Heartwarming / Only Fools and Horses

• In "The Long Legs of the Law", Del and Rodney have a nasty fight about Rodney's decision to date a police officer, which ends with Del shouting at Rodney that he's fed up with Rodney's problems and is washing his hands of him... only to prove the lie mere seconds later by gruffly warning him that it's been raining and the roads will be treacherous: "Drive safely."
• Despite Del's usual mocking of Rodney and occasional exploitation of him, he does often show himself willing to put his own neck out for his sake. The most notable occasion is in "Little Problems" where, given the choice to use some recently acquired money to keep his promise to help an engaged Rodney put together a deposit on a flat, and paying off his debt to the local gangsters, Del chooses the former (and takes a beating for it).
  • When the Driscoll brothers catch up with Del in the pub, Mickey and Jevon run but Trigger stays, even daring to talk back to one of the thugs after they ordered him to leave, despite the fact that he, unlike Mickey and Jevon, had nothing to do with the situation. He only leaves after Del asks him to.
• After Del's brief attempt at managing a band that Rodney was a member of goes horribly wrong in "It's Only Rock and Roll", Rodney yells abuse at Del for several straight minutes...then reveals that he's just quit the band, because they were saying even worse things about Del, and no matter what Rodney personally thinks of him, he wasn't prepared to have anyone else talk crap about Del. The moment is subverted in the next scene, when it's revealed that shortly after Rodney quit, the band secured a multi-million pound record deal, and are predicted to be the next big thing.
• In "Strained Relations", after Del refuses to let Uncle Albert move in, Del and Rodney happen to meet up with him at the Nag's Head. Del unbends slightly and invites him for a curry. Rodney says they'll never get a table at this time of night, and Del says "You're right. We'll have to get a takeaway... and eat it at home."
  • Uncle Albert's first interaction with Rodney, who is blatantly upset and uncomfortable with everyone joking around during Grandad's wake. Albert however, comforts Rodney and provides some insight, he knows full well how Del really is right now.
  Albert: He’s releasing the pressure – laughter’s just his safety valve!
  • Del's outburst after Rodney accuses him of getting over Grandad's death too quickly shows that although he often abused the old man, he really did love him:
    Del: Get over it?! What a plonker you really are, Rodney. Get over it. I ain't even started yet! Ain't even started, bruv! And do you know why? Because I don't know how to! That's why I've survived all my life with a smile and a prayer! I'm Del Boy, ain't I? Good old Del Boy- he's got more bounce than Zebedee! "Here you are pal, what you drinking? Go on! Hello darling, you have one for luck!" That's me! That's Del Boy, innit? Nothing ever upsets Del Boy. I've always played the tough guy! I didn't want to, but I had to and I've played it for so long now, I don't know how to be anything else! I don't even know how to...
    [Beat] ...oh, it don't matter. Bloody family! I've finished with them! What do they do to you, eh? They hold you back, drag you down, [On the verge of tears] and then they break your bloody heart!
    Rodney: (whispers) I'm sorry.
• In "Hole in One", after learning about Albert's tendency to pretend to fall down holes to claim compensation, and the fact it's nearly got them in serious trouble with the law, Rodney and Del's anger at Albert for the furore thaws almost immediately when Albert reveals he did it to get money to help the financially troubled brothers, both to repay them for the kindness they'd shown in allowing him to stay with them, and to allow them to pay for Grandad's headstone.
  Del: [awed] You did this for Granddad's headstone?
  Uncle Albert: He was my older brother, Del. When I was a kid, he used to look after me. I never did anything for him, never had a chance to...until now.
• The entire scene in "Time on Our Hands" where Rodney finally comes to terms with Cassandra's miscarriage, but particularly The Reveal that Del intentionally sabotaged the lift's control to trap them inside, simply because he knew it was the only way to get his brother to open up.
