Tear Jerker / Transformers: Cybertron

• Hot Shot, Scattershot, and Red Alert's Near-Death Experience in episode 27 "Critical". Thank goodness those three recovered... with interest.
• The ending of episode 47, Guardian". Oh, boy...Vector Prime disappearing after reversing time to let the Autobots fight Galvatron after the space bridge at Gigantion was destroyed.
  • What really hammers it home is Bud, the youngest of the kids being so deep in denial and grief that he couldn't even comprehend why everyone else was crying their eyes out at first, and then he completely breaks down too.
  • Sometime later, when the team returns to Earth, and they visit the old base, Safeguard, Vector Prime's mini-con partner, looks up at the launchpad and imagines his old friend taking off.
  • Then there's one of the final scenes of the series, where the spirit of Vector Prime appears before Optimus Prime and company with a gentle smile to see them off on their journey throughout the universe as he watches from beyond the realm of time and space.
  • Correlating to the above, Vector Prime lamenting the violent and transient nature of life in one of his most poignant moments.
• During the Autobots and Decepticons battle on Cybertron the kids and Minicons were captured by Sideways and taken to the Atlantis, Coby, Lori and Six Speed manage to escape, but Bud, Jolt and Reverb don't. Coby's desperation to save his brother after this is really heartrending.
  • As part of it, Coby and Lori have to reveal what's going on to their parents, who do not believe them. It culminates in Coby having to reveal what happened to Bud to his mother and father. At the end while they are proud it is clear the parents are worried about their children.

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