History Heartwarming / XComEnemyUnknown

* In the opening cutscene to the first Terror mission, one of the fleeing civilians stops to pull a wounded man out of the way while under plasma fire. [[spoiler:It's a shame that he gets eviscerated by a Chryssalid shortly after that...]]
* An odd example, but while the [[spoiler:Uber Ethereal]] is quick to criticize most of the alien slave races during the final mission, it's [[PetTheDog surprisingly complimentary]] toward the Thin Men.
* Having been assigned two soldiers with the same last name, it's always heartwarming to think that there's a couple or siblings out there trying to save the world together. [[spoiler: Bonus points if one of them becomes The Volunteer.]]

** Alternatively, beating the mission while you don't have anyone that can stabilize. If you beat the mission during the time the soldier is bleeding out, he'll be considered as stabilized and taken back to base alive. You can just imagine your soldiers fighting not just to defeat the enemy, but to save their fallen comrade.

* There's the obvious Doylist reason of not crippling a player, but if a country withdraws from the XCOM program, the soldiers you have from that country don't leave with them. Whether it's out of loyalty to their friends in the program or because they know they have to see the job through, it's hard not to feel like they're effectively saying ScrewTheRulesImDoingWhatsRight and essentially going rogue from their own national forces to keep fighting the good fight, no matter what it might cost them in the long run.

* A minor touch to the "Ant Farm" view of XCOM HQ is that you can actually look in multiple rooms of the Barracks, and see your soldiers doing all sorts of things with each other in their downtime: they exchange jokey banter, exercise to keep in shape, and visit injured comrades on their sickbeds. It's clear that the XCOM operatives don't see each other as interchangeable {{RedShirt}}s - they're [[FireForgedFriends friends forged by fire]], [[TrueCompanions comrades in arms]], and a true BandOfBrothers, ready to defend their squad mates, and their planet, at all costs.

* A minor touch to the "Ant Farm" view of XCOM HQ is that you can actually look in multiple rooms of the Barracks, and see your soldiers doing all sorts of things with each other in their downtime: they exchange jokey banter, exercise to keep in shape, and visit injured comrades on their sickbeds. It's clear that the XCOM operatives don't see each other as interchangeable {{RedShirt}}s - they're [[FireForgedFriends friends forged by fire]], [[TrueCompanions comrades in arms]], and a true BandOfBrothers, ready to defend their squad mates, and their planet, at all costs.

** Even better, depending on how many civilians you save, the better the panic reduction. Letting no more than four die will not only result in an Excellent rank, but you'll also be looking at a panic drop of ''at least'' 3 in the country where the attack took place, and a further panic drop of at least 1 across the rest of the continent. For the aliens' point of view, they sent their deadliest and most lethal units to horrify humanity... [[EpicFail And their troops fail so horribly]] that, if anything, the attack had the '''[[NiceJobFixingItVillain exact opposite outcome]]''' of what they wanted.

*** Hell, the mere act of "saving" the panicking civilians, especially if they are otherwise surrounded by aliens. From the civilian's perspective, [[OhCrap they are cornered by]] [[BigCreepyCrawlies ravenous bug-monsters wanting to tear out their throat]], [[KillerRobot flying machines ready to fry them with lasers]], [[GiantMook and big, hulking monsters capable of literally crushing their skull between one of their giant hands]]. They know they can't fight back, but they can't run without being jumped and cut down by their hunters. Then, just when it looks like they're going to die, [[BigDamnHeroes a soldier in body armor runs up next to them]], [[LeaveHimToMe and tells the civilian to get out while they take care of the hostiles]]. Whether the soldier [[{{Badass}} is able to deal with all of the alien monsters]], [[HeroicSacrifice or is walking into certain death just to buy the civie more time]], it gives the civilian the chance to evacuate the warzone, and escape the hell the aliens have created on Earth.

* A minor touch to the "Ant Farm" view of XCOM HQ is that you can actually look in multiple rooms of the Barracks, and see your soldiers doing all sorts of things with each other in their downtime: they same to trade jokey banter, exercise to keep in shape, and visit injured comrades on their sickbeds. It's clear that the XCOM operatives don't see each other as interchangeable {{RedShirt}}s - they're [[FireForgedFriends friends forged by fire]], [[TrueCompanions comrades in arms]], and a true BandOfBrothers, ready to defend their squad mates, and their planet, at all costs.

** Op here. after some reflection, the exact same point applies to the Genemods Vahlen Designed. they give u pthe raw pwoer/utility of some of EXALTS unique mods in exchange for being completely reversible.

* Watching wounded troopers joking around in the infirmary. Knowing that they made it out alive and will be back on their feet is... wonderful.

** For bonus points, the closest this comes to being {{Canon}} is with two of the three "Furies" (see below for details) rescued by XCOM at the end of the Portent Missions: [[BrotherAndSisterTeam Said and Fatima Tariq]]. Not only do they have the same last name, not only do they both hail from the same country (Egypt), [[AlwaysIdenticalTwins but their appearances are so alike it's almost scary]]. And, since they're both Lieutenant-ranked soldiers, but also 100% guaranteed to gain Psionic powers, it's hard not to pair them together on missions [[BashBrothers just to see them go to town on the alien forces that kidnapped them]], [[LaserGuidedKarma and mess them up with the same psionic powers they were trying to exploit]].

