History Awesome / TeamFortress2

* After a content drought outside of seasonal events following the Jungle Inferno update in 2017, and the bot crisis of 2020, many people were pessimistic about the game's future. A spark of hope was given with the announcement of the summer update, that just as quickly dimmed when Valve retracted how large they intended the update to be. Then the update itself hit. 14 new community maps, including four from the fanmade VS Saxton Hale mode now officially supported, along with many new cosmetics. The game immediately ''smashed'' its previous concurrent player record.

*** Followed by what is possibly the greatest LockAndLoadMontage and PowerWalk in the ''history'' of video games.

** While Scout and Soldier get quick, clean kills against their bears, [[BewareTheSillyOnes Pyro]] absolutely '''brutalizes''' theirs with an axe -- after hallucinating it as a Smoky Bear {{Expy}} who [[BerserkButton insults fire to their face]] -- [[https://www.teamfortress.com/tf03_cold_day_in_hell/#f=33 to the point where the bear's head is completely obliterated]] and Pyro is splattered in gore. It says a lot when [[BloodKnight Scout]] and even ''[[SociopathicSoldier Soldier]]'' are a little freaked out by what they've done to it.

* The Saxxy winner for Best Extended 2017, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3BdZDypDLg Agent Gunn: Vulcanite]]. The entire video is amazing, from the musical score, to the animation, from the custom models, to the set design; it blows all the previous entries out of the water. Not to mention, it also serves as almost like a RevisitingTheRoots for those who longed for an older ''[=TF2=]'', before all the hats changed the 60's spy movie parody theme.

'''The Soldier:''' [[TemptingFate You call that breaking my spine?]] You [=RED=] team ladies wouldn't know how to break a spine if <'''''CRACK!'''''> ''AAAAAGGHHHH my spine!!!''"\\

** There’s just something so badass about the Pyro whistling [[Music/TheLovinSpoonful “Do You Believe in Magic?”]] in minor key as they [[UnflinchingWalk casually walk off into the sunset]], leaving behind the burning wreckage of an entire town littered with the dismembered corpses of the BLU team. Especially so when a nearby building collapses right next to them and [[ButForMeItWasTuesday they barely even react]].
* "Meet The Engineer" has the Engi sitting calmly in front of a campfire made from the burning corpse of a [=BLU=] Sniper, strumming a guitar and drinking beer... while his {{Sentry Gun}}s automatically [[CurbStompBattle annihilate an entire]] ''[[CurbStompBattle crowd]]'' [[CurbStompBattle of charging enemy Team members so efficiently that the Engineer only needs to worry]] about dodging the occasional bullet and removing the occasional flying body part that lands near him.\\\

--->'''Sniper''': So it was ''real'', then. Me Mum and Dad, they're... d'yer know what this means?\\
'''Medic''': (''holds up an IV line as he explains'') [[DoingInTheWizard It means you hallucinated before brain death, mein freund]]. I injected a blue whale's pineal gland directly into your brain stem.\\
'''Sniper''': Nah, mate. (''smirks with absolute confidence'') It means I'm ''the most dangerous bloody man'' on this island. I ''know'' what's waitin' for me when I kark it. I ain't afraid to die... 'cept not just yet. [[ButForMeItWasTuesday Bein' dead's the longest holiday I ever took. Time to get back to work]].

-->'''Saxton Hale''': Sssshhhh… it can ''smell fear''. It's close. (…) Ah-HA! '''THERE YOU ARE!'''\\

'''Saxton Hale''': Everybody said; "Don't do it. You can't build a theme park with the deadliest animals on Earth! ''They'll escape!'' Nature finds a way". Ha ha! '''[[BloodKnight THAT WAS THE WHOLE BLOODY POINT!]]'''\\

--->'''Scout''': (''staring at the yeti in horror'') [[OhCrap Oh dear God, no...!]]\\
'''Saxton Hale''': Don't worry, son. Stick with me! (''prepares to brandish Scout as a weapon'') [[PreAssKickingOneLiner You'll be just]] ''[[PreAssKickingOneLiner fine.]]''

* [[http://youtu.be/bkP_sJty7EY Heavy's Falcon Punch.]]

