Heartwarming / Despicable Me 2

"Good night, Agnes. Never get older."

• Emphasis on "Moment": When listing off his excuses for not joining Silas Ramsbottom, the first one Gru says is "I'm a father now." It further emphasizes the point of the entire first movie... it's not a real Heel–Face Turn. Gru didn't become a hero, he became a father which can be much, much more than a mere hero.
• Subtle, but the girls attempting to get Gru on a dating website can be seen as this. In the usual format for children of single parents dealing with their parents dating, the child(ren) would usually do all they can to sabotage any such attempts out of fear and/or jealousy of losing their parent. But these trio don't do that. They just want Gru to find someone who's suitable for him to be with.
• The scene with Agnes at the beginning, especially the last line:
  Gru: Good night, Agnes. (Kisses her forehead) Never get older.
• Gru & Lucy's and Margo & Antonio's relationships are extremely adorable.
  • The latter becomes Harsher in Hindsight after Antonio breaks Margo's heart by dancing with another girl.
  • Imagine a relationship between Agnes and Bob. Wouldn't that be the most adorable thing EVER!?
• After seeing Margo heartbroken because of finding out that Antonio is a KidAnova, Gru freezes him on the spot. It's also funny and it would remind one of a parent comforting you when you get your heart broken. Gru just did what any father would do in his position (Note: Yes, Gru's "position" always includes "...and I have a Freeze Ray").
• Dr. Nefario's reason for saving Gru from the mutant minions.
  Dr. Nefario: I mean, I'm happy to create an evil army and destroy the world. But nobody messes with my family.
• Gru dresses up as a fairy princess at Agnes' birthday part when the woman he hired had to cancel. Give that man a medal for "Father of the Year".
  • It gets even better when Agnes whispers at him that she knows it's him and not a fairy princess, but she's still very glad for him doing it. Seriously, Gru's later expression speaks volumes of how much he loves the little girl.
    • Kyle (the pet "dog") was willing to play the role as the dragon (even if though it's not-so-subtly implied he wants to) because of Agnes.
• Before his and Lucy's night mission to break into the salsa restaurant, Gru initially rushes through putting the girls to bed, clearly trying to get to the mall as soon as possible. Before he leaves, Agnes suddenly reminds him that he was supposed to help her practice her poem for the Mother's Day, and while still insisting they be quick about it, Gru doesn't argue at all and agrees to help her. Even with a short window for the mission and the entire world potentially at stake, Gru still puts his daughter's needs first.
  • If this had happened in the first film, Gru would have likely either refused to even bother with helping Agnes or done so begrudgingly, letting her recite the poem once and then calling it a night without much care. Instead, he sits with her without hesitation, gets her to do multiple takes - even with the aforementioned short time frame for his and Lucy's mission - and remains fully supportive and encouraging. Helping Agnes practice is not merely an obligation, Gru genuinely wants to help her get it right.
  • Agnes doubts whether she should even do the poem, since she doesn't (nor does she even remember) have a mother. Gru tries his best to convince her otherwise, eventually encouraging her to just imagine having one.
• There's something really sweet about this exchange between Gru and Lucy as they're preparing to jump off the rocket and into the ocean.
  Gru: Listen, Lucy, we may not get out of this alive. So, I need to ask you a question.
  Lucy: Uh, better make it quick!
  Gru: If I asked you out on a date, what would you have said?
  Lucy: *laughs and smiles* Are you kidding me?! Yes!
  • Followed by her tackle-hugging him when they land in the water, both of them laughing in just the ''most joyful'' tone.
    • Even more heartwarming? After Lucy tackle-hugs Gru, she immediately gives him his space, probably remembering the cupcake incident and its aftermaths. But without one word, Gru firmly grabs her hand and pulls her back into his personal space. In the most romantic gesture imaginable, Gru silently tells Lucy he wants her to never leave his side again. These two are the cutest.
    • The minions are then seen coming to their rescue. Sort of. They got distracted.
  Gru (shrugging cheerfully): They'll be back.
