No One Gets Left Behind, even if that someone is Murdoc.
Despite all the kidnappings, deals with the Devil and general abuse, the Gorillaz are capable of some heartwarming moments.
- "On Melancholy Hill". "'Cause you are my medicine, when you're close to me..." The music video that goes with it is a CMOH in itself: Noodle's under attack by pirates, Murdoc has a Pet the Dog moment and takes 2D and the cyborg to save her, and everyone who collaborated on the album goes with them. Sadly they don't find her, and they fail to save the manatee.
- At least Russell was able to find Noodle, though.
- However, the only thing more heartwarming than the original song is the acoustic cover by Damon Albarn himself
. Quite possibly the sweetest of Sweet Dreams Fuel ever.
- Also, "To Binge." He loves a drug addict... but loves her... just loves her. "But I just have to tell you that I love you so much these days... have to tell you that I love you so much these days, it's true."
- "Every Planet We Reach is Dead" from Demon Days (Album) also gives the warm fuzzies...
- "Some Kind of Nature" (it's Lou Reed and he sounds happy!) and "Don't Get Lost In Heaven" and "Demon Days" from Demon Days (Album) definitely count.
- In the otherwise unsettling "Rock It" video, there can be a moment of heartwarming found in that a sleepy Noodle rides on 2D's back the entire video. It really shows the bond between the band members despite the ages gap.
- This clip with Murdoc and 2D. For once, they're actually getting along; Murdoc doesn't attack or even insult 2D. He even compliments him, and the two just happily work together on a song. It's a nice change from the usual hell 2D gets in interviews, and pretty heartwarming.
- In the story, there's something sweet about how 2D's dad had the family name "Tusspot" legally shortened to "Pot" before 2D's birth. Why? So that his son wouldn't go through the same crap that he did because of it.
- 2D checking up on Noodle in "DoYaThing", especially the little smile they both get.
- It should also be noted that ever since the "El Mañana" incident, Noodle's life has been pure hell (figuratively and literally.) After she had escaped from there, she was almost always violent, angry, hurt, or a combination of all three throughout the Plastic Beach saga. Fast forward to 2012, when we see what the Gorillaz are up to in their new (temporary) home. Noodle only appears briefly in "DoYaThing," but when we see her, she's taking a long-deserved rest and looks content for the first time in years.
- Also, on a related note, the floating island returns.
- It's the first time we see 2D smile since Plastic Beach too. Pity Murdoc hits him with a shoe later.
- Also, the sign on her door. Way back in "DARE" she had a "Noodle's Room Keep Out" sign on her room, but in "DoYaThing" she now has one that reads "Keep In". They're not letting that girl get taken away again.
- "Highway (Under Construction)" from D-Sides. A surprisingly soft and gentle song that sounds like a promise.
- "Empire Ants" off of Plastic Beach is absolutely beautiful.
- After Jamie Hewlett posted new artwork on his instagram officially confirming the band's return, the fanbase noted how everyone appears to be much happier in said artwork. Though we have no idea what the band might be in for, it's a nice thing to see after all they went through in phase 3.
- Seems to have been proven true, as the music video "Saturnz Barz (Spirit House)" showed all four members getting along and trying to find a new home (possibly after the events of "DoYaThing"note ) and even after the weirdness they all endure, they're out of the house and Murdoc of all people asks if anybody wants breakfast. Guess aside the usual weirdness, the lives of the Gorillaz are going back to the simple times of the first album!
- Makes it a lot more heartwarming the official Gorillaz instagram and Noodle's own instagram shows the band a lot more happier these days! Throw the Dog a Bone indeed.
- The video played with the live performance of Broken has some low-key sweet moments of Noodle and Russel smiling at each other.
- In the "We Are the Dury" interview CD, Russel begins to describe the loss of Del and the struggle he went through trying to make his own album during his own misadventures. But then Murdoc gets him to calm down, as he was getting a bit too deep, which even he felt would not help Russel's mental state. He even says "It's best not to dig too deep, dark place this one". Not bad for the satanist who chloroformed 2D, and especially when you consider that Murdoc and Russel genuinely don't like each other.
