'Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.' Season 3 Episode 10 'Maveth' Mid-Season Finale Review

Non Spoiler Review- A very solid episode to this season but not quite as epic in feel and scale as last week or how grand a midseason finale should be. I can say this was probably one of the best episodes of the series and was very satisfied by all of the twists and turns this episode and can't wait to see what the repercussions when the series come back in March and I'm also thrilled for the second season of 'Agent Carter'.

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

Highlights of the episode

1. Ward lives- The big cliffhanger twist at the end of the episode revealed that Ward lives. However it's not quite what many expect as it's not exactly Ward who survived. The creature (Inhuman) from Maveth (I believe that's what the planet is being referred to but I'm not quite sure due to the context of how it is referred to in the episode) managed to take Ward's body as a host as that is revealed to be one of it's powers in the episode when it's revealed Will is dead and being possessed by the creature. I'm curious to learn more about this creature as what it's intentions are and what it's called as i currently have no idea what to refer to it as. 

2. Coulson kills Ward- A huge moment came when Coulson and Ward have their confrontation and Coulson kills Ward pressing his metallic hand on Ward's chest. I think it wa s very symbolic that Coulson removes his hand after killing Ward as it shows he feels somewhat guilty for his actions. However we now know that Ward isn't quite dead but is being inhabited by the creature (still don't know what to call it). I wonder how Coulson will react to seeing that Ward is technically still living. 

3. Fitz stops the creature- Another big moment came when Fitz quarreled with Will (who was possessed by the creature) and inevitably had to kill Will with a flare gun to stop the creature from getting to the portal. I thought this was very interesting given the tension between the two because of the love triangle with Simmons. Although technically Will was already dead and his body was being controlled.

4. Assault on Hydra- I really liked S.H.I.E.L.D.'s assault on Hydra in the episode and thought ti allowed for some great action to coincide with the drama occurring on Maveth. 

5. Secret Warriors- It was great to see the Secret Warriors in action this episode and one moment that was definitely the coolest of the episode was when Joey melted the bullets being fired at Daisy when he jumped in the way to save her. He then proceeds declaring himself to be bullet proof, which is very cool and true in a sense.

6. Lash Unleashed- Another interesting tidbit was when May discovers what Andrew did to the Inhumans Hydra had captured at the facility and now Lash has escaped and is certainly a huge threat for the team again. I was saddened by this because it means that those were potential recruits to join the Secret Warriors that no longer have the chance. This scene also gave May an emotional moment and I'm curious to see how she will handle seeing Andrew again when he inevitably returns.

7. Daisy stays behind with Mack- A moment I really liked was when Daisy decided to stay behind with Mack when he orders everyone to leave as it showed just how close the two of them are now as friends and how Daisy didn't want to leave till Fitz and Coulson are retrieved.

8. "I'll be damned. Tatooine."- One of the best lines of the episode was a great timely 'Star War's reference when Coulson sees the two suns and says "I'll be damned. Tatooine.".

9. Repercussions of the events of the episode?- I think the ending of the episode revealed there will certainly be repuscssions for the events that occurred this episode. In particular I think Ward's "death" may become a weight for Coulson's soul. I think that the team may be alarmed if they learn of how Coulson killed Ward. I also think Coulson may become anxious when he discovers Ward is technically alive. 

10. Ancient City on Maveth?- This episode also revealed an ancient alien city that I suspect may be tied to the Kree but the creature is clearly knowledgable about it and was there to see it as hinted at by his conversation with Fitz. 

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'Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.' Season 3 Episode 9 'Closure' Review

Non Spoiler Review- A very thrilling episode with the atmosphere of a midseason finale or a larger scale episode with plenty of twists, drama, and action. This episode followed up nicely to the last episode, which I still consider to be one of the best of the series, and I can say this episode is up among the best episodes of the series as well. If this is just the buildup to next week's midseason finale, then I'm very excited to see just how grand the midseason finale will be and I think that it will definitely hold up in comparison. 

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

Highlights of the episode

1, Coulson dives in the portal after Ward- The episode ends with a huge cliffhanger. Hydra opens another portal and Ward takes some Hydra soldiers and Fitz through the portal with him. Coulson in his pursuit of vengence is so determined to get Ward that he jumps out of his quintet and lands in the portal to take out Ward since he had a clear shot at the portal from the quintet. 

