Surprisingly for such a dark and pessimistic series, you'll probably be finding yourself reaching for the nearest cloth to wipe the tears out of your eyes.
Warning: Spoilers Off applies to this page. Proceed at your own risk.
In General
- Ainz's lifestyle in as a whole is one big train wreck in general when you realize that he had no friends and family; not even a girlfriend. All he had was the guild he and his online friends created and basically dedicated his life towards it with the money he made as a salary man. The feels don't start until you find out that his guild eventually disbanded save for a few individuals and during the game's final day before shutting down for good, only 3 of the 41 members of his old friends even bothered showing up because he requested them to do so. While it's understandable to the readers, for someone like Ainz who lived for YGGDRASIL, one can only imagine how depressed he felt.
- It gets worse when you finally learn the kind of world Ainz left behind. In a world of horrid pollution, brutal capitalist oppression of the lower classes, corporate assassinations, and DMMO-RPGs being considered a preferable alternative to reality, Ainz Ooal Gown was likely Satoru's one and only joy in life as a Salaryman, a position already in real life considered to be soul crushing. To have it all slip away shows that in the end of Yggdrasil, the man who would become Ainz had truly lost just about everything.
- This is further reinforced by small details regarding how he 'takes care' of himself. Apparently, his diet consist of flavored protein shakes supplemented by vitamin pills. Really, this is not living, this is domestication.
- One thing noticeable is when most Isekai protagonists are spirited away to other worlds, one of the first things they try to do is to find a way to go back home, only to find out they cannot. The thought of "going back home" does not exist with Satoru, and for good reason — his "home" is so horrible that living in the New world as an undead lich who remorselessly kills human beings by the bulk while surrounded by extremely evil video game characters is more acceptable than the corporate hellhole he was in.
- Crosses into Heartwarming territory, but the moment just after Shalltear's resurrection shows how much he misses his fellow Guild Members: when the other Guardians start berating Shalltear for her betrayal, Ainz sits back and lightly chuckles as he sees the shadows of his former comrades in place of the Floor Guardians. Ainz sees each of them as a part of his old friends, which drives home even further just how close they all were to each other, and just how much Ainz misses them.
- It gets worse when you finally learn the kind of world Ainz left behind. In a world of horrid pollution, brutal capitalist oppression of the lower classes, corporate assassinations, and DMMO-RPGs being considered a preferable alternative to reality, Ainz Ooal Gown was likely Satoru's one and only joy in life as a Salaryman, a position already in real life considered to be soul crushing. To have it all slip away shows that in the end of Yggdrasil, the man who would become Ainz had truly lost just about everything.
- Ulbert's life is arguably even worse! He was born into the lower class and the laws of the world of 2138 are set up so that the poor can never rise out of their poverty no matter what. His parents died in a work related accident and he received nearly nothing in compensation and was only able to get an elementary school education, which is only enough to become a corporate slave. Living in such a bleak world with no way to improve his situation, it's easy to see why he's such a misanthrope. The world kicked him down before he even had the chance to stand up.
- Climb's entire life is just one big tragedy. Whenever something good does come his way, he winds up paying a big price for it later, all through no fault of his own.
- The denizens of Nazarick are mostly a bunch of depraved monsters, but it's hard not to pity them for their abandonment issues. One of the reasons they are so loyal to Momonga is precisely because he did not abandon them unlike the other Supreme Beings. Even Demiurge is rather pitiable since he is terrified of the prospect of being left without a Supreme Being to serve. In episode 11, Albedo tearfully breaks down when a thoughtless remark from Ainz gives her the impression that he will also abandon them.
- As recently revealed in Vol 13, Bellriver learned some information about the Megacorporations that ruled the world Ainz originally came from, which they did not want anyone to know. For that alone he was assassinated to keep his lips sealed which gives you a hint that maybe he didn't quit the game and would have remained with Momonga. Because of corporate greed, Momonga lost a friend and worse he comes to believe he was abandoned by said friend.
- During Nazarick Mythology it is shown that despite his loyalty to Ainz, all what Demiurge truly wishes for is for his creator, Ulbert, to return one day. One of the cruellest and most sadistic beings in the tomb just wants to be reunited with his creator.
