Adstringendum Profile
Name: Love
Livejournal: drgnladysupreme
Contact: On records already. :3
Other Characters Played: Botan genkireaper
Are you 18 or over? Yup!
Canon: Leverage
Character: Eliot Spencer
Timeline: Season 3, episode 6; The Studio Job
Personality: Above all, Eliot is a man that's reserved and decides who he's relaxed with showing his personality around. A man not proud of his past, but regards it out of duty and a strong set of morals. That you treat women right, don't hit children and you recognize when you're no longer welcome. As such, he usually doesn't initiate fights, but holds no qualms with ending them. What considers initiating can be tricky, however. It's not always about who swung the first fist, but who created a situation where Eliot decides to take the stand for what needs defending. A man harassing a woman, trying to get in her house, a man that obviously beats his son, or coming across a fight of many against one. He's even a 'knight' to himself, having locked himself in a small, dark shed as a child for a few days to combat his claustrophobia. It worked, and taught him to tackle his problems head on. At the same time, it's encouraged his head-on involved approach to the jobs he's had, leading us to the next section.
While on the job, there's a manner of conduct that Eliot will stick to. Normally, given his training and usually being hired as a hitter and for retrieval, he's set in with easier positions that allow him to lurk, observe and act as a quick muscle getaway when one of the team members gets in trouble. He's observant, taking in as many details as possible to read the situation, and see when things are going to heat up, but also holds a somewhat aloof and 'aw shucks' act on top of it all. What's important is getting the job done, if it needs doing, and knowing when things need to be cut short. Similar to his job, and feeling it's best to keep things professional around others, Eliot keeps many personality traits and notes about his history and family to himself. Though it may also be that keeping personal information to himself was something developed from his experiences with the government, and other jobs he had before Leverage came together. Part of his job has worked because of these things. Lurking is his things, and letting people underestimate him is considered the point of not correcting people right off from their assumptions.
As secretive as he is, before long there was something of a family dynamic set up within the team. In such, towards most of the group he seemed to take the act of an older brother. Keeping an eye out and protecting Parker and Hardison as if they were younger siblings, treating Nate as the head of this 'family' due to being the ideas and planning type of guy, but treating Sophie as a valued peer instead. He takes care of and watches the team's back as he grew comfortable with relying on a team for these big jobs. He can recognize who fits which roles, and respects them for it, but also takes note of what needs looking after. Making sure the leader doesn't cross lines and endanger the group; ending up in a rivalry due to insisting that more physical involvement should be put into jobs rather than relying on technology; or ending up baffled from Parker's unhinged nature and smallness, eventually being protective, supportive and encouraging to teach her some mixed-martial arts so she can hold her own. When comfortable and able to recognize a stable group dynamic, it allows him to annoy, tease, or act in some obnoxious ways without worry. Acting like an older brother could essentially be seen as a sign of trust and personal value to Eliot.
It's also the only time when one can really see how easy Eliot can get embarrassed, flustered, or in a conversation that makes him rather uncomfortable. His voice gets tight, and something more like a growl-like rumble in how he talks. It's not a side appropriate to the job, and rarely part of his aliases
Despite usually getting set up with positions like janitor, tech support, busboy, or someone going around looking for things pawn off or sell (like a Jesus lawn ornament thingie, or whatever it was,) he's more than just the brawn. He's able to take point as an inside man, and as a grifter who would charm a target enough to gleam information off of them or set them up for later plans. Because of his appearance, between the build, long hair and slightly scruffy facial hair, he allows people to underestimate him into thinking he couldn't understand complicated subjects. Or, in roles where he actually takes a nerdier and meeker seeming role, lets them believe that he's harmless. It's something proven to be effective when things turn around and the element of surprise works for his favor. Sometimes though, even the team still underestimates him.
He has an appreciation for finer arts, games of logic and the ladies. Most people don't expect someone gruff like Eliot to be a gourmet chef, able to sing and play guitar, or having dabbled in chess. Until it was mentioned, no one knew that he grew his own garden for food, or that he'd be the type to brag about previous romantic exploits.
