Heartwarming / Identity V

As a Moments subpage, all spoilers are unmarked as per policy. You Have Been Warned.

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Main Game and Gameplay

• One of Victor Grantz [Postman]'s idle animations involves him petting Wick the Post Dog. It's as adorable as it sounds.
  • Similarly, Eli Clark [Seer]'s "Ready" standby animation with his owl.
• The fact that Leo Beck's [Hell Ember]'s Character Day shares the same date as Emma Woods'/The Gardener's birthday. Even after becoming a Hunter, the most important day to him is the day that his daughter was born.
  • When said day came about, players were gifted with this message from father to daughter.
  Leo: In my rage, I'd forgotten the days I spent with my family. The time we spent gardening. The smile you made standing in front of the birthday cake... No matter where you are, Papa will always be by your side.
• Bane Perez [Gamekeeper]'s Character Day, in turn, is the day his beloved moose, Black Nose, was born.
• In a sense, the game does care about its players. Anyone who is AFK or quits early (basically abandoning their teammates and leaving them to die) has morality points deducted. The only way to gain them back is by participating in matches without quitting.
• The fact that Aesop Carl [Embalmer] revives you is a strange example, considering his backstory. Apparently, he does not consider the survivors that are unconscious dead.

Character Backstories/Deductions

• Even when she eventually surpassed him in skill, Tracy Reznik [Mechanic]'s father never stopped being proud of his daughter and her talent. Tracy, in turn, chose to honour her father's memory by completing his mechanical doll.
• Despite the difficulties experienced in raising a blind girl, Helena Adams [Mind's Eye]'s father clearly loved his daughter, even gifting her with her signature cane in order to help her find her way around. Helena clearly loved her father just as much. On her Character Day it was revealed that, before departing to Oletus Manor (on the belief that she was attending a conference), Helena sent her father a letter that opened with her thanking him for all he had done for her.
• Eli Clark’s [Seer]'s actions in his deductions (though the aftermath of telling his fiancée about one of his visions is a Tearjerker), especially considering how some of the other Survivors hurt others for purely selfish reasons. First, there's finding an injured owl and nursing it back to health. After it recovered, he wanted to release it back into the wild but it instead chose to stay with him.
  • There's also his relationship with Gertrude, his fiancée. Doubly so, as they seem to reciprocate each other's feelings and both make it out of the deductions alive. (Which is very rare by IDV standards.)
  Eli: "I've always remembered the first time I saw her. It was one of the best moments of my life. I don't know why she was so special, but the time we spent together was so precious that losing her became an unbearable option."
  • After learning that he had lost his abilities, Gertrude tries to comfort him and sends him a letter about how he might be able to regain them.
• According to her Character Day letter, even after being rejected by the spirit of her birth mother and finding out that she was a bastard child, Patricia Dorval [Enchantress] didn't let it get her down as she already had a loving foster mother.
  • It's frequently shown, throughout Patricia's deductions, that her foster mother loves her unconditionally. The final deduction, set just before Patricia departs to learn more about her origins, reveal that, before she left, Patricia was gifted a monkey head statue. The attached inscription on the statue? "Listen to your heart, Patricia."
• In Violetta [Soul Weaver]'s 2020 Character Day letter, it is revealed that her fellow freak show performers would bring her meals and on New Year's Day would ask her if she wanted to go outside to play. Later on in her letter, one of them (Clara) gets angry for her sake after Max throws something at her. While it is true that Violetta disliked how they treated her (comparing it to being looked on like a kitten or a puppy), it's still nice to know that there were people who cared about her.
• Victor Grantz [Postman]'s Character Day Letter consists of a letter that he wrote to Wick about how they have to put their all into their work and a response from Wick. Wick's response, when translated from Morse Code (with the woofs standing in for dots and the ruffs standing in for dashes), says "V TIME FOR DINNER".

Events

• The 2020 Deduction Star Event
  • This message from Deduction Substitute [Lucky Guy].
  Lucky Guy: Don't be sad. I'll share some of my luck with you.
  • This hopeful message from Fiona Gilman [Priestess], shows that she has come a long way since her childhood.
  Fiona: Trust in your faith and you may live forever.
  • Patricia Dorval [Enchantress]'s lines are surprisingly hopeful. In particular, there is the line that casts another look into her relationship with her (foster) mother.
  Patricia: Mother gave me the gift of wealth, which is much more important than beauty.
  • One of Victor Grantz [Postman]'s lines has him express the desire to write a letter to the player. He did in fact send (a quite lengthy and formal) one, a few months prior to the Deduction Star event, during Valentine's Day.
  • The event implies that despite his transformation and trauma, Leo Beck [Hell Ember] still maintains his loyalty to those he loves.
  Leo: If there really is an afterlife, I really wish I can protect you all.
  • Helena Adams' [Mind's Eye]'s lines show that while she lost her sight, she didn't lose her hope.
  Helena: God shut a door on me, but he has also opened a window for me.
  • Bonbon [Guard 26]'s 2020 Deduction Star lines reveal that underneath their cold, metallic exterior, there lies a (metaphorical) heart of gold. Also doubles as funny for Black Comedy reasons.
  Bonbon: What are you afraid of? I'll blow it up for you.
• Kurt Frank [Explorer]'s 2020 Valentine's Day message.
  Kurt: At times like these, it's best not to beat around the bush, and just give a simple answer! I love you, and everyone else too!!
• Violetta [Soul Weaver]'s 2020 White Day message, though it can also be considered a tearjerker
  Violetta: When you look at me, it feels like I'm trapped in a delusion that feels almost like being loved...
• Mary [Bloody Queen]'s New Year's Fortune.
  Mary: Realise your own beauty. If you face the new year with a gentle smile, you will win the hearts of many.

