'Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D' Season 2 Episode 21 and 22 'SOS Part 1' and 'SOS Part 2' Season Finale Review

Non Spoiler Review- Definitely the best episodes of 'Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.' as of yet with plenty of plot twists, surprises, and awesome moments. After this finale, I immediately wanted Season 3 and can't wait to see the show return. 

*******There will be Spoilers from this point on*******

Highlights of the finale 

1. Cal saves Daisy by killing her mother- One of the series' most powerful and emotional moments was when Cal chose to kill Jiaying to save Skye. This showed that Jiayang was the monster the entire time and was a defining step for Cal to progress as a character. 

2. Enhanced team- At the end of the episode Coulson speaks to Skye regarding a new team of enhanced agents that he wants Skye to lead. I'm curious to see what kind of enhanced will be on the team and who will join the series. I'm quite excited to see an enhanced team of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. 

3. Coulson loses an arm- When Coulson, Fitz, and Mack confront Gordon they are fighting to protect the terrigen crystals in place and when one almost falls Coulson catches it. Mack then chops off Coulson's arm to save Coulson. I didn;t see this coming and I wonder if Coulson will be given a cybernetic arm or mechanical arm. 

4. Simmons absorbed- The very end of the episode ends on a huge cliffhanger as Simmons is looking at the artifact they have possession over when it swallows her and returns to it's normal shape. I'm very interested and curious to learn what this is and what it does, etc. I anicipate learning of Simmon's fate. 

5. Worldwide terrigenesis- The terrigen crystals that fall off of the aircraft carrier dissolve in the ocean and are then absorbed by fish which are then turned into fish oil, etc. So I think worldwide terrigenesis will happen to many people who use fish oil pills. This will likely result in many deaths and more inhumans.

6. Ward forming a team- After Ward escapes from Shield's rescue mission he goes to a bar and looks at a picture of Agent 33 mourning her death at his hands accidentally. He is approached by Hydra agents and he then kills one of the men and tell the others they work for him and they all shout "Hail Hydra". I wonder if this means Ward will become a head of Hydra, a new villain or what will become of him but I do enjoy his character when he is evil.

7. Fitz-Simmons- There are a few great Fitz-Simmons moments throughout the episode where Simmons basically admits she has feelings for Fitz and at the end Fitz asks her on a date. I really enjoy these two characters and hope to see their relationship further explored next season.

8. Mister Hyde- We finally see Cal transform into Mister Hyde after taking some of his serum. It wasn't that much of a visual transformation but he enhanced his strength for sure. I'm glad that they finally showed that Cal is indeed his comic book counterpart Mister Hyde which they have teased all season long. 

9. Character Deaths- Many characters die in this episode including Gordon, Jiaying, and reina. I was very surprised to see Reina killed off given that she has been in the series since the beginning but unfortunately she meets her demise at the hands of Jiaying. Gordon is accidentally killed as he teleports into Fitz's pipe killing himself. I was not expecting the finale to kill off as many characters as it did but it makes up for the lack of characters staying dead in the MCU.

10. War between S.H.I.E.L.D. and Inhumans- The major plot of the finale is that Jiaying was orchestrating this war between S.H.I.E.L.D. and Inhumans. It was interesting to see the groups fight one another and what kind of tactics both groups resorted to. 

'Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.' Season 2 Episode 18 'The Frenemy of My Enemy' Review

Non Spoiler Review- I can't quite call this episode the best episode of 'Agents of SHIELD' but I say it was very close and can definitely fall under the better episodes of the series. It features some great character development as well as one of the best action sequences this season.

*******There will be Spoilers from this point on*******

Highlights of the episode 

1. Coulson Surrenders to Gonzales- I was very shocked to see Coulson surrender to Gonzales in an attempt to work with Gonzales despite their conflicting ideals. I hope the two end up working together to fight Hydra and hopefully free Deathlok and Lincoln because I really enjoy those characters.

