Spy wives: The Americans vs. Mr. & Mrs. Smith

GWC Community Geek Deathmatch
#1

Tonight brings the season 1 finale of FX’s excellent The Americans. In honor of the show, this Deathmatch is a battle of the spy wives:

In the blue corner, Angelina Jolie as super spy Jane Smith:

In the red corner, Keri Russell as Russian spy Nadezhda, publicly known as “Elizabeth Jennings” in her long-term undercover role in America:

Elizabeth: Ruthless. Proficient in judo, and we’ve seen her take down guys who are much bigger. Trained in the art of seduction. Proficient in the arts of disguise. Proficient with explosives. Proficient with guns, including sniper rifle. Proficient with surveillance. Keen strategic mind. Proficient with analog-age coding and corresponding communications technologies. So dedicated to her role that she had kids and raised them as Americans, with them never suspecting the truth about their parents. Once used a weaponized umbrella to infect a victim with a potentially lethal biological agent. Will do anything to accomplish her mission.

Jane: Brimming with guile. Proficient in hand-to-hand combat; she fought Brad Pitt to a standstill – and that cat is trained in all kinds of stuff. Trained in the art of seduction. Proficient with all manner of firearms and bladed weapons. Proficient with surveillance. Keen strategic mind. Milennial-era hacking skills. Exudes so much raw hotness that she can cloud minds. Maintained her cover so well that her husband didn’t know about her occupation. Respected leader of her spy team. Couldn’t go through with it when she had her husband & rival dead in her sights.

Jane in action:

//youtu.be/WjkR_AAhLRY

Elizabeth opening a case of whoop-ass. This is the only action clip I could find, but trust me: She’s bad (in a good way). Action starts at 2:10, but the whole clip is worth watching:

//youtu.be/enzv8OM6L2E

Granted: Smith exists in a modern action movie, and she has a superhero level of dexterity, technology, and such. And she rolls with an entire support staff. And Jennings exists in a very realistic 1980s drama, with period-appropriate technology and some backup, but not much.

BUT, say it comes down to a one-on-one conflict: Who wins?

Thanks to Shooter for brainstorming this matchup! (And for convincing me to keep the show on my overloaded DVR.)

#2

NOTE: I had a browser glitch and accidentally voted for Jane AND Elizabeth, but I mean Elizabeth. Jane may have superior action-movie skills, but Elizabeth will stop at nothing. So Jolie should have one fewer vote.

#3

Assuming no weapons and hand to hand…that’s actually a tough one…both women are ruthless fighters…but Jane doesnt have the mother protector instinct that Elizabeth does. If Jane threatened her kids…Jane would get messed up…badly. I vote Elizabeth

#4

I have yet to watch The Americans so I’ll defer from this match.

I’ll vote For Elizabeth, just to reset the dfx skew (good punk band name btw) mentioned above.

So it should be a Wash.

OB

#5

The Americans is an amazing show. Can two countries survive and deal with each other without destroying the world? Can two people survive in a marriage when placed in roles as spies that place total, incredible pressures and burdens on them?

I voted Elizabeth. That clip shows …(.though it is spoiler-y so beware)…shows the shear rage that comes up in Elizabeth at the notion that her loyalty to Mother Russia could be in question…after all she’s sacrificed.

Elizabeth is stronger than everyone around her in every way. But she’s human, struggling.

#6

Have them both bathed and brought to my tent, please. I’ll be in my bunk…uh…waiting. kthxbye.

-Trey

#7

This is a very difficult choice indeed. Even though both of these women are the absolute experts at the top of the world in all things spycraft I think there are two distinctive factors to take into consideration. I’ll give Elizabeth Jennings the very slight edge in subterfuge and guise. Both ladies fooled family members, neighbors and friends alike but Elizabeth not only had children but raised them as Americans - her sworn enemy. IN. CRED. ABLE.

Everything else is pretty equal across the board, but I’ll give Jane Smith the slight edge in weaponry. It’s not that Elizabeth isn’t capable. She’s amazingly and uncannily adroit in hand-to-hand, knife fighting and guns. But so far we’ve seen Jane Smith use more complex and sophisticated high powered weapons in one single 2 hour movie than Elizabeth has used in 13 hours of TV episodes. So for that I’ll give the weaponry edge to Jane.

I wouldn’t want to cross either of these characters. But in a Geek Deathmatch, where I assume there will be fighting involved, I’ll have to choose the operative with the slight weaponry edge over the operative with the slight subterfuge edge. And that’s who I will vote for.

However, in a longer, protracted contest? I’ll take Elizabeth. Her staying power and perseverance speak to me. Jane strikes me as a woman with a short fuse.

#8

I’ll be honest, I’ve seen Mr. and Mrs. Smith, and not seen the Americans. However, Keri Russell holds a special place in my heart, Angelina Jolie is a freakish stage troll. Vote goes to Keri, because she is smoking hot, and Angelina Jolie is not.

(not my usual level of analysis, but I am participating!)

#9

Stop. Freeze. Nobody move. …Angelina Jolie is not hot!? Is this the first time we have EVER disagreed on a woman? :eek: (and for the record, I think they’re both hot)