Heartwarming / Maleficent: Mistress of Evil

• Phillip caring about Aurora, and even though Maleficent doesn't like him, he harbours no ill will towards his future mother-in-law.
  • The fact that, unlike the previous film where she semi-accidentally got dubbed Aurora's "fairy godmother," in this movie, everyone refers to Maleficent as Aurora's mother, with Diaval implicitly fulfilling the role of her father. Philip refers to his own parents and Maleficent as "our parents" when speaking to Aurora, with the obvious implication that this is what Aurora herself told him to call her.
  • When Aurora tells Phillip that she feels trapped by the rules of Ulstead society and having to change herself to fit in, he states that he doesn't need her to change and reaffirms that he loves her for herself.
  • The only time Phillip views Maleficent in a negative way is when he sees the Dark Fae approaching Ulstead, naturally assuming that she had ordered the attack. But that changes quickly when Aurora quickly explains the truth to him, that Queen Ingrith was behind all this — Phillip doesn't question Aurora, trusting her fully, and rushes out to stop his own mother (yes, she did have to provide evidence, but still).
• Many scenes in the Dark Fae's underground cavern counts as this:
  • Just seeing several of Maleficent's kind, with wings of different colour, seen in the same place together and co-existing. Even though they are in hiding from mankind, there is a warmth and sense of community within their habitats that is wonderful to see after seeing Maleficent's isolation.
  • As Conall and Maleficent flies through the Dark Fae's underground habitats, Maleficent sees a group of young Dark Fae learning how to fly. The child Fae drops (and Maleficent shows fear for them)...then spreads her wings and shoots up into the air, and Maleficent laughs with delight for the first time at the sight!
  • Night falls, and a bunch of the Dark Fae are gathered together around fires and dancing to music. Maleficent sits by herself, looking around, and she sees a cluster of young Fae surrounding Udo, the Tundra Fae, who's making a twig bloom with flowers. Later, one of the Fae children gives the flowered twig to Maleficent, and she exchanges a smiling glance with Udo.
  • All of Maleficent's interactions with Conall is this. Connall is wise and compassionate, having been the one to save Maleficent to begin with, and acts in a fatherly way to her. Conall is constantly seeking to guide her towards peace and positive transformation, which becomes a Tearjerker when he dies protecting her.
• Udo the Tundra Fae (who has a snowy colour scheme and is played by the Japanese musician Miyavi) is frequently seen caring for or teaching the children Fae. During the battle in Ulstead, Udo sees a bunch of human children about to be crushed by a falling building. He swoops right in to save them, disregarding the battle for the moment and the fact that the children are human, the very side of the conflict he is fighting against. Friend to All Children indeed.
• Even in the middle of a humans-versus-fairies conflict that it seems neither side can win, it's still touching to see Aurora affirm to the potentially enraged Maleficent that, regardless of what happened the last time they saw each other, to her Maleficent will always be her mother.
• Two of the trapped fairies in Lickspittle's lab starts trying to escape. He sees this and quickly goes towards them, causing them to cower in fear as he reaches for their glass cage...to uncover the lid for them.
• Maleficent and Aurora hug tightly when Maleficent reforms back into her old form and ends the battle.
  • When they finally pull away, Diaval runs up to them, and Maleficent tells him that she's missed him.
  Diaval: Did you bump your head?
• The reawakened King John telling his son how proud he is that Phillip accomplished what John always believed in - peace and unity between Ulstead and the moors.
• Aurora and Phillip's wedding. Just all of it.
  • Diaval and Maleficent both start crying Tears of Joy that their adopted daughter is finally getting married.
  • Maleficent and King John share a kind glance at each other, showing that without Ingrith there stirring up trouble, neither of them had any ill will with each other, nor will have any problems getting along both as in-laws and as allied kingdoms.
  • Diaval points out that Maleficent is smiling, which she hasn't done for the entire film.
  • Percival the general and one of the Dark Fae make eyes at each other.
• The last scene before the credits roll features Maleficent flying with a group of Dark Fae children now able to fly beyond the confines of their cavern.
• The final scene indicates Flittle is somehow still alive in flower form and able to turn Aurora's dress blue.
• Maleficent, upon seeing Phillip again towards the end, simply asks him, "Do you love my daughter?". She may not really like him, but she's come to realize that as long as he loves Aurora - and she loves him - then that's all that matters.

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