Top 20 Most Heartbreaking Cartoon Moments

Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the saddest scenes in animated tv shows. We’ll be getting into spoilers for various cartoons so consider this your warning!

#20: Mr. Hyunh Sends Mai to America

“Hey Arnold!” (1996-2004)

Parents often have to make tough decisions for their children and the sacrifice that Mr. Hyunh had to make for his daughter is no exception. In the episode "Arnold's Christmas” we learn about Mr. Hyunh's backstory. We discover that while the Vietnam War was going on, he tried leaving the country with his daughter Mai for the United States. Unfortunately though, there wasn’t enough space on the helicopter for both of them, so he could only send Mai and not himself too. He had to give up seeing his own daughter but in doing so he guaranteed that she would have a better life. Though this sacrifice is sad, it makes Mr. Huynh’s inevitable reunion with Mai worth it in the end.

#19: Kenny Dies of an Illness

“South Park” (1997-)

One of the best running gags in this show is how Kenny McCormick always finds a way to get killed off. Yet for as many times as he’s danced with death, the episode “Kenny Dies” has arguably his most emotional sendoff. When Kenny is left bedridden with a terminal illness, he asks for Stan to be with him for his final moments. Stan however is reluctant to go to the hospital because seeing Kenny in his current condition hurts too much. And when Stan finally musters the strength to go, Kenny’s sadly already dead. This is one of those surprisingly complex moments that takes the cartoon down a different direction. Instead of the normal comedy we’re used to, we get an up-close look at grief.

#18: The Fallout of Rose Quartz’s Secrets

“Steven Universe” (2013-19)

Secrets are risky business because they have the power to shatter relationships. And as it turns out in the episode “Rose’s Scabbard”, Steven’s mother Rose Quartz had quite a few secrets. In fact, when Pearl discovers that Rose hid things from the Gems, she takes it personally. She and Rose were close friends and fought by each other’s side. So learning that Rose Quartz kept secrets from her felt like a betrayal. It also forced her to look at things differently and this understandably led to Pearl feeling pretty glum throughout the episode. Even though Steven eventually cheered her up, the sadness that she experienced was painful to see.

#17: The Death of Bunny

“The Powerpuff Girls” (1998-2005)

Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup gained a new addition to their family with their sister Bunny. But the fourth Powerpuff girl had a troubled life. She was born with genetic abnormalities, which meant that unfortunately she wouldn’t live too long. Even though she got off to a rocky start, she used what little time she had left to fix her mistakes and save her sisters and all of Townsville. But while she defeated the Powerpuff girls’ enemies, her body slowly failed her and she soon died in an explosion of light. Bunny never got a fair chance at life, but she did what she could to help her family. As such, her death was mourned by both the Powerpuff girls and the fans.

#16: The Truth About Donnie’s Parents

“The Wild Thornberrys” (1998-2004)

Sometimes the most comedic characters have the most tragic pasts. Take Donnie Thornberry for example. He was usually a fun loose-cannon type of character, but several flashbacks revealed his much darker past. His biological parents worked as wildlife conservationists who were attacked by animal poachers. The poachers wanted to harm the orangutans that Donnie’s parents grew close to, and though the parents put up a fight, it’d be a losing battle. After his parents’ deaths Donnie spent time living with the orangutans before getting adopted by the Thornberrys. The flashback sequence completely changes how we see Donnie. It’s kind of a miracle that he’s so lighthearted after suffering an unimaginable tragedy like this. But thankfully for him, he never let that pain define him.

#15: The Clone of Mary Jane Evaporates

“Spider-Man” (1994-98)

It shouldn’t be difficult to see how losing the love of your life can be incredibly traumatizing. And Peter Parker had that exact experience happen in the final season of the nineties “Spider-Man” cartoon. In a shocking plot twist, Mary Jane is revealed to be a clone who spends her last moments alive becoming a puddle of water. Not only does this mean that Peter’s wife slipped through his fingers, but she wasn’t even his actual wife since she was a clone. What happened to the original Mary Jane then? Would Spider-Man ever find her again? These questions ran through the heads of every fan watching. The dramatic revelation not only killed off a major character, but also sent Spider-Man through a whirlwind of emotions.

