The chaos theory (no, not the one about screaming, “blood for the Blood God!”); it’s the closest thing science gets to the silver linings playbook. Something really bad happens to you.... well maybe it was always meant to in the incalculable grand formula of the Universe? While it’s a cool idea, it’s about as comforting as hugging a sea urchin in its attempts to explain why sometimes, s*** just happens. I imagine Melinda May would find it just as unhelpful right now as she deals with the unthinkable.
Chaos Theory – After learning that her ex-husband Andrew is secretly the Inhuman monster Lash, May seeks him out for the truth while the rest of the team aren’t far behind figuring it all out themselves. Coulson and Rosalind see their Presidential meeting postponed to help the others while Fitz recovers the lost data from Simmons’ phone and finally receives the recordings she made for him.
Although last week’s Lash de-masking was the expected identity in Andrew, it was still a good shock twist for just imagining how this news would affect the Shield members, especially May. This is the aspect this follow up episode very sensibly explores as we follow May through dealing with the news. As you’d expect from Ming-Na Wen, the results do not disappoint. Right from the start, we see May retreated firmly inside herself as she wrestles with the news. The emotional growth we’ve seen from her over the seasons snaps back inwards to the cold and unattached May of early season 1 retruns. We get good phases of denial and anger from her before confrontation with Andrew implies a curious development: that the man and the monster are separate people (for now at least). That Lash is in fact a Hulk-like full body departure for Andrew whenever certain instincts takeover. It’s a more surprising and far more interesting direction for the story to take as rather than demonising Andrew it attempts to humanise Lash. The Andrew/May flashbacks also fill in the gaps nicely as to when Andrew’s body became a time share. It’s simple and it makes sense with the existing information we know about May and Andrew in the off season. The end play out of the episode is even more surprising as it actually removes Lash from the villain equation in complete contrast to how many believed the season would play out. This leaves a vacant spot at the villains table and like Dave Batista in Spectre, someone quickly proves their qualifications to fill it.
The episode takes a notable step towards Secret Warriors, which might now become the focus as the Lash story winds down. After weeks of needing his personal space, we finally see Lincoln returning to the fold. He makes a good antagonist of need as he goes into full vengeance mode against Lash. His end sentiments confirm he’ll be sticking around with S.H.I.E.L.D. for the immediate future, which of course means he’ll be suiting up with Daisy on the team. Elsewhere, the idea of the Secret Warriors team becomes a heavy talking point for its next closest Inhuman candidate: metal-melting Joey from the season opener. His calmness and upbeat demander make a great contrast to his fear and disbelief post transition. Yet the most interesting part of his assessment with Andrew is his aspirational attitude towards the SW team. Rather than being coerced in for the benefits of his abilities, Joey is ecstatic about the idea and the chance to use his new abilities for good. He’s the first person we’ve seen on the show for a while that actually wants to be a hero which is refreshing. It’s still unclear whether or not he’ll be suiting up with the team, but his new abilities to create as well as destroy metal would make an interesting addition. As far as we know, the self duplicating Alicia is still in a coma following the opening sequence of episode 4 and could still come back into the ranks. It feels likely we’ll start meeting other powered team members soon but even if he stays human, let’s get Mack wielding his (now infamous) shotgun/axe comb on the team for pure fun alone.
The Fitz-Simmons pairing has a great episode (well, Fitz features mostly) as he works through Simmons’ phone. We get a great mix of emotions from the rage at seeing Simmons in his rival Will’s arms to his almost gormless expression as he finally comprehends how Simmons feels about him. Anyone that’s ever tried a long distance relationship (I did... badly) will know that it’s a hell of lot easier to tell someone you think about them every day than to make them believe it. Yet this is exactly what Fitz gets as he catches up with our episode 5 account of Simmons’ time away. What I really liked was their final scene together. With the sun rising in the background and both laying their cards on the table director David Solomon could have so easily fondue’d, it all into a steaming cheese fest with both brianiacs smothering their face into one over a rising musical score. Instead, what we get is a beautiful moment of understated mutual affection. For all intensive purposes Simmons is telling Fitz she loves him by confirming she meant what she said on the recordings. True love requires grandeur, and so they both stand and so they just watch the sun rise together in contempt acceptance of their relationship with each other; the boy who waited and the girl who never gave up.
Chaos Theory is a very successful episode. Its story is predominantly an aftermath to last week but it still manages to keep things interesting and entertaining. The action elements are good as Lincoln and Lash get their powers battle on. The Coulson and Rosaline relationship continues to delight and now looks to a whole new level of curious. A less chaotic affair than its title implies thanks to some great writing as Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. continues to take bold strides this season.