10 Sci-Fi Movies Everyone Remembers For One Scene

Ten iconic sci-fi scenes that overshadowed the rest of their movies.

By Niall Gray /

Sci-fi is a genre that is defined by its biggest moments.

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After all, can you think of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial without thinking of Elliot and E.T. in silhouette as they fly across the moon? Can you think of The Empire Strikes Back without conjuring up an image of Luke losing his hand and discovering his true parentage?

Sci-fi suspends all of our Earthly rules and replaces them with a futuristic, fantastical story where practically anything is possible. There's no denying the genre's appeal - or its success - during its tenure on our screens.

There are a number of sci-fi movies that have long since become synonymous with their biggest moments. Some are classics with one stand-out scene infinitely more memorable or quotable than the others, and some are lesser-watched titles with one big hook that everyone's heard of. One thing's for sure, though: each and every one of these sci-fi movie scenes have permeated both pop culture and the minds and memories of their audience.

Whether you loved them, hated them, or have never even seen them, odds are you'll know which scene we're talking about as soon as you've read the name of the movie - and that's the sort of reputation you can't buy.

10. Blade Runner - Tears In Rain

Ridley Scott's 1982 sci-fi masterpiece is simply unforgettable for a number of reasons.

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Its story, based on Philip K. Dick novel "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?", is both thought provoking and intriguing, and the entire movie is so gorgeously put-together that it's neo-noir visuals and soundtrack have become iconic for sci-fi as a genre.

With all that in mind, though, when you think of Blade Runner, do you ever think of any scene other than this one?

After finally hunting down rogue Replicant Roy Batty, world-weary cop Rick Deckard comes face to face with the android he's been tasked with "retiring".

What follows is a scene filled with emotion, tension and an all-round showstopping performance by Rutger Hauer. His "tears in rain" speech is undoubtedly one of the most memorable monologues ever committed to film, and as a result, it overshadows everything that has come before it.

That isn't to say that the rest of Blade Runner isn't memorable or iconic, it's just hard to remember anything but this excellent scene. The entire plot builds up to one beautiful crescendo, and that final note is the one that has continued to resonate in our minds for the decades since.

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