Why is Eliot my favorite Leverage character?
Nate, Sophie, Hardison, and Parker are all great at what they do, but they mess up. A lot. In pretty much every episode.
Sure, they can control, grift, hack, and steal, but then what?
What happens when Nate gets so deep into a person's mind that he looses track of himself and all real priorities and tries to drown himself in liquor?
What happens when Sophie gets so into playing the perfect con that she forgets who she truly is and screws up because she was too perfect? Too easy to believe? Too convenient?
What happens when Hardison decides he's done with the man van and tries to run the con on his own; then proceeds to screw the con up in more ways than anyone thought was possible because he tried too hard to prove himself?
What happens when Parker steals way more than she ever should have, or gets into places she shouldn't be in, or totally freaks out because she's afraid she'll let down the team like she did with other people in her past?
They're defenseless. All of them.
Nate can't control his way out of being a total maniac and drinking like a fish.
Sophie can't con her way out of becoming so involved with the con or whatever in the con is sentimental to her that she looses focus on what's really important and blows her cover.
Hardison can't hack his way out of being tied hand and foot to a chair.
Parker can't steal her way out of being held at gunpoint by about ten security guards.
Strong, silent, and deadly.
Of course he gets mad when they screw up, and of course he's going to make sure they know it. But he's always ready at a moment's notice to protect his family. And then afterwards there's no, "Guess what, you were completely screwed and moments away from getting killed and I came storming in there and took out those guys and saved your life. You owe me big time." And yet nobody ever says, "Eliot, thank you so much for all you do for this team. You're the only reason we're not all dead."
But he never asks for thanks. He never brags about how he helped everyone else. He's just quietly watching and waiting for the next time they need him.