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Favorite single combat scenes


Calibandar

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Adjunct Lorn vs Corporal Blues in Gardens of the Moon. Troughout the book you get the impression that Lorn is a warrior to be reckoned with, what with the otataral blade and all. Then Corporal Blues of the Crimson Guard shows up and he RUINS HER SHIT without much effort at all. Since I'm too lazy to search for the passage in the book, here's the cut version from the malazan encyclopaedia:

"(Adjunct Lorn) was in a whirlwind exchange with a tall, round-shouldered man with two scimitars. (...) she was now being driven back as a flurry of attacks swept around her. They both moved so quickly that Crokus could not even see the parries, or the blades themselves (...) Then a voice chuckled beside him, 'He's good, ain't he?'(...)The woman was trying to disengage now (...) Her opponent continued pressing, silent as a ghost. (...) 'That's Corporal Blues. He lives for this stuff.'"

"The Adjunct broke away, taking a cut in the right shoulder blade as she did so. (...) But who was that man? Never before had she faced such a swordsman, and the most appalling thing was that he had fought without the aid of sorcery. For once, her Otataral blade and her skill had not been enough."

Also, Karsa Orlong vs the two Deragoth in House of Chains.

In Movies:

Definitely the final confrontation at the cemetery in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.

In Anime:

Almost all the fights from Rurouni Kenshin.

The fights in Dragon Ball/Dragon Ball Z/Dragon Ball GT. Yes, this series is cheesy, cliched and over the top, but oh so deliciously entertaining. And what's more epic than a single combat scene lasting more than 30 episodes. :P

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Glad to see Mat vs. Gholam, Bigwig vs. Woundwort, and even Silk vs. Brill have been listed.

Has anyone mentioned the knife fight between Paul Maud-dib Atreides and Feyd Rautha Harkonnen? I thought that scene was pretty bad-ass.

Roland vs. Cort, in his test to earn his guns, is possibly the greatest Rite of Passage fight scenes I've ever read.

Finally, not sure if we're doing comics, but the fight scenes in the first Batman vs. Predator graphic novel have a special place in my heart.

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Malazan-wise, I want to add Icarium v. Trull Sengar in the Bonehunters. Especially in that it's one of the few fights to show a spear used as more than just a braced pike or a purely stabbing weapon.

How is it used then? I can't remember that scene.

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  • 2 weeks later...

As this is an asoiaf forum I naturally expected Gregor vs. Oberyn to be mentioned quite often, and I love that scene as well, but here's one that I don't think has been mentioned yet:

The single combat by the river between Rild (Sam's disciple) and Yama (The God of Death)

"'Time for the final baptism,' said Yama."

Completely badass, you don't mess with Yama.

PS: As I have started it, I now expect and require other fans of Lord of Light to come out and mention their favorite scenes. Theres gotta be some people who love that book as much as me :cheers:

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How is it used then? I can't remember that scene.

I think he uses it similarily to how Mat used his Quarterstaff in the fight vs Gawyn/Galad. Well at least the first part. Trull of course doesn't win. But it's purely defensive.

Edit: Yes the fight in LoL is awesome. Personally I like the part where Yama kills the shape shifter guy (Mara?) more. What a great way to start the book.

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As this is an asoiaf forum I naturally expected Gregor vs. Oberyn to be mentioned quite often, and I love that scene as well, but here's one that I don't think has been mentioned yet:

The single combat by the river between Rild (Sam's disciple) and Yama (The God of Death)

"'Time for the final baptism,' said Yama."

Completely badass, you don't mess with Yama.

PS: As I have started it, I now expect and require other fans of Lord of Light to come out and mention their favorite scenes. Theres gotta be some people who love that book as much as me :cheers:

The fat god vs Sam in his nice new body (not named for spoilerific reasons). Irish stand down, I believe that fight is called. ;) Pretty sweet.

Yama vs Rild is the best and also the aftermath when Sam declines going mano a mano with the death god.

All the fights there are great even the minor ones like the new Brahma vs everyone at the last battle at the end. That was like, half a page but still memorable.

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Yama and Rild was one helluva fight. Other favorite scenes: Sam drinks a glass of wine while a stable boy plays a "forbidden tune", Sam and his fistfight with Kubera "old god, you cheat", the big battle scenes were excellent as well. And of course, the second-to-the-last paragraph of the book might be the best thing Zelazny ever wrote.

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Locke vs. the Grey King. It's awesome because Jean does almost all the fighting in the book, and when Locke tries he gets taken apart by the much better swordsman. He still wins through his strengths, sleigh of hand and bluffing.

Brys Beddict vs. Rhulad Sengar in Midnight Tides. He cripples and nearly dissects Rhulad without cutting any major blood vessels because he's just that good. Shame he ended up dying like a chump.

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Paul Vs. Feyd Rautha in Dune "tricks within tricks"

Is the only major one I can think of that hasn't been said yet!

Actually, if you look above about 10 posts, I did mention it. A great knife fight.

ETA: another great is the duel between Corwyn and Eric in the Amber series, and the description of Bleys's fight up the stairs.

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The Bloody Nine vs The Feared in "The Circle" chapter of "The Last Argument of Kings" is pretty good.

Of course, the Red Viper vs The Mountain Who Rides is the one I can remember the most vividly.

There's actually an unusual "1 on 1" archery contest in "A Fortress of Grey Ice" by JV Jones that was really well-written and might also qualify.

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