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1* Admit, there's something sweet about seeing the payoff of the cons and the happy looks on the clients' faces.
2* "The Homecoming Job" has a few. One of the better moments comes at the end of the episode after delivering a shipping pallet of cash to a strapped veterans hospital, as the main characters really solidify into a force for good:
3-->'''Nate:''' "Anyone who wants to walk away can do it right now."
4-->''({{Beat}})''
5-->'''Eliot:''' "[[GoodFeelsGood One more.]]"
6-->'''Parker:''' "Maybe two."
7** Also, the doctor of the local hospital, justifiably convinced Nate was just another guy running a con on the patients, is stunned at how they've helped.
8-->'''Doctor Leroque''': The world doesn't work this way!
9-->'''Nate''': So change the world.
10** Before that, this exchange:
11--->'''Cpl. Perry:''' "Thank you."
12--->'''Eliot:''' (shakes his hand) "No. Thank you."
13* "The Wedding Job" has several:
14** Nicky Moscone tells Nate (as the priest) that he offered his daughter's fiancé $200,000 to "disappear" before the wedding, and he said no.
15** Midway through his BitterWeddingSpeech (interesting because he's posing ''as the officiant'') that's making everyone uncomfortable, Nate swings things back to positive while [[ShipTease making a great deal of eye contact with Sophie]]. He remarks that the bride has made the groom a better version of himself and there's no way he can go back, clearly also referring to himself and Sophie.
16** The crew may wind up screwing over Moscone and his wife and getting him arrested, but they do toss a BriefcaseFullOfMoney into the trunk of the newlyweds.
17--->'''Eliot''': Don't spend it all in one place.
18** After bringing down Moscone and getting the money needed to reopen the Palermos' restaurant, Nate casually reveals that Moscone was arrested for the murder he made Ray Palermo the fall guy for and Ray's case is being appealed. Then Eliot shows up with food, and the Palermo family and Team Leverage are shown eating, talking, and laughing together.
19** Partly PlayedForLaughs but Parker bonding with the client's young daughter by teaching her to pick a lock is adorable. Consider that this was very early in the series, before she started really opening up emotionally. In the end when the team buys back the restaurant, the girl runs up to Parker and sits on her lap, which she's fine with.
20** It's a small one, but after all of Eliot's hard work preparing food for the wedding, Hardison is the first and only person to genuinely compliment it. Eliot noticeably responds with genuine appreciation, telling Hardison what he did to make the dish without his usual gruffness.
21* While it was incredibly foolish and dangerous in the end, Nate staying in "The Bank Shot Job" because Sophie was still inside and could've been hurt.
22** There are also at least two incidents ("The Tap Out Job" and "The Boost Job") where Sophie is being physically threatened by a mark who discovered they were being conned, and Nate's immediate response is to head in there to get her, even if it confirms that they've been running a con. Especially notable in "The Boost Job" because the mark had pulled a gun and Nate still headed straight in despite the fact that Parker and Hardison were unable to get there to help and Eliot was missing and out of contact.
23** "The Bank Shot Job" is the first time that "the kids" are left without Nate and Sophie to guide them. Nate later comments on their use of pizza boxes to smuggle the judge's briefcase back into the bank. Hardison says, "Yeah, I know, you could have done better." But Nate says that he couldn't have, a pleased smile on his face.
24* "HÄAGEN DAZS!"
25** Luka, who's looked utterly miserable (and with good reason) every single time he's appeared, sees the parents who've been trying so hard to adopt him, and smiles.
26** The entirety of "The Stork Job" is packed with heartwarming moments, but the Parker and Hardison scene in which Parker defends her position to not rescue the Serbian orphans, and we see her actually ''cry'', is an absolute classic.
27--> '''Parker:''' No. You put these kids in the system and odds are they're gonna... they're gonna turn out like me.
28--> ''(a pause, then Hardison smiles)''
29--> '''Hardison:''' I like how you turned out.
30** Also, despite being outvoted due to the team not being equipped for the mission, both times it’s discussed Hardison advocates not leaving the other orphans behind with the armed gunmen and weapons.
31** Nate calling the Red Cross to take the rescued orphans, in response to Parker's concerns about the kids' fates going into the system.
32** On a slightly different level, Sophie finally gets to shine as a "legitimate actor," and finally gets praise from Nate and Eliot--who had dubbed her the worst actress he's ever seen back in the pilot--for her stunning performance.
