Heartwarming / Peanuts

Charlie Brown is a blockhead, but he does know how to warm hearts.

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General

• The reason Charlie Brown is so beloved amongst comic strip characters is that the poor kid is just so darned optimistic. Charlie Brown literally exists to suffer, and yet, he doesn't let it stop him. He's painfully aware of his Butt-Monkey status, yet he keeps trying anyways. It's just so enouraging to see a guy get knocked down so many times and yet still get up and believe that maybe, just maybe, things will be better the next time around.
  • That's why, on the rare occasions when Charlie Brown does succeed, it feels so damn good.
  • Charles Schulz himself recalled feeling greatly surprised when a commentator referred to him as a "loser." He responded that, while he does lose a lot, that doesn't make him one, because "a loser would give up".
• Charlie Brown and Snoopy's relationship. While Downplayed in the strips, they really do care about each other and have moments showing their bond. Even more heartwarming is that it's played straight the specials and films (see them below).
• Considering all the horrible things that happen to the kids, it's rather sweet that they do get their happy moments.
  • After suffering so much bad luck, Charlie Brown manages to win a marbles game against a bully to return Rerun's marbles and also wins a motocross race, even if he did win a lousy prize.
  • Forced to wear a bag over his head to hide an embarrassing and bizarre rash, Charlie Brown nevertheless becomes the idol of his summer camp and is even elected camp president, with the other kids referring to him as "Mr. Sack."
  • Snoopy defeats the Red Baron and wins the heart of Fifi.
  • Sally gets a friend in Eudora whom she actually has a lot in common with and with Snoopy's help, gets an A in Show and Tell.
  • After suffering a lot of girl trouble, Linus does get a happy birthday wish from Mimi, whom sings to him and gives him a flower and a kiss.
  • Peppermint Patty wins an ice skating competition. (Only in the TV special, though; in the original strip, she gets disqualified because she's entered a roller skating competition by mistake.)
  • Peppermint Patty finally manages to get an "A" on a paper, although Marcie trolls her by pretending this means the world has come to an end.
  • After throwing a disaster New Year's party to prove her self-worth, Lucy is reminded that her friends love her no matter what and she ends up singing "Auld Lang Syne" with everyone.

