Heartwarming / Dark Souls II

• Crestfallen Saulden cheers up as you gather more and more people in Majula. Even better, unlike his predecessors in previous games nothing bad happens to him in his storyline.
  • Repopulating Majula is a joy in and of itself. Especially since unlike in the original game your newfound companions aren't constantly running off to get themselves killed or Hollowed. It's such a relief every time you come back and find everyone doing fine and happy to see you.
• While it is sad that the blacksmith's daughter does not recognize him thanks to his partially Hollowed state, he is still happy just to have her near him again.
• The Iron King DLC introduces Artorias's greatsword, specifically, the version which was forged using the soul of Sif. Wield it in the final battle against Nashandra to give Sif a measure of payback against the beast who corrupted his best friend.
  • And it's just heartwarming in general to know that Sif's soul endures, even eons after his tragic final battle with the Chosen Undead.
• Vengarl is able to find more peace and solace in his literally disembodied state than he ever found in his life of endless battle. His only real concern is that his headless body is still somewhere out there and just as violent as ever. If you help him out by laying his body to rest, he thanks you and he can then be summoned in a couple future boss battles as a phantom.
• One of the old Firekeepers who spent the beginning of the game mocking your chances of success will be impressed by your progress near the end of the game and rewards you with several extra Effigies. Considering the Firekeepers are essentially metaguys for the developers, it's almost like the developers themselves are congratulating you for getting that far.
• The Giant Tree near the Soldier's Rest bonfire in the Forest of Fallen Giants. When it is examined, a message pops up stating "A Giant rests in peace". Unlike the rest of its brethren, who are still reliving memories of ancient battles, this Giant is at peace. It even occasionally drops an item that makes the player's life a bit more peaceful.
• The Emerald Herald as a whole is this. In the beginning of the game, she'll treat you as she treats any other undead, aloof and distant as if afraid to trust in you. As you persevere and defeat the Old Ones and claim their souls, she becomes more and more hopeful, addressing you respectfully, and even showing up in other areas in the game to guide you along. By the time you finally reach Drangleic Castle, she proclaims her intent to stand at your side until all hope is lost, and even gives you one of her most prized possessions to aid you. Near the very end of the game, she finally tells you her name: Shanalotte.
  • Whenever you return to Majula, the Emerald Herald will spawn in one of a few different poses and positions, such as oerlooking the ocean below; one of these is her simply sitting by the fire and kicking her feet, subtly demonstrating that she's Not So Stoic after all.
• Something added in with the release of the Lost Crowns Trilogy. When you talk to Vendrick, one of his lines is about the "Children of the Abyss" and he mentions Nashandra. The tone he has when talking about her, and the fact that he calls her Shandra, seems to show that despite knowing what she is, he still loves her to some degree.
  • Not just "Shandra" but, "My Dear Shandra" .
• Sir Alonne gives a nod of respect before charging at you, and unlike other bosses that ditch the introductory animation on subsequent attempts, Sir Alonne will always start the fight sitting down, then stand up, pick up his blade, and nod. It gives the player just enough time to perform the bow emote of their choosing and it's a subtle touch that adds a huge sense of honor to the whole ordeal.
• In the Old Iron King's Crown DLC, summoned NPC characters will perform gestures or throw items saying 'Very Good' or 'Hello' upon arrival. The developers are working to make them more and more like the real players!
• The Old Iron King's friendship with Sir Alonne, the warrior who supported him and made him a great king, was so strong that he kept Alonne's armor and sword in pristine condition at the top of Brume tower long after Alonne's disappearance.
