Favourite fantasy moments.

[Iroscato]

A counterpart to the 'Favourite sci-fi moments' thread. What are the moments, from the fantasy genre that have stayed with you ever since? Anything is valid from film, to book, to TV and video games.
I'm not as familiar with the genre as sci-fi, but some of mine are:

- Gandalf fighting the Balrog, and then later recounting the tale to a stunned Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas. Awesome battle and great example of Ian Mckellen's amazing voice.

- Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. Ocarina of Time had been one of the pillarstones of my childhood. My absolute favourite moment in TP is making my way to the old, ruined Temple of Time, finding a way inside...and hearing that haunting, familiar music from OoT start playing for the first time. Perfection.

- The Battle of Blackwater in GoT season 2. Specifically, the unleashing of the Wildfire. A visually stunning scene that led into a brilliant battle.

[Borgholio]

The 13th Warrior - When the remaining Vikings and Ahmed begin chanting the Warrior's Prayer before the final battle.

Lord of the Rings - When the forces of Rohan appear over the hill to defend Minas Tirith

Final Fantasy 2 (U.S numbering, 4 in Japan) - Final battle with Zeromus (epic music)

[paladin]

-Zuko and Aang learning fire-bending from the fire-bending masters Ran & Shaw in Avatar: The Last Air Bender.
-Zuko fighting Azula in an Agni Kai for the crown of the Fire Nation in Avatar: The Last Air Bender.
-The Ride of the Rohirrim in the Return of the King movie.

[Iroscato]

-Zuko and Aang learning fire-bending from the fire-bending masters Ran & Shaw in Avatar: The Last Air Bender.
-Zuko fighting Azula in an Agni Kai for the crown of the Fire Nation in Avatar: The Last Air Bender.

Agree with those two for sure, another for me would be Aang destroying the giant drill headed for Ba-sing-se (sp?). A very impressive display of Aang's power and inventiveness without him having to enter to Avatar state.

[Ahriman238]

Riddles in the Dark.

Harry Potter and Hermione Granger pass over a dozen harrowing challenges to find the one that would stop most wizards cold... a logic puzzle. Apparently EA thought it would stop most gamers too, they changed it to a shell game.

Harry Dresden commits suicide and is resuscitated so he can have a friendly ghost to help out. Harry kills a fairy queen with an army of tiny fairies with box-cutters. Harry uses necromancy on a T-Rex skeleton and rides ensuing undead T-Rex through downtown into battle. Harry Binds Demonrreach to him. Harry threatens Mavra with all the cheap power-ups he's been offered over the years, promising to take up each and every one of them and devote himself entirely to her destruction. Harry commands Eldest Goat Gruff to bring him a doughnut. Harry hijacks the Wild Hunt before crossing blades with the Summer Knight. Harry is not Gandalf, but Sam.

And "yes, yes, a Major General."


The Vengeance of Dragons spent a lot of time talking up the power of kybotim, and the first time we see it used, it does not disappoint. A gleaming marble Minas Tirith-esque city and stronghold is conjured out of thin air. Sure it took thousands of human sacrifices, but that just makes it even clearer how freaking dangerous the Dragons are.

Year of the Griffin, Elda was out flying and crashed into a mountain. The mountain moved. From the same book the moment of pure joy and wonder the first time everyone conjures magefire, and the many and bizarre magical booby-traps and wards accidentally littered around the school.

Dark Lord of Derkholm, the Dark Lord falls down a bottomless pit to his end, the brave heroes depart. The Dark Lord climbs out of the pit and offers their Wizard Guide refreshments. Also Scales epic rescue of Blade and Kit. Also, invisible cats and carnivorous sheep.

Artemis Fowl, Butler defeats a troll. The reveal of Arty's endgame in the third book is excellent also. Anything Mulch Diggums says or does, but especially his little comedy act while digging his own grave and talking the two dumb thugs into burying him alive. (Mulch is a dwarf and an excellent tunneler. Please don't throw him into that briar patch.)

Rincewind and Twoflower are shot into space. Moist's conversation with Vetinari regarding Angels and the redo with Vandergilt. Granny Weatherwax deciding it's a wonder anyone wants to be king if violence is what it's all about. Pteppic's driving assassination exam.

