#leverage 2x02

[wayiiseetheworld]

Oh no Sophie alone in the room with them.

Eliot and Nate coming through the door

thank god

oh Jed wants Eliot to take a dive

well fuck

Jed threats

Eliot's "I'll do it."

Hardison, "I can't hack a hick."

Eliot's "No, no. I'll take the dive."

and that is the right move.

Eliot in the gym

I wanna give the man a hug

Sophie telling him, "you don't have to do this."

Eliot, "I think my ego can handle it." & "I'm losing a fight, Sophie. I'm not diving on a grenade. I'll be alright.

Sophie she's like I know, I'm not talking about physically.

she is worried about the man's mental health

"you told me that it's about control, about knowing that you're never gonna be the victim. and that's what keeps you going right?"

Eliot responding

"you think I'm upset cause I got to let this guy kick my ass? I learned a long time ago you can't control the violence. I can take the punishment. that's what I do."

ELLIOT WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN THROUGH?

I need to give that man a hug, that man deserves a hug

the way he is looking at Sophie when he Is telling her this

"What I need to control is not out there. It's here. Always." touching his chest

my man

you are making me emotional

this scene is so good

no more words need to be said between them

it's fight time

Hardison walking with Eliot to the ring

the man is telling him to break every bone in his body

THE WATER BOTTLE

I am nervous

[lehdenlaulu]

Oh I see where this is going already.

Getting a tiny bit handsy there, Eliot. That's new.

With her, I mean.

Aww, he's been teaching her. Good.

Poor Hardison, probably not how he wanted to get double-teamed, or in that position. 😂

Parker's happy, though. 😂

But seriously, that was kind of... not cool, overall.

Yeah, definitely pregnant. I mean, it's not like a whole lot can be done to hide something like that after a certain point.

Nate is frighteningly good at this particular character.

"Straighter than an army parade" is certainly an interesting way to put it.

Aww, a HTC. I used to have HTCs, sadly they're no longer a thing.

They shot in that weather? Brave. Those are real thunderclouds. Nice rainbow, though. 👀

Showtime!

"You fight like something's trying to get out of you." Pfffft. Yeah.

What are you thinking, Eliot?

Huh, is Sophie pregnant? Or did they at least consider that storyline?

Oh Eliot.

Oh Eliot.

That was a lovely (and very beautifully lit) little bonding moment.

And I know it's actually serious but I once again couldn't help giggling a little at certain lines.

Awww, Eliot's curls. I feel ya, mate, mine does that too when it gets damp.

Hardison's worried. 🥺

I like that he has an actual athlete/fighter's body, not one those hyper-toned dehydrated husk types, ya know?

Ooh, tattoo!

Oh Eliot.

Parker's mad, too. Genuinely, I think.

Huh, did we actually know this before or did Sophie just glean it from that one conversation? Or is she semi-bluffing and going with a hunch? 🤔

Oh, I see. Well played.

Oh Parker. ❤

Oh, is she flirting? I think she's flirting. For Parker, I mean.

Also, definitely feels like they might have been setting up a pregnancy storyline here.

Is it just me or did this episode have an unusual amount of queer references, though? Hmm.

[leveragecentral]

Leverage: Redemption (2021-present) The One Man’s Trash Job (S02E02)

[beautifulscreaminglady]

Christian Kane characters + the guitar pick necklace

Leverage 1x02 - "The Homecoming Job"

The Librarians 2x02 - "The Librarians and the Broken Staff"

Almost Paradise 1x02 - "Reef Eel Soup for the Soul"

[fluffypotatey]

Leverage 2x02

This show is so good why did it take me so long to come back T^T

Tap-Out Job they say… wonder if that’s bdsm or boxing. ELIOT EPISODE???👀👀👀👀please 🙏 please be an Eliot episode

ooooh Nebraska

IT IS BOXING

idk shit about boxing but my guess is that there’s steroids involved

Oh he looks drugged

Yikes

He’s fine

Maybe dead

Probably dead

God this intro 😂��so cheesy I love it

Oh so he’s still alive

Hmmmmm plant closed, Rucker something…..dots connecting

Ok so Rucker is a big deal wrestling ceo? He want a monopoly 

Awww Eliot geeking out over boxing 🥺🥺🥺 he better play. I want him to. For reasons