Background: Seeing as Eliot had a major part in every episode, or job as each 'story' is called, the most notable ones will be referenced. Not too much is known about Eliot's past, though details are brought up occasionally during the jobs that have come across. For example, as a child he used to have claustrophobia, and dealt with it himself by locking himself in a small shed for a few days. By saying he has a nephew, it's revealed that he has at least one sibling, who is also old enough to have a family his own. In high school, he took part as the football team's quarterback, but also joined Home Economics to learn how to cook (and probably for the girls as well.) When he was younger, he had one relationship (Aimee) grow close enough that he purchased either an engagement or promise ring. Unfortunately, while having promised to be there for her, he also made the same one to the government and would end up being called away, but Aimee not having waited for him. It's also mentioned here and there, though not given too much importance on the episodes, that he's helped liberate Croatia, is wanted in five countries (Myanmar having a half a million dollar bounty,) and him believing he has a fatwa; which is essentially a formal legal opinion by Islamic law. Though it's after the point Eliot's taken, it's revealed that he had worked with Damien Moreau; someone that's financed the Russians, Colombians, Koreans, along with working for Iraq and Iran. While it allows the team to get a little closer to Damien, Eliot admits that the worst things he's ever done, it was while working with the man.
The beginning of the series has Eliot hired, like the rest of what would be the Leverage team, to help steal airplane designs from another company. It's here in the beginning, where the team had no trust in each other where it's clear on how Eliot preferred to do things. Either taking a group of armed people with his fists, and showing distaste for Hardison's computing methods. Even having to post as an IT tech came with resistance, noting that computers really weren't his thing. Later in the Wedding Job, they had to retrieve money for a family from a mafia boss, having to pose as wedding planners for the don's daughter. In this job, Eliot takes point as a gourmet chef, displaying his culinary skills while also trying to avoid a mobster known as The Butcher of Kiev that he had a bit of bad history with. The kind where they were on opposite sides during an older job, and the Butcher ended up with a permanent reminder of his loss.
During the Mile-High job, nothing much is of note save for the fact that Eliot carries around an Air Marshall's badge with him. A couple of episodes later in the Two-Horse Job, the clients and Eliot's past cross and tangle up. When younger, the client's daughter, Aimee, had a relationship with Eliot that went so far as an engagement, or promise. A promise to be there when she needed him. Except (as mentioned in a later episode,) something happened where he ended up leaving and she couldn't wait for him. Now, after a Wall Street broker burnt down and killed one of the client's horses, they set up a con to get enough money and a better reputation to keep the ranch going. During this time, not only is the relationship rekindled between Aimee and Eliot for a brief period, but it shows his familiarity with how horses are handled, having even transported and rode a steed from one location to another.
In the second season, during the Tap-Out job, the mark for the con is a crooked fight promoter that has been corrupting Rucker's Gym; a training facility and training exhibition for mixed martial arts, which had led to Mark Howorth, the client, too injured to fight anymore. The best way was by coming at the gym from two sides, starting out as a company interested in featuring some matches at the gym, with Eliot (alias Kid Jones,) acting as something of a gopher that owed Nate's character too much money. After the people in Rucker's Gym see him fighting off some people, they end up recruiting him and watch as he easily fights into one of the top positions. As the plan unravels, the truth about everyone being revealed by the mark, Eliot goes into a final fight with the presumption that he's to throw it by the end. As the fight progresses, things get more savage as Eliot doesn't throw the fight, but instead appears to have lost control and continued to beat on his opponent until apparent death. After the in-ring doctor declares the death, and all the betting money goes to Leverage (as the mark placed the bet with the thought that it was fixed,) Eliot's skill and self control is shown when the in-ring doctor revives his opponent- having taken a drug to make him appear dead for the match. Due to how the plan fell apart, and how Nate handled the adjustments that endangered multiple people, Eliot starts voicing his disagreement with how things are being done within the team. Due to the way things were in this job, his concern and interests for the team's safety turn more vocal from this point on.
