Total Drama Island/Heartwarming

Despite being a humor-driven show, the Total Drama series manages to have moments where it's very touching. It even has a leitmotif for heartwarming scenes. Examples include:

Season One:

• Pick a Gwen and Trent Moment. any Gwen and Trent moment. These were essential for Gwen's Defrosting Ice Queen. The best were their first kiss, their final words before Trent leaves the island, and the final episode. But the best of the best was the alternate ending when Trent feelings for Gwen helped her get back on her feet and win.
• Duncan replacing DJ's pet bunny, and the spiel afterwards when he says his dog ran away when he was six, and he didn't want DJ to go through the same thing.
• Courtney gently coaxing Duncan through his fear and telling him it's okay if he cant't do it in Phobia Factor in contrast to her usual bossy attitude. And it could be implied that Duncan prevented the Bass from voting her off.
• Katie and Sadie's triumphant reuniting. What make sit more heartwarming is that Chris probably planned for this despite his love of torturing the contestants on a daily basis.
• Come on, Harold revealing to LeShawna that he wrote all the love-notes she had been receiving, followed by the two embracing on the Dock of Shame. It didn't last very long between these two, but still so sweet at the time nonetheless.

LeShawna: Baby, you some kind of freaky.
Harold: Give Daddy some sugar.

• Duncan and Courtney's first kiss. Even if you don't like the pairing, it's a sweet moment. As is her promise to never forget him after actually LIKING his parting gift (a miniature skull).
• No mention of Trent and Gwen's first kiss? For shame! Heck, it even warmed Chris Mclean's black, almost nonexistent heart
• Geoff finally getting along with Gwen in the Tri-Armed Triathlon episode. If you don't know, after an entire episode of the two fighting, Gwen confesses she wished she was like him (really social and party-loving.) Geoff then promises her that he'll take her to a party once the show's over.
  • And Gwen returning the camera to Geoff. He notices there's only one picture left, and takes a picture of Gwen and himself right before he has to get on the Boat of Losers.
• Chef and Chris's hug in Camp Castaways. And the fangirls rejoiced!
  • Though it's nothing compared to their 'break up' in season 2, listed below.
• DJ's elimination in "Hook, Line, and Screamer". Chris tells him that he will be missed, and Owen calls for a group hug. Everybody hugs, even Gwen, Duncan, and Heather, showing just how much DJ was liked.
• A small one from The Sucky Outdoors. Remember when Courtney woke up cuddling with Duncan? If you look closely, you can see Bridgette and Geoff in the background doing the same thing. And neither of them seem bothered by it either.

Season 2:

• As mentioned above, Chef and Chris's little 'break up' in season 2 over money went from Tear Jerker to heartwarming, most evidently in 'Mutiny on the Soundstage.' Chris spends the entire episode crying because Chef is quitting the show (though he claims it's because of some onions he just so happened to be chopping,) and Beth tells Chef later that Chris is really going to miss him. Chris finally comes clean and tells Chef this himself, they hug, and Chef decides to stay. Awwww!
  • It's REALLY obvious that Chris was trying to ask Chef Hatchet out in 'The Chefshank Redemption.'
• The reveal that Brady is in fact, REAL, coupled with him hugging Beth. Beth also says that even though he lost, Brady was the best prize she could have asked for.
• Justin giving his immunity to Courtney in The Princess Pride.

Season 3:

• Wow, so many, and we're only 10 episodes in! Well, there's the biggie, Lindsay FINALLY remembering Tyler in Germany, coupled with Tyler jumping up into the new pink sky filled with heart-shaped clouds, and screaming 'yes!' Sure, he blew the song, but it was so SWEET!
  • While we're on the topic of songs, how about 'Oh, My Izzy!'? It was sad, but Owen going back and remembering all the good times he had with Izzy before the break-up was so sweet it tasted like diabetes.
  • The songs 'Baby' (Harold singing to Leshawna) and 'I'm Sorry' (Bridgette to Geoff) were the sweetest love songs ever sung in a cartoon, ev-er.
• This troper found Team Victory's first actual victory in 'The Am-AH-Zon Race' very much heartwarming. For once, Lindsay and DJ had relatively very few problems throughout the challenge; even DJ's curse was activated by the animals, not by DJ himself. They believed in each other, and the peck that Lindsay gives DJ at the end of the episode is incredibly sweet.
• Cody's speech to Sierra at the end of 'Can't Help Falling in Louvre,' telling her how horrible the day was for him because he had upset her so badly. He was lying of course, but some still find it sweet.
  • Lindsay's elimination, though Played for Laughs, was suprisingly touching and even a little sad with Tyler and Lindsay saying goodbye and trying to kiss (Chris intervened, of course). "Win for us..."
• Noah and Owen's interactions in 'I See London' top this trope. Every single time Owen called Noah his 'little buddy,' this troper squealed on the inside. And when the elimination ceremony comes along, Owen (who is in tears) promises Noah he's going to win the money for him.
  • It even carries on to, "Greece's Pieces", where Owen is shown having a nightmare where he tries to save Noah from eating something poisoned, and later sadly talks about how much he misses the "pitter-patter" of Noah's footsteps. There's a reason this is one of the strongest friendships of Total Drama.
  • Carries over to "Sweden Sour" when Duncan tells Owen to honor Noah's "dying words" and get rid of Alejandro. Owen's response?

Owen: (does a Spit Take, then lifts Duncan into the air by his collar) WHEN DID HE DIE?!

