♫ We can try that
You and me
That's all that we need it to be
And the rest of the world falls away
And the rest of the world falls away... ♫
Despite all the gloom surrounding Dear Evan Hansen, there are just as much moments like this to balance the gut-wrenching songs.You and me
That's all that we need it to be
And the rest of the world falls away
And the rest of the world falls away... ♫
As a Moments subpage, all spoilers are unmarked as per policy. You Have Been Warned.
Musical
- A minor one, but in "For Forever", when describing how he fell from the tree, he mentions that Connor came to get him. It's subtle, but you can hear Evan's voice break as he says this, signifying how such a small act would mean so much to him: just to feel noticed and cared for.
- Also doubles as Tear Jerker, since it's a fabricated story, and in reality, no one was there for Evan when he broke his arm.
- The reprise of it in the finale, and the fact that the very last line of the show, sung by Evan, is "All I see is sky, for forever...", showing that Evan's finally found some peace and accepted himself, rather than one who was only recognized because of his fake friendship with Connor. And as he sings that line, the sky backdrop goes from blue to pink -- like a sunrise.
- Evan's declarations of love to Zoe in "If I Could Tell Her."
- "You Will Be Found," from start to finish. Evan's words have such an incredible impact on people he's never met.♫ Even when the dark comes crashing through
When you need a friend to carry you
When you’re broken on the ground
You will be found. ♫- And the repeating refrain, "You Are Not Alone."
- "Thank you, Evan Hansen."
- One line from the list of commenters/responders that hits especially hard: "I know someone who really needed to hear this today, so thank you Evan Hansen for doing what you're doing."
- "Only Us", which is basically Evan's and Zoe's love song. It's endearing to watch, in contrast to all the other saddening songs.
- "So Big / So Small". Not just because Heidi reassures Evan that she'll always be there for him; not just because she helps him see that one day all his present troubles will be a distant memory; but, most of all, because we finally get the moment of genuine connection between mother and son that has eluded them both since the top of the play. It is just so cathartic to finally see them actually talk to each other!
- This line from Heidi shows just how much she accepts who Evan really is, despite the difficulties stemming from his social anxiety.
Evan: If you knew what I am... just... how broken I am.
Heidi: Evan. I already know you. And I love you. - When Evan meets up with Zoe after the Time Skip, he seems... different. He’s not all hunched over, he’s looking Zoe in the eye, engaging in the conversation, and hardly stuttering. Even if he isn’t completely rid of his anxiety, he’s definitely not letting it rule his life anymore.
- Zoe forgiving Evan at the end.
- Larry and Cynthia have forgiven him too: they've never told anyone about his confession. Zoe says that even if he was lying, in the end Evan helped them resolve the issues Connor's death had only deepened; he "saved them".
- Evan's last letter to himself."Dear Evan Hansen, today is going to be a good day. And here's why- because today, no matter what else, um, today at least you're you. So, no hiding… no lying. Just you. And that's... that’s enough. Maybe someday, everything that happened... Maybe it will all feel like a distant memory. Maybe... Maybe someday no one will even remember about The Connor Project. Or me. But, uh, maybe someday, some other kid is going to be standing here, staring out at the trees, feeling so... alone, wondering if maybe the world might look different from all the way up there. Better. And, and... Maybe he’ll start climbing, one branch at a time, and he’ll keep going, even when it seems like he can’t find another foothold. Even when it feels... hopeless. Like everything is telling him to let go. This time- Maybe this time he won’t let go. He’ll just... hold on. He’ll hold on and he’ll keep going. He’ll keep going 'til he sees the sun."
- From the novel, Connor's ghost saving Evan from committing suicide in the street. As much as Evan lied about Connor coming to get him in "For Forever", here Connor got the chance to do it for real. And he took that chance. Not Too Dead to Save the Day indeed.
- Even more heartwarming when you realize that this, as well as acknowledging his own mistakes, is what finally allows him to move on to the afterlife.
Film
- At the beginning, a student passes by Connor and insults his nail polish, comparing it to a school shooter. This is followed by a cheerleader calling him out on it. It speaks lengths to how there are still people who cared about Connor, even if they didn't know him.
- When Evan panics in the middle of his speech about Connor at the memorial assembly, what motivates him to finally stand back up and sing "You Will Be Found"? Cynthia smiling at him. She didn't see him as a socially anxious kid who messed up Connor's tribute, she saw a socially anxious kid just doing his best with what he had.
- As "You Will Be Found" concludes, we see Evan walking through the school corridors, witnessing other students greeting and waving to him. Another guy even pats him on his shoulder! Compare that to "Waving Through a Window", where no one noticed Evan in the same place, while he basically dodged anyone passing by. It shows just how much a single act of kindness can allow others to truly connect with you.
- After Zoe thanks Evan for honoring Connor's memory with his speech, a movie-exclusive scene shows Evan finally having his cast removed! The way he looks at his arm with satisfaction shows how he's ready to put the past behind him, even if it isn't in the best of ways.
- "Only Us" contains a new Good-Times Montage that's wholesome to see. Evan goes to the prom with Zoe as a couple, and they even ride a roller-coaster, ferris wheel and a carousel at a funfair.
- Evan finally opening up to Heidi about his tree accident actually being an attempted suicide. This is a sharp contrast to the musical, where this was only implied. No matter how hard it was to tell the truth, Evan still did it anyway. And Heidi's response? She sings "So Big/So Small", which, despite being about how terrified she is about her own failures as a mother, is also about how she still loves Evan despite her husband's divorce, and will always be there for him. The hug the two share after the song is the icing on the cake.
- During the montage of Evan getting to know Connor better, he is seen talking to Mrs. G. She was the person who Connor threw a printer at in second grade, since she didn't elect him the line leader. But that single shot of her still telling Evan about Connor means that she did care about all of her students, no matter how difficult they were to cope with.
- Connor gets another song other than "Sincerely, Me". It's called "A Little Closer", which he sung while playing the guitar at rehab. This was recorded by another rehab patient, who sends it to Evan. He then secretly mails USBs containing the file to Alana, Jared and the Murphys. All three groups watch Connor's performance with satisfied smiles. The significance cannot be understated, despite its sad lyrics, because for the entire movie, we knew little to nothing about Connor than his fiery temper. The rest of the movie proceeded to draw a flawed picture of how Evan perceived Connor. But here? This is who Connor truly was, a troubled guy who still attempted to do better against any odds.
- It's also fitting that the last shot of Cynthia and Larry is the two holding each other's hands while they see Connor's song, with Cynthia also holding Zoe's hand. Now, they can heal as a family on their own terms.
- At the end of the movie, Jared and Evan are shown to still be on good terms, since they have a group photo taken by their mothers. Even if Evan revealing his lie alienated himself from the Murphys and Alana, there was still one friend he could count on.
- The last song does reprise "For Forever" instrumentally, but Evan doesn't sing that song. Instead, he sings the last lines of "A Little Closer", and peacefully closes his eyes, basking in the sunlight at the reopened apple orchard. He has finally broken free from the lie he made to Connor's family, and is set on improving himself, however long it takes.