Later on, in the Three Strikes job, Eliot (despite not liking the game,) gets into a baseball team for easy access to the ballpark as they work to take advantage of a shady major's passion for the game. Unexpectedly, Eliot's focus ends up being split due to an amazing home run that gets him near-instant fame. He ends up being wanted more for the team, has a breakfast sandwich named after his alias, Roy Chappell, and ends up recording commercials for Japanese products. This isn't the only time that Eliot takes a star role in a con job that gets him more attention than expected, though. The Studio Job has a similar, if not more dramatic issue coming up. Two talented siblings, Kaye and Shane Gold, were originally hired to write songs for record producer and CEO Mitchell Kirkland's more established artists. Except... He didn't pay, when the songs should have earned them hundreds of thousands, but instead offered to get an album of theirs recorded and entry into a huge musical event called Saddles & Spurs. When the album was good enough for him to steal, they went to Leverage, and they decided to go after Kirkland with the Fiddle Game. Eliot, playing the 'Fiddle' as Kenneth Crane, is introduced to Kirkland by Nate, who is presenting himself as 'Crane's' manager. Later, Sophie comes in and implants the idea to Kirkland that Eliot's actually work a multi-million dollar contract with the idea that she intended to only get the contract for 25K. Eliot, getting advice from Kaye backstage runs over the right kind of inspiration to perform the song the Gold siblings had wrote. When she asks something along the lines on whether or not he loved someone, but couldn't be there for them. After admitting there was, it's then revealed that he gave the promise to be there for Aimee whenever she needed him, but also had a promised duty to the US government, and thus forced to leave but with the hope that she'd be waiting for him, but she couldn't. With that in mind, he went on stage, dedicating the song to 'the road not traveled' before performing Thinking of You. This is the point in which he's taken.
Abilities/Additional Notes: While a normal human, Eliot as several notable skills.
Skilled Fighter/Physical Ability
Between training and other unknown reasons, Eliot is proficient with numerous fighting styles, both armed and unarmed. Having dedicated a portion of his life to the US government, it's safe to assume that he underwent training for not only fighting, but resistance to pain and methods of information extraction. He's seen preferring a mixed-martial arts, which he even teaches Parker, and able to pick most things up and use it as a weapon. During the episode The Tap-out Job (season 2, episode 2,) Eliot poses as an errand boy for Nate's alias that shows to be a very gifted fighter. Throughout the entire job he holds his own in the boxing ring, yet still having held control to avoid going too far. Many times Eliot will take hits during fights, even if the injuries draw blood or something worse, but always uses that as information to turn the fight around.
Eliot is also skilled in using guns and other firearms, however for reasons not elaborated on, he typically refuses to use them. The most that has been given is that he just doesn't like guns. His physical skills aren't limited to fighting, however. Despite not actually being a fan of baseball, he was set to become part of the team and soon a star member after hitting a home run. In High School, he used to play football, being the team quarterback. After learning and observing, he could probably find a way to play most sports that don't require non-human abilities. All of this reflects his healthy physical condition, accurate hand-eye coordination allow the potential to pick them up.
Tracking/Identification
Eliot is able to identify a weapon, or even affiliation a person has based off of a single clue. This is demonstrated in the show a few times with this is IDing a weapon from the gunshot sound and recognizing an ex Marine, probably Force Recon off of the guy's knife fighting[s1e2], and telling who's CIA by their stance [s2e6]. He has also identified the smell of peppermint, and former British Paratroopers from their haircuts. Also, though far after the point he's taken, he identifies a member of Spetsnaz in season 4 off of a footprint. It's a running gag that when he does this, someone (usually Hardison,) ends up being shocked to which he says that something about it is very distinctive. Part of his ability and training to survive in hostile environments he could probably track a target in many environments. It would be safe to believe that he can adopt this skill and develop it while in Adstring.
More Than Meets the Eye
Linguist: So far as we know, Eliot is able to speak a few languages besides English. Hebrew, Russian, Arabic and Italian. Also seems to understand Iranian, but fluency speaking is unknown. More may be known, but haven't come up in the series.
Gourmet Chef: In season 1 episode 7, The Wedding Job, it's learned that Eliot has significant culinary skills. Starting from a home ec class in high school, he's learned enough to make some kind of risotto that's considered 'to die for' due to the skill. He both understands and appreciates when a situation calls for a 'simple' dish or something more refined and 'fancy.' Tied to this, he also grows his own food, thus giving him gardening skill.
Musical Talent: In the episode Eliot's being taken from, it's revealed that he knows how to play the guitar. So in order to go through with the con job, they decide to set Eliot up as 'Kenneth Crane,' and turn him into a country music star. To make him sound the part, an advanced auto-tune program was set up so what he sang on stage would be fixed between what went into the microphone and out the speakers. Turns out the auto-tune doesn't actually activate, as there isn't anything to tune. This skill in singing shocks the entire team, the client, and creates a surge of fans. Later in the episode, after he was taken, he ended up with a fan club and mass of fans that made it hard to move around and do much of anything.
