Nikita and Amanda, my God. I really hope there is lots of messed-up femslash for them somewhere. I'm not sure it's the only way I want to see them - in fact I know it's not, the gen maternal thing is also fascinating - but I'd love to see that as one take on the way they engage with each other, the way Amanda made Nikita who she is and yet didn't make her, the way Nikita evidently grew to trust and respect her, the way Amanda feels possessive of her as a result. Amanda spares Nikita's life, and then Nikita plays Amanda's emotions - the way Amanda taught her - to make her do it again, then when she has Amanda at her mercy, spares her life. It was one of those 'did that just happen?' moments. It would be obvious the other way around - Amanda pretending to be dying, playing on Nikita's past affection for her, shameless manipulation all around. But this time it's Nikita, and that means Amanda believes her.
And Amanda and Ari. How often do you see the evil villains depicted as having what seems as far as I can tell to be an affectionate and genuine relationship with each other? At the end the Amanda/Ari, Nikita/Michael parallels were being pretty explicitly drawn, and if this is meant to be viewed as dysfunctional, it's not apparent yet. Amanda and her 'don't worry, I'll save you' when Ari's world falls apart, and then when that doesn't work out and she gets kicked in the teeth by Percy, he finds a way to save her instead. I loved him bringing her the black box, it was oddly adorable (and it should be fairly obvious that I am also a sucker for a character whose appearance perfectly fits the description 'harmless puppy-dog' even when he's cold-bloodedly shooting his boss in the head). I mean, they're both selling out everyone who relies on them and trusts them as fast as possible for their own gain, and it wouldn't surprise me if they sell each other out in the end, but still, they're fascinating. And as well matched in their way as Nikita and Michael. But there does not appear to be any Ari/Amanda 'you and me against the world' fic anywhere. On the other hand, it looks like canon will probably provide, over the next few episodes.
Crossposted at http://philomytha.dreamwidth.org/97