History Awesome / Borderlands2

* [[ImpossiblyCoolWeapon The SWORDSPLOSION!!! gun]]. [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin It's a gun that launches a sword]]. [[MadeOfExplodium The sword then explodes]] [[SerialEscalation and launches 3 additional swords]]. [[RunningGag That also explode]]. [[SerialEscalation If it has the "Casual" prefix it fires three swords]]. [[RuleOfThree They explode]]. [[MadeOfExplodium Bam]]. [[HolyShitQuotient Then you have nine exploding swords]]. [[CrazyAwesome Because one]] [[MadeOfExplodium exploding sword]] [[UpToEleven that spawns three more]] [[MadeOfExplodium exploding swords]] ''[[PunctuatedForEmphasis just. Isn't. Cool. Enough]]''.
* This is followed up with [[ImpossiblyCoolWeapon The Carnage]], which fires [[CrazyAwesome ROCKETS]] for [[AbnormalAmmo Shotgun Ammo]], and if you're lucky enough to be graced with a "Casual" prefix Carnage, firing ''[[HolyShitQuotient three]]'' [[UpToEleven rockets at once when you pull the trigger]]. It's also a nice throwback to the Carnage line from the original VideoGame/{{Borderlands}}, and has a pretty cool paint job to boot.

** Really, experiencing the entire game as [[BadassAdorable Gaige]] is a SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome unto itself. Pandora is one of the [[DeathWorld most hellish]], [[CrapsackWorld most hopeless]] [[EverythingTryingToKillYou and indisputably one of the deadliest planets]] in all of fiction, where men and women far more experienced than her get torn to bits trying to fight off the planet's many natural threats. Most [[TotallyEighteen teens her age]] would be lucky to last a week here, but Gaige is just too [[PrecisionFStrike fucking]] hardcore to lay down and die to Pandora's many natural threats. This level of pure, unadulterated kid power is taken to it's zenith when you [[DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu kill the Warrior like a badass]] and [[TraumaCongaLine humiliate Jack is doing so]], as the single-most powerful individual in arguably the ''entire galaxy'' was brought to their knees by somebody who's likely still learning how to drive. ''Awesome.''

** What makes this even more epic is how he says said catch phrase. Normally he says it in a slightly whiny tone befitting one of the series ButtMonkey's but after the above moment he practically roars it.]]

* "[[CallingTheOldManOut Dad, there's something I've got to tell you...]] [[DyingMomentOfAwesome You're an]] ''[[PrecisionFStrike asshole]]''."

* In the Commander Lilith DLC, one side mission has you honor Scooters last wishes. What do you do at the end of this quest? You pull a sick-ass jump over his impact site/memorial via a ramp that is decorated with your choice of either electricity or fire while Scooter's recording yells his CatchPhrase. Scooter would be proud.

* In the Commander Lilith DLC, one sidemission has you honor Scooters last wishes. What do you do at the end of this quest? You pull a sick-ass jump over his impact site/memorial via a ramp that is decorated with your choice of either electricity or fire. Scooter would be proud.

* Killing Handsome Jack.]] After all the shit this homicidal corporate dictator puts you through, you get to enjoy him pitifully begging for his life after you defeat the Warrior. And it's not a cutscene death either. You get to pull the trigger on him yourself, with whatever gun you want, at any point during his speech. Thank you, Gearbox.

* In the Commander Lilith DLC, one sidemission has you honor Scooters last wishes. What do you do at the end of this quest? You pull a sick-ass jump over his inpact site/memorial via a ramp that is decorated with your choice of either electricity or fire. Scooter would be proud.

* In the Commander Lilith DLC, one sidemission has you [[spoiler: honor Scooters last wishes]]. What do you do at the end of this quest? [[spoiler: You pull a sick-ass jump over his inpact site/memorial via a ramp that is decorated with your choice of either electricity or fire. Scooter would be proud]].

* In the Commander Lilith DLC, one sidemission has you honor Scooters last wishes. What do you do at the end of this quest? You pull a sick-ass jump over his inpact site/memorial via a ramp that is decorated with your choice of either electricity or fire. Scooter would be proud]].

** And how does she get the power to do this? [[ChekovsGun Why only the biggest stockpile of Eridium in Sanctuary of course.]] ''Crazy Earl's house.''