#14: Waiting for the Train

“Tom and Jerry” (1940-)

Falling in love can be the greatest experience on Earth, but losing love could destroy you. That’s exactly what happened to both Tom and Jerry in “Blue Cat Blues”. When the cat and mouse lose their respective girlfriends they end up incredibly depressed. They’re actually so distraught that they find themselves sitting on train tracks waiting for a train to come hit them. If you thought this was a little bit dark for a kids’ cartoon you weren’t wrong. Everybody was thrown off by the horrifying implication that Tom and Jerry willingly took their own lives. It’s truly sad to think that this iconic duo could end up like this. Normally it’s just Tom or occasionally Jerry who loses, but this time, they both lost.

#13: Beatrice’s Funeral

“BoJack Horseman” (2014-20)

The relationships that we have with family aren’t always perfect, and BoJack knows that all too well considering his strained relationship with his mother Beatrice. When she finally passes, BoJack delivers a eulogy at the funeral. It’s a wild ride that speaks of the highs and lows of his past, and also about the importance of churros if you can believe it. He reflects about his last moments with his mom and it’s hard not to be affected. At the core, this is a speech where BoJack has to come to terms with who his mother was as a person. Err…well, actually who she was as a sentient alcoholic narcissistic talking horse, but nevermind, you know what we mean!

#12: The Monarch Reunites With His Dad

“The Venture Bros.” (2003-18)

Despite easily being one of the show’s greatest villains, the Monarch also worked pretty well as the superhero the Blue Morpho. Speaking of Blue Morpho, the original was Monarch’s father, who was believed to be dead. However, a shocking plot twist revealed that he was actually alive, having been resurrected as a brainwashed robot. But when a chance encounter allows the OG Blue Morpho to be reunited with his son, he regains his humanity for just a moment. Unfortunately the scene turns to chaos, and though the Monarch sees his dad one last time, their reunion is ultimately bittersweet. It’s hard not to feel bad for the Monarch, he should’ve had more time with his father but sadly it just wasn’t meant to be.

#11: Ace’s Death

“Justice League Unlimited” (2004-06)

The DCAU had all sorts of emotional moments that made it a standout amidst superhero cartoons, but nothing hits like this scene from “Epilogue”. As the Justice League try stopping a dangerous telepath named Ace, they learn that her health is extremely unstable. She essentially has the power to create catastrophic amounts of destruction if she isn’t taken out of the equation. While Batman agrees to solve the problem, he does it in an unconventional way. He shows Ace empathy and warmth in her final moments, sitting with her as she dies. It’s easy to think of Batman as a dark creature of the night, but this tearjerker of a scene reminds us of his humanity. Good luck trying to watch this without crying!

#10: Brian Dies“Family Guy” (1999-2003; 2005-)Considering the sometimes crude nature of “Family Guy,” this emotional moment came as a huge shock to viewers. As Stewie and Brian are setting up for a game of hockey, Brian is unexpectedly hit by a car while Stewie watches helplessly. The Griffins rush Brian to the vet, but his injuries are too serious. As Brian lies dying on the table, he thanks the family for a wonderful life and tells them he loves them before passing away. Thankfully, the show revived Brian two episodes later, but his death really brought on the tears with its surprising poignancy.

#9: SpongeBob Loses Gary“SpongeBob SquarePants” (1999-)This show has definitely dealt some emotional blows before, from SpongeBob almost dying due to pie ... to Sandy’s heartbreaking homesickness. However, its saddest moment is when SpongeBob loses his beloved snail Gary. After SpongeBob forgets to feed him, Gary runs away from home. A devastated SpongeBob searches all over Bikini Bottom, fearing his beloved snail is gone forever. As he puts up posters and apologizes publicly, the song “Gary Come Home” plays in the background, reflecting SpongeBob’s sorrow and tugging at the audience’s heartstrings. The episode has a happy ending when SpongeBob and Gary are reunited, but SpongeBob’s panicked search is sure to strike a chord with anyone who’s ever lost a pet.

#8: Rick Almost Takes His Own Life “Rick and Morty” (2013-)“Rick and Morty” definitely doesn’t shy away from darker themes, but this moment really highlights the troubled nature of its titular mad scientist. After Rick is dumped via letter, he returns home and retreats to his lab. Unfreezing a deformed creature, he comforts it, then puts it out of its misery with a death ray. Rick then intends to use the death ray on himself but thankfully passes out before it powers up. This scene is a real gut-punch for the audience and serves as a grim reminder that Rick’s mind, while brilliant, is a very dark place.

