Fallout: New Vegas/Heartwarming

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• If you sided with the NCR and chose right during a certain quest at Camp Golf, you get to hear that the Misfits squad that you re-trained singlehandedly held off a legion assault during the finale, and the related ending slide is impossible not to smile at.
  • When this troper heard that on the radio during the attack, I was smiling and on the verge of proud tears, and just kept repeating how proud of them I was. Then I remembered I was fighting Legion, and decided to cry, smile, and congragulate in-between waves.
• Depending on your political views, getting the good karma NCR or Independent ending can become one.
• The Enclave Remnants. All of them are genuinely tragic characters, and it leaves players with the rather uncomfortable feeling that there were a lot more like them in the Enclave military. They weren't even Punch Clock Villains either, with the semi-exception of Moreno, and even then all he was guilty of was never questioning orders.
  • Kreger, a father to his men and the main reason the Remnants were able to escape the NCR's destruction of Navarro.
  • Johnson, a soldier who never hesitated to question or disobey any morally-shaky orders. He is found alone in a cave, literally waiting for death to come for him, believing that he has no real reason to keep living.
  • Moreno, easily the "worst" of the bunch, but only because he never questioned the Enclave in any regard, be it morality or political legitimacy. When the NCR were overrunning Navarro, the one thing he felt true loyalty to was as good as destroyed. Worse? The NCR routinely harasses him in the Mojave Wasteland for squatting in an abandoned house.
  • Whitman, who loved flying above all else. When Navarro fell, she was essentially grounded. The only reason she even lives in Novac is because it's close to the REPCONN facility, and she still holds out hope that she can finding working rocket parts.
  • Dr. Henry, who is possibly the coldest selfless person in the Wasteland. He researches cures for the worst of diseases and conditions, yet does so because he wants to solve them simply because they are problems, not because he explicitly wants to help people, and when he's finished, he moves on to the next. Arcade outright states that Doc Henry has probably saved more lives than he (Arcade) ever will, but that he will probably not be remembered for any of it.
• The end of "Crazy, Crazy, Crazy", assuming you take the good end by helping Rhonda. Big, scary Tabitha, who's only screamed about the inferiority of humans and normally attacks you on sight, appears to meet you outside. She's so struck by Rhonda's resurrection that she's practically speechless, and doesn't even know what she's going to do anymore. But she's happy, and walks off peacefully with her friend into the wastes. The ending goes on to say that they adventured through the lands of Ceasar for many years, their tales eventually collected into a book, which was very popular with children. D'awww.

Rhonda: "Mistress Tabitha, we should be heading off. Our journey has been much delayed, but we can catch up if we hurry. Come along, now."
Tabitha: "Yes, Rhonda..."

• Finding the Wasteland Survival Guide. You did it, Moira!
  • Even better. Your FO3 character and Moria both wrote that book. It's an epic Shout-Out to the pair.
• If you're nice to Christine during Dead Money, when she says goodbye before the Gala Opening, she thanks you - silently, of course, but in a way incredibly sincere and heartfelt. It's worth muddling through her silent dialogue before that point just because it's so sweet. Even better with the Cherchez La Femme dialogue option - You and Christine can hold hands, and promise to return for her.
• When you with Veronica, she will mention that she really wants to wear a pretty and elegant looking dress. You can fulfil her dream by giving her a formal wear. She will let out an audible squee and thank you for your kindness. After seeing everything that she have to go though, it is heartwarming to see a moment of real joy from her.
• Come Fly With Me if you choose the best ending and not side with Legion, when Jason speaks of Chris doing everything in his abilities to help the Bright Followers out. You not only get a rousing speech about both of your achievements but also about how they would be reunited after the game, and Jason will have nothing but praise for Chris when he's rescued by the Bright Followers during the attack on Novac. Making him not only a saint to ghouls but also to the people of Novac, who see him as a saviour from certain death.
  • Talking Chris out of his Roaring Rampage of Revenge by telling him how the Followers truly did consider him a friend and ally is also quite touching. After the quest, if you talk to him in Novac, instead of bitterly telling you to piss off (which he would do if you completed the quest the good way but didn't convince him he was human), he instead admits that it will be hard, but that the assurances of both you and the Followers have convinced him to use his healthy tech knowledge to help the town.
• The radio broadcast you receive at the end of Dead Money.

