Agents of SHIELD: Season 3 - Discussion (SPOILERS LIKELY)

[kirk55555]

I have mixed feelings about this episode. The new woman seems like she'll end up being the main villain in the end regardless of the fact they tried to say she wasn't, especially with her "lethal force" edict. Maybe Gonzales was actually a shapeshifter and never really died . If nothing else, she sure has taken his ideals to heart.

Lincoln actually did something interesting, which is a step up from last season. I wish they weren't going so cliche with the "Simmons is totally dead, so we should just move on" thing, when we all know she's not dead. Still, Fitz's stuff was pretty interesting, and it was cool to see Daisy's powers being used well, along with Lincoln and her fight against that random inhuman (which even Mack didn't manage to ruin). Coulson was as good as always, and I hope he ends up defeating this woman's team before the end of the season, having a third season of SHIELD vs Other Group is getting a bit ridiculous.

Now waiting for K5 to come in and rant about Bobby.

Well, since you asked...

Why was Bobbi basically doing Simmons' job? She really has no qualifications to be doing that. Its like if Hunter starting doing Fitz job, it makes no sense. SHIELD must not have any more geniuses focused on biological stuff, so they're using whoever isn't busy at the moment? Saying she has some kind of vague "biology degree" does not justify her working in the lab.

Also, I see that Mack isn't just an anti-metahuman/inhuman a-hole, he's also a bigger pessimist then i remember. Every team needs one ass to be the depressing, worst case scenario guy, I guess. I don't even know what Hunter is thinking trying to get back with Mockingbird, I guess some people just want to be with untrustworthy idiots.

Overall, if they cut out all the scenes with Mockingbird and Mack, this would have been a good episode. As it is, its just ok, although I'm very interested in seeing what happens with Simmons and the inhuman stuff.

 

[kitik]

So my initial thought was that Simmons was on Hala. Though I suppose it could be some other Kree-controlled planet. Perhaps some random planet that they used as a staging ground thousands of years ago, and has been mostly abandoned since.

Great episode, great way to start the season. Good fakeout on that Rosalind lady. We all just assumed she was an evil murdering villain, so I was just as surprised as Coulson when she said that she thought he was the one killing the Inhumans.

Fantastic little switcheroo there between Bobbi and Fitz. We get the unexpected scene of Bobbi working away in a lab, even wearing a white labcoat no less, and then the next scene is Fitz out in the field being a superspy. I appreciated that.

Lash seems to be a pretty formidable threat, though now that our team has some idea of what he's capable of, I'd hope they can come up with a plan to contain or neutralize him. Seems like a single guy like that, no matter how tough, shouldn't be able to hang around against Shield for more than a few epsiodes. We'll see I guess.

And holy smokes, that new Bus does indeed look cool as hell.

 

[Turtletrekker]

Why was Bobbi basically doing Simmons' job? She really has no qualifications to be doing that.

Actually, in the comics, Bobbi switched from science/lab work to field work, so this is true to the source material.

 

[Reverend]

I wonder if the Hebrew word on that scroll is perhaps more literal that one might think.
It could also be Helheim, which perhaps makes more sense since she seems to be on an actual world and not some esoteric "Realm of Death" pocket-universe.

I suppose it's possible they could be folding the two concepts into one for the MCU, since it seems unlikely they'll be using Hela (Loki's daughter) any time soon.

How or why the Kree would have a device that transports people (presumably uncontrollable Inhumans) to a realm of Yggdrasil is a bit of a mystery. They don't appear to get along with Asgard.

I think she is in the same realm that guy in Season 1(?) who kept fading in and out of real space. Didn't he touch some artifact also?

That did occur to me, but I don't exactly recall the details. Wasn't it some particle accelerator accident?

Why was Bobbi basically doing Simmons' job? She really has no qualifications to be doing that.

Actually, in the comics, Bobbi switched from science/lab work to field work, so this is true to the source material.

We also saw her do a bit of forensics work last season, so it's not totally out of left field.