He’s been teaching Parker 🥺

Rip Hardinson

“Pilates or yoga?” Nate is so good at playing the ditzy asshole. Like he already is an asshole so it’s fun to see him play it up for cons

Hardinson talking about his special golf balls is so sweet but I have no idea what some of the words he is saying means but please keep talking sweetie

Rucker talking all polite but oh you can feel the anger in it 😂😂😂

ELIOT

YESSSSSSSSSSS YESSSSSSSSS

Jesus Christ what the fuck Rucker

YEAH ELIOT FUCK THEM UP

Parker’s little disguise 😂😂😂

Sophie :( chicken fried steak is good

“I can see you’ve had some training.” “…..some.” yeah some is right 

That’s a nice headshot, Sophie

Awwww Eliot 🥺 he needs to stop acting all soft and nervous I wanna squish him

ELIOT EPISODE! ELIOT EPISODE! ELIOT EPISODE! 

Sophie >:( pork rinds are good

ELIOT MY BELOVED!!!! He needs to stop being so sweet 🥺 Hardinson watch out

“White people doing white people things” 💀💀💀

Ok and how are they gonna steal a concert 🤨

Jesus, dude can’t you be nice :(

HEEHAW??????

Hardinson needing to check his name tag 💀💀💀

is that how tv works???? <- genuine question 

JIMMY YOU SNITCH

JENNY YOU SNITCH

ah shit

Tank, aka the dude who almost killed Mark. hmmmmm ‘spicious

oh come on, Rucker, playing your cards so soon??? you are going to let the con men know you know????  rookie mistake

Ok wait were they actually going to hurt Sophie >:(((((

Ugh Nate stop doing that!!! You didn’t have to let them know about Parker or Hardinson (BUT HE DOES IT BECAUSE HE CARES AND I KNOW THAT BUT NATE!!!!!)

Rucker really wants Eliot lmao

Rucker >:( 

Yessssss I believe in you Eliot (<- just wants to see him fight)

Ok uh, Eliot, I don’t trust this gym 

“I can take the punishment. It’s what I do.” Eliot what the fuck does that mean?????

I swear if they try to drug Eliot

BET IT ALL????? RUCKER????

Rucker that doesn’t sound legal

IF HIS WATER IS DRUGGED IMMA CRY

man I’m stressed

I want Eliot to win actually 

HE IS BLEEDING

NOOOOOOOOOO

I FUCKINH KNEW IT

is Tank dead????? 

OH SHIT 

ELIOT NO

NOOOOOOOOOOO HE IS SO SAD

of course he’s running lol

Ok but what if Tank isn’t dead and this was all a ploy

IS IT??????

I fucking knew it

PARKER

AND A SAX???????

I fucking knew the bet was through Hardinson!!!!!!

“Where’s your cousin Jinny now?” I LOVE HIM

AWWWWWWWWW happy ending 🥺🥺🥺🥺

YAY SHE LIKES PORK RINDS

General thoughts

ELIOT EPISODE!!!!!! It’s kind of sweet how we sort of know when each episode will focus on each character. Like Eliot is when they go rural, and Nate is if there are children. So I can now check off boxer after horse girl with Eliot ✅ and it’s interesting how can still see a strain on Sophie and Eliot’s dynamic but this time doesn’t have to do with betrayal but just understanding now. 

And ough the way Eliot plays the skittish dude who works under Nate out of debt for the com was just *chef’s kiss* I would have fallen for that persona instantly if he played THAG on me. The way this team would have conned me so bad if I was their target lol 

But yeah, this episode was so fun and I can’t believe I was fooled into the “Eliot got drugged” scene because these guys are smart!!!!! They would know he would play this and they just pretended like Rucker fooled them and AGHHHHH 🤧 lmao on to next episode 

[pumba2205]

Ich habe gerade geschaut Leverage: Redemption 2x02 "The One Man's Trash Job"

[theredhairedmonkey]

*Meekly raises hand* I'll take a stab at answering the second question.

