Heartwarming / Rocky Balboa

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• One of the first things we see Mason do? Return to his manager, Martin, who got him up there to begin with, as the both reminisce about their times together.
  • He flat out returns to him when his current managers haven't given him much respect.
  "I don't need this. I'm going back to Martin."
  • Mason himself is a pretty nice guy who doesn't get enough respect (which could be due to how his managers run the show). He shows his respect to Rocky the day before the match, and gave him a warning that amounts to if he's fighting for real, he'll fight for real.
  • The smartest thing this film did was not make Mason a villain. He's got something to prove just like Rocky does. Seeing them end the fight with mutual respect is the best ending we could have gotten.
• In a deleted scene, Rocky sees a photo of his match against what looked like Apollo Creed, only with Paulie's face over it. Anyone who remembers what Paulie said to Rocky in Rocky IV will know the true meaning behind this.
• Rocky being committed to Adrian, even when she is no longer alive.
  • Marie remembers this, and brings Rocky a photo of Adrian, to remind him that she'll be watching over him.
• Rocky is still his humble self even after all these years. He bumps into Marie, gives her son, Steps, a job as his personal assistant, and eventually gets her work at his restaurant.
  • He also adopts an aging dog. believing that he still has some fight left in him. He takes him out when he walks and runs.
• Despite Robert resenting Rocky for how Robert has never been able to make a name for himself, Rocky puts him through a heart-felt argument about life and how he shouldn't let things push him down, which put them on bad terms, and yet Rocky reaffirms his love to his son.
  • Then Robert comes back to Rocky sometime later, deciding to support him for the match, and being by his father's side as he goes through one last fight.
  Rocky: What are you going to do now?
  Robert: At this moment? I'd rather be with you right now.
  • Then later, the two re-bonded, including comments about being the home-team (a Call-Back to Rocky V) and play fighting.
• Paulie gave a brief but heartfelt piece of words to Rocky before kissing him on the cheek. D'awww.
• Just the fact that all of Rocky's supporters are in one building.. Paulie (his brother in law), Robert (his son), Marie (the girl that Rocky helped out), Steps (Marie's son and Rocky's personal assistant), Spider Rico (the man Rocky fought in the first movie), and Duke (the man who helped Rocky back at Rocky III and onward). At the restaurant (excluding Duke). At Duke's gym. And at the stadium.
  • They all exchange hugs after the big fight.
• The end of the match. Despite Rocky and Mason exchanging a good amount of blows, going hard against each other, and giving each other the fight of their lives, they hug it out and smile off the moment the last round concludes.
  Rocky: You're a great champion! You got heart, you got opportunity! Good man.
  • Not to mention how the crowd is now cheering for Mason Dixon, just as much as they cheered for Rocky Balboa.
• The end credits, in which we see actual videos of fans running up the stairs at the Philadelphia Museum of Art and dancing triumphantly as the theme song plays. Manly Tears were shed.
• In the deleted / alternate ending in which Rocky wins the match, Mason gives his words to Rocky, expressing just how much he respects him and how it was such an honor to have a match against him. Outside of the deleted scene, he still shows his respect to Rocky with a smile.
• "...yo Adrian, we did it."

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