Elizabeth in "The Americans" (Only You)

[quantumreality]

Spoilers ensue, so don't click unless you've seen the ep! :)

First, I have to admit she presents a pretty hot dominatrix-y appearance with those indoor fuck-me boots:



Second, wow re: putting Paige in her place. Elizabeth really let loose her take-no-prisoners KGB warrior attitude in this snippet:

Paige: You're the one who wanted it this way.

Elizabeth: Excuse me? (beat) Stand up. Do you know what my mother would have done if I talked to her like that? You get to dress how you want, use the phone, watch TV. You do not get to speak to me like that.

I can't imagine Russian culture in the '50s really promoted parental indulgence of any kind and I can fully believe Elizabeth, in her homeland, was subject to corporal punishment when she acted up.

It's really interesting when Philip and Elizabeth reach back into their much harsher personal realities to decide how to react to people in a society that doesn't have to afford its people a mindset of existence as a burden to be borne.

Makes me wonder if Henry, who's already shown himself to be unafraid of reacting with violence, will pick up on these vibes and, when he turns 17 or 18, go to work as a deep cover mole somewhere!

I'm going to write later about some interesting symmetries that this episode really brings out as well as symmetries in general in this series. :)

Comments

[jae]

Yeah, I was totally convinced that she was going to hit Paige just then. And I'm still convinced that the only thing that stopped her was that it wouldn't have been 'American' enough.

Henry would make a great spy.

-J