Young Justice (animation)/Heartwarming

Young Justice: The Series

• In "Downtime", Robin is clearly jealous that Batman ordered him out to give Aqualad a private lecture and is taking it out in the training room. Batman notices. What does he do? Give Robin a lecture on jealousy? Ignore it? No, he just invites Robin to play basketball with him to assure him that no one would ever replace him!
• In the same episode, Artemis is granted a scholarship to a prestigious Gotham school by Bruce Wayne. She initially doesn't want to do it, but when she realizes her upset mother wants her to go so her daughter can have a better life, she accepts it and embraces her mother.
• Artemis and Wally holding hands as Miss Martian prepares to restore their memories via telepathy in "Bereft". It's a simple gesture showing Wally supporting Artemis who was understandably a bit nervous.
• The fight scene in "Bereft", just after Megan restored Superboy's memories. Superboy called for M'gann by name--something he never does for his teammates. It was a beautiful, subtle way to indicate that the two of them are getting without pushing too hard.
• The kiss between Superboy and Miss Martian in "Terrors".
  • And just before that when he wipes the fog off the ice to see her face and says telepathically: "M'gann, please. Don't leave me..."
• Artemis accepting the team as her new family in "Homefront".
• The genetically-modified tiger that Captain Marvel befriended in "Alpha Male". I like when he tells the tiger he will visit it again and calls it "Mr. Tawny". D'AWWW!
  • From the same episode, everyone unanimously voting to keep Aqualad the team's leader after learning his good reasons for not telling them about a possible mole.
    • Also from the same episode, Captain Marvel returning home to his uncle is pretty damn cute.
• Near the end of "Revelation", Kid Flash fears that Nabu won't release Aqualad after he uses the Helmet of Fate to save everyone. When Aqualad takes off the helmet shortly after, he explains that while Nabu nearly didn't let him go, Kent Nelson convinced him to do so. He then comments that Kent told him to say "hi" from him, and Kid Flash smiles.
  • And during the final battle, the first we see of Batman is a batarang knocking a knife out of Joker's hand as he's fighting Robin. YMMV, but that part just got this troper. Especially the "don't mess with my kid" look he gave him.
    • And compounded by just how quickly Batman took advantage of an excuse to punch the Joker in the jaw after he released the Joker venom.
• Never thought I'd say this, but the Goddamned Batman seems to just be radiating heart warmth. I mean, there's the above example, the way he praises the team for doing well even if it involved not following a plan to the letter, and just talking to Superboy about how stubborn Superman is being with the situation of having a teenage clone. Seriously, Batman gives out more heartwarming moments during the series than any other adult.
  • Justified is that Batman is just better with kids than he is with adults. Kids don't fear Batman. Adults do.
• Red Tornado saying he agreed to be "den mother" to learn more about human emotion and that he cares about the team. That moment was full of warm fuzzy feelings. And at the end he promises to take care of the "real" Morrow, who's hooked up to a life support system.
• From "Failsafe": M'gann telling Conner "I love you" before he goes off on an incredibly dangerous mission.
• Wally and M'gann's reactions to Artemis's supposed death.
  • And Wally's utter refusal to believe it.
• Flash saving Iris in "Failsafe" got an "Awww..." out of this troper.
  • More than that, the way they manage to communicate so much despite being live on air and having to uphold the Secret Identity... Screw it if they weren't even present for the simulation, but the hand on shoulder and Longing Look just culminate in a big heartbreaking heartwarmer, and you know the animators made it so poignant just to make the senario that much more real for us.
• Captain Marvel giving M'gann a well-needed hug after the events of "Failsafe."
• Again, from "Failsafe". Kid Flash and Robin dying together! Sure, it was a training exercise, but they didn't know that at the time!
  • It's not just that they died together. But that nod they shared before it happened. It was a little thing that said so much about their friendship.
• When the soldier in "Failsafe" put his complete trust in Superboy, letting out an almost cheery, "Sure, Superman!" as he limped to the teleporter, this troper smiled.
