Line #24 TearJerker/XMenApocalypse


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/xmen_apocalypse_magneto_family_dead.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350:''"IS THIS WHAT YOU WANT FROM ME?! Is this what I am?! Is this what I am?"'']]
3	!!The Movie
4	* As Raven notes during her rant about humans to Charles, revealing that mutants exist doesn't change the world overnight. [[HumansAreBastards Humans]] still conduct FantasticRacism against the mutants, as shown in the FightClubbing in East Berlin between Angel and Nightcrawler. The humans force the mutants, even the young ones (as the two are) into battle to death for their own pleasure. Just look at Nightcrawler's face when having to enter the arena; he's ''terrified''.
5	** The announcer even mentions that Nightcrawler came from the Munich circus. ''Someone sold him out.'' Probably someone he trusted.
6	*** Or someone took over the circus and had him removed. On top of that, the poor kid's dumped out of a trunk into the cage. He probably had to be forced or threatened to get in that thing.
7	*** The trunk comes as a bit of FridgeBrilliance and/or FridgeHorror. Nightcrawler's main limitation is that he has to ''know'' where he's teleporting to, usually by seeing it, so he doesn't 'port inside a wall or other solid object. ''Someone not only sold Nightcrawler out to the fight club, they told them how to keep the teleporting mutant contained.''
8	** Even Angel, who's shown to be a BloodKnight during the East Berlin fight, might have shown [[JerkassWoobie cracks in his personality]] when Apocalypse arrives to recruit him. He's drinking beer at the top of a desolate attic of an abandoned warehouse without anyone for company. When Apocalypse comes in, he throws that beer and shoos him away, telling him that he doesn't care about what he'll do, which can be additionally interpreted as he not caring about what he'll ''say''. Considering how he's being used everyday at the ring, it's not hard to think that he has to endure all kinds of racism by the humans enough to isolate himself. And he's just a ''teenager''.
9	* Raven herself even feels this, choosing to use her human form instead of her blue mutant form. That is until in reply to Scott telling her that not all (referring to himself and Jean) can control their powers when they rescue Charles. She tells them to not bother as they're at war and need to embrace them. She then reveals her blue form.
10	-->'''Mystique:''' We all do.
11	** After the explosion, she is revealed to the kids in her blue form (Raven needs to concentrate to maintain any form except her natural blue form). Many mutants see Mystique as their hero.
12	-->'''Hank:''' They look up to you.
13	* After Magda and Nina are killed, Erik ''completely'' crumbles. As if the poor guy hadn't already suffered enough during UsefulNotes/WorldWarII--the death of one's child is the ''worst'' pain that anyone can experience in terms of personal loss, and losing his beloved wife at the same time just compounds his grief even more.
14	-->'''Erik:''' ''([[ManlyTears weeping]])'' Nina, Nina, Nina, no, no, please. Please! Please. Please. ''(sobs)'' Not my babies. ''(sobs)'' Not my babies.
15	** Even more so, the death of Erik's family was an accident as some of the officers are [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone horrified]] at what happened and rebuke the officer who unwittingly shot the arrow that killed Magda and Nina.
16	** Erik's RageAgainstTheHeavens is also heartbreaking in itself. He kills all the officers with a metal necklace, immediately recognizing it as a wrongful act, and he shakes the bloodied necklace in the air as he screams "'''Is this what you want from me!? Is this what I am!?'''" And then he repeats, in a lower, more sobbing tone "Is this what I am?" He truly believes that he's ''fated'' to remain a murderous monster no matter what.
17	** Throughout the film, Erik is just broken. In every other film he's either the main villain, or he [[HijackedByGanon hijacks]] the main villain's plots to [[MagnificentBastard turn to his own ends]]. In this film, he's not truly Magneto, despite his claim to the contrary. He doesn't do anything clever or cunning. He's the same kid that was dragged into Auschwitz.
18	* Apocalypse transports Erik to Auschwitz through his portals to convince him to join his side. [[UsefulNotes/TheHolocaust Some bad memories]] then rise again in Erik's mind. Even Storm, Psylocke, and Angel look quite horrified when they realize where they are.
19	* Although Charles has moved on with his life since 1973, he becomes [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FeG41pNZq8 visibly upset]] when Raven's harsh words remind him of Erik's, and he's almost on the verge of tears. For all of the joy that Xavier receives from being a teacher at his prosperous school with Hank as his steadfast HeterosexualLifePartner, Erik is still a ''very'' sore subject for Charles [[Film/XMenFirstClass 21 years]] after their "[[FanNickname divorce]]."
20	** Heck, Erik is a sore subject for ''every'' one of his former mutant friends, Raven and Hank included. When Raven states that she comes to the Xavier Institute for help locating Erik, Hank has this to say:
21	--->'''Hank''': ''(upset)'' Right, Erik yeah, of course. Of course.\
22	'''Raven''': I think he might be in some kind of trouble. Real trouble.\
23	'''Hank''': Isn't he always?
