Heartwarming / Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle

• Jumanji

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• While it doesn't do Fridge any good, Spencer tries to take all the blame when they're busted for Spencer doing the latter's homework. He's scared of being a failure and wants even a hint of their old friendship, but doesn't hesitate to put himself at risk of being expelled for Fridge's sake. Shows that he's a good guy long before they enter Jumanji.
• Their history teacher isn't even mad, just disappointed and sympathetic when she realizes Fridge made Spencer write his essays. She says, "Anthony, I know how much you need to pass my class, but this is not the way to do it."
  • In fact, each of the other teachers is a Reasonable Authority Figure as well. Bethany's is legit calling her out for using her phone and giving her a chance to put it away, Coach Web is encouraging Martha about the exercise and interaction in the class being good for her and only disciplines Martha when she insults her and the Principal Bentley is not mad or angry when Spencer and Fridge are brought to him about cheating. In fact, Spencer also apologizes without expecting any kind of reward in return and Principal Bentley is appreciative of that too.
  • The principal goes easy on Spencer and Fridge, giving them detention rather than reporting them to the Honor Council, suspending or expelling them. He tells the kids they made a mistake, and that doesn't mean they're bad people. His speech about encouraging them to be better is extremely effective.
• Even before they started playing Jumanji, Spencer was implied to have a crush on Martha.
• In-Universe, Mouse's backstory is that Bravestone saved his life in Peru, and they've been inseparable ever since.
• Martha/Ruby revealing to Bethany/Shelly that she never really hated or looked down on her in the real world.
  • In return, Bethany/Shelly tells Martha/Ruby that she should not be ashamed of her looks and that she should own it.
    • Followed up when Bethany tries to teach Martha how to flirt. It ends up not working, true, but her advice is sincere and she is extremely encouraging all the way through.
  • Bethany not hating Martha is earlier hinted when Martha's avatar has a bullet wound, then disappears. Unaware she'll regenerate, Bethany panics and worries if she died. It's also one of the first few moments where she worries about somebody other than herself.
• Bethany excitedly cheering on Martha while she's fighting two villain NPCs.
  Bethany: She's kicking their ass! That's our girl! YAS QUEEN!
  • Fridge witnesses this at the same time and he too is impressed.
• Fridge/Mouse's absolute excitement after he de-fangs the snake. For him, it's his first-ever accomplishment outside of being a football player. What's more, he even lampshades that (as part of the riddle's test) they trusted him to de-fang it.
• Spencer/Bravestone promising Alex that they'll get him back home.
  • Earlier, Spencer and Fridge trying to comfort Alex about how he's spent 20 years in Jumanji by mentioning that Cindy Crawford is still pretty hot for a 50-year-old.
• Alex sharing with Bethany/Shelly about his life back home.
• Bethany, initially established as uncaring and self-absorbed, sacrificing one of her lives to save Alex. When she meets up with him in the real world, he reveals that he named his daughter after her in gratitude.
  • They also note while trying to save Alex's life, that Bethany is losing one of hers in the process. She, without any hesitation, says she can live with that.
  • And when the Big Bad tries to hold her hostage, threatening to shoot her if they don't give him the jewel (she's only one life left), she tells them not to accept before the other can even finish. Compare with Alex and Spencer, whose (pretty understandable) fear of losing is shown and it takes them some time to overcome it. Even so when Bethany is held at gun point Alex offers to take her place, despite also only having one life (bear in mind, the one life he has left is the one Bethany gave him).
• After Spencer reveals his feelings to Martha in the game, citing that he wants to do so before he loses Bravestone's confidence. When Martha tells him that she also likes him, he nervously asks if it's only because of his new body in the video game. She immediately dismisses it and tells him that Spencer's "real-world" self (a nerd) is more her type.
• Before the climax, Fridge/Mouse gives Spencer/Bravestone a speech (in the later half, it's in his own words) saying he's capable of accomplishing the game. In return Spencer/Bravestone says he's a good friend.
  Fridge/Mouse: We. We always only have one life, man. Okay? That. that's all we get. That's how it works. The question is, is how are you gonna live it? Which guy are you gonna decide to be? ...Did I just quote our principal? What the hell is this game doing to me?! I gotta get out of here.
• Nigel coming to personally congratulate the players for returning the Jaguar's Eye is a nice Pet the Dog moment on Jumanji's part.
• Alex finally getting to escape Jumanji, reunite with his parents, grow older and start a family of his own.
  • He even goes on to have a daughter, who he names Bethany in honor of the girl who saved his life.
    • Notice that he says that "we" named her that in her honor, not "I". Which rather implies that baby Bethany's mother actually believes her husband's crazy story about having been trapped in a video-game jungle!
  • The look on Alex's face when he sees them again after 20 years. He wasn't sure if he'd ever see them again, especially since all he knows is that they're from this year, and if it's Christmas time, almost the whole year would've passed without any hint of a reunion.
  • A happy moment for Alex's father, who had been a lonely old man in the Bad Future. In this new future, his home is in top condition, all decorated for Christmas. He's now a beloved grandfather who's every bit the happy soul he was in the prologue.
  • There has to be something said for the fact that he instantly recognizes the main cast and correctly guesses which name belongs to which face. 20 years later, and he still remembers them well enough to pick them out.
• We see Spencer coming to school with a confident attitude after he and his friends finish Jumanji.
  • Also, his friendship with Fridge is back.
  • Bethany sincerely inviting her friend to go on a nature-hike. Even more heartwarming because in most movies like this, Bethany would drop all of her previous friends in order to only hang out with Fridge, Spencer, and Martha, but she does at least try to include her other friends.
  • Bethany also mentions that she and Martha have been texting over the weekend since they escaped the game.
• Martha and Spencer's Big Damn Kiss when they get back to the real world.
  • Before this, Fridge and Bethany telling Spencer to go over to Martha.
  • Fridge and Bethany's looks of pride when they see that Spencer kissed Martha.