History TearJerker / MonstrousRegiment

* Mal nearly losing control of himself at the climax of the book after a substantial period of coffee withdrawal, followed by his immediate demand that [[HeroicSacrifice Igorina kill him before he hurts one of his squadmates]]. [[MoodWhiplash And then Corporal Swires literally]] [[JustForPun beans]] [[MoodWhiplash him in the head]].

* Someone found Paul a box of colored chalks. You will [[TearsOfJoy cry]].

* The bit where Polly is speculating about how Wazzer's religious mania got started. I don't remember the exact wording, but she imagines Wazzer being hideously abused at the [[spoiler: Girl's Working School]]... "And then, one day, you'd look up into the only smile you ever saw..." Which would have been the ever-present painting of the Duchess.

* ...And Jackrum's grand exit. After letting Polly in on the fact that he's [[spoiler: a she as well, and pointing out that his long-lost son probably doesn't want a fat, tobacco-chewing, swearing old woman turning up and claiming to be his mother]], Polly points out they'd probably be thrilled to welcome a legendary and honoured sergeant to the family home. Jackrum later writes to show that he is indeed the benign and respected patriarch of his clan now. It's pretty rare that [[spoiler: transgender identity (of sorts - it's never made entirely clear how Jackrum self-identifies)]] is presented as a HappilyEverAfter.

** Relating to that, [[spoiler:TheReveal that Jackrum's boyfriend William had a happy relationship with him, right up until he was killed in a battle at Sepple. Whilst William was standing right next to Jackrum.]]
* Mal nearly losing control of himself at the climax of the book after a substantial period of coffee withdrawal, followed by his immediate demand that [[HeroicSacrifice Igorina kill him before he hurts one of his squadmates]]. [[spoiler: [[MoodWhiplash And then Corporal Swires literally]] [[JustForPun beans]] [[MoodWhiplash him in the head]].]]

* The FateWorseThanDeath of [[spoiler: the Duchess. She died, but because the government refused to tell everyone that she was dead, people kept praying to her to intercede with Nuggan, and because Nuggan's Abominations were so insane, all the genuine belief went to the Duchess, elevating her to god (or god-like) status. But she didn't have much power- at least, not enough to actually help the people praying to her, not to mention the people believed she could intercede with Nuggan, not that she could help herself - so she had to keep hearing constant pleas for help that she couldn't actually do anything about. No wonder Wazzer kept hearing her crying.]]

* TheReveal that [[spoiler:the upper echelons of the Borogravian army are filled with women]] becomes this, [[FridgeHorror when you think on about it]], because it just meshes so well with Polly's cynical observation earlier in the book that [[spoiler:WomenAreWiser]] is a lot of crock. They've had so long to prove themselves better by making a change... and they've just perpetuated the same misery and suffering. The point is hammered home when Jackrum makes a quiet lament about this very same point. There's a whole lot of abandoned hopes and old regrets crammed into a very brief and matter-of-factly speech.

** The icing on the cake? Despite everything Polly and her squad did, despite a literal divine intercession pleading with Borogravia to stop the fighting... it starts all over again (Heinrich pressing his claim), and those same [[spoiler:wo]]men aren't trying any other solution.

** Relating to that, [[spoiler:TheReveal that Jackrum's boyfriend William had a happy relationship with her, right up until he was killed in a battle at Sepple. Whilst he was standing right next to her.]]

* ...And Jackrum's grand exit. After letting Polly in on the fact that he's [[spoiler: a she as well, and pointing out that his long-lost son probably doesn't want a fat, tobacco-chewing, swearing old woman turning up and claiming to be his mother]], Polly points out they'd probably be thrilled to welcome a legendary and honoured sergeant to the family home. Jackrum later writes to show that he is indeed the benign and respected patriarch of his clan now. It's pretty rare that [[spoiler: transgender identity]] is presented as a HappilyEverAfter.

** The icing on the cake? Despite everything Polly and her squad did, despite a literal divine intercession pleading with Borogravia to stop the fighting... those same [[spoiler:wo]]men went right back and started the war all over again.

* Jackrum's quiet lament near the end. There's a whole lot of abandoned hopes and old regrets crammed into a very brief and matter-of-factly speech.
-->'''Jackrum:''' I... expected better of 'em, really. I thought [[WomenAreWiser they'd be better at it than men.]] Trouble was, they were [[MoreDeadlyThanTheMale better than men at being like men.]] They do say [[ARealManIsAKiller the army can make a man of you, eh?]] So... whatever it is you are going to do next, do it as you. Good or bad, do it as you. [[BecomingTheMask Too many lies and there's no truth to go back to.]]

* The FateWorseThanDeath of [[spoiler: the Duchess. She died, but because the government refused to tell everyone that she was dead, people kept praying to her to intercede with Nuggan, and because Nuggan's Abominations were so insane, all the genuine belief went to the Duchess, elevating her to god (or god-like) status. But she didn't have much power- at least, not enough to actually help the people praying to her- so she had to keep hearing constant pleas for help that she couldn't actually do anything about. No wonder Wazzer kept hearing her crying.]]