2. Lincoln and Deathlok are captured- Towards the end of the episode Deathlok finds Skye and then tries to speak to her but is interrupted by Lincoln and the two fight which was interesting to see. Hydra then arrives and sort of EMP's both of them in a way. I think Hydra plans to experiment on them which I will discuss in another highlight as to how the connections to Avengers Age of Ultron are being formed. 

3. Coulson and Ward make a deal- Coulson realizes he requires Ward's help to stop Hydra so he offers Ward the opportunity to start fresh if Ward will help Coulson and Ward seems tempted by the offer because he knows he could have a better life, etc. Plus, it's nice to see Ward on Coulson's side.

4. Daddy-Daughter Day Out- When Cal and Skye go to his office, it was very touching to hear Cal discuss all of the Father Daughter activities he wanted to participate in that he never got the opportunity to do, etc. Skye also learns her last name is Johnson so her full name is Daisy Johnson just like Quake in the comics and Cal teases that he changed his name to Mr. Hyde while he was evil also like Daisy's father in the comics. I liked the development of their relationship and that Skye got to now her father well enough to bond with him and empathize for him.

5. Dr. List (Age of Ultron Crossover)- Dr. List was seen with Baron Von Strucker in the post credits scene of 'Captain America The Winter Soldier' which teased Hydra was experimenting on subjects with Loki's scepter and teases Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver. In the episode Dr. List makes another appearance and reveals that Hydra is experimenting on powered people for some unknown reason. I suspect Hydra will attempt to experiments on Lincoln and Deathlok since they captured them at the end of the episode. It seems like these experiments will set the foundation for what Hydra is up to in 'Avengers Age of Ultron and the final episodes should tie more directly into the events of 'Avengers Age of Ultron'. 

Promo

'Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.' Season 2 Episode 17 'Melinda' Review

Non Spoiler Review- An episode that highlights the origin of Melinda May, great special effects, and character development. Ming-Na Wen provides a great performance and is definitely a highlight of this week's episode. Overall, one of the best episodes of 'Agents of SHIELD' so far.

*******There will be Spoilers from this point on*******

Highlights of the episode  

1. Fits opens the toolbox- At the very end of the episode Fits is working on opening Fury's toolbox and manages to open it and then speaks to Coulson, Deathlok, and Lance Hunter regarding his situation. It appears as though Fits will be joining Coulson's ragtag team against Commander Gonzalez. 

2. Family reunion-  Skye learns who her mother is and also learns about her birthday, etc. I really enjoyed this moment because it was going to be awkward to have Skye unaware of who her mother is while her mother is training her, etc. 

3. Origin of "The Calvary"- The origin of Agent May's nickname is quite interesting as we learn she earned it by being forced to take out a powered child. It was quite interesting and explained why her character is so complex and has so many layers. I loved Ming Na-Wen's performance as I stated earlier and hope for more flashback origins as the show moves on. 

4. Reina is clairvoyant- By the end of the episode we learn there is much more on the inside to Reina's transformation as she can foresee the future which is ironic because of how she formerly followed someone who was considered clairvoyant and is now clairvoyant himself. I'm excited to ee what other powers she has given by her transformation, etc.

5. Skye is much more in control of her powers- It was reassuring to see Skye has come to learn more about her abilities and is slightly more in control of her powers.

Promo

'Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.' Season 2 Episode 15 'One Door Closes' Review

Non Spoiler Review- This episode was the best episode of the series yet. It provides answers to many questions, and is one of the most action-packed episodes of 'Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.' and everyone in the cast delivers a great performance.

*******There will be Spoilers from this point on*******

Highlights of the episode 

1. Gordon takes Skye- At the end of the episode Skye unleashes her powers on a S.H.I.E.L.D. taskforce sent to retrieve her. She is then distraught and calls for Gordon to help her and he teleports her to the Inhuman base. I'm excited to learn more about this group of Inhumans, etc.

2. Skye loses control- When Skye loses control she accidentally kills an agent. I enjoyed the visual effects used for this as it is done in low motion and you can see the vibrations. It is also revealed Skye doesn't control seismic activity but actually controls vibrations.

