History TearJerker / HaloReach

* The beginning of "The Package" shows us Noble Teams' return to Sword Base, where Holland asks for Carter to give him a sitrep, only for Carter, who seen before is always eager to talk with Colonel Holland whenever asked to be silent for a few seconds. It's easy to tell that even less than a week later Carter is still trying to find some means of quietly grieving over the death of Kat; the only other original member of Noble Team.

** In addition, take a look at the date in the corner: August 23, 2552. The previous mission 'Long Night of Solace' was dated August 14, 2552. 'Nine' whole days have passed since the Covenant fleet arrived, meaning Six was making their way across the planet, wounded and on their own for nearly two weeks.

* Even right ''before'' Jorge's sacrifice, there's a wham moment where the frigate that was escorting you for the entire mission (and whose slipstream drive was cannibalized to make the bomb you're carrying) suddenly gets torn to shreds right in front of your eyes. The music goes solemn right at that moment and stays that way ''as you're about to assault the corvette's bridge.''

* The deaths of the squad members, [[DwindlingParty one at at time]].

* The post-credits cinematic, accompanied by "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isaOrKNHw7g Ghosts and Glass]]". A shot of Noble Six's broken helmet, first showing shortly after his death, but then switching to [[DistantFinale 37 years in the future]], showing the now-rusted helmet surrounded by greenery and life, showing that Reach managed to recover, while Dr. Halsey narrates how Six's sacrifice enabled humanity to survive, as .

** And then, directly after Jorge sacrifices himself to destroy the ship and tosses you off on your gravity propelled trip to terra, you look to the right to see that his sacrifice is [[SenselessSacrifice rendered pointless]] as the [[OhCrap ENTIRE DAMN COVENANT FLEET pops out of slipspace]], filled to the brim with ships exactly like the one that was about to 'cleanse the taint' all by its lonesome. [[Machinima/FreemansMind Because what do you do when something that big wants to kill you]]?

* When Carter tells Emile to jump from the Pelican with Six and get to the Pillar of Autumn, Emile tells him ItHasBeenAnHonor, and Carter responds in kind. While mixed with a heartwarming moment, it hits you that all three of them know it's the end of the line. No matter what happens, Emile and Carter know they're never going to see each other again.

* When Carter tells Emile jump from the Pelican with Six and get to the Pillar of Autumn, Emile tells him ItHasBeenAnHonor, and Carter responds in kind. While mixed with a heartwarming moment, it hits you that all three of them know it's the end of the line. No matter what happens, Emile and Carter know they're never going to see each other again.

* The entire premise of the game. Even before you start, you know that it's futile. Even if you follow ''none'' of the ExpandedUniverse material, if you've played the first game you know that Master Chief is the last Spartan and the game takes place after "the fall of Reach." No matter what you do, Reach is going to fall and there is only ''one'' possible ending for this team, and there's no ''not'' knowing this the instant you know the game's title. (Thus, you'll tell yourself not to get emotionally invested. You will anyway.) The true twist is that it recovers, and is green as ever before.

* Understanding of the ''Halo'' universe will have some Fridge Tearjerker. Dr. Halsey's hostility towards the [=SPARTANs=] was engendered by suspicion, since they weren't "her" [=SPARTANs=]. Her attitude change is tearjerking stuff, especially her final farewell to Noble Six.

** And then, directly after Jorge sacrifices himself to destroy the ship and tosses you off on your gravity propelled trip to terra, you look to the right to see that his sacrifice is rendered pointless as the [[OhCrap ENTIRE DAMN COVENANT FLEET pops out of slipspace]], filled to the brim with ships exactly like the one that was about to 'cleanse the taint' all by its lonesome. [[Machinima/FreemansMind Because what do you do when something that big wants to kill you]]?

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7peRIR9qS0Y&feature=related The last level]]. Reach is covered in dust, fog, and ruins. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZViMbs_wrE Painfully beautiful piano music plays]]. Six stands tall, and watches the Covenant destroy the planet. They get ready for their last stand. It's the end of the Halo saga. As the gameplay begins, the title rolls in: ''"There'll Be Another Time..."''. If you're not overcome with ManlyTears, you ''will'' be by the time you've watched the final cutscene.

From the beginning, [[DoomedByCanon you know the end.]] Unlike the previous games, ''Halo: Reach'' does not hide the fact that the story is going to be a bleak one - Set on a planet destined to fall, ''Reach'' shows that just because you control someone in the battle, it does not mean that you're going to win.

* The last part of ''Exodus'', where as you're flying through the city in a Falcon taking potshots at Covenant, you hear a lot of radio traffic between the evacuating ships and UNSC dispatchers, the general gist of it being that there's way too much going on for the defending human forces to handle. This eventually culminates in one ship trying to take off without clearance. They then get shot down, nose-diving into the bay. A question of whether they should search for survivors is only met with "No point..."

* [[HeroicSacrifice "Negative. I have the gun. Good luck, sir."]] Followed by, [[FlingALightIntoTheFuture "This is the Pillar of Autumn. We're away...and The Package is with us."]]

* The last part of ''Exodus'', where as you're flying through the city in a Falcon taking potshots at Covenant, you hear a lot of radio traffic between the evacuating ships and UNSC dispatchers, the general gist of it being that there's way too much going on for the defending human forces to handle. This eventually culminates in one ship trying to take off without clearance. They then get shot down, nose-diving into the bay. A question of whether they should search for survivors is only met with "There's no point."

* "I'M READY! HOW ABOUT YOU?" Sayonara, ya crazy bastard...