We're back for Part 2 of the Ilia Malinin deep dive, and this one hits different.

We open with some math, bad math actually, because before we can talk about what happened at the Olympics, we need to establish exactly who we're dealing with and how many hours of work got him there. Spoiler: it's an unhinged number.

Then we let Ilia himself set the tone. In his own words, from a recent appearance, he tells us exactly what this whole journey has meant to him; and honestly he describes the thesis of this entire podcast better than I ever could.

Then we go back to Milan. To the free skate. To the moment the most inevitable gold medal in decades just... didn't happen. We talk about what it was actually like to watch that unfold, why it was so hard to see, and why he can still look adorable even when he's devastated. Quite the accomplishment.

From there we get into what came after; how the world reacted with compassion instead of cruelty, and why that's not an accident. We talk about Simone Biles and the cultural shift she helped create that made space for a 21 year old to fall apart publicly and be met with grace instead of criticism.

And then we talk about what Ilia actually did with it. The grace. The sportsmanship. The way he handled the media when they came for him immediately after. The way he showed up anyway, every single time, and inspired everyone around him in the process. The way he deals with failure is honestly one of the most inspiring things I've ever watched, and I really don't think I will ever be over it. In the best way.

This is the episode that turned me from a fangirl into someone who is genuinely moved by this person. I hope it does the same for you.