Heartwarming / G.I. Joe: Renegades

• Duke introducing the Joes to his parents as his "new family." Manly Tears.
• Not part of the show's canon, but the dedication to character designer Clement Sauve, the show's character designer who passed away earlier that year, at the end of "Brothers of Light" is this for the show's entire production crew.
• Why does Lady Jaye help out the Joes every chance she can? Duke saved her life a while back and she seeks to repay him, risking her own career over it without a second thought. It's subtly implied she may have even developed feelings for him over it.
• Just about every scene between Destro and Baroness in "Castle Destro". While Destro rationalizes it as supervision of their new Bio-Viper missile to Cobra Commander, it's a front for him and Baroness to spend time together in his estate. He prepares some of her favorite foods and then reveals the Joes trapped in his castle, which he explicitly states is a gift for her specifically. When the plan is inevitably ruined and the Joes escape, Destro personally carries Baroness out of the collapsing castle and states he'll take full responsibility to spare her from Cobra Commander's wrath.
  • Also the ending for the Joes, where the team assures Duke that they would follow him anywhere. Duke replies that the feeling's mutual.
• The relationship between Tunnel Rat and his brother Teddy Lee. The two are completely dedicated to each other.
• Likewise, Roadblock and his cousin Heavy Duty. They eventually admit that they are both a little jealous of each other, the former of the latter's academic success and the latter of the former never losing touch with his family. Their grams, too, when she settles Heavy Duty's last grievance over their grandpa's inheritance, which Roadblock lets HD keep since the latter has less things to remember him by than RB.
  • Also, Heavy Duty's codename, which he himself asks to be referred to as. Turns out, Grams gave him that nickname as a baby due to his diaper filling tendencies. Despite it being an Embarrassing Nickname in origin, he chose to keep it as a means of keeping his Grams close to him.
    Roadblock: (to Heavy Duty) "The way I see it, home never leaves you, no matter how far you run."
  • Grams then has Roadblock invite the Joes in for supper. And they are able to have it without interruptions this time, too.
• Crossing into Tear Jerker territory, the flashback with the death of the Hard Master. He took a sip of tea while Snake Eyes was about to do the same and, as he realized he had been poisoned, the Master still had the lucidity to knock the cup out of Snake Eyes's hands to avoid him the same destiny. It later turns out Snake Eyes's cup had no poison in it, but it doesn't make that last act of affection of the old man for the boy who changed him for the better less poignant.
• Duke trying to keep an injured Scarlett awake in "Going Underground" via positive encouragement.
• Patrick O'Hara, Scarlett's father. In a flashback, he broke his promise to spend some time with her, much to her frustration. She angrily stormed off, not wanting to see him again. A week later she found out he died in a lab explosion. In reality, he knew Cobra was evil and, by pushing her away, he was protecting her. He gave her his necklace with the Mineral Macguffin not only as a reminder of him, but to keep it away from Cobra. His final request was for Snake Eyes to protect Scarlett, which he agreed to do.

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