** Even better, depending on how many civilians you save, the better the panic reduction. Letting no more than four die will not only result in an Excellent rank, but you'll also be looking at a panic drop of ''at least'' 3 in the country where the attack took place, and a further panic drop of at least 1 across the rest of the continent. For the aliens' point of view, they sent their deadliest and most lethal units to mess with humanity... [[EpicFail And their troops fail so horribly]] that if anything, the attack had the '''[[NiceJobFixingItVillain exact opposite outcome]]''' of what they wanted.

* A minor touch to the "Ant Farm" view of XCOM HQ is that you can actually look in multiple rooms of the Barracks, and see your soldiers doing all sorts of things with each other in their downtime: they same to trade jokey banter, exercise to keep in shape, and visit injured comrades on their sickbeds. It's clear that the XCOM operatives don't see each other as interchangeable {{RedShirt}}s - they're [[FireForgedFriends friends forged by fire]], [[TrueCompanions comrades in arms]], and a true BandOfBrothers, ready to defend their squad mates, and their planet, at all costs.

*** For extra points, her intel can help save the lives of three fellow abductees. These three 'Furies' will turn out to be grateful for your efforts and pledge their help to save humanity from the alien invasions.

** This troper had a French assault with the last name of "Durand". E.X.A.L.T and the aliens have better be preapared for the wrath of a pissed-off brother.

** In something of a specific example of the above, this troper was particularly touched in the end of his first game, wherein [[spoiler:after defeating the Uber Ethereal, the Volunteer, a Chinese Assault stepped forward, as one of his squadmates, a Japanese heavy, was visibly distressed and tried to stop him.]] To see two soldiers of countries harboring much animosity between them become {{Bash Brothers}} over the course of the war and have a poignant moment together, clearly putting aside ancestral difficulties and come to care for each other as people and teammates was very powerful.

** It gets even more poignant with the troops they send, when you realize that XCOM HQ must be a lot like the Olympic village - a lot of different countries sending their best and brightest to kick ass. And instead of competing with each other, these men and women are willing to fight and die for someone from a country that their homeland is often at odds with.

* A meta moment of heartwarming is when you consider who the Council members are. These are countries that to all appearences ''hate'' each other - Argentina and the United Kingdom, China and Japan, the United States and Russia - but they created XCOM together ''because they consider the continued survival and freedom of the human race more important than their personal squabbles''.

** Even better: complete a mission, especially the more difficult ones, [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome without any injury whatsoever]]. There's nothing like imagining the squad being cheered as they come back home, tired but satisfied and able to dismiss any paramedics sent to aid them. Even the base personnel comments on, essentially, how well you're taking care of your soldiers.

* A subtle one in ''Enemy Within'' is with the design of the MEC Augmentation system. The whole reason for the useless (in combat) Base Augments is explained in their description. Their first function is to give the MEC Trooper mobility while out of the [=MECs=]. The second, more important reason? To ensure that, after their sacrifice, they will have a chance of a normal life after the war is over. more willing to experiment with Alien technology and eugenics or not, the R&D team still haven't lost their moral compass.

** Even better, depending on how many civilians you save, the better the panic reduction. Letting less then four die will result in an excellent rank and you'll be looking at a panic drop of AT LEAST 3 or more across the continent. For the aliens point of view, they sent their deadliest and most lethal units to mess with humanity... [[EpicFail And their troops fail so horribly that if anything, the attack had the EXACT OPPOSITE OUTCOME of what they wanted.]]

* The Memorial Wall, combining this with a TearJerker. It could have been just a plaque on the wall, or a notice board. In this game, its surrounded by shot glasses, with a few pictures posted up on the wall, starting out as a few wallet-size clippings if you've only lost one or two and growing to a full size remembrance with almost none of the wall covered if you're sending troops into the meat grinder. All the while, somber Taps-esque military music plays in the background. It is really touching that in-universe, your soldiers aren't simply anonymous weapons sent into a meat grinder, but comrades who remember their fallen dead. Gone, but not forgotten.

** Even better, depending on how many civilians you save, the better the panic reduction. Letting less then four die will result in an excellent rank and you'll be looking at a panic drop of AT LEAST 3 or more. For the aliens point of view, they sent their deadliest and most lethal units to mess with humanity... [[EpicFail And their troops fail so horribly that if anything, the attack had the EXACT OPPOSITE OUTCOME of what they wanted.]]

* Whenever you succeed in thwarting a Terror mission, the panic level across the entire continent drops sharply. The aliens specifically set out to induce hysteria, but XCOM's stopping them actually made the populace feel ''more at ease'', through, as one of this troper's friends put it "a raw demonstration of the home team's prowess."

* A subtle one in ''Enemy Within'' is with the design of the MEC Augmentation system. The whole reason for the useless (in combat) Base Augments is explained in their description. Their first function is to give the MEC Trooper mobility while out of the [=MECs=]. The second, more important reason? To ensure that, after their sacrifice, they will have a chance of a normal life after the war is over.

** Durand, an ordinary woman with extraordinary abilities, who was tortured and experimented on to use those powers. With XCOM, she finds a chance for revenge, and sees the end of the monsters who ruined her, and she eventually acts to save the world from being destroyed by those same monsters.