History TearJerker / PuellaMagiMadokaMagica

** Episode 10 manages to take even the [[SoundtrackDissonance peppy opening theme, 'Connect']] a tearjerker...simply by using it as the ending instead. [[spoiler:Take a look at the lyrics, and you realize that the song is all about Homura and her resolve to finally save Madoka after all the failed recursions.]]

->Madoka: I won't forget you, either, Homura! [[GroundhogDayLoop I'll never forget]] [[MyGreatestFailure how you saved]] [[MercyKill us that day!]]\\

-->''I've been such a fool..."''

** {{Eri Kitamura}} said in an interview that she and {{Aoi Yuki}} sobbed during the episode's recording.

** {{EriKitamura}} said in an interview that she and {{AoiYuki}} sobbed during the episode's recording.

[[caption-width-right:350:You know you have a sad anime when the eponymous character is crying in the first seconds of the opening.]]

[[caption-width-right:350:You know you have a sad anime when the character is crying in the first seconds of the opening]]

* ALL of Episode 10. [[spoiler: We see Homura sending herself in a GroundhogDayLoop, constantly failing to save her friends from Kyubey and Walpurgisnacht. In most of these timelines, all of them die before her eyes. In the third timeline, not only does Sayaka become a witch and die, but Mami [[GoMadFromTheRevelation completely cracks and so she kills Kyoko by shooting her Soul Gem off, unable to handle how they'll become witches sooner or later...]] and Madoka has to shoot HER so she doesn't kill Homura. And then, not only do she and Homura fail to stop Walpurgisnacht without horribly corrupting their Soul Gems in the process, but she uses the last of her strength in a HeroicSacrifice to drain the darkness from Homura's Soul Gem and asks for a MercyKill before she turns into a witch. The sound Homura makes before shooting her best friend to death is utterly heartbreaking.]]

** Not to mention that the episode turns pretty much ''everything'' involving Homura in the previous episodes into an epic TearJerker. [[spoiler: After seeing everything she's gone through trying to protect Madoka, it's absolutely gut-wrenching to think of what she must be feeling when the girls that she was best friends with in previous timelines reject her advice...]]

* After Sayaka contracts and [[spoiler:she's hit with misery absolutely equal to the happiness that Kyousuke will have thanks to her wish]]. This is what ultimately [[spoiler:leads her to become a Witch]] in episode 8.

* Episode 9. [[spoiler:Madoka's reaction to Sayaka's death, leaning over the body and crying into her chest. Then, Kyouko's HeroicSacrifice[=/=]MercyKill on Witch!Sayaka, saying she understands how horrible it is to be alone, and she won't let Sayaka die that way.]]
* ALL of Episode 10. [[spoiler: We see Homura sending herself in a GroundhogDayLoop, constantly failing to save her friends from Kyubey and Walpurgisnacht. In most of these timelines, all of them die before her eyes. In the third timeline, not only does Sayaka become a witch and die, but Mami [[GoMadFromTheRevelation completely cracks and so she kills Kyouko by shooting her Soul Gem off, unable to handle how they'll become witches sooner or later...]] and Madoka has to shoot HER so she doesn't kill Homura. And then, not only do she and Homura fail to stop Walpurgisnacht without horribly corrupting their Soul Gems in the process, but she uses the last of her strength in a HeroicSacrifice to drain the darkness from Homura's Soul Gem and asks for a MercyKill before she turns into a witch. The sound Homura makes before shooting her best friend to death is utterly heartbreaking.]]

* ALL of Episode 10. [[spoiler: We see Homura sending herself in a GroundhogDayLoop, constantly failing to save her friends from Kyuubey and Walpurgisnacht. In most of these timelines, all of them die before her eyes. In the third timeline, not only does Sayaka become a witch and die, but Mami [[GoMadFromTheRevelation completely cracks and so she kills Kyouko by shooting her Soul Gem off, unable to handle how they'll become witches sooner or later...]] and Madoka has to shoot HER so she doesn't kill Homura. And then, not only do she and Homura fail to stop Walpurgisnacht without horribly corrupting their Soul Gems in the process, but she uses the last of her strength in a HeroicSacrifice to drain the darkness from Homura's Soul Gem and asks for a MercyKill before she turns into a witch. The sound Homura makes before shooting her best friend to death is utterly heartbreaking.]]