• A relatively small example but during the 2020 Athletic Event, a newspaper mentions that Mary [Bloody Queen] patted Robbie White [Axe Boy] on the head before passing the torch onto him.
• On the Japanese Twitter, the characters often speak with fans, but Deduction Substitute [Lucky Guy] has never spoken. Despite this, when his birthday came around in 2019, Emma Woods [Gardener] still showed her appreciation for him.
  Emma: In the days passing at this mysterious, terror-filled Manor, despite it all, you’ve come to nestle by my side.
• The 2021 Midsummer Reminiscing Event is all about Wu Chang [The Black/White Guard] helping the survivors to cope with the loss of their loved ones.

Skins/Accessories

• Emily Dyer [Doctor]'s "Stethoscope". If canonical to her official backstory, it's a possible sign that, even as she grew more cynical, Lydia/Emily remained a kind-hearted person deep down inside.
  The Doctor brought her cute stethoscope in order to make the children feel more at ease.
• Kreacher Pierson [Thief]'s "Lion Dance" skin. Assuming it is canonical to his backstory, it implies that, to some extent, he may have indeed cared about the children under his care.
  He happened to obtain this gift from the Orient. During the holiday season, it brings laughter and joy in the orphanage once again.
• Naib Subder [Mercenary]'s "Firefly in a bottle" accessory.
  The Mercenary knows deeply the cruelties of war, and he knows that the rarest thing of all is to understand this and still be full of hope for the world.
• Tracy Reznik [Mechanic]'s "Harmonica" accessory.
  The first work she created with her father. The message engraved on it will never fade.
• Kevin Ayuso [Cowboy]'s "Dry Pipe" accessory.
  A present from a chief representing friendship and peace.
• Though this might also count as a Tearjerker, Emma Woods [Gardener]'s "Soul Lantern" accessory.
  The company of children reminded the girl of her father's care.
• Despite the implications that come from its descriptions, Aesop Carl [The Embalmer]'s "Mandala Origami" accessory does imply that there is something resembling empathy and kindness inside of the Embalmer.
  Each time he sends someone off, Carl folds a mandala flower, in the hopes that this flower of death will peacefully lead lost souls to the other side.
• Murro [Wildling]'s "Kaleidoscope" accessory.
  One of the gifts Murro received after returning to civilized society. The changing patterns reminded him of nature's beauty. Even though it's broken, he kept it.
• Mike Morton [Acrobat]'s 'Bohea' skin.
  People's smiles always cheer him up, and a rowdy crowd always makes him forget his fears.
• Victor Granz [Postman]'s "Grace Pink" skin.
  Putting on a smile when delivering a letter makes people happy!
• Eli Clark [Seer]'s "Unyielding Devotion" skin. Doubly so if it relates back to his backstory as it would mean that he didn't let the loss of his abilities get him down.
  He once flew up to the sky and asked God for a reward. Yet God disliked how he flew with him as equals, so God poured gold into his eyes and bound his wings with thorns. Despite the injustice, he wasn't disheartened by the tragedy, as his unyielding devotion to freedom will never fade."
• Leo Beck [Hell Ember]'s "Gardener Doll"
  A doll crafted in the memory of his daughter. It has taken the place of Hell Ember's favourite puppet.
• The sense of optimism that resonates from the description of Joker [Smiley Face]'s "Ankle Breaker" accessory.
  You can tell what happened to Smiley Face's other foot by the spikes all over his body, but Smiley Face has always cherished this companion.
• Mary [Bloody Queen]'s "Broken Mirror"
  Everyone knows that a broken mirror can never be put together again, but even if it's an irreparable mistake, it can also be a form of rebirth.
• Fiona Gilman [Priestess]'s "Golden Future" skin.
  Hope is looking forward to a bright future.

Stage Play

In general, the dynamic between the Survivors and the Hunters is less hostile than in the games as they are often mentioned to be hanging out together outside of matches.

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Episode 1:

• In the Survivor's side of the episode, Aesop keeps intentionally getting himself killed during matches, making the other Survivors upset with him. Despite this however, Eli remains friendly towards him and even tries to have a heart-to-heart discussion with him.
• On the Hunters' side, when Wu Chang first arrives. Bi'an is scared and asking where Wujiu is. Joseph is too depressed to answer properly, but the other Hunters come to welcome him. Bi'an says they don't look very scary, and Robbie says he doesn't have a head, and asks if that's scary. Bi'an tells him he's not scary, he's actually rather cute, and Robbie hugs him and calls him big brother. Then Hastur, in his stage play role as benevolent god, tells Bi'an that Wujiu is always with him, and that their new way of being will take some getting used to. The Hunters can be scary compared to the Survivors, but they have their cuddle moments as well.
• In the end when Aesop changes his mind about dying and genuinely tries his best to help his team achieve victory, Joseph decides against killing him and allows him to escape. After leaving with Eli, Aesop is greeted by Helena and Norton outside with flowers.
• In the Comedy version of the episode, there is a scene where the rest of the Hunters play Unpanman with Robbie which is both this and funny.

Episode 3:

• When The Nicknamer Mike Morton remembers what he called Eli even in the mirror world, and says it even though everyone has lost their memories.
• In the end when Eli helps Mary admit that what she really wants is friendship, and agree to leave the mirror world behind and return to the manor with him.