LOTM: Sword of Kings/Heartwarming

"I was glad you did not pretend to be a saint and claim to love the world despite everything. That is why I decided that I would be your true friend. I would accept your sorrow. And I would share my joy. If you strayed I would reprimand you. If you made mistakes, I would forgive you. And when you found yourself in trouble, I would be there for you. So that you who learn to hate the world, would come to love it once more. And... Katarina... I'm glad for being alive."

- Imperia Deamonne's speech at the end of LOTM: Sword of Kings AA 2nd Season - A Place to Return



In a Crapsack World full of endless darkness, tragedies and cruelty, there are few moments that approach the Tearjerking moments. Some may even happen between enemies whom are mostly forced to fight against each other due to the machinations of greater evils.

In this world where nothing but bad things happens, these moments are almost rare as gold and can only be found in very hidden moments. However, they appear, showing there is still hope, they are forever remembered. Being a stoy with unstable characters, endless wars, brutal crimes, and mind screwing imagery/plots, it's often hard to believe that LOTM: Sword of Kings has moments like these.

LOTM: Sword of Kings

 * Katarina Couteau convinces Tohka Yatogami to stay in this world, saying that even if everyone else rejected her, she would still continue to accept her.
 * The entire cast congratulating Katarina for her self-realization and breaking out of Ara Astaroth's control.
 * The sibling rationship Katarina and Imperia Deamonne have is this. The first place that La Folia Rihavein met Katarina held a special place in their heart that she wanted to see it again before going to fight Mina Harker and the Purge in a final battle to save Earth.
 * Eugen Katsuragi's soul fragment left in Vira Hermes. First of, there's the fact that Eugen was fully aware that she didn't have long to live until Vira took over her body again, and decided to spend her last moments with Katarina. In Japanese's culture, it was said that, the higher the wish was tied to a tree, the more likely it would be to come true. After Vira recovered her senses and returned to life, putting an end to Eugen's last fragment of soul inside of her, Katarina read the wish of Eugen she wrote in a paper, she went out of her way to tie it on top of the tallest bamboo tree. What was that wish? To be able to meet Katarina again.... someday.
 * Sure Eckidina KnightWalker is a heartless bitch, but in her dying breath, she admits that her friendship La Folia Rihavein in the past is genuine despite being differences. Showing that no matter how vile she was, she was still a human who could love and hate.
 * While Black Hanekawa admits she was initially angry about Tomas unsealing her emotions, his act of saving her as they both faced possible death from the atmospheric entry caused by the Black Demons made her fall in love with him. Although she attempted to monopolize Tomas' affection to a verily possessive degree at first, she's genuinely distraught at accidentally blowing his arm, showcasing that she never wanted to harm him. She's just too innocent to fully understand the consequences of her actions.
 * The loyalty between the heroes. Lucas Kellan is dedicated to protecting Tomas and both Katarina and Shigure want to help, feeling that Tomas' transformation into a Black Demon are their problem as well.
 * Jeanne laying her coat over Darth Hades' body show that she still has emotions as well.
 * Nami Feuer refusing to shoot a child because he is her target and a criminal. It turns out she is kicked out of FBI's agency for letting him escape.
 * In the last shot we have Atala at gunpoint by brainwashed soldiers of Cult of Scathach. We then see her former enemy, Kamina, running to her defense and even putting himself between Atala and the soldiers. Then we have Natsuki Minamiya saving the both of them as she jokes about Atala's luck for having someone special like Azul Jissele.
 * Tamae Okamine's dedication to giving the 77th class a happy school year at Raizen High School. As La Folia stated, the Raizens don't really need to go class but can focus exclusively on their course instead. But Tamae wanted them to attend, feeling that this will allow them to become friends and have a happier life.
 * The title of the episode - A Place to Return, making a hint that even if Imperia is a clone of the original La Folia Rihavein and was created to be disposed at some point, she still a living being and can return to a place she call "home".
 * The sprout that grew from the ashes of Kyouko Kirigiri's body after her death on Prime Earth grew up into a huge Sakura tree that survives the ages and became a beacon which beckoned the souls of Sonia Nevermind and Kyouko back to Earth. It subsequently became the place where their reincarnated selves would be reunited, this time, peacefully.
 * Cavalo de Troia meeting with his long-lost younger sibling in afterlife following his release from Eckidina's mind control.