** The Launch trailer also shows us how awesome our new vault hunters are, against the army of Handsome Jack's mercs after the train crash from the opening, and that some familiar faces from the previous game have their backs. Special mention goes to [[spoiler: Lilith]] tag-teaming with Maya to wipe the floor with a whole platoon of them before blowing them up and bumping fists, mouthing "boom". Total badasses. Unfortunately, [[NeverTrustATrailer this didn't appear ingame]].
* Lilith [[spoiler:levitating, then teleporting Sanctuary]].
-->'''Handsome Jack:''' That's the best you got, [[spoiler:A flying city]]? What do you chumps have that could POSSIBLY make you think you've got a chance against me?\\

** Scooter puts it best as [[spoiler: Sanctuary takes off]].
--->'''Scooter:''' Man, this is [[LampshadeHanging one of them moments]]! [[spoiler:[[CatchPhrase CATCH A RIIIIIIIIIIDE!]]]]
** [[spoiler: What makes this even more epic is how he says said catch phrase. Normally he says it in a slightly whiny tone befitting one of the series ButtMonkey's but after the above moment he practically roars it.]]

* On your way back to Sanctuary after [[spoiler:Bloodwing's death]], you get attacked be an army of high level Hyperion robots. Just as you ready your favourite gun, you hear Mordecai tell you to get down... [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge who then proceeds to]] [[UnstoppableRage unleash a truly massive attack]], effortlessly wiping them all out with ''exploding slag Cobra shots.''

* Fighting alongside [[spoiler: Roland after rescuing him from either the Bloodshot Ramparts or the Friendship Gulag can be pretty awesome for a former Roland player, especially when the Scorpio came out, and Roland was kind enough to spec into Aid Station and Stockpile for you.]]

* From Gaige's [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Qe4m0Oydw4 third ECHOcast]], her father's response to finding out that RichBitch Marcy ripped off Gaige's DT-Bot and sold it to the ([[BadCopIncompetentCop extremely corrupt]]) police force: "[[spoiler:you're gonna take that [[PrecisionFStrike bitch]] down, right?]]"

** Really, experiencing the entire game as [[BadassAdorable Gaige]] is a SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome unto itself. Pandora is one of the [[DeathWorld most hellish]], [[CrapsackWorld most hopeless]] [[EverythingTryingToKillYou and indisputably one of the deadliest planets]] in all of fiction, where men and women far more experienced than her get torn to bits trying to fight off the planet's many natural threats. Most [[TotallyEighteen teens her age]] would be lucky to last a week here, but Gaige is just too [[PrecisionFStrike fucking]] hardcore to lay down and die to Pandora's many natural threats. This level of pure, unadulterated kid power is taken to it's zenith when you [[spoiler:[[DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu kill the Warrior like a badass]] and [[TraumaCongaLine humiliate Jack is doing so]]]], as [[spoiler:the single-most powerful individual in arguably the ''entire galaxy'']] was brought to their knees by somebody who's likely still learning how to drive. ''Awesome.''
* Attacking a Hyperion base [[spoiler: to reach the bunker holding Angel]] head on can be considered this as you are pretty much storming one of Jack's most protected bases with the help of [[spoiler: Brick's bandits]]. And from the same mission taking down the [[spoiler: [=BNK3R=]]].
* Fighting a skyscraper-sized Eridian demigod, in a BattleAmongstTheFlames, with your humble primary weapon and ''killing it before it could even escape its own Vault.'' And this is after fighting [[spoiler: Jack himself]] and pretty much the remaining forces of his entire private army.
* [[spoiler: Killing Handsome Jack.]] After all the shit this homicidal corporate dictator puts you through, [[spoiler:you get to enjoy him pitifully begging for his life after you defeat the Warrior. And it's not a cutscene death either. You get to pull the trigger on him yourself, with whatever gun you want, at any point during his speech. Thank you, Gearbox.]]
** Allowing [[spoiler:Lilith to kill him instead]] is just as satisfying, considering everything the original four Vault Hunters have been through.
---> [[spoiler:'''Lilith:''' ''[[HoistByHisOwnPetard (utilises her Siren powers to kill Jack)]]'' That was for Roland, asshole.]]

