History Awesome / BurnNotice

* Michael retrieving the "package" for Ayn is equal parts awesome and completely terrifying. ''Do not mess with Michael Westin's family.''

* Even though [[spoiler: he's revealed to be a DirtyCoward in the end]], James's operative Ben has one utterly darkly awesome moment. In "Bitter Pill," the team captures the terrorist who poisoned a diplomat, and are trying to get him to give up the antidote. Ben reveals that he has no interest in playing nice by ''injecting the man with his own poison'' to motivate him. Sure it's disturbing just how quickly he's willing to stoop to such a thing. But it's also ridiculously BadAss.

** Let's not forget about Nate Westen in the A-plot either -- first hotwiring and driving off with a stolen [[CoolCar '69 GTO]] [[BigDamnHeroes just in time]] to keep both Michael and the [[VictimOfTheWeek Client of the Week]] from being executed, '''then''' [[spoiler: disassembling said car, and ''reassembling it, piece by piece, right in the VillainOfTheWeek's own backyard'' in order to [[FramingTheGuiltyParty frame the guilty party]]]]. {{Badass}} takes on many different forms.

** In the middle of the episode, there was also a great scene where Michael, still undercover as a nerd who's serving as a man-on-the-inside for a gang of pirates, sets up a boat heist for them, with team ally Virgil serving as the boat captain. When he finds out at the last minute that the gang plans to kill Virgil, he improvises a plan with just a few seconds of planning: He first demands a gun ("there might be people shooting, I wanna be able to shoot back!"), then gets to Virgil before they can, fake-panics and fires ''near'' (but not at) Virgil. Virgil, given no other warning except "Go with this," executes his part and fakes being shot without a hitch.

* "Bad Breaks" is pretty much a whirlpool of awesome for everyone. The woman Sam's courting seems largely unfazed by his side job, Bly's return, [[spoiler:Michael using the baddie's tools and random stuff found in a bank office against them to the point that they think the bank is literally cursed, Sam's bluff as a scary underground criminal king pin, Michael's quiet little speech[[note]]''"There's a place between life and death, it's amazing how long a man can linger there."''[[/note]], and Fi blowing up the truck and then sipping coffee.]]

[{{Beat}}, as Michael leans forward as if to close the door.]\\
--> '''Michael''': ...I'll take my chances. [[[spoiler: He jumps out of the helicopter.]]]
* Sam and Michael's reverse-interrogation of a diamond smuggler who's kidnapped a little boy in 3x02, "Questions and Answers". [[spoiler: Sam plays a corrupt cop who enlists the kidnapper to "help him interrogate" a druggie who supposedly has information about a plan to double-cross the kidnapper. Michael is the druggie. The actual interrogation is one big masterful game of XanatosSpeedChess between Michael and Sam pretty much making the entire thing up on the spot, culminating in Michael "escaping" to save the boy and Sam [[MexicanStandoff tricking]] the kidnappers into shooting each other.]]
** That episode also had a Crowning Moment for the ''client'' (the boy's father, whom the kidnappers were trying to leverage into giving them info to pull off a heist): [[spoiler: The father has to set up a meeting with the kidnapper so that Sam and Mike can ID the guy. One glance in the wrong direction, and the kidnapper might realize he's being watched. The father--a civilian with NO training in withstanding forceful methods--takes a beating without slipping up; the only person he looks at is the kidnapper, and the determined look on his face as he looks in the kidnapper in the eye and tells him he's told no one is downright inspiring. Michael's voice over even comments on it with a tone of respect. Some PapaWolf methods are subtler than others.]]

** Indeed. Madeline Westen proved where her son's awesome-genes came from in that scene. As Michael said in a season 2 ep, "Violence perceived is violence achieved."

-->'''Michael''': [[spoiler: Fiona's not my past.]]

-->'''"Luis"''': ''(snaps fingers, wall blows open to reveal a drug van)'' That one.

-->'''Rincon''': Go to hell.
-->'''"Luis"''': Come with me.

