Note: + Indicates Character survives; # Indicates character dies
Marion Raven (Jill Ireland)
Harold Buffington # (John Van Dreelen) Dispatched by IK gunshot.
Gervaise Ravel + (Anne Francis)
Manuera (James Frawley) – Corrupt police lieutenant
Gervaise Ravel and Buffington are the same team of villains that appear in the Quadripartite Affair, and Marion Raven returns as the innocent. Both villains escaped in Quadripartite, but Buffington dies in this one and Ravel is captured.
Solo quotes Shakespeare, and we discover, by inference at least, that he is a very astute chess player. The name of the episode refers to a chess move used to force one’s opponent to prematurely expose his queen to danger.
NS is clearly the boss here—he even snaps his fingers at IK. However, though he takes control over Marion's part in the affair, he doesn't flirt with her. IK does—lots of smiles.
Ravel and Buffington once again are out to rule the world. Episode begins with "cocky" agent (the Mr. Smith in the credits?)(who AW later tells NS is a lot like him) getting killed by Ravel & Buffington in copter. At HQ, NS says they need to draw their attention but he'd be killed immediately by Ravel & Buffington; AW tells him that would help "only Mr. Kuryakin—who's next in line for promotion." UNCLE decides to recruit Marion Raven to act as bait; at party in her apartment, she comments to IK "after all this time"—at least several months have passed, because Marion has gotten on with her life without daddy (killed in Quadripartite). Told the plan, she protests (and overacts) and agrees. Cute party scene—by the end of the episode we'll see Norman Felton as chess player and Sam Rolfe as "Texan."
NS and Marion arrive in South America (?) and IK greets them in scary mask, after nicely climbing a drainpipe. (She is jealous when they focus on business.) They set up Marion to be kidnapped after giving her a homing device in a necklace and after she has undergone some minor procedure back in NY—a transmitter in her arm, we later learn. IK kills at least two bad guys early on, no sleep darts. NS tells Lt. Manuera, a cop with a big family to support, that he needs help.
Marion rides burro up mountain (sidesaddle) and toys with the tracking necklace, which Ravel immediately rips off of her. Buffington meets NS at café in town and NS, disarmed and masked, goes to their yacht. Ravel wants info about NS's organization—she doesn't mention UNCLE—in exchange for Marion. NS tells her of giuoco piano gambit, points a cute lighter/gun (can fire two bullets) at her, and says his "white knight" has already gone to save his queen. They go up to check on Lt. Manuera, a woman at the crowded party grabs and kisses NS--and another woman smoothly has taken the place of Ravel behind mask.
On mountain with Marion, Buffington. says he knows Ravel wants him for his money, but perhaps she'll weep at his grave and he'll know it was love. Ravel and doctor show up and remove the subcutaneous transmitter. NS has been left on yacht rigged to explode, guarded by turn-coat Manuera, but NS rescue him anyway.
Marion gets away and IK kills Buffington. Ravel weeps. IK and Marion climb higher on mountain, chased by cheesy Indians. NS is on ridge behind them, sends them back to town (he continues to clearly call the shots, so to speak), and kills several Indians. Back in town, IK and Marion are stopped by Manuera, who is being directed by NS, behind a pillar. Ravel shows up and Manuera turns gun on NS, having again switched sides (that large family, you know), but NS has anticipated that and agents pop out from everywhere. NS rubs in the loss of Buffington to Ravel.
Back to four-day old party at Marion's apartment. IK and NS show up and she kicks NS out, wanting to protect her poor IK from his ilk. He follows out a blonde, of course.