History Tearjerker / DumbingOfAge

* Danny learns that Amber could've been killed when she rescued Becky, and takes Sal's advice to try and get her to give up the act out of fear for her safety. [[http://www.dumbingofage.com/2016/comic/book-6/03-when-god-closes-the-door/buckle/ It does not go well, as Amber switches to the Amazi-Girl personality when seeing Sal, and proceeds to cut all ties with Danny on the spot.]] What makes it worse that [[FunnyAneurysmMoment Danny messing things up used to be played for laughs.]]

* Just how much Billie has changed for the worst is difficult to watch. She ''thinks'' she's gotten better after sobering up, but she's just as insecure as ever, having convinced herself it's everyone else that's the problem, not her. She's outright abrasive to her old friends, choosing to hang out with people like [[BitchInSheepsClothing Raidah]], who plays into her ego while secretly mocking her behind her back. Billie is so convinced that she's above it all, that Ruth simply attempting to show amicability after their breakup causes her to hit a RageBreakingPoint, believing that there's no way Ruth could be honest in her feelings.

* Part Joyce, part meta: [[http://www.dumbingofage.com/2019/comic/book-9-comic/04-vote-for-robin/none/ Joyce]] sings this hymn while skipping church for the first time, in which one can sense her loss of faith...[[https://itswalky.tumblr.com/post/185450907842/this-is-todays-dumbing-of-age-strip-my-mothers the day after]] Willis buried his own mother, whom he was estranged from after he abandoned his fundamentalist upbringing.
-->"Three months ago, I wrote about Joyce grappling with God, but unwittingly wrote my mom’s eulogy."

** The worst part of this? While Billie ''may'' be right about Ruth's feelings, she's still completely wrong about being in a better environment. She has no idea that Raidah and her friends (except Asher) hold nothing but contempt for her, and see Billie as nothing but a pawn in her social climbing tenancies (and spiteful rivalry with Sarah and Joyce). Billie is only continuing to project her own insecurities on to Ruth, simply because it's easier to vilify her, rather than admit she might have had a hand in causing Ruth's faith in the relationship to waver. And Ruth can do nothing except stand there silently, either because she believes Billie is right, or because the latter is simply proving Ruth's point by lashing out.

--->"I don't want Jennifer, I want ''Billie''."

[[quoteright:341:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/youtastelikealcohol.png]]
[[caption-width-right:341:Well, ''that'' wasn't a very nice thing to say, was it?]]

** First, we have the reveal as to why Amber and Walky broke up: during Joyce's Halloween party, Dorothy attempted to have a moment of silence for Mike's passing. Walky, in an extremely tone-deaf attempt to lighten the mood, jokes that [[FandomNod Mike is still alive and in witness protection.]] When Joyce furiously calls him out, he breaks character and snaps at everyone for being depressing instead of having fun. [[https://www.dumbingofage.com/2022/comic/book-12/05-this-was-halloween/booing/ Amber does not take it well at all.]]

* Just how much Billie has changed for the worst is difficult to watch. She ''thinks'' she's gotten better after sobering up, but she's just as insecure as ever, having convinced herself it's everyone else that's the problem, not her. She's outright abrasive to her old friends, choosing to hang out with people like [[BitchInSheepsClothing Raidah]], who plays into her ego while secretly mocking her behind her back. Billie is so convinced that she's above it all, that Ruth simply attempting to show amicability after [[spoiler: their breakup]] causes her to hit a RageBreakingPoint, believing that there's no way Ruth could be honest in her feelings.

* Ethan isn't taking Mike's death well at all. He's visibly much thinner, uncaring about his appearance, and is dwelling on the fact that the last thing he said to Mike was a dismissive response to Mike empathizing with Danny and that he never got to confess his feelings for Mike. To make it all hurt further, Ethan wasn't even seen until the ''sixth'' story arc of the second semester (which, if current plans pan out, will be in the ''second'' book) and out of universe a ''year and three months'' after his last appearance.

* Ethan isn't taking Mike's death well at all. He's visibly much thinner, uncaring about his appearance, and is dwelling on the fact that the last thing he said to Mike was a dismissive response to Mike empathizing with Danny and that he never got to confess his feelings for Mike.

'''Ross:''' ''(also in tears)'' Satan took your mother from me, and I won't let him take my daughter next. If I have to die for you, Becky, I will die for yo].

* [[http://www.dumbingofage.com/2015/comic/book-5/03-the-butterflies-fly-away/darling/ "My word is 'Painful'!"]]
* [[https://www.dumbingofage.com/2020/comic/book-10/04-is-a-song-forever/animalcrossin/ "Entertainment, my refuge, how could you betray me"]]

* Whatever happened between Amber and walky, it wasn't pretty. To avoid talking with him, Amber is ready to use Dina's berserk button, by insulting dinosaurs

* Almost every romantic relationship is really meesed up, they always end in a bad way (amber/danny) or they were toxic (Ruth/Billie. the only one which is stable and sane is the Dina/Becky relationship

-->'''AltText''': oh god oh god i'm so sorry becky i'll make joyce gay if it makes you stop crying oh god please stop don't be sad

* Becky's AnguishedDeclarationOfLove to Joyce, only for Joyce [[IncompatibleOrientation to reluctantly rebuff her]].

* Almost every romantic relationship is really meesed up, they always end in a bad way (amber/danny) or they were toxic (Ruth/billy. the only one which is stable and sane is the Dina/Becky relationship