I don't think Callum would sacrifice the world for anyone, even Rayla and/or Ezran, because (1) he greatly values the "Greater Good" in the way he personally defines it, and (2) while he has gone to great lengths to protect Rayla and Ezran, even in emergency circumstances Callum still ensured no lives were harmed and damage was minimized, putting into doubt how much harm he'd actually accept.

Callum values the Greater Good

From the first episode, as soon as he hears word that assassins are coming for the king, he hops on a horse to come with the attack party.

Callum: I know what's going on and I'm coming with you...He’s our king and he’s my father. It’s my duty to help him.

This shows from the very get-go that Callum is willing to put his life on the line for a cause (in this case, duty). However, as circumstances evolve, Callum prioritizes causes greater than obligation to specific individuals, even family. When given the choice to go back and save his stepdad...

...Callum chooses to prioritize the egg instead.

So, even though Callum does value protecting or helping the lives of those closest to him, when the rubber met the road the thing that Callum prioritized the most was returning the Dragon Egg and stopping the war. What mattered most to him was the "Cause," the greater good.

Now, there's an argument floating around that the reason Callum chose to return the egg is because he actually just wants to get Ez out of danger and prioritized him over Harrow (i.e. that Ezran is in his inner circle, but Harrow isn't). However, this argument falls apart when you consider that, even once Ezran himself was out of danger, Callum still pressed on with their broader quest. Despite multiple times Callum could have brought Ezran home (1x04, 2x02, 2x03, 2x09, 3x08), yet Callum still chose to continue with their mission.

Even when Ezran himself insisted on going home, Callum still chose to pursue the mission over returning with him, completely contradicting the argument that he valued Ezran over the mission to take Zym home.

We have no reason to not take Callum at his word, that returning Zym was the most important thing they could do.

Most tellingly is that, when Ibis insisted that Callum take Zym far away from the Storm Spire, he initially wants to leave because it's what is best for Zym, but is easily brought around to wanting to stay and fight to stop a great evil (Viren) from spreading his influence. Evidently, doing whatever was best for his "inner circle" didn't enter the equation.

In short, Callum consistently displayed willingness to sacrifice his own wellbeing for righteous causes, not merely protecting loved ones, whether out of obligation or idealism.

Callum avoids harm where he can

There are two instances when Callum uses Dark Magic, and both times he uses it to save Rayla. Proponents of Callum sacrificing the world for her typically spotlight this fact.

But it's worth looking at how Callum uses Dark Magic, and how that's different from what Viren and Claudia do. Callum only uses ingredients that are already dead. So ultimately, no creatures are killed from his actions, which has been the chief objection against Dark Magic.

He also only uses dark magic for one narrow objective - to dispose of a set of chains. In both instances, despite the wider destructive capacity of the spell, Callum solely leverages them for defense in minimal ways. He never harms others with his spells.

So, ultimately, whenever Callum casts a Dark Magic spell, he takes great pains to ensure that no one else is hurt. The only casualty is himself.

Which illustrates my point here: Callum is willing to bend his morals a bit for his loved ones, but only when no other greater good is harmed by that, and works to ensure that only he is hurt by his own actions. This is a far cry from "dooming the world for his friends."

Callum taps into Dark Magic in circumscribed ways and in isolated situations, and only when no better path exists to protect his loved ones. The only times he's ever used Dark Magic was when there was an emergency circumstance, no other greater good was affected, and it was used to the narrowest extent necessary. That to me seems like he's his principles would prevent him from “dooming the world” at a whim for his friends.

TL;DR

I'm not saying that Callum is flawless. Far from it. He's reckless, impatient, and has a dark side that he's only just starting to confront and accept. But just because he has flaws doesn't mean he has these particular flaws. He's always had a strong moral center that drives him to do the right thing, even if he has to choose it over people he cares about. When he has to do use dark magic for his friends, he takes great pains to ensure he uses no more of that magic than necessary and that no one other than himself is hurt. That doesn't read like someone who is willing to destroy the world for his friends.

Well, the votes are in, and I gotta say, I was a bit surprised to find that a slight majority of voters don't think that Callum would sacrifice the world for Rayla or Ezran.

Needless to say, it looks like the vote was fairly close, so I'm curious to hear everyone's thoughts:

If you think Callum would sacrifice the world for Rayla/Ezran, why do you think so?

