History Awesome / SkinGame

** Then, later in Hades vault, he reveals he is Ursiel's host, his already massive body growing to ''gigantic'' proportions. And then despite Grey blinding his normal eyes, he still beats him.

* TheReveal that Harry already had the power to defeat Justin (and possibly Elaine) as a teenager. Lea's training just gave him the anger and willpower to do it.

** Murphy at first has the upper hand using ''Fidellachius'', and has Nicodemus with the sword to his throat, despite getting shot in the chest several times (Kevlar vest).

*** What makes it better is that Nicodemus beat Murphy in grappling, [[BeatThemAtTheirOwnGame her best repertoire]]. Its as Murphy said about Skadi. There is no way she was going beat someone who has over thousand years more experience than her, and it applied to Nic as well. [[FridgeLogic After all, he had to take on generations of Knights in combat and win]].

* [[CelestialParagonsAndArchangels Uriel]] allowing himself to be BroughtDownToNormal to restore Michael to fighting condition. Specifically by entrusting Michael with his grace, a power source capable of unmaking Galaxies. Because he has that much faith in [[TheParagon Michael's]] ability to do the right thing.

* The Genoskwa (a Bigfoot EvilCounterpart of River Shoulders) destroying Harry in their first fight. Including effortlessly dispelling his ice magic.

** Making it even better is that while both Hannah and Lasciel had ''understandable'' grievances against Harry (that is Lasciel wants their daughter and Hannah's friends from St.Giles organization who were TokenGoodTeammate half-vampires of Red Court died via his spell), those were situations that he had no control over. Harry ''still'' recognises his mistakes and is willing to make amends and compromises, showing true CharacterDevelopment from the guy who shot first and questioned later. Unfortunately, those two decided to be [[EvilIsPetty petty about it]], so ''Harry'' decided to live up to his MemeticBadass reputation.

** It was explicitly stated in the previous book that Mab--Queen of the Wicked Faeries, TheDreaded to just about everyone, an incredibly cold, incredibly ruthless, incredibly logical being who makes Spock look like TheKirk in comparison--still is human enough that she refuses to harm her own daughter, despite the fate of the world being at stake. Back in ''Small Favor,'' Nicodemus showed contempt for her by breaking the Accords. Here, she and Marcone manipulate Nicodemus into murdering his own daughter--and, since Harry got away with four out of the five artifacts, for a very paltry gain indeed. The message is very clear: '''Do not ever, ever, EVER mess with Mab.'''

** Making it even better is that while both Hannah and Lasciel had ''understandable'' grieviences against Harry (that is Lasciel wants their daughter and Hannah's friends from St.Giles organization who were TokenGoodTeammate half-vampires of Red Court died via his spell), those were situations that he had no control over. Harry ''still'' recognises his mistakes and is willing to make amends and compromises, showing true CharacterDevelopment from the guy who shot first and questioned later. Unfortunately, those two decided to be [[EvilIsPetty petty about it]], so ''Harry'' decided to live upto his MemeticBadass reputation.

* Michael's BigDamnHeroes moment to save Harry from the above. He simply places his hand on Harry's head and lets out his BattleCry and a prayer, and the same holy fire which burned the Red Court vampire in ''Grave Peril'' rushes out and starts ''roasting'' Tessa's insects, forcing her to scarper to deal with the heavy damage. Even Nicodemus is scared and confused as to how that was possible.
** Then the archangel spirit within him gives an epic speech to everyone present, reminding them of the importance of their choices over power, and warning them one day, judgement ''will'' come for them:

*** Its triply awesome when you realize that speech could apply to everyone present, heck '''everyone ever''', and still be poignant. The archangel is telling good people to stop tearing themselves apart on failures, those with grey morality to have faith, and evil to repent and atone. As Harry said in his mind:

