Heartwarming / Wings of Fire

As a Moments subpage, all spoilers are unmarked as per policy. You Have Been Warned.

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The First Arc

The Dragonet Prophecy

• Even if Kestrel and Dune don't like Glory, all of the Dragonets of Destiny think her as part of their family, no matter how useless and lazy they're told she is. Their entire escape plan kicks off in order to stop Glory from being murdered.
• A lot of Clay's interactions with Peril, as he starts her down the path to being more than just Scarlet's plaything.
• During what was supposed to be a duel between them, instead of fighting like Scarlet expected, Tsunami gives Starflight a hug. Starflight reciprocates, reflecting that the Dragonets of Destiny would never dream of fighting one another in a million years. As an extra bonus, the entire arena goes into a collective "AWWWWWWW!"
• Clay realizing that as The Big Guy of the Dragonets of Destiny, it's his responsibility as the BigWings to protect and guide the others, despite spending the entire book worried that he was a bloodthirsty monster waiting to happen.
• The graphic novel makes the ending (at least before the epilogue) even more touching. We're shown the inner monologue of Clay's collective friends as they describe Clay's best qualities:
  The Dragonets of Destiny: Clay: Can hold breath for an hour during daring escape plan, Immune to Fire, surprisingly musical, the biggest heart in the world, not a monster, maybe a hero, definitely our bigwings.
  • Sweetly enough, this acts as a Book Ends to Clay's inner monologue describing the redeeming qualities of the Dragonets of Destiny, barring himself.

The Lost Heir

• The prologue revealing that Tsunami's fantasy of being a long lost princess wasn't born out of arrogance: it was because of her favorite story, "The Missing Princess". And her favorite part is the ending, where the titular princess is reunited with her royal parents. Later, her own mother recites the fairytale queen's lines verbatim, making her fantasy of finding her family realized.
  • As it turns out, it's not coincidence that Queen Coral recited those lines. She wrote "The Missing Princess" herself. Whatever her flaws, it's sweet to see Queen Coral unwittingly connected to her daughter over the very book she wrote for her.
• On their first meeting with each other, Queen Coral gives Tsunami a necklace of pearls. Tsunami is elated by this as it makes her look just like her mother and because throughout her childhood she was denied gifts and beautiful things during her time under the mountain.
• Tsunami protecting her friends throughout the book, whether she's attacking the Skywing to protect her friends or fighting off Shark and the other Seawings. While she does have a tendency to make rash, impulsive decisions, it is sweet to see how protective she is of the other four.
• Tsunami volunteers for the dangerous job of protecting Queen Coral's last egg, despite knowing that the punishment if she fails will be death. This is made even more poignant that Tsunami did not make this decision out of impulse, rage or fighting for the sake of fighting, but simply to protect her younger sister and make up for her own mistakes.
  • Specifically, said mistake was (accidentally) killing her father in book 1. That egg happens to be all that's left of her father. By ultimately saving the egg and the baby inside, Tsunami redeems herself.
• Tsunami convinces the guards to give her the key to unlock Clay's chains, not by fighting or threatening them like she normally does, but by instilling hope in them and promising to make sure their families are protected and to do what it takes to end the war.
• Riptide giving Tsunami a proper lesson in Aquatic by showing her the different types of patterns to say different things. One of the phrases he teaches her is "I will protect"
  • Tsunami later uses this phrase when promising to protect Queen Coral's egg.
• Tsunami promises Anemone that she won't allow her to be used as a pawn by Blister.

The Hidden Kingdom

• Although it's mitigated by how he scarcely grasps the implications she's been missing all this time, Jambu's enthusiasm at learning he and Glory are brother and sister is rather sweet. It's certainly more enthusiasm than she's received from the other Rainwings all day.
• Blaze, full stop! She's so innocent and sweet and friendly! One wouldn't be blamed for thinking she would make the perfect Sandwing Queen; if only she wasn't a ditzy dragon.
• Glory lampshading to herself how Tamarin (blind dragon she is) being helped around the village by other dragons gives her hope for her people. As lazy as they may be, if they can make the effort to help a blind dragonet get around, then there's hope for them yet.
• Grandeur learning that Glory is possibly her granddaughter or grand niece. Although Glory thinks this doesn't matter much, Grandeur reveals part of the reason she let the other four dragons be queen is because she couldn't find either a rainwing who wanted to be queen or was worthy of it. ...until she met Glory. If anything, after seeing everything Glory has done in the name of protecting her people, she forfeits the challenge, essentially allowing Glory to win by default.
• Glory and Deathbringer's interaction, bordering on Meet Cute.

