Serenity/Tear Jerker

• The funeral scene in Serenity. The fact that even Jayne looks like he's about to break down says something there.
  • And of course, the most heartwrenching moment of the whole film when Wash dies... "I'm a leaf on the wind." This troper left the theatre weeping and still can't watch the scene before it without crying.
• "W-wait, Wash! W-where's Wash?" "... He ain't comin'." I get myself together after "leaf on the wind," and then that happens. It doesn't get better with repeat viewings, either.
  • And immediately afterward, seeing Zoe's reaction to it. In the cockpit, right after he's hit, she's breaking down with tears and pleading for him to answer her; Mal has to literally grab her and pull her out of there by force. By the time anyone else realizes what's happened as they regroup, she's not crying, she's not breaking down, she isn't even showing an ounce of pain or anguish....she's just loading her shotgun, and you can tell she's simply trying to hold on after her entire world has been shattered.
  • What gets me is when Zoe breaks the formation the crew's set up and just runs at the Reavers with her gun, even though she's vastly outnumbered. She had to have known that move was borderline suicidal, but these are the monsters that killed her husband and she just doesn't care anymore.
• Or when Mal asks Zoe about the repairs near the end. With a look of heartbreaking stoicism, she replies "She's tore up plenty, but she'll fly true."
  • The part that really hit home for me was at the end of the movie, just after Mal and River's little moment, where they give a wide pan of Serenity's cockpit and Wash's dinosaurs are still on the control panel, like a little shrine to remember him by even though it's Mal's workspace now.
• Also, Mal's final monologue to River. "Love keeps her in the air when she oughta' fall down."
  • Definitely moving on its own, but if you are willing to take a meta perspective, the monologue gains additional Tear Jerker quality as it seems to be Whedon talking about the show itself getting one final go for the movie.
• Book's death scene hit hard. specially the final exchange:

Book: You can't order me around, boy. I'm not one of your crew.
 Mal: Yes you are.

• • And

Book: I don't care what you believe...just believe it.

• • What about right after that, when Mal yells to the others to get "the doc" (Simon) over to where Book is. The way Nathan Fillion's voice cracks when he yells, "COME ON!" gets this troper every. single. time.
• River's disjointed breakdown on Miranda, like a lot of the scenes involving River in this movie, was jarring and emotionally hard-hitting, especially the bit at the end where she starts praying frantically in Chinese. In the midst of the chaotic, disjointed Chinese prayers, she suddenly breaks into English long enough to scream.

Please, God, make me stone.

• • River's ramblings while locked in the supply closet with Simon. It doesn't become apparent just what she's saying for a bit, but then you get her laughing/sobbing comment about "Bullet in the brainpan, squish." and you realize she wants to commit suicide rather than let the rest of the crew be in danger on her account.
  • Not only that, but when River breaks down before that after Simon hears her mention Miranda.

River: (crying) It isn't mine! The memory, it isn't mine, and I shouldn't have to carry it! Please don't make me sleep again...

• Seeing Serenity crash in the Big Damn Movie can be this. After all, she's the main character of Firefly, and watching her "die" like that is one of the only parts of the movie that can make this troper cringe every time. Sure, she gets better, but that's heartbreaking. Wash's death seconds later does not help.
• I really well up when River tells her seriously wounded brother Simon: "You take care of me, Simon. You've always taken care of me. My turn." This is both for the sentiment of thanks and appreciation for his dedication and care, and the symbolism. River now has control over herself and can look after herself in the 'verse. It's heightened for me by the fact that one my best friends is a River Tam lookalike, with BPD, which has very similar symptoms to those River shows - and really gives me hope that one day my friend can lead a normal life too.
• How can you forget about when Simon gets shot? When he's lying there thinking hes about to die and he turns to River and starts apologising that he won't be able to look after her anymore.

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