Agents of SHIELD - Season 2 Discussion Threads. (Spoilers Likely)

[The Old Mixer]

Planes travel in what looks like a curved line when represented on a flat map, because flat maps are distorted representations of the surface of a globe.

 

[DEWLine]

The footage of that aircraft carrier from "End of the Beginning" struck me as being stock footage of an actual Nimitz-class CVN. Didn't resemble the MCU Helicarrier designs at all.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

Yeah, I assumed it was a regular carrier based on its appearance alone.

 

[Marsden]

Yeah, I assumed it was a regular carrier based on its appearance alone.

I thought it was the damaged one from The Avengers movie.

You guys are probably right.

 

[LaxScrutiny]

This is why I'm actually okay with the X-Men being left out of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Much as we all love the regular Earth-616 Marvel Universe, I never thought it made much sense that the public would hate, fear, and persecute "mutants" (people born with superpowers) but would adore and be huge fans of people who gain superpowers like the Fantastic Four or Captain America. I honestly think the X-Men work better as their own thing, in a world where there are no other kinds of superheroes, away from the glamor of the "beloved hero" variation of the superhero genre.

That was one of the points I was trying to get to, so they are born like that, bad, get powers through some accident/experiment ok. What? But it seems to have been that way for years. Somewhat oversimplified but true.

I do agree with both of you, but there is another aspect that goes to the heart of the allegory to real-life racism that Stan Lee was driving at when he began the X-Men. Mutants are born mutants. People like Trask weren't just motivated because the individuals had powers, they were motivated because Homo Superior was a different race, arguably an different species, that would supplant Homo Sapiens.

Peter Parker isn't going to breed an entire race of spider-powered beings that will take over the world and enslave mankind. Trask et al really did see mutants that way. The key was the tech that allowed mutants to be detected, even if their "power" was something innocuous like making their farts smell like roses.

I have no idea what that's a spoiler of?

Spoiler: Spoiler

Obviously Vancouver is secretly Attilan?

 

[bbjeg]

I have no idea what that's a spoiler of?

Spoiler: Maybe...

Vancouver sucks?

 

[DEWLine]

Spoiler: Maybe...

Vancouver is the hostage of the plot?

 

[DEWLine]

And in Canada tonight, "The Well" was re-run.

 

[Forbin]

I thought that was Turkey...

 

[LaxScrutiny]

And in Canada tonight, "The Well" was re-run.

Yeah. Grrr. Arrgh.

 

[Gaith]

I took it as an allusion both to Zola's recruitment and Hydra's infiltration of SHIELD, and as an allusion to the U.S.'s real-life recruitment of Nazi scientists (which really was called Operation Paperclip).

I saw that on X-Files, so it must be true.

Oh, it's true. I learned about it from that movie in which Batman is escorted by Spider-Man around Berlin, where he tries to get back with Galadriel.

Yet another entry in the Old Whedon Actors' Recruitment Center, eh? Let's see, now, we can add Dichen to the list, including J. August Richards, Amy Acker, and Reed Diamond. At this point, I'm half-expecting to see Alexis Denisof show up.

I had to check to make sure the SHIELD agent-turned art teacher in the intro to the ep before last wasn't Miracle Laurie; it kinda looked like her.

According to Wikipedia, she's got a Nepalese mother of Tibetan descent and an Australian father of German descent.

And together, they produce... a half-Caucasian, half-Chinese girl? Eh, I'll allow it; we probably would've all guessed that twist had they cast a Chinese woman, but it was still a tad weird.

So all those Asian villagers in the Austrian castle... were they rounded up from China? Twice? Because they didn't exactly look like Germanic villagers... that also kind of threw me off.


And I agree, the 44-year time-lapse confinement sequence was excellent.

 

[Turtletrekker]

Yet another entry in the Old Whedon Actors' Recruitment Center, eh? Let's see, now, we can add Dichen to the list, including J. August Richards, Amy Acker, and Reed Diamond. At this point, I'm half-expecting to see Alexis Denisof show up.

He already has. Twice. (Not that you would recognize him.)

ETA: I realized after I posted that you probably meant appearing on AoS, rather than the MCU in general, but I still find it humorous.

 

[Sci]

I took it as an allusion both to Zola's recruitment and Hydra's infiltration of SHIELD, and as an allusion to the U.S.'s real-life recruitment of Nazi scientists (which really was called Operation Paperclip).

I saw that on X-Files, so it must be true.

Oh, it's true. I learned about it from that movie in which Batman is escorted by Spider-Man around Berlin, where he tries to get back with Galadriel.

Pardon me -- according to the National Archives, it was Project Paperclip.

Yet another entry in the Old Whedon Actors' Recruitment Center, eh? Let's see, now, we can add Dichen to the list, including J. August Richards, Amy Acker, and Reed Diamond. At this point, I'm half-expecting to see Alexis Denisof show up.

I had to check to make sure the SHIELD agent-turned art teacher in the intro to the ep before last wasn't Miracle Laurie; it kinda looked like her.

Can't believe I forgot Ron Glass!

So all those Asian villagers in the Austrian castle... were they rounded up from China? Twice?

I would assume that Hydra did a deal with the Japanese Empire to have those villagers from China sent to Austria in 1945. One presumes that Hydra agents reached the village again in 1989 using their cover as SHIELD operatives.

 

[Gaith]

I saw that on X-Files, so it must be true.

Oh, it's true. I learned about it from that movie in which Batman is escorted by Spider-Man around Berlin, where he tries to get back with Galadriel.

Pardon me -- according to the National Archives, it was Project Paperclip.

Oh yeah? Tell that to Wikipedia!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Paperclip

 

[Sci]

Oh, it's true. I learned about it from that movie in which Batman is escorted by Spider-Man around Berlin, where he tries to get back with Galadriel.

Pardon me -- according to the National Archives, it was Project Paperclip.

Oh yeah? Tell that to Wikipedia!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Paperclip

Either way, I think it's safe to say that the reference to "Operation Paperclip" as SHIELD recruiting Nazi scientists in Captain America: The Winter Soldier was an allusion to the real-life Paperclip.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

Well, yeah. Does anyone doubt that?

 

[Rush Limborg]

And NOW:

Act I:

Okay...nightmare sequence. I hope this leads to more, not just the old clichés....

Good for Mack telling Fitz to fess up and talk to Simmons. Meanwhile...nice to see Simmons and Trip having a moment, considering her crush on him in Season 1.

Nice crack about the Bermuda Triangle.

Next: Fake May! And more and more Koenigs! (And is it just me...or did his umbrella form a TARDIS...?)

 

[Rush Limborg]

Well, for one that, that'd be murder. You can't just kill your prisoners; it's a violation of every civilized principle the Allies were fighting for in World War II. They have a right to a trial -- and hell, we didn't even execute all the Nazi leaders we tried at Nuremberg!

Funny, I don't recall Carter bringing the guy to a trial.

But even putting that aside...and so, the world suffers the consequences of not doing What Is Not Done. The man who will be Whitehall is locked up against his will for an eternity (again, without trial...)--and thus, he lives and returns to wreck even worse havoc than before.

 

[Rush Limborg]

Act II:

Mockingbird helping Simmons out with the room's elephant. Interestingly enough...I can't help seeing Bobbi as rather like Skye would be, after years of being a pro agent. Personality-wise, anyway.

Love the hug. More of Coulson as Skye's second and "better" father.

Love the "big brother" crack. And the fact that the helper of Fitz and the helper of Simmons are interacting like that.

Glad to see SHIELD one-upping HYDRA looking quite routine.

AND...Skye vs. Fake-May. Place your bets.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

Good action, good mystery so far.