Heartwarming / Puella Magi Madoka Magica The Movie: Rebellion

D'aww.

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

• The first half hour or so is made of this. While it's a given that things will be dark and horrible once the plot gets into motion, for just a little while, all five girls and a former witch are happy together, living out a sugary sweet (if immensely trippy) conventional magical girl series.
  • It becomes more so in a sense when you find out the nature of this world. For all her perceived cold-heartedness and her aloofness towards pretty much anything that is not Madoka Kaname, this sweet, happy world where all five of them are friends having fun together is nothing less than the deepest, most yearning desire in Homura's heart.
• They finally got their cake. And it's marvelous!
  • Amusingly, (and heartwarmingly, since it was due to Homura's involvement), it is marvelous and covered in pumpkins.
• Mami and Bebe/Nagisa's relationship. Bebe even drew a picture◊ of Mami! The scene where Mami, Homura, Madoka and Bebe are all hanging out together really sums it up, when Mami brings up how she used to be all alone. Bebe notices how despondent the memories are making her friend and immediately goes over to comfort her. Mami spends the rest of the scene with Bebe in her arms.
  • The whole fight between Homura and Mami happened because Mami was trying to protect Bebe from Homura.
  • According to the witches' artwork, Mami made Bebe's clothes by hand.
• The end of Homura's fight with Mami illustrates how much the two care about each other, even when they find themselves at odds: Homura gains the upper hand (or so it seems) because Mami is distraught at the sight of her shooting herself in the head. Then, once she has Mami (apparently) at her mercy, Homura shoots to wound rather than kill, and still can't bear to watch her shot connect. For someone who generally tells herself that she doesn't care about anyone besides Madoka, that says a lot.
• One could consider the conversation between Sayaka and Homura (right after Homura's battle with Mami) to be a bit of a Fridge Heartwarming moment. Sayaka tells Homura that maybe the Witch responsible for the "dream world" is not so bad after all, considering that she ensured that they all can lead the lives they all dreamed of, and that maybe Homura should calm down a little. But since Sayaka is actually Madoka's subordinate and they all entered the barrier willingly, Sayaka knows full well the Witch Homura is looking for is herself. Of course, she can't say that to her directly. Basically, in this scene, Sayaka is trying her best to reassure Homura that she shouldn't blame herself for what is happening, without actually saying it.
  • Sayaka is also implicitly saying since Homura wants this world, she isn't really a bad person - essentially admitting she was wrong about Homura.
• The Flower Field. Madoka cuddling with Homura is heartwarming enough, but then she starts braiding Homura's hair. It's for both how much Les Yay there is in that scene, and the pure symbolism in the act. Becomes a little less heartwarming on a second watch-through, however: it's possible to pinpoint the exact second that Akuma Homura is set in motion.
• Blink and you'll miss it, but just before the final battle against Homulily, Kyouko can be seen sitting at the same table she and Homura were talking at earlier in the movie... except this time Homura is motionless and without the top half of her head (much like Homulily), and Kyouko is sitting with a solemn look, before reaching over and stroking her cheek affectionately. This really shows how much of a level in kindness she's taken for the movie, and also calls back to Homura's sadness at her death during the series.
  • Just before that, Homura tells Kyouko over the phone that she's learned who the Witch is, and her tone immediately sets of alarm bells in Kyouko's head. Her reaction to realizing Homura is in serious trouble is pretty heartwarming.
    Homura: If I'd stopped and thought about it from the start, it would have been obvious... To create a world where Madoka exists, someone would have to know about Madoka to begin with. I figured it out. I know who rewrote our memories and trapped us in this false Mitakihara City. I know who it is.
    Kyoko: What's wrong, Homura?! Tell me where you are! Let me know, and I'll come get you!
    Homura: There's one last thing I have to confirm to be sure. Don't worry, I can do this by myself. And if I'm right, I'll end everything.
    Kyoko: Wait! What?!
• Homura finally becomes a witch and is aiming to kill herself. But then the magical girls show that they're not going to give up on Homura no matter what.
  • Oktavia doesn't really fight Homulilly. Instead she grasps her hand, almost if to say "Don't worry, everything will be alright."
