? A prisoner in a world you can see, but never touch? Old and infirm as you are, I'd trade a thousand of my frozen years for your worst day.
*** In "[[Recap/TheNewBatmanAdventuresE3ColdComfort Cold Comfort]]," Freeze finally lives his dream of Nora being revived, except at this point he's a complete shell of his former self, thinks himself too much of a freak to reveal himself to her, and can only watch from the shadows as his former wife (possibly an amnesiac at this point) falls in love with her doctor; all of this shatters any humanity he had left.

** When Mr. Freeze accidentally blasts one of his mooks in the legs with his cold gun, he orders his other mooks to leave him behind. The other mooks protest he is one of them, but Mr. Freeze threatens to kill them if they don't hurry up and leave. The other mooks are visibly heartbroken as they leave, with the man tearfully begging them not to go. Fortunately, Batman thaws him out and saves his legs.
** The scene where Batman himself is ''horrified'' when [[spoiler:he finds the video recording that tells him (and the viewers) how Victor Fries became Mr. Freeze via CorruptCorporateExecutive]].
** The "summer's day" speech, and the conversation between Bruce and Victor leading up to it.
--->'''Mr. Freeze:''' The snow is beautiful, don't you think? Clean, uncompromising...\\

'''Mr. Freeze:''' Like the swift hand of vengeance.\\

'''Mr. Freeze:''' I'm beyond emotions. They've been frozen ''dead'' in me.\\
'''Batman:''' That suit you wear -- a result of the coolant?\\
'''Mr. Freeze:''' Very good. A detective to the last. I can no longer survive outside a sub-zero environment. Tonight, I mean to pay back the man who ruined my life. ''Our'' lives...\\

'''Mr. Freeze:''' (''nods'') Think of it, Batman. To never again walk on a summer's day with the hot wind in your face and a warm hand to hold. Oh, yes... I'd ''kill'' for that.
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VfVTWGwLFo The ending]], where [[spoiler:Freeze tearfully apologizes to the small dancing doll that represents Nora in his Arkham cell -- for not being able to save her, nor avenge her apparent death at the hands of Boyle]].
--->'''Freeze''': I failed you. I wish there were another way for me to say it. I cannot. I can only beg your forgiveness, and pray you hear me somehow, someplace... someplace where a warm hand waits for mine.

** Easily one of the most gut-wrenching parts is the shot that comes after this, just before the credits. We zoom out of Freeze in his cell, and see Batman standing on an adjacent building, watching him silently. He doesn't say anything, simply because there's nothing that you can say about this situation. It's nothing but a tragedy.
** What makes it even worse is that in this episode specifically, [[spoiler:Freeze's wife Nora was meant to be dead already. Due to censorship reasons they weren't allowed to state this, but it was implied in how Freeze acts. He doesn't act like a man trying to save someone, rather trying to get vengeance for something he's lost. In later episodes it was revealed that Nora survived, with adaptations like 'Batman & Robin' and 'Arkham City' taking the route that says Freeze is committing crimes to fund research to save Nora, which adds a light at the end of the tunnel of sorts for Freeze. But in 'Heart Of Ice'? She's already dead. If you've never considered that before, rewatch the episode and listen to everything Freeze says. He talks about the pain of loss, how it feels to lose something so dear to you. And just to hammer the point home, scroll up and read the quote under the image one more time, and consider that Nora is dead, and Freeze is talking about the afterlife.]] God dammit, that's painful.
* The show's SignatureScene in "[[Recap/BatmanTheAnimatedSeriesE3NothingToFear Nothing to Fear]]", which acts as a codifier for the entire series. Bruce, as Batman, is exposed to the Scarecrow's fear toxin and, while hanging for his life from a blimp, sees a vision of his dead father, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xbbpH-20ak which he rejects]]. It's a SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome and surprisingly moving.
--> '''Vision of Thomas Wayne:''' Bruce...you are a ''disgrace''. \\

** And consider this -- we have the caped crusader, [[DeathByOriginStory robbed of his childhood]], comforting an actress [[CantGrowUp who can't escape hers]].