Bone. Every little thing in Bone is funny, or awesome, or both. Special kudos to the Great Red Dragon and Granma Rose. Best moments? Smiley and Lucius fixing the roof at the end of Volume 2, the constant refrain of "stupid, stupid rat creatures." The first encounter with the rat creatures is comedy gold. Well, the first time Bone's awake.

Thorn "First you say I'm some kind of Princess, now that I have some kind of magic powers. WHAT DOES THAT MAKE ME?"
Bone "A fairy princess?"
Thorn "Thank you SO much."

Bone "That's what the Dragon wants, you know! He wants you to think he doesn't exist!"
Dragon pops up from the well "No. I just want her to think you're nuts."

I can't believe Bone made the top 10 banned books list last year. Who the hell doesn't love Bone?

My name is Kvothe, pronounced nearly the same as "quothe." Names are important as they tell you a great deal about a person. I've had more names than anyone has a right to. The Adem call me Maedre. Which, depending on how it's spoken, can mean The Flame, The Thunder, or The Broken Tree.

"The Flame" is obvious if you've ever seen me. I have red hair, bright. If I had been born a couple of hundred years ago I would probably have been burned as a demon. I keep it short but it's unruly. When left to its own devices, it sticks up and makes me look as if I have been set afire.

"The Thunder" I attribute to a strong baritone and a great deal of stage training at an early age.

I've never thought of "The Broken Tree" as very significant. Although in retrospect, I suppose it could be considered at least partially prophetic.

My first mentor called me E'lir because I was clever and I knew it. My first real lover called me Dulator because she liked the sound of it. I have been called Shadicar, Lightfinger, and Six-String. I have been called Kvothe the Bloodless, Kvothe the Arcane, and Kvothe Kingkiller. I have earned those names. Bought and paid for them.

But I was brought up as Kvothe. My father once told me it meant "to know."

I have, of course, been called many other things. Most of them uncouth, although very few were unearned.

I have stolen princesses back from sleeping barrow kings. I burned down the town of Trebon. I have spent the night with Felurian and left with both my sanity and my life. I was expelled from the University at a younger age than most people are allowed in. I tread paths by moonlight that others fear to speak of during day. I have talked to Gods, loved women, and written songs that make the minstrels weep.

[mr friendly guy]

Rand kills Ischaemael in Book 3 of the WoT, the Dragon Reborn. In it he deflects bale fire and does a whole host of stuff.

Dark humour moments in some of David Edding's works. Not epic, but damn funny. For example the Pandion Knight Sparhawk is stalking a known agent of his enemy, the Church Primate Annias. He ends up in following the guy outside a brothel when a particular Baron arrives. They speculate whether its to meet with the agent. Sparhawk's guide (a young thief named Talen) remarks that nobles get urges as well. To which Sparhawk replies, (and I paraphrase) "Oh the Baron gets urges alright, but nothing those girls inside will satisfy. You might do though." I must admit I was like 12 years old when I read it, so it might have flew over my innocent head.

Another example is when they execute the same Baron after staging a counter coup without the need for trial (hey he is a paedophile). Then they make jokes about how the Knight (Ulath) who did the execution is from a country with a reputation as philistines so he is obligated to keep up his country's image.

The evil magic user Ah Amud Ki getting his revenge on the elf analogues (their name eludes me) in book 3 of the Andrakis trilogy by Tony Shillitoe. Being a half bred he was always taunted by them, and now with superior magic its a massacre. You're sort of drawn in and you can see why he wants revenge. Apparently he gets redemption in the next trilogy.

Pug destroying the Tsurani arena in Raymond E Feist Magician. Other magicians try to stop him but to no avail. If only they could use more words describing exactly what happened.

Sonea and Akkarin hunting down the more powerful Sachakan magicians by targeting them in small groups and using their strengths such as healing abilities against the magicians stronger magic, in Trudi Canavan's Black Magician trilogy.

[Iroscato]

Harry uses necromancy on a T-Rex skeleton and rides ensuing undead T-Rex through downtown into battle.

Where can this unbridled magnificence be found?

[The Grim Squeaker]

Harry uses necromancy on a T-Rex skeleton and rides ensuing undead T-Rex through downtown into battle.

Where can this unbridled magnificence be found?

