# Crowning Moments of Awesome **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 7, 2008, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crowning-moments-of-awesome/462539 "2008-09-07T22:41:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2008, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crowning-moments-of-awesome/462539/141 "2008-09-17T17:31:12Z")
Jerremy Clarkson turning up with a whole cow ontop of his Camero. That whole episode was easily the best bit of telly for a long time. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2008, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crowning-moments-of-awesome/462539/142 "2008-09-21T10:20:44Z")
From _Magician: Master_, second in Raymond E. Feist’s Riftwar series, the scene where Pug _aka_ Milamber becomes EXTREMELY angry upon witnessing a Roman style gladatorial game. And then proceeds to go all Wrath-of-God with storm and lightning and rains of fire on the whole place. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2008, 10:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crowning-moments-of-awesome/462539/143 "2008-09-21T10:28:55Z")
**Der Trihs** , have I ever mentioned that you have \*terrific \* taste in SF/Fantasy? ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2008, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crowning-moments-of-awesome/462539/144 "2008-09-21T10:59:52Z")
bungle ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2008, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crowning-moments-of-awesome/462539/145 "2008-09-21T11:14:01Z")
In [this video](http://technorati.com/videos/youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DaGpfea1rN6c) you see early on Dean Lance of Canberra absolutely flatten Steve Roach of Balmain in the 1989 Grand Final. What makes it cool is that, only minutes earlier, Lance had been tackled and pushed over the sideline costing his side possession. Roach stood over him and abused him. Lance’s comeback tackle virtually blotted Roach out of the game. He spent the rest of the match keeping one eye out for Lance. I have always thought that if Steve Roach had kept his mouth shut Balmain would have won that year. But kudos to Dean Lance. ---
**Author:** ![Sparrow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Sparrow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparrow)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2008, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crowning-moments-of-awesome/462539/146 "2008-09-21T15:55:23Z")
> [@StGermain](#): > > Apollo 13 is re-entering the atmosphere after nearly blowing up in space. The whole world is watching to see if the heat shields held up after everything else has gone wrong. Walter Cronkite has said that no crew has been out of contact for more than three minutes upon re-entry. Jim Lovell’s family is gathered, watching what might be his death on TV. His son is in prep school and he and his class are listening to hear if the crew has made it. Three minutes come and go and still no word from the crew. Gary Sinise, who should’ve been on that flight, keeps trying to make contact as each excruciating second passes. Then Apollo 13 responds! I swear I didn’t breathe the entire time we are waiting for the news. > > StG When it was happening for real the whole world was watching on TV - and none of us were breathing either. ---
**Author:** ![Sparrow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Sparrow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparrow)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2008, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crowning-moments-of-awesome/462539/147 "2008-09-21T16:00:12Z")
Another helicopter scene - only this one was in live theatre in London. Miss Saigon, when a helicopter LANDS ON THE STAGE! Indoors! ---
**Author:** ![Jodi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7feea3/32.png) [@Jodi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jodi)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2008, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crowning-moments-of-awesome/462539/148 "2008-09-21T17:31:30Z")
> [@StGermain](#): > > Apollo 13 is re-entering the atmosphere after nearly blowing up in space. . . . The “Yeah!” scene for me in _Apollo 13_ is when the the daughter of Lovell is talking to her grandmother, Lovell’s mother (played, IIRC, by director Ron Howard’s mother). The granny is a bit ga-ga, they’re not really sure if she’s tracking what’s happening with her son. In a moment of clarity and quiet confidence, she says to her granddaughter: “Are you scared? Well, don’t be. If they could get a washing machine to fly, my Jimmy could land it.” I loved that scene. ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2008, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crowning-moments-of-awesome/462539/149 "2008-09-21T18:07:29Z")
