History Awesome / Changes

* A couple of vampires have thrown a Molotov cocktail at Harry's apartment building, and the whole place is burning down. He managed to haul his elderly landlady out of bed to safety, but the upstairs neighbors are also old and unable to make it out on their own. Harry tries to rescue them, but can't due to a badly-timed explosion knocking him off the ladder. The old lady yells "Oh God in Heaven, help us!"... ''[[BigDamnHeroes and he does]]''. Best-timed entrance ever, [[{{Paladin}} Sanya]].

** Its also a '''combat [=CMOA=]''' for ''Good Bob''. After being a snarky assistant forced act within his limitations, only having a small glimpse via Evil Bob, DemonicPossession or lip service from Luccio that he is almost on par with the Archive, we finally see him cut loose and continuously shield Murphy from '''everything 5 {{PhysicalGod}}s could throw at her.''' BewareTheSillyOnes indeed.

* The final battle counts for Murphy! With the assistance of an Archangel, she killed a PhysicalGod with one hit-- ''after'' [[FoeTossingCharge cutting her way through a crowd of vampires and elite half-vamps]] to get to him! Preceded by the angelic warrior giving one hell of a BadassBoast & PreMortemOneLiner combination worthy of its stature at the Red Court.

** Its also a '''combat [=CMOA=]''' for ''Good Bob''. After being a snarky assistant forced act within his limitations, only having a small glimpse via Evil Bob, DemonicPossession or lip service from Luccio that he is almost on par with the Archive, we finally see him cut loose and continuosly shield Murphy from '''everything 5 {{PhysicalGod}}s could throw at her.''' BewareTheSillyOnes indeed.

* The final battle counts for Murphy! With the assistance of an Archangel, she killed a PhysicalGod with one hit-- ''after'' cutting her way through a crowd of vampires and elite half-vamps to get to him!

* [[TheQuietzone Mac]] uses full sentences to give Harry genuine heartfelt advice. Like Lea, he makes it extra powerful.

* Mac uses full sentences to give Harry genuine advice. Like Lea, he makescit extra powerful.

* When Harry meets with Mab to accept the Winter Mantle, she gloats that he has no other options...but [[ShutUpHannibal he interrupts her]] by listing his options, from least evil to most evil, all the way from accepting her offer up to activating the Darkhallow, ''consuming the raw lifeforce of the entire city and [[GodhoodSeeker becoming a necromantic god]]''.

** And not-so-subtly threatens Mab in the process, which takes a pretty large set in itself.

* Mouse confronting the Leanansidhe, and calling her a bitch (though [[FridgeLogic would that even be an insult from a dog point of view?]]), then threatening to ''bite her ass off''.

** Its also a '''combat [=CMOA=]''' for ''Good Bob''. After being a snarky assistant forced act within his limitations, only having a small glimpse via Evil Bob, DemonicPossession or lip service from Luccio that he is almost on par with the Archive, we finally see him cut loose and continuosly shield Murphy from '''everything 5 [[PhysicalGod]]s could throw at her.''' BewareTheSillyOnes indeed.

--> "You are far from the centres of your power here, demon."
--> "I live with a wizard. I cheat."

** Its also a '''combat [=CMOA=]''' for Good Bob. After being a snarky assistant forced act within his limitations, only having a small glimpse via Evil Bob, DemonicPossession or lip service from Luccio that he is almost on par with the Archive, we finally see him cut loose and continuosly shield Murphy from '''everything 5 [[PhysicalGod]]s could throw at her.''' BewareTheSillyOnes indeed.

*** And also not that surprising once it's revealed that Odin is also Santa Claus. He, of all the various supernatural entities in the Dresden 'verse is most likely to give Harry a gift, free from any hidden consequences.

* Villainous example for the Red King and The Lords of Outer Night. Especially when they show the power to paralyze a enemy with sheer force of will. Granted, they were defeated, but those guys still were the epitome of a AGodAmI and AuthorityEqualsAsskicking.

* When Harry meets with Mab to accept the Winter Mantle, she gloats that he has no other options...but [[ShutUpHannibal he interrupts her]] by listing his options, from least evil to most evil, all the way from accepting her offer up to activating the Darkhallow, ''consuming the raw lifeforce of the entire city and [[AGodAmI becoming a necromantic god]]''.

* The final confrontation is a hundred and more pages of "Holy ''[[{{HSQ}} shit!]]''" moments piled on top of one another. Harry [[GravityMaster gravity-pounding]] a Red Court horde. Harry calling out the Red King. Harry killing Arianna with a combination of Winter Knight [[AnIcePerson freeze-power]] and ''forzare''. Murphy and Sanya becoming BackToBackBadasses, with Harry, Mouse, Molly, and Thomas on support. Lea summoning the [[BigDamnHeroes Big Damn Grey Council]], which includes ''fucking Odin'' himself, who then summons an army of kenku. Ebenezar proving again why he's the Blackstaff by killing two hundred men with a gesture of the [[ArtifactOfDoom Blackstaff]] itself. Murphy cutting through a Lord of the Outer Night like he's not even there. Susan holding off the entire remaining Lords of Outer Night and the Red King with the Sword of Love, aka ''Excalibur''. Martin's insane XanatosSpeedChess to take out the Red Court at any cost. ''Everything.'' No exceptions.