  • How about the fact that no one blamed M'gann for what happened?
• Superboy's second session with Black Canary was unexpected for this troper.
  • In sort of a weird way, Robin, Aqualad, and Megan's sessions was also this. Think about it: first we have Superboy, who loses his temper and angrily storms out; then we have Artemis, who's clearly hurting but is too stubborn to admit she needs help; and later we have Wally, who's just plain in denial about his own trauma. Aqualad, Robin, and Megan, by contrast, simply sit down and tell Black Canary why they were hurting, rather than put on false brave faces.
• In "Secrets" Kaldur tells Batman that he trusts every member of the team completely and refuses to consider that any of them might be a mole. Aww.
• In "Misplaced" when Superboy pulls a crying boy out of a wrecked car and he stops crying when he sees the Superman symbol they both wear on their clothes. Then the baby reaches out and touches the S-shield and gives a big smile. Connor's grin shows that for once, the connection to his genetic parent isn't a painful reminder that Superman doesn't want anything to do with him. And he picks up three more on the way to the gym!
  • In the same episode, Wally, Billy and Artemis return into the loving arms of their parents and guardians. Billy's the most heartwarming, when it shows his uncle holding onto a photo of the two of them, and then he hears the word "Shazam."
  • It's a small thing, but Wally's line about not wanting to see any more empty houses is a good one. The weary, exhausted delivery by Jason Spisak really sells it.
• Any moment between Zatanna and Robin is either this or a Crowning Moment of Funny.
• The ending of "Coldhearted".
• In "Image" where Miss Martian confesses she based her personality and appearance on Marie Logan's character on "Hello Megan" because broadcasts of the show helped her through a lonely childhood on Mars and asking Marie if she was mad. Marie says she's honored and that now that her son was saved by Miss Martian's blood she's family and they hug. Unfortunately it's undercut by Miss Martian hiding her true form as a White Martian from her friends, her turning Psimon into a mindless vegetable to keep her secret and Queen Bee blackmailing her into becoming The Mole for her or else she'll reveal it.
• Wonder Woman calls Batman on training Robin at the age of nine. Batman insists that Robin needed to find justice.

Wonder Woman: So he could turn out like you?
Batman: So that he wouldn't.

• • Batman defending Captain Marvel from those who oppose his presence due to his secret identity can be a heartwarming moment too.
  • Doctor Fate's Papa Wolf moment when he bluntly refused to allow Zatanna to join the League. Proof that Zatara is still trying to look after his daughter.
  • To a lesser extent, Fate's acknowledgement that the two Team members he has previously bonded with, Kid Flash and Aqualad, are ready for the League.
• Wally's conversation with Artemis in "Insecurity" about there's room for two archers once Red Arrow joined and saying that she has nothing to prove to the team, especially since the two seem to do nothing but bicker otherwise. However, this makes the ending all the more sadder.
  • Actually almost the whole episode is this until the end between Wally and Artemis as he constantly stands up for her to Red Arrow, someone who he's wanted on the team since the beginning and has known for much longer, yet Wally constantly tells him to back off and sides with Artemis
  • The interaction between Ollie and Artemis in "Insecurity" is very sweet, they aren't really family, at least by blood and Ollie just suggested that Artemis tells the team that she's his niece so it would look good. But still they seem to enjoy their time together a lot.
  • There's also Green Arrow and Red Arrow stopping some robbers together, "for old times' sake".
• Superboy's behavior towards Match in "Agendas" (combined with Tear-jerking.) Even though the other Superman clone has all the Kryptonian powers and attacked him, Conner still tries to help his 'brother' until forced to admit that there's no safe way to introduce Match to the outside world. The look on his face when he frees Match the first time is the gentlest we've ever seen him when not interacting with M'gann.
• Robin's last favor to Haly in "Performance".
  • In the same episode, Red Arrow finally ditches his opinion of the potential moles after they defeat the Parasite together. Too bad it's potentially and cruelly subverted since previous episodes have established that all three have villains with something over each of them.
