HEATED RIVALRY WEEK
Day 6 - Favourite Scene
Ilya opening up about his family
CHARACTER ANALYSIS
Nick and Cody were really good at dissecting the Russian side of Heated Rivalry. Nick is Russian. He also teaches it. It was interesting to hear his take on Ilya using the formal version of father in 1x02. He didn't understand why Ilya had chosen that. Cody reminded him that Ilya's dad was very stern in 1x01. It was later on when Nick heard that Ilya's dad was police that the light bulb went on. Nick did say that by the end of 1x04 that Connor's Russian had vastly improved. He gives him a 7/10 for fluency which is very impressive.
Omn1media's empathy is a beautiful thing. He clocked right from the start in Episode 1 that something was off with Ilya's family. He saw that the bravado aka asshole was actually a cover for his real feelings. The character analysis that he does for Ilya in each of his reviews is everything. The last gif was his reaction to Ilya finally letting down his walls. Below is his full commentary on the scene. I know I've posted it before but I love it.
I just think like in that moment man the last time for a moment (Ilya) was trying not to think about everything else. And I think that is when he started to make those moves. He started to ask those questions. He started to have an open dialogue. He invited him to stay over in the morning. He got him stuff. He was doing all the things. I think he got used to this idea of being at a distance but then he got that call and the Shane stuff, the Rose stuff, and then him going back home – then he reset. It was like he was almost there and then Shane’s freak-out sent him going back into defence mode. And it is like his level reset. And we’re back here. OMG dude. The walls. Cause he feels it too. We’ve seen it too. Everything is like just a way to shield himself from getting too close to somebody because he loses so much if that gets out. He can never go home. He can’t see his family. His family would cast him out likely. And then there’s the aspect, its not just his family. In the US I’ve had people I know, I’ve had friends who have come out, and they couldn’t. Once that happened they got kicked out of their homes, had to go stay with other family members, sometimes even just friends. Its this thing that happens but its not just that over there. Its not just an expulsion or rejection from your family but also from your country. Your country condemns it. There’s so many f**king levels to it that he’s just like he can indulge in private, in secret as much as he wants. But when he truly wants and cares for something, its just like he has to convince himself that he doesn’t want it. This might be my favourite little moment in the show so far. - Omn1media's character analysis of Ilya.
