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History Recap / BurnNoticeS1E3FightOrFlight

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* EvilIsPetty: Cara's life is being threatened because she witnessed Alvaro beating a pizza delivery boy into a coma for dinging his car.

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* EvilIsPetty: Cara's life is being threatened because she witnessed Alvaro Desantos beating a pizza delivery boy into a coma for dinging his car.

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--> '''Sophie:''' So you're saying that if we're meant to be together, that we'll find each other?
--> '''Michael:''' [[[{{Beat}} Strange look]]] Sure.
--> '''Sophie:''' You're really bad at this.
--> '''Michael:''' Yeah.

to:

--> '''Sophie:''' So you're saying that if we're meant to be together, that we'll find each other?
-->
other?\\
'''Michael:''' [[[{{Beat}} Strange look]]] Sure.
-->
Sure.\\
'''Sophie:''' You're really bad at this.
-->
this.\\
'''Michael:''' Yeah.


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* EvilIsPetty: Cara's life is being threatened because she witnessed Alvaro beating a pizza delivery boy into a coma for dinging his car.
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* AssassinOutclassin: The cartel sends a hit man after Michael, who booby-traps his car, but is confused when the bomb fails to detonate.
-->'''Michael''': ''(appears behind him)'' Lookin' for this? ''(holds up detonator)'' I borrowed this when you went off to take a leak.
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* BreakTheCutie: It isn't until Sophie sees two husky Colombian men charging the door of her school gym that she ''finally'' understands the degree of danger she and her mother are in, and from then on she does what Michael says without question.
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* PragmaticVillainy: {{Deconstructed}} by Michael:
-->''A drug cartel is a business. If killing a witness to save a valued employee from jail time is the best way to keep making money, they'll do that. If on the other hand it looks like that employee is testifying to the FBI, they're just as happy to leave the witness alone and take care of the problem another way.''
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* ImplausibleCorneredEscape: Fiona puts her own life on the line to blackmail Michael. Fiona finishes a quick task using the client-of-the-week's computer, while Michael keeps watch from outside and stays in touch with her over the phone. Then a bunch of Colombian gangsters roll up to the house, so Mike tells Fi to get the hell out of there--but she refuses to budge until Mike promises to give her a key to his apartment. They argue for a bit, and by the time Mike relents, the Colombians break through the back door and enter the house--but when they reach the computer room there's no sign of Fi.

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* ImplausibleCorneredEscape: InexplicableCorneredEscape: Fiona puts her own life on the line to blackmail Michael. Fiona finishes a quick task using the client-of-the-week's computer, while Michael keeps watch from outside and stays in touch with her over the phone. Then a bunch of Colombian gangsters roll up to the house, so Mike tells Fi to get the hell out of there--but she refuses to budge until Mike promises to give her a key to his apartment. They argue for a bit, and by the time Mike relents, the Colombians break through the back door and enter the house--but when they reach the computer room there's no sign of Fi.
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* ImplausibleCorneredEscape: Fiona puts her own life on the line to blackmail Michael. Fiona finishes a quick task using the client-of-the-week's computer, while Michael keeps watch from outside and stays in touch with her over the phone. Then a bunch of Colombian gangsters roll up to the house, so Mike tells Fi to get the hell out of there--but she refuses to budge until Mike promises to give her a key to his apartment. They argue for a bit, and by the time Mike relents, the Colombians break through the back door and enter the house--but when they reach the computer room there's no sign of Fi.
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* LikeFatherLikeSon: Michael's father rebuilt the Charger's engine, so Michael has to re-rebuild it. Sam points out that it sounds like Michael's father is a lot like him, which Michael resents.

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* LikeFatherLikeSon: Michael's father rebuilt the Charger's engine, so Michael has to re-rebuild it. Sam points out that it sounds like Michael's father is a lot like him, which Michael resents. Doubles as a NotSoDifferentRemark, given Michael's history.
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* TheAllegedCar: The charger doesn't work at first.

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* TheAllegedCar: The charger Charger doesn't work at first.



--> '''Sophie:''' So you're saying that if we're meant to be together that we'll find each other?

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--> '''Sophie:''' So you're saying that if we're meant to be together together, that we'll find each other?



* BrattyTeenageDaughter: Sophie Stagner just can't seem to get it through her head. No, you're not going to the prom. Someone is ''trying to kill you''.

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* BrattyTeenageDaughter: Sophie Stagner just can't seem to get it through her head. No, you're not going to the prom.school dance. Someone is ''trying to kill you''.



* KickTheDog: The villain of the week beats a man nearly to death for rear-ending him. Then he threatens the witness who called the cops with death if she doesn't shut up.

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* KickTheDog: The villain of the week beats a man nearly to death [[DisproportionateRetribution for rear-ending him.him]]. Then he threatens the witness who called the cops with death if she doesn't shut up.



* PercussiveMaintenance: See DysfunctionalFamily

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* PercussiveMaintenance: See DysfunctionalFamilyDysfunctionalFamily.



* PyroManiac: Fi really seems to love fire.

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* PyroManiac: {{Pyromaniac}}: Fi really seems to love fire.