- Similairly there's a part later in the interview where they're talking about Dirty Harry and Noodle and Russel begin talking about the themes of child abuse/loss of innocence. Murdoc, who'd spent the entire interview being himself, suddenly becomes uncharacteristically sullen and serious as he agrees. Before the interview goes on, Russel immediately cuts back in in defense of abused children, apparently with a hand placed on Murdoc's leg for comfort. Murdoc just replies with mild annoyance that Russel keeps touching him, but it's sweet to see Russ returning the favor above.
- Later in the interview, 2D, Noodle, and even Murdoc compliment Russel's drumming skills, calling him the best live drummer they've ever heard.note
- Also from "We Are the Dury", 2D's input for the title track of Demon Days is... rather beautiful.2D: Remember when you were a little kid and you would look at the clouds in the sky as the sunlight bounced off them? And something that simple would make you feel a part of everything, and all alone at the same time. And the feeling's not something you can ever put into words, so you spend your whole life chasing it. Making music, taking pictures, painting, whatever. In the hope that other people will understand that sense or... feeling. As creative entities, we look for signs of life outside ourselves for a connection to alleviate the sense of solitude. That's why we all do what we do. Whether we know it ourselves or not.
- In his interview with Highsnobiety, 2D notes that during a tour, Murdoc had him to come back to his trailer. According to 2D, Murdoc drunkenly poured his heart out to 2D, and the two ended the talk with a hug.
- "We Got The Power", the closing track to Humanz has to be one of the most uplifting things they've ever recorded. It's a song about how amazing humans can be with The Power of Love. In light of recent world events, some of which were even addressed by the band in "Hallelujah Money", the song that it follows on the album, seeing them come out with a message like this is all the sweeter.
- After the events of Plastic Beach, seeing Noodle smiling and happily skipping in the Jaguar Racing commerical feels extremely satisfying. It's nice to know that even after everything that happened to her, Noodle hasn't forgotten how to act like a happy, carefree young woman.
- During Murdoc's interview with Noisey, when asked who should play the next James Bond, who does he pick? Noodle.Murdoc: What's that, Murdoc? But she's a woman? Yeah, deal with it. I'm a feminist now.
- In an interview with Dazed, Noodle says that she comforts "2D when he has a bad dream, Murdoc when he has a bad trip, and I calm Russel down when he gets paranoid about the world's problems." Awwww. She's also clearly taken the El Mañana incident in stride, merely making a quip about how she hasn't had to make her own tea in ages because Murdoc's still groveling over it.
- In this Phase 1 interview, when Noodle is asked if the guys pick on her because she's ten years old and a girl, she replies no, and that they take care of her because she's ten years old and a girl. She also talks about how she loves the guys because Russel is a Nice Guy, 2D smells nice and shares a Zen bond with her, and Murdoc makes her laugh.Question: If you weren't in Gorillaz, what band would you like to be in?
Noodle: I like playing with other people but I really don't want to be in any other band.
- In this Phase 1 interview
- Noodle posted a message to 2D on Instagram for his 39th birthday. Aside from all the other comments filled with birthday wishes, there's this response from 2D himself:
- "We Got the Power" and some of the Humanz promotional performances feature singing and guitar from Noel Gallagher of all people, indicating that their bitterness from the blur vs Oasis rivalry is well and truly over.
- The new music video, "Strobelite", shows us something we never thought we'd see the band do - relaxing. Despite the video briefly spending time on Russel and Murdoc, the primary focus is on 2D and Noodle simply dancing in a club and having a good time, perhaps one of the few times they've had to even take a breather since the El Manana incident.
- When Ace was revealed to have been recruited by Gorillaz following Murdoc's arrest and incarceration, this picture was posted on their Twitter, showing a happy Noodle hanging out with Ace. It's a bit nostalgic, calling back to Noodle's relationship with Murdoc in the early Phases.
