History TearJerker / IndependenceDayResurgence

* The kids that Julius helps. They all know their parents are almost certainly dead, and they manage to keep themselves together for most of the film, but seeing the Sam (the eldest) finally break down is heart-wrenching.

** Not to mention that she died almost the same way as Tiffany in the first film, being on top of a building as it was destroyed. Also sad when you realize that Jasmine likely still didn't know her friend went to the building after warning her not to go.

* Early in the movie, Russel Casse's name pops up on a memeorial tower, along with others who had sacrificed themselves in the previous war.

*** In fact, the ''only'' character we can say with certainty ''isn't'' an orphan by the end of the film is David 'his-dad's-still-alive-at-the-end' Levinson. Everyone else ... not so much.

* Jake's story. Specifically, that [[PartingWordsRegret his last words to his parents were "I hate you!"]]]] Considering he was, at most, seven years old during the first war, he may have said those words for something as trivial as not being allowed to bring his favorite toy to camp.

** Rain watching in horror as the moon base is destroyed and seeing her beloved uncle die as a result. As a double whammy, both of her parents, per the {{interquel}} novel, died in 1996; her mother was caught int he destruction of Beijing and her father died during the final counterattack.

* Former President Whitmore's]] HeroicSacrifice. He chooses to volunteer for the suicide mission near then end, not only to keep his daughter Patricia safe, but also probably to free himself from all mental trauma he suffered since the last invasion.

* [[spoiler:Jasmine's]] death. Even worse is that the film teases you into thinking that [[spoiler:she]] will make it.
** The fact that [[spoiler:Dylan sees it all happen from his jet and can do nothing but watch his mother die]] is even worse.
** Not to mention that [[spoiler:she died almost the same way as Tiffany in the first film, being on top of a building as it was destroyed. Also sad when you realize that Jasmine likely still didn't know her friend went to the building after warning her not to go.]]

** On that note, the fact that all of the new generation of heroes in this film have lost one or both of their parents, with the possible exception of Rain, whose parents aren't mentioned [[spoiler:but whose beloved uncle dies while she's helpless to save him. By the end of the film, most of the younger heroes are explicitly full orphans.]]
*** Per the {{interquel}} novel, both of Rain's parents died in the War of '96; her mother in the destruction of Beijing, and her father, a pilot in the PLAAF, during the final counter-attack.
* [[spoiler:Dr. Isaac's]] death.
* [[spoiler:Former President Whitmore's]] HeroicSacrifice. [[spoiler:He chooses to volunteer for the suicide mission near then end, not only to keep his daughter Patricia safe, but also probably to free himself from all mental trauma he suffered since the last invasion]].
* [[spoiler:General Grey's cameo appearance; one of the more popular characters from the first movie looks frail here; even sadder when you realize that it was Robert Loggia's final bow.]]
* Jake's story. [[spoiler:Specifically, that [[PartingWordsRegret his last words to his parents were "I hate you!"]]]] Considering he was, at most, seven years old during the first war, [[spoiler:he may have said those words for something as trivial as not being allowed to bring his favorite toy to camp]].
* David's reaction when he [[spoiler:thinks Julius has died in the aliens' attack]]. His urgent, grieved tone as he yells for [[spoiler:his dad]] over the phone just makes it worse.

** The scene where Julius tries to sell his book to a bunch of senile old folks. He says it makes a great gift to grandchildren, "if they have grandchildren." It's sad twofold: First, in the prequel book, Julius had been [[IWantGrandkids pestering David for grandchildren]], and second, there's a strong chance most of these elderly folks lost their families in the first attack.

* [[spoiler: Jasmine's]] death. Even worse is that the film teases you into thinking that [[spoiler: she]] will make it.
** The fact that [[spoiler:Dylan sees it all happen from his jet and can do nothing but watch her die]] is even worse.
** Not to mention that [[spoiler:she died almost the same way as Tiffany in the first film, being on top of a building as it was destroyed. Also sad when you realize that Jasmine likely still didn't know she went to the building after warning her not to go.]]
* The kids that Julius helps. They all know their parents are almost certainly dead, and they manage to keep themselves together for most of the film, but seeing the Sam (the eldest) finally break down is heartwrenching.
** The scene where he tries to sell his book to a bunch of senile old folks. He says it makes a great gift to grandchildren, "if they have grandchildren." It's sad twofold: first, in the prequel book, he had been pestering David for grandchildren, and second, there's a strong chance most of these elderly folks lost their families in the first attack.
** On that note, the fact that all of the new generation of heroes in this film have lost one or both of their parents, with the possible exception of Rain, whose parents aren't mentioned [[spoiler: but whose beloved uncle dies while she's helpless to save him. By the end of the film, most of the younger heroes are explicitly full orphans.]]
*** Per the interquel novel, both of Rain's parents died in the War of '96 - her mother in the destruction of Beijing, and her father, a pilot in the PLAAF, during the final counter-attack.
* [[spoiler: Dr. Isaac's]] death.
* [[spoiler:Former President Whitmore's]] death. [[spoiler:He chooses to volunteer for the suicide mission near then end, not only to keep his daughter Patricia safe, but also probably to free himself from all mental trauma he suffered since the last invasion]].

* Jake's story. [[spoiler: Specifically, that his last words to his parents were, "I hate you!"]] Considering he was at most seven years old during the first war, [[spoiler: he may have said those words for something as trivial as not being allowed to bring his favorite toy to camp.]]

* [[spoiler: Dr. Issac's]] death.

* Jake's story. [[spoiler: Specifically, that his last words to his parents were, "I hate you!"]] Considering he was at most [[seven]] years old during the first war, [[spoiler: he may have said those words for something as trivial as not being allowed to bring his favorite toy to camp.]]

* [[spoiler:General Grey's cameo appearance; one of the more popular characters from the first movie looks frail here; even sadder when you realize that it was Robert Loggia's final bow.]]

* [[spoiler:Former President Whitmore's]] death. [[spoiler:He chooses to volunteer for the suicide mission near then end, not only to keep his daughter Patricia safe, but also probably to free himself from all mental trauma he suffered since the last invasion]].

* The kids that Julius helps. They all know their parents are almost certainly dead, and they manage to keep themselves together for most of the film, but seeing the eldest sister break down is heartwrenching.

* [[spoiler: Jasmine's]] death. Even worse is that the film teases you into thinking that [[spoiler: she'll]] will make it.

* [[spoiler: Dr. Issac's]] death.