** Alternatively, using the Scorpio assault rifle [[spoiler:You receive from the quest where you inform Sanctuary's residents of Roland's demise]] to do the deed. The curious fire rate causes it to sound like an army salute drum snare, making your revenge all the sweeter and all the more symbolic. Especially if you're playing as Axton, and using it to kill Jack is like taking up Roland's sword.

** Also for Salvador, spec'ing into the Brawn skill tree for the Fistful Of Hurt power, allowing for Sal to deliver the most [[MegatonPunch devastating uppercut]] in the world, [[spoiler:right into Handsome Jack's face!]]

** Being Krieg in this situation is especially fun because all the things Jack says about you, (that you're a murderer, a bandit, a ''psychopath'') are all true. The knowledge that you're all these things and more and STILL more righteous than him makes it so satisfying to land that buzz-axe into his soft face. Better yet, if he ''hadn't'' ordered those experiments on ya, you wouldn't be the badass standing there about to kill him. Bonus points if you use your buzz axe, which is just like the one that his grandmother had used to discipline him as a child. Because nothing says revenge quite like forcing your enemy to relive childhood trauma while you kill them.

** Exploding round sniper rifle shot to the mask, anyone? [[spoiler:This is for what you did to Bloodwing, you sunnuvabitch!]]

** Or, as Maya, SIREN-INFUSED PUNCH IN THE FACE! OR GROIN!

** Claptrap gets one also for coming up with a plan that actually succeeds in pissing off Handsome Jack, simply by destroying all of his statues in Opportunity. Please note, chronologically, this quest takes place before you [[spoiler: kill Angel.]] This, along with Moxxi's sidequest, is one of the first times you actually manage to get under Jack's skin.

* The ending to ''Tiny Tina's Assault on Dragon Keep'', where who else saves the day but [[spoiler: ''Bloodwing!'']]

* In the Commander Lilith DLC, one sidemission has you [[spoiler: honor Scooters last wishes]]. What do you do at the end of this quest? [[spoiler: You pull a sick-ass jump over his inpact site/memorial via a ramp that is decorated with your choice of either electricity or fire. Scooter would be proud]].

* The climax of the Commander Lilith DLC has you fighting to retake Sanctuary. And once again Lilith is fighting by your side, flying over the battlefield and blasting the mooks that Hector spawns. Only one problem: [[spoiler: Defeating Hector leads to TheReveal that it's too late to stop him, as his vines have spread all throughout the city and he is about to release his spores all across Pandora.]] So what do our heroes do? Lilith creates a field to contain Hector's spores, before letting loose a massive surge of power to disintegrate Hector ''and'' Sanctuary.

* The climax of the Commander Lilith DLC has you fighting to retake Sanctuary. And once again Lilith is fighting by your side, flying over the battlefield and blasting the mooks that Hector spawns. Only one problem: [[spoiler: Defeating Hector leads to TheReveal that it's too late to stop him, as his vines have spread all throughout the city and he is about to release his spores all across Pandora.]] So what do our heroes do? [[spoiler: Lilith creates a field to contain Hector's spores, before letting loose a massive surge of power to disintegrate Hector ''and'' Sanctuary.]]

* The "Effervescent" weapons introduced in the Commander Lilith DLC are all kinds of awesome, but the crown has to go to The Electric Chair. Take the legendary grenade Storm Front (A tesla which launches additional teslas upon detonation) add even ''more'' teslas to it plus a [[ShockAndAwe HUGE shock explosion that also fires lightning bolts in every direction]] and you've got a weapon that can clear out a room of same-level enemies in ''seconds.''

* In the Commander Lilith DLC, one sidemission has you [[spoiler: honor Scooters last wishes]]. What do you do at the end of this quest? [[spoiler: You pull a sick-ass jump over his inpact site/memorial via a ramp that is decorated with your choice of either electricity or fire. Scooter would be proud]].

-->'''Jack:''' Do you have ANY idea how much firepower you need to take me down? [[GunPorn A LOT.]]
-->''([[LockAndLoadMontage Several guns locked and loaded in a rapid sequence as he says the next line]])''
-->'''Jack:''' [[UpToEleven A whole Goddamn LOT!]]