- The entirety of "Humility" is spent with each band member just having some fun in a coastal area, 2D in particular happily rollerskating. At one point, 2D's actually the one to offer a helping hand to a struggling skater! The skater refuses and continues stumbling around, but 2D just shrugs it off. Then Russel for some reason decided to trip 2D, causing his eyes to go black again, severely hurting his vision. That is, unless the theory that 2D was possessed during the music video is true. Then Russel was just giving him an impromptu exorcism.
- Also, Jack Black having the time of his life in the background.
- That said, it's fairly obvious Black is somewhat annoyed by 2D upstaging him. It culminates in him taunting 2D after Russel trips him.
- Also, Jack Black having the time of his life in the background.
- "How Far?" was released much earlier than schedule due to one of its features, Tony Allen — Afrobeat innovator, longtime collaborator and friend to Damon Albarn — having passed away in April 2020. The video displays artwork of the Gorillaz bandmates giving their own heartfelt reactions to Allen: 2D is heartbroken from the loss, Noodle highlights his spirituality in passing on, Russel commends his drumming skills, and even Murdoc raises a shot glass to bid him farewell.
- The music video for "Aries" consists of Murdoc and 2-D taking a peaceful motorcycle ride together, with both of them genuinely seeming to be enjoying it. It seems like the two of them are actually getting along for once, and that maybe they're beginning to make peace with one another... Too bad Murdoc had to go and inject 2-D with truth serum immediately afterwards.
- The ending of "The Lost Chord". When it looks like the band is about to abandon Murdoc on Plastic Beach as it's being destroyed by Poseidon, the portal suddenly reopens and 2-D extends a hand to Murdoc to save him. No matter what he's put everyone else through, he's still part of the band, and 2-D isn't about to just leave him alone. Murdoc's look of disbelief and joy in response is notably one of the few times he's ever genuinely smiled about something, and this is also notably one of the few times that 2-D doing something kind for Murdoc hasn't come back to bite him in the ass.
- Even before that moment Murdoc can be seen pulling the other members of the band to safety as the tower they’re standing on slowly sinks. With 2D he has to hoist him up onto the top of the tower!
- As the band explore the beach, one of the things they find is the submarine Murdoc used to escape the island, with none other than Cyborg Noodle inside. Upon seeing it, Murdoc starts crying. Even if Murdoc initially created Cyborg Noodle to simply be a Replacement Goldfish, it seems that he did end up growing attached to her as well.
- The fact that Murdoc appears visibly uncomfortable about being back on Plastic Beach throughout the video could imply that he has come to regret the things he did throughout Phase 3, or at the very least see it as a low point for himself.
- There is a small but brief moment in the Dirty Harry music video. When Bootie Brown raps the lyrics, "Your water's from a bottle. Mine's from a canteen." look behind him. There is an animated child doing his movements as he's rapping.
- Ace in the Tranz music video. He's just...having the time of his life playing in the band. And also Russell is just smiling throughout the entire thing as well.
- During the holiday season in 2021, Murdoc decided to write a "Christmas Address" for the fans. In the letter, Murdoc describes being visited by three ghosts while acting miserable during the holidays, but later decides to try to get into the spirit of things after they leave. Murdoc proceeds to buy his bandmates some genuinely nice gifts, puts up a Christmas Tree decorated with whipped cream and hair spray, and admits that doing those things made him feel genuinely warm and happy for once. Considering how unempathetic Murdoc usually is, him wholeheartedly wishing the fans love for the holidays is genuinely heartwarming.
- In the commentary for Clint Eastwood, Murdoc has only nice things to say about the dance troupe of zombie gorillas and remembers them each by name.Murdoc: Anna, Keith, Florence... they still send us a Christmas card every year!
- He also expresses genuine remorse at the passing of the oldest member, Gordon.
- There's something rather sweet about Moonflower clearly growing fond enough of 2D that seeing him teary-eyed as she's about to sacrifice him is enough for her to realize My God, What Have I Done? and choose instead to save him in the Silent Running video. Even if stopping the ritual means her own death.
- The rest of the band running in to save 2D as well in the same video. Even Murdoc runs in to help Moonflower try to pull 2D from the pit he's been lowered into- even if a part of it was likely him trying to show off.
