Most heroic "beaten, overmatched, and doomed, but game" moments in wuxia?

[pannonian]

If we're talking about general fiction, Hurin comes to mind. The battle and war having been lost, the army of Dor-Lomin, led by Hurin and Huor, cover the retreat of Turgon's army of Gondolin. They retreat until their backs are to the Sirion, then they retreat no more, but fight and die where they stand. They all fall, Tuor with an arrow in his eye, until only Hurin remains, crying "Day shall come again!" with each kill he makes, killing troll after troll that came at him. Morgoth decides he should be taken alive, so Gothmog's orc guard grapple with him, leaving their hands clinging to him even as he chopped their arms off, until he was eventually borne down by their weight.

For a historical example, the battle of Stamford Bridge, where Harold Godwinson surprised Harald Hardrada's army as they were relaxing. A single Norse warrior held the bridge against all comers, gaining time for Hardrada's men to get into their armour and prepare for battle. Unbeaten face to face, he eventually fell when a Saxon floated under the bridge on a piece of wood and thrust a spear into him from below.

[sniffles]

If we're talking about general fiction, Hurin comes to mind. The battle and war having been lost, the army of Dor-Lomin, led by Hurin and Huor, cover the retreat of Turgon's army of Gondolin. They retreat until their backs are to the Sirion, then they retreat no more, but fight and die where they stand. They all fall, Tuor with an arrow in his eye, until only Hurin remains, crying "Day shall come again!" with each kill he makes, killing troll after troll that came at him. Morgoth decides he should be taken alive, so Gothmog's orc guard grapple with him, leaving their hands clinging to him even as he chopped their arms off, until he was eventually borne down by their weight.

Ah, a fellow Tolkien fan. Have you read The Children of Hurin? I couldn't wait to get my hands on a hardcover copy when it was released.

[pannonian]

Ah, a fellow Tolkien fan. Have you read The Children of Hurin? I couldn't wait to get my hands on a hardcover copy when it was released.

I've read the various bits and pieces that The Children of Hurin was collated from, so there's not much point in reading that piece. The main chapters are Of Turin Turambar in The Silmarillion, Narn i hin Hurin in Unfinished Tales, and if you're really hardcore, The Wanderings of Hurin in War of the Jewels. The last paints an especially grim picture of Hurin as he wanders from place to place, avenging all the wrongs done to his children, causing suffering wherever he goes, until his eyes are opened by Melian.

[Cesare]

If we talk Tolkien then it's Maedhros (and Maglor) stealing the silmarils for me. In terms of morals, it wasn't exactly heroic, but hey - they were fulfilling not only the Oath but (and I tend to believe that was their main reason for never abandoning the Oath) also the promise given to their dying father. They stood against whole damn world, their kin, the Valar...
There was definitely something very suicidal in the mission and they probably hoped to perish. Their motivation was questionable...
Tolkien would disagree with me...:-)
But that grim determination to bite whatever hand that tries to seize them or the silmarils - it's kind of...grand... Unreasonable, psychotic - but grand.
Ah. Ignore me. I'm too fond of Fëanorians to be objective.

And I of course agree about Húrin. Definitely one of the greatest characters in Silmarillion.

BTW - what about Fingolfin? I mean - I'm no great fan of Fingolfin, but his fight against Morgoth was really something.

[sniffles]

I've read the various bits and pieces that The Children of Hurin was collated from, so there's not much point in reading that piece. The main chapters are Of Turin Turambar in The Silmarillion, Narn i hin Hurin in Unfinished Tales, and if you're really hardcore, The Wanderings of Hurin in War of the Jewels. The last paints an especially grim picture of Hurin as he wanders from place to place, avenging all the wrongs done to his children, causing suffering wherever he goes, until his eyes are opened by Melian.

I've read all those, but I liked having it under one cover. And the Alan Lee illustrations were worth it to me.

BTW - what about Fingolfin? I mean - I'm no great fan of Fingolfin, but his fight against Morgoth was really something.

It was something indeed.