History Heartwarming / TheManFromUNCLE2015

%%** YMMV on how heartwarming Solo's collection and return of the watch is. Think about it. He's had it for hours, maybe days at this point but he hasn't given it back yet. He could have after they killed Victoria, during the boat ride back to and, or the car back to the hotel, but he didn't. He waited. Solo has shown himself time and time again to be a profoundly skilled manipulator who has a knack for knowing how and when to reveal information, not to mention an opportunist and adept improviser. His infiltration of the racecourse is a success because, despite being asked several times, he waits until the exact right moment to reveal his ticket, maximising the impact and the sympathy it wins him with Victoria. The climax of the action revolves around his ability to make shit up on the fly to manipulate her into staying on the radio long enough for a target lock. It's entirely possible that when Solo saw the familiar goon and Illya's watch, he wasn't thinking sympathetically about Illya getting his watch back, but opportunistically about whether he could use the watch to buy some emotional currency at an important moment.

** After Napoleon saves Illya, Illya returns the favour twice: First, when he [[spoiler: saves Napoleon from being tortured and murdered by Uncle Rudi]], and secondly, when he [[spoiler: throws a motorcycle at Alexander Vinciguerra just as he's about to shoot Napoleon.]] Both times, Illya makes sure to ask Napoleon if he's okay; the second time he even does so ''before'' [[spoiler: rushing off to comfort Gaby]].

* Even after [[spoiler: Gaby's seeming betrayal]], Kuryakin reacts to [[spoiler: Uncle Rudi's offer to testify against her in exchange for clemency]] by angrily electrocuting him, showing that [[spoiler: despite her betrayal]] he's still unwilling to see her hurt in any way.
** Then later, it's revealed that [[spoiler: Gaby revealed Kuryakin's location in order to give him a chance to get away. He was already compromised and, knowing that he was listening via her bugged engagement ring, she knew he would run once he knew the jig was up.]] It's the TMFU version of BreakHisHeartToSaveHim.

* After [[spoiler: killing Alexander Vinciguerra]], Kuryakin goes to check on Gaby, who is lying on the ground, shivering and in shock. He then cradles her in his arms, smiling tenderly and telling her it's going to be ok.

** Before rushing off to Gaby's side, though, Illya first checks in with Napoleon to make sure he's uninjured after his fight with [[spoiler: Alexander Vinciguerra]]. Illya doesn’t ignore his partner in favour of his romantic interest; he makes sure they’re both safe and unharmed.

* When it's all nearly over, [[spoiler: Illya is pushed by his handler one last time to finish the mission after being told that Solo had acquired the disk that survived (the one carried by Alexander). When he comes down to his room ready to kill him (not without wrecking his own room in a heartbroken fury); Solo, also having readied his gun while noticing that Illya is acting strangely by catching his reflection...[[WhatYouAreInTheDark tosses Illya his father's watch that had been taken from him at the start of the mission]]; which he found during the raid -- mind you this is ''Solo,'' the man who up until this point had shown very little genuine care for much of anything besides himself and the mission at hand -- he ''could'' have simply left the watch there, but he ''didn't.'']]

- YMMV on how heartwarming Solo's collection and return of the watch is. Think about it. He's had it for hours, maybe days at this point but he hasn't given it back yet. He could have after they killed Victoria, during the boat ride back to and, or the car back to the hotel, but he didn't. He waited. Solo has shown himself time and time again to be a profoundly skilled manipulator who has a knack for knowing how and when to reveal information, not to mention an opportunist and adept improviser. His infiltration of the racecourse is a success because, despite being asked several times, he waits until the exact right moment to reveal his ticket, maximising the impact and the sympathy it wins him with Victoria. The climax of the action revolves around his ability to make shit up on the fly to manipulate her into staying on the radio long enough for a target lock. It's entirely possible that when Solo saw the familiar goon and Illya's watch, he wasn't thinking sympathetically about Illya getting his watch back, but opportunistically about whether he could use the watch to buy some emotional currency at an important moment.

** Then later, it's revealed that [[spoiler: Gaby revealed Kuryakin's location in order to give him a chance to get away. He was already compromised and, knowing that he was listening via her bugged engagement ring, she knew he would run once he knew the jig was up.]] It's the [[TheManFromUncle TMFU]] version of BreakHisHeartToSaveHim.

** Followed by a HeldGaze, which turns into them [[AlmostKiss leaning into each other]]...only for [[MoodKiller Solo to walk in just at that moment.]]

