10 Super Epic Movie Moments

10 Moments that bring out all the feels.

 

Let’s face it. Movies are pretty great. They can inspire, frighten, inform, entertain and delight. They are a major mechanism in our society to play out the vicarious adventures of our heroes, both fictional and non fictional. Throughout the history of movies there have been some truly epic movie-moments that bring out all the feels. This list is just some of the big ones out there. It’s by no means a comprehensive list, and it’s not really in any particular order. Warning: there are spoilers ahead, but none of these movies are all that new so if you haven’t seen them by now you don’t really get to complain about being spoiled.

For Frodo – Return of the King

This movie has to be my favorite of the trilogy, and this moment has to be its crowning jewel. We, the audience, have just witness the greatest battle of the age where the Dark Lord Saron has just tried to wipe out the kingdom of Gondor. The combined armies of Gondor and Rohan are all but broken; narrowly escaping defeat at the relentless press of legions of orcs. Not to mention the vast contributions from Saron’s human allies. The heroes could have said right there they were done. Instead, they march on the Black Gate fully expecting to die in an effort to distract the forces of evil long enough for Frodo and Sam to destroy the One Ring.

The incredible Aragorn gives that rousing speech, as the battle weary army looks on at yet more legions of orcs pour from the ominous gate. Do you remember that look from Aragorn just before he said those words? Man I get goose bumps just thinking about it. A lot of the power of this scene should be credited to Vigo Mortensen, the actor behind Aragorn’s eyes. I have a lot of respect for Mr. Mortensen, and the total awesomeness that he brought to that role. And let’s face it, he makes a hot Aragorn just ask any FanGirl. I can’t say I blame them; I am a straight male, and he just might even be my free pass if the opportunity came up. 

Han Solo’s Sacrifice – Star Wars: The Force Awakens

This one will be the newest movie on this list. Do you remember how you felt, sitting in that big, dark theater? I do. As soon as I saw Han step on to that catwalk I knew what was going to happen, but I couldn’t look away. I was mesmerized with the horror of the situation. Surely they can’t kill Han Solo? I mean, he’s HAN SOLO; one of the most iconic characters in the franchise. I couldn’t look away. I could barely breath, the tension was so thick. Then the blow… Even though I knew it was coming it still shocked me. That shock stayed with me throughout the rest of the movie and all the way back to my house. And I’m not too proud to say that I even teared up at the loss of my ever-present childhood hero.

I have known for years that Harrison Ford was an advocate for Han Solo’s death, and I have always respected that because Mr. Ford has stated his reasoning was to give the character more gravitas. Not to simply escape the role as so many believe. I wasn’t sure about this move once it happened, but now that it has I agree with Mr. Ford’s call. The way Solo died was the perfect final stroke of the painting of the character. And now, in a truly Shakespearian way, Han Solo has got to be one of the most tragic, relatable, lovable characters in the entire franchise. He ends a reluctant hero, a scoundrel shielding a good man, and finally a deeply wounded husband and father whose last act was to unconditionally love his family. The epic tragedy of his life is most likely seconded only to Anakin/Vader himself. 

The Avengers Assembled – The Avengers

It was a moment that literally took years to build. I was there every step of the way. Marvel had released movie after movie, laying the ground work and showing us how these heroes were coming into their own. Each new movie being a standalone adventure in its own right, as well as part of the larger whole was just one more piece in place. The final result was truly monumental. Just think how much planning went into that bit of cinematic epicenes; the countless man hours and the millions of dollars all so that we, the FansBoys and FanGirls, could see Earths mightiest heroes rise up against Loki and strike their hero poses as alien explosions ripped around them. Than the music crescendos right in perfect queue as if to say ‘behold mere mortals, your champions are finally ready. Now let’s kick some booty’. 

I imagine that the creators of the Marvel Cinematic Universe were pretty proud of that moment. They really should be, too. It did not disappoint. I remember that I was so excited for this movie. We had booked opening night tickets for Universal Studios – Florida. The atmosphere was electric as hundreds of my fellow geeks totally glutted on the feast that was that movie.

Assimilate This! – Star Trek: First Contact

After several tense moments the interlocks release, allowing the deflector dish, a group of Borg Drones and their interplexing begin to float free of the ship. It cost Hawke is life to pull it off, and Worf is presumed dead by decompression somewhere off screen. Only a thin cable connects the dish to the ship providing the Borg with the power they need. The now assimilated Hawke moves to intervene, cracking Picard's helmet. Suddenly, orange lightening lances out, Blasting poor, Borgified Hawke away. The camera pans over and we see Worf standing there, alive and well; his phaser rifle at the ready, a severed Borg arm keeping his space suit from decompressing. Picard shoots his rifle, severing the cable and cutting power to the beacon. And then comes that wonderful line: Assimilate this! Another orange blast from Worf zips from the phaser, ripping into the dish and causing it to explode.

