History TearJerker / StarTrekIITheWrathOfKhan

** Combines a little with FridgeHorror when you stop and think about the InferredHolocaust that goes along with Khan's attack; it hits hard to think how many of the trainees, even among those who ran, didn't make it out alive.
** In the novelization, Saavik had been tutoring Peter Preston. The night before the funeral, she keeps a vigil over the coffins of both Preston and Spock, "the only two people she had ever cared about in the universe."

'''[=McCoy=]:''' (voice cracking and barely holding it together) Jim... I think you'd better get down here.\\

'''Scotty:''' Sir, ''he's dead already!''

'''[=McCoy=]:''' Jim... I think you'd better get down here.\\

*** The eulogy deserves to be reproduced in full. Warning: will cause many ManlyTears.

* [[AlasPoorVillain The death of Khan himself.]] First, he and his people lost everything in their [[SarcasmMode "comfortable" exile]], and then Khan himself sees all the rest of his people die in the pursuit of his vengeance, and finally goes down quoting Captain Ahab from ''Literature/MobyDick'': [[FamousLastWords "From the heart of hell, I stab at thee..."]]

'''Kirk:'''' Bones?\\

--> '''Kirk:''' Engine room. Well done, Scotty!
--> '''[=McCoy=]''': Jim... I think you'd better get down here.
--> '''Kirk'''': Bones?
--> '''[=McCoy=]''': Better... hurry.

*** [[HeReallyCanAct In a truly sublime acting performance]], WilliamShatner breaks viewers' hearts as much with his face as with his lines. The look on his face when he first realizes what's happened and bolts from the bridge is amazing.

---> '''[=McCoy=]:''' NO!, you'll flood the whole compartment!!
---> '''Kirk:''' He'll die!
---> '''Scotty:''' Sir, ''he's dead already!''

*** Especially tragic when you consider that in spite of his physical pain and weakness, Spock straighten his uniform, determined to face his commanding officer with dignity - and in an instant that dignity was lost when he walks right into the glass wall like a bumbling fool.

---> '''Spock:''' Don't grieve, Admiral. It was logical. [[IronicEcho The needs of the many... outweigh...]]
---> '''Kirk:''' ... the needs of the few.
---> '''Spock:''' [[HeroicSacrifice Or the one.]]

----> "We are gathered here today to pay final respects to our honored dead. And yet it should be noted, in the midst of our sorrow, this death takes place in the shadow of new life, the sunrise of a new world; a world that our beloved comrade gave his life to protect and nourish. He did not feel this sacrifice a vain or empty one, and we will not debate his profound wisdom at these proceedings. Of my friend, I can only say this: of all the souls I have encountered in my travels, his was the most... human."

** If you're trying to get through this scene with a dry eye, James Horner's [[CrowningMusicOfAwesome soundtrack]] is not your friend. The end of the cue "Genesis Countdown" is Kirk's reaction to Spock's sacrifice. Unreleased on the soundtrack, but prominent in the movie, is Scotty on the bagpipes at Spock's funeral; his rendition of "Amazing Grace" swells into a full orchestra as the torpedo is fired toward the Genesis Planet, just as the sun rises over it. Cue ManlyTears, a lot of them.
** The lingering shot of Spock's coffin as it comes to rest on the planet and pans out, showing the miracle the Genesis device has created ... and then Leonard Nimoy's voiceover [[PosthumousNarration reciting]] the famous OpeningNarration.
--->'''Spock''': Space: the final frontier. These are the continuing voyages of the starship ''Enterprise''. [[TheAdventureContinues Her ongoing mission]]: To explore strange new worlds; to seek out new life forms and new civilizations; to boldly go where no man has gone before.

-->'''Peter:''' Is the word given, Admiral?
-->'''Kirk:''' The word is given. Warp speed.
-->'''Peter:''' Aye... ''(dies)''

-->'''Joachim''' (to Khan): Yours is ... superior ... ''(dies)''\\
'''Khan''': (embracing Joachim's body) I shall avenge you.