Grifter: While normally playing part of a position that lets him access the rest of the team, in case muscle is needed, Eliot is able to shift into many roles. Not just the more complicated, business-like roles but also acting as a celebrity and anything else that would get him closer to someone with the information needed. He's able to charm and pick up the right details and act like he belongs and is part of the right groups to catch the target's attentions.
Sample Journal Post: [Audio]
[The feed started with guitar going through the first few bars. After the briefest of pauses, a voice comes through with a man singing a country ballad with the kind of emotion that ties it together. Until towards the end...]
When you find your way to another town, and someone tries to lay you down and a feeling hits you right out of the blue...
[The guitar stops, and the voice that was singing turns to something harsher, definitely upset and though hidden away, with confusion in the mix.]
Hardison. Hardison Damn it, what did you do this time. Hey, answer already.
[With a bit of a growl and angry mutterings, thing go quiet for about half a minute before the microphone picks up the sounds of the device being picked up. Turned around, tapped right onto the mic for everyone's unfortunate ears.]
How's this thing supposed to work... it on?
[From muttered and softer (yet still upset,) the following is definitely louder.]
Anyone there to report back to me?
Sample RP: Despite the kind of things Hardison said at times, there was no way that technology could get advanced enough to mimic the outdoors. There was a distinctiveness of how firm the ground was, the quality of air, and the sounds of the wildlife around. Even more, it doesn't suddenly take you from the stage of a bar into a dilapidated city in only a couple of minutes. The only option left, while he didn't like it, was that the things the people from this PCD thing said was true. This whole place was wrong though. None of the landmarks and traces matched up right, and while it was stupid to assume that the world was exactly as they knew it, he didn't trust what most of these people said. They were mostly kids, even!
Fixing the guitar over his shoulder, Eliot wiped his hands off the back of his jeans while looking around. Until he knew more, it was safer to keep the alias up as Kenneth Crane. It couldn't be so hard to pretend you were just some musician in a place like this. As long as none of the previous marks or their thugs show up, keeping up some kind of cover was going to be easy. For now there was the matter of getting some decent shelter. A glance to the sky produced more than a sigh, as he slowly slid a hand down the length of his face as if it'd bring that to normal. "This is going to be a long day," he muttered.
Livejournal: drgnladysupreme
Contact: On records already. :3
Other Characters Played: Botan genkireaper
Are you 18 or over? Yup!
Canon: Leverage
Character: Eliot Spencer
Timeline: Season 3, episode 6; The Studio Job
Personality: Above all, Eliot is a man that's reserved and decides who he's relaxed with showing his personality around. A man not proud of his past, but regards it out of duty and a strong set of morals. That you treat women right, don't hit children and you recognize when you're no longer welcome. As such, he usually doesn't initiate fights, but holds no qualms with ending them. What considers initiating can be tricky, however. It's not always about who swung the first fist, but who created a situation where Eliot decides to take the stand for what needs defending. A man harassing a woman, trying to get in her house, a man that obviously beats his son, or coming across a fight of many against one. He's even a 'knight' to himself, having locked himself in a small, dark shed as a child for a few days to combat his claustrophobia. It worked, and taught him to tackle his problems head on. At the same time, it's encouraged his head-on involved approach to the jobs he's had, leading us to the next section.
While on the job, there's a manner of conduct that Eliot will stick to. Normally, given his training and usually being hired as a hitter and for retrieval, he's set in with easier positions that allow him to lurk, observe and act as a quick muscle getaway when one of the team members gets in trouble. He's observant, taking in as many details as possible to read the situation, and see when things are going to heat up, but also holds a somewhat aloof and 'aw shucks' act on top of it all. What's important is getting the job done, if it needs doing, and knowing when things need to be cut short. Similar to his job, and feeling it's best to keep things professional around others, Eliot keeps many personality traits and notes about his history and family to himself. Though it may also be that keeping personal information to himself was something developed from his experiences with the government, and other jobs he had before Leverage came together. Part of his job has worked because of these things. Lurking is his things, and letting people underestimate him is considered the point of not correcting people right off from their assumptions.
