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  • Vimes (and half the other characters present) at the climax — he arrests two entire armies (including his own side) as they stand on the battlefield, charging them with breach of the peace, loitering with intent, loitering within tent, malicious lingering... oh, and carrying a concealed weapon, simply because he was in the tent, and therefore couldn't see the weapons they were carrying. He also arrests the leader of the opposing army for murder and threatens to shoot the leader of Ankh-Morpork's army. At which point Captain Carrot organises a football game.
  • In the same scene, when the Klatchian ruler (who is arrogantly pointing out that Vimes wouldn't dare shoot) realize just who Vimes' own ancestor was: the famous - or infamous - city guard captain who killed the insane king of Ankh-Morpork. The fact that Vetinari's Klatchian counterpart is visibly shaken at this is just made of win. The scene is made even more badass when you realize that Vimes was completely bluffing, was scared absolutely witless, and had just been told in no uncertain terms that the Klatchian army would be busy killing him if not for a single unwise decision he made days earlier. And then Vetinari shows up just in time to steal the bolt out of his crossbow. The best part? Vetinari snatching the bolt startles Vimes into pulling the trigger...and the look on Prince Cadram's face will keep him warm on cold nights.
  • Then there's this line, in regards to Carrot having talked the D'regs into not charging.
    "This man can make water run uphill and he has a commander."
    • For fans, it's difficult to decide whether that statement is a more awesome testimonial for Carrot or for Vimes.
    • Also a Moment of Awesome for the commander saying this line, as it shows excellent judgment - and a sincere desire for peace - on his part.
  • The knife-juggling stunt, which consisted of Vetinari juggling three melons and three knives at the same time (it’s pointed out that this is harder than six of either item, because of the differences in shape and weight). He then goes on to use the knives to cut the melons in half in midair. Furthermore, on the next page, he claims that "Until now, I've never tried it."
    • That is, he's never tried juggling. Of any kind.
    • Apparently it's a cake walk compared to running Ankh-Morpork.
    • His excuse: "One knows where the objects in question are, and where one wants them to be. What more does one need?"
  • Vetinari surrenders the island of Leshp unconditionally to the Klatchians, leading Lord Rust to charge him with treason. Knowing that the island will sink back under the sea in a few days, he manipulates the Prince and General into demanding that the treaty of surrender be signed on Leshp. Thus, the treaty becomes null and void, the Klatchian leader is disgraced, and, since he didn't sign a treaty to surrender a nonexistent island, all charges against Vetinari are dropped.
    Vetinari: All I know, my lord, is that Prince Cadram has, at a politically dangerous time for him, given up a huge military advantage in exchange for an island which appears to have sunk under the sea. The Klatchians are a proud people. I wonder what they will think?
    • And Vimes' response when the city leaders reluctantly tell him that he has to let Vetinari go. "Well, if you think of anything to charge him with later, just let me know and I'll go arrest him again. I know where he lives."
  • "VENI. VICI. VETINARI." This statement from Vetinari is awesome condensed into three short words. First off, "VENI. VIDI. VICI." comes from Roundworld's Julius Caesar but also exists in-universe attributed to General Tacticus. Second, it acknowledges that there is no real victory except the peace Vetinari brokered. (In Vetinari's own words: "Men marched away, Vimes. And men marched back. How glorious the battles would have been that they never had to fight!"). Third, it shows that Vetinari recognizes even this victory comes at a cost - multiple soldiers died on both sides in the skirmishes on the way to the final battlefield. ("And you say 'bought and sold'? Alright. But not, I think, needlessly spent.")
  • Nobby's weapons savviness from Men at Arms, followed by a Continuity Nod in this book, when Nobby gets his hands on a proto-RPG. Hilarity Ensues.
  • Sam Vimes works out just what that shifty foreigner Ahmed is up to. He's smarter than he acts, he always seems to show up where there's been trouble, and then he starts asking awkward questions and making everyone around him nervous. Nobody knows better than Sam Vimes that there's a word for people like that: copper.