* The death of Peter Preston, Scotty's nephew, especially when he brings him to the bridge in his own arms. (Even Saavik sucks her breath in in shock.) Finally, Scotty tearfully states after Preston dies, "He stayed at his post... when the trainees ran."

'''Khan''': I shall avenge you.

** For those familiar with {{A Tale of Two Cities}}: [[HeroicSacrifice 'It is a far, far better thing I do than I have ever done before...']] (*sniff*)

-->'''Spock''': Space: the final frontier. These are the continuing voyages of the starship ''Enterprise''. [[TheAdventureContinues Her ongoing mission]]: To explore strange new worlds; to seek out new life forms and new civilizations; to boldly go where no man has gone before.

* For some reason, [[AlasPoorVillain the death of Khan himself gets me every time.]] First, he and his people lost everything in their [[SarcasmMode "comfortable" exile]], and then Khan himself sees all the rest of his people die in the pursuit of his vengeance, and finally goes down quoting Captain Ahab from MobyDick: [[FamousLastWords "From the heart of hell, I stab at thee..."]]

** The lingering shot of Spock's coffin as it comes to rest on the planet and pans out, showing the miracle the Genesis device has created ... and then Leonard Nimoy's voiceover [[PosthumousNarration reciting]] the famous OpeningMonologue.

* Spock's HeroicSacrifice.

*** They don't just tell him; McCoy knew how Kirk would react and was ready with himself, Scotty and a spare crewman to ''physically restrain'' Kirk from opening a door holding back unholy levels of radiation in his attempt to get to Spock.

* For some reason, [[AlasPoorVillain the death of Khan himself gets me every time.]] First, he and his people lost everything in their [[BlatantLies "comfortable" exile]], and then Khan himself sees all the rest of his people die in the pursuit of his vengeance, and finally goes down quoting Captain Ahab from MobyDick: [[FamousLastWords "From the heart of hell, I stab at thee..."]]

'''Khan''': I shall avenge you.

*** They don't just tell him; they have to ''physically restrain'' Kirk from opening a door holding back unholy levels of radiation in his attempt to get to Spock.

** [[DueToTheDead Kirk giving the eulogy]] at Spock's [[BurialInSpace funeral.]] "Of all the souls I have encountered in my travels ... his was the most ... human."

* For some reason, [[AlasPoorVillain the death of Khan himself gets me every time.]] First, he and his people lost everything in their [[BlatantLies "comfortable" exile]], and then Khan himself sees all the rest of his people die in the pursuit of his vengeance, and finally goes down quoting Captain Ahab from MobyDick: [[FamousLastWords From the heart of hell, I stab at thee..."]]

** In a scene deleted from the theatrical version but put back in the DirectorsCut Scotty introduces the enthusiastic cadet to Kirk as "My sister's youngest, Admiral. Crazy to get to space!"

-->'''Kirk:''' The word is given. Godspeed.

-->'''Joachim''' (to Khan): Yours is ... superior ... ''(dies)''

** In the novelization, Saavik had been tutoring Peter Preston. The night before the funeral, she keeps a vigil over the coffins of both Preston and Spock, "the only two people she had ever cared about in the universe."

--> '''[=McCoy=]''': Jim.... I think you'd better get down here.

---> '''Spock:''' Don't grieve, Admiral. It was logical. [[IronicEcho The needs of the many ... outweigh ...]]

* Poor, overshadowed Preston. He stayed at his post when the trainees ran.
** Made even worse when you learn that there was a deleted scene that would have shown that Preston was Scotty's nephew.
* "...And also that I'm proud.....very proud....to be your son."

* Combines a little with FridgeHorror when you stop and think about the InferredHolocaust that goes along with Khan's attack; it hits hard to think how many of the trainees, even among those who ran, didn't make it out alive.
* In the novelization, Saavik had been tutored Peter Preston. The night before the funeral, she keeps a vigil over the coffins of both Preston and Spock, "the only two people she had ever cared about in the universe."