As secretive as he is, before long there was something of a family dynamic set up within the team. In such, towards most of the group he seemed to take the act of an older brother. Keeping an eye out and protecting Parker and Hardison as if they were younger siblings, treating Nate as the head of this 'family' due to being the ideas and planning type of guy, but treating Sophie as a valued peer instead. He takes care of and watches the team's back as he grew comfortable with relying on a team for these big jobs. He can recognize who fits which roles, and respects them for it, but also takes note of what needs looking after. Making sure the leader doesn't cross lines and endanger the group; ending up in a rivalry due to insisting that more physical involvement should be put into jobs rather than relying on technology; or ending up baffled from Parker's unhinged nature and smallness, eventually being protective, supportive and encouraging to teach her some mixed-martial arts so she can hold her own. When comfortable and able to recognize a stable group dynamic, it allows him to annoy, tease, or act in some obnoxious ways without worry. Acting like an older brother could essentially be seen as a sign of trust and personal value to Eliot.
It's also the only time when one can really see how easy Eliot can get embarrassed, flustered, or in a conversation that makes him rather uncomfortable. His voice gets tight, and something more like a growl-like rumble in how he talks. It's not a side appropriate to the job, and rarely part of his aliases
Despite usually getting set up with positions like janitor, tech support, busboy, or someone going around looking for things pawn off or sell (like a Jesus lawn ornament thingie, or whatever it was,) he's more than just the brawn. He's able to take point as an inside man, and as a grifter who would charm a target enough to gleam information off of them or set them up for later plans. Because of his appearance, between the build, long hair and slightly scruffy facial hair, he allows people to underestimate him into thinking he couldn't understand complicated subjects. Or, in roles where he actually takes a nerdier and meeker seeming role, lets them believe that he's harmless. It's something proven to be effective when things turn around and the element of surprise works for his favor. Sometimes though, even the team still underestimates him.
He has an appreciation for finer arts, games of logic and the ladies. Most people don't expect someone gruff like Eliot to be a gourmet chef, able to sing and play guitar, or having dabbled in chess. Until it was mentioned, no one knew that he grew his own garden for food, or that he'd be the type to brag about previous romantic exploits.
Background: Seeing as Eliot had a major part in every episode, or job as each 'story' is called, the most notable ones will be referenced. Not too much is known about Eliot's past, though details are brought up occasionally during the jobs that have come across. For example, as a child he used to have claustrophobia, and dealt with it himself by locking himself in a small shed for a few days. By saying he has a nephew, it's revealed that he has at least one sibling, who is also old enough to have a family his own. In high school, he took part as the football team's quarterback, but also joined Home Economics to learn how to cook (and probably for the girls as well.) When he was younger, he had one relationship (Aimee) grow close enough that he purchased either an engagement or promise ring. Unfortunately, while having promised to be there for her, he also made the same one to the government and would end up being called away, but Aimee not having waited for him. It's also mentioned here and there, though not given too much importance on the episodes, that he's helped liberate Croatia, is wanted in five countries (Myanmar having a half a million dollar bounty,) and him believing he has a fatwa; which is essentially a formal legal opinion by Islamic law. Though it's after the point Eliot's taken, it's revealed that he had worked with Damien Moreau; someone that's financed the Russians, Colombians, Koreans, along with working for Iraq and Iran. While it allows the team to get a little closer to Damien, Eliot admits that the worst things he's ever done, it was while working with the man.
The beginning of the series has Eliot hired, like the rest of what would be the Leverage team, to help steal airplane designs from another company. It's here in the beginning, where the team had no trust in each other where it's clear on how Eliot preferred to do things. Either taking a group of armed people with his fists, and showing distaste for Hardison's computing methods. Even having to post as an IT tech came with resistance, noting that computers really weren't his thing. Later in the Wedding Job, they had to retrieve money for a family from a mafia boss, having to pose as wedding planners for the don's daughter. In this job, Eliot takes point as a gourmet chef, displaying his culinary skills while also trying to avoid a mobster known as The Butcher of Kiev that he had a bit of bad history with. The kind where they were on opposite sides during an older job, and the Butcher ended up with a permanent reminder of his loss.
During the Mile-High job, nothing much is of note save for the fact that Eliot carries around an Air Marshall's badge with him. A couple of episodes later in the Two-Horse Job, the clients and Eliot's past cross and tangle up. When younger, the client's daughter, Aimee, had a relationship with Eliot that went so far as an engagement, or promise. A promise to be there when she needed him. Except (as mentioned in a later episode,) something happened where he ended up leaving and she couldn't wait for him. Now, after a Wall Street broker burnt down and killed one of the client's horses, they set up a con to get enough money and a better reputation to keep the ranch going. During this time, not only is the relationship rekindled between Aimee and Eliot for a brief period, but it shows his familiarity with how horses are handled, having even transported and rode a steed from one location to another.
