Line #27 TearJerker/CucumberQuest


1	Despite ''Webcomic/CucumberQuest'' looking bright and cheery, it can get really depressing.
2
3	'''As a Moments subpage, all spoilers are unmarked [[Administrivia/SpoilersOff as per policy.]] Administrivia/YouHaveBeenWarned.'''
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5	[[foldercontrol]]
6
7	[[folder:Chapter 1]]
8	[[/folder]]
9
10	[[folder:Chapter 2]]
11	* The reveal that [[http://cucumber.gigidigi.com/cq/page-440/ Count Legato was really a bullied nerd named Panpipe]], who was tormented by Mayor Lute's son, Mandolin. [[TranquilFury Lute]] [[TranquilFury was]] ''[[TranquilFury furious]]''.
12	* [[http://cucumber.gigidigi.com/cq/page-469/ The hopeless fear on everyone's faces as the Noiseblaster's beam streaks towards the Melody Kingdom. Lute pulls Mandolin and Panpipe closer, the sole surviving clown gapes in terror, an uncontrollably weeping Queen Cymbal clutches her husband's hand tightly... it's heartbreaking.]]
13	** [[AlasPoorVillain On the opposite end]], after the Noise Blaster completely fails to work, Noisemaster just gives a dejected glance off to the side and retreats back into his stone. It's so pathetic a loss that you actually want to give the poor guy a hug. [[HarsherInHindsight And it becomes even worse]] once it's revealed it was the Nightmare Knight who stopped the blaster, and it's implied Noisemaster knew this.
14	---> '''Noisemaster''': So, it's like that.
15	*** And then Mutemaster even joins him, peacefully cradling what's left of his friend in his arms.
16	---> '''Gigi:''' ''(somberly)'' [[PyrrhicVictory You won]].
17	[[/folder]]
18
19	[[folder:Chapter 3]]
20	* The beginning of Parfait's letter to Carrot, where she writes that she doesn't want him to worry about her, while ''crying''.
21	* The Nightmare Knight's rejection of Parfait's friendship. It's bad enough he admits he never had a friend before, but right before he rejects Parfait officially, he looks incredibly sad.
22	--> [[http://cucumber.gigidigi.com/cq/page-496/ "I've learned nothing."]]
23	* [[http://cucumber.gigidigi.com/cq/page-526/ Nightmare Knight's face in the fourth panel.]]
24	** Most of his initial conversation with Rosemaster, in fact. Splashmaster and Mutemaster weren't intelligent enough to comprehend their failures, and Noisemaster began to grow frustrated with a rigged game and a hierarchy that he thought was cheating him, but [[http://cucumber.gigidigi.com/cq/page-528/ Rosemaster is not only as sick of the endless cycle of defeat and conflict as Nightmare Knight is]] (and is aware of the fact), she's begun to blame ''[[MyGreatestFailure herself]]'' for it all as well. The LittleNo he gives in response is heartbreaking.
25	* When Cucumber tried to give the Nightmare Knight an offer of reconciliation, Almond runs in and yells at her brother that the Nightmare Knight isn't to be trusted. The Nightmare Knight's response?
26	[[http://cucumber.gigidigi.com/cq/page-568/ "This was a mistake."]]
27	** Even more tearjerking - Almond's response triggered a memory of Calabash saying the same thing, with his sister Walnut trying to convince him otherwise.
28	* From Nightmare Knight after Carrot saves Cucumber and Almond by appealing to his better nature: [[http://cucumber.gigidigi.com/cq/page-572/ "You are more pitiful than I imagined."]] ''Ouch...''
29	** Also, Sir Carrot's face afterwards. Poor guy.
30	* [[http://cucumber.gigidigi.com/cq/page-573/ "I just don't want you to... Y'know?"]]
31	** This is the first time where we actually get to see Almond ''cry''. Something about a confident girl being terrified for her and her older brother's safety that feels startling realistic.
32	* Rosemaster's shocked, heartbroken [[EtTuBrute response]] to Glitchmaster's footage of Trebleopolis being saved. Which meant that all of the Disaster Masters' efforts have been ''for nothing''.
