History TearJerker / TheNeverendingStory

[[quoteright:281:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/volvagia_2_5662.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:281:The average viewer's reaction to Artax's death.]]

'''As a Moments subpage, all spoilers are unmarked [[Administrivia/SpoilersOff as per policy.]] Administrivia/YouHaveBeenWarned.'''

!!The films

* "ARTAX!" Every last second of that scene, as Artax sinks to his death, with Atreyu crying and begging him to move. The FadeOut following is absolutely heartwrenching.
** It's an in-universe example as well, since Bastian has to stop reading the book to wipe away his tears at this point.
* When the Rockbiter is describing [[https://youtu.be/aj-OpTHixpU being unable to hold onto his friends]] and keep them from being pulled into The Nothing. Atreyu's HeroicBSOD is also sad to listen to. While both sympathize with the other's feelings of despair, neither can really offer any words of comfort each other.
-->'''Rockbiter:''' They look like big, good, strong hands, don't they? I always thought that's what they were. ''(sighs)'' My little friends... the little man with his racing-snail. The nighthob... even the stupid bat! I couldn't hold onto them... the Nothing pulled them right out of my hands. [[MyGreatestFailure I failed]].\\
'''Atreyu:''' No, you didn't fail. ''I'm'' the one who failed. I was the one chosen to stop the Nothing. But I lost the AURYN... I can't find my luckdragon... so I won't be able to go beyond the boundaries of Fantasia.\\
'''Rockbiter:''' Listen. The Nothing will be here any minute. [[HeroicBSOD I will just sit here]] and [[DrivenToSuicide let it take me away too]]. ''(Raises his hands again)'' They look like [[PunctuatedForEmphasis good. Strong. Hands]]... [[DespairEventHorizon don't they.]]\\
''[Atreyu nods sadly]''
* After the Nothing erases nearly all of Fantasia, Atreyu and Falkor fly through the void with only a few fragments left. Atreyu falls into HeroicBSOD feeling that it was his fault and that he failed. While Falkor tries to comfort him, you can hear the hopelessness in the luckdragon's voice.
* In the second movie, the scene showing Bastian's last memory with his dying mother.
** The extra heartbreak is that we see this memory because Bastian made a wish.
** Bastian wants to revive Atreyu (who he accidentally killed during a fight), but he only has two memories left at that point: his mother and his father. To save his friend, he has to sacrifice one of the memories and the implication is that he gets to choose which one to give up.
--->'''Atreyu''': Your mother would've been proud.\\
'''Bastian''': Who?
* "Bastian, please...save us!" Whatever else can be said about the acting abilities of the child actors, Creator/TamiStronach's delivery of this line is heart-wrenching.
* After Bastian reads about how Atreyu and Falkor begin searching for a human child to name the Childlike Empress.
-->"I wish they'd ask me. My mother had a beautiful name."
* The climax of the second movie has Bastion's absent father reading the book, realizing how much danger his son is in, and cheering his son on as he fights Xayide.
* Bastion's final wish is that Xayide had a heart, which causes her to cry over the evil she's done and disappear.
* Even the awful third movie has one touching moment: throughout the movie Bastian's stepsister Nicole has been a major bitch to him. Near the end she admits she is afraid to get attached to anyone new since she doesn't want to get hurt again, resulting in a tearful bonding scene between the two.

'''Rockbiter:''' Listen. The Nothing will be here any minute. [[HeroicBSOD I will just sit here]] [[DrivenToSuicide and let it take me away too]]. ''(Raises his hands again)'' They look like [[PunctuatedForEmphasis good. Strong. Hands]]... [[DespairEventHorizon don't they.]]\\

* "ARTAX!" Every last second of that scene, as Artax sinks to his death, with Atreyu crying and begging him to move. The fade out following is absolutely heartwrenching.

'''Rockbiter:''' Listen. The Nothing will be here any minute. [[HeroicBSOD will just sit here]] [[DrivenToSuicide and let it take me away too]]. ''(Raises his hands again)'' They look like [[PunctuatedForEmphasis good. Strong. Hands]]... [[DespairEventHorizon don't they.]]\\

'''Rockbiter:''' Listen. The Nothing will be here any minute. [[HeroicBSODI will just sit here]] [[DrivenToSuicide and let it take me away too]]. ''(Raises his hands again)'' They look like [[PunctuatedForEmphasis good. Strong. Hands]]... [[DespairEventHorizon don't they.]]\\

'''Rockbiter:''' Listen. The Nothing will be here any minute. [[DespairEventHorizon I will just sit here]] [[DrivenToSuicide and let it take me away too]]. ''(Raises his hands again)'' They look like [[PunctuatedForEmphasis good. Strong. Hands]]... [[DespairEventHorizon don't they.]]\\

'''Rockbiter:''' Listen. The Nothing will be here any minute. [[HeroicBSOD I will just sit here]] [[DrivenToSuicide and let it take me away too]]. ''(Raises his hands again)'' They look like [[PunctuatedForEmphasis good. Strong. Hands]]... [[DespairEventHorizon don't they.]]\\

* When the Rockbiter is describing [[https://youtu.be/aj-OpTHixpU being unable to hold onto his friends]] and keep them from being pulled into The Nothing.

'''Rockbiter:''' Listen. The Nothing will be here any minute. [[HeroicBSOD I will just sit here]] [[DrivenToSuicide and let it take me away too]]. ''(Raises his hands again)'' They look like [[PunctuatedForEmphasis good. Strong. Hands]]... [[DespairEventHorizon don't they]].

* As nasty as he was, G'mork seemed genuinely hurt by the dark princess's betrayal, even more so than being left chained and starving. It doesn't help that he was falling in love with her and was gladly received by her and her kingdom - remarking that nobody had ever treated him so kindly before; if only he had found Spook City before spitefully taking on his mission to destroy Fantastica, he might have realized that there was a place for him to call home after all.