Tear Jerker / Team RAIN

Warning: Spoilers Off applies to all Moments pages. Proceed at your own risk.

Arc 1: Umber Quest

• Upon getting a lead from a fraudster with a guilty conscience, Robin lets the man go. Nyssa's none too happy, voicing her disappointment at how Robin let free a man who stole money that others may have needed - like her ailing mother.
  Nyssa: [glumly] I guess that finding this Umber guy and fixing the team's image problem is more important than the little people, though.
  Robin: Man, Nyssa... I'm sorry. I didn't think.
  Nyssa: I kinda guessed. I've said what I need to - let's just get this over with.
• A relatively minor one, but Raleigh musing about his lack of a legacy.
  Raleigh: Ah, of course - the world's moved on from the likes of me.
• Viola engineering Nyssa’s abandonment of RAIN on Silva.
  • First, she gets into Nyssa’s head about her feelings for Irving, under the guise of a friendly chat about said relationship. Right after doing so, Viola uses her Semblance to disguise herself as Nyssa and begins to romance Irving - the exact moment as Nyssa walks in. Upon being caught, her response results in Nyssa breaking down crying and fleeing. Things rapidly go south afterwards.
  Viola: Yeah, I came to prepare him for your 'proposal' or whatever, but he said he wanted a real woman, not, y’know... some flat-chested dead-weight. So sad.
  Irving: Wha..?
  Nyssa: [to Irving] I thought you... liked me...
• Following the skirmish on Silva, Akane angrily vents to Robin how much they've screwed up over the course of this mission.
  Akane: How can I put any trust in any of you?! Irving almost gets himself killed, you make terrible decisions, and Nyssa... If we'd picked our own teams I never would've picked any of you.
• Irving's own account of what happened just before the fight. Even though he was deceived, it's clear that he blames himself for Nyssa running off.
  Irving: It's my fault... I should've known that it wasn't [Nyssa.] I keep going over it in my head. The way that woman spoke, the way she carried herself, it wasn't the person I...
  Robin: The person you love.
  Irving: [sadly] The person I love. And because I was a complete dip, I'm never gonna see her again.

Arc 2: Homeward Bound

• Since RAI's return to Mistral, Irving's lost weight. Akane reveals that he hasn't been eating since Nyssa's abrupt departure. He's noticeably quieter and more taciturn, as well.
  • He's not the only one suffering, either. Robin's been losing sleep as a result of mental trauma from taking a burst of Otso's Semblance, and she's trying to stay strong as the team leader - but the pressure's starting to break her.
• When Irving seeks out ABRN's aid in fighting the Braiths, a visibly dejected Reese Chloris responds why they can't:
  Reese: I would, but we took it real hard back at Beacon. None of us are in the right head space now, y'know?
• The death of Orion Lincoln.
  • The moment Kamala stabs him, we get a wide shot of the Lincolns seeing this. Shock, horror, and grief are all clear on their expressions.
  • Upon incapacitating Kamala, Robin rushes to Orion's side and desperately suggests that he unlock his Aura to heal the injury... only for Orion to reveal that the wound is fatal.
  • His last words to Robin.
  Robin: Papi...?
  Orion: No llores, dulce niña... no llores... a u h h h... ^Translation Don't cry, sweet daughter... don't cry...
  • As much of a jerkass she's been, it's hard not to feel sorry for Lilliana when she sees that her father is dead. Wil has to pull her away from Orion's body.
    Robin: ...He's gone.
    Lilli: [kneeling at Orion's side] Daddy, please, no... don't go... don't leave me...
  • Artemis, suppressing her grief, closes Orion's eyes and gives him one last kiss on the cheek.
    Artemis: Tra... Traveler guide you, my love.
• And it doesn’t end there. As RAI, Marron, and the Lincolns flee the castle, Roderick and Artemis halt at the gateway, and the former holds out his sword...
  Roderick: Robin. Give this to Maylis when she's big enough.
  Robin: What are you—? No, please... you can't do this! Not you too!
  Artemis: Your brother and I will try to fend them off to give you a head start. If we can, we'll try and find our way back to you.
  Robin: You can't do this! I won't let you! Roddy, you have a kid to look after!
  Roderick: And I’m looking after her by helping her escape.
  Robin: Mom, you can see some sense here, right—?!
  Artemis: I love you, my sweet girl, and I understand, but you need to leave.
  Roderick: This is our choice. Let us save your life, and this clan. Now go! ...I’m sorry, May.
  • The reactions of the remaining Lincolns to Roderick and Artemis’ apparent sacrifice. Tobin freezes up in a state of utter shock, while Lilli futilely yells out for Artemis. Wil, horror dawning on his face when he realizes what’s happened, heads right back to the barred gateway alongside Robin, bashing on the door and shouting for them to come back.
    • And when he realizes that they’re not:
      Wil: It shouldn't've been him...
    • Irving breaking the news to Maylis about Roderick.
      Maylis: Do you know where my dad is? When's he coming back?
      Irving: There's no easy way to say this, but your dad... He's holding off the bad people who killed your grandpa so that we can all live. Ahh... he's... I don't know if he's going to come back. But he loves you a lot. He's a hero.
      Maylis: [beginning to cry] But... I... I... I—I want my dad!
    • It’s worth noticing that her Aura activates at this moment. “In times of strong emotion” - in this instance, strong grief.
• Even though RAIN’s finally reunited, it’s not on a high note by any means. In particular, the first post-Knothole shot of Robin we get is her sitting by the Tsubaki river, looking completely defeated.
• The arc’s ending. When Irving and Akane depart, Nyssa prepares to head off as well, but Robin tells her to wait. Then she proceeds to angrily tear into Nyssa for the latter’s actions, as well as a good portion of blame for the Fall of Knothole.
  Robin: Back on that ship to Silva, I told you I'd be there for you. Where were you when it was the other way around? Hanging with your mom while mine got murdered. I thought you were my friend, Nyssa. My best friend.
  Nyssa: I am yo—
  Robin: No. Just— just don't, okay?! I don't want to hear your... your excuses. It finally hit me that you stopped being my friend when you left. You lost the right to call yourself that when you left the three of us to die on Silva to that monster!
  • And the concluding lines hammer it home:
    Robin: Just because you came back doesn't mean we're friends again.
    Nyssa: Robin, please let me try to—
    Robin: Do what you like, Nyssa. You always do. All that running away..? I guess you get it from your dad.

Arc 3: From Ashes

• The rift between Nyssa and Robin from Arc 2 is still there, with Nyssa wanting to make up with Robin but still clearly affected by their last interaction; and Robin either making snide remarks about what Nyssa missed or ignoring her in conversation. At one point, Irving decides to turn down an invitation to a team party so that he can keep Nyssa company, since he can tell this conflict will only darken the mood.