As a Moments subpage, all spoilers are unmarked as per policy. You Have Been Warned.
- The final shot of the teaser trailer serves as a callback to the original movie: Baloo backstroking through a river with Mowgli sitting on his belly, while whistling to the tune of "Bare Necessities".
- Mowgli hugging Bagheera in the Superbowl trailer. Also playing with Baloo in the river and hugging Raksha in the rain.
- Baloo's line "if anything happens to that kid, I'll never forgive myself"
- Also doubles as a Mythology Gag.
- Admit it, you had childhood flashbacks when you heard this
- This exchange about Mowgli.Baloo: I told you, he's special.Bagheera: I know he's special. I raised him.
- A glorious shot of Mowgli, Baloo and Bagheera lounging in a tree together watching the sunset.
- For older Disney fans, the film's ending with the very same book from the 1967 version closing will bring a smile. This counts as a Mythology Gag as well. The same thing can be said about the Vanity Plate being rendered in a similar fashion to most 60s/70s Disney films. The DVD and Blu-ray enhance the former momentnote by writing the menu on the book's front cover, essentially turning it into Book Ends for the film.
- The credits cover of "I Wanna Be Like You" is very welcome considering King Louie's Adaptational Villainy. He finally gets to be the whimsical, fun-loving ape he'd been back in 1967.
- A small moment, but when Bagheera is escorting Mowgli back to the man-village, Mowgli asks Bagheera why he can't stay with some other animals than the wolves, like the crocodiles. Just the implications that Mowgli considers the crocodiles (a species normally villainised in Disney films) worth living with is pretty heartwarming in itself.
- The ending of the flashback to how Mowgli came to be in the jungle, in which Bagheera allows the strange human toddler to pat his face and even stick his fingers in his mouth. Bagheera is far from a Vegetarian Carnivore, so it must have taken a tremendous amount of restraint and empathy to pass up the opportunity for an easy meal.
- Of course, the Law of the Jungle they quote so often in the movie, assuming they took all of Kipling's original poem and not just the first stanza, contains the line "Seven times never kill Man!", so maybe Bagheera was just doing that. Doesn't make it any less of a heartwarming Pet the Dog moment.
- Mowgli saving Junior via his tools after he had fallen into a ditch. This also earns him the respect of the elephants.
- A subtle detail, but during the scene where Baloo and Mowgli float down the river, they hear a noise in the bushes on the river bank. While both seem scared of what it might be, Baloo's first instinct is pushing Mowgli behind his back to protect the boy from the creature, which is ultimately revealed to be a literal Cat Scare in the form of Bagheera.
- When Mowgli hugs Bagheera in greeting, Bagheera (who doesn't smile a lot) actually smiles, relieved to see Mowgli safe and sound.
- Mowgli's little wolf-brother Grey in general. Every scene involving him is either a heartwarming moment or a Tear Jerker.
- Baghera is actually proud of Mowgli when the latter comes to the aid of the elephants and rescues Junior.
- At the climax Bagheera stops Mowgli from fighting with the wolves and tells him to fight Shere Khan like a man. Not only does this show his acceptance of Mowgli for what he is, but also his appreciation of Mowgli's tricks, something Mowgli had been longing to get.Bagheera: Stay here!
Mowgli: But I want to fight with the wolves!
Bagheera: You can't fight him like a wolf, you're not a wolf! Fight him like a man. - After the climax, Bagheera walks over to Baloo, who's still lying on the ground, telling him that he "stood his ground" and licks him over his forehead once. It's one of the greatest displays of affection shown by the uptight panther.
- The bond between Mowgli and Bagheera is this. Although they do have some moments of tension like in the 1967 animated film, their bond is much stronger. Throughout the whole film, Mowgli is always striving to win Bagheera's approval of who he is while Bagheera continuously risks his life to protect Mowgli from Shere Khan. It helps that Bagheera is the one who raised him after he found the man-cub.
- Adding to this, since Shere Khan is no longer a threat, Bagheera is perfectly fine with Mowgli remaining in the jungle.
- While scaling up a wall to rescue Mowgli from the monkeys, when Baloo starts whimpering, Bagheera shows boundless patience and tells him to keep his eyes up high while assuring him that he's doing fine. After Baloo reaches the top, Bagheera compliments him and calls him "old chap". It clearly shows that them working together to save Mowgli has caused Bagheera to soften up and help the bear overcome his fears without any impatience.Baloo: A bird... That can't be a good sign! (starts sobbing)
Bagheera: Baloo! Look at me. Look at nothing but me. You're doing fine. Just keep your eyes up high.
Baloo: Alright I'm coming. I'm coming.
(later at the top, Baloo finally reaches it.)
Baloo: I did it!
Bagheera: Well done, old chap. - King Louie is obviously faking it when he's proposing to Mowgli to give him fire, so he may let him live with him and protect him from Shere Khan. But Louie does a fairly good job of actually sounding sincere, like when he offers Mowgli some papaya to eat and cracks a smile when he first introduces himself. It's ambiguous as to whether Louie would've sincerely cared for Mowgli had he given him fire, but it's argued that he had little to lose from taking in Mowgli, who simply wants a place to live in, so it's possible he would've treated him fairly if he had complied. Only Christopher Walken can make a slimy mob boss offering sanctuary as a ruse sound sincere and heartwarming when he says "Only I can protect ya."
