The bleakness of this series just makes these shine even brighter.
As a Moments subpage, all spoilers are unmarked as per policy. You Have Been Warned.
General
- The fact that Lemony is so devoted to his dear Beatrice, even after all these years. He also doesn't hold it against her that she married someone else. He calls both parents kindly and attentive several times, and dedicates himself to recording the plight of their three children and sharing their story.
The Bad Beginning
- Justice Strauss' genuine concern for the children. She even considers adopting them.
- When Olaf threatens Sunny by dangling her in the air over the table, the Hook-Handed Man is holding out his arms, as if preparing to catch her if the worst happened.
- The Powdered-Faced Women also do it.
- Gustav and Jacquelyn's partnership as V.F.D. associates seems to be very close, as they work with each other on Gustav's films. He drops everything to find Jacquelyn after she is abducted and tied to a tree, and when Jacquelyn asks him to attend the theater with her he immediately says "Of course" with a fond smile. And at the theater, when Count Olaf asks Violet to dance, they both also take out their spyglasses to defend the poor girl.
The Reptile Room
- Monty welcoming the orphans to the Reptile Room, both reassuring them that there is no danger and giving them a metaphorical Rousseau Was Right speech.
- Klaus calling Monty "Uncle" for the first time.
The Wide Window
- Aunt Josephine giving the children presents on their first day staying with her. The presents themselves are unsuited for Violet, Klaus, and Sunny (a bit like Josephine herself, really), but it's clear it came from a place of love.
The Miserable Mill
- Despite being Sir's sycophant, Charles is nothing but kind, and he gives the orphans proof that their parents were the good people they remember.
- A small one for Sir.Sir: This mill is all I have, Charles. ...And you. Of course I have you.
- In "The Miserable Mill Part 2", Klaus plans to confront Dr. Orwell alone. As he was walking towards her office, Violet takes his hand and says they need to stick together.Violet: What's that thing Samuel Beckett said?Klaus: "I can't go on. I'll go on."Violet: Let's go on. ‘'Together.''
- As she stumbles backwards into the furnace to her death, Olaf actually reaches out to Orwell in a vain attempt to save her.
- Near the end of Miserable Mill: Episode 2, after Poe drops the Baudelaires off at the school, he tells them in a very legitimate sounding tone that he hopes they find comfort. Although minor, it shows that despite his carelessness and greed, Poe does seem to care for the children.
The Austere Academy
- In Austere Academy Part 2, before the Quagmires go off with their plan to take the Baudelaire's place for the nightly lap running, Isadora gives Klaus a kiss on the cheek. Made even sweeter by Klaus' Adorkable reaction.
- After Olaf kicks the bag of flour that is posing as Sunny and it explodes, he storms off, but the Hook-Handed Man rushes over, muttering, "Baby, baby, are you okay?"
- Olivia the librarian cares about the Baudelaires and the Quagmires so much that she joins V.F.D., climbs up a building, gets herself thrown in jail and disguises herself as Madame Lulu to help them. She is extremely kind and gentle with the children. In "The Austere Academy" we learn that she herself is an orphan, so she can relate to their struggles. Of course, all this makes it even sadder when she gets devoured by hungry lions, just after saving the Baudelaires one last time.
The Ersatz Elevator
- The Hook-Handed Man’s relationship with Sunny is further emphasized in "The Ersatz Elevator Part 2" where he offers her a position in the troupe.
- Poe allows Jacquelyn to join him and his wife for dinner when she tells him that its Secretary Day. There's also the fact that when Jaquelyn brings up "Secretarys Day", he doesn't even question it.
The Hostile Hospital
- The Archivist at the Heimlich Hospital is a Cool Old Guy that for once, especially at that moment, is nice and kind to the Baudelaires. Trusts them and gives them some warm food. It's especially sweet as they take a moment to look at the stars and eat together. Which makes their betrayal all the more heartbreaking.
- In Season 2, we discover that Kit ends up with her brother's taxi. He's deceased and Lemony is believed to be, so Olivia has worked out who Kit is and given her back her brother's possessions.
- A minor moment, but the Hook-Handed Man standing outside the getaway car, in danger of being left behind by Count Olaf, just to give the Person of Indeterminate Gender a chance to catch up, looking visibly anxious for them.
The Carnivorous Carnival
- In the "Carnivorous Carnival Part 1" Madam Lulu states that Hook-Handed Man cares about his sister and is seen shortly after debating with himself on whether or not he should call her.
