IN PERIL

“You think I didn’t notice?” Solo’s words echoed through the room. Illya turned his attention to him from the file he’s reading - another mission.

“You’re having a soft spot for her.” The American spy continued.

Keep reading

Okay hear me out.

Would it be out-of-character to assume Napoleon saw the watch and realised he could use it to get the element of surprise over Illya?

He knows the confrontation is inevitable at this point. If Illya’s orders are the same as his own (get the disk, kill the other if necessary), then he needs some way to handicap Illya - bathroom experience shows he’s not going to win in a straight-up fight, if it comes to that. 

And then this opportunity falls into his lap. 

He’s been pushing Illya’s buttons since they first teamed up. He knows Illya is sentimental, and cares deeply for those he has an attachment to: it’s why both Napoleon and Oleg can manipulate his emotions so easily. 

The way I read it, in the top two frames Napoleon realises the depth of feeling Illya has for Gaby: he looks from the gutted safe to Illya’s retreating back, and realises he is so caught up in rescuing Gaby / getting the bomb that he has neglected to look for the disc. That sentiment can be used to his advantage. Illya is distracted. 

Not a minute later, Napoleon finds Illya’s father’s watch. A perfect tool to distract Illya at perhaps a crucial moment - like drawing a gun. 

At this point, Napoleon is already showing empathy for Illya - he saved Illya’s life despite no clear leverage to be gained, takes stock of Illya’s emotions, and stops goading him to gain vocational superiority. However, I refuse to believe Napoleon doesn’t calculate every moment, every variable, for how it can be used to his advantage. Illya is a master strategist, but he does not have the moral greyness that Napoleon does, that criminal intuition for exploiting emotion. 

illya kuryakin — rather a sad story

“Rather a sad story, what with your dad being a big pal of Stalin’s and a top government official with all the perks and privileges. Right up until he was caught embezzling party funds. How old were you when he was sent to the gulag? Ten? Eleven years old? You did, however, rise above it. Special Forces. KGB. The youngest man to join, in fact, and their best within three years. I do wonder if it was your father’s shame that gave you such drive, though. Or was it your mother’s reputation? I understand that she was extremely popular amongst your father’s friends after he was shipped off to Siberia.”

gifest for my vid “so cold”

gifset aesthetic = gaby teller and illya kuryakin ♡ it’s going to be okay. how do you know? i’ll be close by.

- inheritance [insp]

illya kuryakin — rather a sad story

“Rather a sad story, what with your dad being a big pal of Stalin’s and a top government official with all the perks and privileges. Right up until he was caught embezzling party funds. How old were you when he was sent to the gulag? Ten? Eleven years old? You did, however, rise above it. Special Forces. KGB. The youngest man to join, in fact, and their best within three years. I do wonder if it was your father’s shame that gave you such drive, though. Or was it your mother’s reputation? I understand that she was extremely popular amongst your father’s friends after he was shipped off to Siberia.”

gifest for my vid “so cold”