33* In "The 12-Step Job", Hardison gets into a car and then Eliot almost immediately finds a bomb under the car, wired to a pressure sensitive trigger. To disarm it, Hardison needs to reboot the car's system at the same time Eliot yanks out some wires. Literally at the same time - if they happen more than a half-second apart the bomb goes off. The heartwarming part is that in a blink-and-you-miss-it frame, as he reaches for the wires ''Eliot's hands are shaking.'' This is the guy who is so damned [[TheStoic stoic]] that we never get direct evidence of him being afraid.
34** Later in that episode: Eliot using his body to shield Sophie from the explosion.
35* Overlaps with TearJerker, but at the end of the first season, when the team's forced to split up, and they all stop as they're walking away, because no matter what they say, they don't want to go.
36** Don't forget, Eliot was the first one to stop.
37* Sophie has several of these with Widmark in "The Fairy Godparents Job".
38* When Maggie is rescued from Ukrainian jail in "The Zanzibar Marketplace Job", Parker makes Maggie a "first-time fugitive kit" complete with toothpaste, explosives, and a diamond file disguised as gum. Despite being obviously unnerved-- mostly due to the SugarWiki/{{Funny Moment|s}} of being warned not to mix up the toothpaste and explosives-- Maggie takes the kit and thanks Parker because she understands this is Parker's way of showing affection.
39* It's a bit dark, but in "The Future Job" when Parker asks if they can kill PhonyPsychic Dalton Rand - who has just used cold-reading techniques to reveal a painful secret from her past and caused her to run away crying - Eliot hesitantly notes that he ''could''.
40** Hardison himself says, "He should be shot".
41** In addition, the fact that the team took the time to explain to her exactly how the fake psychic managed to read her using visual aids and slow motion enhancement. It wasn't about getting Parker's head together so they could get back on the con. It was about making her feel better. Even SixthRanger Tara helps.
42** Parker finds the money the criminal who kidnapped the fake psychic was looking for and gives some of it to the client, claiming it was all the money his pregnant widowed sister was bilked out of in order to take care of the baby. The grateful client gives her a hug.
43* Nate's words to the team at the end of "The Maltese Falcon Job," after having traded his freedom for theirs: "You guys are the most honorable people I have ever met in my life. You have become my family, my only family. I won't forget that."
44** Nate handcuffing himself to the railing so that the team can't try to drag him away with them, because ''he knows they would try to.''
45** Nate to Sterling and a bunch of FBI agents: " My name is Nate Ford and I'm a thief."
46** Eliot telling Nate that his job is to have his (Nate's) back, and he's going to do it, "all the way down."
47** Sterling looking legitimately concerned as Nate collapses from his bullet wound.
48* When The Italian threatens Nate's team near the end of "The Jailhouse Job", he tells her, [[TranquilFury very quietly]], "Now ''that'', you should not have said."
49* Nate and Sophie in "The Reunion Job" at the end, dancing together.
50** Also, Parker and Hardison's "floaty dance" at the end of the same episode.
51** In a flashback, Hardison missed his high school prom because he was paying for Nana's medical bills. Well, hacking the national bank of UsefulNotes/{{Iceland}} to pay her bills.
52** The client for the episode, Cyrus, mentions he can't even contact his family thanks to the mark. Once the gang's con is successful, we see Cyrus finally doing that.
53* When Parker's trapped in a high-security building during "The Inside Job". Her happiness when Hardison tells her that the entire team is there, as well as how quickly everyone banded together to save her were so adorable. Finally, she has a chance to escape, but doesn't, because people might get hurt if she doesn't stop the villain she's uncovered. "This is what ''I'' do now." And Eliot running into the building after her could make anyone smile.
54** Hardison breaking into a security system the Pentagon calls overkill with a laptop he found in the back of his van, because Parker needed him.
55** Not to mention the reason why she's able to go back and defeat a security system that's already beaten her once. ThePowerOfFriendship.
56-->'''Nate:''' Parker, last time you went to the vault-
57-->'''Parker:''' No, I couldn't, but I was ''alone'' then. I'm not alone now, OK? Hardison, just clear me a path to the vault, I know what I did wrong before, I can ''do'' it!
