Agents of SHIELD returned this week with one of it's most exciting episodes to date. The show introduced some new characters to the MCU, and we even get to meet May's ex-husband. Also, the mystery of what has happened to Hunter is finally answered in the big reveal of who Morse and Mack are really working for. This was an episode that made sixty minutes of TV feel more like ten.
The show starts with Skye's crazy father Cal collecting a team of people of SHIELD's index for use in an assault against Coulson. While most of the people he collects are less than impressive, he does manage to break free Angar the Screamer from a SHIELD facility. Anger only uses his powers once and just to knock out a bunch of teenagers at the football stadium. The whole team feels sloppy and impulsive which is a nice reflection of how desperate Cal has become as of late.
Coulson is dealing with putting Skye on the Index, while Skye seems to be acting like everything will go back to normal once she controls her powers. Coulson ask May to call in a psychiatric that has experience with super powered people. Then they drop the bombshell that it is non other than Dr. Andrew Garner aka May's ex. Blair Underwood does an excellent job in this role and the characters interactions with Skye are very good scenes in the episode.
The end of last weeks episode saw things escalate with Mack and Bobbi's secret when Hunter finally confronted Mack. This week we see Mack has moved Hunter to a safe house and Bobbi is scrambling trying to keep Coulson from getting suspicious of both men's absence. The question that has been on the minds of all fans was who exactly the pair were working for while spying on Coulson? In a really twisted scene at the end of the episode we get the answer, SHIELD.
It's safe to say that Coulson's SHIELD is the more legit one due to the fact that Nick Fury himself handed Coulson the keys to the crumbling kingdom. However this new SHIELD is either a front of the baby of a misguided soul making a power play at the newly vacated hole left behind. Either way Bobbi and Mack will probably realize this in upcoming episodes and save Coulson and the team at the last moment so everyone can be happy.
Skye returned this week and i was disappointed at first, she had gone from being out of control almost bring down buildings last week to completely able to control her powers this week. This seemed to me a little to easy and as if the show was rushing things to get a super hero in the field with the team. At the end of the episode they reveal she isn't controlling her powers but instead aiming them inwards and hurting herself in the process. This leaves a lot more room for some cool power control exercises in future episodes and that do or die classic moment where she gains full control just in time to save the day.
Reader also makes another appearance on the series, popping in and teleporting Cal away from the final showdown with Coulson. In a scene between Cal and Reader, Reader tells Cal that he isn't one of them that he is a product of science and that the Reader and his people were born that way. This along with Simmons discovery that Skye and Raina both were born with something in their DNA waiting to transform is in line with the Inhuman story from the 616 comic universe.
While the episode answered a few questions it seems to have posed as many new questions in the process. Next week we will learn some more about this new SHIELD and why they are wanting to take out Coulson. With all the new Inhumans arriving on TV it will only be a matter of time before the team needs to use Skye in the field to protect themselves. Hopefully Marvel keeps the team in tact moving forward and doesn't splinter it over the next few episodes.
Episode Rating: 9