** In the original ending of "[[Recap/TheAdventuresOfBatmanAndRobinE11BabyDoll Baby-Doll]]", Batman would have shed a tear while comforting Baby Doll before handing her over her to the police. They cut it because [[ExecutiveMeddling DC said Batman doesn't cry.]]
* "[[Recap/TheNewBatmanAdventuresE8GrowingPains Growing Pains]]," where Robin helps a scared amnesiac girl named Annie run away from a super-strong man. Turns out the man is Clayface, and she's actually ''a part of him'' that he's trying to have merge back with him.
** Robin's reaction to this reveal; he tells Annie he's going to save her. Her response is, "Save what? I'm not real." Just then despairing resignation in her voice, and Robin's vehement denials that she ''is'' real.
** Clayface succeeds in absorbing Annie when she tackles him to save Robin. Robin can only watch, and then threaten Clayface with lethal solvents to bring her back. Clayface reveals he can't, which means he effectively murdered his child.
-->'''Gotham Policeman:''' We'll book him on the robberies and B & E, right? Anything else?
-->'''Robin:''' Yeah. ''Murder''.
** It was worse if you actually read the comics at the time. At that point, Tim Drake/Robin was still early in his solo series, and he had a LoveInterest his age for whom Annie was a dead ringer, and who had a similar name. For someone watching who thought the show was bringing her from the comics to the screen, the ending is an even ''bigger'' shock.
* Really, ''Batman: TAS'' was very good at this. Other especially sad episodes include "[[Recap/BatmanTheAnimatedSeriesE27MadAsAHatter Mad as a Hatter]]," "[[Recap/BatmanTheAnimatedSeriesE52Mudslide Mudslide]]," "[[Recap/TheAdventuresOfBatmanAndRobinE5HouseAndGarden House & Garden]]," "[[Recap/TheAdventuresOfBatmanAndRobinE19DeepFreeze Deep Freeze]]," "[[Recap/BatmanTheAnimatedSeriesE62HisSiliconSoul His Silicon Soul]]," and "Robin's Reckoning." Additionally, it is very hard to think of a character on the show who '''doesn't''' have a {{backstory}} that's ''really'' sad. Except Riddler, ''maybe''.
** Riddler doesn't seem too tragic a character at first, but WordOfGod and background information outside his on-screen appearances makes him very sympathetic and pitiable. Extremely intelligent and frankly quite an oddball, he was always a social outcast, but hoped to make something of himself by utilizing his intellect in designing a hugely successful video game... only for his [[CorruptCorporateExecutive greedy boss]] to cheat him out of the credit for it and fire him when he tried to sue. Is it really any wonder the Riddler sought revenge? And then there's his [[ChronicVillainy obsession with outsmarting Batman that pushes him back into villainy after an attempted reform]].
** As it stands, there are perhaps four villains -- Sewer King, Dr. Emile Dorian (detailed below), Firefly (since he crossed into the MoralEventHorizon early on), and the Joker -- that don't have a terribly sad backstory.
*** But the Joker [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_vtn_gv1QM#t=1m58s does speak of his abusive father]]. [[spoiler:[[MultipleChoicePast Too bad]] [[UnreliableNarrator he's probably lying]].]] He ''might'' have a tragic backstory... but he's gone through so [[UnreliableNarrator darn many of them]], no one [[CryingWolf would believe him if he told the truth]]. Which, in itself, is actually kind of sad.

