History Recap / BurnNoticeS1E8WantedMan

* TheEasyWayOrTheHardWay: After tracking Thomas to Fiona's pad, he appears at the door and announces himself, ''"hard or easy, your choice!"''

* TheBigGuy: The other bounty hunter, played by a former NFL linebacker. He's ''huge''. Lampshaded several times.

* SimpleSolutionWontWork: Anwar suggests he could just torture Michael for what he knows about the terrorist attack and then kill him. Michael matter-of-factly replies that they ''could'' do that, but "[[TortureIsIneffective torture is unreliable]], [[AsYouKnow as you know]], and then you'd have to deal with [[ViolentlyProtectiveGirlfriend Fiona]], who put me in touch with you. More trouble than it's worth, ''trust me''."

* PunchPunchUhOh: During their fight, Michael hits Wayne several times, only for Wayne to ''completely'' NoSell it.

* SimpleSolutionWontWork: The Libyan commander suggests he could just torture Michael for what he knows about the terrorist attack and then kill him. Michael matter-of-factly replies that they ''could'' do that, but "[[TortureIsIneffective torture is unreliable]], as you know, and then you'd have to deal with [[ViolentlyProtectiveGirlfriend Fiona]], who put me in touch with you. More trouble than it's worth, ''trust me''."

* TooDumbToLive: Tom Mckee returns to the scene of the crime. In a car with his ''name on the license plate''.

* PunchPunchOhCrap: During their fight, Michael hits Wayne several times, only for Wayne to ''completely'' NoSell it.

** The Libyan's final meeting with Michael is in a car, with the Libyan [[Series/HowIMetYourMother behind the wheel]].

* OhCrap:
** During their fight, Michael hits Wayne several times, only for Wayne to ''completely'' NoSell it.
-->'''Michael:''' Ooh, damn...
** When Michael walks into a room and sees Cristo sitting there, badly beaten, and knows his cover's blown.

* ActorAllusion: The Libyan's final meeting with Michael is in a car, with the Libyan [[Series/HowIMetYourMother behind the wheel]].

* SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome:
** As Michael narrates while he's fighting Wayne, it doesn't matter how many black belts you have if your opponent is also well-trained and has six inches and a hundred pounds on you.
** As Cristo notes to Michael, Henderson actually thought he could sell the diamond brooch "on the street", when any potential buyer would be reluctant to either take something so recognizable or pay the full price tag of two million dollars for something they'd have to cut up into smaller pieces, especially so soon after a publicly known theft. Cristo told him he'd need to wait at least six months to find a possible buyer when Henderson needs the cash fast, and Michael's cover plays on being someone interested in taking it off his hands with that level of speed, price cut or not.

** As Cristo notes to Michael, Henderson actually thought he could sell the diamond brooch "on the street", when any potential buyer would be reluctant to either take something so recognizable or pay the full price tag of two million dollars for something they'd have to cut up into smaller pieces, especially so soon after a publicly known theft. Cristo told him he'd need to wait at least six months to find a possible buyer when Henderson needs the cash fast, and Michael's cover plays on being someone interested in taking off his hands with that level of speed, price cut or not.

The phone number leads Team Westen to Lawrence Henderson, owner of the hotel the brooch was stolen from. He made some bad investments and needed the money. Tom was just a convenient fall guy. Michael approaches Henderson as a fence, informing him that his contacts in Europe were less than discreet and offers to buy the piece. Their plan is to get Henderson to bring the jewels out into the open so they can get him caught with stolen goods and arrested.

Henderson is too cautious to bring the brooch out, so Team Westen has to convince him that a large team is trying to get past his security. They leave evidence of surveillance, bribe a guard, and take out the security cameras. This works, and Henderson calls Michael in to talk about the sale. In fact, it was a trap; Henderson tortured Cristo and blew Michael's cover. Michael beats a hasty retreat.

* SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome: As Michael narrates while he's fighting Wayne, it doesn't matter how many black belts you have if your opponent is also well-trained and has six inches and a hundred pounds on you.

* FrameUp

* GreenEyedMonster: Invoked by Fiona, who spends the episode making Michael jealous in retaliation for dismissing their night together as not a RelationshipUpgrade.

The morning after Michael and Fiona sleep together, they get together for a day at the beach. First, Fi has a job she wants Michael to help her with; she's picking up odd jobs as a bounty hunter. Her current target has returned and Fiona is in competition with another bounty hunter, Wayne Ray to try and capture him. Michael distracts her foe while Fiona takes down the target, Tom. Upon hearing his story, Fiona insists that they take him as a client. She also begins using him to make Michael jealous, to force him to admit that they ''are'' in a relationship.

He's a liquor distributor and is friends with a hotel manager who showed him a two-million dollar brooch. Tom's access card was used the night the brooch was stolen, and he's been arrested.

Sam has drinks with Barry, the money launderer, to get information on the brooch and gets the name of a fence who can get them the information they need. Barry declines to make an introduction, though, as they had a falling out over a bad deal that cost Barry a client. Sam promises Michael will cost Cristo a few clients of his own, and Barry tells Sam how to find him.

Michael introduces himself to Cristo by breaking into his home. He also took the opportunity to search it and acquire some stolen goods Cristo had hidden in his freezer. Michael pressures Cristo into telling him who has the stolen jewelry (making good on Sam's promise in the process). Cristo doesn't know the name, just the phone number. The jewelry he keeps so he can keep up the pressure on Cristo and protect his cover.

