Sure, the zany South Park may be known for its toilet humor and harsh themes overall. Yet, beneath the seemingly juvenile exterior often lies some subtly clever messages and even some downright heartfelt, sweet moments.
There is more to this crudely animated program than meets the eye. You've actually got some emotional depth which often comes in the form of a thoughtful moral, a moving speech, or a kind gesture by one of the kids - Cartman notwithstanding... These are moments that help make the characters more sympathetic and give an emotional core, along with a sense of "weight" to the show.
With that said, let's examine over 20 seasons worth of South Park history and take a look at some of the most surprisingly sweet, heartwarming moments.
Kyle Protecting His Little Brother (Ike's Wee-Wee, S2 Ep4)
Kyle's younger brother Ike is on the verge of getting circumcised, and the Broflovski boys are having none of it. Kyle and (especially) Ike are both too young to quite know what this entails, assuming the procedure is far more gruesome than it is.
Thinking his toddler brother is about to have his "wee-wee" completely chopped off, Kyle decides to protect him, even following a revelation that Ike's actually adopted. Despite their youthful naivety involving the procedure, this is a heartfelt moment for Kyle, as it shows he's willing to protect his brother regardless of not being related. It's a cute, cheeky reminder that family kinship transcends blood.
Kenny Looking After His Sister (The Poor Kid, S15 Ep14)
The quiet Kenny never received much depth or development outside of being the kid who ended up killed at the end of each episode. Even in more recent, more nuanced episodes, he isn't given much "to do." This changes in the surprisingly heartfelt episode, which spoofs both Agnosticism and superhero cliches, called "The Poor Kid."
In it, we see Kenny dressed up as "Mysterion," who sneaks inside their new foster home window to look after his sister and help her to feel safe. He also stands up to a bully who picks on her in their new school. These thoughtful actions are particularly sweet, as they're a couple of rare moments where Kenny gets to shine - as a badass superhero with a softer side.
Tweek & Craig (Put It Down, S21 Ep2)
This entry covers more of a general series of recent events, which shows Tweek and Craig taking part in a heartfelt relationship; though it takes center stage in "Put It Down." In it, Tweek is driven to hysteria as he worries about North Korea bombing them following some heated Twitter messages.
Craig, once a kid who did little more than flip people off, is surprisingly sweet to Tweek, as he genuinely seems concerned for him and attempts to make him feel better. This relationship had begun as a sort of satirical commentary - as the town had pressured them to be together to "feel better about themselves." Yet, since then, it really has turned into a surprisingly dynamic, heartfelt bond between these two characters.
It's even inspired some rather sweet artwork - both in the show and in real life.
Kyle Reuniting With Ike (It's Christmas In Canada, S7 Ep15)
In another, even more drastic example of how much Kyle loves his brother, he and the other boys decide to embark on a Wizard of Oz-esque adventure down the "only road" of Canada. The reason? To come rescue his brother from the mysterious new Prime Minister, who has demanded that all Canadian-born Americans return to their homeland.
After a rather sad parting between Ike and his family, the gang ventures forth to get him back. It's a long, wacky odyssey, just as you'd expect from South Park, and it makes it all the more emotional when they reunite. It even moves the Canadian couple who had taken Ike in enough to let him go back to the Broflovskis.
Kenny's Death In The Hospital (Best Friends Forever, S9 Ep4)
"Best Friends Forever" provides a new twist on Kenny's classic role as the "kid who always gets killed, while offering a bit of social commentary." This time, the boy is kept alive, though he's rendered incapacitated and clinging to life via life support. There's a problem with this - Heaven needs Kenny and his sweet gaming skills to take control of a golden PSP and defeat the armies of Hell.
Meanwhile, the debate in South Park rages on as to whether or not a hopeless Kenny should be kept alive. Eventually, his loved ones decide to let him die in peace, prompting an uncharacteristically sad moment. Everyone realizes they've been selfish in their own ways and didn't respect Kenny's wishes to not make a spectacle of this incident. It's an emotional commentary that hits hard.
Stan's Offering His Kidney To Kyle (Cherokee Hair Tampons, S4 Ep6)
This episode kicks off with the revelation that Kyle needs a kidney transplant. Cartman, being Cartman, offers his kidney to Kyle for the price of $10 million. Desperately seeking help, Kyle's mother decides to turn to New Age healing, shopping around in a store run by the cheekily named "Miss Information."
While there are plenty of classic chuckle-worthy gags in this classic, it features a thoughtful moment by a saddened Stan, who offers to give his own kidney to his best friend.
There's a particularly heartfelt quote in which Stan tells the doctor - "I'll give Kyle my kidney, even if it hurts a whole lot; I don't care."
Shelly & Larry (Broadway Bro Down, S15 Ep11)
Of all the South Park characters to have their own sweet moment, you wouldn't think it would be Stan's angry bully of a sister, Shelly.
As part of a "B" plot, Shelly develops an endearing relationship with Larry; a boy who comes from a strict vegan family, and is apparently so paranoid that they have their son wear a lifejacket at all times. Still, Larry's unorthodox nature aside, the two become close, and Shelly helps Larry "come out of his shell" and eat Burger King, as he says in a song he sings for her.
Kyle Caring For Blanket (The Jeffersons, S8 Ep6)
The thoughtful and warm-hearted Kyle is so often the source of South Park's relatively rare sweet moments. A prime example comes during the course of "The Jeffersons," an episode that features a pretty amusing caricature of Michael Jackson, poking fun at his rather peculiar lifestyle and mannerisms.
As it happens, the young son of Jackson (or "Jefferson"), Blanket, makes an appearance. We soon find he's clearly in need of help, as Michael is seemingly unfit to raise him with his childlike obliviousness. Throughout the episode, Kyle and Blanket have some heartfelt moments, as he takes it upon himself to rescue and see to the young masked child.
Timmy And Gobbles (Helen Keller! The Musical, S4 Ep13)
This episode sees the boys assembling a bombastic Thanksgiving-themed musical about the life of Helen Keller, with occasional breaks where a turkey performs tricks. While they've settled on a prized turkey, Timmy develops a connection to a crippled bird who he insists on performing in the show. As a result of being told a lie that the animal shelter will take him for experiments, Timmy is forced to send his turkey companion, "Gobbles," away to fend for himself.
This leads to a pretty emotional scene in which Timmy tries to send him off, even after the sad turkey looks back at him, clearly wishing to stay with him.
Butters' "Beautiful Sadness" (Raisins, S7 Ep14)
Considering Butters tends to be South Park's resident naive goof, it's surprising that he manages to speak one of the show's most endearing and heartfelt lines. Stan mourns his breakup with Wendy, becoming one of the sulking Goth kids in town. Eventually, Butters is asked to join when he's found crying on the street after he's been ditched by a Raisin's waitress, who he thought to be his girlfriend.
Despite Butters' usual silly naivety, he responds to the offer with a pretty deep, emotional quote, saying he's fine the way he is, and that he embraces his grief as a sort of "beautiful sadness;" one that makes him feel alive.