In the second season, during the Tap-Out job, the mark for the con is a crooked fight promoter that has been corrupting Rucker's Gym; a training facility and training exhibition for mixed martial arts, which had led to Mark Howorth, the client, too injured to fight anymore. The best way was by coming at the gym from two sides, starting out as a company interested in featuring some matches at the gym, with Eliot (alias Kid Jones,) acting as something of a gopher that owed Nate's character too much money. After the people in Rucker's Gym see him fighting off some people, they end up recruiting him and watch as he easily fights into one of the top positions. As the plan unravels, the truth about everyone being revealed by the mark, Eliot goes into a final fight with the presumption that he's to throw it by the end. As the fight progresses, things get more savage as Eliot doesn't throw the fight, but instead appears to have lost control and continued to beat on his opponent until apparent death. After the in-ring doctor declares the death, and all the betting money goes to Leverage (as the mark placed the bet with the thought that it was fixed,) Eliot's skill and self control is shown when the in-ring doctor revives his opponent- having taken a drug to make him appear dead for the match. Due to how the plan fell apart, and how Nate handled the adjustments that endangered multiple people, Eliot starts voicing his disagreement with how things are being done within the team. Due to the way things were in this job, his concern and interests for the team's safety turn more vocal from this point on.
Later on, in the Three Strikes job, Eliot (despite not liking the game,) gets into a baseball team for easy access to the ballpark as they work to take advantage of a shady major's passion for the game. Unexpectedly, Eliot's focus ends up being split due to an amazing home run that gets him near-instant fame. He ends up being wanted more for the team, has a breakfast sandwich named after his alias, Roy Chappell, and ends up recording commercials for Japanese products. This isn't the only time that Eliot takes a star role in a con job that gets him more attention than expected, though. The Studio Job has a similar, if not more dramatic issue coming up. Two talented siblings, Kaye and Shane Gold, were originally hired to write songs for record producer and CEO Mitchell Kirkland's more established artists. Except... He didn't pay, when the songs should have earned them hundreds of thousands, but instead offered to get an album of theirs recorded and entry into a huge musical event called Saddles & Spurs. When the album was good enough for him to steal, they went to Leverage, and they decided to go after Kirkland with the Fiddle Game. Eliot, playing the 'Fiddle' as Kenneth Crane, is introduced to Kirkland by Nate, who is presenting himself as 'Crane's' manager. Later, Sophie comes in and implants the idea to Kirkland that Eliot's actually work a multi-million dollar contract with the idea that she intended to only get the contract for 25K. Eliot, getting advice from Kaye backstage runs over the right kind of inspiration to perform the song the Gold siblings had wrote. When she asks something along the lines on whether or not he loved someone, but couldn't be there for them. After admitting there was, it's then revealed that he gave the promise to be there for Aimee whenever she needed him, but also had a promised duty to the US government, and thus forced to leave but with the hope that she'd be waiting for him, but she couldn't. With that in mind, he went on stage, dedicating the song to 'the road not traveled' before performing Thinking of You. This is the point in which he's taken.
Abilities/Additional Notes: While a normal human, Eliot as several notable skills.
Skilled Fighter/Physical Ability
Between training and other unknown reasons, Eliot is proficient with numerous fighting styles, both armed and unarmed. Having dedicated a portion of his life to the US government, it's safe to assume that he underwent training for not only fighting, but resistance to pain and methods of information extraction. He's seen preferring a mixed-martial arts, which he even teaches Parker, and able to pick most things up and use it as a weapon. During the episode The Tap-out Job (season 2, episode 2,) Eliot poses as an errand boy for Nate's alias that shows to be a very gifted fighter. Throughout the entire job he holds his own in the boxing ring, yet still having held control to avoid going too far. Many times Eliot will take hits during fights, even if the injuries draw blood or something worse, but always uses that as information to turn the fight around.
Eliot is also skilled in using guns and other firearms, however for reasons not elaborated on, he typically refuses to use them. The most that has been given is that he just doesn't like guns. His physical skills aren't limited to fighting, however. Despite not actually being a fan of baseball, he was set to become part of the team and soon a star member after hitting a home run. In High School, he used to play football, being the team quarterback. After learning and observing, he could probably find a way to play most sports that don't require non-human abilities. All of this reflects his healthy physical condition, accurate hand-eye coordination allow the potential to pick them up.