58** Parker shouting to the world (well, the team and Archie) that she is committed to the Leverage mission. "No, that's what ''you'' do. This is what ''we'' do."
59** Parker and Archie's moment at the end. After the GiveMeBackMyWallet, you can just see the "That's my girl" in his grin.
60** Parker thinking that Archie keeping her away from his wife and children because she wasn't his "real" family is heartbreaking, because ''he'' thought of her as the heart of his ''real'' life. They reconcile at the end... when she steals his wallet.
61** For the first part of the plan, Hardison and Eliot are sniping at each other, because Eliot thinks going up against a Steranko in broad daylight and unprepared is a bad plan, and Hardison thinks that Eliot is okay with abandoning Parker. Then Eliot figures out the system's weakness for them to exploit--top-floor executives who want privacy in their offices--and Hardison immediately stops his sniping, even taking several opportunities to compliment Eliot's idea.
62* Hardison's violin solo in "The Scheherazade Job". Not just the music, but the fact that his teammates all stop in the middle of the job to listen. Parker even sheds a SingleTear.
63** Nate could have hypnotized Hardison into doing just about ''anything'', and he chose to make him tap into a buried childhood talent and create genuinely beautiful music.
64* During "The Double Blind Job" as Parker is jealous of the client being close to Hardison, Sophie finally convinces her to confess her feelings. And even though Parker can't yet express herself clearly, Hardison ''gets'' it and is willing to wait until she's ready.
65-->'''Parker:''' So the thing is, I think I might be having feelings, like weird weird feelings for....[[CannotSpitItOut pretzels.]]
66-->'''Hardison:''' Well, they are right here when you want them.
67** This is later repeated by Parker during "The Big Bang Job" with her stating that she was in the mood for pretzels.
68* In "The Gone Fishin' Job", Parker takes a cover at the mark's call center, where she has to call people to collect on their debt. She makes a call to someone who has an outstanding balance at an Oncology Center -- after a brief MyGodWhatHaveIDone moment, Parker hangs up and starts deleting claims ''en masse''.
69* Parker bonding with Josie, the teenaged girl who's involved with the car-theft ring, in "The Boost Job." She clearly sees some of herself in Josie, first helping her hone her car-stealing skills and later trying to warn her off of the upcoming job so that she won't go down with the rest of the crime ring. While this nearly blows the entire con and puts the entire team in danger, Sophie points out afterwards that Parker was trying to do the right thing -- which means that she's thinking about what the right thing ''is,'' and that's huge for Parker.
70* [[HatesBeingTouched Eliot]] finally relaxing and returning Corey's impromptu man-hug at the end of "The Underground Job."
71** Hell, that entire scene, where Eliot was acting like a father figure to the kid.
72** And [[HatesBeingTouched Eliot]]'s grin at Hardison's" Gone Fishin' Job" CallBack. He goes from scowling to delighted in no time flat.
73--->'''Eliot''': That'll give us enough time to find the bomb.
74--->'''Hardison''': Oh, yeah. Plenty of time. Meanwhile, I'll be here. In the van. As far away as possible. My dude, go with God. ''(high fives and hugs Eliot)''
75---> '''[[HatesBeingTouched Eliot]]''': What are you doing, man?
76--->'''Hardison''': For morale, man!
77* The little girl in "The King George Job". Eliot giving her a high five, Sophie worrying that her thieving may have hurt an innocent like her, Nate telling Sophie (repeatedly, sometimes at random intervals) that she never hurt anyone.
78* The little boy in "The Ho Ho Ho Job" asking Eliot, who's dressed up as SantaClaus but with his customary gruffness, if he's mean or if he's nice. Eliot passes him the present he'd asked "Santa" for - mentioned as being this Christmas's hot item - then puts a finger to his lips, indicating that he ''is'' nice, but he doesn't want anyone to know.
79** The "family gift exchange" at the end. It would have been incredibly cheesy if the gifts hadn't been so thoughtful and grown-up.
80** And stolen, don't forget stolen. That was heartwarming and a little FridgeBrilliance as well. They are all so rich from previous and current exploits that they can buy anything they want (and they spend plenty of time stealing money from evil marks who do just that), but to ''acquire'' the perfect gift is a true test of worth to a group of thieves.
