Napoleon And Illya's Fighting Analysis

For this media fight analysis, I will be studying Napoleon Solo and Illya Kuryakin from the 1960’s television series, The Man from U.N.C.L.E. In addition to fighting with guns and a myriad of other weapons, Napoleon and Illya primarily use hand-to-hand combat against their opponents stemming from traditional boxing and Judo. The primary goal for their methods of fighting is to subdue their opponents instead of causing serious injury or death. When death does occur, it is usually in the form of self-defense, necessity, or the opponent is killed by an error in their own weapons, such as poison or killer bees.
Napoleon’s and Illya’s fighting style is a blend between traditional boxing and judo. Known for mostly using punches and evasive footwork instead of an emphasis on kicking, boxing has evolved dramatically over history. Historians have found evidence that the earliest form of boxing was created in 4000 BCE in North Africa, spreading to Greece and Rome as a spectator sport. In 1681, boxing was first documented in Britain, and it was in 1743 when there were actual rules to prevent deaths in the sport. A few signature moves of boxing are crosses,
Napoleon and Illya are clearly trained to fight, disarm, and possibly kill their opponents if necessary. They do not to kill right away because it is their goal to apprehend the enemy and bring them to justice. Their fighting style shows that they are able to defend and attack, but it also shows that they are not perfect in their execution. In some cases, Napoleon and Illya make mistakes in their fighting which end with them being captured or having an opponent escape to make an appearance later in the series. In other scenarios, the two spies are paired up with bigger and stronger opponents, forcing them to adjust their moves to achieve their goals and evoke sympathy from the audience, who root for the charming, underdog