Volume 1
- The people of Carne Village use the small reprieve Ainz was able to grant them to bury and mourn their dead. Ainz takes a moment to consider resurrecting the dead villagers, but ultimately decides against it since it would bring him the wrong kind of attention. Even so, it's clear that he wants to do more to help.
- Enri and Nemu are seen praying before the grave of their parents. Before long, both sisters become unable to contain their tears.
Volume 5
- By the time Sebas finds her, Tuare has just been unceremoniously discarded like a garbage bag and is in critical condition and possibly days (or even hours) away from dying of malnourishment, disease and accumulated injuries. Sebas attempts to ignore her, but Tuare manages to reach out to him even though she can barely see at this point. When Sebas asks her if she would like his aid, it takes all the effort Tuare can muster to desperately beg for his help.
- Sebas himself is confused as to why he showed her mercy, seeing as he had not been ordered to do so, and thus had no reason to help her. When he attempts to rationalize his actions, he determines that it is what his creator, Touch Me, would have done in his place, leaving him to ponder if it might be a curse.
- Sebas has Solution heal Tuare overnight, then offers her a warm meal the next day, possibly the first she's had in a long time. Tuare breaks down in tears in response.
Volume 6
- While Sebas and Demiurge argue about Tuare, Ainz has a flashback to their creators, Touch Me and Ulbert Alain Odle, who are bickering over what loot to farm. Ainz starts laughing loudly, exclaiming that they could use a little bickering, until his emotions are suppressed, leaving him to bitterly say "Tch, inhibited, huh?" Even when Ainz wants to laugh, he can't, due to him being a Lich.
Volume 7
- Arche's story. At least she gets to die while unconscious.
- Her two younger sisters, who are last seen eagerly waiting for their sister to return and take them with her. Of course knowing that Shalltear already killed her, she's not returning. According to Word of God from Maruyama's end, after Arche's death, their parents sold them to slavery and they died from overwork. It's as nightmarish as it's flat-out depressing because of how the whole tragedy is a butterfly effect of the most nightmarish form.
- Arche's story ended differently in the web novels, but it still counts as a tear jerker - She survived in the web novels (courtesy of reader polling), but she was made Shalltear's sex slave and completely broken after seeing Roberdyck being tortured. At least her sisters were later rescued by Nazarick and all three reunited, spared and allowed to live together in Nazarick under Ainz's protection.
- In the anime, Albedo shows to be apathetic when an enraged Ainz yells about how Foresight had the gall to lie that they were under orders from one of his friends. She wasn't angry at Ainz at all and she really loves him. The truth is that Albedo is angry at the other Supreme Beings for hurting the man she loves.
Volume 9
- Gazef Stronoff (pictured above) is slain by Ainz in a Duel to the Death. Made especially tragic because he was one of the most genuinely good and heroic people in the series. It's clear that Ainz felt no satisfaction killing one of the only New Worlders he genuinely respected.
- Though keep in mind it was Stronoff who actually wished for it. Ainz offered him a place in Nazarick and even promised to return his unsullied body to the kingdom so he could be resurrected without issue, but Stronoff declined because he wanted to make both a statementnote and a martyr for the Kingdom.
- The moment Jircniv realizes that Fluder Paradyne, the greatest wizard in the Empire and the man who was a Parental Substitute to him for his entire life has likely betrayed him for Ainz. The novel mentions that the young Jircniv in his heart really doesn't want to believe it. His voice when talking to his subordinate about it was described as a "voice of bitter resentment from the pits of hell… or perhaps, of a crying child?"
- Things were finally beginning to look up for Carne Village which had been the Cosmic Plaything of the story since Volume 1, with only Ainz, and to a much lesser degree Gazef, coming to their aid, then comes Barbro, and it pretty much all goes up in smoke with several good townspeople dying needlessly just to sate his ego.
Volume 10
- There's a brief mention of how Satoru grew up without a father's love, which is one of the reasons he wants Aura and Mare to have parental figures.
Volume 11
- When Gondo learns that the Regency Council agreed to Ainz's demand that the city's runesmiths be relinquished to him, he becomes saddened because it effectively means his people have given up on runecraft and see the runesmiths as disposable.
Volume 12
- Although naive, all Calca wanted was to make it so that her subjects would never have to know sadness. This dream would never come to pass, and she would die a painful and inglorious death.
