I loved reading the Trojan war when I was in high school. The Greek mythology is already fascinating for me, add a mix of war between two nations where famous heroes slug it out is just the cherry on top. I remember being excited when I first saw the trailer of the movie Troy, followed by the sinking realization that they’ve cut out the gods from the story. I still went to see it with my friends when the movie premiered, and I came out of the theater riddled with conflicting emotions about the film. There were a lot of great scenes, definitely. But I also nitpicked my way through a myriad of things that I thought could have been done better. If I had to give it a grade, I would have marked it one level below passing. Fast forward to present time and I saw it again on HBO the other night and I’m happy to say that I’ve changed my mind about it. I’m now of the opinion that it’s one of the movies that really aged well, and I’ve grown an appreciation for it. But more on that on another time.

If I was asked back then what the best part of the movie was, my answer would have been exactly the same as today. I think the undisputed shining moment in that film was the duel between Achilles and Hector. It was such a beauty to watch. Never mind I already knew who was going to win, for reasons I can’t explain I think it even enhanced the fight’s magnificence for me. It starts with verbal warfare and Achilles delivering one badass line after another that will be remembered for ages.

Hector: I’ve seen this moment in my dreams. I’ll make a pact with you. With the gods as our witnesses, let us pledge that the winner will allow the loser all the proper funeral rituals.
Achilles: There are no pacts between lions and men.
[stabs spear into ground, and takes off helmet, throwing it to the side]
Achilles: Now you know who you’re fighting.
Hector: [takes off helmet and throws it aside] I thought it was you I was fighting yesterday. And I wish it had been, but I gave the dead boy the honor he deserved.
Achilles: You gave him the honor of your sword. You won’t have eyes tonight; you won’t have ears or a tongue. You will wander the underworld blind, deaf, and dumb, and all the dead will know: This is Hector. The fool who thought he killed Achilles.

When they begin slugging it out, you could just see Achilles toying with Hector as if he was a cat playing with a cornered mouse. Sure, Hector was touted as a great warrior and for the first few exchanges it seemed he was holding his own against the famed Greek warrior. But if you compared the two, Hector is all serious and grim while Achilles, who was also serious and grim, still had this air of nonchalance during the duel. You can almost say Achilles was prancing around with weapons in hand and an opponent just happened to be in the vicinity.

Look at Achilles’s graceful stance, his fluid lunges with his sword and spear, his perfect parries, as if he knew each move Hector was going to make before he made it. No movement was wasted on Achilles’s part and every little action was done with maximum efficiency. He knew from the start that he was going to win and anything in between was just details. As the fight drags on you begin to see Hector faltering, his sword swings are wild and desperate, his footwork ragged and uncontrolled while Achilles keeps dancing in and out of Hector’s attacks, looking as if he could do this the entire day.

The inevitable ending occurs when Achilles catches a ragged Hector unawares and drives a spear into his upper chest. Utterly spent and bloodied, Hector could only gasp for air and stare blankly into space as Achilles delivers the coup de grâce in front of the assembled Trojans watching from the walls. To add insult to injury, he ties the body of Hector behind his chariot and drives away. Mercifully the film makers left out the part where Achilles drives around the walls of Troy several times while dragging the body. Later on after a touching meeting with King Priam, Hector’s father, Achilles would praise him as the best warrior he has ever fought and returns the body for funeral rites.

Here’s the full fight in all its glory.