Heartwarming / Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget

• With Molly being one of the main protagonists of the movie, there have been so many moments that warms the heart. It's obvious that even though she causes them trouble sometimes, Ginger and Rocky absolutely adore Molly and want to do everything they can to keep her safe and happy.
• Rocky's Character Development:
  • There's a scene near the beginning where Ginger and Rocky playfully splash each other with water, both laughing and having fun the entire time. Considering that they spent most of the first movie bickering, it's really sweet to see that their relationship is ultimately very happy and stable. In fact, Rocky has noticeably softened up since the first movie - while still cocky and impulsive, he is mostly a friendly and supportive guy who has a very loving relationship with his wife and daughter, a far cry from his lying, self-centered self of the past.
  • Another nice example of Rocky's Character Development sticking is how he refers to Ginger. He no longer calls her by condescending nicknames like "dollface" or "babydoll", instead going for a genuinely Affectionate Nickname of "Ginge", which she seems to be perfectly okay with.
  • Rocky even has a friendly relationship with Fowler, who hated him from the time he showed up to very late in the first film. This time around, there's no verbal sniping on either side.
• The rats and the chickens:
  • Molly calls Nick and Fetcher her "uncles". They are both deeply touched by it and develop a huge soft spot for Molly.
    Fetcher: She just... called me, "uncle".
    Nick: Steady, mate. Steady.
    Fetcher: But I've never had a family of me own.
    Nick: Me neither. [both sob]
  • Despite their relationship with the chickens still being rather transactional, Nick and Fetcher are much more friendly with them than in the original film, and clearly visit every month to catch up as well as to sell stuff.
  • When the two rats, who normally don't lift a finger to help the chickens without being paid, hear that Molly is in danger, they immediately agree to help in any way they can.
    Molly: (after Nick and Fetcher arrive) Uncle Nick? Uncle Fetch. How did you find us?
    Fetcher: We just fell down the air v...
    Nick: (warmly) Love, Molly. Love showed us the way.
• The flashback/recap that opens the film is presented as Rocky telling his unhatched daughter how her mother saved all the chickens from the Tweedys' farm. His love for Ginger shines through as he describes her bravery, ingenuity and passion. Ginger says it's a bit early for him to be telling their child bedtime stories, but Rocky claims that she's not too young to know her roots.
  Rocky: And do you know who that freedom fighting chicken was? Your very own mom.
• While it's hardly unusual for Babs to knit, it's shown during the montage of Molly growing up that she happily and regularly knitted things for Molly, ranging from a onesie to a knitted bicycle. Ginger was clearly touched at the gestures, even if not all of them were useful.
  Ginger: What a lovely... thought. (smiles warmly) Thank you, Babs.
• Molly is clearly adored by every chicken on the island. It's implied that she's either the first or the latest chick to be hatched on the island (seeing as how the ending scene of the first movie showed plenty of newborn chicks), and every single chicken on the island takes a role in raising her. It takes a village, after all.
• The corn silo scene:
  • When they first fall into the silo, Ginger asks where Rocky is. Molly fills her in, telling her mom that he saved their lives. Both of them are legitimately touched and proud.
  • Ginger admits that she is kind of scared that Molly is so much like her. Molly then asks if there's something wrong with that, which touches her mother deeply. Then Rocky chimes in to say that there's nothing wrong with it, since Ginger is, in his words, "the best".
  • The chickens are trying to light a firework to pop the corn, but they don't have matches. As everyone is beginning to despair again, Molly uses Mac's glasses as a Solar-Powered Magnifying Glass, allowing the main cast to escape the silo. Rocky reacts with a relieved and very proud "That's my girl!".
• When Ginger resolves to help Molly free Frizzle and the rest of the hens, she expects Rocky, Bunty, Mac, Fowler, and Babs to go back to their sanctuary for safety, until Bunty tells her they are with her all the way and they join in on the rescue. Even Nick and Fetcher join in to rescue the other hens, showing that they truly do care.
  Ginger: Just because where we live is cut off from the world, doesn't mean we are, too. No chicken is an island.
  (Beat)
  Bunty: We're with you, Ginger.
  Mac: Aye, me too.
  Babs: Me four.
  Nick: The rats are in!
• Molly is very reluctant to leave Fun-Land Farms without Frizzle. And when she does manage to free Frizzle from the mind control collar, you can tell that Frizzle is incredibly touched and grateful that Molly came back to save her.
• During the climax, Mrs. Tweedy catches Ginger in a Sadistic Choice - either save Molly from her or save the other chickens (including her friends) from the grinder by deactivating the brainwashing collars. The normally decisive hen hesitates as she tries unsuccessfully to come up with a way out of it...and then she sees Rocky, whose charge into the fray completely changes the situation and restores her hope.
• Fowler isn't pleased with his job as the getaway man, suspecting (somewhat rightfully) that he was given that position because the others believe he's not up to being part of the main mission. However, he fulfills it faithfully, and, after saving the others from Mrs. Tweedy using a zipline, he reports for duty as T.I. Fowler from the getaway corps. Ginger warmly asks what they would do without him.
• The penultimate scene back at the sanctuary implies the original group has accepted the Fun-Land Farms chickens into their village, complete with Babs and Bunty helping with constructing new huts and Mac preparing a huge batch of popcorn for everyone with a rewired laser duck.
• Bunty seems to have softened up considerably now that she's out of Mrs. Tweedy's "prison camp" farm. She never really snaps at anyone, even Babs when the latter gets distracted by "Summer Holiday" while on their rescue mission. At the end, Babs says that the best part of holidays (clearly referring to their completed mission) is coming home. Bunty happily agrees with her.

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