  • Even more cruelly subverted when we find out that Red Arrow was actually the mole and didn't even know it.
  • Not subverted later is Wally's call to Robin telling him that it's his job as Robin's best friend to keep him grounded when he needs to be.
  • To add to the above: KF knows Robin's identity, and his backstory. He is the only member of the team, and, most likely, the only person besides Bruce and Alfred to be 'in the know'. And all this after Batman specifically instructed him not to tell anyone.
  • Not only did Robin tell Wally all of this, Wally remembered it. All Robin has to say is "Jack Haly" for Wally to understand exactly how important this is to him.
• In "Usual Suspects" when Conner, Artemis, and M'Gann finally revealed secrets they been hiding from the team and each revelation is heartwarming after the next. We have Conner tells his friends that his new increase of power was thanks to these special patches that was given to him by Luthor who he then revealed is his father and part human, thus completing his transition from being an angry teen who didn't want help to trusting his team full heartily. Then there's Artemis who revealed her criminal family past thus repairing her relationship with Wally that was damaged in "Insecurity". Then add to that Robin always knew and didn't say anything because she was always part of the team. But the biggest is when M'Gann finally showed her true White Martian form and Conner goes and grabs her hand and revealed that he knew ever since their mind meld back in "Bereft" and even before they started dating.
  • There's an extra moment to be had in that. When M'Gann reveals her true form, the others take a step back. You can't really blame them; she did just turn into a monster. However, Aqualad doesn't even flinch. Conner didn't either, but he knew ahead of time. Aqualad has literally just seen this and isn't the slightest bit freaked out. That's how much he cares for the team.
  • Then there's the fact that the rest of the team forgave them instantly. Nobody had any resentment for secrets being kept. That's how much this team is a family.
  • Kind of a meta example here, but having Rocket join the team and Icon become a member of the League definitely counts when you remember their creator and his passing. Dwayne McDuffie was one of the greatest comic-book writers, editors, and story-board writers ever to grace the industry, and he put his heart and soul into every character from MILESTONE Comics. To see his guys finally get the respect and recognition they so richly deserve, it really gets you. 1962- 2011, Rest In Peace Dwayne. You are greatly missed.
  • Cheshire saves Artemis from an avalanche. Why? As she states, "Okay, fine! We're sisters, and I don't want to see you dead." Even after all this time and all the fights they had, the two have a deep sisterly bond that could not be broken.
• In "Auld Acquaintance", after The Team faces of against The League and wins, a chime in the watchtower goes off, signifying the start of the new year, and everyone ("everyone" being Robin and Zatanna, Kid Flash and Artemis, Superboy and Miss Martian, and Aqualad and Rocket) pairs together and kisses.
  • Special mention has to go to Wally, who started it with "I should have done this a long time ago."

Artemis: No kidding.

• • Also, Superman finally begins to warm up to Superboy.
    • Specifically, his approval of Superboy using "Kent" as a last name.
  • The conversation between Aqualad and Red Arrow in the latter's equipment cache.
• In "Happy New Year", Nightwing's Big Brother Instinct towards Robin (Tim). It's hinted that Jason exist(ed?) in this universe as well because one of the last things he tells Tim before sending him off on a mission is "Don't die."
  • Rocket and Zatanna remind Nightwing, Superboy, and Miss Martian that they're welcome to join the Justice League, to which they reply that they're happy where they are as one sentence.
  • It's subtle, but based on the way Nightwing and Batman act around one another, it suggests that in this universe, Dick and Bruce didn't have the falling out that preceded his change of identity in pretty much every other continuity.
• Season 2, "Earthlings," the interactions between M'gann and Gar. We learn that Beast Boy was adopted by her and J'onn sometime during the five-year timeskip, and every moment they're together onscreen that doesn't have something to due with their misson shows just how close the two of them are. Laughing together, playing games, and even sharing sad moments. When Gar freezes up and starts crying because they've come upon a scene that reminds him of his mother's death, M'gann's first instinct is to find out what's wrong, then hug her little brother tightly and cry right along with him.
