History Awesome / BuffyTheVampireSlayer

** Made even better as Tara had previously stated that she considered this a [[Fate Worse Than Death]]

* Toward the end of season 7, Buffy sends Dawn off, out of town, getting Xander to pretty much kidnap her to keep her away from the apocalypse. This happened, and Buffy leaves a touching letter with Xander for Dawn, she reads the note and we hear Buffy narrate what's written on the note - then the narration cuts off midway through, as Dawn tosses the note aside, tazes Xander, takes control of the car and turns right around to go back and fight the evil. And later surprised Buffy turns around to see angry Dawn(who's literally just walked up behind her). She stares at Dawn for a moment, then Dawn kicks her in the shin.

* Spike killing 2 slayers especially Nikki Woods (sorry Robin).

* In the E-Comic Harmony Comes to the Nation Jane Espenson writes a Buffyverse-only one for... StephenColbert! It's a S8 tie-in. The plot? It's a two page comic showing an interview with Harmony after her show becomes big. Oh, and in his trademark style, points out her hypocrisy and stupidity.

--->'''Giles''': ...[Buffy] couldn't take a human life. She's a hero you see. She's not like us.

* Tara is captured by Glory, who threatens to turn Tara insane unless she tells her who the Key is. Glory describes in great detail what insanity will be like. Tara is obviously scared to death, but she still says nothing.

'''Spike'''
* Killing the 2 slayers especially Nikki Woods (sorry Robin).
* Anytime he wins against the Scoobies in verbal arguments.

[[/folder]]


'''Giles'''


'''Willow'''

* Willow in "The Dark Age":
--> '''Willow:''' And if you aren't with me a hundred and ten percent, then [[PrecisionFStrike get the hell out of my library]]!
* In the finale, Willow using her magic to unlock all the Potentials' powers, complete with white-haired glowing Willow, "Oh. My. Goddess.", and an appropriate summation when the spell is over and Willow flops to the floor, exhausted: "That was nifty."
* Willow's rant to Faith in "Choices":
-->'''Faith:''' Give me the speech again, please. "Faith, we're still your friends. We can help you. It's not too late."
-->'''Willow:''' It's way too late. You know, it didn't have to be this way. But you made your choice. I know you had a tough life. I know that some people think you had a lot of bad breaks. Well, boo hoo! Poor you! You know, you had a lot more in your life than some people. I mean, you had friends in your life like Buffy. Now you have no one. You were a slayer and now you're nothing. You're just a big, selfish, worthless waste.
** And note that Willow says that when she's all alone in the center of the Big Bad's minion-filled stronghold, before she has useful combat magic and facing the knife-wielding evil superpowered Faith.
* Vamp Willow getting the vamps who attacked her to work for her
-->''Who do you work for?''
-->''Mayor Wilkins.''
-->(breaks his fingers) ''Who do you work for?''
-->''You''.
* Willow summoned this otherworldly being to try to resurrect Tara but he gave a huff about how she died by human means. Willow screamed at the thing and you can tell that she hurt it.
** To clarify, that was Osiris, Egyptian god of the dead. Once again, Willow attacked a ''god'' and ''hurt it''.
*** Again.
* Willow's BadassBoast to Andrew in "Never Leave Me"
-->''I'm talking! Don't interrupt me! Insignificant man. I am Willow. I am death. If you dare defy me, I will call down my fury, exact fresh vengeance, and make your worst fears come true. Okay?''
* The earliest awesome Willow moment was in season 1 when she got Cordelia, who was talking shit about Buffy, to destroy the program she made for computer class by telling her to press "Deliver" (DEL).

'''Tara'''

* Tara is captured by Glory, who threatens to turn Tara insane unless she tells her who the Key is. Glory describes in great detail what insanity will be like. Tara is obviously scared to death, but she still says nothing.
* Saving Willow from a biker demon in season 6 episode 2 by burying an axe in his back.
-->"No one touches my girl!"

'''Anya'''

* "Where The Wild Things Are" was probably the worst episode of the season, but Anya was well and truly awesome and we saw what she would do when Xander was in danger. She charged up the stairs telling the screeching poltergeists who want to kill her to, "Shut up, repressed crybabies!" They responded by making a vine [don't ask] go straight through the palm of her hand, so she pulled it out ''without even a second of hesitation'', and continued fighting her way up to bathroom to stop them drowning her boyfriend.
* Anya's soliloquy in "The Body".
--> '''Anya:''' But I don't understand, I don't understand how this all happens, how we go through this. I mean I knew her, and now she's...there's just a body, and I don't understand how come she just can't get back in it and not be dead anymore. It's stupid! It's mortal and it's ''stupid!'' And Xander's crying and not talking, and I was having fruit punch and I was thinking that well, Joyce will never have fruit punch, ever, and she'll never have eggs, or yawn, or brush her hair, not ever, and no one will explain to me ''why''.
** This is the only moment on television to make this (male) troper cry. Twice.