Tracking/Identification
Eliot is able to identify a weapon, or even affiliation a person has based off of a single clue. This is demonstrated in the show a few times with this is IDing a weapon from the gunshot sound and recognizing an ex Marine, probably Force Recon off of the guy's knife fighting[s1e2], and telling who's CIA by their stance [s2e6]. He has also identified the smell of peppermint, and former British Paratroopers from their haircuts. Also, though far after the point he's taken, he identifies a member of Spetsnaz in season 4 off of a footprint. It's a running gag that when he does this, someone (usually Hardison,) ends up being shocked to which he says that something about it is very distinctive. Part of his ability and training to survive in hostile environments he could probably track a target in many environments. It would be safe to believe that he can adopt this skill and develop it while in Adstring.
More Than Meets the Eye
Linguist: So far as we know, Eliot is able to speak a few languages besides English. Hebrew, Russian, Arabic and Italian. Also seems to understand Iranian, but fluency speaking is unknown. More may be known, but haven't come up in the series.
Gourmet Chef: In season 1 episode 7, The Wedding Job, it's learned that Eliot has significant culinary skills. Starting from a home ec class in high school, he's learned enough to make some kind of risotto that's considered 'to die for' due to the skill. He both understands and appreciates when a situation calls for a 'simple' dish or something more refined and 'fancy.' Tied to this, he also grows his own food, thus giving him gardening skill.
Musical Talent: In the episode Eliot's being taken from, it's revealed that he knows how to play the guitar. So in order to go through with the con job, they decide to set Eliot up as 'Kenneth Crane,' and turn him into a country music star. To make him sound the part, an advanced auto-tune program was set up so what he sang on stage would be fixed between what went into the microphone and out the speakers. Turns out the auto-tune doesn't actually activate, as there isn't anything to tune. This skill in singing shocks the entire team, the client, and creates a surge of fans. Later in the episode, after he was taken, he ended up with a fan club and mass of fans that made it hard to move around and do much of anything.
Grifter: While normally playing part of a position that lets him access the rest of the team, in case muscle is needed, Eliot is able to shift into many roles. Not just the more complicated, business-like roles but also acting as a celebrity and anything else that would get him closer to someone with the information needed. He's able to charm and pick up the right details and act like he belongs and is part of the right groups to catch the target's attentions.
Sample Journal Post: [Audio]
[The feed started with guitar going through the first few bars. After the briefest of pauses, a voice comes through with a man singing a country ballad with the kind of emotion that ties it together. Until towards the end...]
When you find your way to another town, and someone tries to lay you down and a feeling hits you right out of the blue...
[The guitar stops, and the voice that was singing turns to something harsher, definitely upset and though hidden away, with confusion in the mix.]
Hardison. Hardison Damn it, what did you do this time. Hey, answer already.
[With a bit of a growl and angry mutterings, thing go quiet for about half a minute before the microphone picks up the sounds of the device being picked up. Turned around, tapped right onto the mic for everyone's unfortunate ears.]
How's this thing supposed to work... it on?
[From muttered and softer (yet still upset,) the following is definitely louder.]
Anyone there to report back to me?
Sample RP: Despite the kind of things Hardison said at times, there was no way that technology could get advanced enough to mimic the outdoors. There was a distinctiveness of how firm the ground was, the quality of air, and the sounds of the wildlife around. Even more, it doesn't suddenly take you from the stage of a bar into a dilapidated city in only a couple of minutes. The only option left, while he didn't like it, was that the things the people from this PCD thing said was true. This whole place was wrong though. None of the landmarks and traces matched up right, and while it was stupid to assume that the world was exactly as they knew it, he didn't trust what most of these people said. They were mostly kids, even!
Fixing the guitar over his shoulder, Eliot wiped his hands off the back of his jeans while looking around. Until he knew more, it was safer to keep the alias up as Kenneth Crane. It couldn't be so hard to pretend you were just some musician in a place like this. As long as none of the previous marks or their thugs show up, keeping up some kind of cover was going to be easy. For now there was the matter of getting some decent shelter. A glance to the sky produced more than a sigh, as he slowly slid a hand down the length of his face as if it'd bring that to normal. "This is going to be a long day," he muttered.