Round Table - What About Terbuf?

[glennagirl.livejournal.com]

Okay, here we have the big AHA! moment in Napoleon's past life: a woman who meant something to him.  The question is, just how much did she mean to our resident Ladies' Man?  Illya seems to have her number immediately, he's suspicious and wary as he watches the interaction.
Was she truly the love of his life?  Was she someone who captured him for a time and then flippantly cast him off.  I mean, look who she married.  It's hard to take Clara seriously, which is probably why Illya is so suspicious of her.
What do you think?

Comments

[mrua7.livejournal.com]

I think Napoleon was serious about her...the final scene in the show when he's still handcuffed I think shows that. His look says it all.

In my stories Clara wanted him to give up UNCLE, but he couldn't do it. I see Napoleon as a man who keeps his word, and he gave an oath to the Command. That and a normal home life couldn't work for him back. Clara gave him an ultimatum and he chose...though I think he had some regrets after seeing her again.

[glennagirl.livejournal.com]

I agree that Napoleon seems genuinely smitten by Clara, although I can't get over who she married in comparison to him. Of course that's the writers doing their thing, not a lot we can do about th

[mrua7.livejournal.com]

Perhaps Clara went for the comforts in life that her husband could give her, and Napoleon couldn't. That might have been part of the break up?

[lindafishes8.livejournal.com]

Illya was naturally suspicious of almost everyone in his partner's life. Solo seemed to look vulnerable when he and Clara first talked together. I was surprised that Illya didn't give them a little privacy. Such things are up to the writer's though. Too bad there wasn't LJ's MFUWSS at that time for them to submit their scripts. LOL! We'd have set them straight.

Clara

[(Anonymous)]

It's the "Casablanca" theme all over again. Handsome dashing dude has love affair with beautiful gal,; something (war, duty, UNCLE) tears them apart; they meet again, but she's married -- you get the rest... The theme was even spoofed in the Charlie sheen movie-- something part deaux. It's a rather classic and noble theme. Ilya doesn't trust her cos he's a suspicious soul who really isn't sure about his partner's judgement after he meets up with a beautiful woman ( ie Angelique, who is probably Diabolique in Ik's mind).
Eileen.

Ps -- love the round table! Thanks

Re: Clara

[glennagirl.livejournal.com]

You're right, and I hadn't related it to other similar plots. Good job, and thanks for commenting. Are you ever going to join LJ?

Re: Clara

[(Anonymous)]

I've joined, but I can't here from the sign in point! Can you tell me where to go from there?

Re: Clara

[glennagirl.livejournal.com]

If you log in you should show up as your screen name... not sure where the problem would be.

[irisheitie.livejournal.com]

Finally figured it out. I was screwing something up by signing into the app, not at the top of this page. Senior moment!

[glennagirl.livejournal.com]

Yay, you're in.

[carabele.livejournal.com]

I always saw Clara as the love of Napoleon's life and reflected that in many of my stories.

But she wanted more than he could give and in the end he had to let her go.

[glennagirl.livejournal.com]

That the way it seems, but I can't get past who she married. Definitely Napoleon deserved better.

[carabele.livejournal.com]

I don't disagree with you about Napoleon deserving better, but here's the thing you do have to remember about Clara: she was daring and she had convictions. Her decision to help the gypsies, though it put her at personal risk, was not a meek decision. And she was smart; she used her previous relationship with Solo because she knew he had connections that could help those people. I do think those qualities would very much appeal to Napoleon.

As to her lily-livered choice of a husband: it is certainly not unheard of for a woman to pick a man she maybe feels somewhat sorry for or protective of or -- even more common -- thinks she can improve in character. Clara struck me as the type of woman who believed she could use love to strengthen Valdar's character while his obvious vulnerabilities engendered in her a definite protective streak.

[glennagirl.livejournal.com]

You make good points and are very generous with Clara in providing her with character. I think there's probably a reason why most people would rather see him with Angelique than Clara however, and perhaps that is because in the end, she's more transparent in who or what she is. I don't trust Clara and would probably have been first in line trying to convince Napoleon that he was better off without her.
If indeed she thinks she can 'fix' her husband then I'm thinking she's manipulative, and that puts me right back with her making an ultimatum regarding UNCLE.
Darn, I just don't like Clara.

[laurose8.livejournal.com]

I admit I'm inclined to agree with carabele. To put it a bit more cynically, Clara is a strong minded woman, and perhaps she will get along better with a husband less so.

(I can't resist quoting Wodehouse's Ickenham: "My wife, a firm believer in strong, centralised government...)