And if you don't think Callum would sacrifice the world for Rayla/Ezran, why don't you think so.

[leverage-ot3]

notable moments from The Tap Out Job

leverage 2.02

Jack: Somebody drugged his water. It's an old boxing trick. He couldn't defend himself, and... He's still in the hospital.

that’s fucked

- - - - -

Eliot: It's not a cockfight. All right? Let me show you something, Hardison. Come here. Can I borrow you? (puts a gentle hand on Parker’s hip, guiding her to the open space behind the couch) All right. Square up. Remember what I showed you?

(Hardison and Parker square up)

Hardison: Are you...

Eliot: There's three phases to an MMA--to an MMA fight, okay? One, striking. (Parker punches Hardison in the face) Nice. Next is grappling, the takedown. (Parker grabs Hardison and throws him on the floor) Exactly. All right. The third one is jujitsu. Okay, try to isolate a joint. (Parker gets Hardison in a hold) That's good. That's a textbook armbar, Parker. Put some pressure on there.

Parker: Like this?

Eliot: There you go. Or you can go for a choke hold.

Hardison: She got to be choking me. (tries to get away)

Eliot: Remember that thing that I showed you?

Parker: Oh, yeah. The choke.

Eliot: Lock that in. All right. You don't have to hold the arm. See, that's a triangle choke. That's nasty. Puts pressure on his carotid artery, and the guy will submit by tap out.

Hardison (tapping the ground): Eliot, I'm tapping! I'm tapping!

Eliot: These fights are won by inches, I'm telling you.

Hardison: I can't breathe!

Eliot: All about leverage.

Sophie: Yeah, it looks really painful.

Hardison: It is painful!

Nate: No TV deal, you said, huh? Hardison, what are this guy's other interests, this Rucker guy?

Hardison: Seriously, you ask me a question right now...

Sophie: I'll take that. Yeah, rotary club, golf membership.

Nate: Golf, huh?

Hardison: Help me!

Sophie: Yeah. I mean, this guy's like a 1950s sitcom character. He plays a weekly game with the local businessmen. In fact, last year, he won the club championship.

Nate: Did he? Hmm.

Hardison: Let me go!

Nate: I guess it's...

Hardison: She's killing me!

Nate: …it's time to hit the links.

Hardison: I'm cool. Just let me go real quick.

eliot canonically teaches parker how to fight in his spare time and I LOVE THAT

fucking CHAOTIC OT3 + parker is having a great time while hardison is dying

ALSO can we just for a minute appreciate how when she puts him in a chokehold she was wrapping her legs around his neck, which basically had his head in her crotch area and !!! it wasn’t sexualized at al !!! literally A N Y other show would have sexualized it even just a little bit but not leverage. never leverage.

- - - - -

I love it when they fuck with peoples gear (like with the baseballs or hockey pucks or in this instance the golf balls)

- - - - -

parker playing with the golf club covers

- - - - -

literally EVERY con has nate being an asshole (this one was one of the more annoying ones tho)

- - - - -

hi I am but a simple bi and eliot in that grey hoodie was VERY attractive

- - - - -

Room Service: Room service. Can I help you?

Sophie: Yeah, no, I can't eat this. I'm sorry?

Everything on my plate is yellow.

Room Service: It's chicken-fried steak.

Sophie: It's what? Chicken-fried steak?

Room Service: Yes.

Sophie: No, let me just tell you, all right. Meat should never be used as an adjective.

~ a little while late ~

Sophie: I'm starving.

Parker: I found these in the minibar. (throws her a bag)

Sophie: "Pork Rinds"? How do you peel a pig? (throws it back)

- - - - -

Hardison: Got it. See, Online video websites, they track viewer hits by IP Address, so the trick is to just spoof a bunch of IPs, then write a script that lets you browse the video page via the proxy list and...

- - - - -

Sophie: Well, this guy, he just--he give me the creeps.

Eliot: We've gone up against rougher dudes than this before.

Sophie: I know. But it's this whole treating people as commodities. This whole barbaric sport.

Eliot: Hey, don't lump these guys in with Rucker. All right, he's not what the sport's about.

Sophie: Eliot, this "sport" is about two guys beating the crap out of each other.

