Heartwarming / The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

Book

• Tumnus shows he's a good guy by refusing to turn in Lucy to the White Witch. He confesses to her and says that he can't hurt his new friend, escorting her back to the Wardrobe entrance and telling her to be careful. As thanks, she gives him her handkerchief.
• Edmund's first response when he ends up in the wardrobe's world: he calls out to Lucy, admitting he was wrong and apologizing. Then he gets worried when she doesn't respond, if angry that she may be ignoring him until realizing she must be too far in the woods to hear him. It goes south from there, but it shows Edmund loves his family.
• The Beavers show they are a Heroic Bystander duo. They find out from Tumnus about humans in the realm, and he gives them Lucy's handkerchief as proof that they can be trusted when the wolves arrest the faun. Then the Beavers seek out the quartet, with the help of the robin leading them, and tells them they'll explain everything over dinner because the trees work for the White Witch. Then they proceed to outline the dire situation and hope, once everyone has had their share of fish and potatoes.
• Peter says that the faun saved Lucy's life, and asks if they can sneak into the castle to rescue him. Mr. Beaver tells him gently no because it would give Jadis what she wants, but Aslan can save Tumnus. This convinces the kids they have to try to find the Lion, no questions asked.
• When Edmund disappears, and the kids realize he betrayed them to the White Witch, they don't care. Peter says they need to go get him because he's their brother and is in danger. Mr. Beaver is sympathetic but tells him if they do that, then Jadis wins because all four of them will be turned to stone. She'll keep Edmund alive for as long as she thinks he's a valuable hostage. Aslan will save their brother, and they just have to trust in him and make it to the Stone Table.
• Father Christmas gives everyone gifts; he tells Mrs. Beaver she has a new sewing machine and he will repair the holes that Mr. Beaver hasn't had time to address. Peter gets a sword, Susan a bow, and Lucy a little dagger along with a healing elixir. While Father Christmas says neither of the girls should fight, he wanted to make sure they could defend themselves as well.
• It doesn't work, but Edmund begs Jadis to not turn the Christmas party animals into stone. The narrative notes that this is the first time Edmund did a selfless thing and felt sorry for someone other than himself.
• When Aslan hears about what happened with Edmund, he passes no judgment on anyone involved, including Peter or the Beavers. Instead, he says that he'll send out a rescue party to get Edmund out of the Witch's hands.
• The rescue party unties Edmund from where he's strapped to a tree. They reassure him he's okay and offers him some wine since he must be shaken. When Edmund faints from the stress and overwhelm, they carry him back to the Stone Table.
• Aslan's resurrection. Readers will likely have a lump in their throat either in the book where Aslan joyfully rumbles "Yes! It is more magic" or in the film where he's silhouetted by the sunrise.
• Lewis's opening letter to his goddaughter, saying that by the time he's done writing the book she'll probably be too old for it (which, given the book's reception, was ultimately probably not something he even needed to worry about), but eventually she'll be old enough for it again and can read it back to him.
  I wrote this story for you, but when I began it I had not realized that girls grow quicker than books. As a result, you are already too old for fairy tales, and by the time it is printed and bound, you will be older still. But someday you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again. You can then take it down from some upper shelf, dust it, and tell me what you think of it. I shall probably be too deaf to hear and too old to understand a word you say, but I shall still be

  —your affectionate Godfather, C. S. Lewis
• Lucy and Susan being with Aslan to comfort him when he goes to die on the Stone Table.
• There's also the scene where Aslan and the girls invade the Witch's castle and restore all the petrified victims of her evil magic. There is a joyous power to see that there is little harm that the Witch can do that Aslan cannot undo.
• After the Pevensies are hiding in fear of an approaching sleigh (presuming it could be the Witch), Mr. Beaver braves a look and then merrily tells everyone to come out. It turns out the sleigh is Father Christmas's instead, who is finally able to enter Narnia after so long, and he has presents for everyone.
• That beautiful scene with Rumblebuffin—a literal Gentle Giant, who, when Lucy offers him her handkerchief, takes it and rubs his face. This would be heartwarming enough as it is...and then Lewis points out that, seeing as he's a giant, it's probably of barely any use to him at all, but he earnestly thanks her for it.
• Aslan sacrificing himself for Edmund, particularly when you look at it from a theological point of view. Considering that he's supposed to be Jesus as a lion, C.S. Lewis is implying that if Jesus once again found that the only way to save a sinful person was to die a humiliating death for them, he would do it all over again without hesitating. And this isn't even all of humanity, like in the Bible. This was all for one person.
• After the fight, Jadis badly wounded Edmund for the crime of destroying her stone wand. As soon as Aslan kills Jadis, Lucy rushes over and uses the cordial to revive him. Aslan has to remind her that he'll be fine as Lucy insists on staying with him because other people are wounded.

Animated Version

• It's clear in this adaptation that Tumnus could have delivered Lucy to the White Witch easily. He had her under his spell thanks to the flute magic, and she was just sitting placidly. Then he starts crying, realizing he can't do it, snaps his fingers, and frees her. Tumnus confesses and says that now he knows how nice Lucy is, he can't let the Witch hurt her.
• Edmund actually tries to reach out to block the White Witch from hitting the Christmas revelers, only his hand is too short. It's implied he also sees his siblings running for their lives.

