History Awesome / TheLordOfTheRingsTheTwoTowers

** Another moment from the same scene, but it also shows just how spacious the power gap between Gandalf and Saruman is at that moment as he reduces the possessed Théoden from smugly laughing to being pinned to his chair in a heartbeat, just from the act of flinging his cloak off and Théoden being exposed to his radiant aura. [[CurbStompCushion And while Saruman does put up a considerable effort in resisting Gandalf, even managing to break his hold long enough to lunge at him]], Gandalf [[BreakTheHaughty simply uncorks a little more magical power and banishes him back to Isengard bleeding, humiliated and with his tail between his legs]], steamrolling through the ordeal with so little effort that he's barely even breaking a sweat by the time it's all over.

** Another moment from the same scene, it also shows how spacious the power gap between Gandalf and Saruman is at that moment as he reduces the possessed Théoden from smugly laughing to being pinned to his chair in a heartbeat, just from the act of flinging his cloak off and Théoden being exposed to his radiant aura. [[CurbStompCushion And while Saruman does put up a considerable effort in resisting Gandalf, even managing to break his hold long enough to lunge at him]], Gandalf [[BreakTheHaughty simply uncorks a little more magical power and banishes him back to Isengard bleeding, humiliated and with his tail between his legs]], steamrolling through the ordeal with so little effort that he's barely even breaking a sweat by the time it's all over.

* Also, you gotta hand it to the orcs, especially the uruk-hai who blew up the walls of Helm's ,Deep. Yeah, sure he was a villain, but he committed an orc version of a HeroicSacrifice and almost turned the tide of the battle in the orcs' favor. Had it been a hero in the same position, the audience would be [[VillainousValor cheering and mourning the death of such a character]].

* The pre-battle chant of the Uruk Hai army. Especially because it ''wasn't scripted''. The actors just felt like doing it, and Peter decided to keep it in.

* Also, you gotta hand it to the orcs especially the uruk-hai who blew up the walls of Helm's Deep. Yeah, sure he was a villain, but he committed an orc version of a HeroicSacrifice and almost turned the tide of the battle in the orcs favor. Had it been a [[ProtagonistCenteredMorality hero in the same position]], the audience would be cheering and mourning the death of such a character.

* One that sadly ended up on the cutting room floor - Eowyn defending refugees in the Glittering Caves by fending off several Urak-Hai. She surprises the first by chopping its head off.

* Gandalf's exorcism of Saurman from King Theoden at Meduseld.

* Right at the beginning we're back deep within the Moria and below, with the FreefallFight between Gandalf and the Balrog. It's one hell of an ActionPrologue!

** When Saruman's hold over Theoden is lifted, Theoden's transformation effect is a stunningly impressive piece of visual effects. He goes from an ancient, dead-eyed, white-haired, hunchbacked, butt-ugly albino to a hale and hearty badass.[[note]]Theoden [[OlderThanTheyLook was supposed to be 71]] at the time of the War Of The Ring. Bernard Hill, who played him, was 57 back then. The AgeLift is justified as being a [[AuthorityEqualsAsskicking warrior-king]], he'd be in excellent physical shape. Theoden is also half Dunedain, his mother was a relative of Imrahil's, and so might well age more slowly than normal men.[[/note]]

** Just prior to this moment, when they first wonder who this army is, it's ''Smeagol'' who tells them--and not just that they are men who serve the Dark Lord, but that Sauron is gathering all his armies for a final war to conquer all of Middle-Earth. The way Andy Serkis delivers the lines, and the look on Smeagol's face, you can tell he genuinely does understand how horrible and wrong such a result would be and that he agrees Sauron needs to be stopped. While there was an earlier moment at Black Gate where he desperately struggles to hold Frodo back, warning him not to enter Mordor and take the Ring "back to ''''him''''", that could be chalked up to him simply wanting his precious back. This moment in Ithilien? Smeagol understands what's at stake. And the looks Frodo and Sam give him, and each other, make this the only moment in the whole trilogy when all three of them are united. Double oddly as a SugarWiki/{{Heartwarming|Moments}} moment and, knowing what comes later, a bit of a TearJerker WhatIf as well.

* Another standout moment is Gimli and Aaragorn going full BackToBackBadasses at one of the Battlements, twirling around like a tornado of steel as they clear enough space for Theoden's forces to reinforce the gate.

* Gimli has one at Helm's Deep, leaping off of a 20-foot wall onto a sea of Uruks and narrowly avoiding impalement

* The FreefallFight between Gandalf and the Balrog. It's one hell of an ActionPrologue
** The cut back to them falling into a cavern so vast they're nothing more than a speck of orange.
** Followed later by [[BadassBoast this line]], as Gandalf recounts the battle after [[CameBackStrong his resurrection]]:
--->'''Gandalf''': From the deepest dungeon to the highest peak I fought with the Balrog of Morgoth. Until at last I threw down my enemy and smote his ruin upon the mountainside.
** Think about that for a bit. Gandalf and the Balrog are Maiar, spirits from the beginning of time, unleashing their full power upon one another. Their fight lasted for ''ten days'' and took them from the deepest depths below Moria to the peak of the highest mountain. And ended in a draw.
** Gandalf's killing blow towards the Balrog is delivered by him summoning lightning into his sword and impaling Balrog.