-->'''Sam:''' ''(Alexi, a Spetsnaz operative he's interrogating, spits at his feet.)'' Oh, I get it. Yeah, I could slap you around all day, and you're still not gonna talk, are you? ''(Alexi smiles smugly)'' You know Michael Westen? ''(Cue Mike walking up to Alexi from his side)'' Is he your target?\\

'''Sam:''' I don't know about that. ''(Mike shows Alexi his license)''\\

'''Mike:''' ''(In Russian)'' Do you have a brother? I shot a man once...who looked like you. In Kiev. In '93 I think. I'm sure you heard about it. The Spetsnaz team...that tried to sell a warhead. Nobody...ever saw them...again. ''(OhCrap look from Alexi)'' That was a good winter for me. ''(laughs)''

-->'''Michael''': I'm Michael Westen.
-->'''Russian''': ''(OhCrap expression)''
-->'''Michael''': [[TheDreaded Yeah, that one.]]

-->'''Michael''': You never heard of me because I've never been caught. I've never been caught because I'm careful. That means if a junkie loser comes to me with a deal, I'm smart enough to kill him before he starts jawing off. Just like when a dirty cop comes to me with a deal, that dirty cop doesn't get to walk away! ("Tosses lighter into a ring of gasoline, surrounding the pair within a wall of fire")

*** Can't forget [[spoiler: her attempt to sacrifice herself so her son won't come save her, lying about her condition]]

-->'''Bly:''' How can you tell?
-->'''Fiona:''' Because I know explosions. And I know Michael.

-->'''Jesse''': ''[sits up straighter]'' You listen to me. ''You didn't know my mom.'' ''You don't get to '''speak''' for my mom.'' You know what she would have said? '''''[[TrueCompanions You never turn your back]] [[ThePowerOfFriendship on family.]]'''''

-->'''Jesse''': ''[adamantly]'' '''[[CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming Yeah. They are.]]'''

* Michael Westen leads a motorcycle chase from the CIA on foot IN A HOSPITAL!
* Maddie in 7x03 "Down Range", when Nate's bookie tries to get $80,000 from her. With help from Fiona, she steals the bookie's safe, creates "The Charlie Westen College Fund" with bookie's money, and then blackmails him into leaving her alone by holding his ledger as collateral. She even tops it off with an awesome IronicEcho.

* Michael fighting through ''days'' of drugs, enhanced interrogation techniques, questioning, and one seriously messed-up double-bluff to prove himself worthy of joining James's organization. By the end of it, he looks like he's been through the wringer, but he stands tall and practically grins as he stares James in the face and ''continues to lie out his ass to the man.''
-->'''Michael''': You won't pull that trigger...because I'm here. I have no reason to run, and I have nothing to hide.

** Michael was something of a legend pre-burning, so much so that foreign intel agencies (particularly the Russians) figured he didn't exist, that he was either a code name used by a group, or something along the lines of the boogeyman. Whenever this is brought up (and subsequently shot down) is generally a CMOA.

--->'''Charles then Sam:''' "[[IronicEcho There's nothing more pathetic]][[HoistByHisOwnPetard than a bitch who doesn't know when to let go."]]

* Madeline's "interrogation" of the pilot in "The Hunter". Guy withstands all of Sam's experience and Fiona's threats, but facing a very angry mom who [[BewareTheNiceOnes never, ever raises her voice]] and offers him a cigarette? Madeline walks back with the information they need.

Come on guys, it's ''BurnNotice''. It has Creator/BruceCampbell and StuffBlowingUp! What's more awesome than that?

-->'''Jesse''': ''[sits up straighter]'' You listen to me. ''You didn't know my mom.'' ''You don't get to '''speak''' for my mom.'' You know what she would have said? You never turn your back on family.

* Michael Westen leads a motorcycle chase from the CIA on foot IN A HOSPITAL!

-->'''Riley''': Think about what your mom would tell you. Wouldn't she say, 'find the man who killed me, son'? Find him?

-->'''Jesse''': ''[sits up straighter]'' You listen to me. You didn't know my mom. You don't get to ''speak'' for my mom. You know what she would have said? You never turn your back on family.
-->'''Riley''': These people aren't you family, Jesse.

* Jesse resisting interrogation by Riley, though it's also a bit of a TearJerker. She uses information on his past to try and turn him - information he hasn't even revealed to Team Westen. He remains adamant, even calling the others his family, despite the very obvious temptation to break his morals. Often times in these sorts of situations, Team Westen knows what the captive is risking... but here is a moment of WhatYouAreInTheDark where only Jesse and Riley will know what he gave up to protect his family.