'''Cordelia'''

* Cordelia driving to the library in the Season One finale.
** Okay, that needs more of a description because this one doesn't do it justice: several members of the Scooby Gang are outside the school and surrounded by [[BigBad the Master's]] {{Mooks}}, when Cordelia suddenly shows up out of nowhere in her car and yells at them to get in. She then drives them to the (relatively) safe(r) library, where they prepare to be sieged by the vamps. Now, bear in mind that at this point, Cordelia wasn't really a part of the group, and didn't even really like any of them, but she did all this anyway.
** To clarify a bit: The library is in the middle of the school and she drives INTO THE LIBRARY.
* Cordelia snaps at Harmony in "Bewitched, Bothered and Bweildered":
--> '''CORDELIA''': Harmony, shut up. Do you know what you are, Harmony? You're a sheep.
--> '''HARMONY''': I'm not a sheep.
--> '''CORDELIA''': You're a sheep. All you ever do is what everyone else does just so you can say you did it first. And here I am, scrambling for your approval, when I'm ''way'' cooler than you are cause I'm ''not'' a sheep. I do what I wanna do, and I wear what I wanna wear. And you know what? I'll date whoever the ''hell'' I wanna date. ....No matter how lame he is.
* Cordelia facing down Lyle Gorch in "Homecoming", where she delivers an absolutely unforgettable (and incredibly ballsy) monologue.
--> '''Cordelia''': (You're going to) Rip out my innards, play with my eyeballs, boil my brain and eat it for brunch? Listen up, needle-brain. Buffy and I have taken out four of your cronies, not to mention your girlfriend.
--> '''Lyle''': Wife!
--> '''Cordelia''' Whatever. The point is, I haven't even broken a sweat. See, in the end, Buffy's just the runner-up. ''I'm'' the Queen. You get me mad, (gets in his face and glares at him) what do you think I'm gonna do to you?
--> '''Lyle''': Later.
** Keep in mind that Lyle thought Cordelia was a slayer in this scene, and she was playing to that misconception. In other words, bluffing her ass off - which, in some people's opinions, makes it even ''more'' awesome.

'''Angel'''

* Angel appearing out of nowhere to save Buffy at the last moment from Caleb.
* "Angelus" punching Xander in "Enemies".
** And later in that same episode, when Angel reveals that he's been pretending to have lost his soul:
--> '''Faith:''' What can I say, I'm the world's best actor.
--> '''Angel:''' Second best.
* Angel cracking Faith's head open with a shovel as she was raping and killing Xander.
* Him and Buffy owning Riley in "The Yoko Factor".
-->'''Buffy''': I need to speak to Angel alone.
-->'''Riley''': I'm not leaving. (Buffy and Angel leave the room) I'm not moving a muscle.

'''Riley'''

* Riley [[ShutUpHannibal arresting Ethan Rayne]] in the middle of his HannibalLecture.
* Taking down a vamp nest by himself using a grenade.

'''Dawn'''

* Dawn to Spike in the second episode of Season Seven:
--> '''Dawn''': You sleep, right? You. Vampires. You sleep.
--> '''Spike''': Yeah. What's your point?
--> '''Dawn''': You know, I probably can't take you in a fight, even with a chip in your head, but if you ever hurt my sister, you're going to wake up on fire.
--> '''Spike, shortly after, to Buffy''': When did your sister get unbelievably scary?
* Dawn's speech to Amanda in "Potential", and the subsequent act of sheer guts when she hands over the stake to Amanda, while ''facing down a vampire and six Bringers''.
* Toward the end of season 7, Buffy sends Dawn off, out of town, getting Xander to pretty much kidnap her to keep her away from the apocalypse. This happened, and Buffy leaves a touching letter with Xander for Dawn, she reads the note and we hear Buffy narrate what's written on the note - then the narration cuts off midway through, as Dawn tosses the note aside, tazes Xander, takes control of the car and turns right around to go back and fight the evil. And later surprised Buffy turns around to see angry Dawn(who's literally just walked up behind her). She stares at Dawn for a moment, then Dawn kicks her in the shin.
** The best bit of this is when you expect a ridiculous Buffy speech but she just says "...if you get killed, I'm telling."
* Season 6 finale, where Buffy and Dawn are fighting the earth monsters: Dawn takes a hit and goes down, losing her sword; Buffy sees her fall, but is unable to help. Then, just as the monster moves in for another attack on Dawn...she somersault-rolls past it (in a very Buffy-like move) and lands next to her sword--which she uses to decapitate the monster in a single stroke. Buffy can only stare in disbelief.
-->'''Dawn:''' (holding up the sword, tiny smile) What? You think I never watched you?
* Aborting the resurrection spell in "Forever", pulling Buffy from the brink of accepting a zombified Joyce as her mother.

'''Oz'''

* Season 3, episode 4: "Beauty and The Beasts". Jealous boyfriend Pete confronts Oz, who's locked in the book cage, about Debbie. Oz tries to warn Pete away by saying that something is about to happen that Pete "probably won't believe", then Pete morphs into Hyde-Pete and lays a smackdown on Oz for several minutes. At one point, Oz manages to put a bit of space between them, and he looks out the window to see the sun dip below the horizon. Cue CMOA: "Time's up. Rules change." Were-Oz proceeds to unleash a full-fledged [[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown wolf-fu style asskicking]] that only ends, fortunately for Pete, when Oz gets distracted and tries to attack Willow and Faith.

