Russ: How is it you always seem to manage to find a coil of rope?
MacGyver: Same reason that I look better in a tux than you do. The universe wants it that way.
MacGyver: Same reason that I look better in a tux than you do. The universe wants it that way.
Phoenix target The Merchant, who raises funds for Codex by fixing soccer matches. Desi goes undercover as part of the team, and finds herself targeted by an unexpected sort of weapon.
Tropes:
- Big Damn Kiss: Between Mac and Desi after he prevents the nanoweapon from killing her.
- Foreshadowing: Titan, the woman seen talking to The Merchant is obviously normal height, and therefore clearly not Matty.
- He Knows Too Much/ Hoist by Their Own Petard: The Merchant and his bodyguard kill the contractor who made the nanobot weapon, efficiently testing it at the same time. The Merchant only has one complaint; the bodyguard pressed the button too soon, leaving him unsure of the weapon's range.Merchant: You were supposed to wait until he reached the post box! I've still got questions now, haven't I?
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Desi tells an ashamed Gabriella to break her agreement with The Merchant to fix the match, which gets her killed.
- Noodle Incident:Mac: How did you swing this?
Russ: Oh, you know, posh accent, emotional manipulation, blackmail. Same way I got my first wife. - Poison and Cure Gambit: When she refuses to take a dive, The Merchant injects Desi with the nanoweapon, threatening to kill her as he did Gabriella unless she complies.
- Springtime for Hitler: The plan calls for Desi to make a large gambling loss at a particular casino, thus appearing a vulnerable target for The Merchant to exploit. She somehow manages to win, turning $10,000 into $360,000, and her "let it ride" bet would have turned that into $12,960,000 had Mac not intervened.Desi: Funny thing is, I don't really gamble. I hate losing money.
Russ: Well, it is my money.
Desi: Let's blow some cash! - Shout-Out:
- The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (1981) is mentioned as Mac's favourite, as is the novel and the number 42.
- Moneyball is referenced when the team use algorithms to work out which players have been paid to take a dive.
- You Have Failed Me: After losing Codex money by failing to fix two matches in a row, The Merchant is seen being driven away by Codex with the clear implication that he's about to be killed. Subverted as he turns up later in the season, having apparently paid them back.