Eliot: MMA fighters act with more respect than any other athlete I've seen.

Sophie: Yeah, they're "Braveheart," I get it.

Eliot: No, you don't. These guys don't fight because they like hurting other people, all right. They fight to gain some sort of control over their opponents, over their environment, over their lives. Have you seen this town? Huh? The farms are drying up. The only stores are bail bondsmen and pawn shops, and there's nothing they can do about it. So, yeah, they get in the ring and try not to let it all suffocate them. (a beat, he smiles) And it's about two guys beating the crap out of each other. (she smiles back)

- - - - -

eliot is wearing a green flannel in this one and it looks very nice and comfy

- - - - -

Rucker: Well, bottom line is, you need good product. What event are you here to produce?

[Interior Van]

Hardison: On it. There's a tractor pull in grand island, a livestock show in council bluffs, white people doing other white things…

pls keep calling out white people pls we deserve it lmfao

- - - - -

Director (in car looking at his phone): Come on! Come on! Give me something! Come on! Is this gonna take long?

Nate (through window): No. Two shakes. Are you in a hurry?

Director: Even half a bar... what? Yes. Hurry. Does anyone in this backwater hellhole know what that means?

Nate: You're a director, right? What was your name again?

Director: What? It's Laurence. Todd Laurence.

Nate: Todd, well, listen, Mr. Laurence. See, I wrote a script...

Director: Huh?

Nate: Yeah. It's about a limo driver who solves mysteries till his wife leaves him for --

Director: For the love of god!

Nate: ...the best part: The feed store manager. Right? His wife…

Director: Yeah...?

Nate: Tramp...

Director: Hey, hee-haw, move the car! Okay

- - - - -

parker in leather pants, a bright yellow ‘I heart Nebraska’ tshirt and weird hat, eating a corn dog? ,,,a look I guess

- - - - -

Hardison (showing passes): So, I'm Todd Laurence? (girls flock to Hardison) Ladies, please, look. For the last time, I am not the tailback for the cornhuskers. Go! I don't even know what a cornhusker is.

- - - - -

Rucker: And all you need is a product?

Sophie: Well, that's what they are: Products. You get the girls with Trianna, you get the boys with MMA. And there's always another fresh-faced princess ready to go through the singing/dancing mill in Florida. Occasionally, we let one be a lesbian, keeps the press on their toes

- - - - -

Hardison: What? What? W-what was I supposed to do? It was cousin Jimmy.

Sophie: He's right. We couldn't have planned for that.

Hardison: Look, you know what I can do? I can re-task a satellite, I can get a level 3 NSA clearance, but I can't hack a hick

- - - - -

Eliot: All right, it doesn't matter. What do we do now?

Parker: We can move the Howorth.

Eliot: We're not moving the Howorths. All right? This is their home. That means something to people here.

Sophie: Yeah, we can't babysit them forever.

Nate: We've taken out bigger players than this. You know, there's got to be some way, something we can...

Eliot: No, no! I take the dive.

Sophie: You sure?

Hardison: Give me some time, okay? I've found some funny business in Rucker's accounts. I can move some things.

Eliot: Forget the fact that we just got beat by Barney Fife, all right? This is the right move. Tactically it's the right move. You all know that. (walks away)

none of them want to see eliot hurt more than he needs to or see him go down like that and I cry

alec ‘give me five minutes I will do literally anything for eliot’ hardison

- - - - -

Sophie: Hey. Listen, you-you don't have to do this, you know. Nate's gonna come up with something.

Eliot: I'm losing a fight, Sophie. I'm not diving on a grenade. I'll be all right.

Sophie: Yeah, I know. I'm not talking physically.

Eliot: I think my ego can handle it.

Sophie: Look, you told me that it's about control, about knowing that you're never gonna be the victim. And that's what keeps you going, right?

Eliot: You think I'm upset 'cause I got to let this guy kick my ass? I learned a long time ago, you can't control the violence. I can take the punishment. That's what I do. What I need to control is not out there. (touches his chest) It's here. Always.