* In "Choices", when Willow gets taken by Faith, Buffy wants to trade the Box of Gavrok for her bestfriend. Wesley refuses to let her do this because it's exchanging thousands of lives for one person, and everyone present - Wesley, Buffy, Giles, Xander, even Angel - begin shouting their opinions, standing around arguing. Oz, after wordlessly staring at Wesley through his speech, calmly stands up, walks over the vase he and Xander prepared for the Box-destroying ritual, grabs the pedestal, and sends the entire thing flying into the wall, smashing it to pieces. It's quickly decided afterwards to trade the Box for Willow.


'''Lily/Chantarelle/Anne'''

* In the slaver demon's pocket dimension in ''Anne''. When Buffy is incapacitated, all the other humans are about to either give up or die, and she's just been [[KickTheDog emotionally beaten back into submission]], [[BewareTheNiceOnes Lily]] [[TheDogBitesBack kills the slaver demon]] [[UnderestimatingBadassery by shoving him off the ledge from behind]] [[ShutUpHannibal in the middle of his monologue]].

'''Sunnydale High, Class of 1999'''

* The Season 3 finale, where the entire graduating class pulls out weapons and does a human wave attack on the Big Bad.
* The Scoobies facing down Tara's family in "Family".
** Except for Spike, who makes a point, as everyone else is doing their "You'll hafta go through ME first" routine, of saying "You won't hafta go through me, I don't really care". (And then Xander emphasizes: "You'll have to go through all of us...except Spike.")
** Should be noted this is taking place at the end of an episode in which Tara is painfully aware that she doesn't quite 'fit in' with the group.
--> '''Tara's Father''': We're her flesh and blood! Who the hell are you?
--> '''Buffy''': Family.

'''Jonathan'''

* In "Two to Go": Jonathan's little speech to Andrew when Andrew is holding the sword to Xander's throat and Jonathan has a sword to Andrew's.
* Jonathan staying to fight the zombies in "Dead man's Party". That took a lot of cojones from someone like him.

'''Drusilla'''

* Drusilla taking out Kendra The Vampire Slayer with a swipe of her fingernail in "Becoming: Part 1".
* Picking up and carrying Spike at the end of "What's My Line" part 2.

'''Joyce'''

* ''School Hard''. [[MamaBear Joyce Summers]]. Fire axe.
-->"You get the hell away from my daughter."
** Which gets reference in the season finale.
--->'''Joyce''': Have we met?
--->'''Spike''': Er... You hit me with an axe one time. Remember, er, "get the hell away from my daughter"?
--->'''Joyce''': Oh. So, do you live here in town?


'''Harmony'''

* I'm not sure this was intentional, but I and my inner feminist found Harmony's speech to Spike in ''Crush'', coupled with her shooting him with a crossbow, pure, utter, awesome.
-->What about me, Spike? You forget about me ''again''? The ''actual'' girlfriend? I gave you the best ... bunch of months of my life! I thought I could change you, Spike. I thought maybe if I gave and I gave and gave, maybe you'd come around. Maybe be a little nicer. Stop treating me like your dog. But now I see it's you. You're the dog. Who needs to be put down.
* Driving away Spike in "Pangs"
-->''No! I'm strong and I'm beautiful. (pulls out stake) And you're mean!''.

'''Faith'''

* Killing the vampire who killed her watcher with a really large stake.
* Confronting Buffy on campus in "This Year's Girl".
* Faith[[spoiler: in Buffy's body]] telling a bunch of vamps holding a congregation hostage that what they're doing is wrong... and meaning it.

'''Other'''

* Riley haters probably got a big kick when Adam told him to stop talking.

* In "Doppelgangland", she enters an entire bar full of vampires dressed as her ruthless vampire alternate universe self and attempts to bluff the entire group into believing she's an evil, murdering vampire; successfully, until Anya intervenes.
* Willow got a Crowning Moment in the Season 5 finale, when Glory, noticing Tara (who had been driven insane by her) wandering around amongst her minions and contemptuously asking her "What are you doing here?", Willow calmly walks up beside her and replies in a tone somehow both deadpan and with barely suppressed rage "She's with me", before grabbing Glory's head and sucking away all of the energy keeping her mentally composed and redirecting it to Tara, thus simultaneously and instantly healing her lover and blasting a ''hellgod'' across a construction yard, significantly weakened.
* Another great Willow moment was in the previous episode, "The Weight of the World". With Dawn kidnapped by Glory, Buffy catatonic, and Tara having lost her mind, Willow's finally had enough when Xander and Spike start fighting. After forcing them apart with magic, she takes charge, berating them. The entire time her voice is nearly deadpan, but containing a fury that leaves even Anya and Spike afraid to piss her off.
--> '''Willow:''' Buffy's out. Glory has Dawn. Sometime real soon, she's gonna use Dawn to tear down the barrier between every dimension there is. So if you two wanna fight, do it after the world ends, okay? All right. First we head back to Sunnydale. Xander'll take Giles to a hospital. Anya's looking after Tara. And Spike, you find Glory. Check her apartment, see if she's still there. Try anything stupid, like payback, and I will get Very Cranky. (looks at them) Everyone clear?
* This:
--> '''Willow:''' Spike was right. Snap out of it! What you're going through right now? It's called guilt. It's an emotion, and it's important, but it's not more than that. Buffy, you have had [[TitleDrop the weight of the world]] on your shoulders since high school, and for one second you wanted it to be over. So what?!
--> '''Buffy:''' I killed Dawn.
--> '''Willow:''' Hello, your sister? Not dead yet! But she will be soon, if you don't come back to us.
--> '''Buffy:''' What if I can't?
--> '''Willow:''' Then I guess you're right. You really did kill your sister. ''[turns to walk away]''
--> '''Buffy:''' Where are you going?
--> '''Willow:''' Where you're needed. You coming?
* [[ThisIsSparta I. Owe. You. Pain.]]
** Even people who hate Dark Willow love this line.
** This line is actually made even better because it's not Dark Willow, but just an EXTREMELY tweaked-off normal, sweet, happy, gentle Willow.
*** '''Glory''': What's this, bag of tricks?
--->'''Willow''': [[FlechetteStorm Bag of knives]].
** A great Dark Willow moment: "Jonathan. Andrew. You boys like magic, don't you? [[ShockAndAwe ABDA KADABRA]]."

