History Awesome / Gladiator

** On that note, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaYffgD6nBA the fight against Tigris the Gaul]]. Particularly when Maximus is pounced on by a tiger that had escaped its restraint, and he quickly dispatches the cat while his stunned opponent looks on. Despite his face being completely hidden by a helmet, Tigris' OhCrap reaction is very much apparent. And then, after Maximus had defeated the guy and received the ''pollice verso'' from Commodus, he spares Tigris anyway, just to ''piss off the Emperor of Rome''.

* "At my signal, unleash hell."

* The FinalBattle, where Maximus and Commadus confront each other in a duel to the death. Points go to Maximus, who remains [[TranquilFury terrifyingly calm]] while Commadus is [[VillainousBreakdown losing it]] as the battle goes on.

* The FinalBattle, where Maximus and Commadus confront each other in a duel to the death. Points go to Maximus, who remains terrifyingly calm while Commadus is losing it as the battle goes on.

* [[TearJerker "Who will help me carry him?"]]

* [[FamousLastWords "Shadows]] [[FacingTheBulletsOneLiner and]] [[TheCharacterDiedWithHim dust..."]]

* Maximus' multiple burns toward Commodus. From [[TheReveal revealing his identity]], sparing Tigris' life and keeping his head cool when Commodus [[KickTheDog describes his wife's and son's deaths]], while at the same time draining all popularity from Commodus until even his [[ZeroPercentApprovalRating own men hate him]].
** On that note, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaYffgD6nBA the fight against Tigris the Gaul]]. Particularly when Maximus is pounced on by a tiger that had escaped its restraint, and he quickly dispatches the cat while his stunned opponent looks on. Despite his face being completely hidden by a helmet, Tigris' OhCrap reaction is very much apparent. And then, after Maximus had defeated the guy and received the ''[[FinishHim pollice verso]]'' from Commodus, he spares Tigris anyway, just to ''piss off the Emperor of Rome''.

* The FinalBattle, where Maximus and Commadus confront each other in a duel to the death. Points go to Maximus, who remains [[TranquilFury terrifyingly calm]] while Commadus is [[VillainousBreakdown losing it]] as the battle goes on.

* The FinalBattle, where Maximus and Commadus confront each other in a duel to the death. Points go to Maximus, who remains terrifyingly calm while Commadus is [[VillainousBreakdown losing it]] as the battle goes on.

** Same subject, but a nod must go to Sven-Ole Thorson, who lobbied HARD to get the part of Tigris. Worked out well for him as his is a most memorable character.

-->''Maximus! Maximus, the Merciful!''

** On that note, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaYffgD6nBA the fight against Tigris the Gaul]]. Particularly when Maximus is pounced on by a tiger that had escaped its restraint, and he quickly dispatches the cat while his stunned opponent looks on. Despite his face being completely hidden by a helmet, Tigris' OhCrap reaction is very much apparent.

** On that note, the fight against Tigris the Gaul. Particularly when Maximus is pounced on by a tiger that had escaped its restraint, and he quickly dispatches it while Tigris is still turned away, gloating at what he thought was an easy win.

* Maximus' multiple burns toward Commodus. From [[TheReveal revealing his identity]], sparing Tiger's life and keeping his head cool when Commodus [[KickTheDog describes his wife's and son's deaths]], while at the same time draining all popularity from Commodus until even his [[ZeroPercentApprovalRating own men hates him]].

* No love for Proximo? The man is a former gladiator who won his own freedom, and has some of the best lines of the movie, even naming a trope ("Win the crowd..."), not to mention the gleeful cackle he gives when the gladiators - HIS gladiators - win the Unwinnable Fight in the Battle of Carthage reenactment. On a meta-level, it's Oliver Reed's final role, and he goes out like a boss.

--> '''Maximus''': ''(as he leads his cavalry in a charge)'' '''''ROMA VICTOR!'''''

* [[FamousLastWords "Shadows]] [[FaceDeathWithDignity and]] [[TheCharacterDiedWithHim dust..."]]

--> '''Cassius''': Uh, yes, sire... umm, forgive me sire.

