Conan the Barbarian/Awesome

Stories

• From the novel "The Hour of the Dragon":
  • Planning to take the slave girl Zenobia with him after she rescues him. Even though he couldn't, the fact that he wanted to says a lot about his honor.
  • Being on the run from soldiers (who are able to follow him because of a bewitched crow that keeps squawking over his position), he sees an old woman in the borders of the kingdom he lost about to be lynched. Forgetting all about his problems, he goes to protect his subject.
  • Captured and enslaved while pursuing the Macguffin, he not only breaks free, but whips the black slaves into a frenzy when they realize he's the man who led scores of their people as pirates against those who'd enslave them.
  • The scene where Conan, disguised as a mercenary, contemplates abandoning his quest and returning to the exciting and boundless life of a wandering adventurer. However, his honor and sense of duty to his subjects prevents him from leaving his kingdom in the hands of a tyrant.
• In "The Queen Of The Black Coast", after losing the first true love of his life, Conan waits for the demonic winged ape that hung her by her necklace. With a bow, his sword, and his bare hands, he fights off twenty were-hyenas that serve the creature.
  • Belit, the aforementioned true love, coming back from the dead as she promised to give Conan a fighting chance against her murderer.
• In "Xuthal of the Dusk", also known as "The Slithering Shadow", Conan comes face-to-face with an Eldritch Abomination. At first, he wants to flee. He then sees that it's frisking his love interest of the story with its Naughty Tentacles. Cue awesomeness as Conan precedes to tear into the beast with his saber and poniard. Did You Just Punch Out Cthulhu? much?
• Balthus and Slasher during their Last Stand against the Picts in "Beyond the Black River".
• Conan himself in general, as he's continued to be a part of pop culture and literature seventy five years after his last original story, may be one of the first fantasy heroes, and is the origin of Heroic Fantasy and Sword and Sorcery.
• Conan's return to Aquilonia after he escapes capture in 'The Scarlet Citadel'. He arrives on this mystical bird thing, grabs the supposed "rightful heir" and chucks him into a crowd of displeased citizens, right before rounding up an army to kick the crap out of the other invaders. You can just hear the song "Holding Out For A Hero" being sung in your head while this is going on.
• Beating Baal-pteor "The Strangler" At His Own Game in Shadows in Zamboula.

Conan: I think you never saw a man from the West before. Did you deem yourself strong, because you were able to twist the heads off civilized folk, poor weaklings with muscles like rotten string? Hell! Break the neck of a wild Cimmerian bull before you call yourself strong. I did that, before I was a full-grown man -- like this!

• Killing a Giant Spider with a thrown treasure chest in The Tower of the Elephant.
• Subverting the "Friend or Idol?" Decision in The Jewels Of Gwahlur when he doesn't even hesitate for a second to save the Girl Of The Novel instead of the titular (and priceless) treasure.
• Surviving a crucifixion at the start of A Witch Shall Be Born...and then visiting the same fate upon the bastard who crucified him in the end.
• Yasmina Devi, heroine of The People of the Black Circle refusing to break under the villain's Mind Rape, then convincing Conan to help her fight off an invasion of her country, and personally taking charge of her army to direct the fight.

Movies

• Conan's prayer to Crom:

Conan: Crom, I have never prayed to you before. I have no tongue for it. No one, not even you, will remember if we were good men or bad. Why we fought, or why we died. All that matters is that today, two stood against many. That's what's important! Valour pleases you Crom, so grant me this one request. Grant me revenge! And if you do not listen, then to hell with you!

• The opening monologue: "Let me tell you about the days of high adventure!" Not Arnie, but still.

"What is best in life?"
"To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of their women."

• • Although this one is Older Than They Think-- it's a quote from Genghis Khan
• When he got wasted and bumped into a camel, and than just turns around and knocks it out with one punch to the face. (Although said camel did not survive the filming of that scene; getting punched out by a young Ahnuld tends to mess up your medical records. You will notice that there isn't a 'No Animals Were Harmed' declaration at the end of this particular flick.)
• The awesome hilltop battle. Conan has neglected the Discipline of Steel in the past, but he is wiser now. Together with Subotai, they don't run from or into the battle; they let it come to them, and when it comes, they are ready. All that's important is that two stood against many. They know the gods are watching, but ask for no favours, save for one request; revenge.
• Conan's beheading of Thulsa Doom at the end.
• Valeria's funeral pyre. Conan's told the gods won't allow any fire to burn on the Mound - yet he lights it, and it burns, and burns so hot it literally explodes.
• Say what you will about the 2011 film, everytime Conan fights, it's with the skill and ferocity that one imagines when reading the original Howard stories.