81** Parker spends most of the episode wanting nothing more than to help Santa. As well as this, at the end of the episode, telling the police to "wait for the kids to leave, we don't want ruin Christmas" before arresting the "fake" Santas. It shows how far she has come since the beginning episodes that she wants the children to be happy on Christmas Eve, especially considering her own childhood.
82** Eliot finally calls Hardison his friend after giving Chaos a DeathGlare. "You killed my friend's van."
83* TheReveal that Eliot used to work for Moreau is this. Hardison is pissed that Eliot put him in danger, but Nate is pissed that Eliot didn't say this earlier, and starts to chew him out for it.
84--> '''Nate:''' We've been chasing Moreau for six months, and you didn't tell us?
85--> '''Eliot:''' Because I was trying-
86--> '''Nate:''' Because WHAT?
87--> '''Eliot:''' -to figure out a way around this, all right? Maybe take my shot before-
88--> '''Nate:''' Because you're protecting him? Is that what you're–
89--> '''Eliot:''' I'm protecting YOU! All right? Last time I checked, that's my job.
90* In a slightly weird way, the warehouse scene of "The Big Bang Job". Eliot, who has spent three seasons repeatedly saying that he doesn't like guns and who has been the most dubious about going up against Moreau, takes up a weapon he doesn't like to do something he's been trying to get away from (he beats people up but we don't see him kill that many people in one setting until this episode) in order to save Nate (and the Italian) and bring down Moreau.
91* In "The San Lorenzo Job" Sophie does a lot of work to help Vittori prepare to be the next president and is genuinely proud to see him so confident.
92** Fairly understated, but this exchange:
93---> '''Moreau:''' I have the media, I have the guns, I-I have the government.\
94'''Nate:''' You know what I have? I have a 24-year-old ''genius'' with a smartphone and a problem with authority. You really never stood a chance.
95*** Given Hardison's perpetual ButtMonkey, DudeWheresMyRespect status, it's nice to see Nate's supreme confidence, to the point that he considers him an unbeatable weapon.
96** Sophie takes a hail of bullets for Vittori. Of course, they were blanks fired by Eliot and Hardison...but they were both wearing full-face masks and had to blend in with the rest of Ribeira's soldiers (who were standing too close for them to get away with talking to her over the comms). So she stepped in front of Vittori with no good way of confirming that it actually was her teammates "shooting" at her and a nonzero chance of getting shot to hell for real.
97* Parker hugging Hardison at the end of "The Long Way Down Job."
98* Eliot, who's normally the one annoyed when Hardison hugs him, gives Hardison a hug after Parker obliviously leaves Hardison hanging.
99** Also in "The Long Way Down Job", Parker and Eliot are trapped in a chasm where they found Alan's body. When figuring a way out, Parker is very insistent on taking the body with them, to TearJerker levels.
100--->'''Parker:''' No!\
101'''Eliot:''' Parker-\
102'''Parker:''' No!\
103'''Eliot:''' IT'S DONE! \
104'''Parker: NO!''' This is what we're supposed to do! We're supposed to get him ''back'' to his wife! Nate would do it, Sophie would do it, Hardison would do it... they would do the right thing! ''I want to do the right thing!''
105** Related, Eliot's reassuring of the obviously upset Parker is equal parts tearjerking and heartwarming, especially since Eliot himself is clearly feeling down about being forced to leave the body behind.-
106--->'''Eliot''': "It's what makes us... us."
107** And while they aren't able to retrieve Alan's body, Parker is able to slip his cell phone into the pocket of TheDragon, which starts transmitting the frozen hiker's final message for everyone, including his widow, to hear once it gets in range. His last words to his wife are incredibly sweet, made all the better when Eliot tells Parker, "You did it. You brought him back to her."
108* In the "The 15 Minutes Job", the team meets a woman whose high school boyfriend has been in jail for the last 14 years due to being framed as the drunk driver in an accident caused by the mark. She's spent all that time fighting on his behalf, with nearly nothing to show for it. At the end of the episode when the truth comes out, the innocent man is freed, and she is seen happily hugging her boyfriend and smiling. Hardison mentions that he left the happy couple a surprise at her home.
109* Every. Single. Moment. that Charlie!Hardison and Dorothy!Parker are on-screen together during "The Van Gogh Job," except for their last moment, which is a real TearJerker.