** Don't forget Maximus killing a mounted Praetorian by ''[[ThrowingYourSwordAlwaysWorks throwing a sword at him]]'' from at least thirty feet away, in deep woods.

** "It's the frost. Sometimes it makes the blade stick". Max says this before dispatching the last praetorian.

** This troper would argue that this moment is as much down to Russell Crowe's delivery of the line as it is to Joaquin Phoenix's facial expression immediately afterward: [[OhCrap he looked like he'd seen a fucking ghost]], and he may as well ''have'' under the circumstances. Superb acting all around.

** The same fight has him kill six men in less than a minute. In a "blink or you'll miss it" moment, he takes down a helmeted gladiator by punching him in the head ''with his less dominant hand.'' Maximus is just that manly.

** Don't forget Maximus killing a mounted Praetorian by ''[[ThrowingYourSwordAlwaysWorks throwing a fucking sword at him]]'' from at least thirty feet away, in deep woods.
* Maximus's final battle with Commodus. Even when Commodus stabbed him to ensure an advantage Maximus held his own, and finally even when Commodus resorts to outright cheating he still wins

* The captain of Commodus' personal guard gets his when he finally stands up to the humiliation and corruption of his ruler. Commodus has been disarmed, and he demands a sword, so the guards begin drawing their blades, only for the captain to step forward and yell ''"Sheathe your swords!"'' Then he turns to look at Commodus, and his expression says it all: ''Time for you to fight your own battles, you bastard.'' Commodus is promptly so desperate that he finally drops all pretense of fair play and brandishes a dagger. And still gets his ass handed to him.

* Maximus leading his men to victory at the Colosseum, despite it supposed to have been a recreation of a CurbStompBattle.
--> '''Commodus''': My history is a little hazy Cassius, but shouldn't the barbarians lose the battle of Carthage?
--> '''Cassius''': Uh yes sire... umm, forgive me sire.

** What possibly makes this even more awesome is that it's actually ''historically accurate''. The Praetorian Guard really did have a history of betraying their Emperor if/when they finally go too far, and Commudus [[CompleteMonster certainly did]]. However, while it's historically accurate in the sense that the Praetorians were known to turn against the higher-ups if given sufficient reason to do so, it's not how the real Commodus died; he was strangled by an assassin.

* Maximus' leading his men to victory at the Colosseum, despite it supposed to have been a recreation of a CurbStompBattle.

* [[FamousLastWords "Shadows]] [[FaceDeathWithDignity and]] [[TheCharacterDiedWithHim dust..."]]

* The captain of Commodus' personal guard gets his when he finally stands up to the humiliation and corruption of his ruler. Commodus has been disarmed, and he demands a sword, so the guards begin drawing their blades, only for the captain to step forward and yell ''"Sheathe your swords!"'' Then he turns to look at Commodus, and his expression says it all: ''Time for you to fight your own battles, you bastard.''

** Don't forget Maximus killing a mounted Praetorian by ''throwing a fucking sword at him'' from at least thirty feet away, in deep woods.

** What possibly makes this even more awesome is that it's actually ''historically accurate''. The Praetorian Guard really did have a history of betraying their Emperor if/when they finally go too far, and Commudus [[CompleteMonster had certainly did]]. However, while it's historically accurate in the sense that the Praetorians were known to turn against the higher-ups if given sufficient reason to do so, it's not how the real Commodus died; he was strangled by an assassin.

** What possibly makes this even more awesome is that it's actually ''historically accurate''. The Praetorian Guard really did have a history of betraying their Emperor if/when they finally go too far, and Commudus [[CompleteMonster had certainly did]].
*** Well, historically accurate in the sense that the Praetorians were known to turn against the higher-ups if given sufficient reason to do so. It's not how the real Commodus died though; he was strangled by an assassin.

** This troper would argue that this moment is as much down to Russell Crowe's delivery of the line as it is to Joaquin Phoenix's facial expression immediately afterward: [[OhCrap he looked like he'd seen a fucking ghost]], and he may as well ''have'' under the circumstances.