Top 20 Saddest Cartoon Movie Moments Ever

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Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 20 saddest cartoon movie moments.

For this list, we’ll be looking at some of the most emotionally devastating scenes from animated movies. Since we’ll be diving into plot points, beware of spoilers ahead.

Which scene made you weep the hardest? Let us know in the comments below!

#20: Tadashi’s Video
“Big Hero 6” (2014)
At the beginning of “Big Hero 6,” Tadashi runs inside a burning school to save Professor Callaghan and is killed in the process. Even though we’re used to seeing family members die in Disney movies, this scene is particularly devastating because we spend so much time with him. The only thing sadder than his death is the series of videos he left behind with his robot Baymax. In an attempt to cheer up Tadashi’s brother Hiro, the artificial being shows footage of the late inventor’s tests. We get as many tears in our eyes as Hiro does as the scene goes on. But it’s the hopeful message that Tadashi gets across that really starts the waterworks.

#19: Charlotte’s Babies
“Charlotte's Web” (1973)
E B. White’s classic story has an infamously depressing conclusion. For most of the tale, it serves as a sweet rumination on friendship between the pig Wilbur and spider Charlotte. But it also deals with death and the passing of time. The 1973 film remains faithful to the book by having Charlotte die before Wilbur takes her egg sac. While Charlotte’s death is obviously upsetting, it helps that she faces it with strength and dignity. But the saddest part comes after her passing. In the end, most of her babies flee the farm and leave Wilbur in despair. The sight itself is upsetting enough. But Wilbur’s gutted reaction makes it all the more heartbreaking.

#18: The Barracuda Attack
“Finding Nemo” (2003)
Pixar really knows how to push those emotional buttons. “Finding Nemo '' immediately made us feel emotional by beginning with a horrifying family tragedy. At first, clownfish Marlin and Coral are living a happy life in the Great Barrier Reef. But their peace is shattered by a sudden barracuda attack. When Coral tries to save the kids, the big fish strikes with alarming speed and knocks Marlin out. By the time he comes to, he’s lost his wife and most of his children in the attack. Only his son Nemo survived the brush with death. After this tragedy, Marlin becomes an overprotective father that can’t bear to see his son in any danger whatsoever. We definitely understand why the traumatized dad was so concerned about Nemo.

#17: Seeing Rameses For the Last Time
“The Prince of Egypt” (1998)
An often overlooked Dreamworks film, “The Prince of Egypt” adapts the Book of Exodus to tell the story of Moses. During the film, he is set to warn his brother Rameses that ten plagues will befall Egypt if the Jewish people aren’t set free. But the foreboding words fall on deaf ears. When the final plague arrives to take the lives of firstborn children, Rameses loses his son. The scene where Moses visits his grieving brother is devastating. Rameses is so broken and dejected that he lets the Jewish people go without a fight. Thanks to an incredible performance from Ralph Fiennes as Rameses, we feel every bit of the character’s pain. It’s no wonder Moses broke down right after this meeting.

#16: WALL-E Shuts Down
“WALL-E” (2008)
If this story didn’t have a happy ending, it would almost be too much to bear. While trying to get humanity to earth, WALL-E is crushed by the Holo-Detector device. EVE is quick to repair his ruined body as soon as they return to Earth. While she’s successful in repairing him physically, he’s clearly changed. WALL-E shows that he’s a literal shell of his former self by continuing to work without reacting to any of his friends. During this brutally sad sequence, EVE desperately attempts to make him remember while he vacantly looks right past her. It’s not until she gives into despair that a spark restores his memory. Although he’s alright in the end, we still nearly drowned in our tears.

#15: Tala’s Spirit Returns
“Moana” (2016)
Disney protagonists often need a big final push. In “Moana,” Grandma Tala is the person that helps the heroine at a crucial moment. Early on in the film, Tala passes away. This sad event pushes Moana to finally leave her island home to try and save everyone. Unfortunately, a series of setbacks cause the heroine to lose all hope. But before she can head back home, Tala’s spirit arrives and gives Moana the motivation that she needs to carry on. It’s a touching scene that inspires confidence in the viewer and reminds them that lost loved ones are never truly gone. Sometimes, the memory of a loved one is all we need to lift ourselves out of the dumps.

