"I don't want you to die on me..." "I won't."
At its most basic level, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is a love story of two displaced young people finding meaning in their lives in each other. So even with all of the insanity, horrors, and depression that can be found in Night City, there are plenty of heartfelt moments on display here.
Warning: Spoilers Off applies to Heartwarming pages. Proceed at your own risk.
- In general, it's beautiful to see how David's relationship with Lucy develops. While neither character literally says to the other "I love you", David and Lucy demonstrate their love for each other through the choices they make and the actions they take. Their relationship becomes strained from David's addiction to cybernetics and Lucy's unwillingness to share the truth of Arasaka's plans for David, sure, but when push comes to shove both characters remain committed to one another and are willing to keep each other safe by any means necessary. In short, their love gives them something worth fighting for in a hopeless place like Night City, and their relationship drives much of the emotional moments found in the series.
- While it's small, the moment Maine hears that Gloria died in a car accident, he promptly releases David from the grab he had him in. Earlier in the conversation, he also gets defensive when Dorio and Pilar suggest she simply took his money and ran. He understands that Gloria is an honorable woman and wouldn't betray him without a good reason.
- The edgerunning montage from Episode 4 shows that the crew were good friends beyond just doing mercenary work together, highlighting that even in the cutthroat hell that is Night City there's still room for human connection.
- A small moment, but seeing an old curmudgeon like Rogue actually laughing openly at Rebecca and David's antics getting past her bouncers is surprisingly sweet, and might be the most disarmed we've ever seen her. Rebecca for her part seemed thrilled to see a living legend like the Queen of Fixers favoring them with even a moment of her valuable time. A warm little connection between two generations of Cyberpunks.
- The Official Kiss between Lucy and David in Episode 4. As time progresses, it becomes clear Lucy is moved by David’s selflessness and suggests that he’s the person who’d run into a burning building to rescue anyone even when he knows he’s going to get burned. When she states the reason for her distant behavior was her growing concern for David dying on her, he shares his promise to take Lucy to the moon. At that moment, Lucy and David share a passionate kiss that cements their romantic relationship for the rest of the series.
- Lucy and Dorio saving David from Jimmy's Mind Rape efforts. Without hesitation, they go after Jimmy's car the moment they realize David was abducted, and it's the first of many moments we see of Lucy's willingness to protect her boyfriend by any means necessary.
- Doubles as a Tear Jerker, but in Episode 6, David calms Lucy after she suffers from an episode of PTSD upon learning Tanaka's connections to Arasaka. He believes in her abilities and provides the mental reassurances Lucy needs to proceed through the mission when Lucy pleads. However, his concern for Lucy's well-being is clear and his willingness to abandon the mission so she wouldn't have to run the netrunning component speaks volumes about his love for Lucy.
- Lucy's True Love's Kiss with David in the finale. At that point, David has run out of immunosuppressants and is on the brink of succumbing to cyberpsychosis. On top of this, he's being pursued by Smasher, who has him outgunned and in hot pursuit. Just as he's about to lose his mind completely, Lucy wakes up and kisses David with "I Really Want to Stay at Your House" playing in the background. At that moment, he regains his sanity and shares his willingness to protect Lucy after having everyone else close to him die. This also gives David enough time to help Lucy escape Adam Smasher at the expense of his own life.
- Rebecca is genuinely glad that Lucy is alright, if only for David’s sake, after breaking her out of Arasaka Tower, which is noteworthy considering Lucy had been Rebecca’s rival for David’s affections. Sadly, the moment gets interrupted by Adam Smasher turning Rebecca into paste a few seconds later.
- The epilogue is both this and a Tear Jerker. Despite finally achieving her dream of living on the Moon, Lucy is still grieving over David’s sacrifice. While taking a lunar walk outside the colony, Lucy envisions or hallucinates David standing on the lunar surface with her and happily talking about how he can feel the sun’s warmth before he disappears from view, causing Lucy to give a sad but thankful smile. Even if Lucy wasn’t able to share her dream with David as she had hoped, she is still forever grateful to David for helping her win her freedom from Arasaka, and will continue to cherish the time they spent together as long as she lives.
- A retroactive one, but David has a drink named after him in The Afterlife, as is tradition in the bar for Night City legends who go out in a blaze of glory. The purple-colored drink contains 50% vodka (an alcoholic beverage that originated in Poland) and 50% NiCola (a Japanese cola in the game). As it turns out, Lucy is also half-Polish, half-Japanese and her Color Motif is purple. So in addition to the drink being a hilarious nod to David's dislike for soda, it is also a heartwarming tribute to David and the one he loved.
- The 2.0 update for 2077 adds a series of epitaphs at the Columbarium, written by Lucy as tributes to her fallen friends. There is also one for Kiwi, but it's clearly meant as an insult and is noticably far away from the rest.Pilar, Dorio, Maine
You were the only family I ever had.Gloria Martinez
You were right. David reached the top of Arasaka Tower.David Martinez
You didn't take me to the moon, but you were there with me.