* The WebAnimation/{{Team Service Announcement}}s are usually a [[Funny/TeamFortress2 different flavor of brilliant]], but sometimes, the good examples can be surprisingly badass, like the BLU Medic in [[http://youtu.be/yz5BU44_h74 Pop It, Don't Drop It]].

** [[https://youtu.be/6ucJ0v_g1cQ "How to HamStreak"]]: ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin. A Sniper decides to [[JustForPun go ham]] on the enemy team backed only by a Medic, racking up nearly ''twenty kills'' (and earning a 25-kill streak) [[ImprobableAimingSkills with only a]] ''[[NerfArm Ham Shank]]''.

* The Saxxy winner for Best Extended 2017, [[https://youtu.be/w3BdZDypDLg Agent Gunn: Vulcanite]]. The entire video is amazing, from the musical score, to the animation, from the custom models, to the set design; it blows all the previous entries out of the water. Not to mention, it also serves as almost like a RevisitingTheRoots for those who longed for an older ''[=TF2=]'', before all the hats changed the 60's spy movie parody theme.

"Like this heavy-caliber tripod-mounted lil' old number! Designed by me, built by me, and you'd best hope... Not pointin' it at ''you''." A pretty cool BadassBoast. The fact that the background song -- [[LeftTheBackgroundMusicOn that the Engineer is also strumming on his guitar]] -- "More Gun" becomes more sinister as the camera pulls back to showcase the scope of the Sentry Guns' slaughter just increases it.

** Pyro's latest taunts with his new weapons are all this, but the alternate Flamethrower/Rainblower taunt takes the cake. He blows bubbles as a rainbow forms above him, the picture of a balloon unicorn right in the center. [[MoodWhiplash Suddenly, ominous music plays as the rainbow bursts into flames and a giant ring of fire encircles the Pyro]] as they [[VoiceOfTheLegion laugh demonically]], incinerating anyone nearby.

** Pyros latest taunts with his new weapons are all this, but the alternate Flamethrower/Rainblower taunt takes the cake. He blows bubbles as a rainbow forms above him, the picture of a balloon unicorn right in the center. [[MoodWhiplash Suddenly, ominous music plays as the rainbow bursts into flames and a giant ring of fire encircles the Pyro]] as he/she [[VoiceOfTheLegion laughs demonically]], incinerating anyone nearby.

* There is nothing more awesome than getting a team of people who are not only ''good'', but are ''willing to cooperate''. People who alert their teammates to any incoming threats. Pyros who spycheck often around the Engineer nests. Medics who do more than just heal one person. Snipers who take down more than just [[SniperDuel the enemy Sniper]]. Spies who sabotage any machinery that is within eyesight. Heavies who take care of their teammates. Demomen who set traps or beat the living hell out of anything that dares look them in the eye. Scouts who cap points, Intel, push bomb-carts and do all they can to be useful. Soldiers who take out sentry nests, Canadians, 'Commies', 'Nazis', and anyone else who looks at them funny. Engineers who build in strategic places and set up dispensers and teleporters for their teammates. Thank you. You are awesome.

** While he might not look like it at first, the Soldier is actually very versatile. A wide variety of rocket launchers for different play-styles, a wide array of secondaries geared towards either an offensive or support style of gameplay, with some unique melee weapons for situational combat. The professional rocket-jumping Soldiers can come in from anywhere and blow apart the opposition, and it is the best class to use to deal with Sentry nests in the line of sight but outside of the Sentry's range.

