Objective-centric battles

Another thought about Avengers at ten: it contains a prime example of Joss Whedon’s preferred end-of-season final battle, a clear objective marker that the heroes have to either attack or defend.

It could get repetitive, but on the whole this is not a complaint, as I’ve done a whole lot of big battles like this too. A clear target for the PCs makes for a big fight that isn’t just about numbers. There are a few of the subset of needing to kill a specific enemy too.

(And obviously not unique to him - see the Death Star exhaust port or throwing the Ring into Mount Doom - but definitely a thing in his work.)

Buffy The Vampire Slayer

Season Two: A petrified demon that will suck the world into Hell if awakened through contact.

Season Three: Keep the Mayor and his cronies contained and get him to the library.

Season Five: A portal at the top of a tower.

Season Six: A power-boosting ancient temple.

Seasons One and Seven also have fighting centred around the opening of the Hellmouth although the methods of opening don’t fit, and Season Four has an attempt to keep the fighting contained too. (And Hush has a box that needs to be smashed, too.)

Angel

Season One: Keep Angel busy while the ritual is performed.

Season Four: Kill the Beast and the Sun will return. (After attempts to stop the Sun-blocking MacGuffin being collected as smaller examples.)

Titan A. E.

Push the button!

Serenity

Get to the transmitter. Can’t stop the Signal.

Avengers

Close the portal.

Avengers: Age Of Ultron

Stop Ultron switching off the propulsion control.