Round Table - Neptune Affair

[glennagirl.livejournal.com]

The Neptune  Affair is one of those pivotal episodes in which we firmly establish that Illya Kuryakin is, indeed, a Soviet agent whose affiliation with his country is still intact.  He hasn't defected and he is not at all adrift from his homeland.  In fact, he is seen in uniform as a member of the Soviet Navy, something that comes across as a true vocation for him when he goes toe to toe with Napoleon over the origins of the plague that is affecting crops in the Soviet Union.
So, with all of that in motion, should the series have delved more deeply into the Soviet nature of our blond?  I think there are maybe only two other instances where it is referenced that Illya is Russian; Napoleon's 'smart Russian' comment (The Never, Never Affair), and another one I can't exactly quote or place.  Maybe one of you remembers where to find it.
Did we need more Cold War interaction between our heroes?
Do you have a favorite story that does go into this element of the series?

Comments

[st-crispins.livejournal.com]

Definitely agree. Years ago, when the episodes were just being seen again, some folks argued that IK was undercover in that uniform. But the scene that follows in which he explains to Napoleon about the devastating impact on the Soviet wheat crop [which BTW, historically did happen] leaves no doubt that this is his homeland. He is Soviet.

There are other hints, in the Love Aff [start the revolution etc. comments about bourgeoisie] in Girls of Nazarone where NS refers to him as tovarisch, in Terbuf in which IK teases Solo about appearing so American [Terbuf is probably behind the Iron Curtain; so is the country in Dove and Strigas].

NBC would not allow them to go further. This was, after all, only 2 years after the Cuban Missile Crisis. But sophisticated audiences got the sly references. These all slowly disappeared by third season when what was clearly the Soviet premier visited NY and didn't treat IK as a fellow countryman. Sam Rolfe was gone; they were hiring comedy writers and even worse, Boris Ingster was in charge.

But that's why I want to bang my head against a wall when some folks on FB, who have never been around the fandom, want to maintain once again that IK is not Soviet. Jeez, what the hell is wrong with you? Are you still 12?

Anyway, the new movie, for better or worse, will fix that once and for all.

As for stories, I've written extensively on IK's Soviet background in the St. Crispin's universe. My fav Soviet IK stories are by N.L. Hayes who knew what she was writing about.