** The Demoman is the most versatile class in the game, able to guard Capture Points or Payloads with the Sticky Bomb Launcher and blow up anyone who tries to cap them or to set up ambushes, going Demoknight with a shield that makes you fire-proof to be the ultimate melee combatant, and using the grenade launcher to blow up your enemies. If you don't have a Spy, the Demoman is the go-to individual for dealing with Sentry nests, acting as a human artillery piece able to take power-house shots at the Sentry nest without having to go into their line-of-fire to do it.
** The Heavy, while slower than all of his comrades and mainly used for his offensive power, is labelled a "Defense" class for a reason. His mini-guns are the ideal weapon to set against the enemy in Payload when defending, stopping the payload cold by riddling the players moving the cart with a stream of bullets, no matter their numbers. A skilled Heavy can turn a rout into a victory for the defending players, tear through entire teams within seconds, and bulldoze over sentry guns head-to-head, and any Heavy paired with a competent Medic can be a nigh-invincible attacker.
** The premier defensive class is the Engineer, and the best Engineers can carry entire games depending on how well they safe-guard and maintain their buildings. Teleporters allow for quick transportation to the front-lines for allies so there are no breathers in the assault, the Dispenser is a good substitute for the Medic and replenishes the ammo of your allies, and his most powerful tool is the Sentry Gun. An automatic weapon of mass destruction, a well-guarded Sentry can maintain a choke-point in the map single-handedly. And multiple Sentry Guns, or one well-placed nest, can turn an assault into defeat after defeat for the opposing team.
** Praised as '''The Best Class in Team Fortress 2''', the Medic earned this title from the skills of the best who use him. Keeping his teammates alive in the heat of battle while still being able to defend himself in one-on-one scrapes, the Medic's Medi-guns offer a wide variety of offensive styles, from making players indestructible to crit-boosting the weapons of allies and slaughter the opposition. It is not surprising when the winning team is decided by whether or not they have a Medic supporting the team, especially a Medic-Heavy pair. Stalemates are decided by which team's Medic can charge his Über faster and thus put greater pressure out.
** The Sniper, like the Spy, is an assassin, not a mercenary. Like the Spy, he has a one-shot kill method via head-shotting enemies with his wide array of Sniper Rifles or the Huntsman. He has the SMG for when he needs to deal with unwanted company, and Jarate to give his teammates mini-crits against the enemy. A skilled Sniper can dominate the opposing team, and he is the bane of most classes, ideally operating outside the range most weapons are effective at.

** And then there's the Modern Heavy's next scene. After the Classic Heavy overcomes the Modern Medic, Modern Heavy corners his Classic counterpart. The Classic Heavy pretends to surrender, and his Modern counterpart prepares to get into a fisticuffs duel with him. However, Classic Heavy has brought a gun to a fistfight... and promptly uses it to kill the Modern Medic. Cue a NoHoldsBarredBeatdown courtesy of the Modern Heavy.

* ''[[WebAnimation/PootisEngage POOTIS ENGAGE // EXTREME]] is sheer undiluted cool from beginning to end. The short can basically be described as "what if a ''VideoGame/GuiltyGear'' fan got into [=TF2=] and spent months meticulously translating its signature animation style into [=SFM=]?" and the answer is almost 14 minutes of utter eye candy, especially the fight scenes.

* [[http://imgur.com/a/7LZMB Do No Harm]], a comic chronicling [[https://www.reddit.com/r/tf2/comments/3vcrof/do_no_harm_comic/ the artist's terrible 8-year struggle]] with a "[[JerkWithAHeartOfJerk friend]]" and how they got rid of that fuckhat as a ''[=TF2=]'' tale.

* In a dearth of official new content, there's the community-created ''[=TF2=] Classic''. It's a GameMod intended to alter the base game ''from the source code up'', based around scrapped concepts in ''[=TF2=]'s'' early stages. Among the new game modes is a 4 team brawl with Yellow and Green teams added, new guns and much, ''much'' more.
* In *Team Fabulous 2* reanimated, while all of the animations are no means bad and creative in their own way, the best one has to be the moment when Engineer performed an electric guitar which was animated by Nohat.Suedmane. It is jaw-droppingly awesome in visual and you can clearly see how much hard works have been put through in order to show his admiration for Kitty.

** It may be influenced by the fact that the Pyro is so insane that they don't know what they're doing. But you have to admit, Pyro ''annihilated'' the BLU team. [[TheDreaded And scared them]] ''[[TheDreaded shitless]]'' [[TheDreaded while doing it]].

** Kind of ruined if a [[BoomHeadshot Sniper]] or a [[{{Backstab}} Spy]] takes advantage of that split second, though.

** Even more amazing, an official community update based on the film (with new weapons, outfits and an arena) was released in 2019.

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAqGUUv-XJs Lil' Guardian Pyro]], an amazing entry for the 2013 Saxxy Awards. Engineer needs to leave his sentry alone, and leaves Pyro to guard it. What happens next is something you'd expect from Creator/{{Pixar}}, both in terms of animation quality and [[WesternAnimation/ToyStory premise]]. It won Best Overall.