#14: Stitch Is Lost
“Lilo & Stitch” (2002)
“Lilo & Stitch” earned high praise for its themes about family. Throughout the story, Nani struggles to keep custody of her little sister Lilo. But after Stitch endangers Lilo’s life at a bad moment, a social worker says the two sisters will be separated. Watching the two siblings say goodbye to each other is heartbreaking enough. Stitch somehow makes the moment even sadder when he grabs a copy of “The Ugly Duckling” and runs off into the forest. Once he’s fully isolated, he states that he is “lost”. The fact that his statement works on a physical and metaphorical level breaks our hearts into a million pieces. Will someone please give that blue alien a hug for us?

#13: Kubo's Mother
“Kubo and the Two Strings” (2016)
This brilliant film from Laika opens in agonizing fashion. We learn that Kubo’s mother is dying and his father is missing. On top of everything else, he’s missing an eye because it was taken from him by his own grandfather. Although Kubo’s already had a hard life, things manage to get even worse for him. He eventually finds himself being attacked by the evil sisters. Just as he’s about to be slain, his sick mother arrives and sacrifices herself to keep Kubo safe. The image of him desperately trying to hold his mother’s hair is just painful. It’s difficult to see Kubo go through yet another hardship before his journey truly begins.

#12: The Death of Optimus Prime
“The Transformers: The Movie” (1986)
The “Transformers” movie shocked audiences in 1986 by being far darker than people were expecting. Anyone who’s seen the film can’t forget about the death of Optimus Prime. He was the big hero Transformer that everyone came to see kick butt and take names. However, he is fatally wounded in a fight with Megatron and dies within half an hour of the story. Neither children nor their parents could believe what they were seeing. Understandably, his end greatly upset some of the younger viewers. All ‘80s kids remember the grief and misery that they experienced upon seeing this for the first time.

#11: “Baby Mine”
“Dumbo” (1941)
Earning an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song, “Baby Mine” is one of the finest Disney songs in their long canon. Not only is it impeccably composed and written, but it works spectacularly within the context of the film. While imprisoned, Mrs. Jumbo cradles young Dumbo and sings him a lullaby through the bars. We are also given brief glimpses of other animals cuddling their young ones as she sings. Our hearts really go out to Mrs. Jumbo throughout this somber number. As the song goes on, all she can do is comfort her child and show him love from a distance. Following this scene, they reluctantly wave goodbye with their trunks. It’s an image that is sure to destroy any viewer.

#10: Stoick Is Killed by Toothless
“How to Train Your Dragon 2” (2014)
There’s no denying that “How to Train Your Dragon 2” isn’t afraid to include traumatic sequences. During the story, the villainous Drago hypnotizes the dragon Toothless. The antagonist then orders the creature to kill his partner Hiccup. But at the last moment, Stoick pushes his son out of the way and takes the full force of Toothless’s attack. This heroic act costs the dad his life. Stoick’s sacrifice prevented him from saying goodbye to his son or spending more time with his wife Valka. As the tragic button to the scene, Hiccup lashes out at Toothless for the hypnotized actions. The layers of tragedy in the scene practically guarantee you’ll be left sobbing.

#9: Littlefoot’s Mother
“The Land Before Time” (1988)
One of the most memorable scenes from “The Land Before Time” involves Littlefoot’s mother. Unfortunately, it’s not a happy memory. Littlefoot is just having a fun time playing with a friend when he’s suddenly attacked by a T-Rex. His mother steps in to defend him. After being injured by a T-Rex during a battle, she gets caught up in an earthquake. Her son Littlefoot tries desperately to rouse her out of her weakened state. Unfortunately, there’s nothing he can do for her. Amidst the moody rain and thunder, his mother dies of her injuries right in front of his disbelieving eyes. Our tears fall as heavy as the rain does by the time this scene comes to an end.

#8: The Death of Uncle Aaron
“Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” (2018)
The “Spider-Man” franchise clearly has a thing against uncles. This time it’s not poor Uncle Ben who gets shot and killed, but Uncle Aaron. Miles discovers that his uncle is actually the Prowler, an evil henchman working for Wilson Fisk. Aaron fights his own nephew and nearly kills him before discovering that it’s actually Miles. His refusal to keep fighting gets him shot by Fisk. In a devastating scene, Miles shares a poignant conversation with his uncle before Aaron succumbs to his injury. The animation and Mahershala Ali’s performance as the dying Aaron are both tremendous. It’s a scene that does something stirringly original while still staying true to the tragic nature of the “Spider-Man” mythos.