• In the chase following their failed attempt to infiltrate El Macho's lair, the two good minions lose their footing and fall on the steps, and within an instant Gru picks them up and carries them the rest of the way. Even when surrounded by the purple minions on the roof, Gru's first priority is getting his two accomplices up the flagpole to keep them as far from harm's way as he can.
• Agnes attempting to cheer Gru up in the rain.
  Agnes: Is there anything I could do to help?
  • The lead-in to that moment has a subtle but touching moment. Gru had entire montage of depression over his heartbreak, with several moments of Comedic Sociopathy and Poke the Poodle behavior. He ends it with deliberately sitting outside in the rain. When Agnes brings an umbrella out to him, he sees it's her and weakly smiles. Even in the depths of his funk, seeing one of his girls brings a smile to his face.
• The entire "Happy" sequence.
  Margo: So I take it the date went well?
  Gru: *gleefully* No, it was horrible!
  • The many Pet the Dog moments Gru has during the montage: greeting random strangers, helping a duck family cross the street, participating in yoga, playing in a street band, and helping two people meet.
• After Dr. Nefario saves the girls from a mutated!Kevin, all the girls look relieved and happy to see him. Agnes even said his name to express their happiness of seeing him back to normal. Now remember that there are thousands of minions who might resemble Kevin and the girls might have forgotten his name or mistook him for another minion. But they didn't because in the year that they've been with the minion, they actually get his name right. It's a subtle way of showing that like their father, the girls have possibly learned all the names of the minions!
  • Not to mention before that. When the girls are cowering from Mutated!Kevin, Edith steps forward and positions herself to fight him and protect her sisters.
• Along with being a Funny Moment, but the way Gru becomes a Boyfriend-Blocking Dad on Margo because of her interest in boys is adorable. One, it shows again his Character Development from the original movie and reminds all parents how hard it is to see your kids grow up.
  • The fact that he drops his entire work to go and protect her from said boy. Aaawww.
• The girls coming to visit Gru at work. Then, after Agnes causes an awkward moment ("Are you single?"), the girls are given some money and are "encouraged" to visit the mall by their father. The girls say goodbye and leave, but then run back and give their dad a tackle hug and tell him good luck on saving the world. Just another way of showing how much these girls adore their father!
  • The smile on Lucy's face after seeing that particular moment is just as adorable.
  Lucy: Those girls totally adore you. I bet you're a fun dad!
• Just look how concerned the two minions are when Gru is being kidnapped by Lucy.
  • The same two minions, Dave and Stuart, are also on Gru's speed dial and later help him try to rescue Lucy.
  • Gru repays their concern when the 3 of them are being chased by the evil minions, Gru at points picks them up and carries them and when they can't go any further, he pushes them up the flagpole while he stays below.
• This may be easily missed, but at the beginning of the film, when the girls are being put to bed, you can see Gru had transformed Agnes' bomb bed to look like a unicorn bed.
• It may be hard to notice, but if you pay close attention to the Minion with the glass jar on his head throughout the film? Well, he's also seen constantly with another Minion. They're a couple!
• Lucy first meeting Margo, Edith, and Agnes. She kneels down a little with a big smile on her face and when Gru introduces each of them, her eyes briefly lock on to each. She even does a cute "nose wiggle" to little Agnes.
  • Then when the girls leave, Agnes waves goodbye to Lucy. And what does Lucy do? She waves back.
• When the rocket reaches inside the volcano, you can briefly see Gru with his arms around Lucy while their falling to the sea; one holding her hand and the other around her shoulders. He's doing what he wanted to do, but couldn't when Lucy was reassigned to Australia: Keep her close to him.
• A small and brief one, but Edith playing with Kyle, and the latter having Gru's unopened wig in his mouth.
• Lucy's reaction after the Moment of Awesome that was Gru using the lipstick taser she had given him to take down El Macho.
  Lucy: Aww, he copied me!
• Another small one, but just the way Gru delivers this line to Lucy: "Don't worry. I will get you out of this."