Comic strip

• The genius of Charles Schulz is encapsulated in one brilliant daily strip where Lucy asks Linus why people teach children to wave "Goodbye", while she is teaching their brother, Rerun, just that. Linus answers, "Because for the rest of his life, people will be leaving him." At this dispiriting observation, Rerun looks to the reader and says with defiant hopefulness, "Hello there!"
• There's a cute little strip where Linus and Snoopy are sleeping together with Linus's Security Blanket. Say it with us. D'awwwww.
  Linus: I don't remember inviting you to share this blanket with me... But I do admit, you are kinda warm and fuzzy...
  Snoopy: Everyone brings something to the party...
• A similar one had Woodstock thrown into the mix, making Linus's hair into a nest to sleep in. If that doesn't make you smile, we don't know what will.
• The almost brotherly relationship between Linus and Charlie Brown.
  • Solidified in January 1961 when, with Lucy at her least sympathetic, Charlie Brown helped Linus deal with a severe bout of security blanket withdrawal by coming to his house and sitting up by his bedside all night, cumulating in this screamingly adorable little moment.
  • Another example would be this 1960 post-Halloween strip, after the Great Pumpkin has once again failed to appear.
• Also, Charlie Brown introducing baby Schroeder to Beethoven and the piano.
  • Not to mention the few times when Schroeder stands up for him, claiming that those people don't know anything about Charlie Brown. Justified, since Schroeder used to be his closest friend before the appearance of Linus.
• Also, the early strip where Sally—then still a toddler—falls happily asleep on Snoopy's back, effectively immobilizing him, as Charlie Brown repeatedly calls him to dinner. Snoopy's longing for grub is clear in his expression, as is his concern in not rudely awakening the peacefully-slumbering Sally. Charlie Brown eventually irritably gives up. Snoopy remains in place. Sally remains gently dozing, with a big smile on her face. Gradually, with a small sigh, a rueful-yet-pleased smile spreads across Snoopy's...
  • A warm fuzzy moment to be savored for sure, because within a few decades, Sally and Snoopy would frequently be at each other's throats.
• In a series of strips from May 1966, Linus and Lucy have to move away (albeit temporarily) after their father is transferred to another city for his job. Thinking that she'll never see Charlie Brown again, Lucy shakes his hand and says "So long, you ol' blockhead... It's been nice knowing you", letting down her constant crabbiness and showing that deep down, she truly likes Charlie Brown.
  • And then Linus gives his blanket to Charlie Brown for comfort.
  • Also from that series, after Charlie Brown informs him that Lucy and Linus really are gone and tells him off for not caring about Lucy or her feelings, Schroeder is shown sitting in front of his piano not playing it, a memory of Lucy talking about if they got married over his head. He remarks "I never even said goodbye", showing that he really does like Lucy.
• In one 1963 strip Lucy is complaining how "horrible" her life is. Linus tells her that she should think about the things she's thankful for. Lucy asks "What do I have to be thankful for?" and he responds: "Well, for one, you have a little brother who loves you..." Lucy then bursts into tears and hugs him. The strip is heartwarming in two ways, one is that Linus finally "triumphed" over Lucy, and the other is that well, she hugged him and all.
• This one doubles as a Moment of Awesome. In a Father's Day Sunday strip, Violet is telling Charlie Brown about how her Dad is richer, smarter, and just plain better than his Dad. Curiously, Charlie agrees with everything she says. However, before Violet can go on about how much more awesome her Dad is than Charlie's, he interrupts her, and tells her to follow him. Cut to the front of Charlie's Dad's barber shop. Charlie proceeds to tell Violet about how his Dad spends most of his day on his feet, and has to deal with surly people. However, Charlie knows that he can go into his Dad's barber shop at any time, and his Dad will stop whatever he is doing, and give him a big smile. "And do you know why? Because he likes me, that's why!" Becomes a Moment of Awesome in the last panel, when a defeated Violet turns and walks away, saying "Happy Father's Day, Charlie Brown." To which he replies "Thank you. Please greet your dad for me."
• The opening sequence of strips for 1973 was about Woodstock billing Snoopy six dollars for breaking something at the bird's New Year's party. It transpired that Snoopy had monopolized Woodstock's crush for the entire party, and the item in question was Woodstock's heart. Snoopy's reaction is to hug his friend and say/think:
