Heartwarming / Henry Stickmin Series

As a Moments subpage, all spoilers are unmarked as per policy. You Have Been Warned.

"Henry and I make a pretty good team too! Don't count me out!"

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Infiltrating the Airship

• If you go the Earpiece (GSPI) route and pick Disguise when it comes up, you learn that Smith, the guy Henry disguised himself as, has a wife. Apparently, she has just gone into labor, and the others are more than happy to let "Smith" go meet her in the hospital.
  • This is further referenced in the Ghost Inmate ending of Complex, where Henry flees The Wall with a dinghy, but the guards thought it was Smith going off to see his family.
  • One of the unlockable bios you can find in the Henry Stickmin Collection is Smith's. It's highly implied that he turned over a new leaf after the events of Airship, quitting the Toppat Clan and worked for The Wall, likely for the sake of his new family.
• In the Grapple Gun (PBT) route, you have the option to get Henry to free Dave Panpa, the policeman/night guard who previously worked against him, from the Toppat Clan cell. If you do, Dave will happily thank you.
• Two out of the four endings have Henry actually accomplish his mission of taking down the Toppat Clan, and as agreed, General Galeforce gives him a pardon for his crimes, no strings attached. Really, it's sweet to see Henry not getting tricked and to see a lawful character being this fair and reasonable.

Fleeing the Complex

• The "Convict Allies" route. After four games (mostly) going it alone and fighting everyone along the way, it's refreshing and sweet to see Henry joining forces with fellow inmate Ellie to achieve an epic ending through The Power of Friendship. What makes it even more heartwarming are the final scenes — when Ellie is caught by Grigori, Henry has the perfect chance to make a break for it and leave her behind, but instead distracts Grigori long enough for a truck to ram him and free Ellie. Likewise, when the Wall's Warden has tackled Henry while Ellie is already sitting on the motorcycle, she is in a perfect position to save herself and leave Henry to his fate, but she chooses to rescue him anyway.
  • Their dynamic in general in Mission following the aforementioned route as Ellie eventually develops an Undying Loyalty toward Henry as she become his faithful partner, following whatever he does. Be it sided with the goverment, joining the Toppats, or even just doing a heist together. And Henry himself seems to appreciate this in return as Ellie is notably the only character that he's consistently nice to.
• In the "Wait For Transfer—>Government" route, Charles seems to think fondly of when he and Henry worked together in Airship.
  Charles: (Upon noting a guard between him and Henry) I got this. Yeah, it'll be just like the old times!
  • The “Government” route in general. Henry and Charles seem to maintain a very friendly relationship and they seem to work well as a team. Compared to ”The Betrayed” ending where the former Toppat Clan leader saves Henry and then drops him to his doom just to reclaim his title, this is a much better outcome.
    • Heck, Charles in general is this. No matter what, he seems to be there for Henry, even if his idea of a good plan is to crash his helicopter into a building. Even his icons on the options screens show nothing but support winking at the player and giving a thumbs up.
    • Just the fact that Henry even thinks to call Charles when he needs help getting out is heartwarming in and of itself, as it shows just how much he trusts the pilot. On the flip side, the fact that Charles is willing to come pick him up without any sort of hesitation shows just how well the old friends care for each other.

Completing the Mission

• The Government/Allies route is completely heartwarming from start to finish. Henry calls in Charles to pick up him and Ellie. Charles remarks that, to get the General to sanction the rescue, he had to stop the rocket launch and Henry and Ellie both agree to help. Immediately, Ellie and Charles hit it off on the right foot and declare that if the other is Henry's friend, they're trustworthy. Their dynamic throughout the entire route is extremely wholesome, and the final shot features the three of them in an action pose.

  Ellie: If you trust him, then so do I.

  Charles: Any friend of Henry's is a friend of mine!