* Simply, the description of the satellite photos of Sanya facing off against two Denarians. It sounds like straight out of a Akira Kurosawa movie. And he won. Jim Butcher just keeps giving and giving.
-->"Those are from Iran," Karrin said. "Gary says that they show a functioning nuclear power plant." The images were obviously of some sort of installation, but I couldn't tell anything beyond that. "Thought they had big old towers." "He says they're buried in that hill behind the building," Karrin said. "Check out the last few images."On the last pages of the folder, things in the installation had changed. Columns of black, greasy smoke rolled out from multiple buildings. In another image, the bodies of soldiers lay on the ground. And in the last image, up on the hillside, which was wreathed in white mist, or maybe steam. . .\\

** An extra moment of awesome in that we later learn Sanya survived taking on two at once--heck, in his next appearance, just a few months later, he doesn't seem to be carrying any major injuries!
* The Genowska (a Bigfoot EvilCounterpart of River Shoulders) destroying Harry in their first fight. Including effortlessly dispelling his ice magic.
** Then, later in Hades vault, he reveals he is Ursiel's host, his already massive body growing to ''gigantic'' proportions. And then despite Grey blinding his normal eyes, he still beats him
** And after that he takes on Harry blind. He thrashes around like a madman, but only then Harry realizes he wanted to generate enough rubble that Harry crunched it under his feet at every opportunity, giving away their position.
** Though for their HeroicRematch, Harry won using his wits and environment. This time, instead of hitting him with magic, he uses magic to send projectiles at him. Then he lures him into the Ice Gate traps and makes him hit one while avoiding it with his newly gained parkour skills.

** Making it even better is that while both Hannah and Lasciel had ''understandable'' grieviences against Harry (that is Lasciel wants their daughter and Hannah's friends from St.Giles organization who were TokenGoodTeammate half-vampires of Red Court died via his spell), those were situations that he had no control over. Harry ''still'' recognises his mistakes and is willing to make amends and compromises, showing true CharacterDevelopment from the guy who shot first and questioned later. Unfortunately, those two decided to be [[EvilIsPetty petty cunts about it]], so ''Harry'' decided to live upto his MemeticBadass reputation.

* Michael's BigDamnHeroes moment to save Harry from the above. He simply places his hand on Harry's head and lets out his BattleCry and a prayer, and the same holy fire which burned the Red Court vampire in ''Grave Peril'' rushes out and starts ''roasting'' Tessa's insects, forcing her to scaper to deal with the heavy damage. Even Nicodemus is scared and confused as to how that was possible.

* The Genowska (a Bigfoot EvilCounterpart of River Shoulders) destroying Harry in their first fight. Inculding effortlessly dispelling his ice magic.

--->Parkour, bitch

** And unlike Murphy, Butters is accepting this as a permanent job. When Michael and Charity finish with him, he's going to be pretty much unstoppable -- a [[EmpoweredBadassNormal magic-wielding Batman]] Jedi Knight [[ThePaladin of the Cross]] with an immortal spirit of intellect backing him up. Sanya has backup now. Even his line is awesome.
--->"Nice try?" Butters said. "Mister, where I come from, ''[[Franchise/StarWars there is no try]]."''

** Considering where Mouse has been living, and how he gains his power[[note]]In an Ask Me Anything, Butcher pointed out (after also pointing out that it would likely never get explained in the books) that a Temple Dog/Foo Dog gets power from the strength of the threshold they are protecting. And the Carpenter house has one of the strongest thresholds on the planet[[/note]], Mouse could very well be approaching Archangel levels of ass-kicking - with ''none'' of those pesky limitations on whose ass he can kick that Uriel has. "Little Cousin" indeed.

* When Harry's LongGame comes together and TheMole is revealed, turning a 4 on 2 beatdown - Harry and Michael against Nicodemus, Hannah/Lasciel, Ursiel, and Grey - into a fair fight with Grey revealing himself to have been GoodAllAlong (or, at least, hired by Harry first).

