Tear Jerker / Down to Dust

• Cheque's death in Chapter 2. The poor kid was busy listening to music while waiting for Socorro, so he couldn't hear the truck that ultimately ended his life.
• Any moment Héctor has flashbacks of his happy childhood with Ernesto. Heck, any mention of "The Heaven and Earth Series" in general.
• When the clerk of the Department of Family Reunions points out that physical ailments in the land of the living don't cross over into the land of the dead, and therefore that Cheque, who had always claimed his mutism was a result of a botched surgery, must be not unable but rather unwilling to speak now. Cheque is forced to talk in order to give Socorro the blessing, which (given that his condition is actually a result of psychological trauma, which doesn't go away after death) ends with him hyperventilating and running away.
• Héctor lamenting how he couldn't be part of Coco's life as she grew up. Case in point, he still treats her like a little girl and can't get used to the fact Julio is her husband, treating him as if he were her boyfriend. Not that Coco minds, but it's heartbreaking to see how much Héctor missed because of Ernesto's ambition.
• The reveal of why Cheque is mute. His mother overdosed on drugs while her abusive dealer forced him into a closet while he dealt with his mother. He even threatened to kill Cheque if he didn't comply or made any noise. No wonder the poor kid doesn't want to talk.
• Chapter 11, "The Crumbling Lie". Can we go on record and call this the saddest chapter to date? No? Well, let us count the ways this chapter will turn on the waterworks:
  • After several episodes of misunderstandings and running away, Cheque finds out how little time Socorro has left because he ran away (and that the vagabond he'd been developing a friendship with was the infamous murderer Ernesto de la Cruz), and starts desperately trying to force himself to speak the blessing, to the point of almost hyperventilating. He fails.
  • Héctor's confrontation with Ernesto. All of it. To summarize, After Ernesto lets Cheque go, Héctor tries to pacify him and convince him to give Socorro the blessing she needs to return to the land of the living. It's only after Ernesto refuses and calls Héctor selfish for abandoning him to return to his family that Héctor snaps and finally calls him out on his behavior and how he ruined his life just so he could be famous.
    Héctor: You betrayed me! Not the other way around! Get it through your skull! You were like a brother to me, and you killed me!
  • Ernesto's reason for killing Héctor in the past. Because he decided to stand up to Ernesto (A far cry from the meek child from "The Heaven and Earth Series") for once and put his own wishes (to return with Imelda and Coco) instead of what Ernesto wants for him (to continuing being a musical duo). Ernesto considered this a horribly cruel act of betrayal that Héctor had to be killed for. And he still is convinced that it was Héctor's fault.
  • During the whole exchange, Ernesto refuses to listen, insisting that it was Héctor's fault for leaving him. It's only after Héctor breaks down and reveals he always had faith in Ernesto and believed he could be fine on his own, that Ernesto starts feeling regret for all he's done. It's soul-crushingly depressing, since canonically Ernesto genuinely believed he needed Héctor's songs to succeed as a musician, hinting at how he isn't confident on his own talents. The moment Héctor tells Ernesto that he had faith in him all along and that he was better than he thought he was is the moment Ernesto finally breaks, realizing that Héctor's murder was entirely pointless.
    I could have kept writing songs for you! I could have left you the songbook if you’d asked, and written more! You only had to ask and I would have done all I could to help!” Héctor choked out, and oh God, his voice was shaking now, his grasp on the collar of Ernesto’s coat beginning to slacken. “I thought you could do it on your own. I was sure you could, I believed it even when you did not. So what if songwriting was not your strong point? You could sing, you could play, you were born to perform. You had everything going for you, and I...I wanted to see you succeed more than anyone else.
  • When Ernesto realizes that Héctor knew all along that he was hiding in Shantytown, but stayed silent out of pity for his former friend.
  • Héctor making Ernesto realize that because of his selfishness, everyone had to suffer for so long. He was on his own in the land of the dead for over 90 years without seeing his family, Imelda had to hold a family together on her own and Coco had to grow up without a father. All because Ernesto felt abandoned by Héctor and decided he should die for it. And even after so long, Ernesto still believes he did the right thing.
• Chapter 12, "The Grudging Blessing":
  • Coco's words to Ernesto regarding her father's death.
    Ernesto: I never told you he was dead. How long did you wait for him to return?
    Coco: My entire life.
  • Everything about Maricruz del Rio, Ernesto's illegitimate daughter. He never found out about her existence, as Mariquita was convinced he'll choose his musical career over her. After giving birth to Maricruz, Mariquita left her in a church, as she was a bastard child. She died young after giving birth and vanished in the land of the death after a few years, never knowing about her parents.
  • Coco telling Ernesto that if he wants to redeem himself for killing Héctor, he must give Socorro the blessing she needs to go home.
    Coco: You never let my papá come home. [...] I won’t ask how could you do such a thing. That cannot be changed either way. But if you were ever his friend at all, let her go home now.
  • Socorro's tearful goodbye to Cheque, before she returns to the land of the living. Especially sad because she realizes that she will continue her life and grow up, while Cheque is condemned to stay as a child forever in the land of the dead.