* The Machinima/{{Team Service Announcement}}s are usually a [[Funny/TeamFortress2 different flavor of brilliant]], but sometimes, the good examples can be surprisingly badass, like the BLU Medic in [[http://youtu.be/yz5BU44_h74 Pop It, Don't Drop It]].

[[caption-width-right:350:'''''[[BadassBoast I AM]] [[ImmuneToBullets BULLETPROOOOOOOOF!!!!!]]''''']]

--->"Some people think they can outsmart me. Maybe. (''sniff'') Maybe. (''[[TheFourthWallWillNotProtectYou looks directly]] [[DeathGlare into camera]]'') [[BadassBoast I have yet to meet one that can outsmart]] ''[[BadassBoast bullet.]]''"
** On a meta level, the direction and character performance of this video had some news outlets comparing it favorably to Creator/{{Pixar}} when it was first featured. This was in 2007, when [[Franchise/MassEffect its]] [[VideoGame/ModernWarfare contemporaries]] [[VideoGame/{{Crysis}} were]] [[VideoGame/Halo3 some]] [[VideoGame/AssassinsCreedI of]] [[VideoGame/{{Portal}} the]] [[VideoGame/BioShock industry's]] [[VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy greats]], and it ''still'' was one of the first pieces of gaming media to feature such level of quality animation. Best of all, it was all done with the in-game Source engine.

* Gray Mann, as usual, gets one in "Ring of Fired": knowing that the mercenaries have put a stop to his robot attacks, he goes up to Saxton Hale himself, and challenges him for control of Mann. Co by Hale's policy of "[[BloodKnight having the CEO of another company beat him in a fistfight]]": except he isn't the CEO of Gray Gravel — [[DaddysLittleVillain it's his daughter, Olivia]]. And even though Olivia couldn't even hope to match Hale in a real battle, [[LikeYouWouldReallyDoIt Gray successfully predicted that]] [[EveryoneHasStandards Hale would forfeit the match]] [[NotWorthKilling because he wouldn't get a real fight from beating up a little girl]]. And just like that, [[TheBadGuyWins Gray Mann finally got control of Mann Co.]], [[SheatheYourSword all without a fight]].

** In [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqvELMdmZPc "How to Surprise Enemy Team]]", a Demo uses the [[JokeWeapon Sticky Jumper]] to get to the other side of Snakewater and ''successfully kill the entire enemy team''. Except the Sniper, [[BetterToDieThanBeKilled who suicided]] [[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments after seeing what happened]].

* Invasion, another Community-made update features a meta awesome moment with the animation of the Barn's slow-mo destruction in the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yQlDnIAR14 tie-in video.]]

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vi_xJhUuUMQ Burning Through Space]] is a melancholy little video about a Pyro drifting through space. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVi00_zWaZE The sequel]], however, is pretty much ''made'' of concentrated awesome that really must be seen to be believed. But to wit: RED Team dogfighting against an army of [=UFOs=]. With a ''spaceship, jetpacks, and ray guns. '''[[AC:[[RecycledINSPACE IN SPACE]]]]'''''. In fact, the visual effects ''alone'' are [[SugarWiki/VisualEffectsOfAwesome all kinds]] [[TechnologyPorn of awesome]].

** For starters, it begins with RED setting up a defense on a Payload round during the countdown as normal, [[MoodWhiplash which then cuts]] [[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments to the Overwatch cast (as BLU)]] [[TrashTheSet wrecking the spawn room.]]

** Genji deflecting a grenade, and then [[GrenadeHotPotato playing tennis with it against Pyro]]. [[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments Until it blows up and takes out both of them.]] [[FunnyBackgroundEvent Demoman, who was watching the ping-pong match, just goes "Wha?"]].

** [[BigDamnHeroes Spy saving Scout]] by backstabbing [[AnIcePerson Mei]] [[KarmicDeath with the Spy-cicle]].

** The final scene has Zarya pushing the payload by herself until near the end, which has an absurdly-large Sentry nest defending the final point. Her response? [[ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill Demolish the entire thing with a]] [[WeaponsThatSuck Graviton Surge]].

*** A meta-example perhaps, but the aforementioned awesome levels can be modded to become insanely difficult and nigh-impossible, with massive storms of giants and robots that can deliver a OneHitKill with every attack. These aren't the awesome moments, however. The truly awesome moment is when ''you, the players'' beat the odds and emerge victoriously.