--->'''Charles then Sam:''' [[IronicEcho"There's nothing more pathetic]] [[HoistByHisOwnPetard than a bitch who doesn't know when to let go."]]

** Michael was something of a legend pre-burning, so much so that foreign intel agencies figured he didn't exist, that he was either a code name used by a group, or something along the lines of the boogeyman. Whenever this is brought up (and subsequently shot down) is generally a CMOA.

** That episode also had a Crowning Moment for the ''client'' (the boy's father, whom the kidnappers were trying to leverage into giving them info to pull off a heist): [[spoiler: The father has to set up a meeting with the kidnapper so that Sam and Mike can ID the guy. One glance in the wrong direction, and the kidnapper might realize he's being watched. The father--a civilian with NO training in withstanding forceful methods--takes a beating without slipping up; the only person he looks at is the kidnapper, and the determined look on his face as he looks in the kidnapper in the eye and tells him he's told no one is downright inspiring. Some PapaWolf methods are subtler than others.]]

* "Bad Breaks" is pretty much a whirlpool of awesome for everyone. The woman Sam's courting seems largely unfazed by his side job, Bly's return, [[spoiler:Michael using the baddie's tools against them, Sam's bluff, Michael's quiet little speech, and Fi blowing up the truck and then sipping coffee.]]

* Michael and Fiona gathering intelligence on a mark while ballroom dancing in 5:11 was pretty awesome...

* Fiona and Mike's BackToBackBadasses moment in "Better Halves," which also serves as a counterpoint to their dance scene earlier in the episode where they were managing to perform a full recon of an entire room while in the middle of a tango.

* In season one, Michael affects a "psycho" persona by destroying two mobsters with a baseball bat, and later by wedging a dumpster against the door of their car, boring through the roof with a power drill, pouring turpentine into the car, threatening to set them on fire, and then jumping up and down on top of the car, screaming, "This neighborhood is mine!" as the roof caves in on the terrified criminals. Incredibly, he tops this in season two while posing as a recovering alcoholic newly empowered by religion; crashing an SUV into his employer's car, he thunders a truly frightening speech at them about judgment for their sins (before leaving a "confession" of said sins on the windshield for the police to find).

* "Rough Seas". Michael's transformation from his nerdy chemist cover to stoic death-dealer is unparalleled.
** In the middle of the episode, there was also a great scene where Michael, still undercover as a nerd who's serving as a man-on-the-inside for a gang of pirates, sets up a boat heist for them, with team ally Virgil serving as the boat captain. When he finds out at the last minute that the gang plans to kill Virgil, he improvises a plan with just a few seconds of planning: He first demands a gun ("there might be people shooting, I wanna be able to shoot back!"), then gets to Virgil before they can, fake-panics and fires ''near'' (but not at) Virgil. Virgil, given no other warning except "Go with this," executes his part and fakes being shot without a hitch.

* In the second season episode "Do No Harm", Sam fights with Michael to keep him from going to Carla for money to save the little kid. By "fights", I mean that Sam blocks Michael's door and gets in a fist-fight with him to keep him from going to Carla.

* Natalie the thief finally getting caught.
-->'''Fiona''': Clean yourself up. You look like hell.

* In the Season 5 episode "No Good Deed", Michael is trying to escape from the cops, who are searching the building he's in one room at a time. He says, "When your back's against the wall and time is running out, there's nothing like [[YouAreNotAlone seeing an old friend.]]" Cue the arrival of the beautiful black 1973 Dodge Charger that Michael, Fiona, and Mike's brother Nate have been restoring since the beginning of the season. Its enough to give you goose bumps...
* In "Turn and Burn" Michael walks into a situation where his client, a hostess [[spoiler: and undercover DEA agent]] who is being stalked by a cartel soldier is beating her and holding both Michael and the client at gunpoint, thinking from some phone records that they're sleeping together. The soldier is in a savage rage and close to shooting both of them. With a few sentences and [[RefugeInAudacity playing his role even harder]], Mike ends the conversation with the cartel soldier frantically apologizing to his "girlfriend" and arranging for a face-to-face meeting with the cartel boss himself.