  • "They’ll look after him. He’ll be okay. I can go."
• Chapter 13, "The Loose Ends":
  • After Miguel and Socorro return to the land of the living, she vows to make Cheque be remembered forever. She decides to tell his foster parents about his fate and to convince the school to make a plaque so that no one ever forgets him.
  • Héctor sadly lampshading that Cheque and Socorro's friendship is similar to his own friendship with Ernesto before things went sour.
  • Imelda admitting that despite her fierce and passionate personality, she too feels afraid and pressured when things go chaotic and how everyone expects her to fix everything. Case in point, Oscar and Felipe died in an experiment gone wrong months after she died, because she wasn't there to supervise them.
  • Héctor finally admitting to Imelda why he never told anyone that Ernesto was hiding in Shantytown until it was too late.
    Héctor: I guess I pitied him. I know I shouldn’t, after all he did - to me, to you, to Miguel, to Coco. I was knocked down so many times and one would think I’d have been satisfied to see him in my place, but… it was just sad. To look at him and think, this was my best friend. Like Cheque and Socorro, you have seen them - we were that close, before I even knew you.
  • "The World Es Mi Familia. It used to be one of your favorites. I had written it for you."
  • Confronting Ernesto one last time, Héctor asks him if he ever felt guilt or anything at all for murdering him in the past. Ernesto, having deluded himself for years that it was Héctor's fault for abandoning him in the first place, doesn't know what to say.
    Héctor: ... Were you ever sorry at all?
    Ernesto: I sure am sorry now, since it got me in this dump, but I’m guessing that's not what you mean [...] Before, I was... sorry it had to come to it. I never wanted to do it.
    Héctor: (Oh no, not that again) It didn’t have to come to—
    Ernesto: I am aware [...] I don’t know.
    Héctor: You don’t know.
    Ernesto: It’s the only honest answer I can give you at this point. Take it or leave it.
    And Héctor did take it, because it was better than a ‘no’ and certainly more sincere than a ‘yes’ would have been. He nodded. “I understand,” he said.
• Chapter 15, "The Tenth Year". All of it.
  • Cheque and Héctor realization that Ernesto hasn't returned home after Dia de Muertos. The poor boy is lamenting that he didn't notice sooner about Ernesto's suicidal tendencies while Héctor silently blames himself for dropping all charges against him, believing that he should have let Ernesto be imprisoned, because that way he wouldn't have tried to throw himself from the bridge.
  • Héctor finding Ernesto after his suicide attempt. More so after they do their childhood password.
    “Coyote in the den?” “The coyote is asleep,”
  • Héctor remembering that the day Ernesto arrived to the land of the death, he already knew that Ernesto has stolen his songs and credit, but still wanted to see his best friend and waited for him to sought him. He never came.
    He still remembered the sinking feeling when Ernesto had died as well and had not, even once, sought him. Héctor had known by then that he’d taken credit for his songs, but as year after year passed he’d held onto the hope that it might be a misunderstanding, something Ernesto could and would clear up once in the Land of the Dead. The fact he’d never tried to see him once had dashed that hope, and felt like a betrayal. He hadn’t known, then, that he’d already betrayed him the worst way.
  • Cheque fondly reminiscing about his mother, who's still in the living world and unaware that her son has died two years ago.
  • Ernesto finally giving a proper answer to Héctor after the latter asked him in Chapter 13 if he ever felt sorry or anything at all for murdering him in the past. Of course, Ernesto being Ernesto, makes a vague yet sincere apology before closing the door on him. After realizing that Ernesto had finally apologized for murdering him in the past (in his own awkward way) Héctor just stands there, smiling sadly.
    Ernesto: Héctor?
    They had turned, and Ernesto had looked away after a moment, his features twisting in an expression that said, loud and clear, that he’d regretted calling out. Still he’d spoken again, though it made little sense to Ezequiel.
    Ernesto: ...Yes.
    Héctor: Yes what?
    Ernesto: You asked a question last year. If you forgot, that’s your problem. The answer is yes. If it’s worth anything.
    Ernesto had muttered, gaze low, and had stepped back inside before Héctor could answer, slamming the door shut. Héctor had stared at it for a few moments, blinking, before he’d given a wistful smile.
    Héctor: It is...
  • Héctor sadly lampshades that Ernesto ended up like his father (Esteban de la Cruz, from The Heaven and Earth Series). Both became depressed alcoholics plagued with regret and guilt that will haunt them forever. Even though Héctor has forgiven Ernesto, Ernesto can't forgive himself.
• The alternate ending. Ernesto, tired of all, decides to commit suicide by not crossing the bridge after Dia de Muertos. However, he's stopped by Cheque. Despite Ernesto's protests, Cheque decides that You Are Worth Hell and decides to vanish alongside him. Fortunately they're saved by Pepita and the Riveras just in time. However, the Riveras (except Héctor) misunderstood the situation and believe Ernesto tried to kill Cheque. Just as they come closer to get him, Ernesto throws himself from the bridge again, without Cheque to stop him. Fortunately The Stinger reveals he survives and a concerned Cheque visits him at the hospital.

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