• One of Del and Rodney's final exchanges in "Sleepless in Peckham". After the matter of Rodney's real father is revealed, he asks Del if he is like his true father in any way. Del's response is one of the most poignant moments of the series.
  "Freddie the Frog was a professional burglar. He was disloyal to his friends. He was a womaniser, a homebreaker, a conman, a thief, a liar and a cheat. So no, Rodney. You are nothing like him."
  • Undoing the Happy Ending Override of "Time On Our Hands", the Trotters have not only paid off their debts but have nearly £300,300 to spare, making them rich once again. How? Uncle Albert invested his fortune in better areas than the Trotter brothers and left it to them in his will. It's one last display of Undying Loyalty from the old sea dog after the two took him in.
  • Cassandra successfully giving birth to a baby girl, she and Rodney are parents at last.
• In "May the Force Be With You", when Slater arrests the Trotters for possession of stolen microwaves and several trumped up charges, Del demonstrates that he's perfectly willing to be sent to prison, if it means that the charges will be dropped against Rodney and Grandad.
• In "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?", Jumbo Mills, an old friend of Del's returns from Australia and offers to bring Del out there to make it big. When Rodney's application for emigration is rejected, Del is left with the choice to go without him or give up his chance to fulfill his dream and stay. He opts for the latter, the episode closing with Del making out that it's no big deal, much to Rodney's joy. Del choking up as he sings the line "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" tells us just how hard it was for him to give that opportunity up.
  • While Uncle Albert refuses to go to Australia as he wants to settle in Peckham, he supports the two making their big break, with Del promising to send some of their earnings back to him. Later on, as Del lingers over taking the offer without Rodney, Albert talks to him, telling Del that he shouldn't turn down a golden opportunity, assuring him that Rodney will cope and likely be stronger for it. It is implied this gesture of support played into Del rejecting the offer. Though he snarks about Del ignoring his advice, it's clear Albert can barely contain his happiness that Del's staying.
• In "Thicker Than Water", when Reg Trotter badmouths Del and Rodney's mum, Del leaps up and tries to physically attack him before being restrained by Rodney and Granddad. Just goes to show how much Del loved his mother.
  • Reg's plan was to set up Del to look like an illegitimate child, and alienate him and take over as the patriarch of the household. It's clear, even before his scheme is exposed, that it wasn't set out to win since, not only do Rodney and Grandad soon get sick of Reg's leeching habits, but they have no intent of ditching Del over the blood results.
  • The episode was Leonard Pierce's last appearance as Grandad before his death, and he fittingly serves the last punchline of the episode in a comically sweet way.
  Del: All over now Rodders. Before you know it we’ll be back to just how we used to be.
  Grandad: Del Boy, I've burnt yer pizza. (reveals a charred slab)
  Del: See what I mean. (Del hugs them both and they chuckle)
• The entire premise of "The Miracle of Peckham". Giving away the twist ending, Del bought some lead plates from a few conmen friends, only to learn later that they had stolen it from the roof of a church. Del goes to the church, the resident priest not knowing the roof is missing, and Del manages to rig up a scenario where, when it rains, the water comes through the open ceiling, down the rafters, across a light fixture and drips onto the face of a statue of the Virgin Mary, making it look as if the statue is crying. But why did Del do it it in the first place? Because an old folks care home is being shut down, needing thousands of pounds to stay open. Del, as the priest points out, wove a huge web of lies to trick newspaper reporters and television companies into paying to see the miracle, which meant they could save the hospice. Del even points out to Uncle Albert during the episode that all of the money made would go to the hospice, not a single PENNY of it went to him. Del may be a backstabbing lying cheat but he has a heart of 24 karat gold under it all.
• Del's absolute ecstasy at learning that he was to become a father.
  • His speech to newborn Damien in "Three Men, A Woman and a Baby":
  Del: There you are, Mum. I know you can see us. There he is, look, your first grandchild.
  Raquel: And last.
