Even though it's become a post-apocalyptic frontier full of violence and anarchy, Hope County still has plenty of touching moments to offer.
Unmarked spoilers below.
- The opening cutscene depicts the residents of Hope County finally leaving their bunkers for the first time since the bombs fell. Seeing people building a new, lively home gives you hope that despite everything, humanity does indeed have a chance to rise again.
- After rescuing Nick Rye from the Highwaymen, you're treated to a very sweet family reunion back at Prosperity. When you and Nick walk in, Kim is too busy looking for a tool to even hear her long-lost husband saying her name... until he comes up behind her, holds her and asks "Lost something, darlin'?" Then Carmina walks in, overcome with joy, and simply thanks you for bringing her father home.
- Hurk Jr. being a loving father despite the terrible treatment he received from his own father. His baby son can't read yet but Hurk leaves him a note at Chateau Boshaw telling Blade that his father loves him and hates having to be away from him.
- Should the Captain decide to spare Mickey, she not only keeps her word and abandons the Highwaymen, but leaves behind a letter detailing her next move: to head back east and search for her mother.
- The citizens of New Eden as well as wandering New Eden members are surprisingly polite and respectful to the Captain, sincerely sympathizing with them for getting attacked by the Highwaymen, and agreeing to ally with Prosperity against them. Certainly a far cry from the hostility of the Peggies back in the last game.
- Even though it also comes with a heavy dose of melancholy, many of the notes that detail Hope County survivors venturing off into the world comes with a good bit of relief knowing that they did survive the nuclear Holocaust after all, since it means that the Deputy's efforts to help them weren't all in vain.
- The final scene of the game is Carmina and the Captain sharing a beer at Rush's grave while remarking that even though things probably won't get much easier they have made a lot of progress and the future is looking a little brighter than it was before. After seventeen years of nuclear war, fallout, bloodshed and death it seems a small measure of hope has finally returned to Hope County.
- Any time the Captain can be allowed to show some affection to Timber or Horatio. Certainly makes up for the absence of Boomer, Cheeseburger and Peaches.
- As a tie-in to Splinter Cell, the player can find notes written by Sam Fisher himself around the crashed Paladin. One of the notes has Sam expressing his opinion on Andriy Kobin, the man who faked his daughter's death. Ever since the end of Blacklist and Kobin joining Fourth Echelon formally, Sam now considers the man who he hated so much a friend. In addition, while other members of the team left to find their families, Kobin stayed behind the crash plane to help Charlie Cole after the latter was too injured to move, a nice Call-Back as Cole was the only person who is friendly to Kobin.