* The show's reimagining of Jervis Tetch, who becomes the Mad Hatter. In the comics and [[Series/{{Batman}} Adam West series]], he was a gimmicky villain with an ''[[Literature/AlicesAdventuresInWonderland Alice in Wonderland]]'' theme. Here, he's depicted as a lonely genius who's developing MindControl technology for a science company run by a BadBoss who treats him like dirt. Tetch falls hard for Alice, a secretary at the company [[BecauseYouWereNiceToMe who's the only one to treat him pleasantly]], [[AllLoveIsUnrequited but she has a boyfriend named Billy]]. Jervis refuses to infringe on their relationship... but when she has a fight with Billy, [[HopeSpot he sees his chance]]. He plans to woo Alice, but decides that she would never fall for someone like him; he instead develops the Hatter persona to impress her, giving her a grand night on the town (albeit toeing the MoralEventHorizon by using his technology to brainwash people, thus creating the illusion that he's a wealthy society gentleman). Unfortunately, he is shut down when Billy comes back into the picture with an apology and a proposal. Enraged, Tetch crosses the MEH firmly [[spoiler:by mind-controlling her beau into breaking off the engagement, then abducting and brainwashing her. He's eventually bested by Batman in an Alice in Wonderland theme park. Then, as Tetch is lying beneath the [[ItMakesSenseInContext claws of the Jabberwock]], he's ''forced to watch'' as [[KickThemWhileTheyAreDown Alice (who can't even bear to look at Tetch anymore) runs into Billy's arms]], moaning out very softly...]]
-->'''Tetch/Hatter:''' [[MeaningfulEcho Would not, could not]] -- [[MeaningfulEcho would not, could not... oh, could not join the dance]].
** Somehow make even sadder by the final shot of the weeping Mock Turtle statue.
** What makes it worse is that we get to ''see'' Tetch's mental breakdown over the whole situation. At the beginning of the episode, he admits that, from a sensible perspective, his interest in Alice is wrong and that he should let her go... but he simply ''can't''. When he briefly brags that his mind control devices could easily make her forget Billy, he stops himself and remarks that brainwashing her in that way would be cruel -- ''"That would reduce her to a soulless shell... no. Not my Alice"''. Unfortunately, the combination of briefly believing that he finally has a shot, using his devices on actual human subjects, and being rejected again breaks his mind. By the end of the episode, he's completely reversed his previous position and become a violent, obsessive psychopath deeply in denial, blaming Batman for what's happened to Alice.

--->'''Batman:''' Then all you've waited for is a ''puppet!'' (''Tetch briefly hesitates'') A soulless little doll!

---->'''Dini''': With the Hatter, I made somebody who is technologically brilliant, but who lives in this dream world and was probably ridiculed as a kid; everybody used to call him names because he looked geeky and looked like the Mad Hatter. [[AppropriatedAppelation He actually had a poster of the Mad Hatter up]]. He liked ''Alice in Wonderland''. When he came up with a way of controlling people, suddenly, they were able to do his will, and he loved it, and he was able to bring his fantasies of Wonderland and living happily ever after to life. But the main reason he did it was he was in love with somebody, and he didn't want to use that power to control her because he knew that he'd lose her, but ultimately, he had to. [[JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope That drove him over the edge and drove him crazy]], so there's an element of sorrow to that character -- unrequited love taken to the nth degree.

* Dick's farewell to his circus friends in "[[Recap/BatmanTheAnimatedSeriesE32RobinsReckoningPart1 Robin's Reckoning: Part 1]]" has always brought tears to Creator/BruceTimm's eyes. While Dick's parents' death is pretty strong, what's ''really'' strong is Bruce and Dick's flashback talk near the end of Part 1, when Bruce sees quite a bit of himself in the acrobat.
--->'''Bruce''': You keep thinking..."If only I've done something differently. If only I could've...warned them." But there isn't anything you could've done. There isn't anything either of us could've done.\\
'''Dick''': (''looking at Bruce's parents' portrait'') Your mom and dad?\\
(''Bruce nods'')\\
'''Dick''': Does the hurt ever go away?\\
'''Bruce''': I wish I could say "yes." But it will get better in time. For you. That I promise.\\
(''The two hug'')

*** In "[[Recap/TheNewBatmanAdventuresE3ColdComfort Cold Comfort]]," Freeze finally lives his dream of [[spoiler:Nora being revived]], except at this point he's a complete shell of his former self, [[spoiler:thinks himself too much of a freak to reveal himself to her, and can only watch from the shadows as his former wife (possibly an amnesiac at this point) falls in love with her doctor]]; all of this shatters any humanity he had left.
* "[[Recap/TheNewBatmanAdventuresE17OldWounds Old Wounds]]" is one of the worse tearjerkers in the DCAU as it shows the events leading up to the original Robin's split from Batman. The worst part is if you go back and watch the series from the beginning, you can actually see their relationship slowly break down over time due not only to the clash in their personalities and ideologies, but also Bruce's growing obsession and struggle with his own inner darkness. Truth be told, by the time Dick returns to moonlight in Gotham as Nightwing, he's NotSoDifferent from Bruce, but it's too late to salvage any relationship they had and he's mostly seen working with Tim and Barbara or else on his own, and then ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'' reveals that Bruce and Dick ''never'' truly reconcile, and while the elderly Bruce will occasionally reminisce about past adventures with Barbara and Tim, he ''never'' talks about Dick.

