Leverage: Top 5 Cons
CHALLENGE 21 BRAIN TWIN
Brain twins/triplets: crazyvictoria
Fandom: Leverage
Topic: Top 5 Cons
TOP 5 LEVERAGE CONS
contains spoilers up to episode 312
Before I start: I didn't include The Rashomon Job because imo, it simply wasn't a con. But I love that episode so much that I want to take it behind the middle school and get it pregnant. It is that wonderful and amazing, and definitely one of my favourite episodes ever. The following write-ups are kinda incoherent and probably tl;dr because 1) it's one in the morning and 2) I'm a little drunk. Just a little.
HONOURABLE MENTIONS
I know, I know- it's such a cop out. But I can't help it. This show is way too amazing.
in aired order
01) 103 The Wedding Job 02) 108 The Bank Shot Job 03) 110 The Juror #6 Job
04) 112 The First David Job 05) 203 The Order 23 Job 06) 212 The Zanzibar Marketplace Job
07) 215 The Maltese Falcon Job 08) 303 The Inside Job 09) 309 The Three Card Monte Job
NUMBER FIVE: 109 THE STORK JOB
We're a little more than a team.
THE PREMISE: The Leverage team goes after a Serbian adoption agency that’s scamming money from desperate American couples looking to adopt needy war orphans.
WHY: To be perfectly honest, I'm not entirely sure why I love this episode. I just know that it's one of my favourite cons. Let's see - Eliot and Parker attempt to grift, Nate and Sophie coach them, Parker is socially awkward and exhibits that perfectly by stabbing the mark with a fork, Nate and Sophie flirt heavily (like every other episode, actually), Sophie being deliriously ecstatic at a movie set and dresses up as Sophiesus, Sophie being totally oblivious to her terrible acting skills, Parker being emotionally attached, Parker and Hardison being adorable and sweet as hell... Yeah. Like Hardison said, they are a little more than a team, and the team demonstrates just that. Parker might have gone off the rails, but the rest empathized and understood, "expanding" the con to help her (and the other war orphans). THIS TEAM. ULTIMATE/FAVOURITE OT5, I TELL YOU.
NUMBER FOUR: 113 THE SECOND DAVID JOB
We made a difference. Remember that.
THE PREMISE: To take down his former boss Ian Blackpoole, Nate must get his fractured team to work together again. This time he goes and tells Blackpoole and Sterling that he’s going to rob the art exhibit. However, with Blackpoole and Sterling knowing their faces, the team is going to need someone on the inside: Nate's ex-wife Maggie.
WHY: The first season finale, and an amazing one at that. The team fell apart at the end of The First David, yet came together (unintentionally too) to finish the uncompleted job. They "recruited" Maggie, Nate's ex-wife, who is so likable and such a fucking bamf in her own way. AND LET'S NOT FORGET: Parker sniffed her and stroked her hair. SNIFFED. Con-wise, they fooled the poor museum director into believing that the sarcophagus was cursed (hilariously, I should add), told Blackpoole up front that they will rob The Two Davids Gallery, and then proceeded to steal everything but the Davids from the gallery. INGENIOUS. Also, there's STERLING, who never loses. The last parting scene was heartbreaking, to say the least. The team broke up, again, walked away from each other... then the camera pans to Sophie, who shed a tear, breaking my heart, then that final shot Nate pretty much crushed my heart into minuscule pieces.
Summary: OT5 DON'T EVER BREAK UP AGAIN. I DON'T THINK I CAN HANDLE IT.
NUMBER THREE: 312 THE KING GEORGE JOB
One has to love fiercely in order to die of a broken heart.
THE PREMISE: The team heads to London after they discover that an antiquities trafficker who works for Damien Moreau is using refugee children to smuggle artifacts; Sophie confronts the consequences of her past.
WHY: First off, FRANKLIN MOTT. I'm sorry, but now, whenever I see James Frain in any capacity, my brain immediately registers FRANKLIN MOTT. Okay, in all seriousness, I think it should be obvious by now (from the caps I chose, hah) that among the glorious five, Sophie Devereaux is my favourite. To be honest, immediately after the episode I ended, I was rather disappointed. Among the five, imo, Sophie's past is the most mysterious, ie. how she came to be etc etc, with Eliot a close second. This episode was basically a huge tease about her past, but provided pretty much zero conclusive answers. And that... was disappointing. But I had a lot of time to think about it, and I decided that I love it. I decided that I love it so much that it deserves a spot on this list. Plus I love that despite being Sophie-centric, the episode brings out the rest of the team perfectly as well. Come on, Hardison hacked history.
