It’s rumoured that in a previous episode, Clark Gregg/Coulson was supposed to reference the Star Wars line, “these aren’t the droids you’re looking for” only for it to get cut from the script, much to his disappointment. So his glorious opening observation of the alien planet in this episode may actually be some form of reconciliation, “I’ll be dammed, Tatooine”. It’s one of several brilliantly geeky moments that help give this Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s mid-season finale (not returning until Match after season 2 of Agent Carter) such a great edge of fun to it that balances out the higher dramatic stakes. It’s these episodes of getting such things that we remember it’s called “Marvel’s” Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Maveth – On the alien world, Ward makes Fitz find the portal home with the help of Will while Coulson trails them. Meanwhile, Mack and May lead the new Secret Warriors team into action to secure the castle in time for the return portal with Gideon Mallick and a whole lot of Hydra standing in their way.
For all of Hydra’s build up to this big all powerful creature the scenes, we get on this, still unnamed, foreign world focus on the existing storylines of Fitz, Will, Ward and Coulson stretched by their more unusual circumstances. Fitz and Will have some great exchanges as rivals for Simmons' affections turned friends and allies. Their lack of hostility towards each other only makes things more interesting. Even with years of investment into the “Fitzsimmons” relationship, Will still presents as the good man that was there when Simmons needed him. Both seems too comfortable with the other getting the girl, creating a mutual hollow victory scenario; whoever comes out on top will still be riddled with guilt over whether other the guy should have won (nice guys putting themselves last). Fitz also delivers on the action as he makes some impressive attempts to take out Ward despite being completely out classed. His foolhardy degrees of bravery help us invest in his survival which pays dividends in the more tense moments of the final act. However, the fire on this darker planet comes from Coulson and Ward. The last episode did an amazing job of building this up with Ward murdering Rosaline and Coulson going full on Mission Impossible after him through the portal. We feel Coulson’s drive for revenge and Ward’s usual grinning cockiness even when in a bad position really compounds it all into their big showdown with one hell of a satisfying conclusion to it. Elsewhere, the planet scenes impress by using their effects money shots for some good landscape visuals. The ruined city implies the planet’s previous civilisation and the Hydra statue proposes some interesting questions over their own creation. Was the original Hydra founder someone form this planet?
The Secret Warriors (or possibly “Power Rangers”) assault-on-castle Hydra story offers a lot to enjoy. The MVP is a tie between Mack and Joey “melty man” Guiterrez. Starting with the big Mack, as much as we all love Coulson, any time he fancies taking a vacation or needs a break from being Shield Director let him go. Mack is outstanding in a command based role! He’s forceful and imposing while always feeling like a cares for those around him; he’s like a genetic splicing of The Rock and Captain Picard. Whatever they have planned for his character in the rest of the season, let’s hope he’ll stay as Coulson’s deputy because he absolutely excells doing it. As for Joey, he just shines like glass playing the newbie card. As well as his own great excitement and bemusement at being in the field for the first time, he becomes the perfect source of humour for other quip slingers to bounce things off. He even sets up Hunter for the episode’s best line, “This is how Shield works, you make a plan, the plan turns rubbish and then you make a new plan”. The different team members wreaking havoc about the base has plenty of good little moments to it and all builds well into a good defensive scenario and dramatic climax. Many probably would have wanted to see Hydra break through the barricades needing the whole team to fend them off.... but that would have come across as an inferior reflection of Age of Ultron’s big defend the church/”is that the best you can do?” set piece. Instead of fighting a battle it would only lose, the episode wisely switches to a dramatic focus with May and the rest standing by to “nuke them from orbit” (it’s the only way to be sure).
The one sour note of the episode is the Andrew/Lash storyline as now with Mr Dreads Blaster back out on release and clearly in evil mode it feels like his story is going in circles more than progressing. We’ve already seen May having to deal with her husband being a monster and since then, she’s only shown clear cut desires to kill him. While this could still develop into a meaningful arc for the pair, the show has to be careful not to make this feel like back paddling. Plus, we really don’t want an overly-gloomy May rather than the lethal badass we’ve grown accustomed to.
In many of the right ways, this feels like a similar mid-season finale to last year’s in that it satisfies with the immediate episode it delivers while positioning the show for an exciting new direction when it returns. It finally gives us a fledgling Secret Warriors team in action with Daisy taking point (but Mack, we’re STILL waiting for the shotgun/axe combo!) and immediately pledges them a daunting end game to face. Shield finishes 2015 strong; now, let’s give Coulson a well earned break while he watches The Force Awakens a few dozen times.