History TearJerker / Madagascar

** Later, when Marty goes back to help Alex. Alex feels so ashamed of trying to kill Marty that he's built a cage for himself, to protect his friends. Then there's the looks on his (and Marty's) face when he says "I don't wanna hurt you."
*** And after that when Alex hides in his hut, Marty just comes into the cage and says, "Alex, I ain't leaving without you."

* [[SadTimesMontage I see trees of green, red roses too...]]
** The only funny part in this scene was when the baby duck they rescued got chomped up by a crocodile.

!!From the first film

!!From the second film
* The entire opening. As a cub, Alex is captured by poachers and his father, Zuba, desperately tries to save him, then the crate Alex is trapped in gets knocked into a river, and he desperately cries for his father.
** Worse, the scene with baby Alex crying out for his daddy while floating in a crate out at sea, itself a CallForward to the first film.
* Alex fighting with Marty, culminating with a call back to the first movie.
-->'''Marty''': Your one in a million friend hopes you enjoy your bigger than anyone else's problems, alone!
-->'''Alex''': Good! Leave! I don't need you to help solve my problems! You know what, you're a dime a dozen, I can't tell which one's Marty! Oh which one's Marty! Wait a minute, wait a minute, I don't care!
-->'''Marty''': Nice hat, ya show off!
-->(Beat)
-->'''Alex''': ''(quietly)'' Marty... Don't go.
* The whole Gloria/Melman subplot is full of this. Melman learns that he has come down with a terminal illness, and becomes too depressed to tell any of his friends. When Melman finally gathers enough courage to tell her how he feels, he finds her on a date with Moto Moto, [[spoiler:who only loves Gloria for her large build]]. [[IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy He indirectly reveals his feelings to her when he tells Moto Moto to treat Gloria properly, for his sake]].
** Later when [[spoiler:the watering hole dries up, King Julien manages to convince the animals of the reserve that a volcanic sacrifice to the water gods is needed to bring it back, and Melman offers himself, and tells Gloria that he's already dying when the other animals carry him off the volcano. The look on her face when she hears this is absolutely heartbreaking.]]
---> '''Gloria''': [[spoiler:"This is crazy. I had to go halfway around the world to find out the perfect guy for me lived right next door."]]
* On a meta-level, this was Bernie Mac's (Zuba) last film role, months after he passed away.

!!From the third film
* On a related note to the Gloria/Melman plot from the second movie:
-->'''Gloria''': [[RuleOfSymbolism I'd forgotten about that wall between us, Melman]]. Was that always there?
* Vitaly's backstory. It's no wonder why he's a BrokenAce.
** His PTSD, and especially his lonely moment in his train car when he [[spoiler:looks at the hoops and flashes back to the fire he now fears]] is particularly heart-wrenching.
* The London performance is this mixed with Heartwarming. It's just so beautiful, it brings tears to your eyes.
* The ThirdActMisunderstanding where the circus animals learn the truth about the Zoosters, particularly Stefano's comment about his tears being real but "you are not". What could have been {{Narm}}ful is instead quite painful, and the sheer betrayal in Gia's voice, and on both her face and Vitaly's, is even more so.
* The Zoosters' return to the zoo, only to realize that they were happier with the circus and free after all while the primary trio of the circus realize that despite the earlier deception, they still dearly love their zoo friends, feel incomplete without them, and are ready to forgive them.
* Alex's desperate attempt to fix the plane after it broke the second time, only to come to face the fact that it's broken beyond repair. Him saying that the gang will never make it to New York really sells it, though.
* The fight between Sonya and Julien. Quite the Tear Jerker, even though Sonya isn't a FunnyAnimal like the rest of the cast and only "speaks" in growls and grunts.
-->'''Julien''': It's obvious that I'm just an emotional whoopee cushion for you to sit on. When you look for where I am, I won't be there! ''(sobbing)''

!!!From the First Film

** The only funny part in this scene, was when the baby duck they rescued, got chomped up by a crocidile.

!!!From the Second Film

* Alex fighting with Marty, culminating with a callback to the first movie.

* On a meta-level, Bernie Mac's last film role, months after he passed away.

!!!From the Third Film

* The ThirdActMisunderstanding where the circus animals learn the truth about the Zoosters. Stefano's comment about his tears being real but "you are not", what could have been [[{{Narm}} Narmful]], is instead quite painful. And the sheer betrayal in Gia's voice, and on both her face and Vitaly's, is even more so.
* The Zoosters' return to the zoo, only to realize that they were happier with the circus and free after all while the primary trio of the circus realize that despite the earlier deception, they still dearly love their zoo friends, feel incomplete without them, and are ready to forgive them

** Marty calling out to Alex twice before his, Melman's, and Gloria's crates disappear out of sight and Alex desperately screams, "No! Wait! Come back, Marty!" before he helplessly says, "Don't go."

* On a meta-level, BernieMac's last film role, months after he passed away.

---->'''Gloria''': [[RuleOfSymbolism I'd forgotten about that wall between us, Melman]]. Was that always there?

---->'''Gloria''': I'd forgotten about that wall between us, Melman. Was that always there?

* The fight between Sonya and Julien

!!From the Third Film

* The entire opening of ''{{Madagascar}} 2''. As a cub, Alex is captured by poachers and his father, Zuba, desperately tries to save him, then the crate Alex is trapped in gets knocked into a river, and he desperately cries for his father.

*** On a related note from ''Europe's Most Wanted'':

* [[SadTimesMontage I see trees of green, red roses too...]]
** Later in the first film, when Marty goes back to help Alex. Alex feels so ashamed of trying to kill Marty that he's built a cage for himself, to protect his friends. Then there's the looks on his (and Marty's) face when he says "I don't wanna hurt you."
*** And after that when Alex hides in his hut, Marty just comes into the cage and says, "Alex, I ain't leaving without you."

* The fight between Sonya and Julien

* The Zoosters' return to the zoo, only to realize that they were happier with the circus and free after all while primary trio of the circus realize that despite the earlier deception, they still dearly love their zoo friends, feel incomplete without them, and are ready to forgive them

* Alex's desperate attempt to fix the plane after it broke the second time, only to come to face the fact that it's broken beyond repair. Him saying that the gang will never make it to New York really sells it, though.

* The Zoosters' return to the zoo, only to realize that they were happier with the circus and free after all.

* The Zooster's return to the zoo, only to realize that they were happier with the circus and free after all.

** Later in the first film, when Marty goes back to help Alex. Alex feels so ashamed of trying to kill Marty that he's built a cage for himself, to protect his friends. Then there's the looks on his (and Marty's) face when he says "I don't wanna hurt you."

* [[SadTimesMontage I see trees of green, red roses too...]]

* Alex as a cub getting separated from his father in the second film.

* Alex as a cub getting separated from his father in the second film.

* The Zooster's return to the zoo, only to realize that they were happier with the circus and free after all.

* Vitaly's backstory. It's no wonder why he's a BrokenAce.