What incident occurs on Oedipus’s journey away from Corinth?

On Oedipus's journey away from Corinth, he encounters a man on the road during a confrontation and ultimately kills him. This pivotal moment sets in motion the tragic unfolding of events, as the man he kills is revealed to be his biological father, King Laius. This act is significant because it fulfills part of the prophecy that foretold Oedipus would kill his father and marry his mother. The accidental nature of the encounter emphasizes the themes of fate and free will prevalent throughout the play, highlighting Oedipus's tragic ignorance of his own identity and destiny at that moment.

Although helping a man in need, finding a lost child, or meeting a wise old man may hint at moments of moral choice or fortune, they don’t have the profound implications for character development and foreshadowing that killing Laius does. The act of violence is a turning point that shapes the course of Oedipus's life and the tragic narrative of "Oedipus Rex."