10 Most Badass Movie Death Scenes Of All Time

2. Arnold Sacrifices Himself For The Fate Of The Free World - Terminator 2: Judgement Day

If you have a heart, a brain, or a pulse (though not necessarily all three), you probably enjoyed Terminator 2, at least to some degree. It's easily the greatest installment in the franchise, and ranks only below Godfather II as the greatest sequel of all time. A big reason for that is the expert blend of action, drama, and social commentary.

That last part is easy to forget, especially when you're watching robots fight to the death. But underneath all the explosions and time travel mythology there's a very introspective story about human nature and mortality, which is best exemplified by the T-800's self sacrifice at the end of the film.

The best way to protect John Connor is by ensuring that Skynet isn't allowed to happen. And since the T-800 is a product of Skynet, he must destroy himself. The problem is that John has formed an intense bond with this Terminator, and he's not ready to lose his friend and father figure.

Schwarzenegger's "I know now why you cry" is possibly the saddest line to ever be uttered in science-fiction action-adventure movie. And then there's that music. Is there any score more simultaneously heartbreaking and triumphant than that one?

When John reluctantly says goodbye, and the Terminator is being slowly lowered into a pool of molten steel, the moment is both super depressing and inconceivably badass. Especially that final thumbs up.