• The Fume Knight, once known as Raime the Traitor or Rebel Raime, was Vendrick's most trusted advisor and a knight of great skill who could even expel the black fog (something even Artorias was unable to do) but was cast out and driven away after being defeated by his peer and blood brother Velstadt, who also stood by the King's side but refused to question him, due to Raime calling out the foolishness of the war against the giants which they were manipulated into by Queen Nashandra. He would go on to seek greater power and proof of the Queen's treachery and eventually discovered Nashandra's sister and fellow child of dark, Nadalia, who had fallen into despair after seeking the Old Iron King only to find him dead and his kingdom in shambles due to his own foolishness. Overwrought by her dream dying before it even began, she split her soul in pieces to protect her king's tower with risen knights and filling it with her black fog to protect it from looters. Raime singlehandedly dispelled the fog and cut down any undead in his way fully intending to cut her down to obtain proof against Nashandra but when he came upon her he found a kindred soul when he saw her despairing and lonely plight as she dedicated herself to a king with no hope of having her loyalty appreciated or rewarded. He instead willingly embraced her dark into himself and stood by her for countless ages until the Curse Bearers arrival to give her companionship and protection.
• Alsanna was the most fearful of the Children of Dark being the embodiment of Manus' fear, but the Ivory King loved and cared for her anyway. She in turn cared for him, and even now honors his last wishes by guarding the evil he sacrificed himself to contain. Where Nashandra selfishly sought the Throne of Want above all else and Elana was rotten to the core, Alsanna actually pulled a Heel–Face Turn. Before he left, the Ivory King gave her a sword, the symbolism of which made it obvious that he knew from the beginning what she was. One must wonder how different things could've turned out if Vendrick's queen had been Alsanna instead of Nashandra.
• This is a franchise that has built itself up on its hopelessness just as much as it has its insane difficulty, so the reward for completing the Lost Crowns trilogy; a cure for undeath, however imperfect, suddenly makes the hopelessness disperse. With this gift, the chosen undead may be able to break free of the vicious cycle of fallen empires. It was hard earned, but a Souls game finally has a happy ending.
• After god knows how many years spent seated in the darkness of the Crypt, Velstadt will still fight with all his might and determination to keep the player from reaching Vendrick and keeping his dismal fate a secret from the rest of the world.
• Alva the Wayfarer was a wandering knight who sought a cure for Saint Serreta's illness, but a witch named Zullie tried to thwart him at every turn. Alva never did find a cure for Serreta's illness, and when she died he relinquished his knighthood out of grief. But then Zullie made a Heel–Face Turn, and ended up supporting Alva in the rest of his endeavors; Zullie comforted Alva in his grief, and Alva gave Zullie the love that she had never experienced. In a series with so many Downer Endings a straight-up love story is quite heartwarming.
  • Sadly, Alva experiences Happy Ending Override come Dark Souls III, and loses Zullie too. He doesn't take it well.
    • The Ringed City reveals they were reunited in the Abyss, so... Happy Ending Override-override?
• Gavlan. From his humorous dialogue to his useful services, it's hard to not get a goofy smile on your face when you talk to him.
  Gavlan: With Gavlan you wheel, you deal!
  Gavlan: Many Soul! Many thanks! Gah ha ha!
• The crows Dyna and Tillo can come across as very cute despite being invisible. One of them speaks with a slight lisp, the other with an almost impossibly high-pitched excitement. Though the player may never see them, it's not hard to imagine the little crow chicks happily rolling around the various little stones you bring them.
• According to the description of her mask from Dark Souls 3, the Bearer of the Curse kept their promise to Lucatiel and remembered her name.
  • It gets even better when you consider the Unkindled has no reason to know who Lucatiel was. The Bearer of the Curse didn't just remember her name; they made damn sure EVERYONE would by getting the entire kind of mask named after her.
• As scary as the prospect of refusing to take the Throne of Want and link the fire again so you can try to find a new way to end the cycle can be, Aldia's words on the subject seem oddly hopeful, in a way contrasting the Fire Keepers' low expectations of your chances.
  Aldia: There is no path… beyond the scope of Light, beyond the reach of Dark… what could possibly await us? And yet we seek it, insatiably… such is our fate.
• A retrospective one thanks to Dark Souls III; one ending has you carry out Vendrick's plan to Take a Third Option and master fire and dark to undo the cycle. If he was still alive, he'd be happy to know he was right all along.