History TearJerker / HeroesRise

** And this is ''before'' you factor in [[spoiler:the real nature of their Powers: they're actually a HumanoidAbomination capable of [[RealityWarper warping reality]], but they need to [[PoweredByAForsakenChild "eat" the life force of others to do so]]. This is something they utterly despise themselves for, but can't stop doing because they're terrified of being a nobody again.]]
* Prodigal's backstory is just as rough. [[spoiler:She was raised by her insane, evil mother, Miss Artillery, which practically guaranteed she was going to be screwed up from the start. Then, also as a teenager, she watched her mother (seemingly) be murdered by the PC's parents, and snapped, becoming solely focused on revenge. That is in no way an exaggeration--when you see her lair and living conditions, it's in complete and utter poverty, except for the walls [[RoomFullOfCrazy completely covered]] [[StalkerShrine in pictures of you]]. Her life has been so messed up she literally has nothing to live for except killing you to avenge her mother.]]
** What she goes through in ''Herofall'' is just as rough: [[spoiler:After finding out her mother is still alive, she discovers she's dying of terminal super-cancer as a result of her activities, but musters the will to live long enough to be reunited with her mother and approaches her self-proclaimed nemesis for help in doing so. If befriended or romanced, she reveals that she sees the Protagonist as her soulmate and starts taking steps towards redemption and rehabilitation... only for her mother to be murdered in front of her in a gruesome fashion. Prodigal is reduced to tears and flees, only returning for her HeroicSacrifice -- being killed by Victon, her own (unknowing) father, to save the one thing she has left worth fighting for.]]
* [[spoiler:Getting betrayed by your sidekick]] is a rough PlayerPunch the first time around. Especially in the case of [[spoiler:Tarana, who clearly doesn't want to do it but has no choice because she's being blackmailed.]]
* [[spoiler:Betraying Jenny]]. The very simple description the narration uses for the aftermath somehow makes it all the more painful.
-->"No, you don't feel anything, not really. At least not until the holo-video ends and the episode taping finishes and [[spoiler:Jenny]] comes up to you, holding back the tears in her eyes.

-->Because you know those will probably be the last words [[spoiler:Jenny]] ever speaks to you."
** What's even worse is that this was part of a SadisticChoice. ''Not'' [[spoiler:betraying Jenny]] results in [[spoiler:the protagonist being eliminated from the show and falling into a HeroicBSOD, having lost their dreams.]]
*** Though this can be mitigated, depending on what your original intentions were. [[spoiler:Plus the fact that this self sacrifice actually comes to pay you back in full force and more up to the end]]. This definitely isn't as depressing when you consider that your character had but one dream: to help others, even at your own cost.

* [[spoiler:Miss Boss's death. She's apologized for her behavior, opened up to you and shown you her HiddenDepths, you might be thinking there's a RelationshipUpgrade in the future...and then the pair of you get attacked by The Voiceless. At the end of the fight it throws her off a nearby cliff, and if you try to jump after her to save her, it grabs you and forces you to watch as she falls to her death.]] It's so traumatic and upsetting the PC gets put into a HeroicBSOD that they ''still'' haven't recovered from two weeks later. It ''is'' possible to avert this, but it depends on your ability scores and making the right decision when it happens.
** One option depends on [[spoiler: your Societal score being above 80, then you can choose to shoot blasts of gel into the bottom of the cliff, which breaks her fall just enough to save her life. But she'll be in a coma, causing the PC to ''still'' blame themselves for not being good enough]].
** The other (known) way to avert this - [[spoiler: utilizes your "Intangible" ability, allowing you to project your [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tardigrade#Physiology Tardigrade's power of cryptobiosis]] to effectively put her in stasis before impact, though she's still rendered comatose]].
*** In both cases, [[spoiler:[[GoldenEnding Loa will accept this as having fulfilled your end of the bargain and heal JK]], sparing both JK and Miss Boss their untimely deaths at once]].

* A minor and easy to miss one, but [[spoiler:if you import a save file where the PC romanced Jury, near the end of the first game it's revealed that their relationship didn't work out and in the end, after they said some nasty stuff, they broke up and parted on pretty bad terms.]]

** One option depends on [[spoiler: your Societal score being above 80, then you can choose to shoot blasts of gel into the bottom of the cliff, which breaks her fall just enough to save her life. But she'll be in a coma, causing the PC to ''still'' blame themselves for not being good enough.

** One option depends on [[spoiler: your Societal score being above 80, then you can choose to shoot blasts of gel into the bottom of the cliff, which breaks her fall just enough to save her life. But she'll be in a coma, causing the PC to ''still'' blame themselves for not being good enough. And, as an added [[SarcasmMode bonus]], doing this means the Great Loa won't treat JK, effectively damning your little sister to die.]]

** The other (known) way to avert this - [[spoiler: utilizes your "Intangible" ability, allowing you to project your [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tardigrade#Physiology Tardigrade's power of cryptobiosis]] to effectively put her in stasis before impact. While it still leaves her comatose]].

* [[spoiler:Miss Boss's death. She's apologized for her behavior, opened up to you and shown you her HiddenDepths, you might be thinking there's a RelationshipUpgrade in the future...and then the pair of you get attacked by The Voiceless. At the end of the fight it throws her off a nearby cliff, and if you try to jump after her to save her, it grabs you and forces you to watch as she falls to her death.]] It's so traumatic and upsetting the PC gets put into a HeroicBSOD that they ''still'' haven't recovered from two weeks later.
** It ''is'' [[spoiler:possible to save her, if your Societal score is above 80 and you chose to shoot blasts of gel into the bottom of the cliff, which breaks her fall just enough to save her life. But she'll be in a coma, causing the PC to ''still'' blame themselves for not being good enough. And, as an added [[SarcasmMode bonus]], doing this means the Great Loa won't treat JK, effectively damning your little sister to die.]]
*** There is ''[[GuideDangIt one]]'' way to avert this - [[spoiler: by having your "Intangible" ability high enough, you're able to project your [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tardigrade#Physiology Tardigrade's power of cryptobiosis]] to effectively put her in stasis before impact. While it still leaves her comatose, [[GoldenEnding Loa will accept this as having fulfilled your end of the bargain and heal JK]], sparing both lives at once]].

* A minor and easy to miss one, but [[spoiler: If you import a save file where the PC romanced Jury, near the end of the first game it's revealed that their relationship didn't work out and in the end, after they said some nasty stuff, they broke up and parted on pretty bad terms.]]

** Which is promptly mitigated depending on what your originally intentions were since the first part of the trilogy as well as how much this self sacrifice actually comes to pay you back in full force and more up to the end. This definitely isn't as depressing when you consider that your character had but one dream: to help others, even at your own cost.

** It ''is'' [[spoiler:possible to save her, if your Societal score is above 80 and you chose to shoot blasts of energy into the bottom of the cliff, which breaks her fall just enough to save her life. But she'll be in a coma, causing the PC to ''still'' blame themselves for not being good enough. And, as an added [[SarcasmMode bonus]], doing this means the Great Loa won't treat JK, effectively damning your little sister to die.]]