* SelfServingMemory: Michael's mother remembers Michael's childhood very differently to Michael's.

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* SelfServingMemory: Michael's mother remembers Michael's childhood very differently to Michael's.him.
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Kill Em All is no longer a trope; ZCE


* KillEmAll: The cartel's response to Michael approaching Gellman.
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* CoolCar: This episode introduces The Charger. God damn, it's a gorgeous car.
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* FirstAppearance: "Hello, Mr. de Santos, this is Chuck Finnley, FBI".

Added: 222

Changed: 72

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* PayEvilUntoEvil: This is one of the earliest examples of Michael's GoodIsNotNice taking advantage of villainous proclivities. He takes out the bad guy by convincing his boss that he's defecting, getting them to kill him.




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* VillainsDoTheDirtyWork: Michael gets the bad guy's bosses to kill him.
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* FirstAppearance: "Hello, Mr. de Santos, this is Chuck Finnley, FBI".
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* BenevolentBoss: Oleg, Michael's landlord, may be connected enough with Russian intelligence to have heard of Michael Westen, American boogeyman, but he cares enough about one of his waitresses that he hires Michael for $800 (four months free rent) to help her out.
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* SmoochOfVictory: Sophie gives Michael a kiss on the cheek near the end of the episode.
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* DeadAnimalWarning: A cocktail waitress, Cara, is the only conscious witness to a drug cartel member beating a pizza delivery boy senseless for rear-ending him. The cartel starts intimidating her, including nailing a dead rat to her front door. Fortunately, Cara's boss happens to be Michael Westen's landlord.
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!!

to:

!!
!! Tropes include:

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Removed: 525

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* LethalChef: Michael's mom makes a salad dusted with cigarette ash.
* LikeFatherLikeSon: Michael's father rebuilt the Charger's engine, so Michael has to re-rebuild it. Sam points out that it sounds like Michael's father is a lot like him, which Michael resents.
* MarkedToDie: Cara has a rat problem. It's nailed to her door.



* Snark Knight: Michael, in response to Sophie's complaints.
--> '''Sophie:''' Whatever. It's a freaking garage. I'd rather be killed than live here.
--> '''Michael:''' Well, those are your two options.
* LethalChef: Michael's mom makes a salad dusted with cigarette ash.
* LikeFatherLikeSon: Michael's father rebuilt the Charger's engine, so Michael has to re-rebuild it. Sam points out that it sounds like Michael's father is a lot like him, which Michael resents.
* MarkedToDie: Cara has a rat problem. It's nailed to her door.


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* SnarkKnight: Michael, in response to Sophie's complaints.
--> '''Sophie:''' Whatever. It's a freaking garage. I'd rather be killed than live here.
--> '''Michael:''' Well, those are your two options.

Added: 6330

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Client of the Week: Michael's landlord has a favorite waitress, Cara, who has a problem. She's been getting death threats from a drug cartel because she told the police about how one of their men beat up a pizza guy. She also has a teenage daughter who's a real brat.

Burn Notice Arc: Michael breaks into a hotel hosting a conference of spies from many nations. One of them owes him a favor and he manages to get Michael a copy of the Homeland Security directive authorizing Michael's burn notice. No name, just a number, but it's a start.

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Client !!Client of the Week: Week
Michael's landlord landlord, Oleg, makes his second and final appearance. His best waitress has a favorite waitress, Cara, who has a rat problem. She's been getting death threats from She saw a drug member of a Colombian cartel because she told the police about how one of their men beat up beating a pizza guy. She also guy very nearly to death. Now the cartel has a her marked for death, and she's hiding, terrified, in her home with her teenage daughter. Michael negotiates four months of free rent in return for helping Cara, the waitress.

Fiona camps at Cara's house in case bad guys come by and Sam goes to one of his cop buddies to run the villain's license plate. Bad guys ''do'' come by, and Fiona chases them away by lighting up Cara's liquor cabinet. After the attack, Michael brings Cara and her
daughter who's a real brat.

Burn Notice Arc:
to stay in his mother's garage, so he can control security.

Michael breaks into goes to the attorney for the cartel. Desantos, the bad guy, is just a small player, and his problems aren't even cartel business, so the hope is that they'll get him to stop making waves. Instead, the cartel sends a hitman to take Michael out, so Michael comes up with another approach. They make it look like Cara and Sophie have fled to Salt Lake City, while they actually run to Buffalo. Unfortunately, Sophie's determined to go to the spring formal, gets spotted by the cartel, and scotches that plan.

So Team Westen improvises yet another ploy. Make it look like Desantos is talking to the feds. The cartel kills him, Cara's problem goes away. This finally succeeds and Cara and Sophie are safe and don't have to flee.


!!Burn Notice Arc:
->"International conferences attract spies like
hotel hosting a bars attract hookers: You can do business and drink for free."
Michael has to find out if anyone at this particular
conference of spies from many nations. One of them is someone he can use, so bluffs his way into a security meeting as an "inter-departmental liaison", quickly skims through the dossiers available, and makes his escape. No fancy tricks, you just have to be willing to do what the other guy won't: like jumping off a roof.