-->'''Salvador:''' ''"C'MON! HIT ME, I '''DARE''' YOU!"''

* FWOOMPWSSSSHHH*

-->'''Scooter:''' Man, this is [[LampshadeHanging one of them moments]]! [[spoiler:[[CatchPhrase CATCH A RIIIIIIIIIIDE!]]]]

-->"I'm gonna make, like, fifteen of those sumbitches, and put 'em up everywhere!"

--> [[spoiler:'''Lilith:''' ''[[HoistByHisOwnPetard (utilises her Siren powers to kill Jack)]]'' That was for Roland, asshole.]]

* In the Commander Lilith, one sidemission has you [[spoiler: honor Scooters last wishes]]. What do you do at the end of this quest? [[spoiler: You pull a sick-ass jump over his inpact site/memorial via a ramp that is decorated with your choice of either electricity or fire. Scooter would be proud]].

@In the Commander Lilith, one sidemission has you [[spoiler: honor Scooters last wishes]]. What do you do at the end of this quest? [[spoiler: You pull a sick-ass jump over his inpact site/memorial via a ramp that is decorated with your choice of either electricity or fire. Scooter would be proud]].

* The Crystalisk's CynicismCatalyst story crosses with TearJerker, SugarWiki/{{Heartwarming Moment|s}} and this. A security team led by an Officer Booth goes into the caverns and discovers the Crystalisks for the first time, befriending a [[GentleGiant rather large one]] that she named "Blue" out of his crystal colour. After her supervisor, a woman by the name of [[LackOfEmpathy Harchek]] proceeds to order her murder after she speaks out against her mining the Crystalisks, Blue [[BerserkButton isn't too]] [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge happy about that]] and [[ItsPersonal goes apeshit on the mining team]] along with the others and by the sounds of it, [[UnstoppableRage killing the entire expedition]], [[KarmicDeath including]] [[AssholeVictim Harchek]], by himself.

** Really, experiencing the entire game as [[BadassAdorable Gaige]] is a CrowningMomentOfAwesome unto itself. Pandora is one of the [[DeathWorld most hellish]], [[CrapsackWorld most hopeless]] [[EverythingTryingToKillYou and indisputably one of the deadliest planets]] in all of fiction, where men and women far more experienced than her get torn to bits trying to fight off the planet's many natural threats. Most [[TotallyEighteen teens her age]] would be lucky to last a week here, but Gaige is just too [[PrecisionFStrike fucking]] hardcore to lay down and die to Pandora's many natural threats. This level of pure, unadulterated kid power is taken to it's zenith when you [[spoiler:[[DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu kill the Warrior like a badass]] and [[TraumaCongaLine humiliate Jack is doing so]]]], as [[spoiler:the single-most powerful individual in arguably the ''entire galaxy'']] was brought to their knees by somebody who's likely still learning how to drive. ''Awesome.''

** Wanna make it a [[CrowningMomentofHeartWarming CMoH]]? Use a gun that [[MemeticBadass Michael Mamaril]] gave you if you still have it. Or one of the guns the residents of Sanctuary gave you!

* The Crystalisk's CynicismCatalyst story crosses with TearJerker, CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming and this. A security team led by an Officer Booth goes into the caverns and discovers the Crystalisks for the first time, befriending a [[GentleGiant rather large one]] that she named "Blue" out of his crystal colour. After her supervisor, a woman by the name of [[LackOfEmpathy Harchek]] proceeds to order her murder after she speaks out against her mining the Crystalisks, Blue [[BerserkButton isn't too]] [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge happy about that]] and [[ItsPersonal goes apeshit on the mining team]] along with the others and by the sounds of it, [[UnstoppableRage killing the entire expedition]], [[KarmicDeath including]] [[AssholeVictim Harchek]], by himself.

