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Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: The Laws of Inferno Dynamics

 “Agent Johnson saved us all.”

After a stellar half season, this Winter Finale or whatever we’re supposed to call these episodes was a bit of a letdown.

This season has been so methodical and well-paced but this episode felt like at least two possibly three episodes of plot gobbledegook smushed into forty two minutes. Now, was I ever going to be invested in Eli’s evil plot? No. Would I have liked a better explanation of what it was, why he wanted to do it, and how he was doing it? Yeah. But that’s not my biggest complaint. I feel like the episode really shorted the characters, particularly my beloved Daisy.

I am ecstatic that she’s officially Agent Johnson again but I’m not entirely thrilled with how it happened. Mace basically forced her into rejoining the team, regardless of her personal feelings on the matter when I felt that it should have been Daisy getting over her self-destruction arc and realizing she belongs with her family. We did get a bit of that but I really wish the initial decision had been Daisy’s and Daisy’s alone. I also would have loved some acknowledgement of what she’s been going through by the rest of the team. Yeah, they admitted she saved the day today but I still feel like they haven’t forgiven her for her reaction to Lincoln’s death. But, hey, you can’t always get what you want. Cue music.

Further disappointing was Ghost Rider’s... end? Was it an end? Coulson said that “the last Ghost Rider [made it back],” indicating a familiarity with the Ghost Rider phenomenon that hadn’t been hinted at before. Of course, it’s totally possible he’s come across a Ghost Rider before, but weird he hadn’t mentioned it until now. I wanted more for Robbie. I mean, is he coming back? Has Gabriel Luna been confirmed for any more episodes? I really loved Robbie and I was not ready to say goodbye.

What I did like: the Mack and Elena romance FINALLY got off the ground for reals. Yay!! And so did Philinda... sort of... oh, god. So I guess we figured out what Aida was doing last week. She was designing a Life Model Decoy of May with which she replaced the real May. Ahhh! Okay, so I obviously have questions. I think we’re safe in assuming the switch took place when May went to collect Aida. Does Radcliffe know? Is that even the real Radcliffe? This opens up so many possibilities for the rest of the season and I don’t know about you, but I’m excited.

Intel and Assets

--Daisy gets new gauntlets so she can power up again.

Mace: “Okay, forget about the fact that I was mildly attracted to her. That totally goes against the Sokovia Accords. Doesn’t anyone remember Ultron?”

Robbie: “Yo, I’m not wearing a mask, man.”
Mack: “It’s not a mask, it’s a balaclava.”
Robbie: “Thought that was a dessert.”

Fitz: “I do not like magic. Or clowns. Or clowns with knives, in the dark.”

Coulson: “Time for Plan B. Anyone? Feel free to chime in.”

Coulson: “You’re drunk on power or drinking your own Kool-Aid or drunk on Powerade, I don’t know.”
---
sunbunny

3 comments:

  1. I liked it, actually. It didn't feel like cramming together a few episodes; to me it was more like cutting the crap. Which is absolutely great.

    It seems like Aida is a problem that solves itself. I mean, she got a jump on May, but... keeping her that way? Melinda freaking May? Absolutely not. And then May would be there to kick her android ass, and, well... no more Ultron wannabes.

    I've never read the comics, but AFAIK Daisy is the head of S.H.I.E.L.D. there, right?

    Loved FitzSimmons gunning down that mook together.

    Mace did look good. I always liked him; and it seems like he might get this team that trusts.

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  2. I thought the episode was pretty basic and straight forward...Infact Everyone was in one place so they could tell self contained stories in one location, i don't get how it could feel like there was too much...They temporarily slowed two storylines and brought the other to the fore..(This has been the AOS model since season 2)

    The Ghost Rider(who will most likely get his own show let alone just a special guest in the season) and Daisy's Storyline's are obviously not finished so i found there temporary resolutions excellent.

    Eli was actually refreshing..He had no end the world or domination plan..He turned out to be no more than an extremely disgruntled employee who gained unimaginable power.. Similar to Loki in a way..The reasoning may be petty but its an extremely human one and makes no less sense than the usual bad guy plans.

    Unlike the Cw shows which hit you over the head at every turn ( see Barry vs Cisco and its resolution) Shield always shows far more understated and with actual subtlety. Daisy's return to the team is not yet complete and i expect she will have a fair amount of episodes trying to get used to the new status quo, new rules and new ranks.
    In this episode for example you saw Fitz and Coulson warming up to her again after initial anger and disappointment in the reunions...(which was episodes ago) Daisy has been 'back' since episode 5.
    That scene with Mace and Daisy was brilliant and in character for both..He does not really want her back officially and she probably would not have returned yet but they both knew that was the only way out of the situation. Mace actually grew on me alot this episode, his transitions between faux Captain America and overwhelmed figurehead are impressive to watch.
    I liked them showing more of Daisy's powers, that she can absorb the shockwaves of real earthquakes, looking forward to more..
    Then again It would be unfair if she was as strong as she is in the comics though.
    Quake does indeed becomes Shield Director in the comics.

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  3. Robbie is going to be in the rest of the season.

    So they killed a lot of people in this episode! Mack axed a guy. Coulson shot two people. No more icers for this team!

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