This is just one of many moments of pure epic-osity that we get from Commander Worf throughout his vast appearances in Star Trek. It is perfectly timed jocularity, giving the audience a much needed chance to cheer for the good guys in this retelling of Moby Dick. ST: First Contact is my favorite of the TNG movies, and out of all the franchise offerings I rank it right up there with ST: the Undiscovered Country. If you remember, it was the second offering of a TNG movie, and while the first one felt just like an extended episode of the series, First Contact went so much deeper. It actually felt like a feature film, and has earned it’s spot on this list.

Neville’s Moment – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2

Neville Longbottem is, in my humble opinion, the best, most compelling character in the entire Harry Potter series. That's perhaps a bold statement, but in thinking about it, I actually connect the most with him. Neville starts off this adventure as a very nervous, but law-abiding kid. But right from the start we see that he is prone to great acts of courage despite his misgivings. 

In the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 Neville really comes into his own. In this movie we see that he has been forged into a much different Neville. His nerves are either melted away or hidden very well. He courageous defies the evil admistrators in Hogwarts, filling the power vacuum Harry left behind. He rallies the students in the final battle with Old Voldy, and than courageously wields the Sword of Griffindor to save the day. Let's also not forget that the central prophecy to the story could also very well apply to him as much as to Harry Potter. I am pretty sure I cheered out loud, in the theater when he killed that snake, and I sure did get goose bumps at that speech of his. Yes, Neville's place on this list is really well earned.

Vader vs Luke – Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back/Return of the Jedi

 Despite the prequels being somewhat derided by the older fan base, I think everyone agrees that the lightsaber duals were incredible. They were exciting, fast and elegant. They also revolutionized perceptions of how the Jedi do battle. But, when it comes to pure, unabated epic-tude nothing can beat the two duals between Darth Vader and Luke Skywaker. If you remember back, they are not fast, nor elegant in any way. They are slowly paced giving us a sense of just how brutal the battles are. They do not have the same flourishes that we have come to expect from seasoned Jedi, rather they are simple in their movements. I feel this adds to the deadly heaviness of the scenes, they are really trying to kill each other.

It’s also in these scenes that we get some real base emotions from the combatants. Fear, anger, desperation, and vengeance all rear their ugly heads, just to name a few. These encounters are dark, and brooding, and that is why they are some of the more amazing parts of the Star Wars franchise.

Gaming with Vizzini – The Princess Bride

I think it's safe to say that the Princess Bride is one of those movies that is so entrenched in pop culture that it will stay in our collective hearts for years to come. My absolute favorite part of this movie (other than the amazing sword play) is the battle of wits. They really couldn't have gotten a better actor to play Vizzini than Wallace Shawn. Seriously, look him up sometime. The man is an amazing actor, with fantastic comedic timing. This scene shows his skills perfectly. Vizzini, that intellectual, self important, little troll is the brains behind the group of mercenaries hired by Prince Humperdink to kidnap and murder Buttercup, in a bid to start a war with Guilder. But the Dread Pirate Roberts is tracking the band to rescue the girl.

Little did poor, delusional Vizzini know that the game was rigged, stopping his gloating in it's tracks and dropping him dead mid laugh. I still belly laugh after all these years, and I've scene this movie something like 24 1/2 million times - give or take. Truly, an epic moment in this movie, but I suspect it is one of many.

No CLU – TRON:Legacy

Do you remember TRON? I mean the first one. Yeah mind blowing, right? I love that movie, and I consider it a Science Fiction Classic. So, when TRON: Legacy came out I was over the moon! That movie did not disappoint either. It was so good. From the sound track that Daft Punk knocked out of the park to the plot, it was the perfect syst..ahem, I mean movie. (see what I did there?)

And the moment that really made that movie for me, the final moments between Finn and CLU. I love how Finn reaches out to CLU like a wayward son, taking the blame for CLU's misunderstanding his programming and causing totalitarian destruction in the Grid. I still hope that somehow Finn actually did survive that hug o' death at the end, but it doesn't really seem to likely.