• At the birthday party at the beginning of the movie, Agnes (whose party it is) is wearing a dress which has been carefully tailored to make her look like she's riding a unicorn. Probably also counts as Awesome.
• Gru carrying a sleeping Agnes to her bed. Also even more adorable is Agnes is resting her head on Gru's shoulder.
• This lyric from the ending theme is just really nice:
  "Cause I can show you how to make your worst day feel like your birthday."
• Lucy tranquilizing Shannon after she'd spent the night tormenting Gru. It's reminiscent of the first movie, when Gru shoots the arcade after the booth's manager started tormenting Agnes. Shooting the Jerkass Victim = family.
• Right before Lucy kisses Gru on the cheek:
  Lucy: Oh, and uh, just between you and me, you look much better bald.
  • For the record, Gru's smile is absolutely adorable!!
• Gru and Kyle's relationship has improved to the point that Gru isn't terrified of touching his pet "dog".
• After returning back to AVL with traces of the serum being found in Floyd's establishment, Lucy gives credit of their success to Gru.
• While he may be heartbroken at learning of her transfer to Australia, Gru still acts supportive and happy for Lucy instead of getting angry at her.
• And of course, not only the most heartwarming moment in the movie, but the entire Despicable Me franchise: Gru and Lucy's wedding.
  • Some of the guests at Gru and Lucy's wedding:
    • Silas. It's clear that they probably don't like him (Gru especially) but maybe it implies that during the TimeSkip the couple grew closer to Silas.
    • They also invited Shannon to the wedding as well, probably to show that they have no ill will towards her.
    • Remember Fred? He's Gru's neighbor from the first movie and it was quite obvious that Gru disliked him. So to see that Gru invited Fred to his and Lucy's wedding is a clear indicator that they became friends sometime between the first and second movie.
    • And Jillian. The fact that Gru invited her to his wedding despite finding her extremely annoying in the beginning was a sweet gesture.
  • When Agnes has some trouble saying her toast at Gru and Lucy's wedding, Margo does the "tapping on the glass" act to help out.
  • The minions cheering when they see Grucy kissing at their wedding. One minion is so moved by this scene that he looks like he's about to cry in happiness.
  • Agnes finally being able to recite her poem at Gru and Lucy's wedding, and adding "And my new mom Lucy is beyond compare." Then she tackles her with a hug.
    • And Gru realizing what Agnes is trying to say, smiles, and encouragingly tells her in the most gentlest voice: "Okay." Father of the Year goes to Mr. Felonious Gru.
    • The look on Lucy's face when Agnes recites the poem is just perfect. She looks like she's about to cry. And her little "AWW!" at Agnes' poem is just so sweet!
    • Two seconds later Margo and Edith join in with Agnes. The latter gets picked up by her father and the former hugs her mother's legs, while her mother hugs her with one arm (the other arm still supporting Agnes). This family is just precious!!!
    • Shots of Lucy's reaction to Agnes' speech and Grucy sharing some margaritas.
  • Gru and Lucy kissing at their wedding. They bump noses the first few attempts before Lucy plants one on him.
  • Fridge Brilliance: It's hard to notice but both Lucy and Agnes' wedding outfits have two ruffle patterns. In other words, Agnes was matching up with her new mother.
    • More Fridge Brilliance: The novelization for the first movie confirms that the girls aren't related by birth. They just spent enough time with another to consider each other sisters. Then comes along Gru adopting them, and marrying Lucy. The five are a happy family, and none of them were related by blood.
  • Agnes telling everybody "I'd like to make some toast" is simply adorable.
    • Also this one: "To the bride and Gru!"
  • At the ending, during Gru and Lucy's wedding, Silas (Lucy's boss) can be seen in the background with Natalie. Don't remember? She's Jillian' s friends that she tried to hook up with Gru at Agnes' birthday, earlier in the film. Then, both Silas and Natalie are dancing when the Minions sing their version of "YMCA". And their both having a great time together! We can see Silas with a real smile on his face and he's not being smug; Natalie is with a guy she really likes. For some reason, seeing those two together is just so sweet and adorable.

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