Burn Notice (TV Series)

Bloodlines (2011)

Jeffrey Donovan: Michael Westen

Photos 

Quotes 

• Michael Westen : [narrative]  Using civilians in undercover operations is all about emotional manipulation, so it's your job to help them be who they need to be, feel what they need to feel, by any means necessary.

• Michael Westen : Are you out of your mind, Ma? You *can't* go in there...

  Madeline Westen : I can.

  Michael Westen : [shaking her, screaming into her face]  You do as I tell you!

  Madeline Westen : [pulling free, angry]  Damn it! Don't tell me what I can't do! You can play your father in there, but not out here.

• Madeline Westen : [takes a couple bills and hands the rest to Michael]  Here. Use that to fix up your dad's Charger.

  Michael Westen : Maybe it's time to just leave the past in the past.

  Madeline Westen : Maybe it's time to stare the past down and deal with it, Michael. It happened, for better or for worse. It made us who we are. All you can do now is look towards the future.

• [first lines] 

  ["Somewhere in the Costa Rican jungle", a pair of dirtbikes race through] 

  Michael Westen : [narrative]  When you're pursuing someone, it's tempting to focus exclusively on overtaking the other person. It's often better to force the person you're chasing to go faster than the terrain allows and wait for them to make a mistake. But even when a chase ends, you can never assume the other person will give up without a fight.

  Michael Westen : It's over.

  [other biker removes helmet revealing...] 

  Fiona Glenanne : It's not over, Michael. One more time.

  Michael Westen : No. That was our tie-breaker, Fi.

  Fiona Glenanne : Best out of five, then.

  Michael Westen : Hate to see you lose again.

  [Michael reaches down to help her up. Fi takes his hand, but kicks his feet out from under him, then straddles him] 

  Michael Westen : Ohh! Fi!

  Fiona Glenanne : Yes, you would. I can be a very sore loser.

• Michael Westen : [narrative]  Intelligence agencies spend more money *protecting* secrets than stealing them, but no digital encryption or biometrically locked vaults can keep sensitive information from spilling out of an indiscreet asset's mouth, which is why one of the most common duties for a spy is babysitting.

• Fiona Glenanne : [sighs]  Well, the balcony's big enough to lay prone with a sniper rifle, but there's really no obvious place for my snow globes. What do you think, Michael?

  [Michael stares out at the surf] 

  Fiona Glenanne : Michael?

  Michael Westen : Huh? Yeah, I think so.

  [Clearly he's wasn't listening] 

  Fiona Glenanne : You think what?

  [Michael's cellphone rings] 

  Michael Westen : I think... I got to take this. Yeah, Jesse?... I'll meet you there in 15 minutes.

  Fiona Glenanne : You think what?

  Michael Westen : I think... we gotta go. Jesse wants to meet.

  [Realtor's footsteps approach] 

  Michael Westen : I'll wait outside.

  Realtor : Where did your friend go?

  Fiona Glenanne : Oh, I'm afraid we haven't quite captured his attention today. But this isn't for him. It's for me. So maybe you and I can meet up again Monday?

  Realtor : Oh, no problem. You know, and don't worry. Lots of men don't really focus until it's time to negotiate.

  Fiona Glenanne : Yeah, well, that man doesn't focus unless an international conspiracy is threatening to ruin his life.

  Realtor : [chuckles nervously]  Hmm.

• Michael Westen : [narrative]  Covert security is all about making friends. You have to give yourself a plausible reason to be near your target. Some of the most important secrets in the world have been protected by a guy with a few stories and a drink in his hand.

• Michael Westen : [narrative]  Controlling an unruly asset is tough, especially when women and alcohol are combined, which is why, as a general rule, you don't even try to control the hunter - you just scare off the prey.

• Michael Westen : [narrative]  Interrogating a captive isn't just about what you know about *them*, it's what they know about *you*: if they think you're cops, they'll behave one way; if they think you're rivials, they'll behave another. It's a choice you only get to make once, so you have to do your homework and get it right the first time.

• Michael Westen : [narrative]  When you can't keep an asset away from his favorite vice, it's often better to supply him with a safe target, which is one reason why female operatives are trained in how to keep men interested while fending them off like Aikido masters.

• Michael Westen : [narrative]  A necessary evil that goes along with being a spy is maintaining frendships with all sorts of unsavory people, like drug dealers, for example.

  Sugar : [knocking on door]  Yo, Mikey! Mikeeey!

  Michael Westen : "Mikey"? Really, Sugar? Try it again.

  Sugar : [as door closes]  Uh...

  Michael Westen : [narrative]  Of course, some friendships are friendlier than others.

  [Sugar knocks again. Michael opens the door] 

  Sugar : Michael, hey. I got over here as quick as I could. Hospital-grade amphetamines and phenobarbital. What kind of party you got going on in here, huh?

  Michael Westen : Time to go, Sugar. Consider us *almost* even.

  Sugar : Hold it. Hold on. I feel it'd be irresponsible of me to hand that over to you without a consult.

  [pause] 

  Sugar : [laughing]  It's gonna knock ya flat! But in a good way.

  [Michael closes door] 

  Sugar : [happy]  Yeah. Okay.

• Michael Westen : [narrative]  The work of a spy doesn't always involve undermining people. Oftentimes, the solution to a problem is simply convincing someone to behave like a better human being, but it may take more than a stern lecture.

• Michael Westen : [narrative]  The most advanced directional microphones can capture human speech at distances of 200 meters. So long as you have a clear line of sight on your target, there's nothing better for eavesdropping on a private conversation.

• Michael Westen : [narrative]  When tailing someone dangerous, it's a good idea to give yourself an innocent-sounding reason to be following your target. Most of the time, you won't need it, but if it turns out your target is on to you...

  Hiroshi : Why are you following us?

  Michael Westen : [narrative]  you'll *really* need it.

  Sam Axe : [pulling out the watch he'd slipped off his wrist]  Whoa, whoa. Hey, guys, I think one of you left this on the table in there. I mean, she's a beaut. I would hate to lose a watch like this, you know, if she were mine.

  Hiroshi : [takes watch with his right hand, which is also conspicuously wearing a gold watch]  Yes. That is mine. Thank you.

  [they walk off with the watch, both chuckling] 

  Sam Axe : Okay, they just stole my watch.

• [last lines] 

  Michael Westen : I got you something.

  [Michael walks over to a horizontal plank of wood] 

  Fiona Glenanne : Lumber?

  Michael Westen : It's a shelf. I mean, it's going to be a shelf. I was hoping...

  Michael Westen : [reaches into a bag]  you could...

  Michael Westen : [pulls out something and shakes it]  put your snow globes on it.

  [He *was* listening!] 

  Michael Westen : It is a new job, Fi, but it's not a new life. I like my life, and I want to live it with you... here. That's what I was trying to say. I want you to move in. What do you think?

  [they kiss] 

• Michael Westen : "Who am I?" doesn't matter. All you need to know is that your good friend Takada, has been captured?

  Hiroshi : How you know this?

  Michael Westen : Because I'm the one who captured him.

  [Sam, Fiona, and Jesse enter behind Hiroshi] 

  Sam Axe : What's Japanese for "drop your weapons?"

  Jesse Porter : Well, maybe something like this.

  [Jesse cambers his weapon] 

  Fiona Glenanne : No. I think it's this.

  [Fiona hits Hiroshi with her shotgun]