3. Lance Hunter officially joins S.H.I.E.L.D.- At the very end of the episode we see Coulson at what I assume is a bar in Tahiti and Lance Hunter joins him and signs his name on a napkin. He then tells Coulson that is his contract and that he wants to join Coulson. I can't wait to see the two of them try to take on the other S.H.I.E.L.D. next episode.

4. S.H.I.E.L.D. vs. S.H.I.E.L.D.- In the episode the "Real S.H.I.E.L.D" infiltrates Coulson's base and takes over. It seems as though this is the foundation for 'Captain America Civil War' as it has two opposing factions of S.H.I.E.L.D. fighting over their different perspectives and the two factions disagree about superhumans.

 

5. Banner built the cabin- Skye discovers a giant fist that is later confirmed as the Hulk's when she removes a board. IT is also confirmed that Banner was the one that constructed the cabin but I find it odd that it is a S.H.I.E.L.D. facility made by Banner.

6. Fits-Simmons- It seems as thought Fitz-Simmons are reunited as best friends or whatever they were by the shock of the two S.H.I.E.L.D. factions. They are even referred to as Fitz-Simmons throughout the episode. I hope to see their relationship repair itself in the future episodes.

7. The "Real S.H.I.E.L.D." is born- There is a series of flashbacks in this episode that go back to the day SHIELD fell and the "Real S.H.I.E.L.D." is born. It was interesting to see the ideals that formed this new S.H.I.E.L.D.



Promo

'Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.' Season 2 Episode 13 'One Of Us' Review

Non Spoiler Review- A very disappointing episode that followed the recent string of strong episodes that still manages to have a few twists and surprises that should pay off next week. 

*******There will be Spoilers from this point on*******

Highlights of the episode

1. "The Real SHIELD"- At the end of the episode Mack brings Lance Hunter to a secret location and tells him that they are working for the "real SHIELD" then steps aside to reveal this logo. There are many possibilities to what this organization is but it is most likely the Secret Warriors organization seen in the comics. I'm curious to learn what the organization is and based on the promo for next week's episode, it appears they want to remove Coulson as the director of SHIELD. 

2. Gordon retrieves Cal- At the end of the episode Skye's father confronts Coulson with his team of villains and before he can fight Coulson, Gordon appears and takes Cal away. During the post credits scene for the episode he tells Cal that he has made too much noise and they are presumably inside an Inhumans base or something of that nature. I really want to learn more about the Inhumans and what Gordon is doing/ who he is working for, etc. 

3. Quake Gauntlets- At the end of the episode it is revealed that everytime Skye thought she was controlling her powers she was driving them inwards and farming herself. She fractured her wrists so Simmons gives her some casts that should withstand the shock and help her recover. These look very similar to the gauntlets Quake wears in the comics so I hope these will evolve to become those. 

4. May's ex helps Skye- In the episode Coulson tags Skye to the Index, a SHIELD database that watches those who are considered gifted. The protocol for those added to the index is that they be evaluated by a psychiatrist so May asks her ex husband for the favor. He agrees and manages to do quite well extracting the truth from Skye, etc. At the end of the episode he leaves and suggests that Skye leave SHIELD because it is a stressful environment, etc. Also Simmons suggest to Coulson that the Index be separated into two categories Science given powers (ie. Mike peterson, Captain America) and those who are born with powers (Inhumans). I'm curious to see where both of these plot points head and hope to see May's ex back in a future episode.

5. Cal assembles a team- Cal goes around using the index to assemble a team of "gifted" villains. However none of these villains are too special. It consists of someone with enhanced strength, a member of the Geek Squad, a lady with razors for nails, and a man that can cause people to sleep by emitting a certain frequency. I liked the concept of Cal assembling a group of villains, I just wish he would have strived for more powerful allies.

Promo

'Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.' Season 2 Episode 11 'Aftershocks' Review

Non Spoiler Review- This episode brought the season back with a bang. It maintained the high quality episodes this second season has had so far, and proved why the show is vital to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.  