24	* Apocalypse only even comes into contact with Charles because Charles contacts Erik. Charles didn't contact Erik because of their fights or he's in danger. He contacted Erik because, despite everything he's done Charles wanted to be there for him after the loss of his family and help him avoid being captured. Once again Charles offers Erik is hand in friendship and once again it ends in personal tragedy. Erik is even the one who kidnapped Charles outright, using his power on Charles' metal chair.
25	* The scene where Quicksilver saves everyone in Xavier Mansion from the explosion that Havok accidentally caused might seem like an awesome and hilarious moment at first, until you realize that Quicksilver ''failed'' to save Havok. If you look closely when Quicksilver was standing in front of the explosion in the basement, Havok was nowhere to be seen, ''he had already been consumed by the explosion, and Quicksilver had just witnessed his death and didn't even know that it happened''. Lends an entirely different weight to his line, "Fast as I am, I always seem to be too late."
26	** Scott losing his brother Havok in the school's explosion. Scott left to go watch a movie as an act of petty teenaged rebellion, during which his brother is killed. He gets there as Peter is confidently declaring that he got everyone, until it's pointed out Alex was closest to the blast. After Stryker comes in distracting them and Scott has time to process, he tearfully declares that it should have been him who died, not Alex, since Alex was the one who had his life together and was likely to accomplish great things.
27	** Also a tragic moment for the 'First Class' X-Men team as well, as now the only original members who are still alive are left with Hank, Raven, Charles and Erik. Raven solemnly notes this when she talks with Jean Grey as they are on their way to battle Apocalypse.
28	* It turns out that Quicksilver uses his sense of humor to distract himself from his angst of growing up fatherless. This is a case of TruthInTelevision because many comedians are emotionally troubled individuals.
29	-->'''Peter''': [Magneto] left my mom before I was born. I met him ten years back, but I didn't know it was him. By the time I figured it out, it was too late. Then I saw him on TV again, and I came to the house looking for him, but by the time I got there... ''(sighs)'' Late again. You know, for a guy who moves as fast as me, I always seem to be too late.
30	* The predicament that Wolverine has to endure in Stryker's labs; scientists have erased his memories and made him a feral animal, as Cyclops somberly notes. Wolverine looks angry, but empty at the same time as he goes through the base killing Stryker's goons in cold blood. When Jean catches him, his expression turns from angry into that of a confused animal. He just doesn't know who he is and why he is doing that. And this is just the beginning of Wolverine's torture fest throughout the series...
31	* Quicksilver not only ''doesn't'' tell Magneto that he's his son, but finds out that his father had started a new family somewhere else (and one that Erik loves), and they have died quite recently]]. That must really mess Peter up emotionally, who is already carrying a ton of daddy issues.
32	* Charles breaking down sobbing and slamming his fist against the wall, hearing and watching in his mind as Mystique, his foster sister and former friend almost choked to death, and he is unable to stand to help her, paralyzed and helpless. Worse still, it's not because he's paralyzed that he can't help her. He can't save her because the only thing he could do for her is to give himself up and doing so would allow Apocalypse to take over the world. It's not his weakness that stops him, it's his strength.
33	* Apocalypse's MindRape on Charles is just heartbreaking to see. He's constantly bombarded by Apocalypse with taunts such as "You lack strength," plus the mental NoHoldsBarredBeatdown in Charles' mind, all the while helplessly having to see his friends being [[CurbStompBattle curb-stomped]] by Apocalypse one by one. Throughout the scene, [[ManlyTears he cries hard]] and begs Jean to save him.
34	* It's heartbreaking just how helpless Charles is throughout the climax. He can't even stand much less defend himself.
35	* When Charles wakes up after Apocalypse's assault on his mind, he's disoriented and still in great mental and physical pain, with Moira and Hank kneeling over him, much like he was in Cuba after just having been shot in the spine. When Moira asks if he knows where he is, his first groggy response before giving Moira back her memories is:
36	-->'''Charles''': I'm on a beach... in Cuba, with you.
37
38	!!Deleted Scenes
39	* In the forest, Erik sings the Polish lullaby to Nina one last time, as his beloved daughter will never wake up again. Be prepared to grab some kleenex.
40	* Ororo hints at her DarkAndTroubledPast when Xavier attempts to convince her that she doesn't belong with Apocalypse's gang.
41	-->'''Charles''': You're not comfortable with all this, are you? You're not like them.\
42	'''Storm''': Don't try to get in my head.\
43	'''Charles''': I don't have to read your mind to know what it is you're thinking. You're not a killer.\
44	'''Storm''': You don't know me. You didn't grow up in a place where superstition and dark religion hold a lot more sway than your degrees, Professor. I barely survived my own village, my own family. They all thought I was a curse on the Earth.\
45	'''Charles''': Are you going to prove them right? ''Are you going to prove them right?''\
46	''(Storm abruptly leaves)''

Context TearJerker / XMenApocalypse