• In "Alienated", Hawkman decided to accompany his wife for moral support as she and several other Justice Leaguers leave for Rimbor.
  • Again in "Alienated", the interactions betweeen Superman and Superboy. It is quite satisfying, after all this time, to see them actually act like brothers. He even refers to him as the Kryptonian name 'Kon-El'. This (and the Nightwing-Tim brotherliness) almost makes up for all the unsatisfactory effects of the 5-year timeskip.
    • During the brawl that breaks out, Superman actually compliments Superboy in a genuinely happy manner. It's become clear their relationship has change a lot for the better.
    • Superman's attempt to talk down the Krolotaens to save them from a bomb. It's a reminder that Superman isn't just admired for his power alone. Sadly it doesn't work.
      • It also leads to further evidence of how much closer he and Superboy are now, when Superboy points out that being unable to save the Krolotaens means he won't be okay.
• In "Salvage", we catch up with Red Arrow, and he's not doing so well. His quest to find the real Roy Harper/Speedy has become an obsession, one that's running him ragged, making him sloppy, making him cross some lines he wouldn't as a hero. It's slowly killing him, and he just can't see it. Thankfully, he still has friends. While on patrol, he gets stopped on a rooftop by Nightwing, Wally, Jim Harper (the now-retired Guardian), Green Arrow, and Black Canary, for an impromptu "intervention" of sorts. He may be a standoff-ish jerk, but he's still someone they care for deeply.
  • Sadly, their efforts aside, he doesn't see reason and leaves for his apartment, only to be greeted by someone special: Jade Nguyen, Cheshire. He tries to brush her off too, but she takes it all in stride, mixing in playfully snarky comments with genuine affection and concern, citing that she has special privileges to rag on him, being his wife and all that now. And then she reveals the primary reason she's come back. Their daughter, Lian Nguyen-Harper, a precious little angel that Roy didn't even know existed. The look on his face just seals it, even before Jade tells him that she has a lead. Even after all he's put her and Lian through, Jade still loves him enough to support him in his mad quest.
    • Can I just say that the mere existence of Lian in this show warmed this Troper to tears. After DC's 'brilliant handling' of her in the comics, it comforts this Troper to know that Lian is alive in some continuity.
  • We also get a look into what Wally's been doing since his retirement of the Kid Flash mantle. He's leading the college life now, studying Vietnamese apparently, with the best tutor around: his roommate and loving girlfriend/soulmate, Artemis. That's right folks, all of you in the Spitfire shipping camp can rest easy now. After all these years, those two are still together, and just as madly in love as before. Happy Valentines Day, Wally and Artemis.
    • Also becomes an extra one because Kent Nelson's last words to Wally was to find his own spitfire like his wife.
• From Ask Greg, the creator revealed just how seriously Batman took his promise to take care of Zatanna. Batman offered to reveal his secret identity to Zatanna and invited her to move in with him and Robin, but Zatanna declined, wanting Zatara remain her legal guardian. Batman agreed -- on the condition that she allow him, Black Canary, and Red Tornado to act as surrogate parents until she could get her father back.
• In "Bloodlines," Bart Allen comes from the future and after a little interaction with a few members of the team, he runs over to visit his grandfather Barry, The Flash. While there, he meets his grandmother Iris, Jay and Joan Garrick and even Wally, his first cousin once removed. He is so excited he gives each and every one of them a hug. At the end, it is revealed that Bart came from a bad future where Barry had died. This was probably the first time he had ever met any of them.
  • In Tibet, there's Red Arrow and Cheshire with Lian, finding a monastery which is supposed to be one of Chesh's leads on finding the original Roy Harper. Cheshire tells Red Arrow to stop calling the original the "real" Roy, because she needs him to be "real" for Lian. At which point Lian looks up at Roy and giggles, and Roy gives one of the most genuine smiles he's ever given in the show, to his little girl.