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{{quote|''"My name is Michael Westen. I used to be a spy."''}}
Burned spy and all-around badass who loves his mom, sunglasses, yogurt, and things blowing up.
* [[Abusive Dad]]: Michael's dad used to beat him, in part because Michael antagonized him to keep his attentions off little brother Nate.
** Because of his tough childhood, Michael is fiercely protective of children (see Berserk Button below).
*** In one episode, the Baddie of the Week is an abusive father, and Michael adopts the persona of someone who would have the motivation and opportunity to gutpunch the dude mercilessly and often.
*** In another episode, a baddie takes advantage of Michael's history by pretending to be an abused wife trying to find her son. This works until she [[Oh Crap|pulls a gun]] and tries to kill Michael and what is now his client.
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* [[Berserk Button]]: Michael frequently talks about the need to stay emotionally detached, but he will always take clients solely because kids are involved. It's a sore spot for him and has happened no less than 8 times.
{{quote|'''Madeline''': For two little kids getting smacked around by their father? Michael would take on the entire Chinese army.}}
** His other [[Berserk Button]] is Fiona, as anyone who harms her finds out.
* [[Big Brother Instinct]]: Michael has this toward Nate.
* [[Big Brother Mentor]]: Michael, as above. At least, when Nate is willing to be mentored.
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** In one case, he blew his own cover because the guy he was working with was really a [[Thief With A Heart Of Gold]].
** Michael almost mentions this trope by name when, after Sam asks him what the plan is, replies with a hasty "I'm making this up as I go."
** Sam [[
* [[Jerk with a Heart of Gold]]: To anybody other than family and friends, Michael appears to be a pretty big jerk. However, he has a genuine soft spot for kids, ''especially'' when it comes to kids and their relationship to their fathers.
* [[Keep the Reward]]: Michael sure does refuse payment a ''lot,'' though he usually ends up keeping enough to cover expenses. A maddeningly frequent plot formula is "Michael grudgingly accepts a job because he needs the money. Michael does the job. Michael refuses to take any money."
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* [[Omniglot]]: Subverted. Michael is fluent in Arabic, Russian, Persian, and Czech, has recently learned French and German, and even speaks a bit of Urdu. However, even though he grew up in Miami, he doesn't speak a lick of Spanish.
{{quote|'''Michael''': En Inglés, por fa... please!}}
** The season 4 finale reveals {{spoiler|[[Philippines|Tagalog]]}} is also one he doesn't know (or at least
* [[Parental Abandonment]]: Due to his father's abuse, his mother's weirdness, his own dangerous line of work and his brother's gambling issue, Michael makes an effort to avoid his family. He mentions that a lot of spies are this way.
* [[Quick Draw]]: He's only demonstrated it once, as he prefers not to kill unless he absolutely has to, but he outdrew a man who ''already had his gun drawn and aimed''. That's quick<ref>It was Strickler, who didn't have his finger on the trigger, because he was attempting to get Michael to stand down.</ref>.
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* [[See You in Hell]]: Michael's dad's last words to him, and his last words to {{spoiler|Anson}}.
* [[Sharp-Dressed Man]]: Oh yes. He tries to wear tieless light-colored Armani suits whenever possible.
* [[Showy Invincible Hero]]: The show is split into 2 storylines. A: Michael helps a Miami local with a problem and, B: Michael tracks down the expert spies and government officials who burned him. A main draw of the show is how well Michael conquers the everyday crooks in the A-line, often having to deal with unpredictable scenarios when the criminals don't do what he expects them to do. Still, he always comes out on top and with style.
* [[Shrouded in Myth]]: In Russia at least (and probably elsewhere). As far as the Russians are concerned, [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1M2FrnlNH9s he's some sort of mystical bogeyman].
{{quote|'''Michael:''' I'm Michael Westen. Yes, THAT one.}}
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* [[Trademark Favorite Food]]: Yogurt.
* [[Tranquil Fury]]: If Michael's yelling, it's probably because he's pretending to be someone else. If he's ''not'', it certainly doesn't mean he's not [[Unstoppable Rage|pissed]].
** Demonstrated excellently in "Out of the Fire" (toward {{spoiler|Larry}}, who knows ''exactly'' how much he's pissed off Michael), and in "Last Stand", when {{spoiler|Vaughn reveals he has Madeline held hostage}}.
* [[Vigilante Man]]: Michael can seem like a more elegant form of this at times.
* [[Wig, Dress, Accent]]: Most of Michael's disguises, though he usually just restyles his hair instead of getting a wig. The personae he adopts are what sells them.
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** To an extent, Sam also has a thing about serious betrayals of friendship or messing with his friends. He will stand by and help his friends even if it means getting into trouble himself. For him, a friend in need is his highest priority and he'll try very hard not to screw over his friends. There are many examples, subtle and otherwise, but it's a large part of "Breach of Faith" and "Dead or Alive".
* [[Casanova]]: [[Bruce Campbell|Perfectly understandable]].
* [[The Cavalry]]: Tends to get to be this a lot.