110** Actually, just that ENTIRE EPISODE, barring bits where Eliot is beating people up and the Tearjerker bits. From Real!Hardison and Real!Parker's handholding cuteness and Sheriff!Nate's dedication to the right thing and also his war bride (Sophie, who else?) and of course, "Don't waste time."
111* In "The Carnival Job," the ''instant'' that it's revealed the mark's daughter was kidnapped, they immediately drop the con and devote everything to rescuing her. It isn't even a question. It takes approximately half a second for Nate to switch gears.
112---> "...No, this can't be an abduction. This is K&R. The Russian buyers, they want the chip, we are on a reset. The main objective is the girl, we find her, bring her back safe; we lose the chip if we have to, we burn the con if we have to, anyone have a problem, speak now. Hardison, the carnival is covered in cameras..."
113** Also, Eliot bonding with the mark's daughter throughout the episode, demonstrating his particular brand of gruff affection while teaching her how to win at the carnival games. When she's kidnapped he initially tries to keep her calm by telling her it's a security drill, but she sees through it and promises not to cry if he tells her the truth.
114--->'''Eliot:''' All right, this is not a drill. These guys are very bad guys, the guys that took you, okay? But I'm coming for you, me, and I'm gonna find you, and I'm gonna bring you home. Now, you tell me, does that sound like the truth?\
115'''Molly:''' Yeah.
116** Earlier in the episode while the con was still going on, Parker switches out the mark's glasses with ones that Hardison modified with a webcam. When the mark first puts them on, Hardison has a clear view of Parker and you can almost see the [[WingdingEyes hearts forming in his eyes]].
117** Nate's simple instructions to Eliot as to what to do if he's engaged during the rescue attempt are a rare ''chilling'' example of a CMOH.
118---> ''"Do your worst."''
119** The mark has been locked in a spiral of grief ever since his wife died, focusing on work and perfecting the renovations she started on their home, and neglecting his daughter because he can't bear to look at someone who reminds him so strongly of her. But when his daughter is kidnapped, it finally snaps him out of it and he turns back into the loving father and good man he was a year before.
120* The last thirty minutes of "The Grave Danger Job". Everyone is hell-bent on getting Hardison out of that coffin. They don't care about the con anymore. The phone call from Parker to Hardison, the hug the he and Eliot have...all of it just...damn.
121** It's a small moment, but as time starts to run out, Parker calls Hardison [[FirstNameBasis "Alec" while begging him not to leave her. Because he's her friend, and she needs him.]]
122** Sophie also talks to Parker about the loss of her brother as a young child--but Sophie wasn't with the team when they learned about it in "The Future Job." Which means that somebody (probably Hardison) told her.
123* Nate spots a random person in trouble at the airport in "The Cross My Heart Job" and stops to help. The woman's daughter was kidnapped to force her to steal a heart from the transplant list that is intended for a 15-year-old boy. The team, exhausted on their way home from an overseas job, leaps into action without complaint.
124* Jim Frakkin' Sterling of all people gets one in "The Queen's Gambit Job" when he reunites with his daughter, explaining that [[BatmanGambit he knew Nate could pull off the job he asked of him]], [[GuileHero even though that job was a secondary objective to distract from the real goal of re-obtaining his daughter.]] He tells Nate as much.
125** Specifically, in a nice reference back to the season two finale, he calls Nate the best thief he's ever known.
126** Also in that episode, Parker has to wear weighted boots to mimic the gait of the mark to access his vault. She has a breakdown when she gets frustrated practicing on Hardison's [[TrainingFromHell DDR pads with the voice taunting her]]:
127--> '''Parker:''' Hardison! This limp, and these boots, I don't like them. They're weighing me down. Quick and light. That's how I survive. You slow me down, you kill me.
128--> '''Hardison:''' Hey, hey, hey. Parker. Listen. You had to be quick cause you were alone. If you get caught that's it. I get it. But you're not alone anymore. Look. Look at me. You're not alone. You're not. You have a team. You have me. And I got you -- I got you girl.
129** Then he goes through the steps with her humming the song that played during their first dance.
130** Later in the episode, there is a CallBack to that scene. When Parker is feeling nervous about entering the vault:
131-->'''Parker:''' (deep breath) Um, Do you think maybe you could, uh - Well it was just easier before when there was, um, music.\
132{{Beat}}.\
133''(Parker steels herself to make her attempt. Hardison's humming is heard over the coms. Parker gains renewed confidence and starts walking, Nate looks confused, and Sophie looks delighted.)''
