Top 10 Most Heartbreaking Animated Movie Moments

Who would have thought that a friendship between a boy and a 50 foot alien robot could be so touching? In this science-fiction, Cold War fable, a robot designed to be a weapon of war receives a bump on the head, leaving him curious about the world around him. From nine-year old Hogarth, the giant learns about life and death and discovers that he’d rather be a superhero than a villain. When a nuclear bomb threatens to destroy the town, he sacrifices himself to save his new friends. Remembering Hogarth’s words that ‘you are what you choose to be’ the giant chooses to be Superman.

Pixar’s comedy-drama explores the inner workings of an adolescent mind, anthropomorphizing Riley’s emotions of Joy, Sadness, Fear, Disgust and Anger. But we also meet Bing Bong - the imaginary friend that Riley has begun to leave behind. She’s growing up and starting to forget him, however hard he tries to hold on. We feel for the little creature as he pours out his sorrows. He had planned to take Riley to the moon, but chooses to remain behind in the Memory Dump so that Joy can escape. As he starts to fade away, he asks Joy to take Riley to the moon for him. His character is a bittersweet reminder of all the parts of ourselves that are lost as we grow up.

Mamá Coco is the eldest member of Miguel’s family. Her father Héctor left when she was a child and never returned. When Héctor’s great-great-grandson Miguel crosses over to the land of the dead, he discovers why. Hector was murdered. And without a photo on the family ofrenda, he’s fading away. Miguel returns home with a song for Mamá Coco - one her father sung to her as a child. The old lady is close to death and her memory is all but gone. But when she hears the familiar song, for a moment, she is herself again. Hector’s photo is restored, but it’s the moving scene between Miguel and Coco that gets the tears flowing.

Lotso and Big Baby’s backstory is painful to watch. And the final moments between Andy and the Toys could make anyone cry. But the saddest scene comes when the toys are being swept down towards an incinerator and fiery death. Accepting their fate, Woody and the gang reach out for their nearest and dearest. For a moment, it seems as if it really is all over. Buzz holds out a hand to his best friend - if they die, at least they die together. Their reprieve comes as a relief, but that tragic moment of resignation is hard to forget.

Childrens’ movies aren’t scared to kill off a parent in order to leave their young heroes alone in the world. But they rarely die on-screen. In “The Land Before Time”, Littlefoot’s mother is fatally injured while fending off a Sharptooth attack. Alone and divided from the herd, Littlefoot is present during his mother’s final moments, but he doesn’t fully understand what’s happening. We watch her take her last breaths and impart some parting words of advice. Littlefoot is left grief stricken and confused. It’s a hauntingly sad scene and her loss is felt throughout the rest of the movie.

Like Littlefoot, Bambi’s mother is killed before he’s old enough to fully comprehend what death means. While grazing in the meadow, the mother deer senses that danger is close at hand. She urges Bambi to run to the thicket, but in the chase they’re separated. It’s then that we hear the sound of a gunshot. Having reached his home safely, Bambi realizes that he’s alone. In a scene that has lingered in the public imagination since the movie’s release, the little fawn wanders in the snow, calling out for his mother. But she doesn’t come. The sense of loss is more poignant because we don’t witness the moment of death. She’s simply there one moment, and then she’s gone.

The first “Toy Story” has its own quiet moments of tragedy, but it’s not until “Toy Story 2” that they really start tugging on the heartstrings. Jessie is introduced as a fun new character, so it’s all the more upsetting when her back-story is revealed. She’s been contemptuous of Woody’s relationship with Andy, but finally admits to him that she understands. Because Emily was just the same. The song “When She Loved Me” tells the story of Jessie and her first owner. In the grand scheme of things it’s nothing groundbreaking - Emily just grew up. But seen through Jessie’s eyes it’s a tale of neglect and abandonment. It’s a beautiful song to illustrate a sad story, and our hearts break for Jessie every time.

It’s hard enough to see animals being caged, but Mrs. Jumbo’s imprisonment is the height of injustice. For the crime of protecting her baby, she’s locked up as a “mad elephant” and separated from Jumbo junior. When he comes to visit her she can only hold him through the bars of the cage. From the moment Dumbo’s little trunk comes snuffling through the window, we know the scene that follows will be unbearably sad. But the song makes it so much worse. The mother and son steal some precious moments together and Dumbo sheds a few tears. He never speaks, but it’s clear how he’s feeling.

We couldn’t make this list without including “The Lion King” - the film that devastated children everywhere with the death of Mufasa. Simba’s father is a great dad and a major character in the first half of the movie. We get to know and love him before he’s cruelly snatched away. The stampede scene is thrilling and Scar’s murder of his own brother still has the ability to shock. But the moment that hurts the most is when Simba finds his father’s body. The cub’s helplessness and his pleas for Mufasa to wake up are almost unbearable to watch.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

The Razed Village, “Mulan” (1998)
Shang Grieves His Father & Mulan Lays Her Tribute to a Village Girl

Marlin Loses Coral & the Eggs, “Finding Nemo” (2003)
Coral Rushes to Save Her Babies But Only One Survives

Manny’s Backstory, “Ice Age” (2002)
We Discover How the Mammoth Lost His Family

Ray’s Death, “The Princess and the Frog” (2009)
The Cajun Firefly’s Light Goes Out

Disney movies know exactly how to dredge up emotions with a well placed death scene. But this heartbreaking montage from Pixar’s “Up” depicts a whole life instead. Carl and Ellie meet as kids and the opening scenes show their life together. From the children they were unable to have, to the trips they didn’t take, the downs are revealed alongside the ups. But what really shines through is the couple’s love for each other. The montage ends with Ellie’s death and Carl being left alone. As a movie opening, it’s a lot. But the story doesn’t end on such a sad note. Later, Carl rediscovers Ellie’s adventure book and learns that she saw their life together as all the adventure she needed.