  Oh, Woodstock, my little friend of friends...don't you realize your heart is worth much much more than six dollars?
• In a story arc where Linus had to wear glasses, Lucy says to Charlie Brown that seeing Linus with glasses broke her heart because he looked like a "little owl", and even cries a little, showing she DOES care for her little brother. It becomes funny when Lucy threatens to slug Charlie Brown if he tells Linus she said so.
• The strip of Christmas Day, 1963, which begins with Lucy yelling at Linus for nearly spoiling the Christmas program, and Linus calming her down by telling her, "Thou speakest harsh words at Yuletide!" The final panel features a "Merry Christmas!" message featuring a smiling Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Lucy, Linus, Sally, and Frieda. Considering America was still reeling from the assassination of President Kennedy, which had happened a little over a month earlier, the final panel seems comforting and heartwarming at the same time.
• The strip where Peppermint Patty's father gives her a dozen red roses for her birthday. Why? Because someday Patty will be a beautiful young lady and all the boys will be calling her up and taking her on dates and giving her things, so Patty's dad wanted to be the first one to give her roses. For added sweetness, she mentions that he calls her a "rare gem". It's even sweeter when you realize that Charles Schultz gave his oldest daughter roses for her birthday, for the same reason.
• This early strip will tug your heartstrings.
  • This one is also extremely sweet.
• In the July 21, 1979 strip, Charlie Brown is in the hospital and Peppermint Patty and Marcie aren't allowed to see him, so they sit on a bench outside shouting up toward his window:
  Peppermint Patty: We miss you, Chuck!
  Marcie: We love you, Chuck!
  Peppermint Patty: (turning towards Marcie) We do?
  Marcie: (hands around mouth for better volume) We do, Chuck!
  • The next strip is on Sunday, where Marcie confesses that she'd marry Charlie Brown if he asked.
  • Even Lucy worries and cries over Charlie Brown being in the hospital. This culminates in her standing outside at night, saying, "Charlie Brown, I know you can't hear me, but I want to make you a promise. Charlie Brown, if you get well, I promise to never pull the football away again!" And she actually keeps her promise at first, though Charlie Brown misses the football and kicks her hand instead. Still, she was going to let him kick the ball, and it's the thought that counts.
  • The BOOM! Comics version adds in a scene where Charlie Brown is upset over being left alone, feeling friendless. Snoopy, lonely without Charlie Brown, goes above and beyond everything, sneaks into the hospital, gets to Charlie Brown's room, kisses his nose and snuggles up with him.
• When Charlie Brown (and the world) first hears about the birth of his new baby sister. Just the overjoyed look on his face makes this one of the strip's most beautiful moments, ever. He's so excited, he even runs out into the street yelling.
  Charlie Brown: I'M A FATHER! (Beat) I MEAN MY DAD'S A FATHER! I'M A BROTHER! I'VE GOT A NEW BABY SISTER! I'M A BROTHER!
  Linus: (to Lucy) You didn't act like that when I was born.
  • Not long after there's a story arc where Lucy makes no secret of the fact that she's ashamed of Linus and wishes she had a little sister instead, which upsets Linus so much he decides to run away from home (he doesn't get far because he's not allowed to cross the street). The final strip of the arc has Linus in tears as Lucy actually apologizes and tries to comfort him. The Out of Character moment is heartwarming, though Lucy's last words suggest nothing's really going to change in the way she treats her brother.
  Lucy: After all, you are my brother. We're part of the same family... brother and sister... blood relatives. No matter how you look at it, I'm stuck with you!
• There is one strip from the nineties where Snoopy, who has been lying awake at night worrying, goes to Charlie Brown for comfort.
  Charlie Brown: Are you upset, little friend? Have you been lying awake worrying? Well, don't worry... I'm here. I'm here to give you reassurance. Everything is all right. The flood waters will recede... the famine will end... the sun will shine tomorrow... and I will always be here to take care of you. (Sends Snoopy back off to bed) Be reassured! (Next, in his own bed) Who reassures the reassurer?
• One strip has Snoopy remarking on the absurdity of the sizes of different dogs he's seen, then remarking that he thinks he's just the right size. Woodstock then pipes up. Snoopy reassures him that he, too, is just the right size.
• Woodstock just wants to give his mother a flower for Mother's Day many times, and Snoopy's there to help.