The phone number leads Team Westen to Lawrence Henderson, owner of the hotel the jewelry was stolen from. He made some bad investments and needed the money. Thomas was just a convenient fall guy. Michael approaches him as a fence, informing him that his contacts in Europe were less than discreet and offers to buy the piece. Their plan is to get Henderson to bring the jewels out into the open so they can get him caught with it and arrested.

While they're discussing this with Tom at Fiona's apartment, Wayne shows up and breaks in. It's a fight Michael cannot win, so it's fortunate Fi's their to bail him out. Fi breaks a snowglobe over his head and they take Tom to Michael's loft.

Henderson is too cautious to bring it out, so Team Westen has to convince him that a large team is trying to get past his security. They leave evidence of surveillance, bribe a guard, and take out the security cameras. This works, and Henderson calls Michael in to talk about the sale. In fact, it was a trap; Henderson tortured Cristo and blew Michael's cover. Michael beats a hasty retreat.

Henderson still thinks his security is blown. With help from Barry, Team Westen learns where Henderson is likely to take the brooch. They stage a bank robbery and call the police. Then they call Henderson and get his guards to pull their guns. The police buy the frame, and they find the brooch on Henderson's person. Tom's troubles are over.

Michael asks Fi to reach out to her underworld associates, the scarier the better. In his own words "I've been accused of being a major security risk; it's time I started acting like one." Fi sets him up to meet with some Libyans. Michael offers them a deal; you get Phillip Cowan in trouble with US security. In return, Michael will give them information about who blew up a Libyan gas supply depot.

* BrickJoke: Michael jokingly suggests to the Libyan he speaks with that they get Cowan in trouble with his superiors, maybe by sending him a fruit basket. At the end of the episode Cowan calls Michael, furiously asking why the Libyans are sending him a fruit basket.

** Fiona's snowglobes. Gets fired twice. First, when she breaks one over the head of the giant bounty hunter who broke into her home. Second, when Michael buys her one as an apology at the end of the episode.

** The jewelry Michael liberates from Cristo is handy later in establishing his cover ID as a high end fence. It returns again when Sam gives it to Barry in payment for information.

* ColdBloodedTorture: The Libyan threatens Michael with this, Michael tells him it wouldn't work. Also hinted as the eventual fate of the people who blew up the gas supply depot.

* HumanShield: Michael uses Henderson as one to escape from Henderson's security.

* JumpedAtTheCall: When Michael asks if Sam is going to help, Sam says "Of course, when have I ever said no?"
* KickTheDog: The fire that burned down Henderson's bar almost killed a bus boy.
* KillItWithFire: Before Henderson bought the Victor, he owned a bar in New Orleans that had a similar cash flow problem and was hit by a "very convenient fire".

* OhCrap: When Michael walks into a room and sees Cristo sitting their, badly beaten, and knows his cover's blown.

* ScrewTheRulesIHaveConnections: Sam uses his FBI buddies to find out Phillip Cowan's name, and his cop buddies to find out who stole the brooch.

* OnlyOneName: Cristo the fence. Sam and Barry also go back and forth listing celebrities: Madonna, Charro, Sting, Fergie, Pelé, Spider-Man, Liberace.

* RealityEnsues: As Michael narrates while he's fighting Wayne, it doesn't matter how many black belts you have if your opponent is also well-trained and has six inches and a hundred pounds on you.

The morning after Michael and Fiona sleep together, they get together for a day at the beach. First, Fi has a job she wants Michael to help her with; she's picking up odd jobs as a bounty hunter. Her current target has returned and Fiona is in competition with another bounty hunter to try and capture him. Michael distracts her foe while Fiona takes down the target, Tom. Upon hearing his story, Fiona insists that they take him as a client. She also begins using him to make Michael jealous, to force him to admit that they ''are'' in a relationship.

While they're discussing this with Tom at Fiona's apartment, Wayne, the other bounty hunter, shows up and breaks in. It's a fight Michael cannot win, so it's fortunate Fi's their to bail him out. Fi breaks a snowglobe over his head and they take Tom to Michael's loft.

While they're discussing this with Tom at Fiona's apartment, Wayne, the other bounty hunter, shows up and breaks in. It's a fight Michael cannot win, so it's fortunate Fi's their to bail him out. Fi breaks a snowglobe over his head and they take Tom to Michael's loft. Their plan is to get Henderson to bring the jewels out into the open so they can get him caught with it and arrested.

* HeyItsThatGuy: Ranjit is a Libyan spy!

!!

Michael asks Fi to reach out to her underworld associates, the scarier the better. In his own words "I've been accused of being a major security risk; it's time I started acting like one." Fi sets him up to meet with some Libyas. Michael offers them a deal; you get Phillip Cowan in trouble with US security. In return, Michael will give them information about who blew up a Libyan gas supply depot.

* WhyWereBummedCommunismFell: Sam hasn't had this much fun since East Germany.

* HarsherInHindsight: We learn in season three that Michael's dossier isn't just full of lies that make him look bad, they make him look like a CompleteMonster. Here, though, they just tell us he looked like he was lining his pockets.

* ActorAllusion: The Libyan's final meeting with Michael is in a car, with the Libyan [[HowIMetYourMother behind the wheel]].

* KillItWithFire: Before Henderson bought the Victor, he owned a bar in New Orleans that had a similar cash flow problem and was hit by a "very convenient fire".
* LethalJokeItem: The head of Libyan security sends Cowan a fruit basket.

Client of the Week: Fiona's work as a bail enforcer (bounty hunter) has led her to a client; a man falsely accused of stealing a million-dollar trinket. Michael has to find the real thief and clear his client's name.

Burn Notice Arc: Michael has managed to learn the name of the man who had him burned. Phillip Cowan.