** [[spoiler: In the original timeline, Mami shows up, complete with CrowningMusicOfAwesome, just in time to save Homura from the witch who was trying to lure her to suicide. Knowing exactly what happened to Mami back in episode 3 turns this from a triumphant entry to an absolutely gutwrenching one. And seeing Madoka and Homura grieving over Mami's lifeless body just some minutes later.. *sniff* ]]

* [[spoiler:Mami's death in episode three,]] as well as any mention of it in the subsequent episodes. Madoka crying the next morning during breakfast because she's so lucky to be alive is particularly heartwrenching.
* After Sayaka contracts and [[spoiler:she's hit with misery absolutely equal to the happiness that Kyousuke will have thanks to her wish. This is what ultimately leads her to become a Witch.]]
-->''I'm such a fool..."''

* ALL of Episode 10. [[spoiler: We see Homura sending herself in a GroundhogDayLoop, constantly failing to save her friends from Kyuubey and Walpurgisnacht. In most of these timelines, all of them die before her eyes. In the third storyline, not only does Sayaka become a witch and die, but Mami [[GoMadFromTheRevelation completely cracks and so she kills Kyouko by shooting her Soul Gem off, unable to handle how they'll become witches sooner or later...]] and Madoka has to shoot HER so she doesn't kill Homura. And then, not only do she and Homura fail to stop Walpurgis Night without horribly corrupting their Soul Gems in the process, but she uses the last of her strength in a HeroicSacrifice to drain the darkness from Homura's Soul Gem and asks for a MercyKill before she turns into a witch. The sound Homura makes before shooting her best friend to death is utterly heartbreaking.]]]]
** [[spoiler: In the original timeline Mami shows up, complete with CrowningMusicOfAwesome, just in time to save Homura from the witch who was trying to lure her to suicide. Knowing exactly what happened to Mami back in Episode Three turns this from a triumphant entry to an absolutely gutwrenching one. And seeing Madoka and Homura grieving over Mami's lifeless body just some minutes later.. *sniff* ]]

* ALL of Episode 10. [[spoiler: We see Homura sending herself in a GroundhogDayLoop, constantly failing to save her friends from Kyuubey and Walpurgisnacht. In most of these timelines, all of them die before her eyes. In the third storyline, not only does Sayaka become a witch and die, but Mami [[GoMadFromTheRevelation completely cracks and so she kills Kyouko by shooting her Soul Gem off, unable to handle how they'll become witches sooner or later... and Madoka has to shoot HER so she doesn't kill Homura. And then, not only do she and Homura fail to stop Walpurgis Night without horribly corrupting their Soul Gems in the process, but she uses the last of her strength in a HeroicSacrifice to drain the darkness from Homura's Soul Gem and asks for a MercyKill before she turns into a witch. The sound Homura makes before shooting her best friend to death is utterly heartbreaking.]]]]

* ALL of Episode 10. [[spoiler: We see Homura sending herself in a GroundhogDayLoop, constantly failing to save her friends from Kyuubey and Walpurgisnacht. In most of these timelines, all of them die before her eyes. In the third storyline, not only does Sayaka become a witch and die, but Mami [[GoMadFromTheRevelation completely cracks and so she kills Kyouko by shooting her Soul Gem off, unable to handle how they'll become witches sooner or later... and Madoka has to shoot HER so she doesn't kill Homura. And then, not only do she and Homura fail to stop Walpurgis Night without horribly corrupting their Soul Gems in the process, but she uses the last of her strength in a HeroicSacrifice to drain the darkness from Homura's Soul Gem and asks for a MercyKill before she turns into a witch. The sound Homura makes before shooting her best friend to death is utterly heartbreaking.]]

* ALL of Episode 10. [[spoiler: We see Homura sending herself in a GroundhogDayLoop, constantly failing to save her friends from Kyuubey and Walpurgisnacht. In most of these timelines, all of them die before her eyes. In the third storyline, not only does Sayaka become a witch and die, but Mami [[GoMadFromTheRevelation completely cracks and so she kills Kyouko by shooting her Soul Gem off, unable to handle how they'll become witches sooner or later... and Madoka has to shoot HER so she doesn't kill Homura. And then, not only do she and Homura fail to stop Walpurgis Night without horribly corrupting their Soul Gems in the process, but she uses the last of her strength to [[HeroicSacrifice drain the darkness]] from Homura's Soul Gem and asks for a MercyKill before she turns into a witch. The sound Homura makes before shooting her best friend to death is utterly heartbreaking.]]

