History Awesome / DesignatedSurvivor

* Seth ''once again tearing'' [[ShamingTheMob the assembled media a new one]] over a news story alleging President Kirkman had his wife killed. The assembled press keep asking questions and Seth keeps insisting that they are not answering questions before snapping and going on a rant that is both a [[MomentOfAwesome CMOA]] and a [[MomentOfHeartwarming CMOH]].

** And on a meta level, the show takes a huge swing at Donald Trump when Kirkman tells a laid off factory worker the hard truth that his job is never coming back, and if any politicians had told him otherwise, they were lying.

* When the governor of Michigan refuses to acknowledge Kirkman as a legitimate authority and starts essentially setting up a new Civil War by ordering all Muslims rounded up, Kirkman gives a total bluff that there were undercover federal agents among them, and he's not cleared to know their names so he'll have to let everyone go. When Governor Royce lamely protests that he's just trying to keep his citizens safe, Kirkman's reply is [[spoiler:[[ArmorPiercingQuestion "How safe is Danny Fayed feeling tonight, Governor?"]]]]

* The covert-ops SEAL team successfully [[spoiler:captures Nassar]].
** To elaborate, the [=SEALs=] [[spoiler:had Nassar and his men cornered in a basement. The terrorists had taken several children hostage, threatening to kill them unless the [=SEALs=] dropped their weapons.]] A flashbang goes off and contact with the team is lost for a minute, during which Kirkman and his staff naturally fear the worst. Just when it's looking hopeless, they finally hear from the team: [[spoiler:Nassar has been captured, the rest of the terrorists are dead, and all of the children are still alive thanks to one of the [=SEALs=] TakingTheBullet for them]].

* At long last, Kirkman and Hannah meet and start working together. The result is them getting shit done at an exponentially increased rate from the season's first half, until in just one episode [[spoiler:Beth is forced to kill her husband and herself to keep them from taking down the whole conspiracy in one swoop]].

* Right on the heels of Wells nearly capturing [=MacLeish=] and [[spoiler:forcing his wife to commit a MurderSuicide to save TheConspiracy]], she and Atwood catch up with the mysterious "[[IHaveManyNames conspiracy woman]]" and [[spoiler:shoot her dead in a firefight, something that was ''royally'' deserved after she and her associates [[WouldHurtAChild killed Atwood's son]]]].

** Her showdown with Lozano, a NoHoldsBarredBeatdown that ends with [[spoiler:Lozano impaled on several pipes]].
* TheMole is finally outed, as [[spoiler:it's revealed that before he died, Atwood emailed Hannah a recording of Whitaker discussing TheConspiracy's plans with [[BigBad Patrick Lloyd]]]]. He's shown ominously walking through the White House, as he has been several times in past episodes, only for Mike to suddenly appear in front of him, Hannah and Director Forrestal blocking him from behind. [[OhCrap His face]] says it all.

* Towards the end of the episode, Kirkman and his administration finally find a legal ground to [[spoiler:send a bunker-buster missile into [[BigBad Patrick Lloyd's]] hideout in Maryland, decisively ending his reign as a KarmaHoudini]] -- although, [[SequelHook naturally]], he managed to upload ''something'' to the internet before time ran out. [[spoiler:Fortunately, HesJustHiding is not a possibility, because Lloyd's remains are indeed reported to have been found in the wreckage.]]

* Seth ''once again tearing'' [[ShamingTheMob the assembled media a new one]] over a news story alleging [[spoiler:President Kirkman had his wife killed.]] The assembled press keep asking questions and Seth keeps insisting that they are not answering questions before snapping and going on a rant that is both a [[MomentOfAwesome CMOA]] and a [[MomentOfHeartwarming CMOH]].

** The best part is that on the way to Washington, Emily tries to persuade Royce that Kirkman is a good and reasonable man, something we, the audience, know very well, after watching him for four episodes trying to avoid using the 'nuclear' option. When [[BewareTheNiceOnes Kirkman]] arrests Royce, we get to see that much like a certain Mr. Bauer, Kirkman can do far worse than use the 'nuclear' option.
* To provide some context to Emily's situation as descibed above, Emily herself deserves mention for orchestrating a situation whereby the governor is forced to take her up on the offer to fly to D.C. with her, at which time he is promptly arrested. In contact with Dearborne Muslim residents organising a peaceful protest, she arranges to have them show up at the airport, where there are police and military personnel with orders to oppress them... and a whole bunch of media, ready to catch everything on tape. Faced with losing the moral high ground, Royce has no choice but to capitulate.

* Seth ''once again tearing'' [[ShamingTheMob the assembled media a new one]] over a news story alleging [[spoiler:President Kirkman had his wife killed.]] The assembled press keep asking questions and Seth keeps insisting that they are not answering questions before snapping and going on a rant that one part Awesome, one part Heartwarming

* A meeting to decide the nine Supreme Court justices to be filled out is hijacked by Bowman wanting a right-wining majority. The Democrats are about to walk but Kirkman ''slams'' his palms on the table and yells at them both to sit down. He then rips into Bowman on this and making it clear he's willing to march into the press room and lay it all on Bowman's feet.

* Despite Kirkman's [[HeroWithBadPublicity questionable reputation]], he was able to tell that General Cochrane wants to engage Iran despite no concrete evidence that Tehran backed the attack on Washington D.C. He also agreed with Seth bluntly that he probably won't be a good leader.

[[folder: Season 2]]

!! The Nine

** Her showdown with Lozano, a NoHoldsBarredBeatdown that ends with [[spoiler: Lozano impaled on several pipes]].
* TheMole is finally outed, as [[spoiler: it's revealed that before he died, Atwood, emailed Hannah a recording of Whitaker discussing TheConspiracy's plans with [[BigBad Patrick Lloyd]]]]. He's shown ominously walking through the White House, as he has been several times in past episodes, only for Mike to suddenly appear in front of him, Hannah and Director Forrestal blocking him from behind. [[OhCrap His face]] says it all.

* Kirkman's RousingSpeech to a joint meeting of Congress, explaining everything about the conspiracy and how it's been crushed (while the camera cuts to show cells being raided and arrested). By the end, everyone's applauding.

[[/folder]]

* The bill to mandate universal background checks passes, in no small part thanks to Kirkman's and his staff's efforts, as well as a chance encounter between Mrs. Kirkman and a small group of Republican senators.

[[/folder]]

-->'''Town Hall Attendee:''' Mr. President, we were all so worried about you after you were shot. I'm surprised and elated to see you out and around so quickly.