'''Buffy'''

* Buffy vs Angelus in "Becoming, Part 2"
--> '''Angelus:''' That's everything. No weapons... no friends... no hope. Take all that away, and what's left?
--> '''Buffy:''' (Catches Angelus' sword [[BarehandedBladeBlock with HER BARE HANDS]]) Me.
* The episode "Checkpoint," where after a full episode of being made to feel inferior by the ZenSurvivor Watcher's Council, the ditziest BigBad ever to appear on the show, and a crazy KnightsTemplar army of {{WellIntentionedExtremist}}s, Buffy gives a perfectly calm, almost deadpan set of demands to the council's lead DeadpanSnarker, punctuated by a thrown broadsword. This troper's roommates' ears are still ringing from his cheering. The scene in all its awesomeness:
-->'''Quentin Travers:''' "We can begin the review at last. We'll skip the more obvious questions-"
-->'''Buffy:''' [''places sword over his notes''] "There isn't gonna be a review."
-->'''Quentin:''' "Sorry?"
-->'''Buffy:''' "No review. No interrogation. No questions you ''know'' I can't answer. No hoops, no jumps, [''Nigel opens his mouth to speak, Buffy turns to him''] and no interruptions. [''begins pacing''] See, I've had a lot of people talking at me the last few days. Everyone just lining up to tell me how unimportant I am. And I've finally figured out why. Power. I have it. They don't. This bothers them. ...Glory came to my home today."
-->'''Giles:''' "Buffy, are you-?"
-->'''Buffy:''' "Just to talk. She told me I'm a bug, I'm a flea, she could squash me in a second. Only she didn't. She came into my home and we talked. We had, what in her warped brain, probably passes for a civilized conversation. Why? Because she needs something from me. Because I have power over her. You guys didn't come all the way from England to determine whether or not I was good enough to be let back in. You came to beg me to let ''you'' back in. To give your jobs, your lives, some semblance of meaning."
-->'''Nigel:''' "This is beyond insolence-"
-->'''Buffy:''' [''flings broadsword, which just barely misses him''] "I'm fairly certain I said no interruptions."
-->'''Xander:''' [''whispers''] "That was ''excellent''."
-->'''Buffy:''' "You're Watchers. Without a Slayer, you're pretty much just watching ''Masterpiece Theatre''. You can't stop Glory. You can't do anything with the information you have, except maybe publish it in the ''Everyone Thinks We're Insane-O's Home Journal''. So here's how it's gonna work. You're gonna tell me everything you know. And then you're gonna go away. You'll contact me if and when you have any further information about Glory. The Magic Shop will remain open. Mr Giles will stay here as my official Watcher, reinstated at full salary-"
-->'''Giles:''' [''coughs''] "Retroactive."
-->'''Buffy:''' "-To be paid retroactively from the month he was fired. I will continue my work with the help of my friends-"
-->'''Lydia:''' "I-I-I... don't want a sword thrown at me, but-but civilians, I - we're talking about children."
-->'''Buffy:''' "We're talking about two very powerful witches and a thousand-year-old ex-demon."
-->'''Anya:''' "Willow's a demon?!"
-->'''Phillip:''' "And the boy? No power there."
-->'''Buffy:''' "The ''boy'' has clocked more field time than all of you combined. He's part of the unit."
-->'''Willow:''' [''whispers''] "That's Riley-speak."
-->'''Xander:''' [''whispers back, grinning''] "I've clocked field time."
-->'''Buffy:''' "You all may be very good at your jobs. The only way we're gonna find out is if you work with me. You can all take your time thinking about that. But I want an answer right now from Quentin, 'cause I think he's understanding me."
-->'''Quentin:''' [''clears throat''] "Your terms are... acceptable."
* "I walk. I talk. I shop. I sneeze. I'm gonna be a fireman when the floods roll back. There's trees in the desert since you moved out, and I don't sleep on a bed of bones. Now give me back my friends!"
* "Innocence" reminds this troper why he used to like this show.
--> '''Judge:''' Fool! No weapon forged can defeat me!
--> '''Buffy:''' That was then. [takes out the rocket launcher] This is now.
--> Drusilla and Angel run for cover as the Judge looks blankly.
--> '''Judge:''' What's that do?
--> [BOOM!]
** And Buffy's reaction to killing what it took an army to take down before? "Best present ever."
** JossWhedon [[WordOfGod had gone on record]] that he loved Buffy here more than any other time.
* Just come back to life and hunting down the Master, Buffy's PowerWalk set to the theme song definitely counts too.
* The series finale: Buffy getting stabbed, collapsing onto the ground, taunted by The First Evil about the wound being mortal, then standing up and just ignoring it. "I want you to get out of my face." Incredibly Awesome Pun, anybody?
** In addition, the fact that she gets up in slo-mo with that epic look on her face and the rousing music brewing in the background and then SLICES THREE TUROK-HAN OFF A CLIFF.
* Buffy's little look from side to side when asked where Caleb is after she cuts him in half from the groin up.
* In "Bad Eggs", when Buffy climbs out of the Mother Bezoar she has just killed, covered in goo, and gives Lyle Gorch a glare that sends him running.
-->(Up until this point in the episode, Lyle had made a point of saying "This ain't/isn't over" to Buffy every time he retreated)
-->''[Buffy crawls out, gives Lyle a'' look'']''
-->'''Lyle:''' "All right. It's over."
* Buffy's speech at the end of "Bring On The Night", made all the more epic by the fact that when she makes this speech, she's battered and bruised, and manages to look the stronger for it.
* Buffy confronting Jenny in "Innocence". Having just recovered from her HeroicBSOD, Buffy walks into school, goes straight to Jenny's classroom, grabs Jenny by the neck and slams her down onto her desk ''in front of Giles and the entire class''.
** On the DVD commentary, Joss' comment for this scene is "I love how violent this is."
* How about the season 4 opener "The Freshman"? Buffy punches the vampire that earlier kicked her ass across the room with her broken arm, before turning around to casually chat to her friends, throwing a stake over her shoulder and straight into its heart - all because Sunny (the vampire) had broken her 'Class Protector' trophy.
* Buffy nonchalantly pushing Doc off Glory's tower in the season 5 finale.
* Buffy turning Adam's rocket projectile into birds using the power of all the slayers. You can just taste his fear when he says "Interesting".
* Killing the vamp from "Helpless" by switching his water with holy water.
* Buffy's ShutUpHannibal speech to Spike in "Fool For Love" which reduced him to tears.
* Killing the monster in "Normal Again" by punching through it's chest.
* Buffy gets a CMOA, as well as a CMOF and CMOH, in The Prom. Hurting from Angel breaking up with her, she is disinterested in a student, Tucker, training hell hounds to attack the prom, until the Scoobies begin getting scared and upset about their night being ruined, driving Buffy to action.
-->"You guys are gonna have a prom. The kind of prom everyone should have. I will give you all a nice, fun, normal evening... if I have to kill every single person on the face of the Earth to do it."
** The script says Buffy is looking determined. Full of new purpose. And a little bit crazed, which Xander comments on.
-->"Yay?"
** Later, after finding Tucker, we get this exchange.
-->Willow: We can't just leave you, Buff-
-->Giles: Buffy, they're right. You need-
-->Buffy: To see tail lights. Hit the door. I've got everything under control.
-->Oz: Buffy, it makes sense to -
-->Buffy (deadly): Have. A. Nice. Time.
-->Willow: Okay then.
-->Xander: See ya.