• Snoopy tracks down his dad's location (somewhere in Florida), also in the late '80s, and organizes his litter to send him a letter.
• This strip, not least because it comes right on the heels of a seriously Tear Jerker storyline.
  • The follow-up.
    Peppermint Patty: You kissed me, Linus!
    Linus: 'Beauty is in the eye of the beholder,' Patty...Someday, someone is going to look at you and say, "Behold! A great beauty!"
• The Beethoven's birthday Sunday strip from 1984. Schroeder kisses Lucy for real this time.
• A 1965 story arc has Charlie Brown going to summer camp, where he meets—and befriends—a similarly lonely kid named Roy. After they say their goodbyes and Roy goes home, Charlie Brown reflects on the experience.
  • And even better, in the big picture reaching out and befriending Roy is a rare positive thing that returned to Charlie Brown with interest: while Roy himself had very little role in the strip from then on, it was through him that Charlie Brown would later meet Peppermint Patty—who would, of course, go on to become one of his closest friends. In retrospect, Charlie Brown meeting Roy is a small show of how extending goodwill to someone else can go on to bring good back to you.
• In a 1972 story arc, Snoopy and Woodstock have a bitter falling-out over reading War and Peace (It Makes Sense in Context). Then Linus informs Snoopy that the cat next door "has got Woodstock". So what does he do? Leap over the fence and physically attack the cat, getting mauled in the process, to save his little friend! (Granted, it turned out that the cat had actually just gotten hold of an old yellow glove, but it's the thought that counts.)
• A short series at the end of August 1996: Peppermint Patty feels sort of lonely, and so tries to find someone to sit with on a porch swing for awhile. Charlie Brown and Linus are unable to help (both don't have porches, much less porch swings), so she and Snoopy go over to a garden supply store that's still open and, with the owner's permission, fall asleep together on one of their porch swings.
• In general, Sally and Charlie Brown's whole relationship. Sally often seems to look up to her "loser" big brother as an example, and while he's often exasperated with her, it's clear Sally means the world to Charlie Brown. In the strips where she was still a baby, he was often shown trying to teach her how to read and count, and fusses over her when she cries. Later strips show him helping her with her homework and giving her advice (not that she listens). Annoying Younger Sibling? Absolutely. Completely beloved by her big brother in spite of that? Absolutely.
  • In one Sunday strip shortly after Sally was born, Charlie Brown is writing to his pen(cil) pal about Sally's birth ("We like her and she likes us")...then puts the letter on hold to put a new baby bottle in the bottle warmer, check its temperature once it's done, and deliver it to his (offstage) parents for Sally's feeding. After that, he resumes the letter: "In a way, this has been a good experience for me. I have learned a lot." It's sweet to see him take such an active role in Sally's care and feeding, especially as young as he is, and shows how devoted he's been to Sally from the get-go.
• While Sally shouting, "KISS HER, YOU BLOCKHEAD!" at Charlie Brown when he's struggling to talk to Marcie for some reason was mainly just hilarious, her being a Shipper on Deck for the two is actually pretty cute.
• The relationship between Sally and her school. No, not the school as a whole — the literal school building. At first, Sally hates school, and by extension, the building, berating it and kicking it. Eventually, though, they seem to reach an understanding, and Sally begins to confide in the building, talking to it like Charlie Brown would talk to Lucy at her psychiatrist booth. Soon, there's genuine affection between the two, coming off almost in a romantic way (weird as it is, even in context, it's still sweet), with the building dropping a brick on a kid that makes fun of Sally and getting jealous of Linus when she claims he's her boyfriend. At one point when Sally gets sick and can't go to school, she makes Charlie Brown tell the school why she's absent. (He does, despite being embarrassed.) When the school finally collapses, Sally's genuinely heartbroken, but talks to her new school as well, saying the original school spoke fondly of it. There's one strip in particular where Sally admits she used to dislike school, but now thanks it for changing her life, and hugs it. After she leaves...
  School, thinking: (with a Luminescent Blush) I can't believe it... somebody loves me!
• In an early strip, Linus, still a baby, is playing with some blocks and falls asleep right there where he's sitting. Lucy, seeing this, goes over and stacks the blocks so they spell out:

  S

  H

  H

• In one Thanksgiving strip, Snoopy is explaining Thanksgiving preparations to Woodstock. When he mentions roasting the turkey, Woodstock faints in fear that HE will be roasted. Snoopy quickly reassures him that that isn't going to happen, and that he'd punch anyone who tried (which leads to a Funny Moment when he accidentally punches Charlie Brown on the nose, and Charlie Brown wonders what brought it on).
• How the arc where Lucy buries Linus' blanket gets resolved. After weeks of Linus being in absolute agony, Snoopy finds it, digs it up, and brings it right to him. Linus is completely overjoyed, throwing his arms around Snoopy and hugging him tight. Lucy is furious, but Snoopy just giggles in satisfaction when she berates him.
• A week-long story arc in 1976 had Lucy giving a report in school about her grandmother's life during World War II (note that we're not sure whether this is the same grandmother who hates Linus's security blanket). She gets an "A". The heartwarming part comes with Lucy's final words of the report:
  Lucy: We need to study the lives of great women like my grandmother. Talk to your own grandmother today. Ask her questions. You'll find she knows more than peanut butter cookies! Thank you!
• Linus sending Lucy a birch bark canoe he made from summer camp. It touches Lucy because it makes her think that she doesn't deserve a brother as thoughtful as Linus. Turns into a Funny Moment when Charlie Brown sarcastically agrees. Then, the last panel of the strip depicts Lucy writing a letter to Linus, asking him to send another canoe because she threw the first one at Charlie Brown.
  • The following day's strip has Linus getting a package from Lucy. He opens it to discover she sent him a box of jelly bread sandwiches.
• The arc from October 25 to November 10, 1989 is heartwarming just with the concept. Charlie Brown devoting his life to make his dog happy, even go so far as to quit school. And at the end, when he has to go back to school, we get this conversation that shows that Snoopy does care about Charlie:
  Charlie Brown: I really thought I could devote my whole life to making you happy. I'm sorry it didn't work out.
  Snoopy: Hey, no problem. I was already happy.
• A 1994 story arc from February 14 to 24 had Snoopy suddenly go to the hospital for pneumonia, with his brothers Spike, Andy, and Olaf visiting him and helping him get well, even sharing his lunch when he begins to eat again. When Snoopy gets better and is discharged, the final strip is a wordless panel of Charlie Brown dancing with happiness before finally saying "My dog is home!"