2, Secret Warriors- This episode finally gets the first team of Secret Warriors together, which will consist of Joey, lincoln and Daisy. I've been waiting for this since the season's benign since it was heavily teased before the season came out. I liked how they built up to the formation of the team but it's slightly underwhelming that it only has three meters as of now so hopefully new Inhumans will be introduced that can join the Secret Warriors soon. 

3. Ward kills Rosalind- The biggest twist of the episode came in the opening scene, which seems very normal at first with Rosalind and Coulson on a date eating burgers. Then suddenly Rosalind is shot in the neck and begins to bleed out. Coulson can do nothing but sit there and watch Rosalind die unfortunately. Several blocks away Ward pulls his eye away from the sight of his sniper rifle. He then calls Coulson telling him he now knows what it feels like to lose someone he loves. I thought this was a very tragic character death, especially since viewers just got the opportunity to start to learn more about Rosalind and I liked the character especially in her scenes with Coulson as the two worked well together and had great chemistry onscreen. 

4. Coulson's hunt for Ward- Despite being saddened by Rosalind's sudden death I did like how it fueled Coulson's arc this episode. This episode saw a new side to Coulson where he was very vengeful and out for Ward's blood. I thought this was  a great direction for Coulson's character and thought it certainly was one of my favorite aspects of this episode. 

5. Fitz agrees to help Hydra to save Simmons- I always have enjoyed Fitz Simmons moments and this moment is no exception. Fitz and Simmons are captured by Hydra due to the fact that they've been to the planet and back and know more about how to use the portal, etc. They are separated and each questioned and tortured in different ways, Simmons physically and Fitz mentally. Fitz didn't want Simmons to be harmed so he offers to help Hydra in exchange for her safety. I liked how they had a small moment before Fitz was forced to enter the portal. I hope Fitz returns from the planet as he is one of my favorite characters. 

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'Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.' Season 3 Episode 8 'Many Heads, One Tale' Review

Non Spoiler Review- I can say this was without a doubt the best episode of 'Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.' This episode also spreads it's focus amongst all of the characters giving the entire S.H.I.E.L.D. team their own character moments, some awesome action scenes, and some insane reveals. I really enjoyed this episode and hope that the next episode will follow the upward trend in terms of quality. 

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

Highlights of the episode

1. It's All Connected- This episode revealed a lot and so many connections are made between story arcs and plot points that seemed unrelated. First of all, the organization that was trying to teleport people to the other planet has been revealed to have been Hydra all along. It's also cemented that Gideon Malick was on the World Security Council in 'The Avengers' as I mentioned a few reviews ago and that he is a head of Hydra. I liked this tie-in as it makes sense that he would have been the council member to suggest nuking New York if he was indeed a member of Hydra. He is also revealed to be the head of the ATCU's science division and has been doing things in secret behind the scenes that I will discuss in one of my other highlights below. I enjoyed all of these reveals and how it tied everything together nicely. 

2. Hydra's grand plan- This episode also gave us a Hydra history lesson revealing that Hydra goes back further than the Red Skull, that they’re much, much older. Malick pulls out a container with a small stone that he says has been passed down for hundreds of generations. He says it was cut from a larger monolith and that it’s a portal to another word. Malick tells Ward that thousands of years ago an Inhuman was born on this planet that was destined to rule it. It was sent through the portal to a distant planet. Hydra was founded with the sole purpose of bringing the Inhuman back. This Inhuman was banished to the planet that Simmons was on earlier this season and I believe it's the same person as the the mysterious figure that was on the planet with Will and Simons. Hydra has taken different shapes. The Entity has been given different names. They send men through the portal to serve it, and now they’re building an army for it when the creature returns. It's revealed that the ATCU's science division has been administering fish oil pills to people in hopes of creating more Inhumans so that the Entity can lead them. Malick says they’re very close. Malick offers to help Ward get revenge, but S.H.I.E.L.D. brought someone back through the portal, and he needs to know how. This was a huge reveal and I can't wait to see this plan take shape. 

3. FitzSimmons- A huge moment in this episode featured Fitz and Simmons finally talking to each other about how awkward things are and admitting their feelings to each other. She says she’s mad at herself for roping him into to this. She wishes he’d be angry. He finally breaks and says that he is. They have it out over how much time they lost because they were too afraid to say anything and how "the cosmos don't want them to be together". Fitz asks if she loves Will. She says yes. They argue some more until finally Fitz kisses her. She kisses him back. Fitz says they’re cursed and backs away. So things have been further complicated and I'm curious to see where their relationship will go this season as she obviously cares for both of them but I think Fitz has a slight edge because of how Simmons says no one else would have gone through a portal to save her. I really hope to see this relationship happen as I'll admit I'm rooting for the two because of how they just seem perfect together and just should be together. 