* Early in season one, after finding out that the trigger spring has been removed from his gun, Michael promptly improvises a new one. ''Out of a hairpin''.
* In season one, Michael affects a "psycho" persona by destroying two mobsters with a baseball bat, and later by wedging a dumpster against the door of their car, boring through the roof with a power drill, pouring turpentine into the car, threatening to set them on fire, and then jumping up and down on top of the car, screaming, "This neighborhood is mine!" as the roof caves in on the terrified criminals. Incredibly, he tops this in season two while posing as a recovering alcoholic newly empowered by religion; crashing an SUV into his employer's car, he thunders a truly frightening speech at them about judgment for their sins (before leaving a "confession" of said sins on the windshield for the police to find).

** The whole con on that Russian mobster is awesome as well: when Sam realises after the first interrogation that the man, Ivan, is 'gulag tough' and the plan won't work, Michael masquerades as another russian mobster being held captive (aided by Nate playing a guard) and successfully convinces him the man's boss and whole crew will be taken down, escapes with him, gets entrusted with the girls the mobster was holding while Ivan rushes to report to his boss to warn him. As the narration notes, getting someone to turn on their own people ''while making them think it is an act of loyalty'', is a pretty badass move for a spy to pull off.

* Michael's "circle of trust" from "Dead or Alive". Also a CMOF.

* In the second season episode "Do No Harm", Sam fights with Michael to keep him from going to Carla for money to save the little kid. By "fights", I mean that Sam blocks Michael's door and gets in a fist-fight with him to keep him from going to Carla.

* In the Season 2 premiere, "Breaking and Entering," Michael's Plan B, complete with a sudden burst of heavy rock as he pulls out a gigantic shotgun from the bag and just begins blasting up the the room.

* An OffscreenMomentOfAwesome for a villain in 4x03, "Made Man." Team Westen needs to bring down a mob boss named Tony, so they convince the boss they've got an army to back him up, so he goes after his rival Gio. They ambush the rival's car, and Tony gets out and confronts Gio and three of his bodyguards. Midway through the confrontation, the "army" packs up and drives off, leaving Tony standing there alone facing down four men with guns and strong opinions. The scene ends with [[BolivianArmyEnding Tony raising his weapon and opening fire in a blaze of enraged defiance.]] And at the end of the episode, it is said that Tony was arrested for killing Gio, meaning that he ''survived'' a gunfight with four armed opponents by himself with no vehicle, backup, or cover.

* Michael and the team working together to secure their futures. After all the arguing and disagreements, they put aside their differences to make things right and take down James successfully.
* Fiona and Mike's BackToBackBadasses moment in "Better Halves," which also serves as a counterpoint to their dance scene earlier in the episode where they were managing to perform a full recon of an entire room while in the middle of a tango.

* Jesse resisting interrogation by Riley, though it's also a bit of a TearJeaker. She uses information on his past to try and turn him - information he hasn't even revealed to Team Westen. He remains adamant, even calling the others his family, despite the very obvious temptation to break his morals. Often times in these sorts of situations, Team Westen knows what the captive is risking... but here is a moment of WhatYouAreInTheDark where only Jesse and Riley will know what he gave up to protect his family.

* "Lesser Evil", the S2 finale. [[spoiler:Michael and Victor working together, Fi sniping Carla, Sam and Madeline blowing up Madeline's house ''by MacGuyvering Christmas tree lights'' to make their escape, Madeline sending Sam back to save Michael, and Michael basically going "screw you" by jumping out of the chopper into the sea ''miles'' from Miami.]]

* [[spoiler: "This one's for my boys."]]

* [[spoiler: "This one's for my boys."]]

* Even though [[spoiler: he's revealed to be a DirtyCoward in the end]], James's operative Ben has one utterly darkly awesome moment. In "Bitter Pill," the team captures the terrorist who poisoned a diplomat, and are trying to get him to give up the antidote. Ben reveals that he has no interest in playing nice by ''injecting the man with his own poison'' to motivate him. Sure it's disturbing just how quickly he's willing to stoop to such a thing. But it's also ridiculously BadAss.