Tear Jerker / Alcatraz Series

• Alcatraz's realization in book one that he's been breaking things on purpose to get foster families to abandon him before he can get attached to them.
• The effect that being severed from the Mindstone has on Bastille in book three.
• This one is especially Harsher in Hindsight: Alcatraz's tirade at the beginning of chapter 19 in book three, in which he rants at the reader for idolizing him and thus, playing a part in his destruction.
• Bastille being put in a coma near the end of book four.
• The Dark Talent, full stop. Highlights include:
  • Alcatraz's visions of his parents' souls through the Shaper's Lens, proving that both of them truly care for him and each other in their own way.
  • The reveal of Biblioden and total destruction of the entire Smedry plan.
    • Also providing the ghoulish detail that Biblioden killed a child and later, impersonated him.
  • Alcatraz’s narration, usually tempered with humor, going fully dark and hopeless.
  • The much anticipated sacrifice scene turns out to be a brutal combination of Forced to Watch, Heroic Sacrifice, and Nothing Is Scarier. Alcatraz is left with Survivor's Guilt and loses most of his will to live.
  • Grandpa Smedry’s death. It’s so sudden and horrifying.
  • The Downer Ending in general, especially if the reader didn’t see the note from Bastille and actually thought that Sanderson had followed through with his promises about everything going wrong.