* When it's all nearly over, [[spoiler: Illya is pushed by his handler one last time to finish the mission after being told that Solo had acquired the disk that survived (the one carried by Alexander). When he comes down to his room ready to kill him (not without wrecking his own room in a heartbroken fury); Solo, also having readied his gun while noticing that Illya is acting strangely by catching his reflection...[[WhatYouAreInTheDark tosses Illya his father's watch that had been taken from him at the start of the mission]]; which he found during the raid - mind you this is ''Solo,'' the man who up until this point had shown very little genuine care for much of anything besides himself and the mission at hand- he ''could'' have simply left the watch there, but he ''didn't.'']]

* Napoleon notices the [[UnresolvedSexualTension UST]] between Illya and Gaby and plays TheMatchmaker, inviting Illya to check the radio transmitter hidden under Gaby's very short dress while he leaves them alone (of course, he also interrupt their AlmostKiss because he delights in trolling Illya).

** After Napoleon saves Illya, Illya returns the favour twice: First, when he [[spoiler: saves Napoleon from being tortured and murdered by Uncle Rudi]], and secondly, when he [[spoiler: throws a motorcycle at Alexander Vinciguerra just as he's about to shoot Napoleon.]] Both times, Illya makes sure to ask Napoleon if he's okay; the second time he even does so 'before' [[spoiler: rushing off to comfort Gaby]].

** After Napoleon saves Illya, Illya returns the favour twice: First, when he [[spoiler: saves Napoleon from being tortured and murdered by Uncle Rudi]], and secondly, when he [[[spoiler: throws a motorcycle at Alexander Vinciguerra just as he's about to shoot Napoleon.]] Both times, Illya makes sure to ask Napoleon if he's okay; the second time he even does so 'before' [[spoiler: rushing off to comfort Gaby]].

* Napoleon notices the [[UnresolvedSexualTension UST]] between Illya and Gaby and plays TheMatchmaker, inviting Illya to check the radio transmitter hidden under Gaby's very short dress (only to interrupt their AlmostKiss because he delights in trolling Illya).

* Napoleon notices the [[UnresolvedSexualTension UST]] between Illya and Gaby and plays TheMatchmaker, inviting Illya to check the radio transmitter hidden under Gaby's very short dress -- only to interrupt their AlmostKiss because he delights in trolling Illya.

* When it's all nearly over, [[spoiler: Illya is pushed by his handler one last time to finish the mission after being told that Solo had acquired the disk that survived (the one carried by Alexander). When he comes down to his room ready to kill him (not without wrecking his own room in a heartbroken fury); Solo, also having readied his gun while noticing that Illya is acting strangely by catching his reflection...[[WhatYouAreInTheDark tosses Illya his father's watch that had been taken from him at the start of the mission]]; which he found during the raid - mind you this is ''Solo,'' the man who up until this point had shown very little genuine care for much of anything besides himself and the mission at hand- he ''could'' have simply left the watch there, but he ''didn't.'']]

** '''Illya:''' "Good night, little chop-shop girl."

* When it's all nearly over, [[spoiler: Illya is pushed by handlers one last time to finish the mission after being told that Solo had acquired the disk that survived with Alexander. When comes down to his room ready to kill him (not without wrecking his own room in heartbroken fury); Solo, also having readied his gun while noticing that Illya is acting strangely by reflection...[[WhatYouAreInTheDark tosses Illya his father's watch that had been taken from him at the start of the mission]]; which he found during the raid - mind you this is ''Solo,'' the man who up until this point had shown very little genuine care for much of anything besides himself and the mission at hand- he ''could'' have simply left the watch there, but he ''didn't.'']]

* When it's all nearly over, [[spoiler: Illya is pushed by handlers one last time to finish the mission after being told that Solo had acquired the disk that survived with Alexander. When comes down to his room ready to kill him (not without wrecking his own room in heartbroken fury); Solo, also having readied his gun while noticing that Illya is acting strangely by reflection...tosses Illya his father's watch that had been taken from him at the start of the mission; which he found during the raid - mind you this is ''Solo,'' the man who up until this point had shown very little genuine care for much of anything besides himself and the mission at hand- he ''could'' have simply left the watch there, but he ''didn't.'']]

* After Gaby drunkenly tries to seduce Kuryakin, he greets her the next morning with a cheery smile and for once he's not surly or stoic or filled with barely repressed rage. He's happy to see her and then he rather adorkably presents her with a new engagement ring to replace the one that was stolen because he's the sort of fiance that ''would'' immediately a lost engagement ring.