The technicalities of the con are fantastic, as they usually are, but here, the success of the con is very much dependent on Sophie. Both the solidity of her Charlotte Prentiss alias, and her own personal growth. First, my take on the whole Charlotte Prentiss alias. The way I see it, Charlotte isn't Sophie's real persona. Rather, she's one of her many aliases. As Charlotte, Sophie met, fell in love and married William, who is genuine royalty (which makes the Countess a true Countess, and Charlotte's aunt by marriage), thereby becoming too emotionally involved in this persona. After all, Jon Rogers did mention in his blog that one of the five, other than Nate, might have been married before. William might have been a mark, come to think of it. Anyway, the reasons for her departure are hazy, but I have a feeling that they are related to the royal scandal that Franklin Mott spoke of. The Nate/Sophie shipper in me believes that the whole William thing somewhat alludes to their relationship.
So, regarding Sophie's personal growth: I am so incredibly proud to see how much Sophie has grown throughout the seasons. In the season one finales, she selfishly tried to con the team in order to add more pride to her stolen art collection. But here, she ran the con knowing full well right from the start that it would require her to give up the storage locker full of the very first things she had stolen. The very first things. I presume that they are sentimental, but she gave them up. For the con, for the better good. I love you Sophie. WOAH ESSAY MUCH.
Also, the end is basically Nate going all, I KNOW YOUR REAL NAME NOW and Sophie's just all HAHA NO YOU DON'T, LOSER.
NUMBER TWO: 101 THE NIGERIAN JOB
People like that, corporations like that... They have all the money, they have all the power and they use it to make people like you go away. Right now, you're suffering under an enormous weight. We provide... leverage.
THE PREMISE: Approached by Victor Dubenich, former insurance investigator Nathan Ford is set to watch over a team of thieves as they steal Dubenich's research back from the company that took it, in the process slamming the insurance company that let Ford's son die. However, all is not as it seems and the team is betrayed. In response, they go for revenge-and a substantial payback.
WHY: IT'S THE VERY FIRST EPISODE, THE BEGINNING OF A WONDROUS SHOW. It establishes how well these people, who have always worked alone before, work together. It's the perfect pilot - we know how they came to be, and we know what's the rest of the series is gonna be like. Con-wise, they took the classic Nigerian scam and put their own twist on it, to the extent of even leaving clues for their mark, letting him now that he's being scammed, just not in the way he thinks he is. The groundwork for the relationships, each and every of their roles, the tone of the show etc and basically everything essential to the understanding of the show are laid. As I've said - the perfect pilot. One of the bests I've watched. It's so incredibly smart and I am immediately hooked.
NUMBER ONE: THE TWO LIVE CREW JOB
Whatever happens, one way or another, we are walking out of that auction house tonight with that painting. No matter what.
THE PREMISE:It's thief vs. thief as the Leverage team goes up against another crew-run by an old "friend" of Sophie's-to retrieve a stolen painting. Sophie's continuing identity crysis leads her to make a big decision.
WHY: This episode, much alike The Rashomon Job, is an instant classic. CREW VS RIVAL CREW. Just that makes the episode sound epic already. I'm glad that their counterparts are actually equally skilled and competent, otherwise the entire episode will just come across as lame and arrogant. The con was perfectly executed - dramatically and hilariously too. It was so clever and alskdjlskjdlaks just one of the greatest ever. It threw the audience off the loop, misleading the audience into thinking that the Leverage team is fucked this time. Then Parker does some wacky crazy gymnastics among lasers and just like that, we know that they've outsmarted the rival crew. I love that their plan to steal the Van Gogh was reliant on the rival crew, while the rival crew's plan was just WE'RE GONNA PRETEND THEY AIN'T THERE. Basically a giant mistake on their part. We also get confirmation that Sophie's a bamf - she's such a threat that Chaos tried to kill her. BAD. ASS. Not like we need any confirmation. I mean come on, she came up with the second half of the ~famous~ Mona Lisa scam! /Sophie-bias. That last scene, that almost-kiss... poor Nate. When Sophie pulls away when they are SO CLOSE I was just like, MAN SUCKS TO BE NATE. A+ episode that deserves to be number one. Until we get the episode that reveals/has Nate and Sophie ~getting it on~
screencaps from here, here, and myself.
this took forever to complete, and I'd appreciate if you don't hotlink, don't steal the images and pass them off as yours, and don't re-post them on tumblr.
I have my own, thank you very much.