*** Michael, like Harry, uses his experience as a father to try and get through to Nicodemus, but unlike Harry, its to get him to repent.
----> Enough, Nicodemus! Enough! Has today not been enough for you? In the name of God, man, have your eyes not yet been opened? Nicodemus Archleone. Look at yourself. Look at your fury. Look at your pain. Look where they have led you, man. Your own child. This is what it has taken, Nicodemus. This journey into the darkness of greed and ambition. '''You stand amongst untold, unimaginable wealth, and you have lost the only thing that really matters because of them.''' Because of the lies and the schemes of the Fallen. It is not too late. Don’t you see what has happened here? What has been arranged, all the pieces that have been moved to bring you to the only place where your eyes might be opened. Where you might have a chance—perhaps your very last chance—to turn aside from the path you have walked for so long. A path that has caused you and those close to you and the world around you nothing but heartache and misery. It isn’t a matter of belief. I need look no further than the evidence of my eyes and mind. It’s why I took up the Sword in the first place. To save you, and those like you, who have been used by the Fallen. It’s why I have been given the grace to take up arms again, this very night—in time to offer you a chance. For hope. For a new beginning. For peace. ''I can’t imagine anything happening to my daughter. No father should have to see his child die.'' As different as we are, as much separated in time and faith, you are still a human being. You are still my brother. And I am very sorry for your pain. Please. Let me help you.

* Nicodemus uses the Grail to shield himself from attacks. Michael turns his sword away - he thinks that Holy Grail is too valuable to destroy. Harry doesn't, so he shoots right at Nicodemus. Who also does, and so he takes the bullet, urgently saving the Grail from Harry's hit. Apparently, using something you are not ready to lose as a shield against someone having no objections to destroy it, is not a wise idea.

** This bears repeating. Uriel, one of the four Archangels and the greatest defender of mortal free will, risked death, or even Falling. Not to prevent some massive apocalypse. Not to prevent Nicci from getting his hands on the Holy Grail. Not for some large, world saving purpose that drove him to that desperate act. But simply to try and save the souls of Nicodemus' mooks.

** He leads Harry, Binder's demonic goons, Genoskwa and Nicodemus in an epic ChaseScene. When they finally corner him in one of Cicago's mueseums, he has Bob animate lion statues in the museum to take on Binder's magical goons and deliver a CurbStompBattle.
** Although it eventually backfires on him, when he starts to worry about Harry's sanity, he manages to pull one over on the Warden of Chicago himself--by slipping a magical listening device into the cast he puts on Harry's arm.
** At the climax of the book, with Harry out of commission and Charity in danger, he takes Harry's duster, ''powers it up'' by channeling Bob into it, and walks out to face the music, with [[HeroicSacrifice no intention of surviving]], just intending to buy some time for [[TheCavalry reinforcements to arrive]]. He ''tackles and headbutts Tessa, a Knight of the Blackened Denarius.'' Pretty good for someone who is still a vanilla mortal, and it's probably one reason why...
** When Harry throws Charity the broken hilt of Fidelacchius, his throw misses... and hits her shoulder, bounces directly to Butters, who, with a combination of Butters' faith in Harry and good triumphing over evil, Harry's faith in him, and Michael's faith that the broken Sword of Faith still has power and purpose, manages to ''reforge a Sword of the Cross... into a lightsaber.'' Which he uses to break Nicodemus's sword like a toothpick, ''break the will of the Denarians' fanatical cultists,'' and '''''terrify Nicodemus and Tessa to flee the scene.'''''
** And unlike Murphy, Butters is accepting this as a permanent job. When Michael and Charity finish with him, he's going to be pretty much unstoppable - a [[EmpoweredBadassNormal magic-wielding Batman]] Jedi Knight [[ThePaladin of the Cross]] with an immortal spirit of intellect backing him up. Sanya has backup now. Even his line is awesome.
--->"Nice try?" Butters said, "Mister, where I come from ''[[Franchise/StarWars there is no try]]."''
* When Butters takes up the Sword of Faith, Mouse has just finished up mopping up the mook squad, and leaps onto a van, fur blazing with blue and white light. Just the SIGHT of Mouse is enough to ''terrify'' Anduriel. Not Nicodemus, not the human. The Fallen's Master of Shadows wets his demonic pants at what Mouse has become.

** Murphy at first has the upper hand using ''Fidellachius'', and has Nicodemus with the sword to his throat, despite getting shot in the chest several times(Kevlar vest).