• All There in the Manual example, the Anthonies are lend by Gertrud herself. Before sending them to battle, she put a medal (said to be her treasure) on each one of them; remember that before this, she already personally put on their mustaches because she likes them. And she lends them to Sayaka as the main force to save Homura from Incubators' isolation field. Makes you wonder just what the former Witches do (or to be more accurate, 'did') in their Valhalla.
  • The other ex-Witches send their familiars as well. A couple of Mathieus (Patricia's familiars) join the battle to save Homura, and Nagisa is accompanied by her Pyotrs and helped by a swarm of Adelberts (Gertrud's other familiars). Sayaka also conducts the Holgers, Oktavia's familiars. The Anthonies, Daniyyels/Jennifers (Elly's) and Gotzes (Roberta's) are seen as the "audience" applauding Oktavia's arrival. Later, outside of the Isolation Field, Daniyyel and Jennifer carry chairs holding Hitomi, Kyosuke, Saotome-sensei and Madoka's family, and Sayaka and Nagisa get a ride from a carriage pulled by Walpurgisnacht's green elephant. Those creatures, who were once born from the despair and hate of magical girls, now have a chance to be a force for good.
  • The shot of all the Anthonies applauding for Sayaka and happily twitching their mustaches is particularly cute.
• In the midst of the battle, Kyouko and Sayaka have a quiet moment where Kyouko says she had a horrible dream where Sayaka died, but has realized that dream was reality and that her being with Sayaka now is the dream. Sayaka assures her that this is more than a dream, and admits that the reason she accepted Madoka's assignment and came back was not for Homura's sake, but because she realized that she did have one regret when she died; Leaving Kyouko behind. While saying this, she takes Kyouko's hand and holds it assuringly.
• The fact that everyone knows how important Madoka is to Homura is pretty heartwarming. The other girls talk not just of freeing Homura from Kyubey's trap, but freeing her so that she can finally reunite with Madoka. Unfortunately, it didn't go as they planned, but it was still nice to see them acknowledge Homura's feelings, especially since she was so misunderstood in the series.
• The Law of Cycles has fallen. Madokami is powerless. Homura has become a god, trapped Madoka in a Gilded Cage, and declares that she and Madoka will become enemies if Madoka doesn't stop trying to sacrifice herself. Nothing Is the Same Anymore. But then Kyouko is seen at school, eating Pocky happily with Sayaka. Mami saves Nagisa from an avalanche of cheese, ensuring they meet and Mami has the friend she yearned for. Kyosuke's hand is healed even though Sayaka is alive: despite how much Homura and Sayaka don't like each other, Homura took the time to make sure Sayaka's wish remained fulfilled. Even after everything, even after Homura's fall from grace, even though she has declared many times she didn't give a damn about anyone but Madoka, she still took the time to give the others their dreams in the new world. Even though it may have be done just to ensure the girls will be too busy with their happy lives to try and ruin Homura's plans.
• Despite being the one to really let Homura have it at the end, Sayaka meeting up with Hitomi and Kyosuke is very much this, as she greets them more-or-less automatically...and then she stops, tears springing to her eyes. When they ask her if she's okay...
  Sayaka: He he he... Yeah, I'm fine. It's just... I don't know, I guess when I saw you guys and heard you both say "good morning" again, I guess... I got super happy, that's all.
• All of the shots of the girls enjoying themselves in Homura's new world are heartwarming in their own right. The crown jewel however, is Madoka: Tatsuya is rushing to give her a hug as the parents look on happily. Although it's established that history is quite different, the subtext is clear: a tearful reunion between Madoka and the family she left behind that was LONG overdue. Nothing Is the Same Anymore? Maybe. But one can't help but feel that somehow, on this front, things are finally the way they SHOULD be.
• The credits song ends with Madoka taking Homura's hand as they run off together into the distance.
• A limited edition booklet includes a section near the end with interviews done with the Seiyuus, and naturally Akuma Homura came up. The actresses answered in-character, and what did they have to say...?
  Madoka: No matter what form you take, Homura-chan is Homura-chan. Falling in love with someone is wonderful, so don't call yourself the devil. I love you.
  Homura: No matter what form you take, I think I still like you anyway.
  Mami: I think I understand your feelings, almost too much...
  Sayaka: Let's talk for an hour.
  Kyouko: Wanna go get some ramen?
  Kyubey: Every love is beautiful, Homura-chan...
  Nagisa: Somehow, I still want to believe in you.