(Sophie smiles and walks away)

- - - - -

hardison holds eliots face before he fights I never noticed that before

+ eliot’s hair is curly when it’s wet/when he’s sweaty. this means he blowdries his hair on a regular basis. eliot, as a part of taking control of himself and his life after moreau took interest in self care and taking care of his hair in this essay I will-

- - - - -

one thing I love about this is that eliot doesn’t have a six pack (see this commentary I made with a few lovely additions by my mutuals)

- - - - -

Jack: Where's Rucker?

Hardison: Oh, the Iowa State Police just got a tip that a fugitive is headed into their jurisdiction. And I'm pretty sure crossing state lines with a bag full of cash won't look too good.

Parker: Especially when they find the little surprise in his trunk.

[Flashback, Pawn Shop]

Parker: I need guns. (dumping money on counter) $6,000 worth. And one of those.

LMFAO THERE WAS A TUBA TOO

- - - - -

Doctor (examining Eliot): You took a hell of a pounding. We should get you a CT scan. You could have internal bleeding.

Jack: You let yourself get hammered like that on purpose? That's a hell of a lot of punishment to take.

Sophie: That's what he does.

- - - - -

eliot held the rope up for parker to step under when they were getting out of the ring

- - - - -

Sophie (to Parker): Pork rind? They're actually pretty good. (parker shakes her head and rubs her stomach) You sure?

sophie nO

[thewanderingace]

Leverage: Redemption 1x01 | Leverage: Redemption 2x02

Bonus:

[wayiiseetheworld]

Nate throwing the lug nuts in the river

Hardison's "I don't even know what a cornhusker is."

Sophie's "sweetie, no." makes me giggle

Eliot prating.

oh no, Jed knows he is getting set

"lets show them how we deal with con men in Nebraska."

[eg515]

so nice to see Harry fitting in with the fam so nicely

[leveragecentral]

The One Man's Trash Job Leverage: Redemption

[toughpaperround]

Leverage: Redemption 2x02 'The One Man's Trash Job'

The crew's mark is at the auction showroom. Parker needs to lip-read to find out what he plans to do.

[more Leverage screenshot scenes 1 / next]

[leverage-ot3]

can we just acknowledge for a moment that they didn’t make him overly ripped? how he didn’t have an eight pack or a six pack or anything like literally ANY OTHER show would do? how eliot is clearly portrayed as strong and easily the most dangerous person in any room but he doesn’t need to be super Built™ to do it? he’s strong just the way he is and he doesn’t need a super toned chest to do it. he has a healthy chest for his profession and no one, literally nobody questioned it.

because, every other show would do that. but not leverage. never leverage. because leverage loves to subvert and go against all stereotypes and expectations that all other shows fall for.

[readinginthereadyroom]

I liked the way eliot played his character in the first part of the tap out job (lev 2x02). head down, shoulders curled in, his hair hiding his face. he seems softer. younger. smaller. just some guy, beaten down by a crass, obnoxious man, but who still has an air of innocence.

and yes it’s still an act. always an act. but also it’s not. because I think eliot is playing a part of himself. he’s peeling back his more typically stoic front and revealing a more vulnerable side. maybe one from when he was all of those things—soft, young, small. from before the world hit him back.

we see glimpses of it in his conversations with sophie. his passion for fighting as a sport. the heart at it’s core. his heart, when he taps on chest, and says he can take the punishment. because not everyone can.

and sophie’s come around since the beginning of the episode. she sees past the performative masculinity, the brutality. and sees the fights thru eliot’s eyes. she understands now. they are communicating on a level beyond words.

and it’s that moment. eliot practicing before his thrown fight, giving it his all and glowing with it. that we see the echoes of that softer, younger, smaller eliot he’s channeling for his character.

except he’s not soft, young, or small anymore. he’s solid, wiser, and tall up in the platformed ring. he understands all the levels of fighting now. the nuances of passion and pain. sport and hurt. it’s a center, of sorts. a ring to stand up in. inside.

and he lets sophie see. let’s her get a glimpse into that interior. shows her the capital T truth of himself. and it’s beautiful. because it’s serious and it’s vulnerable. but it’s also joy. because, yeah, sometimes it is just a fight. like two kids on the playground. crunchy and messy and terrible. wonderful in the worst ways. like a bag pork rinds.

[thieves-never-say-die]

Let Parker drive the boat!!!