A rare moment of happiness for the Bauer family.
"When you first came to CTU, I never thought it was going to be you, that was going to cover my back all those years. And I know that everything that you did today, was to try and protect me. I know that. Thank you."
—Jack Bauer to Chloe O'Brian, "Day 8: 3:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m."
Despite its bleak subject matter and high death count, 24 still manages to provide its fair share of feel-good moments.
As a Moments subpage, all spoilers are unmarked as per policy. You Have Been Warned.
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Day 1
- Jack has some very sweet interactions with Kim and Teri at home before he's called into work, showing him as a loving family man. Both of them express that they're glad Jack has moved back in, and Jack doesn't hesitate to back up Teri when Kim tries to blame her for the troubles in their marriage.
- In the first season, then-Senator David Palmer angrily confronts Jack Bauer who he's been wrongly led to believe has been trying to kill him. Jack furiously explains that both he and his family have nearly died because Jack has been working to save him. The look of shock, embarassment, and understanding on Palmer's face are priceless as he realizes that Bauer is a patriot who has saved him and his family. It is the start of a friendship that would be central to the show for the next several seasons.
- David Palmer resists the temptations of one his staffers and proves (somewhat sadly) that no real President will ever have that kind of character.
- Watching the Bauer family reunited (if only for a moment), the relief they on Jack, Teri and Kim's faces every time the hugged was worth the wait.
- When Teri finally tells Jack she's pregnant again, Jack looks like he could jump over the moon with joy.
Day 2
- George Mason's speech to Michelle in Season 2.Mason: Believe it or not, I used to want to be a teacher. A long time ago. You know why I didn't? Because DoD offered me more money. That's how I made my decision. So I made myself miserable, and I made everybody around me miserable. For an extra five thousand dollars a year. That was my price. ...You know, Michelle, I'm not a big advice giver, but under the circumstances, don't wait around for your life to happen to you. Find something that makes you happy. Do it. Because everything else is just background noise.
- George Mason patching things up with his estranged son, John.
- Mason's speech to Jack that convinces him to drop his Death Seeker attitude and find a reason for living again as well as Jack's reunion with Kim at the end of Day 2.
Day 3
- A brief moment early in season 3, after Kim finds out that Jack has caused a prison riot and that she unintentionally helped. Adam gets frustrated with her not working quick enough, until Michelle informs him of what Jack's done, to which Adam immediately calms down. Then when he sees Kim staring off into space, he quietly asks if she's OK, which helps her focus again.
Day 4
- Michelle saying yes to Tony's plan for them to quit CTU and start again.
- Jack's goodbye to David Palmer at the end of Day 4 (which also makes it a bit of a Tear Jerker when you remember it's the last time they'll ever communicate on the show).
Day 6
- In Season 6, Martha Logan gets Aaron Pierce to smile.
Day 7
- In Season Seven, Jack's speech to the imam as he lays dying at the hospital.
- This is a transcendental moment in the series. After lazily drawing on the "Middle Eastern Terrorists" cliche literally every other season for six years, the show not only presents well-meaning, non-traitorous Muslim immigrants, but creates a situation where Jack could naturally accept an imam's ethical and spiritual authority. It shows The Power of Love, even across religious boundaries, as the imam earns Jack's trust via (what Western cultures consider) that most Christian of acts: Turning The Other Cheek. Is it a shameless cash grab and — as kids today would put it — shameless SJW pandering? Quite possibly. But it also works, not just because of the tighter plotting of the season but because Kiefer Sutherland and Ravi Kapoor Really Can Act.
- Day 7: 10:00pm-11:00pm introduces us to Port Authority supervisor Carl Gadsen, a Nice Guy whose wife is about to have a baby. Turns out he was promised some cash for looking away the one time he shouldn't. Jack and Tony capture him and explain the situation. He feels terrible, and though frightened offers to help with Jack's promise that he won't let him get hurt. Turns out the only way Jack and Tony's newest scheme to catch Stokes men will work is if they let him get killed to maintain their cover. Just when it looks like Cooper is going to kill him, Cooper's shot by Jack, who couldn't abandon the poor man.Carl: Thank you!
- The entirety of the season 7 finale.
- "I'm sorry Daddy, but I'm not ready to let you go!"
- The end of Season 7, in the White House, when an exhausted Allison Taylor allows herself a moment of weakness, confessing to her former Chief of Staff (and close friend) Ethan Kanin, "I've lost everyone." Ethan says simply, "Not everyone," and she correctly concludes that he is un-resigning. The look of dawning hope on her face is simply magnificent.
Day 8
- Within the first five minutes of Season 8, we see a relatively relaxed Jack awaken from a nap and play around with his granddaughter. Cuteness exemplified.
- Jack's final recording intended for Kim. A major Tear Jerker yes, in that he reveals that the actions he is about to take will make it impossible for him to ever see her and her family again, due to the great danger they would be in if he did, but Jack makes sure that Kim understands his actions, and his stance on the nature of Peace, it cannot be garnered through political means, but through human means of trust and honesty. When the recording is Intercepted by President Taylor, his speech is so powerful and moving, it's enough for her to call off the Negotiations with Russia, turn herself in for her part in the conspiracy and give Jack a head start against the manhunt that will assume against him. Most of all Jack ensures his daughter that no matter what, he has and will always love her, just as much as she should love her family.Jack: I'm running out of time sweetheart. You're not going to see me again, but I need you to know, you are the love of my life, and I am so proud of you. I want you to hold onto you're family as tight as you can, cause it's worth it... It's worth it. I love you baby, goodbye.
- Jack's last two calls at the end of Day 8.
- The last conversation between Chloe and Jack. Chloe's (very likely real) expressions sell the entire scene.
Jack: When you first came to CTU...I never thought it was gonna be you that was gonna cover my back all those years; and I know that everything that you did today was to try and protect me, I know that. Thank you. - Jack and Kim's last conversation, where Kim actually tells him to ignore his Refusal of the Call stance because she understands that if he can somehow make a difference helping to protect Hassan it's worth it.
Day 9 / Live Another Day
- In Live Another Day, Jack breaks his four-year-long cover and deliberately gets himself arrested by the CIA, all so he could break Chloe out of the same building.
- In Live Another Day, we learn that Jack's reason for coming out of hiding is to prevent the assassination of President Heller. Because Audrey was kidnapped and tortured by the Chinese in earlier seasons due to her connection to Jack, Jack feels honor-bound to prevent the Hellers from suffering any more.
- Jack's quickness to hug Chloe when she reveals to him that Morris and Prescott were killed in a car crash meant for her.
- Every second of James Heller's final hour. Or so it seemed.
- And following it, the Prime Minister tells Audrey how great a man her father was, and England will never forget him.
- President Heller officially extending a Presidential Pardon to Jack for all of the crimes he had committed in Season 8 and LAD so that he may be free to see Kim and his grandchildren again. Jack never gets the chance to do so, unfortunately.
- Jack attempting to give Kate advice when she reveals that her husband killed himself in prison after she stopped believing his innocence. He basically warns her away from the cycle of revenge, noting (implicitly) that his attempts to get back at Renee's murderers in Season 8 helped to ruin his life.
- The Prime Minister offering his condolences to President Heller at Audrey's funeral.
- In the Live Another Day finale, Jack giving himself up to the Russians in exchange for Chloe's release, with him thanking her for being his friend for so long.