*******There will be Spoilers from this point on*******

Highlights of the episode

1. Fitz helps out Skye/Daisey- Throughout the episode Daisey is kept in quarantine because the team thinks that the terrigenesis is a virus and don't understand quite how the terrigen crystal worked. Fit comes to the realization that Skye is the one who caused the earthquake when she becomes nervous and everything is destroyed in the room by seismic tremors. It seems as though he will turn on her but swaps her new blood sample with her old one so the results would matcha and the team would release her from quarantine. Fitz tells her it will be their secret, I liked this episode because it revealed that Fitz somewhat understands her because he doesn't want her to feel different and outcast as he did following the loss of oxygen to his brain. 

2. Heads of Hydra are cut off- It was fun to watch Coulson dupe Hydra into assassinating each other, but he obviously didn't remember their motto that two more shall take it's place. Also the man seen with Baron Von Strucker makes a cameo and Baron Von Strucker is even name dropped. I hope Strucker appears on the show at some point because we have seen very little of him and Hydra needs some strong leadership.

 3. Inhumans- We learn more about the man with no eyes we saw during the midseason finale. His name is Gordon and he can teleport after terrigenesis. At the end of the episode he rescues Reina and calls her beautiful which is odd given her change in appearance but mirrors what Skye's mom told him in a flashback. I'm curious to learn where he is taking her and how many other Inhumans he is working with but I'm sure these questions will be answered by the end of the season.

 4. An interesting flashback- The flashback I discussed a little above shows Gordon as a child who just experienced terrigenesis and seems lost and confused because he is blind and can teleport which is a very strange combination of changes. Skye's mother comforts him in the flashback and it is revealed she had a hand in guiding children through terrigenesis.

5. Reina's new form revealed- The revelation of Reina's new appearance was interesting and I think it is ironic given her fascination with flowers because roses have an inner beauty and thorns. This is somewhat supported when Gordon tells her "Hello beautiful" which is similar to what Skye's mother did to comfort him in the flashback and possibly shows that she has an inner power that will be revealed to be beautiful. However she really reminded me of one of the mutants from an X-Men film who I can't recall the name of. 

6. Mack and Bobbi continue scheming- So it seems that Mack and Bobbi are both still working together on some secret plot and I am very interested in learning more about it. I wonder who they are really working for given they were looking for Fury's toolbox.

7. Trip is mourned- I felt they managed to settle the aftermath of Tripp's death perfectly because each of the team was affected and they each handled it in their own way. I can tell nothing will be the same for the team after.

Promo

'Gotham' Season 1 Episode 11 'Rogues Gallery' Review

Non Spoiler Review- A weak return following the midseason finale but hopefully the show will build itself back up in the upcoming weeks. 

*******There will be Spoilers from this point on*******

Highlights of the episode

1. Butch gets some character development- I liked the development of the mob drama and I was interested by Butch in this episode seeing him kill an old friend revealing his true loyalties to Fish. Before this episode I didn't see much depth in the character but now that is present.

2. Penguin is jailed- Penguin was jailed after raising taxes on fisherman and it was interesting to see that Maroni was behind it. This means Maroni is keeping a eye on Penguin. I also was intrigued that Penguin is calling himself "The Penguin" now so he has accepted his nickname. 

3. Gordon calls Bullock for help- I liked how Gordon called the GCPD for help when he needed help investigating the Asylum. Gordon will continue to fight corruption even as a security guard at Arkham Asylum.

4. Ivy and Selina Kyle crash at Gordon's- I thought it was funny when Selina and Ivy just went to Gordon's house when they had nowhere to go. I thought it was hilarious that when Barbara called and Ivy answered and lied saying that Jim was busy and couldn't answer the phone. 

5. Arkham Asylum- I liked seeing the inside of the new Arkham and I wonder if they will have more easter eggs inside the Asylum. I'm curious what will happen inside the Asylum in the coming episodes. 

Promo