  Del: And last. Oh, you are such a lovely little boy, you really are. You've got a mummy and daddy who think you're the most precious thing in the whole wide world. You've got a lovely family around you. Yes, you have, look. You've got your Uncle Rodney to play with. Great-Uncle Albert. He'll tell you about all the places in the world he's been to - and sunk. And there's me. And you're gonna have all the things your daddy couldn't afford. 'Cos I've been a bit of a dreamer, you know. Yeah, I have. You know I wanted to do things, be someone, but I never had what it took. But you're different, you're gonna do all the things I always wanted to do and you're gonna come back and tell me about them. Tell me if they're as good as I thought they would be. You're gonna have such fun. You are, and when you get the hump, 'cos you're bound to get the hump sometimes, I'll muck about and make you laugh. 'Cos I've mucked about all my life, and I never knew the reason why until now. This is what it's all about. I was born for this moment. Yes. Oh we're gonna have such fun, we are, you mark my words. This time next year we'll be millionaires.
• Del's treatment of Elsie Patridge in "Sickness and Wealth". She tells him she's only ever wanted to use her powers as a medium to help people and has never wanted to profit from it but Del insists on sharing the profits from the seances with her. It just goes to show he wasn't kidding when he said he wasn't the kind of bloke who cheats the sick and the elderly. (Of course, everyone else is free game.)
• "Time on Our Hands":
  • Near the end, the newly wealthy Trotters enter the Nag's Head to a Stunned Silence. Then Denzil stands up and starts clapping - and everyone gives them a round of applause. Then Del greets Mike:
  Mike: Yes sir, what can I get you?
  Del: Champagne all round, Michael.
  Rodney: Whoops. We've only gone and left our wallets at home again.
  Mike: Please, that is no problem.
  Del: On the slate, Mike?
  Mike: On the house!
  Del: No, we'll pay our way. And while we're at it, let's have all your sandwiches!
  • During the montage where we see how Del and Rodney are enjoying their new wealthy lives, we get a shot of the outside of Del's enormous country house. As the camera pans to the right we see that not only does Del have his luxury Rolls Royce parked outside, but he also still has his trusty three wheel van. It's definitely heartwarming to know that Del chose not to part with it.
• Despite it being a Bait-and-Switch moment, in "Healthy Competition", Del allows for Grandad to cook egg and chips for Rodney in place of letting Rodney join Del for a curry. Previously, Del would not even allow for Rodney to have egg and chips due to not paying his housekeeping money. Del however relents when he sees how badly Rodney is struggling, yet is refusing to complain. It goes to show that in spite of Del wanting Rodney to learn the important lesson of paying his own way, he wouldn't want Rodney to starve too.
  • Del makes a plan for Rodney to recoup the money he lost over the broken lawnmower engines with his pride intact. Although the plan fails, due to Rodney's stupidity and unwittingly buying said engines back, Del allows Rodney to re-join the partnership and take care of him once more.
• In "Christmas Crackers", watching Del trying not to hurt Grandad's feelings over the terrible Christmas dinner he cooked is very sweet. He goes one further later on when Rodney wants to go out clubbing by arguing that there are many lonely old people around the country who are spending the night alone and to abandon Granddad to go and enjoy themselves would be a nasty thing to do.
• In "Who's A Pretty Boy?", it's established early (and vividly) that Corrine can't stand Del, but when she bumps into Grandad on the street later, she's perfectly civil towards him, despite his odd moments in their conversation. It's nice to think that while she hates Del, she still treats the rest of his family like normal people.
• When bane of Del Boy's life, Roy Slater organizes a reunion and tells all his old school mates how suffered Funeral Banishment when his dad passed away, while Roy was in prison, Del, in a moment of sympathy, tells him that he went to the service and assures him it was lovely. Roy may have been a Dirty Cop who got locked up for his corruption, but even Del felt that he didn't deserve to miss out saying goodbye to his old man.

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