 

[Christopher]

Lash seems to be a pretty formidable threat, though now that our team has some idea of what he's capable of, I'd hope they can come up with a plan to contain or neutralize him. Seems like a single guy like that, no matter how tough, shouldn't be able to hang around against Shield for more than a few epsiodes. We'll see I guess.

I doubt he's working alone. He's probably the harbinger of this season's Big Bad organization.

 

[Morpheus 02]

i'm a little disappointed that apparently Fitz is back to normal -- no more permanent effects of Ward trap. No terribly -- but thought that was very effective last season in showing that the Agent's job can have lasting consequences. (though I know Coulson's reminder won't last that long).

Is Bobbi a full on tech, or more like a lab assistant? i'm sure there are many things she can do with minimal training (get readings, observe subjects, etc.). I kinda see it like how May had chose to have a desk job that heavily consisted of sorting & stapling papers.

i'm confused what's going on with her & Hunter? She was willing to sacrifice herself for him, and i'm sure that would've changed him as well...made him a bit less selfish.

Oh, and on a random note, Chloe Bennet & Gregg Clark from SHIELD are up against Hayley Atwell & James D'Arcy from "Agent Carter" on a Dubsmash contest to raise funds for their favorite charities.

I think this really solidifies in my mind that Chole & Gregg have an awesome dynamic together that to me feels like a real father & daughter, and i'm sure they fun they're having there is with them on the set of Agents of Shield as well.

 

[Marsden]

^I think it's a fair bet Ultron took it all, judging by what he used it for. Also, I'm pretty sure he said "frisbee", not "coaster".

Frisbee! Why did I think coaster? I only saw it once in the movies. "I don't know, I was really drunk at the time!"* Maybe he did take it all, but there seemed to be a lot in that ship.


* Pink Floyd joke, I was not drunk.

Pretty solid opening. Things have ramped up to a new level. More superpower action, new threats, new status quo for various characters. And a passel of movie references -- nods to the alien attacks on New York, London, and Sokovia (though Ultron was kind of indirectly alien), an appearance by President Ellis, even a nod to "the Pym Technologies disaster." (Which is perhaps an overstatement given that nobody died in that.) And the lines about the laws of man catching up with the laws of nature could be foreshadowing Captain America: Civil War.

I agree.

I especially really love the amount of connectedness that ties things together but does not require seeing any of those other things referenced. It adds depth that is rarely seen in fictional constructs but doesn't require consuming all of it, if you don't want to.

Fitz! What can I say, he's really come a long way from the beginning. Excellent.

I like that the show has gotten to the point, although it's been for awhile, that you don't need to have all of the leads in every episode. No one character is the whole show, although Coulson and Daisy are certainly the main characters.

 

[Jedi_Master]

I think she is in the same realm that guy in Season 1(?) who kept fading in and out of real space. Didn't he touch some artifact also?

That did occur to me, but I don't exactly recall the details. Wasn't it some particle accelerator accident?

It was. Tobias Ford was his name, and he was trapped on a planet he called "Hell." I can't find any screencaps, but as I recall, the shots of that planet/dimension looked very, very similar to the ones we saw of Simmons. It may explain why they are calling in the Asgardian professor next week to help them.

 

[kirk55555]

Why was Bobbi basically doing Simmons' job? She really has no qualifications to be doing that.

Actually, in the comics, Bobbi switched from science/lab work to field work, so this is true to the source material.

I'm aware of that. But, this isn't the comics, and even the comics barely ever brought it up, to the point where I didn't even know about it until very recently (and it was probably the first time they had brought up that fact in the comics since the character came back from the dead years ago). In the TV show, she definitely hasn't been shown to be very scientifically inclined, and it feels like its completely out of nowhere that she's suddenly taking Simmons job. Maybe she is just doing things that don't take too much training, but it feels like a cheap excuse to give her more screen time.