* ALL of Episode 10. [[spoiler: We see Homura sending herself in a GroundhogDayLoop, constantly failing to save her friends from Kyuubey. In most of these timelines, all of them die before her eyes. In one, not only does Sayaka become a witch and die, but Mami shoots Kyouko, and Madoka has to shoot HER so she doesn't kill Homura. And then, not only do she and Homura fail to stop Walpurgis Night without horribly corrupting their Soul Gems in the process, but she uses the last of her strength to [[HeroicSacrifice drain the darkness]] from Homura's Soul Gem and asks for a MercyKill before she turns into a witch. The sound Homura makes before shooting her best friend is utterly heartbreaking.]]
** [[spoiler: In the original timeline Mami shows up, complete with CrowningMusicOfAwesome, just in time to save Homura from the witch who was trying to lure her to suicide. Knowing exactly what happened to Mami back in Episode Three turns this from a triumphant entry to an absolutely gutwrenching one.]]

** [[spoiler: In the original timeline Mami shows up, complete with CrowningMusicOfAwesome, just in time to save Homura from the witch who was trying to lure her to suicide. Knowing excatly what happened to Mami back in Episode Three turns this from a triumphant entry to an absolutely gutwrenching one.]]

* ALL of Episode 10. [[spoiler: We see Homura sending herself in a GroundhogDayLoop, constantly failing to save her friends from Kyuubey. In most of these timelines, all of them die before her eyes. In one, not only does Sayaka become a witch and die, but Mami shoots Kyouko, and Madoka has to shoot HER so she doesn't kill Homura. And then, not only do she and Homura fail to stop Walpurgis Night without horribly corrupting their Soul Gems in the process, but she uses the last of her strength to [[HeroicSacrifice drain the darkness]] from Homura's Soul Gem and asks for a MercyKill before she turns into a witch. The sound Homura makes before shooting her best friend is utterly heartbreaking.]]

* ALL of Episode 10. [[spoiler: We see Homura sending herself in a GroundhogDayLoop, constantly failing to save her friends from Kyuubey. In most of these timelines, all of them die before her eyes. In one, not only does Sayaka become a witch and die, but Mami shoots Kyouko, and Madoka has to shoot HER so she doesn't kill Homura. And then, not only do she and Homura fail to stop Walpurgis Night (again, apparently), but she uses the last of her strength to [[HeroicSacrifice drain the darkness]] from Homura's Soul Gem and asks for a MercyKill before she turns into a witch. The sound Homura makes before shooting her best friend is utterly heartbreaking.]]

* ALL of Episode 10. [[spoiler: We see Homura trapped in a GroundhogDayLoop, constantly failing to save her friends from Kyuubey. In most of these timelines, all of them die before her eyes. In one, not only does Sayaka become a witch and die, but Mami shoots Kyoko, and Madoka has to shoot HER so she doesn't kill Homura. And then, not only do she and Homura fail ANYWAY, but she uses the last of her strength to [[HeroicSacrifice drain the darkness]] from Homura's Soul Gem and asks for a MercyKill before she turns into a witch. The sound Homura makes before shooting her best friend is utterly heartbreaking.]]

* Episode 9. [[spoiler:Madoka's reaction to Sayaka's death, leaning over the body and crying into her chest. Then, Kyouko's HeroicSacrifice[=/=]MercyKill on Witch!Sayaka, saying she understands how horrible it is to be alone, and she won't let Sayaka die that way.]]

As a {{deconstruction}} of the MagicalGirl genre with the plot of a [[spoiler:CosmicHorrorStory]] it is no surprise that PuellaMagiMadokaMagica would have {{Tear Jerker}}s.

As a {{deconstruction}} of the MagicalGirl archtype with the plot of a [[spoiler:CosmicHorrorStory]] it is no surprise that PuellaMagiMadokaMagica would have {{Tear Jerker}}s.