It's Played for Laughs, and she's overbearing about it, but Susan really does support Rodrick's dreams of becoming a musician, and enjoys his music (or at least claims she does). Given how both Frank and Greg view the band, it's sweet that at least one member of the family believes in them.
Manny wanting to be with Greg during The Meltdown and Wrecking Ball to the point where he gets upset when Frank won't let him in the latter. Kid's come a long way since Cabin Fever.
The Last Straw
The ending. After all of those constant attempts by Greg in trying to prove to his dad, that he's not a wimp (which usually ended up proving the opposite), being mistaken for Fregley of all people by his crush and being humiliated in front of the Snellas, Greg FINALLY catches a break — Frank actually thinks the "military school" situation is overkill and decides not to go through with it.
Something similar happens with them in the third movie. And by similar, that film ended on a perfect note for the series. Greg becomes closer to his dad, who even assures him that it's okay to mess up here and now. He's on good terms with Rodrick and the brothers look out for another. He actually manages to maintain his friendship with Rowley and then some. Finally, he's heavily implied to start going out with Holly, who likes him back!
Dog Days
In a flashback, Greg reveals that when he was eight, Rodrick kept trying to get him to jump off the high dive at the town pool, saying that one needed to conquer his fears to become a man, with the frown doodled on his face implying he wasn't fooling around like in his usual tricks. It's Played for Laughs, and the way Rodrick eventually managed to trick Greg into taking the plunge was misguided indeed, but it's sweet to see that for all his bullying, Rodrick does genuinely care for his little brother and give him chances to grow.
The Ugly Truth
The moment when Greg and Rowley reunite and become friends again, which is also a Funny Moment when Rowley offers to share a "Best Friends" locket with Greg.
A similar thing happens in the first movie.
Cabin Fever
When Rowley anonymously admits Greg did the accidental graffiti, the principal gives Greg two choices: tell him who the accomplice was so they can both clean up, or stay silent and clean up the paint himself. While Greg is mad at Rowley for ratting him out, he realizes that since he dragged Rowley into it in the first place, he should be the one to take the fall. That's right. Greg actually took responsibility for his actions.
Greg gets his picture in the newspaper and an article calling him a mysterious hero for shovelling out the snow from the church sidewalk so that poor families could get to the church's soup kitchen on Christmas. With everything that happens to him, it feels so good when something finally goes right for our favorite wimpy boy, and he really deserved it this time. Good Feels Good, indeed!
Hard Luck
In the eight book, Hard Luck, Fregley, the weird guy who doesn't seem to have any friends, gets voted Most Popular by the student body. And it's completely genuine, too. How? After Rowley starts dating, Greg himself is left friendless, and realizes this is how Fregley feels all the time. So, in an act of desperation, he extends the hand of friendship to Fregley. He's just as creepy as he always is...but his strange antics ("chewing" bubble gum with his navel, getting hopelessly tangled in his sweater) endear him to the other guys in Greg's class, and is soon accepted into their social group...leaving Greg friendless. Again. It's nice to know that even Fregley gets a bone thrown toward him every so often.
Greg's refusal to steal a science project for several reasons; He knows that it's stealing and being caught will lead to severe consequences. Also, the people responsible for the operation put Rodrick's project in there for other people to steal (well, it was bullies using stuff the school had put in storage to make money). He may be a jerk, but he sure as hell won't steal from his other students who actually worked hard, not even Rodrick.
Rodrick finally spends some decent quality time with Greg, blowing raspberries at Sweetie and having fun together doing so. At least they're starting to bond.
It's very subtle, but look carefully in an Imagine Spot Greg has in the same book, when it shows his future family flipping burgers in their backyard. The wife is an older Holly Hills. Awww, he still likes her!
Greg's mother typing his science project up for him in Hard Luck. Greg is so grateful he goes up to her room to thank her but decides to leave her to sleep in instead.
Greg finds Meemaw's wedding ring in Gramma's background. He initially thinks about selling it. However, he remembers that an argument over who was to inherit it upon her death nearly destroyed the family. So he decides to hide it away, as no money is worth the aftermath of his folks finding it again.
The Long Haul
A quick gag has Rodrick and Greg teaming up to play a prank on their parents in a flashback. Even though they're not nearly as close as they are in the movies, it's nice to see them getting along for once.
The "I Must Confess" game in The Long Haul is one of the few times that the entire Heffley family gets along with one another and has a good time, even Rodrick. Greg even learns cool things about his parents. It does go downhill when Rodrick admits to TP-ing a neighbor's house, though.
Old School
Graham Bertran smuggles a box of snacks into the camp, and he's more than willing shares them with his cabin mates.
While at the torturous Hardscribble Farms, Greg admits choking up at a sweet letter from Mom.
Frank offering Greg a lift home in the car. Really, their interactions after Greg finds the maintenance shed, and how Frank started the Silas Scratch story. Though Greg is understandably angry with his Dad for starting the whole thing in the first place, after thinking it over, realizes that he probably would've done the same thing if he had been in the same situation as his dad and ultimately keeps the secret, passing the name on to the next lot of campers.
