What I love about this scene is the way it actually taps into Eugene's potential--as a fencer and as a character. One of the biggest things we learn about Eugene very early on is that he fails, but more importantly, he gets back up and keeps at it. And that was such a cool aspect of him and how he fits on the team that hasn't been tapped until now.
The thing with a character like Eugene is that everyone forgets about him. Scott doesn't even mention Eugene in his breakdown of the Kings Row fencing team:
And Kyle forgets about his existence as he tells Nick that his whole team lost their last round:
But, obviously, Kyle was wrong--Eugene won his last match.
Eugene isn't an x-factor or an underdog. He's not an up-and-comer that's going to spring at you out of nowhere. He's steady, and while everyone else is going through their drama, he continues to trundle along. And it's so forgettable and unremarkable that people forget him. They overlook him. But, slowly, he'll continue to weather the losses and improve because of them. And when Kings Row needs him, he'll be there. And when that's the downfall of an opposing team, it won't be because they didn't see him coming. It will be because they ignored him.
Eugene's stamina--his hardiness--is what he brings to the team, and it's not glamorous or impressive, not in the way that gets the spotlight. But he'll be there, continuing on even when no one's watching, ready to step up when he's needed.
Because it's all about the stamina, my bros.