 

[Kemaiku]

It was. Tobias Ford was his name, and he was trapped on a planet he called "Hell." I can't find any screencaps, but as I recall, the shots of that planet/dimension looked very, very similar to the ones we saw of Simmons. It may explain why they are calling in the Asgardian professor next week to help them.

Probably Helheimer/Helheim, home to the Náir. Which would fit with what they're implying is chasing Simmons.

 

[Roshi]

"I don't know, I was really drunk at the time!"*

* Pink Floyd joke, I was not drunk.

 

[Thestral]

That was an excellent opening to S3, wow. It's funny how the show started out kind of 'meh' but it's definitely hit its stride now, everybody was excellent. I liked the bait-and-switch about Rosalind and the ATCU, how SHIELD thought they were killing Inhumans but Rosalind thought the same of SHIELD. I presume whoever Lash is working for is behind that.

Daisy is awesome - love the new look, the costume, the confidence... she's basically living up to the central role she's had since day 1 and making it work. She and Mack make a great team.

The other highlight... wow, that last scene with Fitz. Just... wow.

 

[Admiral2]

Daisy is awesome - love the new look, the costume, the confidence... she's basically living up to the central role she's had since day 1 and making it work. She and Mack make a great team.

Agreed all around. Also, loving the new Bus, waiting patiently for Bobbie to get out of the lab coat and back to real work, and still loving my man Phil Coulson, Director of SHIELD.

I wish I could look into the screen and tell Fitz "Of course you're right! It's a Whedon show! Obviously Gemma's in Pylea!"

And, stupid question: Why don't they just call ATCU "SWORD" and get it over with?

 

[kirk55555]

Daisy is awesome - love the new look, the costume, the confidence... she's basically living up to the central role she's had since day 1 and making it work. She and Mack make a great team.

Agreed all around. Also, loving the new Bus, waiting patiently for Bobbie to get out of the lab coat and back to real work, and still loving my man Phil Coulson, Director of SHIELD.

I wish I could look into the screen and tell Fitz "Of course you're right! It's a Whedon show! Obviously Gemma's in Pylea!"

And, stupid question: Why don't they just call ATCU "SWORD" and get it over with?

Because SWORD deals with aliens, and has absolutely nothing to do with hunting powered people on Earth? Inhumans don't actually count as aliens, even if they come from Kree experiments (regardless of Daisy telling the new inhuman he's part alien), plus SWORD is basically an independent branch of SHIELD, not some rogue agency. Also, SWORD might be connected to the X-Men rights, since it was used there so much and actually first appeared in Astonishing X-Men. Really, the new group is nothing like SWORD, and even if Marvel has the movie/tv rightsrights (which they actually might, based off of a easter egg in Thor, apparently) they don't seemed to have based this group off of SWORD at all.

 

[Admiral2]

Daisy is awesome - love the new look, the costume, the confidence... she's basically living up to the central role she's had since day 1 and making it work. She and Mack make a great team.

Agreed all around. Also, loving the new Bus, waiting patiently for Bobbie to get out of the lab coat and back to real work, and still loving my man Phil Coulson, Director of SHIELD.

I wish I could look into the screen and tell Fitz "Of course you're right! It's a Whedon show! Obviously Gemma's in Pylea!"

And, stupid question: Why don't they just call ATCU "SWORD" and get it over with?

Because SWORD deals with aliens, and has absolutely nothing to do with hunting powered people on Earth? Inhumans don't actually count as aliens, even if they come from Kree experiments (regardless of Daisy telling the new inhuman he's part alien), plus SWORD is basically an independent branch of SHIELD, not some rogue agency. Also, SWORD might be connected to the X-Men rights, since it was used there so much and actually first appeared in Astonishing X-Men. Really, the new group is nothing like SWORD, and even if Marvel has the movie/tv rightsrights (which they actually might, based off of a easter egg in Thor, apparently) they don't seemed to have based this group off of SWORD at all.

Got it. Thank you!

 

[Jedi_Master]

The other highlight... wow, that last scene with Fitz. Just... wow.