-->'''Lea:''' My queen, to what degree am I permitted to act?\\

* A subtle one at the end. Susan has just become a Red Court Vampire after killing Martin, and Harry kills her to ''wipe out'' the Red Court. There is no indication that Vampire!Susan tried to struggle or fight him off - instead, she allowed Harry to do it, fully knowing what it meant, all because it would put an end to the ones that turned her, kidnapped her daughter and have outright been some of the biggest monsters to ever exist. MamaBear combined with HeroicWillpower to provide the HeroicSacrifice that [[TitleDrop changes]] everything.

* [[PrecisionFStrike "Fuck]] [[PreAsskickingOneLiner subtle."]]
** [[GeekyTurnOn And]] it's part of a ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'' reference!

** Made more awesome in hindsight: [[spoiler: The vampire that screamed and ran was apparently Esteban, one of the Red Court's most efficient and effective assassins.]]

* Not so much a traditional Crowning Moment so much as an event so huge in-universe that it can't really be considered anything else - [[spoiler:the complete and utter destruction of the Red Court by Harry]] at the end of Changes.

* The final battle counts for [[spoiler:Murphy! She killed a PhysicalGod with one hit-- ''after'' cutting her way through a crowd of vampires and elite half-vamps to get to him!]]

** [[spoiler:''Murphy'']] isn't really the one saying that -- she comments later that something ''else'' was speaking through her. Considering the circumstances, that line above is probably a PreAssKickingOneLiner directly from a freaking ''Archangel''.
*** Lea basically calls out that it was [[spoiler: The Archangel Michael]] who was spouting off. The combat was all [[spoiler: Murphy]] though.
** [[spoiler:Fidelacchius bleached her clothes and Bob was circling around her head to protect her from the Lords of the Outer Night's psychic assault. So she [[strike:looked like]] ''was'' an avenging archangel in holy white, with a glowing golden halo, laying waste with frigging ''[[KatanasAreJustBetter Kusanagi,]] The Sword of the Gathering Clouds of Heaven.'']]
** {{Foreshadowing}}: [[spoiler: You know, exactly like she looks whenever Harry looks at her with the Sight?]]
** Even better when you read back and notice the {{foreshadowing}}: When Harry arrives to find his crew waiting to go, she's playing chess with someone. What move is she noted as making when Harry walks into the room? [[spoiler:Moving a Knight into a horde of enemy pieces]].
--> And she raised ''Fidelacchius'', let out a scream that had startled a great many large men working out at her dojo, and ''plunged into the warriors of the Red Court like a swimmer breasting a wave.''
--> [[BeatPanel Sanya blinked.]]
--> [[OhCrap Holy crap]], I hadn't meant she should do ''that.''
* Mouse confronting the Leanansidhe, and [[spoiler: calling her a bitch (though [[FridgeLogic would that even be an insult from a dog point of view?]]), then threatening to ''bite her ass off''.]]

* The final confrontation is a hundred and more pages of "Holy ''[[{{HSQ}} shit!]]''" moments piled on top of one another. [[spoiler: Harry [[GravityMaster gravity-pounding]] a Red Court horde. Harry calling out the Red King. Harry killing Arianna with a combination of Winter Knight [[AnIcePerson freeze-power]] and ''forzare''. Murphy and Sanya becoming BackToBackBadasses, with Harry, Mouse, Molly, and Thomas on support. Lea summoning the [[BigDamnHeroes Big Damn Grey Council]], which includes ''fucking Odin'' himself, who then summons an army of kenku. Ebenezar proving again why he's the Blackstaff by killing two hundred men with a gesture of the [[ArtifactOfDoom Blackstaff]] itself. Murphy cutting through a Lord of the Outer Night like he's not even there. Susan holding off the entire remaining Lords of Outer Night and the Red King with the Sword of Love, aka ''Excalibur''. Martin's insane XanatosSpeedChess to take out the Red Court at any cost.]] ''Everything.'' No exceptions.

* A couple of vampires have [[spoiler:thrown a Molotov cocktail at Harry's apartment building, and the whole place is burning down. He managed to haul his elderly landlady out of bed to safety, but the upstairs neighbors are also old and unable to make it out on their own. Harry tries to rescue them, but can't due to a badly-timed explosion knocking him off the ladder.]] The old lady yells "Oh God in Heaven, help us!"... ''[[BigDamnHeroes and he does]]''. [[spoiler:Best-timed entrance ever, [[{{Paladin}} Sanya]].]]