 * Rick Flagg's refusal to flee his command centre when the KnightWalker Family's invasion begins on Tokyo. He admits to being an incompetent who only got his position because he was born into it, but he refuses to abandon that position because it is his duty to remain at it.
 * Some members of the Rogues are having an emergency strategic meeting on how to save Argentina, where one points out their last contact with Argentina is Richard Sampson's last broadcast. Kotori shows some grief, saying that Richard may be the butt of jokes and a coward, but he's still a dear friend who in the end could stand against the brutallity of STAR LABS of United States of America.
 * Mana's parents staying behind to protect Mana and her brother from Skull Face while her planet is invaded by Aryana Westcott. While her capsule leaves the planet, she sees her parents being killed by Skull Face in that cave.
 * After Aki Honda kills Eugen Katsuragi and Katarina's ExKrieg powers were unleashed, Eugen tries to reach for Katarina' memories again only to find that all she can see are Eugen's. A later scene with Misogi makes it very clear that despite her death at Aki's hands, she still exists in some form inside of Katarina, and she's protecting her from Aki Honda's memory changer powers.
 * Celica Arfonia's return to the Multi-Universe. How he ignores her enemies to greet the Alliance of Freedom first. Then her tender interaction with Oriax Wheelahr, patting her head and proudly calling out her name for being able to fight against the Blackness inside of her.
 * Sonia Nevermind's last words:
 * "I'm being stained in black again... No... This is... The blue sky... It's so beautiful... I see, I always looked down, that was I never noticed how beautiful is the world that was helping to destroy."
 * Demonio dying in agony after Diabla the Qliphoth Tyrant backstab him after he served and loved her for decades.
 * "You've gotta be joking... I can't die here. I need the throne, so I can change this boring world! Crap, I can't... In a place like this... I was supposed to..."
 * After the brutal battle just minutes earlier, the general peacefulness of Roland Cox's death is both heartwarming and a major Tear Jerker. He dies hearing the voices of his children speaking and laughing on a warm summer day at the orphanage in Rome hundreds years ago before Ara Astaroth corrupted them, possibly implying that Roland Cox has been accepted into Paradise despite her I Did What I Had to Do deeds. In a gesture of respect, Acqua of the Back puts his sword amongst the scattered bayonets to form a cross over Roland's body while everyone else around him, including the children he helped to rise during his time as a human (now members of Iscariot Section XIII, Imperia Deamonne, and Vento of the Front, are openly grieving his death. If there was ever a Worthy Opponent from Leohart's Cult and Rival the heroes respected, it was Roland Cox.
 * After their interrupted fight in the museum between Juria KnightWalker and Ryuunosuke Uryuu, Uyuu gives a genuine and warm smile at the notion of bringing some children from the KnightWalker orphanage to see the museum so they can enjoy it.
 * Felisa Arzonia realizing what a fool she was for betraying her family and friends, and redeeming herself by returning to Phenex Airship and killing Symmone before she could unleash Kaitlyn Powell's sin over the world, the Nosferatus who was the template for all of Eclipse of Hermes's magicians, before dying with a smile on her face at having finally attained peace but regretted for nothing giving her last words to Maria.
 * Leohart the Prince of Hell's When He Smiles moment while he's sleeping. Katarina even notes that he looks like a little boy imagining the fun he's going to have tomorrow.
 * An emotionally wrung-out Azul Jissele gets a comforting hug from Atala and reunites with her friends, returning with them to Fraxinus before saying she is home.
 * The fact that Katarina's father, Iruka Couteau, is alive! We didn't get to see the reunion but just her being alive and the thought of him and Katarina being together again is heartwarming in of itself.
 * Temido taking all the blame caused by Tomas Sev's rampage as a Black Demon against the Holy Eye of Order, thus saving the Rogues from being hunted down as international terrorists.
 * The first person that Revy meets before eventually confronting Scathach turns out to be her sister's dead body. Apparently she still remembered all her encouraging lines before she became a Zoyiniean-Black Demon, and seemingly has forgiven how she became a pawn of Kureto Hīragi by force, participated in driving the entire Tokyo to death and plunging her friends to insanity.