Fiona tracks down an Egyptian spy whose life Michael saved back in the day. Michael interrupts a business meeting (he mostly hands out bribes). Michael points out that Akhom, the Egyptian,
owes him a favor his life and he manages to get hints that Michael could make trouble for him. And demands a copy of the Homeland Security directive authorizing his burn notice.

Akhom hands over the document, and the two part ways on good terms, with the understanding that they'll never see each other again. The document has very little information, just enough to keep Michael on the trail of whoever burned him.

!!

* TheAlcoholic: Sam apparently loves his beer a little too much. They tone this down later. Really, it was just an excuse to make sure Sam was ready for a fast getaway.
** Cara's liquor cabinet was apparently good for a ten hour siege.
* AllGirlsLikePonies: According to Gellman, his daughter wants a pony.
* AmoralAttorney: Gellman, the cartel attorney.
* TheAllegedCar: The charger doesn't work at first.
* BavarianFireDrill: Michael just walks right into the hotel, then right into the security office claiming to be an "interdepartmental liaison". Deconstructed in that although he accomplished his goal, his behavior attracted attention from security and he had to get out fast.
* BigDamnHeroes: Michael shows up to save Sophie maybe five seconds before a Colombian death squad.
* {{Blackmail}}: Fiona takes herself hostage to force Michael to give her a key to his loft. She stalls while a group of angry Colombians come for her until Michael agrees.
* BlatantLies: Michael, trying to comfort Sophie by telling her about his time with Fiona.
--> '''Sophie:''' So you're saying that if we're meant to be together that we'll find each other?
--> '''Michael:''' [[[{{Beat}} Strange look]]] Sure.
--> '''Sophie:''' You're really bad at this.
--> '''Michael:''' Yeah.
* BrattyTeenageDaughter: Sophie Stagner just can't seem to get it through her head. No, you're not going to the prom. Someone is ''trying to kill you''.
* DysfunctionalFamily: "My father's approach to machinery was similar to his approach to his family. If you don't like how something works, keep banging on it till it does what you want. If something doesn't fit, force it. And above all, make sure it looks good on the outside."
** Michael has trust issues. Fiona has to blackmail him to get a key to his loft.
* IAmNotMyFather: Michael resents Sam's comparison.
* IOweYouMyLife: How Michael convinces an Egyptian spy to get him the info he wants. Michael saved his life back in the day.
* IndyPloy: First Michael talks to Desantos. When that doesn't work, he talks to Gellman. When that doesn't work, he fakes a trail so Cara can hide. When that doesn't work, he gets Desantos killed.
* ItTastesLikeFeet:
Michael's burn notice. No name, just response to drinking coffee made with recycled grounds is less than pleased.
* KarmicDeath: Desantos was trying to kill
a number, witness. Michael frames him, making it look like he's turning states witness, and the cartel kills him.
* KeepTheReward: Michael tells Cara to keep the money; Oleg was more than generous.
* KickTheDog: The villain of the week beats a man nearly to death for rear-ending him. Then he threatens the witness who called the cops with death if she doesn't shut up.
* KillEmAll: The cartel's response to Michael approaching Gellman.
* KillItWithFire: How Fiona chases away the hit squad that came to Cara's home.
* OhCrap: Sophie at the dance, seeing the death squad coming for her.
* Snark Knight: Michael, in response to Sophie's complaints.
--> '''Sophie:''' Whatever. It's a freaking garage. I'd rather be killed than live here.
--> '''Michael:''' Well, those are your two options.
* LethalChef: Michael's mom makes a salad dusted with cigarette ash.
* LikeFatherLikeSon: Michael's father rebuilt the Charger's engine, so Michael has to re-rebuild it. Sam points out that it sounds like Michael's father is a lot like him, which Michael resents.
* MarkedToDie: Cara has a rat problem. It's nailed to her door.
* PercussiveMaintenance: See DysfunctionalFamily
* ProperlyParanoid: Michael. He ''is'' still alive.
* ProfessionalKiller: The cartel hires one to take care of Michael.
* PyroManiac: Fi really seems to love fire.
* RefugeInAudacity: Need to get away from security? Don't need any fancy tricks. Just jump off a roof.
* SelfServingMemory: Michael's mother remembers Michael's childhood very differently to Michael's.
* SeriousBusiness: Sophie ''really'' wants to go to the spring formal.
* StuffBlowingUp: Yes, alcohol is flammable,
but it's Cara must have developed a start.taste for ''kerosene''.
* SupremeChef: Michael demonstrates his ability to cook with a Persian recipe.
* TooDumbToLive: Sophie doesn't get it. No, you can't go to the dance. You can't get your stuff. You can't take your phone and stay in touch with your friends. You have to disappear completely.

----
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Added DiffLines:

Client of the Week: Michael's landlord has a favorite waitress, Cara, who has a problem. She's been getting death threats from a drug cartel because she told the police about how one of their men beat up a pizza guy. She also has a teenage daughter who's a real brat.

Burn Notice Arc: Michael breaks into a hotel hosting a conference of spies from many nations. One of them owes him a favor and he manages to get Michael a copy of the Homeland Security directive authorizing Michael's burn notice. No name, just a number, but it's a start.

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