The Getaway
When Greg is fleeing an angry crowd of beachgoers at the Isla de Corales resort and he reaches a wall that his family is on the other side of, Rodrick climbs the wall, sticks out his hand, and tries to pull him up. He might be a jerk, but when push comes to shove, he won't leave his brother behind.
Greg and an equally arachnophobic waiter high-fiving after they trap a spider together in The Getaway.
During the family's snorkeling trip in The Getaway, Greg has a brief moment of feeling The World Is Just Awesome while taking in the view and understanding why people like snorkeling and scuba diving.
The Meltdown
When Greg is babysitting Manny and doesn't know what to do, he remembers when he and Rodrick were little and they would play "the floor is lava" with the couch cushions.
When Greg is tasked of shoveling the snow off their driveway, Manny helps him.
Trevor Nix finally being accepted by his new neighbors in and happily playing sports with them, even if he did have to turn traitor during the snowball fight to do it.
Wrecking Ball
In Wrecking Ball, during the Heffleys' going away party, Greg is genuinely happy to see Rowley when his family arrives. Additionally, he gives Greg a collage of photos of them together, and Greg ends up teary eyed and they share a hug while crying (though Greg tries the Sand In My Eyes excuse). Despite what he puts Rowley through, he is still his best friend, and this moment proves he doesn't keep him around just to use him. Even Rowley’s father, who isn't too fond of Greg, is smiling with their touching moment.
The Deep End
Were you betting that this book would land the Heffleys in a deep end like its cousins The Long Haul and The Getaway? Nah, that nearly happens, but thanks to Manny jamming the smashed bridge back together with the van, all the fellow campers make a run for it from the camp while they can, leaving the Heffleys to finally relish a family trip in bliss. Talk about a Surprisingly Happy Ending.
When the Heffleys are in peril of being washed away by a river, Rodrick, in a move similar to how he tried to help Greg three books back, clambers onto the floating camper's roof and hauls up the rest of his family.
Regular Marcus warns Greg about how Juicebox is trying to scapegoat Greg for making a mess of the shack.
Big Shot
Greg not wanting to disappoint Mrs. Bosh, his homeroom teacher when she says how much she needs the day off that's being reward for Field Day because she's pregnant and her feet get sore from all that standing to the point where she sends him to scout for students they can recruit from the other homerooms. Which is why it stings when she trades him and two others to another team for a package of dry-erase markers.
Greg and his basketball teammates finding equipment in the gym closet and having fun playing with it, feeling like little kids again.
After Greg makes the winning shot while playing for the opposing team, his new teammates celebrate him and even invite him out for ice cream. This helps Greg see the appeal of team sports after such a terrible season with his original team.
Diper Overlöde
The ending. Metallichihuahua, Rodrick's biggest inspirations, broke up long before Rodrick could see them in their prime, with the two members Rodrick does manage to track down wasting their days away as disillusioned has-beens who just tell him to give up. In the climax, however, Rodrick indirectly reunites his heroes at the Battle of the Bands, (Stewart who became an attorney, delivered a letter to Rodrick that Stewart's company was taking Rodrick to court because of the fact that the card company he works for still holds the trademark to Loaded Diaper and the rest of the band shows up on stage one by one) where they eventually decide to stop arguing when the audience starts cheering wildly and reform Metallichihuahua, becoming the first band to win twice and going on to retake the world of rock by force.
Movies
Diary of a Wimpy Kid
After Rodrick catches Greg and Rowley in his room, he threatens to "kill" Greg in retaliation. What does Rowley do? He stops Rodrick by latching on to his leg to buy Greg time to escape and hide. Now that's a true friend.
Greg has just ruined the school play by starting a fight on stage. Much like the book, most of his family is disappointed and just walks away. Frank? "I thought Dorothy deserved it." Awwwww.
It's a bit difficult to hear but just as Greg meets up with them after the play, his dad claims he's actually the best part of the play.
Even earlier than that we see him be genuinely excited and supportive of Greg's (short-lived) wrestling ambitions.
It’s brief and easy to miss, but Frank coming to pick up Greg from his rather traumatic sleepover with Fregley in the middle of the night is another very nice father-son moment. Frank is visibly annoyed about having had to do this, but is taken aback when Greg embraces him tightly. After a moment, he returns the gesture before walking off with an arm around his son.
The scene where Greg takes the blame for Rowley eating the moldy cheese. He knows that by doing it, he'll lose every chance of becoming popular among his peers, yet he chooses his friendship with Rowley over selfish ambitions. Rowley is deeply touched by this enough to mend their friendship.
Following that, Greg asks Rowley if he wants to come over and play. Yes, Greg no longer cares about public humiliation for saying "play". Rowley happily joins in.
As the two walk off, they playfully shove each other to pass on the “cheese touch,” before they each put an arm around each other.
Angie's response after seeing this? "Not bad, Heffley. Not bad at all.'" Heartwarming, because Angie spends most of the movie commenting on what a jerk Greg is.
Probably reaching its conclusion: Greg and Rowley end up in the yearbook as "Cutest Friends."