Brain twin crazyvictoria here. le fini.
Brain twins/triplets: crazyvictoria
Fandom: Leverage
Topic: Top 5 Cons
TOP 5 LEVERAGE CONS
contains spoilers up to episode 312
Before I start: I didn't include The Rashomon Job because imo, it simply wasn't a con. But I love that episode so much that I want to take it behind the middle school and get it pregnant. It is that wonderful and amazing, and definitely one of my favourite episodes ever. The following write-ups are kinda incoherent and probably tl;dr because 1) it's one in the morning and 2) I'm a little drunk. Just a little.
HONOURABLE MENTIONS
I know, I know- it's such a cop out. But I can't help it. This show is way too amazing.
in aired order
01) 103 The Wedding Job 02) 108 The Bank Shot Job 03) 110 The Juror #6 Job
04) 112 The First David Job 05) 203 The Order 23 Job 06) 212 The Zanzibar Marketplace Job
07) 215 The Maltese Falcon Job 08) 303 The Inside Job 09) 309 The Three Card Monte Job
NUMBER FIVE: 109 THE STORK JOB
We're a little more than a team.
THE PREMISE: The Leverage team goes after a Serbian adoption agency that’s scamming money from desperate American couples looking to adopt needy war orphans.
WHY: To be perfectly honest, I'm not entirely sure why I love this episode. I just know that it's one of my favourite cons. Let's see - Eliot and Parker attempt to grift, Nate and Sophie coach them, Parker is socially awkward and exhibits that perfectly by stabbing the mark with a fork, Nate and Sophie flirt heavily (like every other episode, actually), Sophie being deliriously ecstatic at a movie set and dresses up as Sophiesus, Sophie being totally oblivious to her terrible acting skills, Parker being emotionally attached, Parker and Hardison being adorable and sweet as hell... Yeah. Like Hardison said, they are a little more than a team, and the team demonstrates just that. Parker might have gone off the rails, but the rest empathized and understood, "expanding" the con to help her (and the other war orphans). THIS TEAM. ULTIMATE/FAVOURITE OT5, I TELL YOU.
NUMBER FOUR: 113 THE SECOND DAVID JOB
We made a difference. Remember that.
THE PREMISE: To take down his former boss Ian Blackpoole, Nate must get his fractured team to work together again. This time he goes and tells Blackpoole and Sterling that he’s going to rob the art exhibit. However, with Blackpoole and Sterling knowing their faces, the team is going to need someone on the inside: Nate's ex-wife Maggie.
WHY: The first season finale, and an amazing one at that. The team fell apart at the end of The First David, yet came together (unintentionally too) to finish the uncompleted job. They "recruited" Maggie, Nate's ex-wife, who is so likable and such a fucking bamf in her own way. AND LET'S NOT FORGET: Parker sniffed her and stroked her hair. SNIFFED. Con-wise, they fooled the poor museum director into believing that the sarcophagus was cursed (hilariously, I should add), told Blackpoole up front that they will rob The Two Davids Gallery, and then proceeded to steal everything but the Davids from the gallery. INGENIOUS. Also, there's STERLING, who never loses. The last parting scene was heartbreaking, to say the least. The team broke up, again, walked away from each other... then the camera pans to Sophie, who shed a tear, breaking my heart, then that final shot Nate pretty much crushed my heart into minuscule pieces.
Summary: OT5 DON'T EVER BREAK UP AGAIN. I DON'T THINK I CAN HANDLE IT.
NUMBER THREE: 312 THE KING GEORGE JOB
One has to love fiercely in order to die of a broken heart.
THE PREMISE: The team heads to London after they discover that an antiquities trafficker who works for Damien Moreau is using refugee children to smuggle artifacts; Sophie confronts the consequences of her past.
WHY: First off, FRANKLIN MOTT. I'm sorry, but now, whenever I see James Frain in any capacity, my brain immediately registers FRANKLIN MOTT. Okay, in all seriousness, I think it should be obvious by now (from the caps I chose, hah) that among the glorious five, Sophie Devereaux is my favourite. To be honest, immediately after the episode I ended, I was rather disappointed. Among the five, imo, Sophie's past is the most mysterious, ie. how she came to be etc etc, with Eliot a close second. This episode was basically a huge tease about her past, but provided pretty much zero conclusive answers. And that... was disappointing. But I had a lot of time to think about it, and I decided that I love it. I decided that I love it so much that it deserves a spot on this list. Plus I love that despite being Sophie-centric, the episode brings out the rest of the team perfectly as well. Come on, Hardison hacked history.
