OK, got to call a little foul on the whole taser thing. What if he'd nailed parker in the shoulder, or the back of the neck? Otherwise, a very fun con.

Also liked a little more insight into Elliot (whether he was abused or not doesn't matter - the fact that it matters to him when kids are does).

Parker didn't have another role in the con. Even if he'd gotten her for real, they could have just grabbed her and taken her to a safe place.

I read people who thought something from last week's episode made it clear that Eliot had been physically abused as a kid, but I don't remember what it was. Parker was the one that noticed abuse signs in the orphan in the Eastern European episode last season, so I'm not sure if they mean to go with half their criminals abused. Not that I know what the numbers are.

Eliot clearly recognized the signs in the little boy, so he probably had an allegedly stable home life. Parker grew up in foster care, right?

Parker grew up in foster care, right?

Yep. Her and Hardison, although his was happy.

I thought that Hardison grew up with his grandmother?

I seem to recall the conversation between him and Parker starting with her saying that, and him saying that's just what they called her.

I don't know how I feel about Eliot (potentially) being abused as a kid. I'd kind of like him to be a badass just because he's a badass.

My first thought is that the people who are finding reasons to believe Eliot was abused are looking for them so that they can believe he's got a reason to be who he is that is other than he's a badass.

One of the reasons I like these characters is that they are thieves and liars, not angels or even people looking for redemption, and I hope that never changes. They love the con, the control, the manipulation, and the money.

My first thought is that the people who are finding reasons to believe Eliot was abused are looking for them so that they can believe he's got a reason to be who he is that is other than he's a badass.

I have no problem with him just being a badass. The reason I suspect a history of abuse was how he sussed out what was going on with the kid in a very short time, and from a little bit of a distance. I also wouldn't be surprised if the show just leaves it as a bit of an open question.