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9hSQtbv15I Pootispunk 2007.]] ''Holy Shit.'' Exactly based on the E3 VideoGame/CyberPunk2077 2018 trailer, there are over hundreds of references based on this game (And all the problems). Examples include Kazotsky Kick, Australium cosmetics, [=TF2=] bots plaguing the game, "Scunt", and many more. You can't deny that a lot of efforts were put into it to make it as similar as possible to the original.
** Double points for also referencing WebAnimation/Kitty0706's Team Fabulous 2 in the end.

--->'''[[SayMyName HALE!]]''' ([[GloveSnap snaps on her]] FingerlessGloves) [[BringIt I haven't got all day.]]

** When Miss Pauling finally meets a dying Gray Mann face to face, Gray urges her to stop the Administrator's plans at all costs. In response, Pauling delivers a powerful speech about why she won't follow Gray's demands. The moment is undercut because he died before she finished, but only slightly:
--->"Stop her? Why would I stop her? I've worked for her my whole life. I've lied for her. Framed people for her. Killed people for her. Do you think I'd do all that if I didn't know what she is? What she's capable of? Do you think I'm some kind of stupid pawn here? I know exactly what she could do with that kind of power. And I'll be right there with her when she does it, you old..."

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuhmtA7Egp8 TO DEFEAT A MASTER!]], a half hour animation by Hoovy Tube, in which three new players find themselves up against an expert [=P2P=](Pay to Play) player. While one of them, a Heavy, rallies the other two up to take down the expert, a Free to Play Sniper on the opposing team supports them [[BetrayalByInaction by not contributing to]] the [=P2P=] player in their egotistical exploits. After several battles against the expert, the animation culminates in a climax with [[spoiler:the trio clashing against the expert who resorted to using an aimbot cheat device to take them down. The trio successfully defeat him, and the enemy team, while they did lose the match, goes to report their own cheating teammate which leads to Gaben himself appearing to banish him.]]

* The Smissmas update brings us [[http://www.teamfortress.com/asmissmasstory/?p=8 BLU team vs Old Nick]]. For once, we see the team actually act as a single unit against a common enemy and succeed. It's not all of the [=BLUs=], either; it's the Soldier, Scout (both with only Christmas items as weapons), and Spy, plus a [[BadassBystander child]]. Spy, in particular, deserves credit for notifying the media about what happened, thereby ensuring him and his fellow mercs freedom from their community service.

* The Smissmas update brings us [[http://www.teamfortress.com/asmissmasstory/?p=8 BLU team vs Old Nick]]. For once, we see the team actually act as a single unit against a common enemy and succeed.
** It's not all of the [=BLUs=], either; it's the Soldier, Scout (both with only Christmas items as weapons), and Spy, plus a [[BadassBystander child]].

** It really brings out the stuff they're all good at as they singlehandedly prevent an alien invasion in their own way. Spy removing the wiring of one ship while using one sapper to destroy three of them. Heavy helping out Medic by ''grabbing onto one of them and throwing it into another'', and then using Scout as a human bullet to destroy dozens of them in a straight line. A special shoutout goes to the moment where Demoman becomes too drunk to accurately hit his target, after which Engineer takes over, switching places. Engineer then realizes that they're ''very'' close to the mothership and they would inevitably crash. What does Demoman do? Immediately steer their own ship into a tailspin away, narrowly averting a crisis.

** A large part of the video also showcases Engineer's own genius, by laying the basis for a spaceship ''from scratch'', that has options for artificial gravity, weak spot detection, and is able to burn through the atmosphere with minimal damage. It really faciliated for the rest to show what they can truly do if they all work together for a single goal - and the alien battle wasn't even planned!

** Double points for also referencing {{Kitty0706}}'s Team Fabulous 2 in the end.

** [[https://youtu.be/6ucJ0v_g1cQ "How to HamStreak"]]: ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin. A Sniper decides to [[JustForPun go ham]] on the enemy team backed only by a Medic, racking up nearly ''twenty kills'' (and earning a 25-kill streak) [[CrazyAwesome with only a]] ''[[NerfArm Ham Shank]]''.