Animated specials and films

• A Charlie Brown Christmas has one of the great TV moments in history when Charlie Brown is convinced that he killed that forlorn Christmas tree. He returns to see the whole gang singing, after saving the little tree and making it beautiful and strong. Then the whole gang wishes him Merry Christmas and we have the pleasure of seeing Charlie Brown happy at his quest for a deeper meaning of the holiday being fulfilled.
  • "That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown."
• It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown: Lucy, who has mocked Linus' belief in the Great Pumpkin for the entire show, wakes up in the middle of the night to find her brother is not in his bed. She goes out, finds him freezing in the pumpkin patch, still waiting. Without saying a singly mocking word, she brings him inside, take off his shoes, and kindly tucks him into bed, showing that for all her fuss-budget ways, she does care deeply about her brother.
  • It gets better. Her alarm clock woke her up. She knew he'd probably be out in the pumpkin patch at that hour and made sure she'd be awake so she could put him to bed.
• There's No Time for Love, Charlie Brown contains what may be the sweetest example of I Want My Beloved to Be Happy in the history of media. Charlie Brown walks Marcie home after working on their science reports at Peppermint Patty's house, where Patty invited him in the first place after accidentally hurting his feelings when Marcie called her on being in love with him. When they reach her door, Marcie thanks Charlie Brown for walking her home and gives him a kiss on the cheek. As he stands there smiling and blushing like crazy, Marcie happily tells him, "If you don't want that to be from me, Chuck, think of it as being a good-night kiss from Peppermint Patty because I think she likes you."
• The ending of You're in Love, Charlie Brown: Charlie Brown tries to catch the Little Red-Haired Girl on her way to the bus on the last day of school, but the crowd gets in his way, and he misses what he thinks is his last chance to tell her he likes her. Then he notices that someone in the crowd slipped a note into his hand. What does it say?
  I like you, Charlie Brown. Signed, Little Red-Haired Girl
• The Climax of "She's a Good Skate, Charlie Brown." One of the most beautiful moments in the history of animation.
• Why, Charlie Brown, Why?: Linus's friend gets leukemia and is in the hospital. Linus is saddened but has two very distinct Moments of Awesome. He stands up to Lucy and tells her that leukemia isn't contagious. He also stands up to a schoolyard bully who laughs at the girl for not having any hair.
  • It's also strongly implied that Linus has romantic feelings for his friend; he gives her a big smile whenever he sees her, enjoys pushing her on the swings and supports her throughout her treatment. But one moment stands out the most; before he and Charlie Brown leave the hospital, Linus promises Janice that he'll push her on the swings forever, leading the two to share a hug. Tell me that doesn't make you smile!
• Snoopy's Reunion features a moment that has frequently gone viral for good reason: the moment where Charlie Brown first met Snoopy in the shed at the Daisy Hill Puppy Farm. The look of joy on Charlie Brown's face as he welcomes Snoopy into his arms, something Snoopy clearly longs for after having been forced to leave Lila.
• Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown: Sally receives a candy heart with How Do I Love Thee? written on it. She proceeds to read the poem aloud, along with Snoopy acting it out beside her. This scene feels touching in spite of the fact they never explain how the candy company fit that whole poem on one little heart.
  • Even better, after It's the Great Pumpkin... and Be My Valentine... when Charlie Brown was left out of Halloween candy and Valentines respectively, young viewer mailed candy and valentines to Charlie Brown in care of CBS to show how much they cared about him.
• In the "Camp" short Peppermint Patty laments to Linus how pretty the Little Red-Haired Girl is compared to her and wishes that Snoopy could be there to comfort her. Linus' response is to kiss her on the cheek and assure her that one day someone will think she's the most beautiful person in the world.
• In "I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown", Rerun asks if he could buy Snoopy. Charlie Brown tells him that he can... for ten million dollars.
• Linus's talk with Charlie Brown at the end of A Boy Named Charlie Brown to get his best friend back on his feet after humiliating himself on national TV.
  Linus: Well, I can understand how you feel. You worked hard, studying for the spelling bee, and I suppose you feel you let everyone down, and you made a fool of yourself and everything. But did you notice something, Charlie Brown?
  Charlie Brown: What's that?
  Linus: The world didn't come to an end.
  • Even the fact that Charlie Brown made it as far as he did in that spelling bee is something to be proud of. Second place in the nation is an impressive finish, even if Charlie himself doesn't see it that way. And it's a lot happier an ending than in the original comics, where Charlie was eliminated in his class spelling bee and got sent to the principal's office after snapping at his teacher.
  • "Welcome home, Charlie Brown." Leave it to Peanuts to make its biggest and cruelest Running Gag seem sweet.
• Snoopy's relationship with Charlie Brown throughout A Boy Named Charlie Brown. Although there's the usual strife between them at the outset ("Why can't I have a normal dog like everybody else?"), Snoopy helps Charlie Brown succeed in the second round of the spelling bee (happening by the school building, he stands at the window and plays a jew's harp to remind Charlie Brown of the song he and Linus sung the night before to remember the spelling rules) and ends up cheering him on in the final round. Plus, there's the moment when, reuniting in New York City, they rush delightedly into each other's arms and proceed to dance happily together.
  • Especially when Charlie Brown says "Hey!", and Snoopy responds with "Hey!" in that cute voice of his.
• In "Charlie Brown's All-Stars," Using the promise of joining a sponsored league and receiving official team uniforms as motivation, Charlie Brown is berated after a close loss when he informs the team neither would happen. However, he leaves without revealing the reason why: he turned down the offer because league rules would've mandated he remove Snoopy and the girls from the team. Linus and Schroder are the ones to break this to the rest of the team, who in turn feel terribly about the way they treated Charlie Brown. As a result, they make amends by making Charlie Brown his own personalized uniform. It's a satisfying conclusion for all...except Linus, because the uniform was made from his security blanket!
• You're the Greatest, Charlie Brown!:
  • As in "You're a good sport, Charlie Brown", Chuck is nothing but courteous and supportive towards his rivals when competing in the decathlon. While Freddie Fabulous and the Masked Marvel don't really return the sentiments, it's something Marcie definitely notices as she's been cheering for Chuck during the entire course of his training and when they compete against each other directly. Before the final event, the two of them mutually agree, "It Has Been an Honor."
  • After the decathlon, Charlie Brown congratulates Marcie on her victory. In turn, Marcie says he's a competitor and a gentleman and that he's the greatest. Marcie then takes off her glasses to wink at Charlie.
• It Was My Best Birthday Ever, Charlie Brown!!, has Linus meeting and falling in love with a little blonde-haired girl named Mimi who has a beautiful singing voice and invites her to his upcoming birthday party. He hears her voice whereever he goes, which sometimes results in him being humiliated. On the day of the party, he constantly waits out on his doorstep hoping that she'd show up. When it seems like he's going to give up, he and the partygoers overhear a beautiful voice coming from outside. When Linus goes outside, he sees Mimi coming through her car window singing "Happy Birthday" to him, giving him a flower and a kisses him on the forehead. When she leaves, Linus happily starts dancing and gets the party started. The next day on the wall, he laments if he'll ever hear her singing again, only for him and Charlie Brown to hear Woodstock singing the same song Mimi sang, much to their happiness.
  • It becomes even sweeter when you think about it; considering all the horrible things that happened to Linus throughout the last four specials from Janice getting cancer to Melody-Melody betraying him, he more than deserves his happy ending.
• Woodstock's memories of his mother in Snoopy Presents: To Mom (and Dad), With Love, with her coming to Woodstock's aide during his failed first attempt at flying.
• In The Snoopy Show episode Battle for the Blanket, after once again getting into a classic chase with Linus over his blanket, a very irked Linus tries to retaliate by swiping Snoopy's supper dish. However, instead of getting angry at Linus like Linus does when Snoopy swipes his blanket, the poor beagle bursts into tears. Hearing Snoopy's sobs, Linus decides he can't go through with it. He has a heart-to-heart with Snoopy, wishing that sometimes, he would sometimes give Linus a break, which the beagle understands. At this moment, it shows despite the never-ending gag, there are no hard feelings between the two.
  • Another heartwarming moment in this episode is that it's revealed Snoopy doesn't steal Linus's blanket to upset him. The only reason Snoopy does it is just because he wants to play chase with Linus. Aww...