The Dark Secret

• While using the Dreamvisitor, Starflight happens upon Sunny's dream. He would've passed on the important message to her, but he didn't. Because he has a crush on her, and she seemed so happy in her dreams.
• Starflight confessing his feelings for Sunny. Although Sunny voices now's not the opportune time, she makes it a point to let him know she at least cares for him. Regardless she all but reciprocated his feelings, it doesn't matter to Starflight. Rather, he's elated by the principle that he not only mustered the courage to tell Sunny how he felt about her, but also how "the world didn't collapse".
• Starflight seeing Deathbringer's dreamy expression when the topic of Glory is brought up. This leads to Starflight wondering if he has the same face when he thinks of Sunny.
  • Generally, Starflight crushing on Sunny.
• Starflight comforting Fatespeaker after the death of Viper.
• Sunny and Fatespeaker's interaction when they first meet. Sweeter still, this is possibly one of the first dragons Fatespeaker's met who didn't treat her with snark and disdain. For once in her life, she will have a real friend.
• Starflight giving Orchid hope that Mangrove is coming for her, causing her to turn for the first time since she came to the nightwings' island.
  • Later, her and Mangrove's Big Damn Reunion when the rainwings come to the rescue. Sweeter still, it's a relief to know she survived her imprisonment long enough to be reunited with her significant other.

The Brightest Night

• Even though she begrudges the nightwings for what they've done (namely to the rainwings), she still finds it in herself to show kindness to Preyhunter while he's having a bad dream and warm him.
• In the graphic novel, Sunny noting that Thorn seems to feel guilt for killing one of the nightwings in the scuffle. This is a refreshing departure from Queen Coral, who was quick to kill Tortoise for allegedly killing on of her eggs, and never gave it another thought. If nothing else, this establishes that Thorn is a fair leader who does her best not to kill others needlessly.
  • Following this, Sunny convincing Thorn not to kill Fierceteeth on the principle she's Starflight's half-sister. Bear in mind this is the same nightwing who kidnapped Sunny with the intent to ransom Glory to make a nightwing queen. And she's possibly still salty towards nightwings in general for their recent machinations. But she still shows compassion towards her.
• Sunny meeting Thorn and learning she's her mother, all the while realizing that rather than fulfill their destiny, what she and the other dragonets always wanted more than anything was to be reunited with their missing families.
  • Made more meaningful in the graphic novel. Remember when in the beginning Sunny narrated how "Heroes don't have families"? This is where the story takes such a trope on its head and turns it upside-down, as Sunny finds her family at long last.
  • According to Thorn, she used to call Sunny "Beetle" when she was still in her egg. Not to say she minds calling her long-lost daughter by her given name now.
  • Not long after, Thorn declaring she wants to throw a feast for Sunny to celebrate her return!
  • In the graphic novel, the expression on Sunny's face when she wakes to the reality that she's met her mother.
• Sunny showing sympathy for Addax. Yes he's an assassin, yes he set the fire that possibly cost a couple lives, and yes he threatened Ostrich's life. Sunny even kicks herself for daring to show him sympathy. And yet, she can't help feel sad for him when she learns he's doing all this because he was kicked out of the Sandwing Fortress by his own family.
• Any part with Flower in it. She's so adorable and sweet, and she takes to Sunny almost instantly.
• Thorn telling Sunny she's perfect the way she is, despite she's been treated as weird or otherworldly by other dragons her whole life.
• Stonemover's wonderment at learning he has a daughter, admitting that in all the time he's lived in Jade Mountain, he's always wondered what his and Thorn's children would look like.
• Although not the happiest of occasions, Sunny meeting with her father Stonemover, and him kindly allowing her to stay in his cave for the night.
  Sunny: Can I stay here tonight?
  Stonemover: Please do.
• Although it's not easy medicine for Sunny to swallow, Stonemover telling her the prophecy isn't real kind of counts for this. After all, he is a father being as honest as he can to his child. Sunny even notes that he's the most honest adult she's met her whole life.
• Tsunami's reunion with Riptide.
• Both times the dragonets prove to Sunny they do take her seriously. First time is when she figures the other dragons will brush off her idea to end the war. ...only for them to be wholeheartedly all in for her proposal. Second time was when she started helping Flower dig for the treasure. She envisioned that Tsunami and Glory would scoff at her for being silly and looking to a scavenger. Instead, they help her dig without question, wholly supporting her.
• Peril saving Clay's life.
  • From this, Sunny coming to the epiphany that the Wings of Fire isn't a prophecy, but perhaps a redeeming quality in all dragons.
  Sunny: Peril helped Clay because Clay is wonderful. He was kind to her when no one else ever was. Clay's Heart is the real Wings of Fire. Clay's heart, Tsunami's courage, Glory's determination, Starflight's loyalty... I think the Wings of Fire are inside every dragon.
• Fridge-Heartwarming: Sunny choosing a worthy successor other than the remaining two sisters wasn't just cleverness on her part: it was all made possible because she found her beloved mother. She reunited with her, got to know her better, and learned first-claw she had the makings of an ideal leader. If she hadn't had her meaningful reunion with Thorn, the Dragonets would've surely faced a Morton's Fork between Blister and Blaze.
• The story ending on the note that the Dragonets will use Jade Mountain to open up a school for all tribes of dragons.

