Climax
The moment of greatest tension or the turning point of a narrative.
The climax is the peak of conflict where the outcome is decided and the stakes are highest. Writers build toward it through rising action and resolve it in the falling action that follows. It is usually the most emotionally charged moment of the plot.
Example
The climax comes when Tessie is named and the villagers turn on her, the shocking instant the story’s quiet menace finally erupts.
The Lottery · Shirley Jackson