I Command You Now… Too Fight! – First Knight

There have been so many retellings of the classic story of King Arthur and his noble knights of the round table. Way too many to count, but I always felt that 1995’s First Knight was a worthy addition. Throughout the movie I really felt for Arthur. He’s portrayed as an old warrior king, looking to settle down and enjoy the quiet life. But, one of his trusted knights, Maleagnat, has gone rogue with the intent to take the crown for himself. Add to that the classic, but not so steamy love affair between Lancelot and Guinevere just makes Arthur’s pain all the worse. 

 This epic moment actually takes place at the end of the movie. Arthur seems to be defeated, Maleagant’s men have stormed Camelot, interrupting a trial where Guinevere and Lancelot are charged with treason. The baddie simply demands the hero to hand over the crown in exchange for no blood being spilled. Arthur kneels, seemingly given up; the stress of it all has caught up to old age. But then, we see something. It’s subtle. It’s a demonstration of the quality of actor Sean Connery actually is. A sideways glance at the villain, from here we know it’s not over, he’s not given up. But we also know that in not giving up, he will be the first to die in the battle. That moment earns this movie a place on this list. Camelot Lives!

You First – The 3 Musketeers

The last movie I’ll mention for this post is The 3 Musketeers. Just like with Arthurian legend, this story has been told a thousand times. This epic moment comes from the 1993 version with Chris O’Donnell, Charlie Sheen, Tim Curry and Kiefer Sutherland. Despite what people may think about the actors, this movie suited their talents well. Growing up, it was on my regular playlist. Tim Curry really pulls out all the stops in this movie. I’ve never seen him portray a vilely, villainous scumbag nearly as well as he did the Cardinal. He had all the best lines, and the perfect air of superiority. 

This tidbit of epic acting comes to us from the standoff between the Cardinal and Aramis. “You are under arrest, charged with treason,” Aramis states. The Cardinal laughs as only Tim Curry can, “You of all people should know, the Cardinal does not answer to the laws of men!” “Then you’ll answer to God,” Aramis threatens. Suddenly the cardinal pulls a small pistol from his robes, blasting the musketeer. “You first,” he sneers and walks away. Even the baddies get epic moments too, and Tim Curry gets a lot of them in this movie.

That's It For Now

Well that was fun. Comment below if you feel there are more to add to the list. Who knows, I might just do anther one of these.

Star Trek: Starship Design In A Distant Future

A Miranda Class starship from Star Trek Online

Star Trek: Starship Design In A Distant Future

Maybe there's a reason for the rhyme

I once heard someone say that the Defiant class ships were the first real warships that the Federation ever made. I always thought that idea was awfully short sighted, either by the person that said it or by the Federation itself if indeed true.After all, the Federation was around long before the Defiant class came to being, surely the would have had more warship designs over the years.

In the Star Trek lore we know that Starfleet’s primary mandate is to explore the galaxy, but it is also charged with the protection of Federation sovereignty. As a result, it has been the first line of defense in many interstellar wars and conflicts. I believe that the Federation’s ship designs have always reflected that dual purpose need, with consideration given to the likely mission profile the class is going to take on. I also believe that the Federation would have had to have had more designated warship classes that predate the Defiant.

Variations in starship design are as numerous as the stars in the sky, but there are some very common themes that seem to be present, and if the design is looked at in the context of it fitting a mission profile then it starts to make sense as to why it looks the way it does. I mean apart from the fact that it’s a work of fictional and looks cool.

For the sake of this post, let’s identify the common mission profiles that starships are used for. There will be some overlap as Federation vessels are always overpowered and versatile, so this is certainly not a clean separation. There might also be some that are escaping me at the moment, but let’s stick with what I have thought up. Basing ship design on mission types is also not an exact science, so there will be exceptions like in the TNG episode Yesterday’s Enterprise where they call the Enterprise D a battleship, but I think for the most part this will hold true. I believe the most common mission profiles are as follows:

• Exploration
• Scientific & Research
• Combat

Two Constitution Class starships flank a Galaxy Class in Star Trek Online. 

Exploration

When we are talking about exploration vessels in Star Trek, there are some significant commonalities that just can’t be ignored. It dates back to the design of the original Enterprise captained by Kirk. Kirk’s ship is a Constitution class cruiser, and when it was built was considered to be gigantic and very powerful. Exploration ships are often large because they have to be away from home for years at a time so would need space for extra consumables and living space. Kirk’s Enterprise was working a 5 year deep space mission when we were first introduced to it.