 * Seeing Darth Nihilus care for a young Kali is painfully sweet. He finally realised the depth of his feelings for her, doesn't care about her appearance and just wants to be there for her. He even confesses and... everything goes downhill from then on. To add insult to injury, while Kali wants to see her "creator", she either doesn't realize it's most likely Nihilus himself that met her when they were both kids, or she lost hope he'll remember her at all.
 * When knocked out during a mission, Ghirahim starts to remember his past more, and starts recalling his Forgotten First Meeting with Towa. When he regains consciousness, he asks an out of control Towa if she was the girl with the picture book, referencing the past where he tried to escape the Sith Garnde with her. In her possession was a fairy tale book of a demon girl who gave up her wings to become human and live with a prince she fell in love with. They were unfortunately captured, and some of Ghirahim's memories were erased as punishment by Darth Hades (rising his status as one of the most evil bastards ever) while Towa was brutally tortured and used in Japanese-like human experiments fo years until she was sold to Deus.Ex.Machina Industries Empire as a slave. But Towa was happy with the time she spent with him, and like the fairy tale girl, wanted to become human to be with Ghirahim. She has a shocked expression, but immediately starts calming down when he asks her the question.
 * Towa's reaction to her very first taste of candy was absolutely precious.
 * Ghira's promise of marriage. Aka, the entire reason Towa strives so vehemently to become human by serving then Fallen's Essence loyalty.. If they marry, he'll become her husband and they can flee from the Zoyineian-Sith Empire.
 * The scene where young Towa bites Ghira's hand after he stopped her from eating a mouse. He doesn't hit her or yell at her, he just pets her until she lets go of his hand.
 * "This is the story of a tragic Sith and an alien monster. This a story forgotten... and a story of reunion.
 * One of the Sith actually attempting to truly bond with Towa by giving her a gift in the form of a picture book.
 * Borders on Tear Jerker but the bond between Elesis and Matarina before all of... that happened shows how much they care about one another. It's nice to see them be openly affectionate, with Elesis trying to have Katarina relax and act their age and Katarina being protective of Elesis, both before and after the Rise of Qliphoth era.
 * Diabla the Qliphoth Tyrant's final moments is one as well. Even though she was about to die, she knew she was going to meet with Demonio again in Afterlife. And they do in the epilogue in which they are reunited as kids as Eckidina and Misogi Kumagawa.
 * The prayer chain the Rogues start back on Earth to send strength to Imperia Deamonne, who's being consumed by the Blackness while she fights Red Moon Tyrant. She hears them talk about how hard they're working, how she taught them what living means, and tells her she's the one that changed everything from the beginning with her sarcasm and jokes that broke the ice between the members.
 * Mana's younger brother pasted Mana Takamiya's ridiculously bad drawing on the inside of the back cover of the picture book and wrote one sentence on it: "My beloved sis."
 * The Impact Zone return to Earth and fuse with it, bringing life back to the Earth and changing the timeline to the current LOTM: Witnesses of Sleepy Hollow - Death Arc where Kaitlyn continued sealed inside of it forever until the end of the world 5 billion years after. In return, the events of La Gloton's case and Period of Tribulations continued its course.
 * Katya's last wishes for the Witch Cult. That they become the new models of magicians for all future generations.
 * We get to see how deep and developed Maria and Imperia bond has become following the total defeat of Ara Astaroth, so almost an pisode qualifies as heartwarming.
 * Even though they live apart, Asuha's father and brother never stopped thinking of the Asuha Chigusa, sending her new running shoes on a regular basis and contacting her whenever they can. When the Purge begins, Asuha returns to her house with Asuna just so she could erase their memories of her existence to prevent the STAR LABS from going after them for being familiar with someone related to Ratatoskr.
 * There's a rather astounding moment that stands out even for this story as a whole, and the most beautiful and humanitarian one that takes all misanthropic characters of CIS Productions and throw their beliefs in the trash. After Mina outs Imperia to the world and she escapes from STAR LABS in her demonic fom, she witnesses a group of humans being stoned by an angry mob. Imperia flies down to try and stop the people from being killed and reason with the mob. The people refuse to believe Imperia no matter how much she pleads and start throwing whatever they can at her. Imperia stretches out her arms to shield the innocent people behind her, asking why they hate and kill each other in an anguished voice, and by then Imperia is in tears. The mob jeers and mocks her for crying and continue their assault, but Imperia refuses to yield. She stands her ground and takes the punishment, still silently weeping. But then, starting with some children, the mob soon dies down in its hatred. For the briefest of moments, humanity ceased being a hateful race and species and showed love and compassion instead, which for a story like LOTM: Sword of Kings is AMAZING. People like Carl Robinson, Kaitlyn Powell and Scathach should have been there to feel shame.
