Tear Jerker / Shawn Michaels

• Chances are, if you weren't rolling your eyes over Shawn "losing his smile," you were probably tearing up.
  • The mental image conjured by accounts of the locker room after the Screwjob, specifically of Shawn clutching the title in the corner and sobbing, is a powerful one considering this is Shawn before he became born-again. Knowing the guilt haunted him for years after the fact only makes it worse.
• His Survivor Series 2003 effort to save the career of "Stone Cold" Steve Austin and the aftermath should probably count; Shawn all but kills himself to take down three main-event level stars (including both Randy Orton and Chris Jericho), while bleeding all over the ring, and is foiled at the last second by an intervening Batista. Then Austin helps the bloodied Michaels to the back, despite the entire arena expecting a Stunner.
• His comments about Eddie Guerrero at the man's memorial show, mentioning they never wrestled each other, and only knew each other through their shared faith. He then assured the fans that, one day, the two of them would finally put on a wrestling match in Heaven before the Lord.
  • Speaking of which, the final match of the Raw Eddie Guerrero tribute was Shawn vs Rey Mysterio in which both men sob and hug each other.
• His match against Ric Flair at WrestleMania 24 also qualifies. This was during a time where, in Kayfabe, Flair would be forced to retire if he ever lost another match. HBK felt very conflicted about the whole match, but Flair insisted. In the closing moments of the match, Flair was barely able to stand. Shawn starts tuning up the band, but stops. Flair staggers to his feet, and the camera catches a shot of Shawn's face. While the camera didn't catch the audio, one doesn't need to be a lip-reader to see Shawn apologizing before hitting Sweet Chin Music. As soon as HBK got the pin, he immediately hugs Flair, showing just how torn up he was about the whole thing.
  HBK: I'm sorry. I love you. (hits the Sweet Chin Music, officially retiring Flair)
• The "Career vs Streak" match against The Undertaker at Wrestlemania 26.
• His farewell on the following Raw. Unlike other people, Shawn kept his low-keyed, thanked his best friend Triple H, Bret Hart and Vince McMahon for putting up with him, and the fans for sharing his career.
  • The Undertaker coming out, tipping his hat to Shawn, and then leaving. Simple, effective, and Shawn seemed truly touched by the gesture. Willing Suspension of Disbelief was enough to put a smile on the faces of many fans.
  • The moment when Hunter hit the stage at the very last minute, embracing Shawn and saying goodbye in front of the crowd.
• His Hall of Fame inductee video.
• The absolute tornado of emotions Shawn went through as the guest referee for Triple H vs. Undertaker's Hell in a Cell. All of the history between the three men; the epic friendship between Shawn and Hunter, the inability of both men to beat Taker previously and their respective rivalries with Taker. After witnessing both Hunter and Taker beating the everloving hell out of each other with steel chairs & ring steps, completely unable to stop the match, Shawn was huddled in the corner having a Heroic BSoD of epic proportions. And at the end, Taker having continued the Streak to 20-0, the three men helped each other up, hugged, walked up the ramp together, and stood at the top arm-in-arm in a show of mutual respect and love.
  Ladies and Gentlemen! Shawn Michaels, the Heartbreak Kid, has left the building...

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