Film

• Edmund's Establishing Character Moment: when the family has to evacuate their living quarters for the bombing, he tries to go back for the photograph of his father. The others have to stop him from doing that.
• The Pevensies waving goodbye to their mother. In the book, their parents were barely mentioned at best. Here we actually see her say goodbye to and hug them individually, and the Pevensies all squash together to lean out of a train window and wave goodbye to her from the station.
• There is a small moment where Mrs. Macready takes Lucy to get some cocoa. Although it's at the professor's orders, she still comforts Lucy. It seems that she may be a stern housekeeper, but she will still feel empathy for a crying girl.
  • The Professor too, when Lucy clings to him while crying. He's very surprised, but he takes care not to distress her. He gently asks Mrs. Macready to get her some hot chocolate, the best remedy for when you're crying.
• The Professor's talk with Susan and Peter.
  The Professor: She's your sister, isn't she? You're her family. You might want to try acting like one.
• Mr. Tumnus and Lucy holding hands at the end after he comforts her about Aslan leaving for the time being.
  Mr. Tumnus: Here. (gives Lucy her handkerchief back) You need it more than I do.
• When the kids find Tumnus's place ransacked, Edmund notices a fallen portrait. He picks it up and sees it's of a distinguished faun. Like his father's photograph. There's a brief My God, What Have I Done? that the others fail to notice when Lucy reveals Tumnus got arrested for hosting her.
• The morning after Edmund is returned to them, he sheepishly apologizes to his siblings for all the grief he's caused them. Instead of chastising him even further, Lucy, who has all the reason in the world to hate him, simply runs up to him and wraps him in a big hug — and Edmund pulls her in even tighter. Susan follows suit and embraces both of them, clearly relieved to have her brother back as well. And although Peter isn't as open in displaying his emotions, it's extremely obvious that a burden's been lifted off his shoulders.
  • A little blink-and-you-miss-it moment, but as soon as Lucy sees Edmund talking to Aslan, she gleefully yells his name and makes to run to him with Peter being the only thing stopping her from doing so.
  • Another little blink-and-you-miss-it moment is the small encouraging nudge Aslan gives Edmund when they finish talking and he sends him over to reunite with his siblings. You can all but hear "you'll be okay".
• If you look closely, you'll see that Mr. Tumnus at the end has gold tips added to the stumps of his horns, replacing those the Witch had sawn off during his captivity. His friends the Pevensies not only repaired his deformity, but they did it in such a way to honor Tumnus's great heroism.
• Just look at Lucy's face when Aslan calls her "Queen Lucy the Valiant".
• Peter being a good brother and putting Lucy's coat around her shoulders when she gets drenched. Awww...
• The first stone victim the girls see in the Witch's castle is Mr. Tumnus. Unfortunately, in sharp contrast to the book (when she knows Aslan will resurrect him), Lucy starts crying, thinking he's dead, and Susan comforts her, kissing her on the head in a very sweet and motherly fashion. Then, Aslan turns him back. Cue hugs all around.
  • Also when he is turned back from being stone, he falls into Lucy's arms, and she is the first person he sees. Lucy then attempts to introduce Susan to him, but Susan interrupts her by saying "Mr. Tumnus, I know" and throws her arms around the faun she's never even met.
• Anytime the Pevensies hug. Especially Peter in tears after Edmund comes back from the dead hugging his brother.
  Peter: Why can't you just do as you're told?
• The heroes are about to charge into (a seemingly hopeless) battle. Peter shouts "For Narnia and for Aslan!" as they do.
  "Are you with me?"
  "To the death."
• "We just want our brother back."
• "Once a king or queen of Narnia, always a king or queen. May your wisdom grace us until the stars rain down from the heavens."
  • Edmund rarely smiles throughout the whole film, but he's beaming from ear to ear when he sees the thrones of Cair Paravel waiting for him and his siblings.
  • And when Lucy gets dubbed "the valiant", the lock of shocked glee on her face is utterly adorable. Her siblings looking especially happy while she gets her crown just adds to the moment.
• Peter to Edmund, after Lucy heals him.
  Peter: When are you gonna learn to do as you're told?
• The end:
  Peter: You wouldn't believe us if we told you, sir.
  (The Professor simply tosses Peter his ball, the one they'd been playing with earlier, implicitly showing that he knows what happened but isn't going to do anything about it.)
  The Professor: (with a knowing smile) Try me.
• Lucy and Susan bonding right before Maugrim attacks them. Susan apologizes for not having as much fun with Lucy as she used to. The two sisters then have a brief waterfight. Aww.
• In the hunt scene before the Pevensies return to their normal lives, Edmund's horse seems to be having trouble so he slows down briefly. The horse is then revealed to be Phillip, the horse Edmund learned to ride on; apparently, Phillip forgave him for calling him a "horsey".
  • This is significant in that Talking Horses are only supposed to be ridden in times of great need (i.e. battle or some other such crisis) as they are sentient and sapient creatures. The fact that Phillip is still carrying Edmund around, on a hunt of all things, tells us just how close the two must be.
  • Awfully close, because not only does Edmund show concern for Philip, he spares the horses' pride and dignity by claiming that he is tired, not his mount, when Susan playfully chides him for slowing the rest of them down. The compassion and kind discretion Edmund displays here shows he's come a long way from the selfish, spiteful brat he once was.
• A lot of moments Peter has with Lucy. He is the first to offer an apology to her after visiting Narnia himself. When boarding the train he leans down to comfort her. After some initial reluctance, he happily starts counting to play hide-and-seek at her suggestion. And he stops to give her a piggyback when he, Susan, and Lucy are travelling with the beavers.
• The Stinger shows Lucy reopening the wardrobe door, trying to return to Narnia. When nothing happens, she's slightly startled by a quiet voice from behind saying, "I don't think you'll get back in that way. You see... I've already tried." The Voice is revealed to be that of Professor Kirke, and despite his attempt to reassure the young girl that they'll probably return to Narnia some way, one day, the slightly melancholy look on his aged face bespeaks of the profound disappointment he must have felt at his own failure to return to the magical place from his youth he deeply loved. Then the kindly old man takes Lucy's hand and walks her away from the wardrobe....

.... and then the ROAR.

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