The constitution class is a good showcase for an exploration ship; the saucer section resting on top of the drive section, with the warp nacelles angled upwards. The bulk of the weapons systems sit on the underside of the ship giving the forward firing arcs a more downward advantage. This means that for this style of ship to be in a fight it has to expose it’s underbelly a bit to bring the bulk of its weapons to bear.  Fighting in this way also places the warp nacelles away from the action in a head to head engagement which makes a lot of sense because if a nacelle fails the crew is essentially stranded. This also means that if it wanted to make a less threatening appearance during a first contact situation it would only have to tip its nose down a bit, and the bulk of the weapons are pointed away from the other ship almost like a knight greeting you with his visor up and his sword sheathed.

This styling is again repeated in later ships. The Excelsior, Proxima, Ambassador and Galaxy classes are all designed the same, to name a few. Each one is designated primarily as a long term explorer. It’s true that these ships have served as the ‘heavies’ in fleet actions, but that often requires some refitting according to the lore.

A Constitution Class and a Nebula Class

Scientific & Research

Here I think we will see the most crossover and diversity. Remembering that Starfleet’s primary mandate is to explore the galaxy, in times of peace every one of their ships are given some measure of scientific equipment just like they are all given powerful weapon. We also don’t know of many ship classes that are labeled as being primarily science based. I think it’s more common for ships to be outfitted with a science package than having ships set apart for scientific advancement.

That said, we do know of some that are primarily meant for science missions. The Oberth Class is one that was first shown to us in the movies. They are small vessels with poor tonnage and limited firepower. Others that would fall into this grouping would be the Nova and Nebula classes; the Nebula class being a poster child for versatility as it is shown also hosting a weapons pod in place of its sensor array. Federation ships that would fall under this category seem to be incredibly diverse in design. We’ve seen ships with nacelles angled upwards, and with them angled downwards. We’ve seen ships that follow the Constitution’s design with the saucer section on top, and some as the complete reverse. We’ve seen one, two and 4 nacelle craft in the Apollo, Nova and Constellation classes.

The real world explanation would be that they conform to the desires of the show’s creators, and that is really boring. An in-universe explanation could involve the idea that there is no ‘right’ configuration for a science mission in general and that all the different ones we have seen over the years are based on the equipment they carry and the job they perform.

A ship out of time, An Akira Class flies escort for the USS Enterprise

Combat

In combat ships we also see a lot of diversity, but not as much as with the science designated craft. Here we can also see somewhat of a consistent theme: nacelles angled down. Of course not in every case, but in many of them the weapons on the topside of the ship and the nacelles are again positioned in the opposite direction to keep them out of the way and protected. This way that knight we were talking to earlier might as well just have his sword in hand. To show the point I’m actually going to point towards the Miranda class. Ha, I can just hear all the other fans out there yelling ‘have you lost your mind? The Miranda is a science vessel!’ Just hear me out now.

Yes, the Miranda was introduced to us as a scientific vessel, but that designation never did make much sense to me. If it’s designed for science than why was it used actively on battlefields? Two such ships were assigned to defend the USS Defiant’s flanks as the fleet executed Operation Return to take back DS9. Then there’s the USS Reliant’s engagement with the Enterprise, a much larger, more powerful ship. Now Khan did use some trickery to bring the mighty Enterprise to its knees, but it also did put up a pretty good fight despite being shorter than the other combatant and having much less crew when they went head to head.

A Galaxy Class and a Cheyenne Class orbiting Earth Spacedock

Also in the specialty we can see the addition of more warp nacelles, just like with the science vessels. A good example of this is the dreadnaught designation where a third nacelle is added to the ship. As it turns out, most ship classes can be given the dreadnought refit; we’ve seen quite a verity of them from Constitution to Galaxy classes. This addition, along with the extra weapons I’m sure it comes with does make a lot of sense. As mentioned earlier, in deep space a functioning warp drive is vital. If it gets damaged it will take years to get anywhere meaningful, and the captain of the ship had better start praying that it can be repaired somehow. In the Star Trek expanded universe it is explained that a ship needs at least 2 nacelles to create a stable warp bubble. This does seem to hold up across the board, except for the early Apollo class which only had one. We also have seen four nacelle designs in the Prometheus class, the Cheyenne, and the Constellation classes. During their time these vessels were able to put up a decent fight as well.

Also in this group we find vessels that are so outside of the norm, you have to wonder what changed so much in the technology. Ships like the Saber, Defiant and Steamrunner classes are designated lighter warships, but do not follow the idea of nacelles down, but they also do not have the same restrictions on weapon arks. You could say that where the knight had his sword in hand before, now the sword is pointed at your belly no matter where you move.

Comment below to tell us what you think about how Starfleet's finest design their ships.