* Though the "Fool For Love" episode of ''BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' is a good latter-day attempt, Spike gets his in the final scene of "Lover's Walk" where, after a [[MontageOut montage]] of every other character's brooding {{Wangst}}, you see him in his car streaking off into the desert sun to find Drusilla, rocking out to the Sex Pistols' version of "My Way".
* Spike's deconstruction of Angel and Buffy's relationship in "Lover's Walk" needs to be quoted:
--> '''Spike''': You're not friends. You'll never be friends. You'll be in love 'til it kills you both. You'll fight, and you'll shag, and you'll hate each other 'til it makes you quiver, but you'll never be friends. Love isn't brains, children, it's blood -- blood screaming inside you to work its will. I may be love's bitch, but at least I'm man enough to admit it.
* Another great Spike moment: in season 4 when [[RivalTurnedEvil rogue slayer]] Faith wakes up from her coma, the group goes searching for her. Giles and Xander run into Spike, and describe the situation, and Faith. Spikes response "Tell you what I'll do then. I'll head out, find this girl... tell her exactly where all of you are and watch as she kills you." Xander and Giles look at each other in confusion. Spike continues, "Can any one of your damn little Scooby club at least try to remember that I HATE YOU all?" When Xander tries to retort that Spike doesn't even know what Faith looks like, Spike calmly recites Xander's physical description: "Dark hair, this tall, name of Faith, ''criminally'' insane. Like this girl already." as he walks off. Xander and Giles are left behind, utterly dumbstruck, until all Xander can say is "We're dumb."
* The episode "Fool for Love" is Spike's Crowning Moment. An entire episode of Spike taunting and jeering as he explains his history, and tells Buffy in extensive detail how he brutally killed two of her predecessors.
-->'''Spike''': The first was all business but the second, she had a touch of your style. She was cunning, resourceful... oh, did I mention? Hot. I could have danced all night with that one.
-->'''Buffy''': You think we're dancing?
-->'''Spike''': That's all we've ever done. And the thing about the dance is, you never get to stop. Every day you wake up, it's the same bloody question that haunts you: is today the day I die? Death is on your heels, baby, and sooner or later it's gonna catch you. And part of you wants it. Not only to stop the fear and uncertainty, but because you're just a little bit in love with it. Death is your art. You make it with your hands, day after day. That final gasp. That look of peace. Part of you is desperate to know: What's it like? Where does it lead you? And now you see, that's the secret. Not the punch you didn't throw or the kicks you didn't land. Every Slayer... has a death wish. Even you. The only reason you've lasted as long as you have is you've got ties to the world... your mum, your brat kid sister, the Scoobies. They all tie you here but you're just putting off the inevitable. Sooner or later, you're gonna want it. And the second- the ''second''- that happens...you know I'll be there. I'll slip in... have myself a real good day.
* Spike had more than his fair share, but that's what happens when you're the BadAssLongcoat.
--> '''Buffy''': What are you doing here? [Spike begins to answer] Five words or less.
--> '''Spike''': [Pauses, then, counting on his fingers] Out... for... a... walk. [Pauses again] ...Bitch.
* Spike gets one at the end of "I Only Have Eyes For You", after Angelus has dissed him for the thousandth time (and having sex with Drusilla) while he's been crippled, Spike waits for Angelus to leave, stands up out of his wheelchair and kicks it aside. He follows that by promising to bide his time and wait for the right moment to royally fuck Angelus up. Makes good on it in the season finale when he beats Angelus with a tire iron. It's a bad idea to piss Spike off, even if you're the season's BigBad.
* Even if you weren't a Spuffy shipper you have to admit Spike being willing to [[spoiler: go up ''in flames'' even when he knew she didn't return his feelings to save the day]] is awesome.
* Crazy Spike embracing the cross.
* "Intervention". Spike gets tortured by a [[PhysicalGod hellgod]] that no one has been able to beat, and the only thing he has to do to save himself pain is tell [[BlondesAreEvil Glory]] where the Key is. ''And he doesn't do it.'' Because he couldn't hurt the real Buffy by betraying Dawn.
** Not to mention he escapes -by himself-. When the scoobies show he just has to figure out how he's getting out the elevator, past the henchmen and to his crypt, in broad daylight. Notably the scooby gang showed up to -kill him before he could talk-.
* Personally, I thought Spike fighting to earn his soul back, throwing away a lifestyle he'd kept for centuries, knowing he had little to no chance with Buffy despite that, is one of the most BadAss things someone can do. Love, man. It conquers all.