'''Michael:''' ''[[[HesBack Wielding Amoracchius]]]'' [[ExactWords I said I would come out to you]]. ''[Kicks down the garden door]'' [[ExactWords I'm out]]. ''[[BringIt In nominae dei, Nicodemus, I have come '''to face''' you]].''

* Harry creating thes distraction and incapacitating the guards with Roman candles.

** And unlike Murphy, Butters is accepting this as a permanent job. When Michael and Charity finish with him, he's going to be pretty much unstoppable - a [[EmpoweredBadassNormal magic-wielding Batman]] [[LamePun Jedi Knight]] [[ThePaladin of the Cross]] with an immortal spirit of intellect backing him up. Sanya has backup now. Even his line is awesome.

* The rematch we thought we'd never get: Michael vs. Nicodemus. Michael, in Harry's own words, "goes all out"...and Nick has no answer. Two thousand years of swordmanship, thwarted by the Fist of God. ([[FridgeLogic unless the Archangel grace enhanced him more than normal]])

---> "Nice try?" Butters said, "Mister, where I come from ''[[Franchise/StarWars there is no try.]]"''
* When Butters takes up the Sword of Faith, Mouse has just finished up mopping up the mook squad, and leaps onto a van, fur blazing with blue and white light. Just the SIGHT of Mouse is enough to ''terrify'' Anduriel. Not Nicodemus, not the human. The Fallen's Master of Shadows wets his demonic pants at what Mouse has become.

---> '''Harry:''' Do you remember? The first time you saw her? The first time she looked at you? Do you remember the change? That shift, when the whole universe suddenly tilted? Do you remember looking at her and knowing you would never, ever be quite the same person? Do you think the cup will do that for you?\\

* The price [[AmbiguouslyEvil Grey]] demands from Harry for his help. [[spoiler: [[ComicallySmallDemand One.]] [[PetTheDog Dollar.]]]]

** Genowska has Harry hostage so Murphy walks up the group with her [=AT4=] rocket launcher. Nicodemus taunts her that she wouldn't dare as it would kill Harry as well. So ''she steps into the blast range as well'', scaring Nicodemus by telling [[UndyingLoyalty she is ready to die for Harry]]. [[spoiler: Then she reveals she had ''Fiddelachius'' hidden in the weapon.]]
** Murphy at first [[spoiler: has the upper hand using ''Fidellachius'', and has Nicodemus with the sword to his throat, despite getting shot in the chest several times(Kevlar vest).]]
** So what does Nicodemus do? He proves why he has been around for 2000 years and its because he's ''smart'' and he ''knows the Knights Of Cross inside out''. [[spoiler: He drops his coin and removes the noose, rendering himself mortal. And then [[ISurrenderSuckers tells her that he surrenders]] after telling Genowska to crush Harry's skull. Karrin acts exactly as he expected and attacks him, depowering the sword, which he then ''breaks'']]. Now that's a BatmanGambit.
** Then Nicodemus [[spoiler: who is still mortal without the coin or noose proceeds to utterly destroy Murphy in physical combat, while delivering a BreakingSpeech. By the end of it, he has [[BreakTheBadass figuratively]] and [[GameBreakingInjury literally]] broken Murphy.]]
*** What makes it better is that [[spoiler: Nicodemus beat Murphy in grappling, [[BeatThemAtTheirOwnGame her best repertoire]]. Its as Murphy said about Skadi. There is no way she was going beat someone who has over thousand years more experience than her, and it applied to Nic as well. [[FridgeLogic After all, he had to take on generations of Knights in combat and win.]]]]

** As it turns out, he's merely BroughtDownToBadass. When [[spoiler: Nicodemus sends his goons to Michael's house, Uriel [[NeverBringAGunToAKnifeFight effortlessly slaughters a shotgun wielding mook with a kitchen knife]]]]. As Uriel himself put it
--> I was fighting wars when this planet was nothing but expanding gases.

* The way old Nick is taken down a much-needed peg or four, and the way Mab and Marcone [[spoiler:and Hades]] utterly deconstruct his image as the badass master of manipulation and leave him in the mud.