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules
In the roller rink opening, Holly unwittingly interrupts Greg's Imagine Spot about...well, her... by requesting him to move aside so she can go through the exit. But note that after her brief conversation with Greg, Rowley and Chirag, she just turns back and skates away without even leaving the rink for the rest of the scene. Hmm...why? Perhaps she doesn't just reciprocate Greg's feelings in the movies - could it be that Greg was not the only one subjected to Love at First Sight and that Holly was just making an attempt to speak to him?
Fregley is seen hanging out with Greg, Rowley, and Chirag during gym class, heavily implying that despite them being weirded out by his unusual behavior, they are at least able to tolerate his presence.
Rowley going all the way to Greg's house to rescue him from being locked in the basement. Even though Rodrick eventually catches him, the sheer dedication that Rowley goes through, even abruptly ending practicing his magic act with Scotty continues to solidify him as a true friend. Even better, when Rodrick ends up freeing both boys out of fear of what Susan might do to him, Rowley joins the party and ends up becoming the life of it.
Greg goes all the way to defend Rodrick when Susan interrogates the former, knowing that this could ruin their already improving relationship. Rodrick is touched enough to be willing to hang out with Greg far more frequently.
In the second film, when Rodrick finds out Greg's note to Holly didn't work, he invites Greg out to help cheer him up. They have the time of their lives.
The best thing that ever happened to Greg in the retirement home? Coincidentally bumping into Holly. Not only does she genuinely apologize to Greg for calling him Fregley, but both of them bond over their sibling experiences. She even gives Greg legitimate advice on dealing with Rodrick.
After their So Bad, It's Good magic act, Greg caps off their saw-the-lady-in-half act by saying, "Ladies and gentlemen, the Remarkable Rowley!" Rowley then puts his arm around him and adds, "And Greg the Great," as the audience applauds.
As for why Greg's doing the act in the first place? Rowley's original partner got stage fright, and Greg told his mom that he'd help Rowley (despite having previously dismissed the act as lame) on one condition: that she lifts Rodrick's punishment and lets him play in the talent show with his band. Susan is so touched by this that she agrees, and it goes a long way towards mending Greg and Rodrick's relationship at the end.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days
Seeing how Rodrick and Greg's relationship has improved since their bonding in the second movie. In the third, they never fight (something that would be near-impossible for their book counterparts) and Rodrick hardly picks on him seriously, even showing concern and stating that "we've got major problems" when he thinks his brother's going to be shipped off to Spag Academy.
Holly being sympathetic and helpful after finding out Greg and Rowley lied about being tennis players. She willingly teaches Greg the moves before Heather has to ruin it by abruptly picking her up.
Rodrick actually hugs Greg after Greg manages to sign him up to play with his band at Heather Hills' birthday party.
Greg freaking out when he thinks Rodrick's been driven away in a garbage truck (It Makes Sense in Context) and then hugging his (mildly horrified, trash-covered) brother when he sees him.
While it wasn't what Rodrick wanted, it's nice to see that man rescue him from drowning (even though he was pretending).
Greg hits his father with a mallet, assuming it's the Muddy Hand and is genuinely remorseful. Frank doesn't even retaliate, even giving Greg comforting advice on "making mistakes."
Greg going all the way to defend his father's honor by setting up an elaborate prank with Rowley, Chirag, and Fregley on Stan Warren after hearing the latter talk crap about Frank.
The scene where Stan checks on the tents. Fregley is genuinely trying to signal Greg to escape, while Chirag is expressing condolences on Greg's presumed fate (should he get caught). The bonding between the four boys has gotten stronger somehow.
And when Stan Warren attempts to interrogate Frank's troupe, Greg willingly steps in and admits being the mastermind behind the prank, knowing he could end up in Spag Union. Even better, Rowley, Chirag, and Fregley step in to defend both Greg and Frank.
Greg: I did it.
Rowley: Greg, no!
Greg: Dad, it was my idea, and I can't let them take the fall for me.
Rowley: We didn't mean to burn up the tent.
Greg: No, but, we did.
Rowley: Greg was only doing it to defend your honor.
Chirag: Mr. Warren disrespected you.
Fregley: He called you a wounded gazelle.
Frank is touched by this to the point where they truly bond when he leaves the Wilderness Explorers with Greg to the motel, Frank deciding not to send Greg to Spag Union, and humorously get into a relatable exchange when Lil' Cutie is announced to be continuing.
As Heather's birthday party is ruined, Holly tells Greg her sister deserved it, then out of nowhere she holds Greg's hand, likely becoming an official couple.
The ending. In contrast with the books, which often concluded on a bittersweet note, the third film continued the Character Development from the first two and allowed Greg and friends to earn their happy ending. By the end, Greg finally has a good relationship with his dad, has mended things up with Rowley, and gets on good terms with Rodrick. He is also implied to begin dating Holly Hills. For longtime Greg fans, to see the titular wimpy kid who has been tormented through multiple books and two films finally overcome all of that and go out on an all-time high note (ignoring the events of the 4th film) must have been an incredibly cathartic moment.