134** When Parker is on the roof at the end, with no available escape options:
135--> '''Parker:''' Hardison! I'm on the roof with no way down.\
136'''Hardison:''' Stairway and elevator?\
137'''Parker:''' No they're both blocked. I think I'm trapped up here.\
138'''Hardison:''' There's a third way down.\
139'''Parker:''' No, I don't have a chute.\
140'''Hardison:''' Uh, check again.\
141'''Parker:''' (Checks her backpack, finds a chute.) Did you do this?\
142''({{Flashback}} to the earlier scene of Hardison telling Parker she's not alone)''
143* In "The Experimental Job": When Parker rescues Hardison from the Secret Society by beating up the entire group, normally [[TheBigGuy Eliot's]] job.
144-->'''Member:''' You'll never be one of us! You're a geek!
145-->'''Parker:''' Should I tell him it's [[{{Catchphrase}} the age of the geek?]]
146-->'''Hardison:''' He'll figure it out eventually.
147** Also in "The Experimental Job": Parker's hilariously horrible pep talk and Hardison's surprising reaction to the entire speech is so sweet and it shows how far they've actually come as a couple. The kiss wasn't bad either.
148--> '''Parker:''' Remember the other night when you were playing with your pretend friends?
149-->'''Hardison:''' They're real peo... Look, they're, they're not pretend. They're just not in the same room with me.
150--> '''Parker:''' They're an elf, a dwarf, and a thing with a tail...pretty sure they're pretend. Remember when you took the thingy with the glowing thingy and then you used it to kill the guy who was on the shiny stuff and then also there was all this magic?
151-->'''Hardison:''' I, I think so...
152--> '''Parker:''' That was ''so'' cool. I mean, how many people here are cool enough to kill the guy with the thing?
153-->'''Hardison:''' You know what, you're right, that was pretty cool.
154*** Later...
155-->'''Sophie (on comms):''' That actually ''worked''?!?!
156-->'''Hardison:''' No, but the fact that she thought it would work? ''That'' worked.
157** Parker breaking into each of the homeless "volunteers'" cells to give them warm clothes when the experimenters turned the temperature down to below freezing.
158** Once Eliot hears that Hardison has been compromised and kidnapped, he drops his act and immediately lets loose on the CIA interrogater until he confesses where Hardison's been taken, then releases the other homeless veterans.
159* "[[Recap/LeverageS04E13TheGirlsNightOutJob The Girls' Night Out Job]]" ends with Parker commenting that after spending the evening with a handsome GentlemanThief who shares all of her interests, she appreciates what she has with Hardison even more.
160** Said GentlemanThief and Tara's LastMinuteHookup, with the commentary calling them just a couple of years behind the main characters in terms of CharacterDevelopment and hinting they might stay together and become JustLikeRobinHood too.
161** Parker's friend Peggy reappearing and still hanging out with her sometimes.
162** Sophie and Tara going out for drinks and Sophie trying to give Tara encouragement about her dating woes.
163* In "The Boys Night Out Job", Hardison's reason for telling Hurley (the addict from "The 12-Step Job") how to find Nate.
164--> '''Hardison''': It seemed like you've been focusing so much on the part of the job where we wreck people, I wanted you to see we've done some good in the world.
165** After their dates/partners didn't turn out to be what they thought, Hurley and Peggy run into each other at the end and seem to hit it off.
166* "The Lonely Hearts Job": Eliot delivering gifts to Sophie and Parker in Nate's and Hardison's names.
167** Also from "The Lonely Hearts Job", Nate and Sophie's "date." To gain the trust of the mark, a grifter running a ring that specializes in BlackWidow, Nate has to woo a woman of the mark's choosing. This turns out to be Sophie under the guise of a duchess. Since the mark knows all the tricks, Nate and Sophie could not plan ahead -- and since she's listening in via earpiece they can't say anything that would give either of them away. What starts out as Nate's character romancing Sophie's character turns into Nate romancing Sophie herself.
168** And then the mark pulls out because she's disgusted that Nate's clearly falling in love with the mark. I mean, just look at him!