The technicalities of the con are fantastic, as they usually are, but here, the success of the con is very much dependent on Sophie. Both the solidity of her Charlotte Prentiss alias, and her own personal growth. First, my take on the whole Charlotte Prentiss alias. The way I see it, Charlotte isn't Sophie's real persona. Rather, she's one of her many aliases. As Charlotte, Sophie met, fell in love and married William, who is genuine royalty (which makes the Countess a true Countess, and Charlotte's aunt by marriage), thereby becoming too emotionally involved in this persona. After all, Jon Rogers did mention in his blog that one of the five, other than Nate, might have been married before. William might have been a mark, come to think of it. Anyway, the reasons for her departure are hazy, but I have a feeling that they are related to the royal scandal that Franklin Mott spoke of. The Nate/Sophie shipper in me believes that the whole William thing somewhat alludes to their relationship.
So, regarding Sophie's personal growth: I am so incredibly proud to see how much Sophie has grown throughout the seasons. In the season one finales, she selfishly tried to con the team in order to add more pride to her stolen art collection. But here, she ran the con knowing full well right from the start that it would require her to give up the storage locker full of the very first things she had stolen. The very first things. I presume that they are sentimental, but she gave them up. For the con, for the better good. I love you Sophie. WOAH ESSAY MUCH.
Also, the end is basically Nate going all, I KNOW YOUR REAL NAME NOW and Sophie's just all HAHA NO YOU DON'T, LOSER.
NUMBER TWO: 101 THE NIGERIAN JOB
People like that, corporations like that... They have all the money, they have all the power and they use it to make people like you go away. Right now, you're suffering under an enormous weight. We provide... leverage.
THE PREMISE: Approached by Victor Dubenich, former insurance investigator Nathan Ford is set to watch over a team of thieves as they steal Dubenich's research back from the company that took it, in the process slamming the insurance company that let Ford's son die. However, all is not as it seems and the team is betrayed. In response, they go for revenge-and a substantial payback.
WHY: IT'S THE VERY FIRST EPISODE, THE BEGINNING OF A WONDROUS SHOW. It establishes how well these people, who have always worked alone before, work together. It's the perfect pilot - we know how they came to be, and we know what's the rest of the series is gonna be like. Con-wise, they took the classic Nigerian scam and put their own twist on it, to the extent of even leaving clues for their mark, letting him now that he's being scammed, just not in the way he thinks he is. The groundwork for the relationships, each and every of their roles, the tone of the show etc and basically everything essential to the understanding of the show are laid. As I've said - the perfect pilot. One of the bests I've watched. It's so incredibly smart and I am immediately hooked.
NUMBER ONE: THE TWO LIVE CREW JOB
Whatever happens, one way or another, we are walking out of that auction house tonight with that painting. No matter what.
THE PREMISE:It's thief vs. thief as the Leverage team goes up against another crew-run by an old "friend" of Sophie's-to retrieve a stolen painting. Sophie's continuing identity crysis leads her to make a big decision.
WHY: This episode, much alike The Rashomon Job, is an instant classic. CREW VS RIVAL CREW. Just that makes the episode sound epic already. I'm glad that their counterparts are actually equally skilled and competent, otherwise the entire episode will just come across as lame and arrogant. The con was perfectly executed - dramatically and hilariously too. It was so clever and alskdjlskjdlaks just one of the greatest ever. It threw the audience off the loop, misleading the audience into thinking that the Leverage team is fucked this time. Then Parker does some wacky crazy gymnastics among lasers and just like that, we know that they've outsmarted the rival crew. I love that their plan to steal the Van Gogh was reliant on the rival crew, while the rival crew's plan was just WE'RE GONNA PRETEND THEY AIN'T THERE. Basically a giant mistake on their part. We also get confirmation that Sophie's a bamf - she's such a threat that Chaos tried to kill her. BAD. ASS. Not like we need any confirmation. I mean come on, she came up with the second half of the ~famous~ Mona Lisa scam! /Sophie-bias. That last scene, that almost-kiss... poor Nate. When Sophie pulls away when they are SO CLOSE I was just like, MAN SUCKS TO BE NATE. A+ episode that deserves to be number one. Until we get the episode that reveals/has Nate and Sophie ~getting it on~
screencaps from here, here, and myself.
this took forever to complete, and I'd appreciate if you don't hotlink, don't steal the images and pass them off as yours, and don't re-post them on tumblr.
I have my own, thank you very much.
Brain twin crazyvictoria here. le fini.