Theatrical plays

• The song "Happiness" from You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown. All of it, really, but especially
  Happiness is singing together when day is through,
  And happiness is those who sing with you.
  • Here is Kristin Chenoweth (who played Sally in the 90's Broadway revival) singing it on A Capitol Fourth during the year that Schulz died (note that this is part of a larger tribute to Schulz, "Happiness" starts at 5:58 in the linked clip). Also a Tear Jerker.
• "Poor Sweet Baby", in which Peppermint Patty sings to the Oblivious to Love Charlie Brown:
  If you need a shoulder, come and try mine on for size,
  I'm real good at holding hands and really great at drying eyes
  Just try me, cry me all your tears
  Why deny me the pleasure of drying 'em, stopping you crying 'em...?
• "Just One Person" from "Snoopy The Musical." This song, about believing in yourself, is the closing number of the animated special, and the animation that goes with it makes it both Crowning Musical Moment of BOTH Awesome and Heartwarming. It starts with Snoopy singing with Woodstock, then Lucy joins in for a verse, and Sally for part of a line. "And if three whole people, why not four?" has Linus join, and "And if four whole people, why not more...and more...and more?" has Charlie Brown, Peppermint Patty, and Schroder help anchor what is a human chain. By the end, the entire cast has joined the song.
  • When Jim Henson died, Robin, Kermit's nephew, uses this SAME SONG for "The Muppets Tribute to Jim Henson" (Robin's version starts at 3:04).
    • At the New York memorial service well. Tear Jerker indeed.
• The last line of You're a Good Man Charlie Brown is a Title Drop by Lucy—in Sincerity Mode for once—after all but her and Charlie Brown have left the stage.
• The "Well, for one thing, you have a little brother who loves you" strip mentioned above retains its original heartwarming character while becoming a Tear Jerker into the bargain in You're a Good Man Charlie Brown—it comes after Lucy, conducting a series of "crabbiness surveys" to find out what everyone thinks of her behavior, has a massive Heel Realization.
  Lucy: Don't talk to me, Linus. I don't deserve to be spoken to. I don't deserve to breathe the air I breathe. I'm no good, Linus. I'm no good.
  Linus: That's not true.
  Lucy: Yes it is. I'm no good, and there's no reason at all why I should go on living on the face of this earth.
  Linus: Yes there is.
  Lucy: Name one. Just tell me one single reason why I should still deserve to go on living on this planet.
  Linus: Well, for one thing, you have a little brother who loves you.
  (Lucy is silent for a minute and then bursts into tears)
  Linus: Every now and then I say the right thing.

