THE Illya moment from Foxes and Hounds

[glennagirl.livejournal.com]

For me, this is the moment.  When the magician points the mind reading machine at Illya, the response from the secretive Russian is "That's enough!".  It immediately points us in the direction of a mystery, or a tragedy of some sort.  Why is it enough?  This is definitely one of my favorite pictures of Illya from the entire series, because it carries with it the questions that are never answered.

thanks to Lisa's for the photo

Tomorrow: Napoleon

Comments

[kitty4940.livejournal.com]

I've thought about the "... young boy in Kiev ...," bit.

There are a lot of possibilities - war, illness, or the loss of a loved one, but Illya doesn't look as though he had a troubling thought.

My theory is his thoughts are his own business, and Merlin had done enough to prove it worked.

[glennagirl.livejournal.com]

I agree that his privacy is uppermost in his mind here. It does seem as though there is some little bit of annoyance in the furrowed expression, something slightly troubling in the realization that, were he to probe long enough, Merlin might uncover something Illya has kept for years as his own, very private memory.
He's also just drop dead gorgeous in this shot ;)

[kitty4940.livejournal.com]

By the way, he does look gorgeous in that shot. :)

[suezeque.livejournal.com]

I do think he looks troubled (I love the way we have our different perceptions, its stimulating).

I don't think he has anything to hide as much as maybe his memories of that time are too painful. Certainly he lived through some traumatic times growing up during the war. I'm sure he saw things he'd rather forget.

But I also think Kitty could be right. He's a private man, and he does not want Merlins machine prying into his thoughts.

[glennagirl.livejournal.com]

Yes, the single word 'Kiev' brings out the reaction we remember and wonder about.

[avery11.livejournal.com]

Mine, too. The vulnerability with which DMC delivers the line is truly remarkable. With two words, he manages to engage our minds and tug at our hearts. This is one of the scenes that cemented my love for Illya's character.

[glennagirl.livejournal.com]

It's a very effective, albeit short scene. And you're right, just those two words have made quite an impression on us.

[carabele.livejournal.com]

My opinion (for whatever the deflated economy makes it worth [chuckle]) is that Illya suddenly came to grips in that moment with how dangerous the invention truly was. Up until that point he was more than likely skeptical of the claims of the inventor and just doing what U.N.C.L.E. assigned him to do in retrieving the machine without believing it much of a threat. But in that instant the reality of what the machine could do hit him and he didn't want any further demonstration of its power as the possibilities were simply too chilling.

[glennagirl.livejournal.com]

Yes, chilling is a good word. Especially if one were to be as controlled and successfully secretive as Illya is purported to be, the intrusion would set off alarm bells.
Now I'm wondering about a conversation, after the reports were written, between Illya and Napoleon about this machine. Would the Russian admit his concerns from a personal POV, or simply be cavalier about it and toss off his fears of discovery? And would Napoleon be glad it wasn't him the thing was pointed to?

[carabele.livejournal.com]

I don't think the possibilities regarding that machine would ever be discussed between the two men. They were both very private (Napoleon only let the world see what he wanted the public to see), so I think they would both simply never mention it again, once that machine had been destroyed.