  • 71 Hour Ahmed. Basically the closest thing Discworld has to a Cowboy Cop and about equal to Vimes on nearly all counts, but especially when he points out to Vimes that both of them suspected their own countries on principle when the other country was incriminated, and the only difference was that Ahmed happened to be right.
  • This exchange:
    Prince Cadram: Well, Mr. Samuel, when I raise my hand, the men behind me will cut you d-
    71-Hour Ahmed: I will cut down the first man that moves.
    Prince Cadram: Then the second man that moves will kill you, traitor!
    Captain Carrot: (Drawing sword) They'll have to move very fast.
  • A possible, though creepy, case of Fridge Badassery for Vimes: In the alternate timeline where Klatch invades Ankh-Morpork, after Detritus (badass troll), Dorfl (badass golem) and Carrot (badass incarnate) die, Vimes is still the last man to be taken down.
    • Might also be Fridge Heartwarming. Any one of them, or possibly all of them, might have given their lives trying to defend their commander. Which would only make it immeasurably more painful for Vimes, come to think of it.
  • Props to dimwitted, stupid Colon for accurately guessing Prince Cadram's plan simply by being Too Dumb to Fool and not being politically correct like his boss.
  • Vimes later recalls arresting Vetinari as being a personal Crowning Moment of Awesome. It doesn't stick, and he never really believed in the charge to begin with, but he realized that if there's to be any law, it has to extend all the way to the top. If Vimes won't hold Vetinari to account, who else ever could?
    • This also counts as a significant Moment of Awesome for Vetinari as well. Vetinari agrees that the law should apply to everyone, a concession that would have been unthinkable from any previous Patrician or king. Yet Vetinari quite cheerfully encourages Vimes do his duty, even chiding him to do it properly (much to Vimes's annoyance). Furthermore, not only does Vetinari get to annoy the crap out of Vimes, he also demonstrates to the city at large, including any of its elites smart enough to pay attention, that the law applies to them too.
  • Vimes shutting down Rust through the aristocratic traditions Rust depends on, taking advantage of every loophole and the Exact Words of this archaic system to ensure that Rust either doesn't have a leg to stand on or would be causing himself fun new problems if he did: for example, if only a king can create a new knighthood, that would also render Lord Downey's title illegitimate; Vimes can freely recruit dwarfs, trolls and golems because "armed soldiers" is species-neutral; and so on. For all the talk in various books about Vimes not being too bright and making up for it through persistence, he manages to parse Ankh-Morpork chivalric law well enough to Rules Lawyer it in pretty short order.
    Rust: Then you and your...regiment come under my command-
    Vimes: Strangely, no. 'Under the command of the King or his duly appointed representative,' it says in Scavone's Chivalric Law and Usage. And, of course, there has been no duly appointed representative since some complete bastard cut off the last king's head. Oh, assorted bods appear to have been ruling the city, but according to the chivalric tradition-
    Narration: Rust stopped to think again. He had the look of a lawnmower just after the grass has organized a workers' collective.
    • A bit of extra Fridge Brilliance: In Men at Arms, Vimes was made Commander of the Watch by Carrot (through Vetinari). And in that same book, Rust learned the identity of the true King of Ankh-Morpok. Which means that Vimes pretty much is the King's duly appointed representative, as well as actually having been, more or less, knighted by the king. And both of them know that (even if they don't realize the other one knows).
  • Vimes and the entirety of the Watch turning in their badges in protest against Lord Rust's demand to have all Klatchian citizens of Ankh-Morpork arrested, refusing to kowtow to a bastard like him. Highlights include Colon telling Rust to stick his promotion where the sun don't shine and Detritus daring anybody in the room to take his badge, which is carved into his arm. Nobody takes him up on that offer.
    • Prior to that, Vimes insulting Rust out loud and getting away with it. It helps that Rust has a nasty habit of I Reject Your Reality, but it's still pretty ballsy to call the current ruler of the city an "inbred streak of piss" to his face.

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