Awesome / Jesus Christ Superstar

• Pilate's caustic shaming of the crowd during the trial:
  Pilate: Well, this is news! Respect for Caesar! Till now it has been noticeably lacking!
• Crossed with a Tear Jerker, Jesus's Rage Against the Heavens during "Gethsemane". Both for Awesome Music, and for him not only calling out his destined death, but accepting it begrudgingly.
  Jesus: Take me now, before I change my mind!
• Alice Cooper's performances as King Herod, whether in the cast recording of the 1996 London Palladium productions, recordings, or the 2018 live performance.
• Most versions of Herod's song have one thing: Jesus' absolute disgust for him. While this isn't actually the man who wiped out babies and would have killed him as a child (this is Herod Antipas, who had John the Baptist killed), he's still part of a long legacy of causing a lot of pain to a lot of people, and Jesus still has every reason to intensely hate this guy. So all he does is glare silently, refusing to give the man any satisfaction.
  • This is especially pronounced in the 2000 version, where Herod spends most of the song toying with Jesus or having his courtiers toy with him. When the final verse comes and Herod's mood turns from coy to scary, Jesus stares straight at him without flinching even when Herod screams in his face, then gives a Death Glare as it concludes.
• It doesn't work in changing what will happen, but Judas punches out Caiaphas for Jesus getting beaten up while imprisoned. He cites You Said You Would Let Them Go that this was just to quell a potential riot, not kill his friend! Judas also says he wants to save Jesus, and would even take his place. Caiaphas wipes the blood off his face with some Villain Respect.
• Jesus shutting down Pilate during "Trial by Pilate," and Pilate's comeback. Much like "Gethsemane," it crosses with Tear Jerker.
  Pilate: Why do you not speak, when I hold your life in my hands? Why do you stay quiet? I don't believe you understand!
  Jesus: You hold nothing in your hands. Every power you have comes to you from far beyond. Everything is fixed, and you can't change it.
• While there's still a crucifixion to come after it, "Superstar" is essentially the climax of the work and distills the talking points into one spectacular song as Judas and his backup ask Jesus whether he truly is what he says he is. The opening to the song usually has Judas descending from heaven/the rafters in a dramatic manner, with the '73 film having him come down from a star and the 2012 arena tour flying him in on a beam used to make the cross.

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