History Awesome / LesMiserables

** And when Mme. Thénardier is threatening to throw a huge stone at his face, he ''mocks'' her, saying, "What a grenadier! Mother, you have a beard like a man, but I have claws like a woman." She throws the stone, he ducks, and the stone ricochets off the wall and lands at his heels.
** "Vive la République! I'm one of them!"

* When most people think of Valjean being awesome, their minds jump to the cart rescue. This editor's favorite moment from him, however, comes much later, during the final battle. LaResistance, who are at this point pretty sure they're all going to die, decide to send the five among them with children home. Problem is, there's only four disguises. Just as it looks like they're going to have to leave one guy behind, another disguise falls from the sky, and there's Valjean, who just overheard the conversation and sacrificed his only way out for the last man.

** Valjean's crowning moment may have been far earlier... five words partway through: [[spoiler:"You have killed this woman."]]

** The way he utterly pwns Thenardier and the Patron Minette gang when they capture him and try to rob him, especially when he ''burns himself with a fire iron without even wincing'' to show them how badass he is.
**

* Éponine's famous rescue of Marius I believe needs no introduction, but she has an earlier one as well, when she scares her father Thénardier and his gang away from Valjean and Cosette's house during one of Marius' meetings there with Cosette. What makes this even sweeter is that Hugo writes in what must be the 19th Century French equivalent of "Ha ha, you're scared of a girl!" This editor vividly recalls pumping his fist when he read that.
* Javert: "Would you like my hat?" Again, to Thénardier, who I'm starting to believe exists solely to make other people look awesome.
** Also, one must not forget Thénardier holding a gun up to Javert at point blank range. Javert informs him that he can shoot, but the gun will misfire. Thénardier shoots. The gun misfires.
** And when Mme. Thénardier is threatening to throw a huge stone at his face. He ''mocks'' her, saying, "What a grenadier! Mother, you have a beard like a man, but I have claws like a woman." She throws the stone, he ducks, and the stone ricochets off the wall and lands at his heels.
* Enjolras. Grantaire. Final battle. Wineshop. 'Nuff said.

* Valjean's ShutUpHannibal to Javert in Drink With Me: "You are wrong. And always have been wrong. I'm a man. No worse than any man. And you are free. And there are no conditions. No bargains, or petitions. There's nothing that I blame you for. You've done your duty - nothing more." Bad. Ass.

* Say what you will about what he was doing, but Javert's DefiantToTheEnd moment at the barricades was pretty damn awesome, all things considered. "Shoot me now or shoot me later/Every schoolboy to his sport/Death to each and every traitor/I renounce your People's Court!" His dignity and poise are admirable, even if he is a KnightTemplar.

** The entire Tenth Anniversary Concert was this. Featuring many originators of the roles in different countries.

* The 25th Anniversary Encore. After a performance by four notable Valeans (Alfie Boe, Colm Wilkinson, John Owen Jones and Simon Bowman), the entire original cast (save for David Burt and Patti LuPone) return to reprise "One Day More", with the concert and tour cast serving as a chorus. Standouts include [[Creator/RogerAllam Roger Allam's]] BadassBeard, The Thenardiers clearly loving every second and Michael Ball singing "I fight...with you," straight to the audience.

* Say what you will about what he was doing, but Javert's DefiantToTheEnd moment at the barricades was pretty damn awesome, all things considered. "Shoot me now or shoot me later/Every schoolboy to his sport/Death to each and every traitor/I renounce your People's Court!"

* "It's the police, disappear. Run for it, ''[[OhCrap It's Javert!"]]'', followed by a silence when Javert enters. Just the name [[TheDreaded "Javert"]] is enough to make everyone run!

* "It's the police, disappear. Run for it, [[OhCrap It's Javert!"]], followed by a silence when Javert enters. Just the name [[TheDreaded "Javert"]] is enough to make everyone run!

* "It's the police, disappear. Run for it, [[OhCrap It's Javert!"]], followed by a silence when Javert enters. Just the name "Javert" is enough to make everyone run!

*** It's a pity that line didn't make it in to the film version of the musical. Hugh Jackman most definitely ''did'' have claws in a certain [[Film/XMenOriginsWolverine other role]] he played.

* The Confrontation between Javert and Valjean is a CMOA for Valjean, where he tells Javert that there is power in him yet and that he will save Fantine's child even if he has to kill Javert to do it.

** Enjolras has been fighting in a battle that has killed most of the participants on his side, and he is [[{{Badass}} ''completely unscathed'']]. Not only that, but his defiance and readiness to die actually impresses the National Guard.

** Enjolras has been fighting in a battle that has killed most of the participants on his side, and he is ''completely unscathed''. Not only that, but his defiance and readiness to die actually impresses the National Guard.

* When most people think of Valjean being awesome, their minds jump to the cart rescue. This editor's favorite moment from him, however, comes much later, during the final battle. LaResistance, who are at this point pretty sure they're all going to die, decide to send the five among theme with children home. Problem is, there's only four disguises. Just as it looks like they're going to have to leave one guy behind, another disguise falls from the sky, and there's Valjean, who just overheard the conversation and sacrificed his only way out for the last man.

** The entire Tenth Anniversary Concert was this. Featuring many originators of the roles in different country.

** "[[OhCrap Good evening there inspector]], lovely evening my dear..."

** And when Mme. Thénardier is threatening to throw a huge stone at his face. He ''mocks'' her, saying, "What a grenadier! Mother, you have a beard like a man, but I have claws like a woman." She throws the stone, he ducks, and the stone ricochets off the wall and lands at his heels. He doesn't even flinch.

* Enjolras executing a spy who murders an innocent old man.

!!The 2012 Film
* [[spoiler:Gavroche's death]] in the film is less tearjerker, more DefiantToTheEnd. Part of this may have to do with the fact that [[spoiler:this is the first time he actually sings Little People in the film]], but regardless, staring the man who's about to shoot you in the face and snarling out your last words is pretty badass.
* Realizing they're about to become [[DoomedMoralVictor Doomed Moral Victors]], Enjolras tells his followers that anyone who wishes to leave may do so. A short pause...followed by everyone joining in a gradually building reprise of "Do You Hear the People Sing?"
** The first time "Do You Hear the People Sing?" was done, period. It's saved for the funeral procession of General Lamarque. As the casket is carried past, the students start singing it softly, then the other people join in, and then they all belt it out while climbing on the casket. It's ''epic''.
* Valjean and Javert have a ''sword fight'' during "Confrontation."
* [[spoiler:Just as he and Grantaire are about to be shot to death by the soldiers, Enjolras raises his fist clenching the revolutionaries' flag in a final act of defiance.]]
* This troper found Gavroche's lines at the end of "Look Down" to be pretty danged inspiring:
--> ''There was a time we killed the king''
--> ''We tried to change the world too fast.''
--> ''Now we have got another king''
--> ''And he's no better than the last.''
--> ''This was the land that fought for liberty.''
--> ''Now when we fight, we fight for bread.''
--> ''Here is the thing about equality - everyone's equal when they're dead.''
--> ''Take your place! Take your chance!''
--> ''Vive la France! Vive la France!''
* When [[spoiler: Javert]] is captured by the students, he easily throws off the men pinning his arms down, punches out two more, grabs his cane and knocks down several others before he is swarmed and taken down by sheer numbers.

* When [[spoiler: Javert]] is captured by the student He easily throws off the men pinning his arms down, punches out two more, grabs his cane and knocks down several others before he is swamped and taken down by pure numbers