* [[spoiler:Odin]] showing Harry why it's a bad idea to fuck with [[PhysicalGod physical gods]].
** [[spoiler:Odin]] unhesitatingly giving Harry exactly what he asked for, with no price tag attached, proving that some supernatural entities are neither evil nor [[GoodIsNotNice dicks]].
*** Not so surprising if you consider the code of honour of [[spoiler:the ancient Norse]]. Courage even in the face of certain defeat is a defining characteristic for Harry, and one [[spoiler:Odin]] certainly appreciates. One thinks he would love to have Harry in [[spoiler:his band of warriors when the time to fight and lose to the Ice Giants has come]]. To [[spoiler:Odin]], Harry is definitely one of the good guys, so why not help him as much as he can?
** Vadderung is rather insistent that Harry have some coffee and a doughnut. Since he likely realizes that Harry is on a suicide mission, [[spoiler:Father Odin does the modern equivalent of having Harry drink Odin's Mead, giving our hero one more way back from death, as an Einherjar.]]
** Ebenezar speculates that pretty much ''the entire book'' was a BatmanGambit by [[spoiler: Odin.]] Given what we've seen of the guy, it's not hard to believe.
* They [[spoiler:blew up a pyramid]].

* Martin gets one which was, [[TheNondescript appropriately]], almost impossible to notice. In fact, [[spoiler: no-one would ever have known he was anything but TheMole if Harry's soulgaze hadn't revealed his ThanatosGambit to wipe out the entire Red Court while he lay dying]].
* Harry managing to impress the Erlking ''again'', this time through some PolitenessJudo. [[spoiler:When he and Susan, escaping some Red Court vampires, drop in on his domain, he semi-sarcastically calls them his "guests," which Harry [[ExactWords uses to claim]] SacredHospitality.]]
** The best part is that the rest of the goblins present are angry at what they think is a misuse of [[spoiler: the rules of hospitality]], but the Erlking thinks it is ''clever'', equating Harry to a wily fox.

* When Harry meets with Mab [[spoiler:to accept the Winter Mantle]], she gloats that he has no other options...but [[ShutUpHannibal he interrupts her]] by listing his options, from least evil to most evil, all the way from accepting her offer up to activating the Darkhallow, ''consuming the raw lifeforce of the entire city and [[AGodAmI becoming a necromantic god]]''.
** Which he would actually do if it meant saving [[spoiler: Maggie]].

** Not to mention the reveal that [[spoiler: all these years, she's been defending Harry's apartment from the [=NeverNever=] side with a ''flower garden'' so lethal, it's surrounded by mounds of bones from enemies who've tried to sneak-attack him.]] And Harry ''never even suspected'' it.
** Another one for Lea. What are the four most dangerous words in the whole English language, which also double as PreAsskickingOneLiner for [[spoiler:Mab]]?

* One that might cross into Heartwarming territory is when Harry needs to escape the FBI building under siege, so he opens a Way into the [=NeverNever=]...[[spoiler: and finds out it connects to the hall of the Erlking, Lord of Goblins and the Wild Hunt. The FBI are some of the best manhunters in Law Enforcement and always take the lead when there is a child kidnapping, and the Erlking's domain agrees by connecting to them through the [=NeverNever=].]] Badass.
* A subtle one at the end. [[spoiler:Susan has just become a Red Court Vampire after killing Martin, and Harry kills her to ''wipe out'' the Red Court. There is no indication that Vampire!Susan tried to struggle or fight him off - instead, she allowed Harry to do it, fully knowing what it meant, all because it would put an end to the ones that turned her, kidnapped her daughter and have outright been some of the biggest monsters to ever exist. MamaBear combined with HeroicWillpower to provide the HeroicSacrifice that [[TitleDrop changes]] everything.]]

## "aggressively negotiates" with Odin for a direct portal to Chicago for Harry and Maggie, since "she is given to understand the little ones are quite fragile"

** [[GeekyTurnOn And]] it's part of a ''Literature/LordOfTheRings'' reference!

** Sure, the fact that he managed it was awesome, but the circumstances were less CrowningMomentOfAwesome than [[TearJerker another trope]]...

* One that might cross into Heartwarming territory is when Harry needs to escape the FBI building under siege, so he opens a Way into the [=NeverNever=]...[[spoiler: and finds out it connects to the hall of the Erlking, Lord of Goblins and the Wild Hunt. The FBI are some of the best manhunters in Law Enforcement and always take the lead when there is a child kidnapping, and the Erlking's domain agrees by connecting to them through the [=NeverNever=].]] Badass.

** Another one for Lea. What are the four most dangerous words in the whole English language, which also double as PreAsskickingOneLiner for [[spoiler:Mab]]? "You may indulge yourself."
*** Full exchange:
--> Lea: "My queen, to what degree am I permitted to act?"
--> Mab: "You may indulge yourself."

* One that might cross into Heartwarming territory is when Harry needs to escape the FBI building under siege, so he opens a Way into the [=NeverNever=]...[[spoiler: and finds out it connects to the hall of the Erlking, Lord of Goblins and the Wild Hunt. The FBI are some of the best manhunters in Law Enforcement and always take lead when there is a child kidnapping, and the Erlking's domain agrees by connecting to them through the [=NeverNever=].]] Badass.

*** Full exchange [[spoiler: Lea: "My queen, to what degree am I permitted to act?" Mab:"You may indulge yourself." ]]