*** This could also be a tearjerker for a different reason. Before being taken in by Bruce, Dick was raised by loving parents, but Tim's father was a neglectful lowlife. Batman, who was always a master at reading people, saw that Tim would only respond to a father figure who was cold and distant.
** Also one thing, many people very likely missed, is a certain detail when Tim becomes Robin. He borrows Dick's suit that Batman keeps on display, but Dick being an adult, it shouldn't fit Tim. That's because the suit on display is "kid-sized." In other words, Bruce had happier memories with Dick as a kid than an adult, which is why he put that suit on display rather than the adult one.

** [[spoiler:Bruce accepting the dreamworld as reality, and for about a couple minutes of screen time, we get to see him truly happy for the first time...ever. His desperation as [[ItMakesSenseInContext he searches for a coherent book]] as well as the look of pure anguish as he realizes which is his true life is tear-inducing.]]
* The episode "[[Recap/BatmanTheAnimatedSeriesE17SeeNoEvil See No Evil]]," aside from being [[AdultFear prime horror]]. We have a creepy ex-con whose former wife and young daughter have a restraining order against him. [[spoiler:So he steals some material that allows him to make an invisibility suit, poses as his daughter's imaginary friend Mojo, swipes valuable jewelry for her to gain her trust, and finally attempts to kidnap her]]. Batman intervenes, he's exposed and foiled, and the episode ends with the girl [[spoiler:telling Batman that she and her mother are going to move away, where Daddy will never find them]]. The whole episode is heartbreaking.

--->'''Batman''': You little fool. The Joker doesn't love ''anything'' except himself. Wake up, Harleen -- he had you pegged for hired help the minute you walked into Arkham.\\
'''Harley''': That's not... [[LittleNo no]]. [[BigNo NO]]! He TOLD me things! Secret things he never told anyone!\\
'''Batman''': [[ArmorPiercingQuestion Was it his line about the abusive father?]] [[MultipleChoicePast Or the one about the runaway mom?]] He's gained a lot of sympathy with that one.\\
'''Harley''': '''[[BigShutUp Stop it]]'''! You're making me confused!\\
'''Batman''': What was it he told that one parole officer? Oh, yes. ''"[[MeaningfulEcho There was only one time I ever saw Dad really happy]]. He took me to the Ice Show when I was seven"''.\\
'''Harley''': ...circus. He said it was the circus.\\
'''Batman''': He's got a million of them, Harley.\\
'''Harley''': ...''[[IgnoredEpiphany You're wrong]]''! My Puddin' ''does'' love me, ''he does''! And now you're gonna die [[MurderTheHypotenuse and make everything right]]!
*** Batman manages to convince her that Mr. J won't believe her [[NeverFoundTheBody without his body as evidence]]. She then calls the Joker, who's ''infuriated'' at her, [[DontExplainTheJoke providing the picture and line for this]]. He then [[spoiler:''[[DestinationDefenestration pushes her out a third-story window]]'' onto some crates in the alley below. After a few lines of dialogue between him and Batsy, the camera then pans onto Harley's broken body...]]
--->'''Harley''': My fault... I didn't get the joke.