#7: Bing Bong Fades Away
“Inside Out” (2015)
While Joy is on a journey to return where she belongs, she meets an imaginary friend named Bing Bong. This wacky character was once a close friend of the very real Riley. But he faded into the background as she grew up. Although Joy wants to help him be remembered, she finds it hard to keep their promise when they’re trapped in a place where forgotten memories disappear. The duo try to get out together. But once Bing Bong realizes he’s weighing Joy down, he sacrifices himself so Joy can return home. Watching him fade away so that he can literally restore Riley’s joy is excruciatingly painful. The only comfort is that he went out with a smile.

#6: Tod Gets Left Behind
“The Fox and the Hound” (1981)
When you see a song called “Goodbye May Seem Forever,” you know you’re in for some serious stuff. Before this devastating number, a man named Amos becomes dead set on ending the life of a fox named Tod. But widow Tweed can’t stand to let this happen. So, she decides to get Tod as far away from Amos and her as possible. Although the fox is really happy to be going on a nice car ride, he ends up abandoned in the middle of a dark and strange place. Furthermore, he has no understanding as to why he is being left behind. He just thinks his mom doesn’t want him anymore. The worst part about the whole sequence is that they never reunite.

#5: Superman
“The Iron Giant” (1999)
Cult classic “The Iron Giant” got us really invested in the friendship between a giant robot and a small boy named Hogarth. This made the entire climax into one giant tearjerker for the audience. When a nuke is fired towards Hogarth’s hometown, the Iron Giant decides to sacrifice himself to save everyone. Everything about this scene makes us cry. After the Giant tells Hogarth that he is leaving, the two share a melancholic goodbye. The music guts us as Hogarth tells The Giant that he loves him. And there wasn’t a dry eye in the house as the Iron Giant uttered his final word.

#4: Bambi’s Mother
“Bambi” (1942)
It’s amazing how much cultural relevance “Bambi” still has. While released all the way back in 1942, it’s still heralded as a brutally sad movie and one that is nearly impossible to get through without sobbing. The biggest blow to our hearts came with the death of Bambi’s mother. This is both a legendary and infamous movie scene. Everything about it is perfectly executed, from the music to the moody, snowy visuals to the script. There are few lines in movie history as devastating as: (insert broll for “Your mother can't be with you anymore”.) Even after 70 years, this death hasn’t lost an ounce of its incredible emotional power.

#3: Mufasa’s Death
“The Lion King” (1994)
While we’re on the subject of traumatizing parent deaths, we have to talk about Mufasa. His demise hits like a truck for several reasons. After his son Simba is lured into a trap, Mufasa rushes in to save his boy. Although he succeeds, the king struggles to get to safety. Mufasa thought he was safe when his brother Scar arrived. However, the king is tragically sent spiraling to his death. We were already weeping when Simba walked up to his father’s body and asked his dad to wake up. When the boy finally realizes that Mufasa is gone and curls up under his father’s paw, we need to take a moment. While the death is handled masterfully, it doesn’t make it any easier to watch.

#2: “So Long, Partner”
“Toy Story 3” (2010)
The “Toy Story” franchise is full of absolutely devastating moments. (xref) Seeing Jessie get abandoned in the “When She Loved Me” number is agonizing. However, the ending of “Toy Story 3” is even more gut-wrenching. After Andy spends three movies with the main cast of toys, he decides to give them away before going to college. Watching Andy say goodbye to all his old toys is just too much to handle. It’s especially hard to see him hesitate to let Woody go. Within the audience, many of us were around Andy’s age when the franchise began. After growing up with the movies, it felt like we were saying goodbye to the toys too. This fact makes the already-difficult scene impossible to watch without crying.

#1: Ellie & Carl
“Up” (2009)
An early montage in “Up” will probably always be regarded as the single saddest sequence Pixar has ever created. It begins by showing us how Carl and Ellie became friends at a young age. Over time, they grow closer and try to start a family. Unfortunately, Ellie gets the devastating news that she can’t have any children. This sad turn of events is followed by the two trying to save for a big trip while enduring setbacks. But before they can leave, Ellie falls ill and leaves Carl alone. Although the sequence has no words, it speaks volumes about familial hardships, depression and grief. Carl and Ellie’s story isn’t without its bright spots. But we still feel sad every time we think of them.