The battle between King Henry's army and the defenders of the Moors. Between the massive, formidable Plant People warriors, a dragon-like tunneling serpent and Maleficent herself swooping across the battlefield, it's made abundantly clear that you do not screw with The Fair Folk.
This exchange before the battle begins:
Maleficent: "GO NO FURTHER!"
King Henry: "A king does not take orders from a winged elf."
Maleficent: "You are no king to me!"
The moment when Maleficent gets her wings back.
Maleficent turning Diaval into a dragon when she's trapped by Stefan's men and Diaval being an awesome dragon. Kudos to the soldiers who manage to subdue him.
The "Oh shit!" moment for the audience when she says "Into a dragon".
Maleficent, as King Stefan pleads with her not to curse his daughter: "I like you begging. Do it again."
She completely humiliates Stefan by making him, the king, kneel when she so much as beckons. Everyone in attendance is confused that this strange woman can just waltz in and bring the king to his knees. He queen's expression in particular is one of utter shock.
The disdain with which Maleficent spits out the words "true love's kiss" as the only way to lift the curse. It drives home to Stefan how he is to blame.
Who could forget Maleficent's amazing corkscrew/whirling dervish through a stained-glass window near the end?
Which practically rates as a 55-years-in-the-making Chekhov's Gun. All those decades ago, Disney's artists gave Maleficent her signature semi-Devilish horned headdress. Now, at long last, she actually gets to use that distinctive feature as horns, by tucking her chin and smashing full force through the window like a charging bull.
The entire Christening from the moment Maleficent makes her entrance. Angelina's acting as she's declaring the curse is something to behold.
The entire scene, except for a few minor changes, is word for word the same as the scene in the animated version. It was already badass in the cartoon, but seeing it come to life is exhilarating.
Aurora may be too much of a Princess Classic to be a complete badass, but the part where she frees Maleficent's wings so the latter can fly again deserves some mention.
Maleficent declaring herself queen of the Moors. She doesn't say a word, but she doesn't have to; her facial expression, her posture, her magical powers, and her attitude all scream "do not fuck with me."
In the credits, one of the songs from Sleeping Beauty is given a Maleficent version. Which one? Only, Once Upon A Dream, the leitmotif for Princess Aurora and Prince Philip themselves, one of the most well known songs from the original!