In my opinion Iain De Caestecker is the heart and soul of AoS.

 

[Reverend]

Small aside, but did it strike anyone as odd how offhandedly May's absence was treated? She "went on vacation and never came back"? Are they saying she's walked away or gone missing? You'd think it was the latter given the lack of urgency, since they'd certainly be out looking for her. But if it's the former, that seems like a very odd way of saying "she quit".

I think she is in the same realm that guy in Season 1(?) who kept fading in and out of real space. Didn't he touch some artifact also?

That did occur to me, but I don't exactly recall the details. Wasn't it some particle accelerator accident?

It was. Tobias Ford was his name, and he was trapped on a planet he called "Hell." I can't find any screencaps, but as I recall, the shots of that planet/dimension looked very, very similar to the ones we saw of Simmons. It may explain why they are calling in the Asgardian professor next week to help them.

I wouldn't say it's an absolute certainty, but it certainly looks like it could very well be the same place. Perhaps the monolith is another one of those shortcuts between the realms Loki is know to use? Or at least, a gateway to one.

That was an excellent opening to S3, wow. It's funny how the show started out kind of 'meh' but it's definitely hit its stride now, everybody was excellent. I liked the bait-and-switch about Rosalind and the ATCU, how SHIELD thought they were killing Inhumans but Rosalind thought the same of SHIELD. I presume whoever Lash is working for is behind that.

Given that we saw at least a few of those corpses had holes blow in their chest and the first thing we see Lash to is blow a hole in someone's chest I'd say it's a pretty fair assumption.

The other highlight... wow, that last scene with Fitz. Just... wow.

The fact that it didn't eat him too rather lends credence to the idea that the monolith only reacts to those of Inhuman decent. It would certainly be ironic given Simmons' "eradicate everything alien that's remotely threatening" attitude last season.

And, stupid question: Why don't they just call ATCU "SWORD" and get it over with?

I had a similar thought and the only thing that makes sense is that they're building up to it, possibly with the intent of a more cuddly SHIELD type set-up. Possibly they'll wait until they're ready to introduce Carol Danvers into the MCU before making SWORD a thing unto itself.

 

[Enterprise1701]

Y'know, I have to wonder. Why hasn't Simmons starved to death in all this time? Where is there anything to eat?

Also, intriguing theory that it's the same place where Tobias Ford the season 1 particle reactor guy ended up, but I think they referred to the place he was phasing to as another dimension, not somewhere across space.

 

[Thestral]

In my opinion Iain De Caestecker is the heart and soul of AoS.

I've never really bought that though I've heard it before but Christ, after that scene I can see why.

Also, loving the new Bus, waiting patiently for Bobbie to get out of the lab coat and back to real work, and still loving my man Phil Coulson, Director of SHIELD.

I actually like Bobbi in the lab coat. Not long term but it nicely distinguishes her a bit more from May. New Bus is very sweet, nice blend of Old Bus and Helicarrier-via-Quinjet.

The fact that it didn't eat him too rather lends credence to the idea that the monolith only reacts to those of Inhuman decent. It would certainly be ironic given Simmons' "eradicate everything alien that's remotely threatening" attitude last season.

I like that idea in theory... though it'd be a bit convenient for two of the original team to be Inhumans.

 

[Jedi_Master]

Y'know, I have to wonder. Why hasn't Simmons starved to death in all this time? Where is there anything to eat?

Also, intriguing theory that it's the same place where Tobias Ford the season 1 particle reactor guy ended up, but I think they referred to the place he was phasing to as another dimension, not somewhere across space.

Semantically, "another dimension" and "somewhere across space" are not incompatible, but I guess we will all find out for sure together. The fact that they are bringing in the Asgardian professor to help them is - in my mind - quite significant.

I also found it interesting that Simmons put something on her wound - was that to heal it or to cover the scent of her blood?

As much as I missed May, I did find that the smaller team was a nice change of pace. Everybody had something to do, and no one felt extraneous.