Defining Moments

[T Hedge Coke]

In a recent Captain America thread, I mentioned the last issue of Mark Waid and Ron Garney's original run had a moment that was my favorite for the character. And I thought about that all day, and it is. There's a moment there that, whatever came before or after, encapsulates who and what that character is for me.

Specifically, Cap and Sharon Carter are running away from local military in a foreign country, through fields of slaves, with a SHIELD helicarrier waiting to pick them up. And Cap stops - much to every SHIELD agents' distress, as they're all like, we have nowhere to keep them, it's not our jurisdiction, wahwahwah - and starts freeing slaves, before insisting the 'carrier take them all as well. It's an absurdly political moment in a time when Marvel was not generally that ballsy and it is Captain America as far as I'm concerned.

In Warren Ellis and Adi Granov's Extremis story, when Tony and the eventual villain of the piece are asked what they see themselves doing in X number of years, she responds with "cure cancer" and he says "Work on my Iron Man suit." That's Iron Man. That moment. Because it's not a negative or insulting moment from Tony's perspective, but a reassurance.

Spider-Man's realization that he could have stopped his uncle's killer, way back in Amazing Fantasy has been, to my mind, the defining frame of his entire fictional run. It's always his fault. Even when it isn't, it's always Peter Parker's fault. And responsibility.

So, share with us! What are some moments that for you wrapped up the central nugget of truth for a character with a pretty bow and snazzy wrapping paper?

[Chris N]

Wolverine: Uncanny X-Men #207 where he stabs Rachel to stop her from killing Selene

For Captain America, I actually think Brian nailed it (http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2009/01/16/a-year-of-cool-comic-book-moments-day-16/) with Marvel Fanfare #18

Spider-Man: while you've obviously picked the perfect moment, and what I'm about to say feels blasphemous, I really like how Bendis/Bagley told it in Ultimate Spider-Man #5 where Peter flashes back to the events leading him here, remembering his uncle's words and asking him, "Do you understand?" Then Peter dons his mask, saying "I do now."

Stealing from Mister Mets and starsandgarters in a nearby thread,
Quicksilver: X-Factor #87 where he explains that everybody in his life seems like the slow guy in front of you at the ATM, and that's why he's always so frustrated.

Mr. Fantastic: Fantastic Four vol. 2 #60 (or #489) where Mr. Fantastic explains to his sleeping child that he made a terrible mistake once, ruining the lives of his loved ones, and he's strived to make them celebrities in order to atone for that.

Thing: Obviously his characterization in "This Man, This Monster", Fantastic Four #51

Magneto: Uncanny X-Men #275, where Rogue tries to convince him that being a hero means not killing Zaladane, and he comes to the realization that he's tried Xavier's path and it's failed him. So he kills Zaladane and destroys her citadel.

Vision: Avengers #58 when he sheds a tear

Daredevil: When he decides to let Bullseye drop to his possible death. I forget the precise issue.

[trsman2785]

Ozymandias - When he catches the bullet.

Mr. Hyde - Eating dinner after he anally rapes and murders the invisible man.

Ultimate Spider-man - When he is fighting kingpin and making hilarious fat jokes.

Ultimate Captain America - When he says, "what do you think that A on my head stands for, France!?"

[Madison Carter]

For Deadpool, I have to use the panel with Taskmaster, with TM saying something like "I didn't let you win, Wade."

For Dr. Doom, it's an unorthodox one - an alternate reality story that you know would hold true for the real Doom. A Set-possessed Phoenix rains down her fiery assault upon him, yet with his armor melting around him, his skin burning to a crisp, he stands defiantly intoning "I am Doom!"

Baron Zemo - (tied) leaping in front of Captain America to save him from certain death and later returning the items he destroyed during the Mansion siege to Captain America.

Galactus - another oddball one, but I'd go with the end of that Wolverine arc by Erik Larsen, of all places. Galactus isn't just a big guy in armor here. He doesn't speak, there is nothing human about him. He is what Galactus truly is; a force of unspeakable nature.

Terrax the Tamer - enraged by the slaves whom he's just freed's inability to comprehend their freedom, he literally splits their planet in half, killing them all.

my number one defining moment will always be

Skurge the Executioner holding the bridge of Hel as its armies descend upon him.

[NickFury90]

http://dailypop.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/uncanny-x-men-132-pic1-wolverine.jpg

Wolverine proceeds to beat the **** out of most of the Hellfire club in the next issue, ushering in an age of a billion miniseries and ongoings for the Canuck.

[hunter_peterson]

Rorshach: "Never compromise. Even in the face of armageddon. Never compromise."
The Joker: "All it takes is one bad day to drive the sanest man alive to lunacy. I had a bad day once."
Ultimate Venom: "Our fathers died to create me. Now, you will too."
Luke Cage: Forget which issue, but he chases Doom to Latveria for something like forty bucks. Priceless.

[Samy]

Sunspot: New Mutants #49, when the New Mutants are in a fascist future where the trains run on time and mutants are well cared for, and they find out that Roberto took over the Hellfire Club and made the world into a good one for mutants. But, of course, at the cost of humans living in squalor. And Roberto chose that and made it happen.

That's always going to be the destiny that'll hang over his head. Always. Sam and Dani will always remember that moment, even if they love Roberto too much to pressure him about it, but it'll always be their greatest fear. And Roberto's own, as well.

It's what the character is all about. Whether he'll succumb to the temptation of the easy road.

[Hrungr]

Hulk: Future Imperfect

Maestro: "You don't know what lies ahead for you. I do. Listen to me, Bruce... They're going to take it all away. You're going to end up with nothing and no one. Why go back to that... when you can stay here and have everything?"

Hulk: "You said yourself time has split off. Maybe what happened to you won't happen to me. Maybe things will be different."

Maestro: "Persecution. Betrayal. Hatred. These things don't change."

[Wind-Breaker]

This scene near the end of Kelly's run summed up Deadpool for me:

From Deadpool #33, after finding out he stole T-Ray's life

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