'''Xander'''

* This commenter considers Xander's line "I like the quiet" from "The Zeppo" to be pretty awesome, but apparently the writers and fans largely disagree.
** If that wasn't Xander's crowning moment of badassery, I don't know what is.
* The entire episode of "Halloween" from S2. When Buffy is turned into a helpless 18th-century woman and Willow becomes a ghost, he becomes a badass M16-wielding, fatigues-wearing soldier. In the course of about twenty minutes he gets to kick monster ass, rock-and-roll with an M16, beat up a jock-turned-pirate who constantly picks on him, impress the resident hot airhead cheerleader, and even stand up to Spike.
* Xander when comforting Dawn at the end of ''Potential.''
--> '''Xander:''' You're not special. You're ''extraordinary''.
* "Killed by Death":
-->'''Angelus''': If I decide to walk into Buffy's room, do you think for one microsecond that you could stop me?
-->'''Xander''': Maybe not. Maybe that security guard couldn't either. Or those cops... or the orderlies... But ''I'm'' kinda curious to find out. You game?
--> '''Angelus''': Buffy's White Knight. You still love her. It must just eat you up that I got there first.
-->'''Xander''': You're gonna die. And I'm gonna be there.
-->'''Angelus''': Tell her I stopped by.
-->''(And then Angelus, the vampire who slaughtered nuns for fun, took on Holtz, and God knows who else, WALKED AWAY!)''
* Or how about Xander being brave enough to go after Buffy and bring her back to life in ''Prophecy Girl''? Even more awesome when he had to convince Angel, Buffy's soulmate, to come with him. All his brave moments in the early seasons just make his later {{Butt Monkey}}dom even sadder.
* Xander at the end of season 6 [[TalkingTheMonsterToDeath confronting Willow]]
--> '''Xander:''' If you're going to end the world, start with me. I've earned it.
* Punching out the MonsterClown in ''Nightmares''.