33	* While pursuing Azalea, Cucumber and Carrot run into a group of Roselings. Cucumber tells Carrot to continue the pursuit while he deals with them. Carrot is hesitant and when Almond arrives and asks if they know where Azalea is, Cucumber is about to say that Carrot went after her before noticing that he hasn't moved an inch. Cucumber's absolutely ''heartbroken'' expression is what makes it a tearjerker.
34	* Almond's shock at Sir Carrot's cowardice during the fight with Rosemaster, and consequently how easy it is for Rosemaster to manipulate her against him, by appealing to Almond's BlackAndWhiteMorality and saying that Carrot's cowardice could make him a potential villain.
35	* Subsequently, Sir Carrot's slight breakdown as he thinks about how worthless he is to the team. His conversation with Nightmare Knight reveal just how disappointed in himself he is. Luckily, receiving and reading Parfait's letter gives him the courage and upgrade he needs.
36	* Hearing Rosemaster talk about the pain she's been hiding all these years over having to play a destructive role she doesn't really want is sad, and demonstrates again how this unbroken cycle is harmful to not just the bunny people of Dreamside, but to the villains themselves as well.
37	* After the battle, everyone is feeling sympathy for Rosemaster--except for Almond, who yells that the Roselings' sorrow isn't going to make her cry for their master. Which is completely understandable, since Rosemaster forced her to attack Carrot. Between that and the previous encounter with the Nightmare Knight, Almond has been pretty traumatized by the events of Chapter 3.
38	* We finally learn why the Nightmare Knight keeps playing the villain, even though he clearly doesn't want to - without the power he derives from fear, the Disaster Masters will fade away. So even though he's come to care for them, he has to keep sabotaging their efforts or he'll lose them forever.
39	* A very subtle one, but on [[http://cucumber.gigidigi.com/cq/page-681/ this]] page you can see the cookies the Nightmare Knight baked. They have roses etched into the icing. Keep in mind, this is the chapter where Rosemaster was defeated.
40	[[/folder]]
41
42	[[folder:Chapter 4]]
43	* "Do [[http://cucumber.gigidigi.com/cq/page-745/ we]] [[http://cucumber.gigidigi.com/cq/page-746/ need]] [[http://cucumber.gigidigi.com/cq/page-747/ to]] [[http://cucumber.gigidigi.com/cq/page-748/ talk?]]" In which Cucumber and Almond have an argument over Cucumber's attempt to make peace with the Nightmare Knight and the Disaster Masters. When Almond [[NeverMyFault escalates the argument]], [[BrutalHonesty Cucumber bitterly tells]] [[JumpedAtTheCall Almond]] [[NiceJobBreakingItHero that they wouldn't be in this mess in the first place if they had prevented the Nightmare Knight's resurrection when they had the chance]]. [[CerebusSyndrome For the first time]], [[WhoWouldBeStupidEnough the event of Almond willingly giving a Disaster Orb to Peridot]] [[SkewedPriorities just to have]] [[JumpedAtTheCall a fun adventure from Chapter 1]] is [[IronicEcho recalled in a much more serious light.]]
44	** What makes Cucumber's speech hit home harder is the tone - he really does blame Almond for all the things he had to endure in the entire series, and the events of Chapter 3 served as his breaking point.
45	---> '''Cucumber:''' So, yeah, I guess it is your fault.
46	* Chapter 4 as a whole just starts out without any of grimness from the end of Chapter 3 lost in any way. Everyone is in dour spirits and a lot of muted colors are used to reflect that. A far cry from the bright cheeriness of the first few chapters of the series.
47	* At the end, Almond expresses faith in Carrot and Princess Ametrine's ability to take Quakemaster down. [[http://cucumber.gigidigi.com/cq/page-861/ The last panel]] shows Carrot's incapacitated body, the magical heart on his chest armor turned to stone.