-->Apart from the letter and the medal, all the man left behind was a tin mug and, on the floor, a stain which wouldn’t scrub out.

* The FateWorseThanDeath of [[spoiler: the Duchess. She died, but because the government refused to tell everyone that she was dead, people kept praying to her to intercede with Nuggan, and because Nuggan's Abominations were so insane, all the genuine belief went to the Duchess, elevating her to god (or god-like) status. But she didn't have much power- at least, not enough to actually help the people praying to her- so she had to keep hearing constant pleas for help that she couldn't actually do anything about. No wonder Wazzer kept hearing her crying.]]

-->It was a terrible thing. Her mother had been a kind woman, or as kind as a devout woman could be while trying to keep up with the whims of Nuggan, and she'd died slowly and painfully, amid the pictures of the Duchess and among the echoes of unanswered prayers, but that was the memory that crawled treacherously into Polly's mind every time: the fury and the scolding, while the little bird seemed to flutter in the flames.

* Mal nearly losing control of himself at the climax of the book after a substantial period of coffee withdrawal, followed by his immediate demand that [[HeroicSacrifice Igorina kill him before he hurts one of his squadmates]]. [[spoiler: [[MoodWhiplash And then Corporal Swires literally]] [[JustForPun beans]] [[MoodWhiplash him in the head]].]]

* ...And Jackrum's grand exit. After letting Polly in on the fact that he's [[spoiler: a she as well, and pointing out that his long-lost family probably don't want a fat, tobacco-chewing, swearing old woman turning up and claiming to be their grandma]], Polly points out they'd probably be thrilled to welcome a legendary and honoured sergeant to the family home. Jackrum later writes to show that he is indeed the benign and respected patriarch of his clan now. It's pretty rare that [[spoiler: transgender identity]] is presented as a HappilyEverAfter.

* Mal nearly losing control of himself at the climax of the book after a substantial period of coffee withdrawal, followed by his immediate demand that [[HeroicSacrifice Igorina kill him before he hurts one of his squadmates]]. [[spoiler: [[MoodWhiplash And then Angua literally]] [[JustForPun beans]] [[MoodWhiplash him in the head]].]]

* Mal nearly losing control of himself at the climax of the book after a substantial period of coffee withdrawal, followed by his immediate demand that [[HeroicSacrifice Igorina kill him before he hurts one of his squadmates]]. [[spoiler: [[MoodWhiplash And then Angua literally [[JustForPun beans]] him in the head.]]]]

* Mal nearly losing control of himself at the climax of the book after a substantial period of coffee withdrawal, followed by his immediate demand that [[HeroicSacrifice Igorina kill him before he hurts one of his squadmates]]. [[spoiler: [[MoodWhiplash And then Angua literally [[JustForPun beans]] him in the head.]]

'''Jackrum:''' Oh, I dare say I sobbed a bit too, once in a while.

* ...And Jackrum's grand exit. After letting Polly in on the fact that he's [[spoiler: a she as well, and pointing out that his long-lost family probably don't want a fat, tobacco-chewing, swearing old woman turning up and claiming to be their grandma]], Polly points out they'd probably be thrilled to welcome a legendary and honoured sergeant to the family home. Jackrum later writes to show that he is indeed the benign and respected patriarch of his clan now. It's pretty rare that [[spoiler: transgender identity]] is presented as a HappilyEverAfter.

* ...And Jackrum's grand exit. After letting Polly in on the fact that he's [[spoiler: a she as well]], and pointing out that his long-lost family probably don't want a fat, tobacco-chewing, swearing [[spoiler: old woman]] turning up and claiming to be their [[spoiler: grandma]], Polly points out they'd probably be thrilled to welcome a legendary and honoured sergeant to the family home. Jackrum later writes to show that he is indeed the benign and respected patriarch of his clan now. It's pretty rare that transgender identity is presented as a HappilyEverAfter.

* Someone found Paul a box of colored chalks. You will [[TearsOfJoy cry]].

* Shortly afterwards, from the Duchess: "You must Invade Borogravia! In the name of sanity, you must go home! The Winter is coming, the trusting animals are not fed, old men die of cold, women mourn, the country corrodes... you believed I watched over you, and listened to you ...and so I had to, I had to listen to you, knowing there was no help." The entire speech qualifies, but those are the highlights.

* The bit where Polly is speculating about how Wazzer's religious mania got started. I don't remember the exact wording, but she imagines Wazzer being hideously abused at the [[spoiler: Girl's Working School]]... "And then, one day, you'd look up at a painting of the Duchess, and see the only smile you ever saw..."
** Specifically, there's the part when Polly asks Wazzer what she used to do, and Wazzer replies, almost serenely, "I used to be beaten". Poor girl.

-->'''Lofty:''' ''*sadly*'' I would like to eat chocolates in a great big room where the world is a different place.

** A bit? Did you ''read'' Lofty's backstory? Just thinking about it makes you tear up...

** Specifically, there's the part when Polly asks Wazzer what she used to do, and Wazzer replies, almost serenely, "I used to be beaten". Poor girl.