After much heating and some heavy duty suction, we have liftoff!

Alas, we seem to be tethered to the launchpad: a thin cable for the front-facing camera keeps us from immediate opening success.

A bit of deft spudgering is called for.

With the camera cable dispatched, we're able to open the Pixel C, with the wide display data ribbon cable still attached.

And get a look at that adhesive—thick, gooey, and plentiful. No wonder this was a tough nut to crack.