Call me sentimental, but I loved the scene in _Spiderman_ when Spiderman is trying to save both Mary Jane and the cable car full of kids, and the Green Goblin is about to come up from behind and kill him, only to get beaned by a brick thrown by a New Yorker on the bridge, backed up by several hundred other angry New Yorkers throwing rocks, bricks, garbage, and whatever else they can get in their hands, at the GG. Similarly the scene in Spiderman 2 after he saves the train, and the commuters save him from falling to his death. Also, in _Iron Man_, “He’s all yours…” and _The Dark Knight_, “He missed!” ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2008, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crowning-moments-of-awesome/462539/150 "2008-09-21T21:58:08Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > **Der Trihs** , have I ever mentioned that you have \*terrific \* taste in SF/Fantasy? Why, thank you. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2008, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crowning-moments-of-awesome/462539/151 "2008-09-22T00:25:24Z")
> [@Sparrow](#): > > When [the Apollo 13 return] was happening for real the whole world was watching on TV - and none of us were breathing either. I remember; I am still rapt during most of the movie. ---
**Author:** ![Buran](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a88e57/32.png) [@Buran](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buran)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2008, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crowning-moments-of-awesome/462539/152 "2008-09-22T00:38:47Z")
Cross-thread alert: The ending of ‘Thor Meets Captain America’ [http://www.davidbrin.com/thor1.html](http://www.davidbrin.com/thor1.html) ---
**Author:** ![FlyingRat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/59ef9b/32.png) [@FlyingRat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyingRat)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2008, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crowning-moments-of-awesome/462539/153 "2008-09-22T07:49:31Z")
> [@shantih](#): > > Dear God, yes! I’ve seen that movie and that scene in particular any number of times, and each time – starting with the first, even though I was already familiar with what had happened, and right up through every subsequent time, _even though I’ve seen the movie over and over_ – I hold my breath, heart pounding, until that crackle of static and the voice saying that they’re there – gaah!! And the giant burst of relief from everyone on screen! \*That’s \*filmmaking! Ditto. I always get a little teary-eyed at that point. I can safely say that _Apollo 13_ is my favorite movie ever. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2008, 10:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crowning-moments-of-awesome/462539/154 "2008-09-22T10:05:55Z")
“This is from…Mathilda.” ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2008, 10:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crowning-moments-of-awesome/462539/155 "2008-09-22T10:35:47Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > Jerremy Clarkson turning up with a whole cow ontop of his Camero. What got me in that episode was the end, when they turned up in a still devastated New Orleans and for once were just stunned into silence. Top Gear’s [Lotus vs Apache shootout + Motorhead](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZjMiwzhQEc) is still pretty hard to top, though. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2008, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crowning-moments-of-awesome/462539/156 "2008-09-22T13:31:27Z")
> [@Pollux\_Oil](#): > > I’m surprised I managed to go through the whole thread and no mention of the Doctor at all?.. > [@](#): > > He’s like fire and ice and rage. > He’s like the night, and the storm in the heart of the sun. He’s ancient and forever. > He burns at the center of time and he can see the turn of the universe. > And… he’s wonderful. From “Family of Blood” ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2008, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crowning-moments-of-awesome/462539/157 "2008-09-24T13:40:33Z")
[QUOTE=glee] Sorry I couldn’t find a clip, I nominate the moment in ‘To kill a mockingbird’ where Atticus Finch walks out the courtroom despairingly after his innocent black client has been convicted by the racist all-white jury. Atticus doesn’t notice the black community watching from the balcony, but as he goes out, the preacher says to Atticus’ daughter “Stand up, Miss - your father’s passing.” And they all rise silently. [/quote] > [@Eonwe](#): > > I haven’t yet see the movie, but if there’s a better American novel I haven’t seen it yet (hyperbole . . . maybe). > > Just reading the summary of that scene makes me cry. While I appreciate action sequences that are amazing (Buffy, Die Hard etc), I still think this moment is incredible on so many levels: - black people in this town have no rights - they can be railroaded by an all-white jury - only one white man is prepared to defend the accused - the black people cannot show their appreciation publically So the result is silent respect, which the saintly recipient doesn’t even see. Awesome. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crowning-moments-of-awesome/462539.md?page=7)