• • • Not to mention that shaky, broken little laugh of relief Owen made when Duncan explained that Noah wasn't dead. Hear that? It's the sound of hearts breaking.
• "Every time I ran from the cops, I thought of you." The Duncney, Gwody and Gwent shippers gagged while the Gwuncan fans aw'd.
  • Given the circumstances, it's more of a YMMV CMOH
• Heather of all people consoling a devastated Courtney after Tyler revealed Duncan and Gwen kissed. The best part is that, for once, she isn't faking it.
• During the second Duncan/Gwen kiss his foot popped. Hilarious considering who it happened to but also pretty heartwarming.
  • If you look a second time, Duncan is even holding her in his arms. Awww.
• The episode after Gwen is eliminated Duncan doesn't seem too heartbroken but at the end we see him carving a portrait of her face into his seat.
• While this troper isn't a big fan of Coderra/Siody Sierra taking the meatball for Cody in "Sweden Sour" was a Heartwarming moment and seemed to mirror something Cody did for Gwen back in Season One. Think Dodgebrawl.
  • What makes it better is that throughout the episode Cody didn't say a word (appart from sighing), making his little "..thank...you..."even sweeter.
• Lindsey still remembers Tyler during the third Aftermath. LeShawna won a bet with Trent about this.
  • The fact that she didn't laugh at her boyfriend's Amusing Injuries montage was pretty sweet.
• Gwen and Trent's few seconds of bonding in during "Aftermath Aftermayhem", you can interpret it as romantic or friendly, but either way, it still warms the heart.
• Though it was subtle, and brought up starting in the second Aftermath show, Leshawna and Harold's upgraded relationship. She seemed to be touched that she was given Harold's 'Nun-Yos' to remember him by while she was in the competition, her excitement on seeing her friends AND Harold (complete with him spastically clapping for her return), and in a Polish clip of the show (though it's been taken down on Youtube now), it showed a lot of the couples relaxing on the beach, including Lindsay/Tyler (making out a la Geoff and Bridgette), Gwen/Duncan (who also torment Courtney to leave them alone), and Harold/Leshawna simply laying together, showing that she decided to take this relationship with him to the next level.
• Cody and Duncan were overjoyed at the possibility of Gwen's return.
• Chef admitting that Chris really is a better host than Blaineley.
• In "Awww, Drumheller" after "This Is How We Will End It" when Alejandro decides to do something that could hurt him gamewise and help Heather get out from under the rock.

" This is NOT how we'll end it!"

• • In this troper's opinion, it is one of the (if not the) most romantic moments in the entire series just because they've hated each other the entire season, and now Alejandro accepts that his feelings for Heather are different than what he's done to Bridgette, Leshawna, and Courtney.
  • And then later when Sierra accidentally blows up the plane, Alejandro protects Heather from the blast.
  • All of the previously described heartwarming moments for Heather/Alejandro helped make Alejandro finding out that Heather voted for him after all, a sort of sad Heartwarming moment, it showed that he did care for her, and the hurt in his voice is evident.
  • Cody letting Sierra have the oil barrel.
    • After which, Sierra hugs him and kisses him on the cheek and Cody smiles at her. This really shows how Cody has come to tolerate Sierra.
  • Sierra remembering Cody's birthday when nobody else did, not even Cody himself.
    • And Sierra's verse in "I'm Gonna Make It" directed toward Cody.

"You're gonna make it! They can't stop you now, let them try! Our fortune's waiting, they can kiss it all bye bye bye..."

• • As well as Sierra helping Cody recover from his Heroic BSOD.
  • Heather saying that She's been where Sierra's been and that "No girl should have to be bald on National TV." and getting her a wheelchair and that headdress thing.
• And the Alejandro/Heather continues with....

Alejandro: "Heather has a way of making my focus slip, like a too small speedo......As long as I travel alone she can't distract me with her clever words, her distrustful eyes, or the way she tucks her hair behind those cute little earlobes. *Slaps self* FOCUS!"

• • Cody telling Heather Not to let the bad guy, Alejandro, win in the finale, the fact she was the "good guy" inspired her to continue and eventually win.
  • Before the harsh Humiliation Conga bestowed upon Alejandro. Both him and Heather admitted feelings for each other and eventually kissed afterwards. Also, mi amor translates to "my love" in Spanish.
  • Sierra going underwater and facing a shark while in a wheelchair to save Cody.
  • How about after three seasons of going through hell and being the baddy, Heather not only has finally won the competition, she had people on the show who wanted to see her win.

Season 4:

• For those who were worried about the old cast (and the New World Tour Contestants) in the World Tour finale, seeing them all alive and well on the first boat at the beginning of this season is very comforting.However, it is still unknown if Blaineley is also still alive, because she wasn't seen on the boat with everyone else.
• In "Truth or Laser Shark", the challenge is for the contestants to be told about embarrasing things that happened in the past, and the one who had it happen to them admit it. Brick admits to having wet his pants on the first and last day of school. Even though he is very embarrased to admit it, Zoey thanks him for helping their team.
• In that same episode this troper found it really sweet how when everyone was fighting Zoey was comforting Mike after he was hit by Jo.
• Sam and Dakota make one of the cutest couples in the entire series. This is cemented during Sam's elimination.
  • And he still loves her even though she's now a literal monster...
• Zoey, Mike, and Cameron seeing off Brick with a farewell salute as he prepares to ride the Hurl of Shame.
• Zoey having goats shoot fire at Scott for eliminating Mike
• In the final episode, Cameron is told that because of how expensive air is, he'll have to spend the million on it if he wants to go back to his bubble. Despite saying several times he wanted to go back to his bubble, after winning, he decides that since he made it through the entire season unscathed, that he doesn't need it anymore and the money will be going to everyone else. He even implies Lightning and Scott as well.