Heartwarming / Transistor

Although Transistor is a rather serious game, there are some pretty cute moments in between the digital apocalypse.

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• The game has a dedicated Hum button, cute enough on its own. What makes it even cuter is that Red lovingly EMBRACES the Transistor while she hums, like one would while dancing with a lover.
• Early on in the game, you have the option of ordering a free flatbread, to be delivered to Red's place. Halfway through the game, you can stumble upon Red's apartment, and then watch as she enjoys her flatbread (still good, even cold!), the Transistor propped up next to her with the coat draped upon the hilt.
• Red using the comment section of a news terminal to "talk" with the Transistor before fighting the spine.
• In the Cloudbank Archives, you can stumble upon a "break room" whereupon Red takes a much needed opportunity to "wash up." The coy look on her face as she steps into the door, leaving the Transistor leaning on a safety rail, just makes the scene.
• Luna, Red's friendly, golden Process hound, able to be called at a whim with the Help() Function, or played with in Red's personal Backdoor Beach Hangout. The Transistor even plays fetch with her! (Well, as much as a sword can, at any rate.)
  • In addition, the very origin of both your access to the Backdoor and the Help() Function, as you obtain them from killing the almost completely processed Sybil Reisz, who is borderline Yandere for Red as a normal person. It seems like her love was the last to be processed, and she is now doing all she can to redeem herself to Red, even if she doesn't dare to speak to her.
    • Furthering this, listen very closely to what she says when you strike the final blow. The part that is subtitled is "Finally finally finally we can be..." however, an attentive listener can hear a bit more, making it heartbreakingly heartwarming.
  Sybil Reisz: Finally finally finally we can be... come one...
• While the Transistor is infected by the Spine, hum to him and he will start "singing the words to "We All Become"". Likewise, he'll sing along with "The Spine".
• After returning to the Empty Set, you can find a news article reporting on Red's disappearance and possible death, and the massive outpouring of support from the survivors honoring her.
• The end credits, showing Red and her lover together. That the end scene is them together in the beautiful farmland scape of the Transistor completes it.
  Man In The Transistor: ...hi.
  Red: Hey.
  • The adorably nervous way that the Man In The Transistor greets Red just makes this scene. He sounds a perfect mix of elated, relieved and nervous all the same time. Understandable, as it's the first time they've been face to face since he died saving Red.
• Red and her boyfriend's entire relationship is incredibly sweet to a heart-crushing degree.
  "That's my star. You could always take care of yourself just fine... I love you so much, Red. You know that, right? It's true. It's true...it's true."
  • Nobody can hear Transistor talking except the traces... and Red. Some fan-theories state that because Red made a physical contact with Transistor, she is given an ownership of the sword. Other reason? Power of Love.
  Royce explicitly states that she might be able to hear the traces inside the Transistor 'if she was close enough'. He wasn't talking about cuddling the sword.
• Moments before she sets up the Transistor to help her commit suicide, with her lover confused as to what she's doing, Red responds by hugging the Transistor reassuringly, resting her cheek against it.
• No matter how you interpret the ending, Red's apparent suicide shows that the love for her boyfriend outweigh the universe-sized empty canvas granted to her by the Transistor. This helped drive the game's (rather obscure) final aesop: all the social norms are at best conventions. Look after what's real like the world itself or the people beside you.