* [[Chivalrous Pervert]]
* [[Cool Old Guy]]
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{{quote|''You know spies - bunch of bitchy little girls.''}}
* [[Drink Order]]: Sam likes his mojitos and beer.
* [[Go
* [[Friendly Sniper]]: Though all four members of Team Westen are capable of it, Sam most often takes this role. Put to epic and awesome [[Big Damn Heroes]] use in "Out of the Fire" when {{spoiler|just as Larry's going to kill Michael, a red dot appears on his chest and Sam calls Michael's cell begging to shoot the guy.}}
* [[Hawaiian-Shirted Tourist]]
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* [[Oops, I Forgot I Was Married]]: Sam Axe, ever the sharp tack, only remembers this little detail after his girlfriend pops the question.
* [[Perma-Stubble]]
* [[Obfuscating Stupidity]]: Probably the best of Team Westen at this, and embodies it completely. The initial impression one gets of him is a slightly overweight womanizer who chugs beers and has about as much insight as a sixth grader. While the first part is fairly accurate, one learns over the course of the series that he's a former Navy SEAL, has numerous contacts across multiple government agencies, and can be just as manipulative and technologically proficient as Michael or Fi.
* [[Retired Badass]]: At the start of the series. The Sam-centric TV movie takes place before he's washed out of the Navy.
* [[The Nicknamer]]: Played subtly. While everyone else calls Michael Westen "Michael", even Fiona, Nate, and Maddie, Sam calls him "Mike" or "Mikey". He also calls Madeline "Maddie" while Fi tends to go with "your mom" or "Madeline" and Jesse prefers the more formal "Mrs. Westen".
* [[The Scrounger]]: Sam doesn't really pay for food or booze much.
* [[Watch the Paint Job]]: His cars inevitably get totaled by Michael in the line of duty.
* [[Would Hit a Girl]]: But only after she tried to take away his shotgun and beat him up.
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* [[Parental Substitute]]: To Jesse.
* [[Team Mom]]: Even though she can't cook.
* [[Took a Level
** Best demonstrated in "The Hunter", where Sam and Fiona are interrogating a pilot to find out where Michael has been taken. Sam gives up the questioning when the pilot makes it clear he's not afraid of anything, and goes to think through new options with Fiona. Madeline calmly walks out to the garage where he's being kept, lights a cigarette, and comes back 4 minutes later with the coordinates, having not even had to TOUCH the pilot.
** There's an excellent moment in the season 3.5 opener, "A Dark Road", when she {{spoiler|outright blackmails a woman she's become friends with because the woman possesses information that Michael needs to save lives. She hates it, but she stonewalls the woman and gets the files.}}
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{{quote|'''Madeline''': Sam, let me remind you you're sleeping in my guestroom. You call me or God as my witness I will smother you in your sleep.
'''Sam''': Okay, we'll call! }}
** Season Four has her delivering multiple [[What the Hell, Hero?]] moments to Michael, helping Sam blackmail a senator, searching a suspect's house, distracting a cemetery guard for Fiona, and pulling a [[Crowning Moment of Funny]] / [[Crowning Moment of Awesome]] [[Stealth Hi Bye]] on Michael and Jesse. Maddie has become a full-fledged [[Badass]].
** Season Five's "Bloodlines" sets a whole new record for Maddie. Successful undercover operation, where she poses as a nurse to a Yakuza drug lord? Check. Keeping her cover while her son masquerades as his father and reenacts the abuse she used to suffer? Check. Pulling a faked escape with said drug lord and after he leads Team Westen to his hideout, triple-crossing him and holding him at gunpoint with a shotgun? CHECK.
*** Later in S5, she's searching a house for evidence and picking the locks in the process.
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* [[Bruce Wayne Held Hostage]]: Alongside [[Enemy Mine|Michael]] in "Bad Breaks".
* [[Fire-Forged Friends]]: After the events of Bad Breaks, he actually helps Michael and they part amicably
* [[Foreshadowing]]: When Michael tries to tell him he didn't really deserve to be burned, Bly momentarily loses his cool and tells Michael he [[Karma Houdini|should be in jail]]. Later we find out what the government thinks Michael did. [[Complete Monster|Bly was really understating the case.]]
* [[Jerk with a Heart of Gold]]: Or at least of a somewhat reasonable person.
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=== Tyler Brennen (Jay Karnes) ===
An arms dealer who constantly makes trouble for Team Westen.
* [[Arms Dealer]]
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* [[Porn Stache]]
* [[Psycho Psychologist]]: While affiliated with Internal Affairs, he analyzed spies like Michael to determine whether they should be burned; This became the seed for the burned spies organization. Unbeknown to Michael, he also stood in as his parents' therapist.
* [[Smug Snake]]: Becomes incredibly smug and cocky when his true nature is revealed. Given his sheer skill at manipulation, [[Insufferable Genius|he may have the right to]].
* [[Waistcoat of Style]]
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{{reflist}}
[[Category:Burn Notice]]▼
[[Category:Characters]]
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