4. Coulson seeks the truth about the ATCU- The episode also features a talk between Coulson and Rosalind where he shows her around the base and locks her in a containment unit with him saying he will let her out when he believes he can trust her. In the midst of this the rest of the team is infiltrating the ATCU facility and learn some disturbing things that are revealed to be orchestrated by Gideon Malick. Coulson asks Rosalind about them and she says she was unaware and tells him that Gideon Malick is in charge of that subsection and reveals she was never lying to Coulson. She says he must let her go to help extract Bobbi and Hunter because they are in danger. The two then work together and seem to have forgiven one another. However, I'm curious how this will affect their romantic relationship as it strengthened their working relationship and their trust in one another but I just have a feeling it will slightly harm their romantic relationship. 

5. Bobbi's new batons- The scene where Bobbi and Hunter are infiltrating the ATCU facility allowed for great action and some levity through some hilarious moments. One really cool moment was seeing Bobbi use her new batons that she can call back to her through magnets. This was reminiscent to me of Captain America's arm magnet that allowed him to call back his shield in 'Avengers: Age Of Ultron'. I really enjoyed this new gadget and hope to see it utilized in future action scenes in new innovative ways. 

6. Ward- Grant Ward was really menacing yet slick in this episode. I liked the lengths he went to to get inside Strucker's safe and loved the line that he had prerecorded when he jumps out of the plane that will presumably crash "From all of us here at Hydra, thanks for flying the friendly skies."I also enjoyed his action sequence at the beginning of the episode as it was really cool to watch and lead into a interesting interrogation scene. I can't wait to see Ward fight the team in the next episode based on what is shown in the promo. 

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'Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.' Season 3 Episode 7 'Chaos Theory' Review

Non Spoiler Review-  A terrific episode of 'Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.' that really supports the point I made in my previous review that the show is steadily increasing along with the other shows I'm currently watching. I've noticed recently that this season of 'Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.' has a great pace picking up with a cliffhanger within the next few episodes so no plot threads are left behind. I thought the performances, visual effects, and action were among the best of the season and I can't wait for next week's episode after this episode's big cliffhanger. 

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

Highlights of the episode

1. Lash captured- This episode had a great ending fight scene where the team finally confronted Andrew about him being Lash and this lead to a great fight scene where he takes on the entire team. I liked how Lincoln came back for this but found him to be a little annoying when he starts to purposely anger Lash and intensify the situation. I liked that May was able to take him down by talking to him similarly to how Natasha soothed Hulk in 'Avengers: Age Of Ultron' however May then start to shoot Andrew several times till he stumbled into the containment unit. Rosalind, Coulson, Daisy and May then discuss what they should do with Lash. I liked that they came to the decision to put him into stasis at the ATCU facility till they find a cure. I thought that was a good decision because this will keep him from escaping however the twist at the end concerns me as to what will become of him. 

2. The ending cliffhanger- The ending scene shows Ward meeting with Gideon Malick, who was on the World Security Council in 'The Avengers' and made an appearance in the last episode. They discuss Ward's plans for Hydra and Malick says Ward's not thinking large enough to which Ward responds saying his plans are grand. Ward says he plans to cut off the head of S.H.I.E.L.D. by killing Coulson because the organization wouldn't function without him. After this stunning revelation, Malick receives a call from Rosalind telling him that she apologizes for the delay at NORAD and promises to bring him in soon. Malick tells her to hurry. Rosalind hangs up. Coulson enters the room and they discuss getting breakfast. I'm assuming she was referring to possibly attempting to kidnap Coulson for Ward or something long the lines of that but this also means she might be working for Hydra which would mean Daisy's concerns are indeed valid. Another thing to come from this is that it confirms Coulson and Rosalind are romantically involved now. 

3. Daisy saves Rosalind- One big character progression was when Daisy helped save Rosalind when Lash drops her using her powers to help cushion her fall. It was a step forward for Daisy as she helped the person whom she's had trouble placing her trust in because of how the ATCU is handling Inhumans. Another thing to take note from this was Coulson's concern when Lash drops her as he screams out revealing he really cares for Rosalind so her betrayal will likely hurt him most. 