Tributes from other comics

• When Charles Schulz died, another comic showed how he fared in the afterlife. Snoopy is pawing at the gates of Heaven, which has a "No Dogs Allowed" sign on it. St. Peter looks down at the man standing before him and says, "I think we can make an exception in your case, Mr. Schulz."
• Close to Home's tribute strip after Charles Schulz died.◊
• Mutts did a reprise of the famous first strip, but with Earl and Mooch watching Charlie go by instead of Shermy and Patty. After he's gone, they exclaim, "How we love him!"
• Pearls Before Swine has done a number of tributes to Peanuts. In one, Pig complains that the Christmas storyline they're doing is too dark, so Stephen Pastis writes Linus in to explain what Christmas is all about.
• The tribute in This Modern World following Schulz's death, especially as it was so unexpected to read that acerbic, low-distribution left-wing satirist Tom Tomorrow had written a fan-letter to Charles Schulz in 1992. And that Schulz had then invited him for lunch.
• On May 27, 2000, a large consortium of comic strip creators agreed that they would all publish a tribute strip to Schulz. Opening the paper to the funnies and seeing nothing but loving tributes to Schulz was a sight to behold.
• On November 26, 2022 numerous other comics paid tribute to what would have been Charles's 100th birthday.

Other

• Examples from The Peanuts Movie go here.
• Once, when Charles Schulz was in a hospital, he left a cartoon showing Snoopy doing one of the exercises prescribed for patients with lung ailments.
• Even after he got rich off of the strip and could've very easily hired someone else to do it, Schulz drew every strip by himself, until the very end. Every. Single. One.
• Several examples from the fans. Sure, the Peanuts gang may not be real, but they sure did leave a real impact on many readers' childhoods. It's just so heartwarming to think about how many people loved these kids so much.
  • When Charlie Brown spent an arc in the hospital, implied to be several weeks, countless fans sent "get well" cards to Charlie Brown, via Charles Schulz.
  • After the famous "I Got a Rock" ordeal at Halloween, many children sent most, or all, of their Halloween candy to Charles Schulz, asking him to please give it to Charlie Brown. Schulz also received Valentine cards and candy from home viewers after Charlie Brown got neither in Be My Valentine Charlie Brown.
• The entirety of the book Happiness is a Warm Puppy.
• "Snoopy's Christmas". The Red Baron considers pulling the trigger on Snoopy but is moved to kindness when he hears church bells ringing. He orders Snoopy to land his plane in the Rhineland and greets him with "Merry Christmas, my friend!" They have a toast together and then go their separate ways.
• The Red Baron strikes again in "Snoopy for President", when the Baron, who is nothing less than Snoopy's Arch-Enemy in the strips, amazingly enough ends up casting the final vote that actually allows Snoopy to claim the Presidency. The idea that the Baron would help his longtime rival become the leader of the free world may seem silly, but somehow it works.

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