 * Sephiria Arks KnightWalker, despite having lost most of her idealism, actually tries to convince the Horsemen of Apocalypse from KnightWalker Family to leave peacefully, and live out the rest of their lives. She does so using the exact same words her father once used to attempt to diffuse a hostile situation with some bandits. But it's too bad that Sephiria still has to dispose of her attackers by any means necessary.
 * A minor one during the the Revelation of Qliphoth's training of humans, when a young boy tries to help Yuri Barnes up after she falls off and hangs from a platform. It's a small sign that there is some inherent compassion and familial bond in them, even though the rest of the cult is doing everything they can to stomp it out of them, as evidenced when their demonic teacher stops him to use the situation as an opportunity to teach them never to help the weak.
 * Although Maria has forsaken the idea of never taking a human life, she immediately realizes that her mother Felisa Arzonia is merely a brainwashed pawn of both Astaroth and Kaitlyn. Believing she can be redeemed, Maria repeatedly saves her life while they're inside the monster; despite her constant rejection of her heroism, and she repeatedly tries to kill her own daughter, and she gets called out on her unnecessary mercy by her hallucinations.
 * Gaius thanking the dragon that saved his life from the Knights of Astaroth.
 * The hope that appears on the a citizen when he realizes who he's talking to. Deesk might have lost faith in himself, but he'll always be a hero to others.
 * Mash happening upon the human children and finding out they're alive after being freed of Vira Hermes' mind control. This is probably the first time in her life that she's genuinely proud of something she's done.
 * Cassie Cage says she wouldn't have anyone else but Tomas as her partner. Sure, they argue a lot, but he cherishes their bond and thinks about his safety the most.
 * Lucy Sheev KnightWalker comforting Toshiro Hitsugaya with her speech about promises. To put it simply: she restores his faith in others.
 * The Purge still the most shocking, heartwarming and tearjerking event in the entire CIS Productions that put humanity's nature in questions. Asuha Chigusa reaching out to social media, telling the world at large that the Imperia she knows is one of the kindest people she ever met despite her violent temper. Most of the replies are hate mail, ranging from questions as to whether she is sane to straight-up death threats, from all over the world in every conceivable language. Then, little by little, comments of support come trickling in, with many going as far as to say "I am a Black Demon". Whether these are actual Etherions or humans whose hearts had not grown hard is not known, but the show of solidarity is nonetheless inspiring.
 * An entire army of Etheorions gather and pledge their support to Imperia, touched by Asuha's message. They know that they'll die in the battle against Mina Harker and Red Moon Tyrant — and they don't end up winning — but they're still prepared to defend humanity to the end.
 * Isis Maxwell and Katya's tense hostility for the former being a Meta-Human, a human born from magical experiments using actual magicians to acquire their powers. But it turns out the two got along as the two become what they are now due to tragic circumstances.
 * In the Darkest Hour, when Diabla disables all heroes known of CIS Productions so far, with Katarina being the final warrior still standing, the remains of humanity cries out as one in support for their champion and subconsciously sends their energy to Katarina's sword. Katarina absorbs the Spirit Bomb and channels its energy into his sword. Now wielding a radiant blade literally burning with the majestic light of Hope itself, Katarina fearlessly charges Diabla and cleft the mad devil in twain. All this occurs to the backdrop of the heart stirring and uplifting Angelic musical.
 * Kyouhei Kannazuki holding up the helicopter to prevent it from crushing Killer Frost, at the expense of having severely wounded. Even though it turns out that this act of love and loyalty was the result of several years of friendship.
 * Revan and Yūichirō Hyakuya's friendship. As much as Yuuchiro hates Revan, he doesn't hold anything against his former self before Darth Hades' corruption.
 * Atala's entire arc is a combination of this and Tear Jerker, especially when Atala thanks for restoring her faith in KnightWalker Cyborgs who are formerly humans and are not purely evil like their superiors, and when Azul shows her just how far she's willing to go in order to save her life.
 * "You don't die for your friends... you live for them."