- When she was Madame Lulu, Kit cared deeply about the carnival workers and even offered to pay for their tuition to go to a community college to learn new skills, so they can leave the carnival.
The Slippery Slope
- The Hook-Handed Man expresses a great deal of fondness for Sunny while they're on Mount Fraught, from helping her make food to disobeying Olaf's orders to hunt down a soda for her when she said she was thirsty and would prefer something fizzy.
- When Olaf tries to order his troupe to throw the birdcage over the frozen waterfall with Sunny inside they all refuse. The Powder-Faced Women, Bald Man and Henchperson of Indeterminate Gender all announce that they've had enough and that they're leaving together. The Hook-Handed Man takes advantage of Olaf being distracted by this to secretly let Sunny out of the cage so she can hide. He then throws the now empty cage over the cliff to make it look like she's been killed.
- As Violet is crafting a way to get up the mountain, Lemony is narrating what various mentors would tell her as she is progressing. He mentions what a certain Snicket man would say if her invention worked...Violet: It works.Lemony: Pistachios for everyone!
- Lemony allowing Violet and Quigley a few moments of privacy when they rest on the moment, where it's implied (in the books, at least) that they share a First Kiss.
- The scene where Violet attempts to rescue Sunny, only for her to say that she'll stay and spy on Count Olaf's troupe. When Violet asks her how she intends to get away, Sunny uses a string from her clothes to tie her hair, mimicking her big sister, and says she will invent something. Violet almost cries with pride. When Violet asks how she became so brave, Sunny points to her.
The Grim Grotto
- Olaf and Esmé "adopt" Carmelita while posing as a family. While Olaf is as verbally abusive to Carmelita as he was to the Baudelaires, Esmé genuinely supports Carmelita and respects her talents.
- When the Baudelaires fake a sea monster attack, Carmelita actually cries and hugs Esmé.
- When the Baudelaires encounter Phil for the first time since The Miserable Mill, they greet him warmly and give him a big hug.
- After curing Sunny with the Medusoid Mycelium, Violet and Klaus give her a hug out of a relief.
- Before she leaves, Fiona kisses Klaus, proving that, even though Fiona ultimately chooses her brother over the Baudelaires, she truly does care for Klaus.
The Penultimate Peril
- Jerome and Babs, having failed to take care of the Baudelaires in the past, have returned to testify in their support.
- The reveal that Charles got out of his toxic relationship with Sir, and started attending a support group for people who escaped from horrible partners... where he met Jerome. Jerome then refers to Charles as the real love of his life. D'aww!
- Babs, Jerome, Frank and the trolleyman speaking out in defence of the Baudelaires during the courtroom scene.
- The Baudelaires reuniting with Justice Strauss. They give her a hearty hug and she gushes about how much they have grown.
- In their testimony, Klaus and Violet first bring up the wrongs that Olaf committed against the other ("He hit Klaus across the face! He tried to marry Violet!")
- The flashback to the night of the schism.
- We see Lemony, Kit, Beatrice, Esmé, and Olaf on their last night as friends, enjoying a night out together.
- Lemony watches Beatrice's performance through his spyglass and claps joyfully after she's finished.
- Olaf's father, the Official Fire Chief, gives the theater a speech about fire safety and concludes by telling his son "I love you." Olaf reacts with embarrassment but it's clear the feeling is mutual.
The End
- Overall, compared to how it ended in the books, the series ends on a much more hopeful and uplifting note.
- The final few minutes of the series: The Beaudelaires manage to completely move on from the unfortunate events of their youth, and have rich, fulfilling lives traveling the world and having adventures, accompanied by Beatrice II. Who then seeks out Lemony to assure him his efforts weren't in vain, and good triumphed in the end. Especially for people who have been fans from the beginning, it's a tremendous weight lifted to finally get true closure and assurance that the kids got the happy ending they so richly deserve.
- The montage at the very end that showed what became of some of the side characters.
- Olaf's henchmen went on to actually become actors and are shown receiving roaring applause for their performance.
- Fiona and Fernald finally find their step-father while searching for him in Count Olaf's old sub.
- Quigley Quagmire is shown reuniting with Isadora and Duncan at the balloon home.
- The biggest one of all aside from the Baudelaire's own happy ending: Lemony getting closure too, meeting Beatrice II and getting not only closure over his deceased lover's children being safe but knowing his sister's daughter lived. Considering everything he's suffered and blames himself for, Lemony really deserves it.
