Tear Jerker / Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015)

• From "Even Robots Have Nightmares", we see what the team fears the most in the form of nightmares. Some of which are not only frightening, but heartbreaking as well. Bumblebee, Sideswipe and Fixit's nightmares are probably the worst.
• In "Deep Trouble", Grimlock gets hurt during a training exercise. After everyone has been gushing over how he's the "muscle" of the team, and feeling he can't let them down. He does his best to hide the injury from everybody. It's sad watching the lovable Dinobot in pain, unable to fight off the Decepticon ships' various security measures.
• Strongarm coming down on herself hard for endangering civilians in "Suspended".
• In "Graduation Exercises", while trying to prove that they can work effectively without him. Slipstream and Jetstorm accidentally get Drift badly injured as he throws the pair out of danger, taking a bad hit to the leg in the process. Even though RID Drift is seen as divisive by some. It's still terrible watching him as he struggles to move with his injures.
• From "Decepticon Island, Part 2", Steeljaw, of all people, when his legs get trapped by Bumblebee. He screams in frustration trying to get away from the cryo bomb, and his futile attempts at clawing his way out only seems to make it worse, judging by his panic. Maybe it isn't something that should bring out tears, but it certainly can make you cringe in a little sympathy.
• The new Minicon characters of Season 3, who're stuck with violent criminals called the Scavengers because they're running away from something, and these were the only bots they could find to help them. It's shown multiple times they don't want to cause actual harm, and a few are clearly afraid of the Scavengers. Then we find out they're ex-test subjects from Shockwave's lab, and the one they're running from is Starscream. That they're small and cutely designed doesn't hurt in gaining sympathy.
  • Also, Starscream explains how he survived at the end of the Predacons Rising movie. Sadly Skylynx and Darksteel are apparently dead. Starscream explains that while chasing him, he inadvertently activated a trap that caused an explosion that they got caught in. Admittedly they were never very fleshed out characters, but it's still a bit heart-wrenching.
  • The "Activator" Mini-Cons introduced a few episodes later as Soundwave's "allies" have it even worse. As it's revealed that unlike the Mini-Cons who chose to work with the Scavengers, albeit reluctantly. Hi-Test and his group were reprogrammed against their will. With Hi-Test apparently being the only one with enough willpower to free himself.
• In "History Lessons", Bumblebee first takes his team to a human military base, Hanger E. Then he takes them on a tour, of what was left of the of the silo the Autobots had been using as a base when they first arrived on earth. While Bumblebee speaks highly of the place. It's still a bit sad to see no one ever even attempted to restore the original Autobot base.
• In "Guilty As Charged", Strongarm reunites with an old academy friend of hers called Nightra. Sadly, not only was Nightra actually a selfish, lying, thieving troublemaker at the academy. It turns she sought Strongarm on Earth, not to make amends. But to use her former friend against the bounty hunter who was perusing her.
  • The Mini Con who failed to retrieve Strongarm's Decepticon Hunter. It's clear the little guy is terrified as he flees Soundwave.
  Soundwave: The others brought me Decepticon Hunters, within the allotted timeframe. You alone have failed your objective. Your continued existence risks exposure of my plan. You will return to me. (clearly frightened, the Mini Con decides to run for it) Do not flee! You will be terminated at the earliest opportunity!
• From "The Golden Knight", while far from likeable, there's something rather sad about Flamesnort trying to commit suicide after Bumblebee leads him to believe he's about to be overrun by an Autobot armada.
  Flamesnort: I have failed to repel the enemy, and the island will soon be captured. As such, I am initiating Plan Omega. All Hail Megatron.
• In "Enemy of My Enemy", we learn that the Autobot High Council has blacklisted not only our heroes, but the casts of Prime and Rescue Bots, along with several incarnations of characters from the original series. Dude, Where's My Respect?
• Drift's expression in "Out of the Shadows", when he's forced to watch as Shadow Raker's ship flies off with Jetstorm and Slipstream on-board. You can tell he's really worried about them.