* Giles's return to Season 6: "I'd like to test that theory" had viewers cheering
* Personally I'd consider Giles' crowning moment to be when he killed Ben/Glory. That was so ridiculously badass.
** It may be a bit morbid, but what Giles says to Ben at the end of "The Gift" (just before his ShootTheDog moment) sticks out in this editor's mind for sheer badass content.]
--->'''Giles''': ...[Buffy] couldn't take a human life. She's a hero you see. She's not like us.
--->'''Ben''': ...us?
* This editor cheered when Giles went after Angelus and company singlehandedly. ''With a flaming baseball bat.'' Remember that at this point, the Big Bad is a two hundred year old vampire who '''even the Master and the (literally invincible) Mayor were afraid of.''' And considering that Giles has no super powers, spends his days in a library and has pretty much been the Useless Mentor up until his girlfriend dies, that's saying a lot about his badass level. The Badass Scale officially exploded at this point, even if Angelus recovers a minute later.
** I repeat, a ''flaming baseball bat.''
* The frat house sealed Buffy and friends inside? Frat house, meet Giles. [[ChainsawGood With a chainsaw]].The main bulk of the Scoobies have been sealed inside a frat house where their worst fears are coming true ([[RecycledScript again]]). The doors and windows have vanished from the house, being replaced with solid (wooden) walls. Anya (who is outside) brings Giles in for help. Giles examines the wall.
--> '''Giles:''' We'll need to make a door
--> '''Anya:''' You can do that?
--> '''Giles:''' ''(pulls a chainsaw out of his bag)'' I can.
* Giles' "Exposition Song" in "Restless", aided by ASH having a really good singing voice.
-->''"...and try not to bleed on my couch/I just had it steam-cleeeeeaned..."''
* Giles in the third-season episode 'Wish.' Taking most of his information by faith, he destroys Anyanka's power center in the belief that the other world "will be better. It has to be."
* The first time Ethan shows up, we haven't really seen much evidence of Giles' FormerTeenRebel self. So when he shows up in Ethan's shop and proceeds to absolutely kick his ass-- in a state of TranquilFury no less-- it is both unexpected and ''amazing''.
* While wrestling a vampire, Giles gets a crossbow bolt to the back. His reaction? He rips it out and stabs the vampire in the heart with it.
* In "Becoming, Part 2", after Angelus has been torturing him for information on how to waken Acanthla, Giles appears to be about to crack...and then comes out with this line:
---> '''Giles:''' In order...to be worthy...you must perform the ritual...in a tutu.
** Then he glares Angelus down. And calls him a pillock.
* Speaking of which, when Wesley is acting...[[TheWesley himself]] Giles calls him a berk. A what? It's rhyming slang, it's a CMOA because Giles was GettingCrapPastTheRadar to call Wes a cunt.
* The episode "Tough Love" has one of Giles' best CMOA. After finding one of Glory's minions spying on them, Giles tells Anya and Willow to get twine to tie him up, and proceeds to engage in off screen violence. The minion quickly decides singing like a canary to be the wiser of the two options. Best part? When asked what happened, Giles/Ripper cooly responds with, "He changed his mind."
* There's [[BigBad Mayor Wilkens]], right, who's invincible, on the verge of ascending into a [[ScaledUp giant snake]], and he's come to threaten the Scoobies in the library. When he menaces that he's going to kill Buffy Giles stabs him through the chest with a saber. Being invincible and all, it only offends The Mayor that Giles would use violence, but it still shows him as a BadAss PapaWolf.