  • Again, the fact that Henry even thinks to call Charles to pick him and Ellie up from the Wall shows how much he trusts his old friend and partner.
• The Government/Rescue route involves Henry and Charles working together to sabotage the launch. After they finish, the two cheer their victory, for the general to immediately recruit Henry. In particular, the general gives Henry the freedom to refuse, but Henry still accepts because Charles gets promoted and the two of them run operations together. The final stinger is Henry riding along the wing of Charles's chopper for their next mission.
• The Government/Dead route, as it brings Charles back with Henry, even as Charles presumed that Henry was dead. The reunion starts well; Charles and Henry team up to take down the Toppat Clan's space station, and they work together next to each other. Charles even willingly saves Henry's life when Charles throws Henry back into an escape pod after a Toppat grabs him out of it. Unfortunately, this cost Charles' own life.
  • As sad as this ending is, there's something to be said about the fact that Charles doesn't even hesitate to make sure Henry gets away safely, even though it cost him his life. Even after the pod leaves and Charles clearly knows he's doomed, he still remains calm and optimistic to try and keep his friend from worrying about him. Say what you will about Charles, but this ending shows just how much him and Henry care about each other, and the lengths to which Charles will go for him.
• The "Toppat King" ending, achieved via the Executive/Allies route, has Reginald grab Henry as the Toppat satellite takes off. The ex-leader says that he could easily get rid of Henry, and re-assume his position, looking like a repeat of the "Betrayed" ending from Complex. But…
  Reginald: You know, I could drop you and nobody would know... (Beat) But why would I do that? (Pulls Henry up) I saw you out there. You put yourself on the line to save the Toppat Clan. You've truly earned my respect; I can't think of a better person to lead us.
  • This is then followed by images of what happened next popping up on screen; one of these shows Ellie being officially inducted into the Toppat Clan and becoming Henry’s own “Right Hand Lady”, with Henry even giving her a custom top hat. Not bad for the ending that the villains won.
• The climax of the Thief/Allies route has Henry and Ellie being forced to pick a faction... or refuse to pick a side and run away with Ellie in what is implied to be in hopes of pursuing a romantic relationship. Unfortunately, it ends with a fail, but it's the thought that counts. Additionally, if you select Charles, Henry and Ellie are given pardons and are free to live their lives with the same possible romantic relationship between them. On the other hand, if you select the Toppats, Henry throws Dmitri to his death to protect himself and Ellie and both become recruits in the Toppat Clan, in return for Henry giving back the ruby he stole. For either ending, considering how Henry betraying Ellie can cause her to lead the Toppats to mutiny against him, it’s nice to see Henry make amends with someone.
  • When siding with Charles, even the General seems kind of happy to see that Henry helped them, even if he thinks that he couldn’t trust him after last time, as this ending required Henry to betray the government by stealing the ruby. He very well could have just had Henry and Ellie arrested after they helped them, but he decides to pardon them, saying they deserved it.
  • The first thing we see Henry do after killing Dmitri? Check up on Ellie in the rocket's medical bay, visibly happy that she's okay.
• Even the Executive/Ghost route has some moments on it, while most of the Toppats supported Reginald’s coup and chose to stick with Ellie when she took over, there were two Toppats^note One is Thomas, who worked in the main room of the Airship in both Airship and Complex, the other is Geoffrey, the big headed one who confronts Henry when he steals the Ruby in Airship who were loyal enough to Henry that they decided to follow him till the end, even if it got them locked in the brig. Also, Dave Panpa, the security guard from Prison who was captured by the Toppats, immediately charges forward and rescues Henry.
  • Another moment is when Reginald seems genuinely shocked and disgusted after hearing from Ellie that Henry abused her trust just to escape, at least in the Ghost Inmate ending. Sure, he was probably looking for a good chance to revolt against Henry, but judging by his dialogue and word choice, he seems sincerely grossed out by Henry’s selfish actions. Seems like there is honor among thieves here...

    Reginald Copperbottom: WHAT?! Have you no honor? NO DIGNITY?!

  • Dave's "Me?!" when the choice to use him to help Henry's loyalists is hovered over exudes the Butt-Monkey's excitement at the imminent Dare to Be Badass moment.
    • The there's Dave's "Good... good teamwork." after Henry knocks out Floyd Winters.
• A small one, but during the intro of Government/Ghost route, a sticky note placed on Henry's goverment communications device where he hears of the Toppat Clan's transport reveals that it was a gift from Charles.
• Another small one, but Right Hand Man's Villainous Friendship with Reginald. He stays by his side even in pathways where Henry is the Toppat leader, and swears revenge in pathways where Reginald was arrested. RHM also refers to him as "Reg," something none of the other Toppats do. In the Toppat Civil Warfare path, he immediately leaps after Reginald when Henry throws him off the ship. As well, when he's rewired in Master Bounty Hunter, he breaks free of the rewiring the moment Sven mentions Reginald.
  Sven: What are you doing? You're our boss! Are you really gonna side with the guy who locked up the chief?
  (The Right Hand Man pauses, then turns to Henry with a furious Death Glare and tosses him off the rocket)
  FAIL Screen: Deep down he is always gonna be a Toppat. There's no rewiring that.
• It's more implied than anything, but when Henry busts through the ship's defenses in Thief/Ghost, Reginald laments the wasted money... instead of getting angry at the people manning the ship's defenses for missing an intruder.
• The message at the end of the Multiverse Correction ending, which is obtained by completing all the endings and getting every unique fail in every game in the collection.
  Thank You... for enjoying the Henry Stickmin games all these years.
  • This is compounded by the reveal of who sent Henry that package in the prison so long ago: basically, you.

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