4. Fitz recovers Simmon's files on her phone- Simmons brings Fitz her phone telling him that it's not working and to see if he can fix it and while working on it Fitz is able to recover files from her phone including video, pictures, and audio from the other planet. Fitz goes through it and comes across a picture of Simmons and Will that seems to really affect him. This was another very emotional moment with Fitz and the actor Iain De Caestecker is once again a delight onscreen conveying such emotion without saying a word. This also helps Fitz connect the dots and discover that the organization that she Will was the same organization that has been trying to get through the portal since the 1800's, as the symbol matches a symbol from the castle they visited to retrieve Simmons. I hope to see this subplot further explored in the coming episodes as I'm quite intrigued by the subplot because Fitz and Simmons are among my favorite characters on the show. 

5. Future for powered people- The show also manages to start to set up the foundation for 'Captain America: Civil War' as in the beginning of the episode Coulson was going to meet with the president to discuss the future of powered people. The episode also really focuses on how Inhumans should be handled with the argument that for every Daisy Johnson theres a Lash. The main divide is between Rosalind and Daisy in the episode although both begin to become more accepting of each other's ideals towards the end of the episode. I hope to see this foundation further built upon prior to 'Captain America: Civil War' and can't wait to see more ties to the MCU. 

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'Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.' Season 3 Episode 6 'Among Us Hide...' Review

Non Spoiler Review- Another terrific episode of 'Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'. I love that I live in a day and age where there aren't only really top notch comic book television series and movies but that these television shows manage to only get better with each and every episode. I was very impressed with this week's episode and very shocked by the major plot twist/reveal this week and I can't wait to see next week's episode. 

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

Highlights of the episode

1. Andrew is Lash?!?!?- The major reveal in this episode was that Andrew is Lash. I was also surprised to learn he's self aware of what he does as Lash and so it's not like a "werewolf" or Hulk situation where he isn't in control of himself. I was very surprised by this because I figured it was a possibility but a very slim one at best. I'm curious to see what his plans are and why he's targeting Inhumans.

2. Bobbi back in the field- This episode also saw Bobbi back in the field and she was a highlight because it was awesome to see her fight alongside May and she was incredible int he fight scene against Ward's lacky where she electrocuted him in a pool using her batons. I can't wait to see her in more action scenes as it's always enjoyable to see her and May in action.

3. Daisy and S.H.I.E.L.D. snoop around- I liked this for many reasons. First of all, it allowed for some hilarious moments when Hunter couldn't control his anger and did something irrational and it worked. I also liked seeing these three spying on the ACTU and learning more about what they're up to. I liked that Daisy is now concerned because she thinks Coulson approves of how the ACTU is  handling the Inhumans. I also really liked the new drone made by Fitz and especially liked the cloaking feature as well as Daisy's line where she says Fitz told her it's not ready but she uses it anyway as that was hilarious and one of my favorite jokes of the episode. 

4. Coulson and Rosalind- Coulson and Rosalind are once again a highlight because these two characters have such great chemistry in their scenes together and really are quite enjoyable to watch quip at one another. I also liked learning more about Rosalind and her motives as well as the tidbit she may have a crush on Coulson. 

5. Who is the man who is contacts Ward?- The man that contacts Ward was last seen in 'The Avengers' as a member of the World Security Council and for some reason he wasn't on the council in 'Captain America: The Winter Soldier'. I always assumed it was something related to a scheduling conflict but I believe it may be a part of his character and something we will learn about as the show continues since he seems to be slightly neutral between Hydra and SHIELD. Ward also mentions that the old Hydra leaders were afraid of him so I wonder why that would be as well as what he will ask Ward to help him with since he said to remember his tip next time. 

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'Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.' Season 3 Episode 4 'Devils You Know' Review

Non Spoiler Review- Week after week, 'Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.' continues to improve and this week's episode was among the best in my opinion. I liked how this episode handled multiple arcs at once dealing with several characters and balancing them all very well. Overall, a great episode and I can't wait to see it expanded upon with next week's episode which will reveal what happened to Simmons on the other planet. 

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

Highlights of the episode 

1. Simmons opens up to Fitz- Throughout the episode Fitz learns more about Simmon's intentions and at the end of the episode he confronts her about it and just as she's about to explain why she needs to go back the episode ended. I can't wait to learn what happened to her on the planet and why she feels the need to go back to the planet. 