The Second Arc

Moon Rising

• Moon hearing thoughts from her mother Secretkeeper that she does care about her daughter and doesn't want to leave her. The only reason she does bring her to Jade Mountain is because she wants her to be surrounded by kindlier dragons than the other begrudging NightWings.
• Kinkajou still not liking NightWings due to her experiences with them, but quickly becoming friends with Moon anyway.
  • Even though she expresses disappointment that Moon keeping her powers a secret caused lives, Kinkajou's initially grateful to Moon that her foresight saved most of them in the long run.
  • Later, towards the end, Kinkajou talks to Moon as though nothing ever really happened, much to Moon's confusion. To this, Kinkajou points out that yes she was angry, but that was yesterday. If anything, this demonstrates that True Companions don't stay mad forever. All Kinkajou asks of Moon is to not keep anymore secrets, because that's what trust is all about.
• When Moon is at her lowest after the bombing because all of Jade Winglet found out about her powers and are upset she never told them, Turtle sticks by her and takes her to a place where they can talk and she can calm down. Especially since, as we find out later, he knows exactly what she's going through.
• Umber going on the run with Sora. She might have killed dragons (if by accident), but she's still his sister and he loves her regardless.
• When Moon comes forward to Sunny about her mind-reading powers, she proves it by bringing up Sunny's insecurity about how she worries that they're failing to change the world for the better. To this, Moon wisely tells Sunny something very encouraging to counteract her teacher's worries.
  Moon: And you're wondering if you're not the right dragon to bring peace to the tribes. But you are! You're trying to fix something nearly impossible to fix. But if no one ever tries, it will always be terrible. And dragons believe in you. You have to do something with that gift.
  Sunny: Was that a prophecy? Five dragons born to teach art and make everyone be kind to each other?
  Moon: Not a prophecy... Just faith.
• At least in the graphic novel, Moon's new mentor offers her a possible, alternate vision to the fall of Jade Mountain: the Dragonets of Destiny grow up to be close friends and good teachers, they have children of their own, and Jade Mountain still stands as a place of peace and friendship. As Moon's mentor warns her, it requires taking a dark and difficult path, but if it really means bringing about a brighter future, Moon thinks it's worth the risk.
  • Just the implication that most of the Dragons of Destiny had children at all. The NightWing that calls Starflight "father" could easily be his and Fatespeaker's child, Firefly is implied to be Glory and Deathbringer's child, there's a SeaWing who looks the spitting image of Tsunami, and try to convince anyone that the ruddy-colored SkyWing isn't Clay and Peril's offspring.

