It would be a gross understatement to say thatFinding Doryhad huge shoes (or should we say flippers?) to fill. Creating a sequel for one of thegreatest animated moviesever made is a tall task, even for a respected animation studio like Pixar.
This movie takes place a year after the events ofFinding Nemo. Like the first film,Finding Dorytakes everybody’s favorite fish family on a journey across the seas to find Dory’s mother and father. Along the way, they get separated and Marlin and Nemo must try their best to reunite with Dory. Luckily, they encounter both new and old friends that help them traverse the deep waters.
And while most people agree thatFinding Dorydoesn’t capture the same magic thatFinding Nemodid, it’s still packed with great and memorable moments that tug at your heartstrings. Here are ten of the most heartwarming moments fromFinding Dory.
10Marlin Chases After Dory
Seeing how frazzled and worried Marlin was the first time around, it would be safe to assume that Marlin’s days of straying far from home are behind him. Which is why it’s especially heartwarming to see help his friend without even hesitating
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You really see the extent of how much Marlin cares about Dory when you see him travel across the world in order to help his friend. It’s even more touching when you consider how deathly afraid Marlin is of going outside his comfort zone.
9Hank and Dory’s Unlikely Friendship
One of the new characters we meet is Hankthe seven-legged octopus. At the start, Hank wants nothing to do with Dory except to get her quarantine tag so that he can avoid getting released back into the ocean. Given this, Hank reluctantly helps Dory look for her family.
And while the two are nothing alike, they develop a deeper bond throughout the film. So much so that by the end of it, it’s clear that Dory has left a lasting impression on Hank as he tells her that while she may end up forgetting him due to her short-term memory loss, he’ll always remember her and the journey they’ve taken on together.
8Marlin Deciding to Be More Like Dory
Marlin’s pretty much the same as he was in the first movie. Unlike Dory, Marlin worries and overthinks about everything. However, this all changes when both Marlin and Nemo find themselves stuck in a fish tank. At first, Marlin tries to do things his way and meticulously analyzes the situation to figure out how to escape.
This doesn’t really work out as fish can’t really think their way out of a fish tank. Given this, he tries a new approach. Instead of doing things his way, he considers what Dory would do.
Unlike Marlin, Dory wouldn’t think twice about trying something as long as it keeps her moving forward. By being more like Dory, both Marlin and Nemo figure out a way to escape the tank by launching themselves up in the air with a little help from a water fountain.
This is one of the most heartwarming moments, as throughout the movie Dory is admonished for being herself and doing things her way.
7Learning About Dory’s Younger Years
The main reason why this movie was made was to give viewers a better look at Dory’s life prior to the events ofFinding Nemo. Not only did it not disappoint in this regard but seeing baby Dory being loved and cared for by her parents is one of the sweetest things we’ve ever seen in animated movies. Seeing how patient and understanding they are with Dory shows how much they love and care for their daughter.
6Seeing Crush Again
Crush isone of the most popularand beloved characters that Pixar has ever created. This is why it was genuinely a pleasant surprise to see him back inFinding Dory.It’s hard not to like a character like Crush. Not only is his laid-back demeanor incredibly endearing but he’s also always willing to help his friends out in their time of need.
5Dory Gains Confidence and Starts Believing in Herself
Throughout the movie, Dory refuses to go anywhere by herself. This is because she’s afraid of forgetting where she’s going or why she’s heading there in the first place. This is why Dory swimming through the pipes to find her family is so touching.
Despite how scared she is, Dory pushes on. She just kept swimming. By doing so, Dory makes it through the pipes and is soon reunited with her friends and her family.
4Meeting Dory’s Childhood Friend Destiny
Many of you may remember the scene fromFinding Nemowhere Dory is able to communicate with a whale. Well, this movie explains how she was able to do that. When Dory was a baby she was friends with a whale shark named Destiny.
To be more accurate, the two workactually as “pipe-pals.“They would often talk to each other via the underwater pipes located near where they lived. What makes this moment so touching is that Dory, despite her short-term memory loss, actually remembers Destiny.
3Bailey and Destiny’s Friendship
Speaking of Destiny, the shark whale isn’t the only whale in this movie. Bailey, a beluga whale, lives in the Marine Life Institute with Destiny. What makes their friendship special is that they both accept each other’s differences.
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Early in the movie, audiences see that Bailey can’t seem to figure out echolocation and Destiny is nearsighted. Like good friends, the whales are incredibly supportive of each other in their journey of self-acceptance and self-improvement.
2Dory’s Parents Wait for Her to Come Home
At the beginning of the film, it’s revealed that Dory wasseparated from her familywhen she was a baby. Since then, she’s just been swimming across the seas desperately searching for them. The main question that dangles over everyone’s head is whether her parents are still going to be there.
By the end of the movie, Dory manages to find her way back to where she and her parents used to live. At first, things look bleak as it seems her old home is deserted. Her parents eventually show up, and it’s revealed that they’ve been waiting for her to come back all this time.
1Dory’s Parents Leaving Shell Trails
After Dory’s family reunites, it’s revealed that their efforts go beyond just waiting for Dory to return. Aside from looking for her in the Marine Life Institute, Dory’s parents also spent years leaving trails of shells that lead back to their home in hopes that Dory would find them and figure out her way back. This shows that they never stopped hoping and looking no matter how hopeless everything seemed.