169** The reason why the client's wife disappeared after clearing out his accounts. She was a grifter like the others in the ring, but she actually fell in love with him and was on the verge of admitting the entire con to him. She only left when the mark threatened to have him killed if the ring was exposed. She breaks down crying when Eliot and Sophie come to her and tell her they're here to help, so she finally has a way to reunite with her husband.
170** The victim, despite being of the type that Nate notes the team would normally go after, is sincerely in love with his wife, who he says pulled him out of his depression after his first wife died.
171* Jimmy Ford finally admitting in "The Radio Job" that he loves his son and is proud of him. Too bad it happens right before [[TearJerker he gets blown up right in front of Nate.]]
172** Either even more of a Tearjerker, or even more Heartwarming...when you realize he possibly knew it would stop Nate in his tracks...long enough to keep Nate from dying too.
173* The moment when Archie introduced Parker as his daughter to his biological daughter, who was trying to get him to go to assisted living at that moment, and then promptly left with her. Parker's face just sells it.
174* There's a bit where Eliot holds Dubenich at gunpoint, ready to shoot, all so that Nate won't be able to. Yes, it's a bit terrifying, but it really shows what Eliot is willing to do for the sake of his friend. More, watch closely -- his hand is shaking. Not because he's afraid to kill -- which we know he can do without flinching -- but because he's been trying hard for most of the series to not be that man any more. A line he is willing to cross again for the sake of making sure Nate doesn't.
175* Watching Hardison get all respectful and polite around Archie is kind of precious.
176** And Archie does mention to Parker that he "approves of her young man".
177* When Chaos goes about disrespecting Archie and moreso Parker, Archie doesn't hesitate going into PapaWolf mode threatening Chaos and successfully getting him to shut up.
178* In "The Big Bird Job" but also across the final season generally - there's no way that Hardison didn't know how Eliot would react to him buying the team a brew pub. He'd grumble and criticise, but he'd also take over the kitchen and spend most of his time doing one of the things he loved best in all the world. In short, Hardison gave Eliot a reason to settle down and find a purpose beyond beating the living crap out of those who deserve to have the living crap beaten out of them.
179* The resolution of "The Blue Line Job". The initial scam falls apart when the mark falls for it too hard; the team can rally and pull off a different heist, but that leaves the victim of the week still with a bounty on his head, still being forced to fight in every game or forfeit a $500,000 bonus he needs to provide for his son, and still one blow to the head away from death. How do they save his life? Simple. Eliot [[WhatYouAreInTheDark tells the opposing team the truth.]] When it comes down to it, ''every player on the ice stops,'' stands perfectly still, and refuses to risk Marko's life by engaging.
180** Marko cannot safely play anymore and he knows it; but that silent acknowledgement that [[IKnowYouKnowIKnow they're aware of his condition]] means the last quarter of his last game is clean, with no need for enforcers. One last time, a man who used to be known for his incredible footwork and was reduced to a punching bag by manipulative management gets to ''play hockey again.''
181** Ultimately, this mark of the week isn't defeated by the Leverage team's scam; ruining his reputation by revealing his embezzlement is just the icing on the cake. He's defeated by enforcers on his own ''and other'' teams learning about his cruelty toward one of his own players, and [[MeaningfulEcho stepping in when violence on the ice went too far.]]
182* Hardison and Parker's "picnic under the stars" from "The First Contact Job".
183** In a friendship sense, Hardison and Eliot happily singing along to Hardison's "chase music".
184* A subtle, but effective moment from "The French Connection Job", where Eliot calls Nate "one of guys that kept him from falling all the way down".
185** Also why Eliot's so determined to do the episode's con. The client is not only a chef that runs a culinary school for underprivileged youth, but he's also the one that taught Eliot to cook when Eliot was still a mercenary, which Eliot credits as essentially saving his life.
186* In "The Gimme A K Street Job," the team gets exasperated and in way over their heads trying to navigate politics. The whole plan is treading water--until Nate and Parker end up talking quietly with a single teenage girl who blames herself for her friend's CareerEndingInjury, and who reminds them what they're doing and why. The team refocuses from a series of paper-thin and inexpert political machinations to a simple, laser-targeted con and knocks it out of the park.