"Dead Beat" by Jim Butcher. Dresden Files.

[Crazedwraith]

Ser Duncan The Tall wins his trail by Combat by beating up a prince with street fighting. 'He could beat Sir Duncan The Tall but not Dunk of flea bottom'

Samwell Tarly leading Bran and companians under the wall through the black gate, a magic weirwood door that asks 'who are you?' causing Sam to recite the Night Watch oath.

Sam Vimes is stuck in the past, resolving that as much as he wants to go home to his future, he's going to try as hard as a can to keep his friends in this time rame who are destined to die alive. 'What had the monk said? Histoy fins a way. Well histoy was going to have to come up with something very good because it was up against Sam Vimes now"

Sam Vimes' inner guardian. "I'm not here to keep the Darkness out, I'm here to keep it in. You will not force him to murder for you. Call me... The Guarding Dark. Imagine how powerful I must be."

The end of Fool's Fate. After six books of sheer hell and torture, FitzChivalry Farseer finally gets his happy ending. He marries his childhood sweeetheart, retires to his father's house and lands and advises the young king from a far ensuring power is wrested from his regents and advisors and given to the king at the appropriate times. It's almost painfully saccharine and sweet, but after six books... He's really earned it.

For Avatar Last Airbender:-
-Katara's duel with Pakku. Even self-taught that girl kicks ass with Water bendering.
-Sokka reunited with his father at the end of book 2.(what should i do Dad? Didn't you hear me? I said "the rest of you men prepare for battle")
-Sokka looking about ready to kill Azula when she taunts him about capturing suki.
-Sokka (yeah guess which character i like?) and Zuko tag-teaming Azula at the end of 'A Boiling Rock' and Suki taking on Ty Lee. Wish the badass normals got more moments to really shine against benders. At least the good guy's badass normals.

[Iroscato]

Another one from Game of Thrones (TV). Daenarys taking control of the Unsullied, revealing she is in fact fluent in High Valyrian, and then sacks Astapor. Great display of her increasing cunning, keeping her cards close to her chest before destroying her enemies.

[Mr Bean]

In the last book of the Wheel of Time when al'Lan Mandragoran explains to Demandred that he's is there to kill Demandred not win the fight.

[The Romulan Republic]

Some of my favourite bits:

The Siege of Gondor from The Return of the King.

A lot of "The Body" from Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Giles and then Buffy trying to kill Angelus after he killed Jenny in BtVS.

Jack Sparrow's first scene in Pirates of the Caribbean.

A lot of the final battle in the third Pirates of the Caribbean film. Especially Barbossa performing Will and Elizabeth's wedding ceremony in the middle of the battle.

[Luke Starkiller]

A Song of Ice and Fire
Spoiler

Tywin - "You shot me" ... Tywin Lanister did not, in fact, shit gold.

[Korto]

Going back a bit...
The movie Excalibur, when the king's galloping with his men to rescue the besieged castle of a vassal, accompanied by the music O Fortuna.
Best use of that music ever (followed by a beer ad).

[TheFeniX]

Going back a bit...
The movie Excalibur, when the king's galloping with his men to rescue the besieged castle of a vassal, accompanied by the music O Fortuna.
Best use of that music ever (followed by a beer ad).

Ah man, when Arthur pulls himself up the spear to slay Mordred. I recall watching/reading a review on Star Trek Nemesis where it's claimed the scene where Shinzon pulls himself up that makeshift spear Picard stabbed him with was ripped from the scene in LotR. I was pretty annoyed since even the LotR scene couldn't compete with the one in Excalibur.

The Hound: "....I'm going to have to eat every fucking chicken in this room."

Reign of Fire: Mcconaughey got fucking jacked for this movie. My roomate dragged me along for one scene from the trailer: he leaps off a building screaming, axe in hand. So, we get to that scene, Chris is pumped... and the dragon non-chalantly picks Matt out of the air and eats him. Chris is sitting with his head in his hand and I am laughing so hard, I almost passed out.


This is how Wizard duels go down in Shadowrun.

[Batman]

Does 'Fantasy' include superhero comics for the purposes of this thread? I have a moment or seven I could mention but that may not be the kind of Fantasy the OP was aiming for.