48	[[/folder]]
49
50	[[folder:Chapter 5]]
51	* Carrot and Princess Ametrine had been incapacitated and captured by Quakemaster. Princess Parfait senses that her boyfriend's in danger and tries to assure him, but she discovers that ''something'' is happening to Carrot - Quakemaster had cursed him to slowly become [[ReforgedIntoAMinion his rock minion]], which focuses on draining all of his positive emotions until he becomes a living person of rock like Obsidian.
52	* Quakemaster reveals his vulnerability underneath his confident facade to the Nightmare Knight, saying he doesn't know how much longer he can do this. The Nightmare Knight who came to confess, can't bring himself to do it and pushes Quakemaster onward instead. Now he has to keep up the act while trying to reach an impossible goal, and the Nightmare Knight doesn't think he and the other Disaster Masters can ever forgive him.
53	* We learn that Mistmaster lost his nerve one cycle and surrendered to the hero. The Nightmare Knight punished him by reducing him to little more than an EmptyShell, his misery generating rain which is bad for Quakemaster. The Nightmare Knight ''himself'' was too afraid to look at the damage he's done to him. Worse is that the Nightmare Knight threatening to similarly punish Quakemaster and how quickly he falls back into line is just heartwrenching. It really adds a whole new meaning to Noisemaster's: "We gotta fight. That's just how it is." Assuming all the Disaster Masters are aware of what happened, it's no wonder nobody's decided to speak up.
54	* Ametrine is unsure about her relationship with Piano and doesn't open her letter right away. We find out it's because she proposed to Piano and was (gently) turned down. No matter how valid their reason is, hearing "it's not the right time" from the one you love after taking a leap of faith like that is gonna hurt. It has Ametrine unsure if she and Piano are right for each other.
55	* When the Nightmare Knight finally gathers the courage to tell Quakemaster that he's been secretly sabotaging him and the other Masters the entire time and that Mistmaster was cursed because he found out, Quakemaster absolutely ''[[VillainousBreakdown loses it.]]'' He grows into an enourmous magma monster threatening to bury Basaltsbury under molten rock. The Nightmare Knight has no choice [[OffingTheOffspring but to put him down himself.]] It's a ''heartbreaking'' sequence.
56	** Quakemaster's breakdown is [[TruthInTelevision frightening realistic.]] [[CryLaughing He starts chuckling before]] [[LaughingMad his laughter becomes more and more unhinged,]] all while his anger and hurt causes his form to melt and dissolve into pure lava. It's worse when you remember Quakemaster ''just'' had a similar moment of vulnerability with the Nightmare Knight and was ''threatened'' for it. He himself was putting up an act all these years because he thought it was what his "boss" wanted. He even hid the romantic relationship he had with his minion for fear of the Nightmare Knight's retribution if he found out.
57	* Obsidian tells everyone the story of how he fell in love with Quakemaster, and laments that in his old age, he most likely won't live long enough to see him again if the cycle continues the way it has.
58	* At the end of the chapter, everyone comes to the [[DramaticIrony logical but incorrect conclusion]] that the Nightmare Knight ended Quakemaster because he found out about his relationship with Obsidian. With this and the "sending everyone towards the sun" incident in the Chapter 2 Interlude, the heroes now have two [[EntertaininglyWrong reasonable but completely wrong assumptions]] about the Nightmare Knight.
59	* Carrot is less than amused with Obsidian's ruse pretending he was cursed since he suffered from the real thing. It's clear it had a lasting effect on him. He's pensive for the entire conclusion of the chapter and at the very end [[WhamLine he drops this:]]
60	--> '''Carrot:''' Almond...Cucumber...This is difficult to say but...I believe our travels together have come to an end.
61	[[/folder]]
62
63	[[folder:Bonus material]]
64	* An unexpected somber moment in a silly [[http://cucumber.gigidigi.com/cq/chapter-3-bonus-1/ Q&A strip.]] Almond is asked if she's ready to fight the Nightmare Knight; she looks shaken and looks away as she replies yes.
65	[[/folder]]

Context TearJerker / CucumberQuest