187** For that matter, while he's a bit of a {{Jerkass}}, part of the reason the team's attempts at politics were struggling so badly was that Eliot couldn't manipulate his mark. Attempts at "campaign donations" legitimately offended him, offers of power didn't entice him, attempts to con him into fearing for his career prospects gained no traction. The committee head was a grandstanding conservative introduced viciously mocking a bill "to keep teenage girls out of wheelchairs," in Hardison's words, as government oversight...but he was, and remained to the end, a genuinely honest man.
188** The same hardass conservative congressman, upon realizing that he'd been manipulated by a corrupt cheerleading company into acting as a corporate stooge, makes what appears to be a very frank acknowledgement of his mistakes--he not only changes his position on the bill, but actually brings the bribe trophy to the session and makes a self-deprecating comment about putting it to better use, indicating that he's being very public about an instance of poor judgement. He's an abrasive blowhard, but it's a refreshing show of accountability and admission of wrongdoing from a politician.
189* The entire plot of "The D.B. Cooper Job". Over Nate's objections, the team helps [=McSweeten=]'s dying father, an FBIAgent, with the one case he could never solve--the RealLife [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D._B._Cooper D.B. Cooper skyjacking]]. It turns out that Cooper was actually Steve Reynolds--[=McSweeten=]'s own partner, whom he himself recruited into the FBI. While [=McSweeten=] never caught "Cooper", he did something even better by turning him into a good person.
190* One of the sideplots for "The Broken Wing Job" was Parker solving the personal problems of customers who frequent the team's restaurant. She manages to pair the lonely singles "Romeo" and "Juliet" together. There is also a surgeon who orders a chicken parmesan every day but always stops after the first bite because it's not the same as the one his deceased wife used to cook for him. Parker goes out of her way to cure his depression by telling him his wife would be proud of him, and she lets him try every dish the restaurant offers so can he can find a new favorite dish.
191** For extra heartwarming, compare this Parker to Parker from, say, any episode in the first season. It's astounding how far she's come, especially since she and Hardison started dating.
192** ''And'' Parker makes a friend. Not Alice, Parker.
193* Watching Nate and Sophie working together, without any of the rest of the team, in "The Frame-Up Job".
194** Nate trusting Sophie's insistence that Ma Mystere is a forgery, and committing a crime they've just been cleared of to help reassure her doubts. When it turns out she's right, he takes on Sterling again, voluntarily, to help her get to the bottom of it.
195** On a different note, both John Metier and Jonas Gault respecting Sophie's wish that the painting never be exhibited until after her death. Gault's daughter notes that he could have made a fortune off of it, but instead Gault kept it quietly hidden away, taking daily visits to appreciate its beauty, because that was what Metier wanted and what he had promised Sophie.
196* While talking with Hardison during "The Low Low Price Job", Eliot reminisces fondly about his father, but they both left on bad terms and have not talked to each other in years. At the end of the episode, Eliot goes back to his hometown in an attempt to make amends. A FreezeFrameBonus shows that the six-pack of beer he takes with him is the brew pub's beer. Eliot brought ''Hardison's beer'' with him to share with his father.
197* "The White Rabbit Job" stands out because the team is actually trying to ''help'' the guy they're conning, since his guilt over the death of his cousin is sending him into a self-destructive spiral. Even the client, one of the mark's employees, contacts the team not because he's angry or got screwed over by his boss, but because the employees were worried about the boss' recent behaviors (isolating himself and issuing random layoffs), which were completely opposite from the boss devoted to the company who they were happy to work under. However, the mark is nearly DrivenToSuicide, but Parker managed to talk him down by actually opening up about how she dealt with the death of her little brother, something she had never told anybody outside of the team.
198* There is something heartwarming about what kind of dad Eliot wants to express himself as during "The Toy Job". The dad he plays to the blogger moms is absolutely adorable.
199* The FINALE! Oh God, the ''finale.'' The proposal. The good-bye scene. The {{callback}}s. It's all so warm and ''fuzzy''--when it's not all dark and depressing, that is.
200** Especially the way Nate passed on leadership of Leverage - not to Hardison, but to ''Parker''. It's a wonderful acknowledgement of how far she's come from the barely socially adjusted thief in Season One.
201** Hell that's impressive considering that in the pilot he was as all right with just about everyone as Nate could be at the time EXCEPT Parker. He called Parker insane while criticising the choice of her, even if there's nobody better than her.
202** A small moment, but Sterling sounds legitimately angry at Nate when he thinks that the crew is dead because of Nate. He really does care about them.
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