#7: Pops' Sacrifice“Regular Show” (2010-17)“Regular Show” is known for its relatable characters and 80s references, but it’s also known for having one of the most bittersweet series finales in cartoon history. Rigby, Mordecai and their friends are caught in an epic space battle with Anti-Pops, the powerful, evil brother of the jolly, kind-hearted Pops. Realizing it’s the only way to save his friends and the universe, Pops sacrifices himself. After the battle, the gang returns to Earth, and they raise a statue in honor of Pops while David Bowie’s “Heroes” plays in the background. It broke our hearts to lose such a beloved character, but at least he went out as he wished: protecting those he loved.

#6: Homer & His Mother Are Separated Again“The Simpsons” (1989-)After believing his mother has been dead for over two decades, Homer discovers she’s alive. As it turns out, his mother Mona was identified while attempting to destroy Mr. Burns’ germ warfare laboratory, and had to go into hiding to keep her family safe. Mona and Homer are reunited, but their happiness is sadly cut short when Mr. Burns tips off the FBI to Mona’s whereabouts and she has to go back into hiding. After they’re separated once again, he sits on the hood of his car to quietly watch the stars as the credits roll.

#5: Janice's Illness“Why, Charlie Brown, Why?” (1990)We often turn to cartoons to escape reality, but sometimes they touch on the most tragic aspects of real life. In the “Peanuts” special “Why, Charlie Brown, Why?” we meet Charlie and Linus’ new classmate and friend Janice. Janice starts to feel sick and is hospitalized, where she’s diagnosed with leukemia. Due to her aggressive chemotherapy treatments, the young Janice loses her hair and is bullied over it. Linus steps in to stop the bullying in an incredibly emotional scene sure to shatter even the hardest of hearts. The special ends on a happy note, but this all-too-realistic story is an emotional suckerpunch from start to finish.

#4: “I Remember You”“Adventure Time” (2010-18)The Ice King started out as “Adventure Time”’s main antagonist, but this episode reveals his tragic backstory during a duet with Marceline. Years before the series, the Ice King, then simply known as Simon Petrikov, rescued a scared young Marceline in the catastrophic fallout of the Mushroom War and kept her safe. Unfortunately, their life together could not last as the crown that grants the Ice King his powers and immortality also strips him of his memory and sanity. His curse is viewed as a metaphor for bipolar disorder and Alzheimer’s disease. Anyone who has loved a person who struggles with mental illness can relate to the emotions Marceline expresses as she sings with him.

#3: Chuckie Remembers His Mom“Rugrats” (1991-2004)We didn’t expect to learn quite so much about love and loss from a show about toddlers. In this episode, the babies prepare for Mother’s Day. Chuckie doesn't understand why he doesn't have a mom to give a gift to, but he recalls having a mom in his dreams. After realizing his dad is the “bestest mom ever,” Chuckie finds a picture of the woman from his dreams and gives the picture to his dad Chas as a Mother’s Day present. A mournful Chas explains to Chuckie that his mom passed away when he was very young and takes him out to the garden to show him the beautiful flowers she planted. Chuckie realizes he didn’t simply dream up his mom – he’s remembered her all along.

#2: “Leaves From the Vine”“Avatar: The Last Airbender” (2005-08)Given that “Avatar: The Last Airbender” is considered one of the greatest cartoons of all time, it’s no surprise that the writers knew how to make us tearbend. The vignette “The Tale of Iroh” follows the kind, wise Iroh as he helps strangers around Ba Sing Se. He then journeys to the top of a hill and sets up a birthday memorial to his son Lu Ten, who tragically died during the failed siege of the city where Iroh now resides. Iroh honors his son by tearfully singing as the sun sets in the distance. This moment is made even more poignant by the fact that Iroh’s longtime voice actor Mako passed away before the episode aired, and the episode is dedicated in his honor.

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

The Loss of a Friend, “Superman: The Animated Series” (1996-2000)

Superman Can Stop Just About Anything but Even He Can’t Stop Death

Darth Vader & Ahsoka’s Confrontation, “Star Wars Rebels” (2014-18)

Ahsoka Thought That She Could Bring Anakin Skywalker Back, Unfortunately She Was Wrong

Robin’s Trauma, “Teen Titans” (2003-06)

Robin Believed He Had Slade Beat, Yet the Villain Continued to Haunt Him Inside of His Mind