---> '''Harleen Quinzel''': Never again. No more obsession, no more craziness, no more Joker. I finally see that slime for what he is: A murderous, manipulative, irredeemable...\\
(''notices the flower on the nightstand'')\\
'''Harley Quinn''': ...angel!
*** The original comic had a more haunting line that was more direct in the passive-aggressive battered wife syndrome parallels (and the final line is an homage to the song "He Hit Me (And It Felt Like A Kiss)," [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carousel_(film) the musical Carousel]] and the stage play ''Lilliom'' that explores those dark themes:
---->'''Dr. Leland:''' So, tell me, Harley--how did it feel to be so dependent on a man that you'd give up everything for him, gaining nothing in return? (''leaves'')
---->'''Harley:''' (''bitterly'') It felt like...
---->(''sees flower with "Feel better soon - J"'')
---->'''Harley:''' (''dreamily'') It felt like a ''kiss''.

* Bruce's guilt-fuelled dream in "[[Recap/BatmanTheAnimatedSeriesE11TwoFacePart2 Two-Face, Part 2]]." "''Why couldn't you save us, son?''"
** The Two-Face arc was absolutely heartbreaking. With the first episode, it starts uncomfortable as we see the angry side of Harvey coming out more and more. It ends with his face getting scarred so badly that it destroys his mind, and the scene where he walks out and is seen by his fiance Grace is the capper. But it gets worse in the second part, whether it be his constant thinking about Grace and longing to be with her, Grace's shock at realizing that she accidentally led Thorne to Harvey which was further proof to Harvey that life is ruled by chance, and capping it with his complete psychotic breakdown when he can't find his coin, having a closer resemblance to an animal than a man. It finally ends with Batman going to a fountain after telling Gordon that there's always hope, wishing Harvey luck, then flipping the coin in as it lands heads up. The arc rivals "Heart of Ice" for the biggest TearJerker of the series.

** And how about the very last time we see Harvey? He went even [[UpToEleven crazier]] and developed a ''second'' alternate personality called [[VigilanteMan The Judge]], a personality so separate from his "normal" ones that it ''tried to kill him''. Batman stops him eventually and sends Harvey back to Arkham. We see Harvey in his cell, in a straightjacket, as he plays out a court scene with himself on trial, saying "The People versus Harvey Dent. How does the defendant plead?" And all poor Harvey can do is brokenly say over and over again, "[[HeelRealization Guilty... Guilty...]] [[MadnessMantra Guilty...]]"

* "[[Recap/TheNewBatmanAdventuresE12OverTheEdge Over the Edge]]," period--[[spoiler:even though it's AllJustADream, it is still possibly the most emotionally intense episode. From Batgirl's death to Gordon and Bruce's reactions, to Bruce telling a teary-eyed Tim to leave for his own good. And in the last scenes of the dream, seeing how broken both Batman and Jim had become only upped the sadness.]]
** One of the more poignant parts is that [[spoiler:it's subtly implied that Gordon is well-aware of how his vendetta against Batman is both irrational and turning him into a [[HeWhoFightsMonsters monster himself]], but after sacking Wayne Manor and ordering the arrests of Alfred, Dick, and Tim, there's no going back, and he knows it.]] All in all, let's just say there's a reason it's said no parent should ever have to bury their child.

-->I'm not an actor anymore, Teddy. I'm not even... a man.
** The final confrontation in Part 2. Batman defeats Clayface by showing him headshots and production photos from his ruined acting career, which confuses his transformation ability and sends it out of control. To stop it, Clayface rips into a nearby control panel and electrocutes himself. He collapses, and for a moment changes from the monstrous Clayface to the handsome Matt Hagen. Then it morphs into his disfigured, scarred post-accident face, the face he started all of this to try to get rid of. In the end, it's still the face he ends up dying with. [[spoiler: His death ends up being a "scene", but in the moment, it's extremely heart-wrenching.]]

-->'''Clayface''': Too late, Batman. Curtain's going down... for good this time.

