History Awesome / FinalfantasyXII

* All [[LimitBreak Quickenings]] count due to their eye-catching animations and the pure awesome the characters can do, but Penelo's Lv.3 Quickening, Resplendence, takes the cake. While other characters simply deal elemental or energy attacks, Resplendence essentially has Penelo ''shattering reality itself'' just to cause damage at the enemy.

* There's more than a few, notably Balthier's Hovercycle escape, but if any stands out, it would have to be Balthier and Cid, atop the Pharos at Ridorana. It's the sort of scene you can watch again and again, undoubtedly silly but still so awesome.

** What, and Reddas going out by tanking a Mist nuke to save the party and atone for Nabudis isn't epic enough? The people in Balfonheim who knew him even called it a so-so death for him. A so-so death?! How epic is this guy if what's basically a ''tactical nuke to the face'' is only a so-so death?!
* Going to throw in another for Vaan. When they reach Eruyt Village the Viera are all ignoring you and telling you to piss off in not-so-rude words. Vaan's response paraphrased? "I don't care what you want". He then proceeds to continue browbeating them until they finally give in. Even Balthier admits that he didn't think they would get anything out of the Viera. More awesomely, once it is revealed the Viera don't care about Mjrn anymore because she left their village, he then points out that pointing them in the right direction will see them gone as well, and so they are all better off if the Viera help them. He didn't so much pester them as he manipulated them into helping.

* Judge Bergan's insane and truly awesome rant against the Gods and the Power of Man as he stands over the corpse of Ivalice's High Kiltias. His delivery is simply glorious and Creator/GaryMartin, who like Templeman has a extensive résumé of awesome voices, is having a ball hamming it up with oozing theatricality. The boss fight that follows is disappointingly easy, but the scene and the monologue itself are some of the best writing this series has ever had.

* For the Espers, Zodiark's Final Eclipse qualifies due to how overblown the whole thing is. The entire sequence clocks in at nearly a minute and chronicles Zodiark's growth from a baby to an adult winged serpent. And no, despite being a dark elemental Esper, the attack is not dark elemental, though it ''does'' shatter reality on a grand scale. In the original game, it'll always defy the damage cap of 9,999 (unlike other Espers' final attacks); in fact, the base damage of Final Eclipse is ''50,000''.

-->'''Basch''': Let them watch. I know something of cages.

* In the Pharos, where our princess finally decides to defy her desire for revenge (and the will of the gods), finally and truly becoming heroic:
-->'''Ashe:''' Rasler. My prince. Our time was short. Yet I know this: ''(raises her voice)'' You were not the kind to take base revenge! I am no false saint for you to use! In all Dalmasca's history, not once did we rely on the Dusk Shard. Our people resolved never to use it, though their need might be dire. (sighs) That was the Dalmasca I wanted back.

* "I, Judge Magister, condemn you to oblivion!"
* Larsa's comes when after defending Vayne for the whole game, Larsa finally sees that his brother has [[JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope gone off the deep end]] and stands up to him. "Though I lack your power, I will still persist." Then Larsa dissolves Vayne's swords, leaving Vayne shocked.
* Gabranth finally turning against Vayne in the final battles. As Vayne [[HulkingOut Hulks Out]] on manufacted nethicite, the injured Gabranth drags himself up the steps. Vayne notices himself and gives his command.
-->'''Vayne''': Gabranth, you will defend my brother. He will have much need in the Hell to follow.
-->'''Gabranth''': ''(points sword at Vayne)'' Yes, I ''will'' protect Lord Larsa.
-->'''Vayne''': The hound strays. Treason bears a Price.
-->'''Gabranth''': One I gladly pay.
** And then in a cutscene after the fight, Gabranth charges his sword and impales Vayne, and then narrowly dodges one of Vayne's Sephira swords aimed at his head, shattering part of his helmet allowing him and Vayne to look each other in the eye.

* In the Pharos:
-->'''Ashe:''' Rasler. My prince. Our time was short. Yet I know this: (raises her voice) You were not the kind to take base revenge! I am no false saint for you to use! In all Dalmasca's history, not once did we rely on the Dusk Shard. Our people resolved never to use it, though their need might be dire. (sighs) That was the Dalmasca I wanted back.
** The princess who spent most of the game ready to commit a MacGuffin induced genocide by nuke against the empire decided to defy the will of the gods and her own desire for revenge and become truly, completely, heroic.

** Until this point, it was ambiguous whether Venat was an ally or a ManipulativeBastard toward Vayne and Cid, but then, while it would have been easy for them to leave and abandon Vayne who ''asked'' for it, the renegade Occuria chooses to stay and die alongside their remaining ally. It definitely proves that they really respected Vayne and Cid and were truly an idealist ready to give up their immortality for humanity's freedom. We then learn that the bad guys were a legitimate band of TrueCompanions, and we get a very rare example of a RousingSpeech given by the last boss who knows they will not survive this, but accepts their death anyway because they feel that [[DoomedMoralVictor their role is fulfilled]]: making a game when the player can ''respect'' the villains for more than [[DracoInLeatherPants being sexy]] is quite a feat.

* Vaan picking up one of Gabranth's swords, charging Vayne, and mortally wounding him in the process. Impressive considering how early his specific character arc was resolved.

* For the Espers, Zodiark's Final Eclipse qualifies due to how overblown the whole thing is. The entire sequence clocks in at nearly a minute and chronicles Zodiark's growth from a baby to an adult winged serpent. And no, despite being a dark elemental Esper, the attack is not dark elemental. Like Penelo, he shatters reality, but on a grander scale. In the original game, it'll always defy the damage cap of 9,999 (unlike other Espers' final attacks); in fact, the base damage of Final Eclipse is 50,000.

* Judge Bergan's insane and truly awesome rant against the Gods and the Power of Man as he stands over the corpse of Ivalice's High Kiltias. His delivery is simply glorious and Gary Martin, who like Templeman has a extensive résumé of awesome voices, is having a ball hamming it up with oozing theatricality. The boss fight that follows is disappointingly easy, but the scene and the monologue itself are some of the best writing this series has ever had.

* For the Espers, Zodiark's Final Eclipse qualifies due to how overblown the whole thing is. The entire sequence clocks in at nearly a minute and chronicles Zodiark's growth from a baby to an adult winged serpent. And no, despite being a dark elemental Esper, the attack is not dark elemental. Like Penelo, he shatters reality, but [[UpToEleven on a grander scale]]. In the original game, it'll always defy the damage cap of 9,999 (unlike other Espers' final attacks); in fact, the base damage of Final Eclipse is 50,000.

** Until this point, it was ambiguous Venat was an ally or a ManipulativeBastard toward Vayne and Cid, but then, while it would have been easy to him/her to leave and abandon Vayne who ''asked'' for it, the renegade Occuria chooses to stay and die alongside his remaining ally. It definitely proves that he/she really respected Vayne and Cid and was truly an idealist ready to give up its immortality for humanities freedom. We then learn that the bad guys were a legitimate band of TrueCompanions, and we get a very rare example of a RousingSpeech given by the last boss who knows he/she will not survive this, but accepts his/her death anyway because he/she feels that [[DoomedMoralVictor his/her role is fulfilled]]: making a game when the player can ''respect'' the villains for more than [[DracoInLeatherPants being sexy]] is quite a feat.