--> '''Nicodemus:''' The bargain was made. His word freely given. You cannot stop him from fullfilling it.\\

--->'''Nicodemus''': [[{{Hypocrite}} You cheat!]]\\
'''Michael:''' ''[[[HesBack Wielding Amoracchius]]]'' [[ExactWords I said I would come out to you.]] ''[Kicks down the garden door]'' [[ExactWords I'm out.]] ''[[BringIt In nominae dei, Nicodemus, I have come '''to face''' you.]]''

* Harry's duel with the aforementioned Hannah Ascher is a perfect example of how experience and flexibility trump raw power. Harry's opponent, while being even greater pyromancer than him '''and''' boosted by Lasciel's Hellfire to the point a single hit would kill Harry, actually fails to ''land'' a single hit, as each time Harry retaliates with a counter-attack that hits '''hard''', and eventually [[spoiler: turns Hannah's own Hellfire against herself in a DefensiveFeintTrap]]. With the added benefit of possibly [[spoiler: trapping Lasciel in Hades' treasury for good. Even further, Harry takes pains to offer her mercy, and when she refuses, he demonstrates that even though she has better fine control over fire than he does, and probably greater raw power thanks to Lasciel, she's ''still'' way out of her league when it comes to actual combat skill]].
** Making it even better is that while both [[spoiler: Hannah and Lasciel]] had ''understandable'' grieviences against Harry (that is [[spoiler: Lasciel wants their daughter and Hannah's friends from St.Giles organization who were TokenGoodTeammate half-vampires of Red Court died via his spell]]), those were situations that he had no control over. Harry ''still'' recognises his mistakes and is willing to make amends and compromises, showing true CharacterDevelopment from the guy who shot first and questioned later. Unfortunately, those two decided to be [[EvilIsPetty petty cunts about it]], so ''Harry'' decided to live upto his MemeticBadass reputation.
*** Making it even sweeter is [[spoiler: Lasciel's]] OhCrap when she realises [[BuriedAlive exactly what Harry has in mind]] for them while TooDumbToLive partner [[spoiler: Hannah]] is blasting away like a demented cowboy.

---> All of you, hear me. You think your power is what shapes the world you walk in. But that is an illusion. Your choices shape your world. You think your power will protect you from the consequences of those choices. But you are wrong. You create your own rewards. There is a Judge. There is Justice in this world. And one day you will receive what you have earned. Choose carefully.

----> Uriel. You sneaky bastard. But you weren’t telling me anything I didn’t already suspect.

--> “Those are from Iran,” Karrin said. “Gary says that they show a functioning nuclear power plant.” The images were obviously of some sort of installation, but I couldn’t tell anything beyond that. “Thought they had big old towers.” “He says they’re buried in that hill behind the building,” Karrin said. “Check out the last few images.”On the last pages of the folder, things in the installation had changed. Columns of black, greasy smoke rolled out from multiple buildings. In another image, the bodies of soldiers lay on the ground. And in the last image, up on the hillside, which was wreathed in white mist, or maybe steam. . .
--> Three figures faced one another. One was a large man dressed in a long overcoat and wielding a slightly curved sword in one hand, an old cavalry saber. He carried what might have been a sawed-off shotgun in the other. His skin was dark, and though his head hadn’t been shaved like that the last time I’d seen him, it could really have been only one person. “Sanya,” I said. The world’s only Knight of the Cross was standing across from two blurry figures. Both were in motion, as if charging toward him. One was approximately the same size and shape as a large gorilla. The other was covered in a thick layer of feathers that gave an otherwise humanoid shape an odd, shaggy appearance. “Magog and Shaggy Feathers,” I muttered.