* The show even makes you care about VillainOfTheWeek characters who never show up again. In "[[Recap/BatmanTheAnimatedSeriesE42TygerTyger Tyger, Tyger]]," you're introduced to Dr. Emile Dorian, a [[MadScientist deranged geneticist]], and his creation, a cat-man hybrid named Tygrus. Dr. Dorian has Selina Kyle (aka Catwoman) kidnapped to be transformed into his mate. You're largely indifferent towards the creature until you find out he's sentient and capable of speech; he thinks of Dr. Dorian as his father and the only reason he's an antagonist in the episode is because Dr. Dorian lied to him, telling him that Selina would grow to love him once Batman was out of the way. He's eventually persuaded that Batman isn't his enemy, but this angers Dr. Dorian, who's knocked out in an ensuing struggle with Batman. Upon being confronted once and for all with the crushing reality that Selina definitely ''does not'' want to remain a cat-person, he forks over the antidote to her and bids her goodbye. Selina tries to persuade him to come with them, saying there's nothing for him on the doctor's island anymore. His response is terribly depressing:
-->'''Tygrus''': There's nothing for me ''anywhere''.
** And this setting could have provided the perfect opening for ''ComicBook/{{Shazam}}''[='=]s Mr. Tawky Tawny in the DCAU; a tiger man who refused to surrender to Tygrus' despair and sought out Human society.

** A great example of that is when Batman returns to the spot where his parents were shot with Dr. Leslie Thompkins, the woman who originally helped comfort him as a child.

** After Oswald came to her defense and fought off some muggers, she could actually have [[RescueRomance been falling for him]], and the conversation where The Penguin found out about the plan to use him was because Veronica was chatting with Pierce about ''having second thoughts'' about the entire thing.

--->'''Penguin''': ''[[BigShutUp SHUT UP!]]'' All I wanted from you, dearie, was [[IJustWantToHaveFriends a little friendship]]. (''sadly'') That would have cost you ''nothing''.

'''Dick:''' (''looking up at the trapeze'') It was.

** Plus when she does this later on, [[spoiler:as she's starting to succumb to the effects of the disease]]. To make matters worse, [[spoiler:she got infected after she was scratched by one of the infected animals at the lab...]] ''[[spoiler:Isis]]''.

** Bullock didn't make things any better. He tells Batman he should have been there for him and that Gordon was counting on him, even saying that Batman is just as responsible as Gordon's shooter. Feeling more depressed, Batman swings away. And Bullock tells him it's not over, "I ain't talking about law! It's about you and me!" Though Bullock seems like an insensitive jerk, he truly cares about Gordon as Batman does. His anger stems from his belief that Batman causes more harm than good to the city.
* In "[[Recap/TheAdventuresOfBatmanAndRobinE1Sideshow Sideshow]]," Killer Croc escapes into the wilderness and is taken in by a group of ex-sideshow performers who think he's escaped his own brutal circus masters. Eventually Batman finds them and his true nature shows itself, and as he's taken back to prison, the "seal boy" who first found him asks why he didn't just retire from his criminal life and stay with them in peace. Croc's response is surprisingly insightful (for him, anyway): "You said you could be yourself out here, remember? I guess that's what I was doing: being myself."
** The sheer heartbreak of the seal boy, and the other, well-meaning ex-carnies, upon finding the peace of their village being violated, is pretty depressing unto itself. They seemed so happy to find a new friend.

** Made even worse with the RealitySubtext, as Creator/SelaWard, who voiced Calendar Girl, was told ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sela_Ward#Career the exact same thing]]'' when auditioning to become a Bond Girl[[note]]"What we really want is Sela, but Sela ten years ago"[[/note]] (though, thankfully, she didn't go crazy as a result).
--->'''Batgirl''': She's beautiful.
--->'''Batman''': She can't see that anymore. All she sees are the flaws.

-->'''Rossum''': You don't understand. You're not a man's mind in a robot's body. You're a robot. Period.
-->'''Duplicant!Batman''': You're lying! It's not possible! I know my family and friends! I remember names, faces, birthdays! I have memories! A past!
-->'''Rossum''': You have information. Data. Nothing more. Do you remember your first kiss? Your favorite song? The last time you tasted a really good steak?
** Made worse when [[spoiler:he believes he killed Bruce and is stricken by guilt. Realizing the scheme HARDAC built him to complete will kill many more people, he sacrifices himself to foil it. Bruce wonders if this meant the duplicate had a soul of his own.]]
--->'''Duplicant!Batman:''' [[BigNo NOOOOOO!!]] [[spoiler:I've taken a life! I've killed a man.]] (''goes back to the Batcomputer, which HARDAC has almost finished uploading itself into'') My city...my people... ''[[HeelRealization What have I done!?]]''... NO!!! (''destroys the computer'')
--->(''Later, while Bruce and Alfred clean up'')
--->'''Bruce''': It seems it was more than wires and microchips after all. [[DoAndroidsDream Could it be it had a soul]], Alfred? [[TitleDrop A soul of silicon]], but a soul nonetheless?

