#goes from being kicked into a pool to being instrumental in your downfall like a boss

[firebirdsdaughter]

You know…

… The more I think about it, it’s cool on multiple levels that Nate threatens Moreau w/ Hardison.

There’s the fact that he considers Hardison an impressive, powerful asset, enough to be on par w/ Moreau’s influence over a country. Additionally, Hardison’s skills were instrumental in overthrowing Moreau—Hardison, who Moreau wrote off and had kicked into a pool

But I also kinda find it interesting how he doesn’t mention Eliot at all. The Moreau plot is the only time we see Nate doubt Eliot, something they ultimately power through stronger than ever, but Eliot’s previous service to Moreau is a source of tension. Meanwhile, while he’s not exactly getting personal w/ it bc he has no clue who the rest of the team is initially, Moreau’s attitude towards Eliot does read (to me, at least) as looking down on him, and sorta like he’s still treating him like an underling. Like he thinks of Eliot as a weapon that’s lost its edge since leaving his service, and even just from his indirect comment about ‘white hats,’ I can see him wanting to sort of. Clash w/ Nate over Eliot’s loyalty—esp bc what comes out in these eps is that Eliot is way more loyal to Nate than he ever was to Moreau, that he chooses Nate when he didn’t choose Moreau, and effectively chooses Nate over all old ties or opinions about Moreau. And I can see Moreau, as arrogant as he is, taking issue w/ that almost? Or even just trying to flex his knowledge/power of/over Eliot to imply Nate isn’t ‘using’ him properly or something. It’d be very easy to make that moment about Eliot, treat Eliot as a weapon that they lord over each other or something.

But Nate never gives him the chance. Nate never mentions Eliot, doesn’t threaten Moreau w/ Eliot, doesn’t treat Eliot like some commodity he’s ‘stolen’ from Moreau/Moreau’s influence. Instead, he talks about Hardison, who Moreau has never met before, who Moreau hasn’t exactly been taking seriously. It’s probably not intended in that way, but I just love the implications of that. Bc for one thing Nate’s over that, he and Eliot already reconciled, there’s no reason to bring it up, and it’s a very understated power move, to defy the way it’s implied Moreau saw Eliot, as a super special cool weapon he had to wave around. Bc it’s not about that.

It’s such a… Well, specifically a Crime Dad moment where he’s coming in clutch for both his boys; credit where it’s due to Hardison, and personal respect to Eliot w/ the added bonus of not giving Moreau the satisfaction.

#Leverage #listen I am very tired #but I love that #yes Eliot features majorly in the plot #but it's Hardison who is at the core of Moreau's downfall #and Nate wants him to know that #like I said shows how highly Nate thinks of Hardison #but is also an unspoken rejection of the idea of Eliot just being a weapon #Nate's not going to get into a measuring match w/ this guy #understated ways of showing Nate's a better man say what! #like Nate's not a 'nice' person but he's nowhere near like Moreau #and he genuinely loves his family #they're some of the ONLY things he loves and that's another problem but he loves them #he's giving Hardison the honour he deserves #and denying Moreau the chance to be any kind of shit about Eliot or his past #bc this isn't about that or about power it's about Moreau being a horrible person who needs to go down #but also damn how's that #goes from being kicked into a pool to being instrumental in your downfall like a boss #I do kinda love the idea of Moreau coming back somehow and pitching a fit about Eliot's loyalty to Nate bc he seems like that kinda peacock #Literal Crime Family