* Buffy vs Angelus in "Becoming, Part 2"
--> '''Angelus:''' That's everything. No weapons... no friends... no hope. Take all that away, and what's left?
--> '''Buffy:''' (Catches Angelus' sword [[BarehandedBladeBlock with HER BARE HANDS]]) Me.
* The episode "Checkpoint," where after a full episode of being made to feel inferior by the ZenSurvivor Watcher's Council, the ditziest BigBad ever to appear on the show, and a crazy KnightsTemplar army of {{WellIntentionedExtremist}}s, Buffy gives a perfectly calm, almost deadpan set of demands to the council's lead DeadpanSnarker, punctuated by a thrown broadsword. This troper's roommates' ears are still ringing from his cheering. The scene in all its awesomeness:
-->'''Quentin Travers:''' "We can begin the review at last. We'll skip the more obvious questions-"
-->'''Buffy:''' [''places sword over his notes''] "There isn't gonna be a review."
-->'''Quentin:''' "Sorry?"
-->'''Buffy:''' "No review. No interrogation. No questions you ''know'' I can't answer. No hoops, no jumps, [''Nigel opens his mouth to speak, Buffy turns to him''] and no interruptions. [''begins pacing''] See, I've had a lot of people talking at me the last few days. Everyone just lining up to tell me how unimportant I am. And I've finally figured out why. Power. I have it. They don't. This bothers them. ...Glory came to my home today."
-->'''Giles:''' "Buffy, are you-?"
-->'''Buffy:''' "Just to talk. She told me I'm a bug, I'm a flea, she could squash me in a second. Only she didn't. She came into my home and we talked. We had, what in her warped brain, probably passes for a civilized conversation. Why? Because she needs something from me. Because I have power over her. You guys didn't come all the way from England to determine whether or not I was good enough to be let back in. You came to beg me to let ''you'' back in. To give your jobs, your lives, some semblance of meaning."
-->'''Nigel:''' "This is beyond insolence-"
-->'''Buffy:''' [''flings broadsword, which just barely misses him''] "I'm fairly certain I said no interruptions."
-->'''Xander:''' [''whispers''] "That was ''excellent''."
-->'''Buffy:''' "You're Watchers. Without a Slayer, you're pretty much just watching ''Masterpiece Theatre''. You can't stop Glory. You can't do anything with the information you have, except maybe publish it in the ''Everyone Thinks We're Insane-O's Home Journal''. So here's how it's gonna work. You're gonna tell me everything you know. And then you're gonna go away. You'll contact me if and when you have any further information about Glory. The Magic Shop will remain open. Mr Giles will stay here as my official Watcher, reinstated at full salary-"
-->'''Giles:''' [''coughs''] "Retroactive."
-->'''Buffy:''' "-To be paid retroactively from the month he was fired. I will continue my work with the help of my friends-"
-->'''Lydia:''' "I-I-I... don't want a sword thrown at me, but-but civilians, I - we're talking about children."
-->'''Buffy:''' "We're talking about two very powerful witches and a thousand-year-old ex-demon."
-->'''Anya:''' "Willow's a demon?!"
-->'''Phillip:''' "And the boy? No power there."
-->'''Buffy:''' "The ''boy'' has clocked more field time than all of you combined. He's part of the unit."
-->'''Willow:''' [''whispers''] "That's Riley-speak."
-->'''Xander:''' [''whispers back, grinning''] "I've clocked field time."
-->'''Buffy:''' "You all may be very good at your jobs. The only way we're gonna find out is if you work with me. You can all take your time thinking about that. But I want an answer right now from Quentin, 'cause I think he's understanding me."
-->'''Quentin:''' [''clears throat''] "Your terms are... acceptable."
* "I walk. I talk. I shop. I sneeze. I'm gonna be a fireman when the floods roll back. There's trees in the desert since you moved out, and I don't sleep on a bed of bones. Now give me back my friends!"
* "Innocence" reminds this troper why he used to like this show.
--> '''Judge:''' Fool! No weapon forged can defeat me!
--> '''Buffy:''' That was then. [takes out the rocket launcher] This is now.
--> Drusilla and Angel run for cover as the Judge looks blankly.
--> '''Judge:''' What's that do?
--> [BOOM!]
** And Buffy's reaction to killing what it took an army to take down before? "Best present ever."
** JossWhedon [[WordOfGod had gone on record]] that he loved Buffy here more than any other time.
* Just come back to life and hunting down the Master, Buffy's PowerWalk set to the theme song definitely counts too.
* The series finale: Buffy getting stabbed, collapsing onto the ground, taunted by The First Evil about the wound being mortal, then standing up and just ignoring it. "I want you to get out of my face." Incredibly Awesome Pun, anybody?
** In addition, the fact that she gets up in slo-mo with that epic look on her face and the rousing music brewing in the background and then SLICES THREE TUROK-HAN OFF A CLIFF.
* Buffy's little look from side to side when asked where Caleb is after she cuts him in half from the groin up.
* In "Bad Eggs", when Buffy climbs out of the Mother Bezoar she has just killed, covered in goo, and gives Lyle Gorch a glare that sends him running.
-->(Up until this point in the episode, Lyle had made a point of saying "This ain't/isn't over" to Buffy every time he retreated)
-->''[Buffy crawls out, gives Lyle a'' look'']''
-->'''Lyle:''' "All right. It's over."
* Buffy's speech at the end of "Bring On The Night", made all the more epic by the fact that when she makes this speech, she's battered and bruised, and manages to look the stronger for it.
* Buffy confronting Jenny in "Innocence". Having just recovered from her HeroicBSOD, Buffy walks into school, goes straight to Jenny's classroom, grabs Jenny by the neck and slams her down onto her desk ''in front of Giles and the entire class''.
** On the DVD commentary, Joss' comment for this scene is "I love how violent this is."
* How about the season 4 opener "The Freshman"? Buffy punches the vampire that earlier kicked her ass across the room with her broken arm, before turning around to casually chat to her friends, throwing a stake over her shoulder and straight into its heart - all because Sunny (the vampire) had broken her 'Class Protector' trophy.
* Buffy nonchalantly pushing Doc off Glory's tower in the season 5 finale.
* Buffy turning Adam's rocket projectile into birds using the power of all the slayers. You can just taste his fear when he says "Interesting".
* Killing the vamp from "Helpless" by switching his water with holy water.
* Buffy's ShutUpHannibal speech to Spike in "Fool For Love" which reduced him to tears.
* Killing the monster in "Normal Again" by punching through it's chest.
* Buffy gets a CMOA, as well as a CMOF and CMOH, in The Prom. Hurting from Angel breaking up with her, she is disinterested in a student, Tucker, training hell hounds to attack the prom, until the Scoobies begin getting scared and upset about their night being ruined, driving Buffy to action.
-->"You guys are gonna have a prom. The kind of prom everyone should have. I will give you all a nice, fun, normal evening... if I have to kill every single person on the face of the Earth to do it."
** The script says Buffy is looking determined. Full of new purpose. And a little bit crazed, which Xander comments on.
-->"Yay?"
** Later, after finding Tucker, we get this exchange.
-->Willow: We can't just leave you, Buff-
-->Giles: Buffy, they're right. You need-
-->Buffy: To see tail lights. Hit the door. I've got everything under control.
-->Oz: Buffy, it makes sense to -
-->Buffy (deadly): Have. A. Nice. Time.
-->Willow: Okay then.
-->Xander: See ya.

** And note that Willow says that when she's all alone in the center of the Big Bad's minion-filled stronghold, before she has useful combat magi,c and facing the knife-wielding evil superpowered Faith.

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder: Buffy]]

[[/folder]]


[[folder:Spike]]

'''Buffy'''

'''Spike'''

** And note that Willow says that when she's all alone, before she has useful combat magic, facing Faith who has that huge knife, and they're in the Mayor's office when the halls are full of vampires.