Netflix produced one of their most emotionally driven original anime with Seven Deadly Sins. While the intense fight scenes could drive one's adrenaline through the roof, the series is well known for immersing the audience with romantic encounters and tear-jerking sacrifices.
The tale of Meliodas and company defending the land of Liones against evil demons is an epic tale told across multiple seasons and features two movies. Here we're going to look at the scenes that brought tears to viewers' eyes and determine which one proved to be the most powerful.
6 Jericho's Confession
Since Ban's debut on the show, he had made a charismatic impression, especially on a Holy Knight named Jericho. This young woman had always been mistaken for a man, but Ban could see the truth clearly. Combine this with his playful nature and Jericho began to fall for him. These feelings would only grow when Ban discovered how to save Jericho from her fate of turning into a demon when all hope had seemingly been lost. As Ban separated from the group, Jericho decided to accompany him whether he wanted the company or not.
During this journey, Ban's love, Elaine, would be brought back from the grave possessed by malicious intent. While Ban would refuse to harm Elaine, Jericho had to defend herself, as Elaine would be driven to a jealous rage seeing Ban traveling with another woman. As the two struggled, Jericho would tearfully admit her feelings for Ban. Acknowledging that she knows Ban truly loves Elaine as she hears him call out to her in his sleep and that she dominates his every thought. Ban had been so dedicated to bringing Elaine back from the dead that Jericho knew he would never return her feelings. Still, with the resolve that she loved Ban enough to never hurt him, Jericho would set out to save both Ban & Elaine when the two were unable to defend themselves.
5 Fraudrin Accepts Death
Fraudrin is a demon that had taken over the body of Dreyfus, one of the highest ranking members of the king's inner circle. Fraudrin would maintain his deception for years, befriending Dreyfus' trusted allies and taking care of Dreyfus' son, Griamore. During the defensive battle for Liones, Fraudrin would make his intentions known, helping the demons take the castle. Dreyfus' friends, Hendrickson & Zartras, would intervene and use their considerable magical abilities to expel the demon from Dreyfus' body.
While Fraudrin attempts to return to the body, Meliodas arrives and tries to kill the demon. Seeing no other path to victory, Fraudrin begins to concentrate his energy so that he will self-destruct and take as many lives as possible. Meliodas declares that as long as the demon is dead, he doesn't care. But Griamore, magically shifted into a child-like state, would use his magical ability to form a barrier around himself and Fraudrin, begging the demon to stop. While Fraudrin would demand that Griamore release the barrier, he would remember the years he spent caring for Griamore as if he were his own child. Being brought to tears at the thought of killing his surrogate son, Fraudrin would stop his self-destruction and ask Meliodas to kill him instead.
4 Zhivago's Confession
During Ban & Jericho's travels, they would come across a fox-man, a magical creature, named Zhivago. As Zhivago grew ill, the pair would take him to an inn, where they would begin to hear Zhivago's tale of regret. Zhivago had a biological son who was also a fox-man. While Zhivago had better control of his transformations, he would ask his son to remain hidden while he went into town to get supplies. During these trips, Zhivago would meet and adopt a human child with no one to look out for. Zhivago would raise the young child to live off of stealing as they had no other recourse. He would also ask the boy not to trust humans, with the child saying that he only trusted Zhivago.
One day, Zhivago witnessed the human child being beaten severely. Before Zhivago could interfere, he heard that a mob had formed and was going to hunt a young fox-man they had discovered on the outskirts of town. Torn between his two children, Zhivago decided to save his biological son, leaving the human child to be beaten and left alone. Zhivago would discover he was too late and that his biological son had already been murdered. As Zhivago sobbed, stating that he had lost both of his sons that day, Ban spoke up and revealed he was the human child. Saying that Zhivago should carry no regrets, Ban firmly states that he would have never forgiven Zhivago if he had left his biological son to die. Affirming that Zhivago was the ideal father in his life, Zhivago would succumb to his illness, dying in his son's arms, finally knowing forgiveness.
3 Elaine's Sacrifice
Elaine and Ban would carry one of the best romances in the entirety of Seven Deadly Sins. Starting with Ban seeking out the Fountain of Youth, Elaine was the guardian left to guard the sacred water as it was the wellspring that kept the Fairy King's Forest alive. While Ban would attempt to steal it, he would listen to Elaine's warnings and apologize for his attempts, stating that he, too, did not trust humans. Over time, Elaine would warm up to Ban, fantasizing that he would steal her away from her responsibility as guardian.
Ban would tell Elaine that if he could travel the world with her, he would find her brother so that he would resume his duty as guardian, and Elaine would be free to leave with him. A demon would attack the forest, and when Ban attempted to kill it, he would be ruthlessly struck down. As the forest burned around him, Elaine would ask Ban to drink the water so that he would survive. Ban refused, wishing for Elaine to protect it, knowing how much it meant to her and not wanting to see her die. Elaine would seem to accept Ban's wish and drink the water herself, but she would then kiss Ban, giving him the water instead. This noble sacrifice would see Ban gain the power to stop the demon. Still, as Ban would cradle Elaine in his arms, he would tearfully promise that he would steal Elaine away and that she was his. But Elaine had already passed, leaving Ban heartbroken and questioning whether she had heard his final words to her.
2 Meliodas' Trial
Meliodas set out to unlock his true power as a demon so that he could protect Elizabeth. Before he can have his limits lifted, he needs to prove that he can control his emotions, as his wrath has destroyed an entire city in the past. Meliodas is forced to relive the moment his former love, Liz, died. He has to do it over and over again, witnessing her death repeatedly. Every time he does, he gives in to his emotions and lashes out in rage, destroying the town again.
While Meliodas would be informed that he could lose himself to his wrath, he is determined to continue until he can master his emotions. As he sees his love die, he remains stoic, trying to contain the sadness and rage threatening to overwhelm him. While he says he could not do it at first, he steels his resolve. Instead of focusing on containing himself, he uses his emotions to drive himself forward, promising that he will never let someone he holds so dear die as Liz did. The music that accompanies this scene makes the emotions come across even more raw and gut-wrenching.
1 Escanor's Death
Escanor had allowed his power to consume his body in a final bid to help his friends. Escanor would say last words to every one of them, as the fires would burn away his body; but the emotional depth was at its peak when he spoke to Merlin. Escanor had always loved Merlin, and he would reaffirm his feelings, knowing that Merlin never loved him in quite the same way.
Merlin would apologize, saying that if he had come into her life at a different time, then maybe she would have fallen for him, but she only ever saw him as a subject. Escanor was happy with that, knowing that he had taken up even just a corner of Merlin's heart. Even though Escanor warned everyone to stay back, Merlin would step forward and kiss him, burning herself in the process. Merlin would say that she would allow the burns to scar her body forever as confirmation that Escanor existed. That there was one man who had truly loved Merlin. Escanor would give a poem as his final words, his tears being burned away alongside his body.