[Iroscato]

Does 'Fantasy' include superhero comics for the purposes of this thread? I have a moment or seven I could mention but that may not be the kind of Fantasy the OP was aiming for.

Sure, go ahead. Same goes for everyone if they had some moments of their own.

[The Romulan Republic]

A lot of my favourite superhero stuff is from Nolan's Batman films, and it doesn't feel right to put them under fantasy.

[Batman]

*'Hush', me and Selina are talking about Clark*
'He's the best at what he does.'
'That's debatable'.
'The best at what he does. Not at what I do.' 'Hush'

'Deep down inside , Clark is a good man. Deep down inside, I'm not.' (And yes, I probably mangled the translation) 'Hush', again

'This man was my best friend in the world...and you just killed him'. The animated 'Public Enemies'

*me, after Clark suggested to push Earth out of the way of the solar flare in 'Justice League: Doom'*
'If I had a week I couldn't tell you all the reasons why this wouldn't work.'

[Iroscato]

A lot of my favourite superhero stuff is from Nolan's Batman films, and it doesn't feel right to put them under fantasy.

Hmm. If you do, I for one won't complain. The trilogy certainly has fantastical elements to it, grounded or not.

[Batman]

'Miss Flitworth stood with her hands held a foot apart and her eyes closed. Between her hands, in the air in front of her hovered the faint outline of a lifetimer, its sand pouring away in a torrent.
The Deaths could just make out, on the glass, the spidery name: Renata Flitworth.
The new Death's featureless expression became one of terminal puzzlement. It turned to Bill Door.
For YOU?
But Bill Door was already rising and unfolding like the wrath of kings. He reached behind him, growling, living on loaned time, and his hands closed on the harvest scythe.
The crowned Death saw it coming and raised his own weapon but there was very possibly nothing in the world that would stop the blade as it snarled through the air, rage and vengeance giving it an edge beyond any definition of sharpness. I passed through the metal without slowing.
NO CROWN, said Bill Door, looking directly into the smoke. NO CROWN. ONLY THE HARVEST.'

The final duel between Death and his...somewhat unsatisfactory replacement in Terry Pratchett's 'Reaper Man'.

[Iroscato]

Speaking of How To Train Your Dragon earlier on another thread jolted my memory for another two moments...

- Hiccup's first bonding scene with Toothless, where the dragon marks the ground with his tail, and Hiccup carefully steps in between the boundaries. In the wider context of the film it's a fairly pointless bit, but it's so mesmerising to watch.

- Hiccup and Astrid's first ride together on Toothless, another spectacular scene.

Both of these scenes are exacerbated by the magnificent soundtrack. Guuugh, that soundtrack...so good.

[Death Zebra]

Killing the wounded soldier in the Korcari Wilds in Dragon Age Origins (Alistair: "Does the word "insane," mean anything to you?"). Also, killing the merchant in Lothering ("I heard you're making a killing. Me too!").

[TheFeniX]

While FF7 was a pretty big accomplishment on PSX hardware, the Steampunk themes didn't exactly blow my skirt up. But the opening cinematic for FFX on the PS2 was really just well done all-around. In just a few scenes, it's pretty apparent you're in an alien world and doesn't really give a whole lot away concerning what the plot is about.


Smaug... just Smaug. I'm terrified to watch the new movies because this scene was burned into my head as a child, I'm pretty sure I'll be let-down by a recreation. Say what you will about The Hobbit cartoon, this scene gives me goose-bumps to this day. The dialog is so specific to the voice-actor. To me, anyone else would be an imposter. Like, someone redoing Star Wars in 30 years and no James Earl Jones as Darth Vader. If I read this rant aloud trying to explain to someone why The Hobbit was great, I'd sound like an idiot. It does not work without that kind of emotion put into the lines. I've read the rant in the original book and it doesn't hold a candle to it when spoken.

[Batman]

Well, since superhero stuff is in apparently...
Justice League s2e19, 'Hereafter'
*Wally, after Diana digs him out of a pile of wreckage* 'Wendy!'
*Wally, after Diana blocks Weather Wizard's lightning with her bracers* 'There's so many reasons why that shouldn't have worked.'
*Wally, when Diana is about to make Toyman a fatality*
'We don't do that to our enemies.'
'Speak for yourself.'
'I'm trying to speak for Superman.'



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