Vera Keyes: "Wait a moment, before you go. I... we... hope you've enjoyed your stay. Farewells can be a time of sadness. Letting go, difficult. As a guest of the Sierra Madre you know that truth more than anyone. Frederick Sinclair believed that one's life could be made anew every day. That fortunes were more than the wealth in your hands. Love. Life. Family. Those to care for and those who will care for you. To those who know these joys, the Sierra Madre holds little they don't already have. Out in the world, beyond these walls, that is your chance to begin again. I hope that you will return in happier times. Until then the Sierra Madre, and I, will hold you in our hearts."

• • This Troper turned the radio broadcasting the message off, and it was so profound I couldn't see from the tears.
  • This Troper had a similar reaction, but couldn't quite decide if it was Heartwarming or - given the circumstances - a pure Tearjerker. Somewhere between "Farewells can be a time of sadness" and "return in happier times," it turned out to be both.
• Through a certain conversation path, you can get God to admit that he really does genuinely cares about Dog's own welfare. Considering who this is coming from, it's pretty touching.
• At first the children of Nellis creeped the hell out of me - compared to the rest of the children of the wasteland thier normality and cheerfulness was unsettling. (Yes, I was creeped out by how the Mini-Boomers weren't traumatized.) Then during a playthrough with a high Charisma, I discovered something- you can play with them and earn thier trust. Also, you can give them toys. And make them happy. They went from creepy to one of my favorite perks of the game. :)
  • It boggles my mind how you can find Mini-Boomers creepy in the first place. Just the name "Mini-Boomer" alone makes me go "d'awww".
• Along the same lines, Saving (rather than savaging) Sergeant Teddy for Melody at the Fort.
• When you search around many NCR military bases, you will find letters that the soldiers stationed there wrote to their family and friends, many of them are really touching.

A Letter that can be found in the barracks at Hoover Dam: "Angela, my sweet. How slowly time crawls without the touch of your lips. I know you're still angry I enlisted, but I did it for you and for country - I won't have Legion scum anywhere near you or on NCR soil. Those red-skirted pansies don't stand a chance against me, don't you worry your pretty little head. Soon as my tour's up, I'll be home and you'll be in my arms again. I'll have a ring in my pocket and a question to pop. You know what I mean. Yours always, Elaine"

• At the end of Honest Hearts, talking down Joshua Graham from executing Salt-Upon-Wounds and as a result, helping him redeem his soul.

Joshua Graham: Sometimes I tell myself these wildfires never stop burning, but I'm the one who starts them. Not God. Not them. I can always see it in my mind. The warmth, the heat. It will always be a part of me. But not today.

• The good ending of "They Went That-a Way", where you Convince Jessup to release the NCR hostages and assure him you'll convince the NCR leader to not just let them go, but escort them out of the area. Then, when you report back to the NCR leader, you convince him to honor the deal, even though it would be defying a direct order from his superiors, by appealing to his moral integrity as a soldier.
• This editor always does the quest Young Hearts simply because it brings warm fuzzy feelings. You've got the Romeo and Juliet angle, opening up the Boomers, and the whole contrast angle. In the devastation and savagery of the Mojave wasteland, two young lovers from different societies can be together in peace and happiness.
• Er. Okay, this one's kinda...kinda strange. But even though your brain is kind of a dick and acts like a spoiled brat at every turn, the epilogue makes it clear that your brain actually misses you and stays in its bound globe out of respect for you.
• The good ending of Old World Blues is full of these from the Courier spending the rest of his life helping the people of the Wasteland through scientific advancements to the above example. But perhaps the best is after the credits and all the appliances are cheering you when you return to the Sink. Even the Toaster.
  • It gets better As a Cyborg you can live for hundreds of years meaning the Courier will see his work make the world a better place
• The Stealth Suit MK II in Old World Blues declaring you her best friend forever. It just randomly happens too, she's there for you no matter what.
• The end of Come Fly With Me. Jason Bright's final speech declaring all who helped him and his group saints shows just how he was able to get so many ghouls to follow him
• Siding against the Legion if you happen to like the non-Legion characters. You want to enslave, conscript, murder, rape, or brutalize the people I care about? Over my dead body.
• ED-E's good ending where he joins the Courier after playing Lonesome Road. ED-E chooses to stay with the Courier because he's the closest thing to a father he has left, what with being aware Whitely might be dead due to disobeying Colonel Autumn's order to kill and scrap ED-E and his brothers. You gave a little orphan robot a home! DAAW!
  • Actually, it's more likely that the Lone Wanderer killed Whitley back in Fallout 3, either by his/her own hands or with that Kill Sat on the base
• Helping out the ghouls in the quest Come Fly With Me. After helping them get the parts for their rocket and getting rid of the nightkin, Jason Bright tells his followers that although humans hate and despise ghouls, it was because of two great human friends that they managed to succeed and they will never, ever forget them. They even canonize Chris as the Saint of the Great Journey. Then they launch their rockets - to the tune of Flight of the Valkyries no less - and fly off into the sky. Godspeed, little ghouls! Godspeed! *sniff*
  • You also see all the ghouls line up in their spacesuits, and they look so adorable.
  • And the best part about this? In the ending slide, they come back to save the people of Novac from the onslaught of the Legion! This is a rare case where something unexpectedly good happens due to your actions!
• It was cut the game before release but still heartwarming. Dr. Keely, the ghoul researcher in Vault 22 was supposed to have a protectron companion, Bohr. Protectrons talk in monotone and never really show any kind of attachment to anything. Except Bohr. He talks to the courier very politely and chews him/her out for being rude. But what cements it as heartwarming is his concern that Keely went to the lower levels days ago and never returned and shows genuine concern for his master, which no other robot besides ED-E does in the game.