Winter Turning

• Even though it ended badly for him, the entire reason Hailstorm is captured by SkyWings is because he found a scavenger den and wants to show Winter because he knows it would make him happy.
  • Unto itself, a previous flashback shows that Winter came to develop his interest in Scavengers because he witnessed one sharing his compassion on a mother polar bear and her cubs.
• Moon and Secret Keeper reuniting, if only for a brief moment before resuming the adventure. Winter can only wish he knew love like that, and he even notices Kinkajou and Qibli fawning over the sight.
• Even without reading his mind, Moonwatcher knows Winter won't kill Glory on the principle he's too good and honorable to pull such an underhanded deed.
• Once Qibli explains how the city Possibility was originally going to be named Peace or Harmony, Moon remarks on how apropos it's chosen name is. There's always a possibility of peace and harmony, but not a guarantee. While it sounds pessimistic on paper, it's actually optimistic because it means everyone has to put in effort to have a peaceful coexistence, making it all the more real.
• Even when Winter disparages that Moonwatcher is his sworn enemy for being a Nightwing, Moon is kind enough to tell him she and Qibli will wait at least a week for him to return.
• Hailstorm and Winter refusing to kill one another as IceWing tradition dictates. Even though Winter's entire family hates him and think of him as a disappointment, Hailstorm was always there to buoy him up, and remains that way even after two years as an entirely different dragon.
  • And this is despite that Hailstorm recognizes that sacrificing himself to the Skywings cost him so much. Even after that, he recognizes that pleasing their cold, manipulative parents and earning top rank isn't worth killing his good-hearted younger brother.
  • Between one killing the other or returning in disgrace, Winter helps think up another outcome for the Diamond Trial: in order to give Hailstorm a chance at regaining some semblance of the normalcy he lost, they'll pretend he killed Winter so he can reclaim first rank in time for his seventh hatchday. When Hailstorm warns that their parents will simply demote him before killing the lesser son, Winter decides he'll just have to never return to the Icewing Kingdom just to keep up the charade. The sweet part comes in when Winter comes to the understanding that although this self-imposed banishment from the only home he knows sounds intimidating, his experience throughout the story has taught him that home isn't a place but a people.
• Winter's thought process when Hailstorm soberly explains that their parents arranged for the former to die. First, it's sad when he reflects on how he's not surprised that his parents would set him up for failure, even though it hurts. But then, he thinks about the dragons who taught him why such manipulative treatment is wrong in the first place:
  Winter: Moon, Qibli and Kinkajou wouldn't do something like this to me.
• Winter freeing Foeslayer from Queen Diamond's animus curse, indicating his hatred towards Nightwings waning greatly. As such, he's rewarded with the truth: Foeslayer didn't kidnap Prince Arctic, but rather they fell in love. What's more, she knows where the true Nightwing kingdom is, meaning Winter made the right choice by showing her compassion.
  • Just the rather hopeful nature of the ending: Winter no longer has a home in the Icewing Kingdom nor will he ever reach the coveted First Rank, but now understands what's important in life, and will hopefully see his brother one day.

Escaping Peril

• Ruby was (for lack of better words) programmed to be Scarlet's perfect daughter, never making waves and following her mother's orders to the point she was starting to become like her. But when she had her son Cliff, things changed. She had a reason to stand up to her mother and to eventually take the throne. Say what you will about Queen Ruby and her beef with Peril, but in a way, she changed for the better because of the love she had for her baby boy.
• At one point in the story, Scarlet threatens Ruby that once she kills her, she will abuse and warp Cliff into a killer who worships her, to the point he will forget his dear mother. In response, Cliff defiantly declares he would never dream of ever forgetting his mom!
• After the duel between her and Scarlet, Tourmaline coming right up to Cliff to celebrate her victory, recognizing him as her son and herself as his "mommy". The sweet thing is, theoretically, Tourmaline wasn't supposed to remember her life as Ruby since the latter was but a false persona with false memories. Yet, Tourmaline still possesses the precious memories she made from having a son.
• When all's said and done, Tourmaline arranges for Chameleon to program the enchanted earrings to make hear appear as Ruby while still keeping the memories of both personas. That way, Tourmaline can be herself for the first time in years, but her son (who was afraid his mother was gone) would still have a familiar face to love.
  • Generally, it's the fact that Tourmaline accepts both her true identity and her experience as Ruby, because she refuses to forget the son who helped her fight back her mother's influence, both literally and metaphorically.
• Most of Turtle and Peril's interactions. Aside from Clay, Turtle is essentially the closest thing that Peril has to a friend.
• Although she all but says "I'm sorry", there's something sweet about Ruby/Tourmaline giving Peril her pardon for thinking she was irredeemable. If anything, Scarlet's claims she would abuse Cliff to be a killer gave the good queen pause about how her son might've turned out like Peril under such circumstances and how Peril never had a choice in her upbringing. So, she rescinds Peril's banishment and tells her she's more than free to return to the Skywing kingdom as she chooses.

Talons of Power

• Turtle's conversation with Coral before his confrontation with Anemone. After spending years thinking his father hated him, Coral reveals that he wanted to apologize to Turtle but never got the chance due to his capture during the war. The conversation ends with Coral promising to remember Turtle's name, something she'd brushed off in Moon Rising due to her having 32 sons.

Darkness of Dragons

• Jade Winglet's reunion in the Night Kingdom is full of this sort of thing. Qibli tackles Kinkajou and they go sliding, giggling, into a pile of pillows, Kinkajou hugs Turtle when they free him from the dungeons, and Moon is ecstatic to show Qibli around the Night Kingdom's library.
• When Jade Winglet returns to the school to find an army of IceWings, Hailstorm is quite clearly overjoyed to see Winter alive, though he can't show it in front of his father and cousin. The two later perform a Back-to-Back Badasses in the battle against the NightWings
• Moon and Qibli's mutual confession of love to one another in the SandWing palace, and Moon helping soothe Qibli's worries and self-image issues.
• In Talons of Power, Coral said that she would remember Turtle's name. In the epilogue, we find that she did remember, and even wrote him a letter, ending it saying that she and Auklet sent their love to him.