** Then, later [[spoiler: in Hades vault, he reveals he is Ursiel's host, his already massive body growing to ''gigantic'' proportions. And then despite Grey blinding his normal eyes, he still beats him]]
** And after that [[spoiler: he takes on Harry blind. He thrashes around like a madman, but only then Harry realizes he wanted to generate enough rubble that Harry crunched it under his feet at every opportunity, giving away their position.]]
** Though, for [[spoiler: for their HeroicRematch Harry won using his wits and environment. This time, instead of hitting him with magic, he uses magic to send projectiles at him. Then he lures him into the Ice Gate traps and makes him hit one one while avoiding it with his newly gained parkour skills.]]
--> Parkour, bitch

** Though, for [[spoiler: for their HeroicRematch Harry won using his wits and environment. This time, instead of hitting him with magic, he uses magic to send projectiles at him. Then he lures him into the Ice Gate traps and makes him hit one one while avoiding it with his newly gained parkour skills.]]

** During the above firestorm, a fire chamaleon tries to attack Hannah. Nicodemus effortlessly nails it with his thrown sword. Harry has to admit to himself he's good with centuries of practice.

*** Michael, like Harry, uses his experience as a father to try and get through to Nicodemus to get him to repent.

*** Its triply awesome when you realize that speech could apply to everyone present, heck '''everyone ever''', and still be poignant. The archangel is telling good people to stop tearing thenselves apart, those with grey morality to have faith, and evil to repent and atonen As Harry said in his mind:

* Simply, the description of the satellite photos of Sanya facing off against two Denarians. It sounds like straight out of a Kurosawa movie. And he won. Jim Butcher just keeps giving and giving.

--> “Those are from Iran,” Karrin said. “Gary says that they show a functioning nuclear power plant.”
The images were obviously of some sort of installation, but I couldn’t tell anything beyond that. “Thought they had big old towers.”
“He says they’re buried in that hill behind the building,” Karrin said. “Check out the last few images.”
On the last pages of the folder, things in the installation had changed. Columns of black, greasy smoke rolled out from multiple buildings. In another image, the bodies of soldiers lay on the ground. And in the last image, up on the hillside, which was wreathed in white mist, or maybe steam . . .
Three figures faced one another. One was a large man dressed in a long overcoat and wielding a slightly curved sword in one hand, an old cavalry saber. He carried what might have been a sawed-off shotgun in the other. His skin was dark, and though his head hadn’t been shaved like that the last time I’d seen him, it could really have been only one person.
“Sanya,” I said.
The world’s only Knight of the Cross was standing across from two blurry figures. Both were in motion, as if charging toward him. One was approximately the same size and shape as a large gorilla. The other was covered in a thick layer of feathers that gave an otherwise humanoid shape an odd, shaggy appearance.
“Magog and Shaggy Feathers,” I muttered.

** Genowska has Harry hostage so Murphy walks up the group with her [=AT4=] rocket launcher. Nicodemus taunts her that she wouldn't dare as it would kill Harry as well. So ''she steps into the blast range as well'', scaring Nicodemus by telling [[UndyingLoyalty she is ready to due for Harry]]. [[spoiler: Then she reveals she had ''Fiddelachius'' hidden in the weapon.]]

** Though, for [[spoiler: for their HeroicRematch Harry won using his wits and environment]]

--> Sanya
* The Genowska (a Bigfoot EvilCounterpart of RiverShoulders) destroying Harry in their first fight. Inculding effortlessly dispelling his ice magic.

** Overall the only reason Harry, [[spoiler: Butters]] and Murphy survived is due to Michael's quick thinking.

** Murphy at first [[spoiler: has the upper hand using ''Fidellachius'', and has Nicodemus with the sword to his throat.]]

** Then Nicodemus [[spoiler: who is still mortal without the coin or noose proceeds to utterly destroy Murphy in physical combat, while delivering a BreakingSpeech. By the end of it, he has [[BreakTheBadass figuratively]] and [[GameBreakingInjury literally]] broken Murphy. And then he shoots her in the chest. Thank goodness for body armor.]]

** And after that [[spoiler: he takes on Harry blind. He thrashes around like a madman, but only then Harry realizes he wanted to generate enough rubble that Harry crunched it under his feet at every opportunity, giving away their position.
** Though, for [[spoiler: for their HeroicRematch Harry eon using his wits and environment]]