Heartwarming / Bambi II

A prince learning to be a father with a little help from his son.

• The entire premise of Bambi II is incredibly heartwarming when you really get down it: an aloof but loving father connecting with his son and both learning from each other.
• The movie's main theme, a simple track titled "Bambi and the Great Prince", is heartfelt in how it represents Bambi's bond with his father getting stronger whenever the melody plays as the movie goes on.
• During the Cold Opening, Friend Owl arrives before the Great Prince to offer comfort over his and Bambi's loss. When the Great Prince asks him to find a Parental Substitute for Bambi, he makes a less than subtle inkling that the Great Prince himself would probably take the role better than anyone.
  • Made even more meaningful when taking the ending in consideration: when all was said and done, Friend Owl was right.
• The baby otter that's whimpering in its sleep while "There Is Life" is playing. Its mother then gently wraps her tail around it, and the baby calms down and smiles.
• A baby flying squirrel going out on its first flight with its mother. Riding on her back at first, it looks really scared, but when it finally comes down to it, it takes to it like a duck to water, smiling in a "I did it!" sort of way at its mother.
• Even though it almost led to his death after he woke up, the dream sequence Bambi has of his mother also counts as this, with its warm colors and the lilting score provided by Bruce Broughton, which incorporates part of "Love is a Song" from the first film and a snippet of the main leitmotif. And then there's the meaningful speech she gives him near the end.
  Bambi's Mother: Everything in the forest has its season. Where one thing falls, another grows. Maybe not what was there before, but something new and wonderful all the same.
  Bambi: But I feel so alone.
  Bambi's Mother: I'm always with you, even when you can't see me. I'm here... (echoes) I'm here... I'm here...
  • As one YouTube comment put it, "Suddenly, young adults everywhere got the closure they've been seeking for DECADES."
• Thumper spending most of the movie trying to help Bambi impress his father. While it was obvious in the first film that Thumper was close with Bambi, the midquel makes clear how devoted he is to him, especially considering the little bunny isn't big on family responsibilities like dealing with his own little sisters.
• Faline looks out for Bambi, following the death of his mother. She offers Bambi an escort home with her and her mother. After Bambi is stung by the Porcupine, she rushes to his side upon hearing his cries of pain, immediately trying to see where he's hurt when she reaches his side.
• Kid!Ronno picking on Faline in what is a creepily good recreation of his attempted claim in the original movie. Faline tells him to stop, in a tone of voice that suggests he's done this before. Ronno swipes at her "playfully" with his baby antlers, and she stumbles back. Bambi then stutters "L-L-Leave her alone!" His righteous indignation at the way Faline is being treated is wonderful.
• The two-hander where Bambi and the Great Prince discuss feeling the forest with their hooves. The pair had just started to connect for a bit in the scene before this one and Bambi, not wanting to lose that, reaches out to his father about his responsibilities. The Great Prince, while still a bit lost when it comes to parenting, is touched by this and makes a greater effort to let Bambi in, teaching him the ways of a prince. After their talk is done, the Great Prince decides to bring Bambi along on his patrols again so they can spend some more time together and this leads directly into "The First Sign Of Spring", the bonding montage that's arguably the most heartwarming scene in the film.
• The scene with Bambi and the Great Prince in their den at night. Bambi is wide awake, and the Great Prince, though clearly wanting to sleep, decides to talk with his son until he grows tired.
  • With some hesitance, the Great Prince leans up to his son to sleep beside him. Bambi, makes a nervous peer back (much as he did at the start of the film when the Great Prince first took him in) only this time he goes to sleep with a huge content smile on his face.
• Though the moment after it is definitely a Tear Jerker, Bambi and his father playing with one another in the forest, including the Prince knocking Bambi onto his back, then fuzzy-kissing his belly.
• When Bambi's temporary adopted mother is caught in a snare and you start to hear dogs in the distance, she snaps Bambi out of his frozen terror and tells him to run for his life. He starts to, but then realizes her exact words—"Faster, Bambi! Don't look back! Keep running. Keep running!" He freezes, gets a determined look on his face, and goes back to save her. For extra effect, the aforementioned Leitmotif he shares with his father blares as he steps in.
• The Great Prince finally accepts Bambi as his son when he believes Bambi died from a fall and is incredibly relieved to be proven wrong. It's an easy to miss detail, but throughout the movie, Bambi always addressed the Great Prince indirectly or in formal manners such as "Sir" out of timidness. After the Great Prince was convinced he had lost both members of his family, the first sign of life he hears from Bambi?:
  Bambi: Dad?
  • And as soon as he hears it:
    Great Prince: ... I'm here. (starts nuzzling Bambi) I'm here.
  • When you put some thought into it, it's an indirect nod to the dream sequence; how Bambi's Mother indirectly alluded to her time with her son having ended, but in turn a bond between him and his father flourishing. It serves as testament that although his mother's gone and his father took a while to fully grow into his role as a parent, both of them would be there for Bambi no matter what, be in spirit or otherwise, all conveyed in just two words: I'm here.
• Thumper and Flower's reaction to seeing Bambi and The Great Prince reuniting with each other after Bambi's apparent death. Thumper reacts by slowly tearing up and starts crying into Flower's arms. Flower then starts comforting Thumper and smiles similar to how a mother would comfort a child.
• Also Friend Owl and Mena's reaction; as the above happens, they share a quick glance at each other smiling, then Mena leaves while Friend Owl looks on at Bambi and his father.
• Thumper telling the forest animals how Bambi fought off a group of hunting dogs and witnessing Bambi bonding with The Great Prince. Before he finishes his story, Thumper's sisters quickly cut him off by concluding his story before briefly feeling embarrassed. Thumper doesn't get annoyed with his sister, but happily says the story is over without any signs of annoyance. Considering his sisters got on his nerves throughout the movie, it's sweet to see their big brother treating them nicely.
• The ending, where Bambi is taken to a beautiful clearing by his father, who reveals that it's where, in the Prince's fawnhood, he'd first met Bambi's mother. Then this exchange takes place, all while an instrumental reprise of "There is Life" plays.
  Bambi: What were you like?
  Great Prince: Me? Well, let me think. (chuckles warmly) Actually, I was a lot like you.

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