Though most movies tend to use death as a means of evoking sadness in viewers, some try to avoid it. These particular films usually use less permanent means of conveying heartache, such as betrayal or reluctant acceptance. While these concepts can easily evoke some sad emotions, they aren't the only means of doing so.
Instead of dying, some movie characters might simply opt to leave. Depending on the story they exist in, leaving can be just as permanent as death, which often proves to be equally devastating. Countless movie scenes have managed to be sad without incorporating death, but some have been sadder than others.
6 Toy Story 3 (2010)
Toy Story 3, directed by Lee Unkrich, tells the story of Woody and Buzz Lightyear's final adventure to get back to their owner, Andy. Having been accidentally sent to Sunnyside daycare, most of Andy's toys believe that Andy willingly got rid of them, but Woody refuses to let them believe this and tries to remind his friends of exactly how much Andy cares for them all.
By the time the climax comes around, however, Woody accepts that he cannot be a part of Andy's life forever; Andy needs to go to college and move on with his life. Quietly accepting this fact too, Andy decides to give all of his toys to Bonnie, a child who he believes will take just as much care of his toys as he did. Before beginning their new life, Woody watches as Andy drives away before quietly saying "So long, partner," marking the end of their time together.
5 Tangled (2010)
Directed by Nathan Greno and Byron Howard, Tangled tells the story of a young woman named Rapunzel who wants nothing more than to escape the confines of her tower. She spent the majority of her life locked away by Mother Gothel, but when she met Flynn Rider, she saw an opportunity to flee.
Though their relationship starts out on a somewhat unusual note, Rapunzel and Flynn eventually come to develop feelings for each other. Just as Flynn is about to declare his love for her, however, he gets captured, but the way he disappears leads Rapunzel to think he willingly abandoned her. What follows is arguably one of the saddest Disney scenes that do not involve death.
4 Shrek 2 (2004)
Shrek 2, directed by Andrew Adamson, Kelly Asbury, and Conrad Vernon, follows Shrek, Donkey, and Fiona on their second adventure. Having been summoned to the Kingdom of Far Far Away to meet Fiona's parents, Shrek tries to adapt to fit into Fiona's world, only to fail repeatedly along the way.
The saddest moment of Shrek 2 can be seen after Shrek transforms into a human and is informed by the Fairy Godmother that, underneath his new facade, he is still nothing more than an ogre. He, alongside Donkey and Puss in Boots, then retreats to the Poison Apple tavern, where the three of them accept defeat and Shrek gives up trying to be with Fiona.
3 The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King (2003)
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King follows Frodo on his quest to destroy the One Ring, one of the most dangerous artifacts in all of Middle-earth. Since beginning his adventure, he has had to endure all manner of hardships, but thankfully, his best friend Sam ensured he saw his journey to completion. The two hobbits eventually returned home to the Shire after saving the world, but Frodo knew he couldn't truly be happy there.
During the climax of the movie, Frodo and his friends set off to say goodbye to Gandalf and Bilbo, who are both traveling to the Undying Lands. Frodo, who is still haunted by his quest to destroy the One Ring, decides to join them in the hope that he may finally know peace. He says goodbye to his closest friends, each of whom breaks into tears because of his decision, and leaves for the Undying Lands while smiling back at them.
2 Interstellar (2014)
Directed by Christopher Nolan, Interstellar tells the story of a group of astronauts who hope to save humanity. Set in a world plagued by famine and poverty, Joseph Cooper (played by Matthew McConaughey), an ex-astronaut, is called upon to travel to three distant planets to investigate if humanity could survive on them.
Interstellar is chock-full of some truly heartwrenching scenes, but one of the saddest takes place closer to the climax of the movie, where Cooper wanders into a black hole. Inside, he finds himself staring at an image from his past, but his attempt to get his daughter's attention fails. He repeatedly begs his past self not to leave on the expedition, but sadly, he does so anyway.
1 Good Will Hunting (1997)
Good Will Hunting, directed by Gus Van Sant, tells the story of Will Hunting (played by Matt Damon), a janitor at MIT University who has an extremely high IQ level. After solving a complex mathematics problem, his intelligence is discovered by Gerald Lambeau, one of the college professors. Gerald tries his best to give Will an opportunity he never had, but when Will gets arrested, Gerald is forced to come up with a different approach.
To lessen Will's repercussions for attacking a policeman, Gerald enrolls him in therapy, where Sean Maguire (played by Robin Williams) is assigned to monitor his progress. Though Will is reluctant to open up at first, both he and Sean come to understand each other the longer they are together. Toward the climax of the movie, Will opens up to Sean about the abuse he suffered as a child, prompting Sean to remind Will that none of it was his fault. Sean repeats the iconic "It's not your fault" line ten times before it finally sinks in, causing Will to break down.