Bohr: I couldn't say, exactly. She went down to the lower levels some time ago and hasn't been back since. Do you suppose something has happened to her?
The Courier: Perhaps. I'll go down and look for her.
Bohr: Oh, thank you! The master can really be a bother sometimes, but she has a good heart. Now, I must get back to computing protein sequences. Please tell the master to hurry back if you see her.

• While traversing Zion Valley you can listen to Follows-Chalk and Waking Cloud making remarks on all sorts of things. While Follows-Chalk makes comments on the questions about the Mojave and you (mostly why you carry all those bottlecaps and how they "jangle like crazy"), Waking Cloud is nothing short of endearing.

Waking Cloud: Zion used to be a place of peace, you know. Daniel says it is holy on the eyes of the Father. I hope someday you will see it as it was.
Waking Cloud: I know you are eager to leave Zion...but perhaps you might find peace if you stayed...think about it, yes?
Waking Cloud: Father, I ask that you guide this man/woman who is the vessel of your will. Show him/her the light of your wisdom and the peace of your love. Amen.
Waking Cloud: I wish you could have met my family. You would like them, I think.

• Hearing the grateful praises from numerous NPCs after killing Cook Cook, especially those from his former victims like Betsy and the Westside innkeeper, Pretty Sarah.
• Personally, I find Yes Man and his personality to be quite heartwarming. It may seem like he's just saying things to make you happy and generally being a sycophant, but I genuinely believe he means everything he says. Which made the revelation that his "Assertiveness" upgrade does not mean that he'll betray The Courier, but in fact means that he's loyal enough to take steps to prevent him being turned against his master by someone else all the sweeter when you think about it.
  • It's confirmed that this is his exact intent. So yay.
• After a particularly hard battle in Old World Blues, when the fighting was done the Stealth Suit Mk. II chimed in with "You're my best friend forever." This Troper just had to go "D'aaaaaw" at that.
• Have we mentioned Jason Bright yet?
• The NCR relief efforts. They're quietly feeding their own citizens because their efforts to coordinate with the Kings have been sabotaged. When you explain that you have a friend but you thought he might not get served because he's a Local, she agrees...but then hands you another portion to take back to him anyway. The NCR may not be perfect, but they're trying.
• ED-E's recording of Whitley sending him on his journey. This troper became rather misty eyed, hearing Whitley breaking up like that.
• Recovering Morales' body from the Fiends, and hearing the amazed reactions from the NCR soldiers who witnessed the entire thing. One of them will actually be horrified if you're heavily injured, calling for a medic and wondering at why you "sacrificed your body" to save Morales' corpse. If you respond by saying that you made his wife a promise, he'll tell you that they'll take the body from here, adding that you won't need to haul him back to California yourself, even though he knows you would if you had to.