Volume 13
- Remedios Custodio is neither the most sympathetic nor likeable character. But by the end of the war, she has lost her queen, sister, the respect of her superiors and possibly her sanity. She is exhibiting signs of severe PTSD and has a haunted, unsteady look in her eye.
- Neia's father was killed off by Demiurge through dropping a giant meteor. It's made even worse when her Ainz worship is put into consideration (even as Ainz no longer views her as a useful asset) — not only is the person who killed her father Ainz's friend, the whole thing was actually a false flag war used to justify the Sorcerer Kingdom to control the Holy Kingdom, and Demiurge views her as a pawn used to unleash social unrest. Hope she doesn't find out the horrible truth in the near future.
Volume 14
- The Fall of the Re-Estize Kingdom can be considered a heartbreaking event considering the many adventures that took place there which the readers read throughout multiple volumes.
- During Ainz's conversation with Zanac, his inner thoughts reveal that he is losing hope of ever meeting his friends in the guild again. He devotes himself to Nazarick's NPCs because they are all he has left now.
- Zanac's death. His last thoughts before his death at the hands of mercenaries hired by the traitorous nobles have him lamenting that he lacked the traits of a good ruler that the rest of his family had; his father's virtue, his brother's charisma, and his sister's intellect. He never even wanted to be king in the first place and just wanted the Kingdom to prosper. Ainz's reaction when the nobles present Zanac's head to him in an attempt to swear fealty to him is both sad and horrifying. Having shared a moment of sympathy with Zanac prior to the prince's death, Ainz asks Albedo to give Zanac a proper burial before granting the nobles' wish to spare their lives and the lives of their families... by sending them to Neuronist.
- When Ramposa receives news that Zanac's whereabouts are unknown, Ramposa realizes he's probably dead and condemns him... for dying before his father. He then relieves everyone in the castle of their duties so that they may attempt to escape the coming massacre while he stays behind to Face Death with Dignity.
- No matter how well-intentioned it is, the other Blue Roses members forcing Lakyus to abandon her kingdom is definitely going to have major repercussions once she breaks out of that spell Evileye cast on her.
- Brain's final farewell to Climb and Renner as he prepares to challenge Ainz. Climb can only helplessly watch as the man who had become perhaps the best friend he had ever known in his life goes off to certain death.
- Ramposa III wasn't the best king by any means, but he was still a good man who just wanted to protect as many of his people as possible. Circumstances completely beyond his control ultimately lead to him losing everything anyway. He is even denied dignity in defeat and death. He originally intended to surrender the crown to Ainz as his final act as king. Instead, he is murdered by his own daughter Renner as proof of her allegiance to the Sorcerer Kingdom. To rub salt in the wound, she kills him with Razor Edge, the National Treasure that protected the royal family for generations.
- Climb's situation throughout Volume 14 can be hard to stomach: his kingdom is at war, any help from the outside world is about impossible, he's completely out of allies either because they either left the country or had been killed by Ainz's minions and his king is dead (killed by his beloved princess unbeknownst to him).
- Even worse that he has been killed by the Sorcerer King himself and was brought back only to learn that miracle came with a cost: Renner's freedom. Just imagine what's going on through his mind; Renner had been subjected to A Fate Worse Than Death all because she wanted to save his measly life. Climb isn't willing to hate Ainz Ooal Gown but instead, decides to crawl and beg to be under the Sorcerer King's employ just so that Renner would be safe. It's actually even worse considering Renner is manipulating him into giving up his own humanity so that he will be her toy forever.
- In hindsight, the destruction of the Re-Estize Kingdom meant that Gazef's sacrifice was All for Nothing. He died to give his kingdom a bit more time to live before some idiot noble ruined everything.
Bonus Volume
- Keno Fasris Invern has been living alone for years, with only zombies of her countrymen as company, before she meets Suzuki.
Others
- Season 4’s ED “No Man’s Dawn” could also be called “Ainz’s/Momonga’s Lament”. Not only does the music of the song have this melancholic feel to it (accompanied by Mayu Maeshima’s hauntingly beautiful voice), but the lyrics can easily be interpreted as a soliloquy by the Sorcerer King himself. About how he deeply misses his old comrades and longs for the glory days of Ainz Ooal Gown (the guild). Showing that even with all his power, the entirety of the New World practically at his fingertips, Ainz would gladly give it all up if it means he could have his friends back.