'''Duplicant!Batman:''' Duplicants? What do you mean? (''begins approaching Alfred again'')\\
'''Alfred:''' What have you done with Master Bruce?! (''attempts to strike the duplicant with the pendulum, but the duplicant grabs it and tosses it aside'')\\
'''Duplicant!Batman:''' Alfred, it's me! I need your help. I have to find out what's happened to me. (''Alfred begins backing away again'') I'm not going to last long like this! (''Alfred backs into the clock, then reaches around the clock and feels around for the switch to activate the passage before he finds it and presses it and edges around the opening clock and into the passage'') Alfred, wait. ''Please!''

-->'''Bruce''': Everything's changed for me in the past few weeks. The pain of my parents' deaths... It's still there, but it seems smaller. And there's a new feeling now.
-->'''Barbara''': Which would be?
-->'''Bruce''': It's a lightness. A sense that things will work out for the best.
-->'''Tim''': It's called happiness.
-->'''Bruce''': Whatever it is, I like it.

** As well as Arnold Stromwell's (the mob boss) horrified expression when he has said flashback and the way he ends up bursting into tears in his brother's arms. You can clearly see that the guy never forgave him for the accident that cost the leg of his brother.
** In general, this episode can make you sad for Stromwell in a JerkassWoobie[=/=]AlasPoorVillain kind of way. This guy is a textbook case of BeingEvilSucks. He's a powerful crime boss, has money and power. Good for him. His empire is also crumbling because of the rise of Thorne's own criminal empire, he's divorced with his wife, estranged with his brother, and he is later horrified to find that [[spoiler:his son became sick because of the drugs his organization was selling]]. At least, his story ends on [[spoiler:a rather happy note, as he's convinced by Batman and his brother to surrender to the police and close down his empire. He may end up in prison, but he's now at peace with himself and ready to make amends]].

* In a {{meta}} sense, 2014 turned out to be this, as both Creator/EfremZimbalistJr. (Alfred) and Creator/BobHastings (Commissioner Gordon) passed away that year.
* "[[Recap/BatmanTheAnimatedSeriesE18BewareTheGrayGhost Beware the Gray Ghost]]": During Bruce's childhood, his idol and hero was The Gray Ghost who was portrayed by Simon Trent. But now, Simon is a man living in poverty in a one-room apartment unable to find any work since it because people only think of him as [[TypeCasting The Gray Ghost]] and don't take him seriously. After hearing he's been turned down again, he angrily shatters the picture of him as The Gray Ghost and knocks over merchandize and mementos he had kept from it before collapsing to the floor sobbing. The fact that he's voiced by Creator/AdamWest probably didn't help.
** Made especially tearjerking now that West has passed away. The line "So, it wasn't all for nothing..." is simultaneously heartwarming and heartbreaking...
* "[[Recap/BatmanTheAnimatedSeriesE8TheForgotten The Forgotten]]" had a surprisingly effective moment where Bruce has a dream where he's walking through a homeless neighborhood and stops to give cash to some of the nearby people. Soon, more join in, begging for cash, leading Bruce to simply stop and shed a tear at the realization that he can't help them all. Really humanizes Bruce and drives home his sense of guilt and responsibility for the people he's unable to help, not just as Batman either.

* "[[Recap/TheNewBatmanAdventuresE8GrowingPains Growing Pains]]," where Robin helps a scared amnesiac girl named Annie run away from a super-strong man. [[spoiler:Turns out the man is Clayface, and she's actually ''a part of him'' that he's trying to have merge back with him. He succeeds.]]

--->'''Batgirl''': I don't get it, she's beautiful.
--->'''Batman''': She can't see that anymore. All she can see are the flaws.