Ever since this show began, some degree of reflection or incorporation has been expected everytime a new Marvel movie comes around, showing that the cast are living within the same world (okay, maybe not for Guardians). That is until Winter Soldier came along. Now everytime a new MCU film comes along, audiences don’t just expect an opening minute’s reference like Thor: The Dark World. They expect it to have a major impact and ramifications because the mass effects of the Hydra/Shield reveal in the spring of 2014 were just so bloody good! It still remains one of the best things the show ever did. Attempts to recapture those feelings ever since have frequently fallen short because they were just too over-hyped for the more humble returns given. The show runners teased us a major movie character featuring on the show for a crossover with Age of Ultron, which turned out to be merely Cobie Smoulders’ Maria Hill via Skype. So with another crossover teased for Civil War in its build-up, it was difficult to feel overly excited about it. Thankfully, the show has reminded itself just what made the Winter Soldier crossover work in the first place. Forget the characters, cross-over the themes to show us how they impact the Agents on a personal level, and that is exactly what we have here.
Emancipation – Following the events of the recent Iron Man/Captain America conflict over the Sokovia Accords, General Talbot is charged with registering all of Shield’s enhanced assets. Meanwhile, the captive Lincoln seeks Daisy’s hacker help for an escape and Hive continues his experiments with D. Radcliffe thanks to some unlikely volunteers.
THIS EPISODE DOES NOT CONTAIN CIVIL WAR SPOILERS...... Well okay, there is a very minor one concerning the fate of a TV featured character but it’s so obvious that it carries no shock value. Overall, do not worry if you haven’t seen the film yet (but so quick because it’s incredible!) as despite being set after its events, noting is mentioned beyond the obvious basics in an opening news report. In fact, other than the known faction leaders of Rogers and Stark, it doesn’t even specify whose side anyone was one, who supported the Accords and who did not, “It’s good enough for the Avengers.... not all of them”. Instead it takes the film’s idea of government intervention in super powered teams and applies it to Shield’s Secret Warriors by placing the show’s General Talbot in similar position to Thunderbolt Ross/William Hunt. In many ways, Talbot becomes the audience as he’s being swayed back and forth over whether or not, in Coulson’s own words, “some battles need to be fought with secret warriors”. This also allows him to act as outsider to the base and team’s regular activities, which creates a lot of good comic relief without killing it dead by putting him in a dress like earlier in the season. In fact, his name based frustration is the episode’s funniest moment (if only he could meet Cisco Ramon). Yet in keeping with the two-sided argument of Civil War, Talbot makes some good arguments about the need for higher level control based on the capabilities of their Inhumans. The likes of Daisy and Lincoln are weapons of mass destruction if they chose to be. Should they really be allowed to operate in secret? However, we see Coulson echoing the Steve Rogers viewpoint in his refusal to pass the blame or accountability onto someone else. That this is his ship and the fact he cares so much about it and all those aboard it is what makes the safest hands still his own. The main story ultimately revolves around Talbot’s journey of understanding and accepting that. It also gives the show a nice little “get out of continuity free card”. It allows the show to hold off any major changes in Shield operations to reflect the Accords until at least the start of next season.
The Hive scenes are also very entertaining. Wherever their new secret base is, they are not short of space, which makes for some good visuals by feeling less confined. The makeup team does a nice job with Daisy by making her look pale and drained for being the Doc’s blood bank supplier without overdoing it --the message is successfully delivered visually requiring minimal explanation. Being on general rest most of the episode also gives a good dose of the old-school hacker Skye. The experiments themselves are a lot of fun, especially given the contrasting reactions to the results from Hive and Dr Radcliffe. It also adds weight to Hive’s WMD endgame by showing us exactly what he’ll be turning the human race into: less unique super powered individuals and more drones. Hellfire has a good episode as he does his best Ghost Rider impression on camera with some very cool looking effects shots. However, the real fire from Hive’s scenes comes from the final act as the episode very sneakily sets up a Civil War style titanic clash to more than satisfy the episode’s action requirements. It comes with some real emotional payoffs too as the events play out.
Going into next week’s double episode finale, many things are now coming together. After learning that Hive’s plan involves shooting something into space, we know how we’ll get to tease the future vision of the Quinjet blowing up in space with mystery team members onboard. It must also be noted that Yo-Yo/Slingshot’s cross, known to be in the jet when that happens, has been passed to another character. The finale promos have already promised that at least someone will die and anyone that’s read these reviews in recent months will know I have a Daryl Dixon level of affection for the now “cross baring” character.... if they die, I will riot! I’m making that clear now.
Emancipation is an excellent episode in the way it realistically incorporates the aftermath of a big movie event without needing overdramatize the TV/film connections and most importantly, not sacrificing its existing stories in the process. Even without the film crossover, the episode would have worked absolutely fine as the next step in the Hive conflict. One week remains in Shield's best season yet, with one side at least determined to send it out with a bang.