2. Tough decision- Lance Hunter finally meets Ward within Hydra and immediately tries to kill Ward and when Hydra is about to overcome him, May comes as back up, This allows Ward to show he has Andrew under surveillance and will kill him unless May and Hunter leave. May is unsure of how to react but Lance doesn't give it any thought and immediately tries to chase down Ward managing to shoot him in the shoulder. This however has repercussions as Werner Von Strucker and Hydra kill Andrew and burn the building was in. I was very sad to see Andrew killed off and I'm curious to see if this will create tension between Lance and May. 

3. Lash- S.H.I.E.L.D. and the ACTU finally decide to hunt down Lash chasing leads that take them to a new Inhuman who whelps Lash track down Inhumans and the ACTU sedates him to take him to their facility. Mack and Daisy demand to come along and on the way they are attacked by Lash who ends up killing the Inhuman but spares everyone else even Daisy, which seems odd given it seems he is after Inhumans. I must say Lash looks much better than he did in the season premiere as he looks very menacing. As he kills the Inhuman and walks away he morphs into a human or at least that s what we see rom Daisy's perspective based on his shadow so I'm curious to learn more about Lash and what his powers and motivations are in regards to his hunt. 

4. Hunter goes after Ward- As I discussed earlier, Hunter finally goes after Ward but fails in his attempt to kill him. This allows Ward to escape and I'm curious to see what Hunter's plan will be now that he can't infiltrate Hydra from the inside anymore.

5. Coulson and Rosalind cooperate- The scenes between Coulson and Rosalind are always great due to the witty banter between the two and it was interesting to see their organizations cooperate with one another. I'm excited to learn more about the ACTU and see how long the cooperation between the two will last. 

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'Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.' Season 3 Episode 3 'A Wanted (Inhu)man' Review

Non Spoiler Review- Another thrilling episode of 'Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.' that had many great moments and developments. I'm very excited to see where this will direct the remainder of the season but was very impressed with the episode as a whole. The story was very interesting and there were some compelling character development for Lincoln, Simmons, and a few other characters. 

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

Highlights of the episode 

1. Simmons says she needs to go back- The big cliffhanger was when Simmons was looking at the broken pieces of the monolith and Bobbi asks her why she's doing so and that it's broken and then Simmons says she needs to go back there. I thought this was very interesting because the experience obviously traumatized her and seems to have some effect on her senses, etc. I wonder why she would want to possibly go back if the experience was so traumatic. 

2. Fitz-Simmons date- We finally saw Fitz and Simmons go on the date that was discussed during the Season Two finale and I found it very interesting that Fitz kept the reservation the entire time Simmons was gone. It was nice to see Fitz and Simmons finally go on this date and transition from being amazing friends to a more romantic relationship. 

3. Coulson makes a deal with Rosalind- One of the most fun scenes to watch this episode was the banter between Coulson and Rosalind. I liked that Coulson values Daisy so much that he was willing to sacrifice his knowledge to helping this other organization and informing them what he knows about Inhumans, etc to keep her out of the organization's hands. 

4. Lance Hunter infiltrates Hydra- I am really enjoying the Lance Hunter subplot where he's tracking down Hydra and wants to join their ranks from the bottom to get to Ward. I can't wait to see this arc pay off later down the season or in the spinoff that is being discussed with Bobbi and Hunter. 

5. Simmons readjusts- Simmons was severely affected by that planet or wherever she was and it definitely took a toll on her. She seems to be very sensitive in regards to hearing because vibrations really seem to irritate her and so I'm curious to learn more about what happened to her on that planet. 

6 Coulson keeps Daisy in the dark- Coulson kept Daisy in the dark and almost traded Lincoln's life to keep Daisy. It was very interesting to see how this affected Daisy as she would have rather been included and known about his plan. 

7. Lincoln on the run- The main plot of the episode was seeing Lincoln on the run from this government organization and seeing him having to turn to one of his only friends. And then having his friend betray him and watching the effect it had on Lincoln that he accidentally killed his friend while trying to protect himself. The effect all this had on him both emotionally and psychologically which was very interesting to see and added significant depth to his character. 

8. Agent May's fight scene- May was given one major fight scene that was very awesome to see and one of the best action scenes of the episode, if not the season. It was great to see May back in action after her being slightly sidelined the previous two episodes. 

9. Daisy and Lincoln?- A very surprising aspect of the episode was when Daisy and Lincoln kissed as this seemed  somewhat come out of nowhere as they previously appeared to be close friends but I guess they'll continue to grow closer and probably become involved romantically. 

10. Mack and Daisy play Halo- One little part of the episode I enjoyed was towards the end when Daisy and mack play Halo together which was kinda funny and really alleviated the tension to an extent. 

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