** Really, experiencing the entire game as [[BadassAdorable Gaige]] is a CrowningMomentOfAwesome unto itself. Pandora is one of the [[DeathWorld most hellish]], [[CrapsackWorld most hopeless]] [[EverythingTryingToKillYou and indisputably one of the deadliest planets]] in all of fiction, where men and women far more experienced than her get torn to bits trying to fight off the planet's many natural threats. Most [[TotallyEighteen teens her age]] would be lucky to last a week here, but Gaige is just too [[PrecisionFStrike fucking]] hardcore to lay down and die to Pandora's many natural threats. This level of pure, unadulterated kid power is taken to it's zenith when you [[spoiler:[[DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu kill the Warrior like a badass]] and [[TraumaCongaLine humiliate Jack is doing so]]]], as [[spoiler:the single-most powerful individual in arguably the ''entire galaxy'']] was brought to their knees by somebody who's likely still learning how to drive. ''Awesome.''

** Really, experiencing the entire game as [[BadassAdorable Gaige]] is a CrowningMomentOfAwesome unto itself. Pandora is one of the [[DeathWorld most hellish]], [[CrapsackWorld most hopeless]] [[EverythingTryingToKillYou and indisputably one of the deadliest planets]] in all of fiction, where men and women far more experienced than her get torn to bits trying to fight off the planet's many natural threats. Most [[TotallyEighteen teens her age]] would be lucky to last a week here, but Gaige is just too [[PrecisionFStrike fucking]] hardcore to lay down and die to Pandora's many natural threats. This level of pure, unadulterated kid power is taken to it's zenith when you [[spoiler:[[DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu kill the Warrior like a badass]] and [[TraumaCongaLine humiliate Jack is doing so]]]], as [[spoiler:the single-most individual in arguably the ''entire galaxy'']] was brought to their knees by somebody who's likely still learning how to drive. ''Awesome.''

** Really, experiencing the entire game as [[BadassAdorable Gaige]] is a CrowningMomentOfAwesome unto itself. Pandora is one of the most [[DeathWorld hellish]], most [[CrapsackWorld hopeless]] and indisputably one of the [[EverythingTryingToKillYou deadliest]] planets in all of fiction, where men and women far more experienced than her get torn to bits trying to fight off the planet's many natural threats. Most [[TotallyEighteen teens her age]] would be lucky to last a week here, but Gaige is just too [[PrecisionFStrike fucking]] hardcore to lay down and die to Pandora's many natural threats. This level of pure, unadulterated kid power is taken to it's zenith when you [[DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu kill the Warrior like a badass]] and [[TraumaCongaLine humiliate Jack is doing so]], as the single-most individual in arguably the ''entire galaxy'' was brought to their knees by somebody who's likely still learning how to drive. ''Awesome.''

** The Launch trailer also shows us how awesome our new vault hunters are, against the army of Handsome Jack's mercs after the train crash from the opening, and that some familiar faces from the previous game have their backs. Special mention goes to [[spoiler: Lilith]] tag-teaming with Maya to wipe the floor with a whole platoon of them before blowing them up and bumping fists, mouthing "boom". Totally badass women. Unfortunately, [[NeverTrustATrailer this didn't appear ingame]].

** What's better than using a gun or a [[HoistByHisOwnPetard Hyperion firearm]]? How about ramming a salvo of kunai into his chest if you're playing as Zer0?

* [[spoiler: Killing Handsome Jack.]] After all the shit this homicidal lunatic puts you through, [[spoiler:you get to enjoy him pitifully begging for his life after you defeat the Warrior. And it's not a cutscene death either. You get to pull the trigger on him yourself, with whatever gun you want, at any point during his speech. Thank you, Gearbox.]]

** The Launch trailer also shows us how awesome our new vault hunters are, against the army of Handsome Jack's mercs after the train crash from the opening, and that some familiar faces from the previous game have their backs. Special mention goes to [[spoiler: Lilith]] tag-teaming with Maya to wipe the floor with a whole platoon of them before blowing them up and bumping fists, mouthing "boom". Totally {{Badass}} women. Unfortunately, [[NeverTrustATrailer this didn't appear ingame]].

* Any fan of Westerns can appreciate seeing the Vault Hunters fanning the hammer whenever they're firing a revolver really quickly, especially when they're in epic gun battles on the Bloodshot Dam, in Opportunity, at Sawtooth Cauldron, or, better still, battling Nisha in Lynchwood. It's a simple detail, but it's nice, considering how all the games are basically classic Westerns and Gangster movies [-IN SPACE!-] that meet ''Literature/NineteenEightyFour'', ''Literature/IRobot'' and ''Film/MadMax'' all at once.