Discuss this week's episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. - Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Current bets: Koenig is toast. May will come back and stop Ward. Skye will cry (okay, that was in the preview). Amy Acker isn't going to make it but neither is Adrian Pasdar. ... And I find I'm now rooting for Agent Triplett. No bets there.

[Edited after the show to say: well, I really only got 1, but Adrian Pasdar did go poof, so 1.5?]

[ edited by javelina on 2014-04-23 02:43 ]

javelina | April 22, 16:37 CET

Hmm. Maybe Koenig IS HYDRA. My pet theory is back!

Sunfire | April 22, 16:38 CET

Doctored feeds and Koenig nowhere in sight, knowing Ward is a bit technologically challenged? Maybe he IS HYDRA.

blackflamerose | April 22, 16:39 CET

"Maybe Koenig IS HYDRA. My pet theory is back!"
Sunfire

Tension is killing meeeee.

roddikinathome | April 22, 16:41 CET

Oh no Agent Koenig. :(

Sunfire | April 22, 16:41 CET

This is a roller coaster of "is Agent Oswalt dead?!"

Sunfire | April 22, 16:42 CET

Or not.

blackflamerose | April 22, 16:42 CET

Ooof, bloody garrote. Not a nice way to go>

blackflamerose | April 22, 16:43 CET

What a horrible way to kill someone! (Not that there's a good way.)

Nebula1400 | April 22, 16:43 CET

Yup. Dead.

blackflamerose | April 22, 16:44 CET

:(

Sunfire | April 22, 16:44 CET

Corpse.

roddikinathome | April 22, 16:45 CET

Uh, oh. Blackout might actually BE unstoppable.

blackflamerose | April 22, 16:45 CET

Or they just killed him. That works too.

blackflamerose | April 22, 16:45 CET

Booh!!!

hann23 | April 22, 16:45 CET

Phooey!

NYPinTA | April 22, 16:46 CET

Zappity zap.

roddikinathome | April 22, 16:46 CET

Ward is a bastard. I see no hint of remorse in him.

pat32082 | April 22, 16:46 CET

Sye is also breaking my heart.

blackflamerose | April 22, 16:47 CET

Pretty poofable baddie.

baxter | April 22, 16:47 CET

This is the most tense I've been all year.

javelina | April 22, 16:47 CET

*Skye

blackflamerose | April 22, 16:47 CET

Hmm, just some idle speculation, but the next ep is called "Nothing Personal". Fallout from the reveal of HYDRA Ward?

blackflamerose | April 22, 16:48 CET

Thing is I think Ward does really like Skye. Sigh...

hann23 | April 22, 16:50 CET

Remember your training Sky.

roddikinathome | April 22, 16:51 CET

hann23-I thnk so, too. And some regrets are coming to the surface.

blackflamerose | April 22, 16:51 CET

Huh. Undercover Skye?

blackflamerose | April 22, 16:52 CET

Wow - she has become Mata Hari in a short timespan!

baxter | April 22, 16:52 CET

AAHHHhhhhhhh!

roddikinathome | April 22, 16:54 CET

Uh, oh, Phil. You don't know she's gone.

blackflamerose | April 22, 16:54 CET

Eeep. Skye's in a pickle.

blackflamerose | April 22, 16:56 CET

I say again; AAAAAAAHHHhhhhhh!

roddikinathome | April 22, 16:56 CET

So the question is - is May on the Bus?

javelina | April 22, 16:57 CET

Skye's playing Ward, who's playing her. Spy vs. Spy, the love edition? ::uncomfortable laugh::

blackflamerose | April 22, 16:57 CET

javelina- I don't think so. She'd have popped up by now if so.

blackflamerose | April 22, 16:58 CET

"Wow - she has become Mata Hari in a short timespan!"
baxter

Survival mode, dood.

roddikinathome | April 22, 16:58 CET

Question answered

blackflamerose | April 22, 16:59 CET

Maria?

blackflamerose | April 22, 17:00 CET

That end tag was fabulous.

Sunfire | April 22, 17:01 CET

Maria Hill! There we go!

blackflamerose | April 22, 17:01 CET

Aaaagh! Need help! My DVR switched to Supernatural when Mama May handed Melinda the envelope. What happened?

hann23 | April 22, 17:02 CET

It's a way to contact Maria Hill.

Nebula1400 | April 22, 17:04 CET

roddinkinathorme - not the mode at issue, just the capacity/expertise at entering it and as good as someone for whom it is a career. Suspension of disbelief back on board.
And I love Mama-May!

baxter | April 22, 17:04 CET

Good episode although I was more into the Skye/Ward plot then the story with Coulson and Audrey.

[ edited by Buffyfantic on 2014-04-23 02:07 ]

Buffyfantic | April 22, 17:06 CET

I feel like I've seen Mama May before...

blackflamerose | April 22, 17:06 CET

I always liked Maria, too. Cobie smolders!

Stupendous | April 22, 17:07 CET

"So the question is - is May on the Bus?"
javelina

And that be a nooooo.
\And my teeth itch.

roddikinathome | April 22, 17:07 CET

So May *walked* back from the Canadian wilderness? With that bag over her shoulders the whole way? Man... that is hardcore. That was her mother, I assume... also a government agent, and knows Maria Hill. Who's working for Tony Stark now, right?

Looks like Skye is better at this secret agent thing than Ward was expecting.

"What's in the box?" "Simmons." Awwwww.

I'm gonna predict that Ward dies in the season finale, and Triplett replaces him as a regular next season.

I noticed something when they replayed the scene where Ward shoots the SHIELD agents and Hand on the plane. He didn't go for a head shot with her, like he did the other two agents. Looks like he shot her in the shoulder, actually. I wonder if she's alive and being held prisoner by Garrett?

AndrewCrossett | April 22, 17:09 CET

Thank you @Nebula1400

hann23 | April 22, 17:11 CET

Suspension of disbelief in a show that has superheroes and super villains, baxter? Maybe Skye is an alien super soldier, and her survival skills, plus SHIELD training are all converging to reveal themselves all over Ward.

[ edited by Nebula1400 on 2014-04-23 02:12 ]

Nebula1400 | April 22, 17:11 CET

You're welcome, hann23.

Nebula1400 | April 22, 17:12 CET

AdrewCrossett-Sorry to burst your bubble, but she is dead. Ward double-tapped her, though we didn't see it.

blackflamerose | April 22, 17:12 CET

"roddinkinathorme - not the mode at issue, just the capacity/expertise at entering it and as good as someone for whom it is a career."

baxter

Hence the "Remember your training Skye" comment. ;) She's all grown up.

roddikinathome | April 22, 17:12 CET

I really enjoyed this episode. I'm finally 100% invested and want to know what happens next.

I really do hope Koenig and Hand are okay. They're prickly but fun.

I think perhaps a flashback maybe of Audrey and Coulson would have helped their plot.

[ edited by hann23 on 2014-04-23 02:15 ]

hann23 | April 22, 17:13 CET

I wonder if she's alive and being held prisoner by Garrett?

As much as I wish it could be, when I rewatched I noticed he shot her two more times after she fell. I was too stunned to really pick up on it the first time, but yeah, she's gone.

Sunfire | April 22, 17:14 CET

Maybe Hand will be Raina's first success with GH325

andOtherDreams | April 22, 17:18 CET

"I really do hope Koenig and Hand are okay. They're prickly but fun."
hann23

Sorry mang, they're dead. And I'll miss them, too.

roddikinathome | April 22, 17:19 CET

blackflamerose - I'm in the living Hand camp. Why can't the two shots have been somewhere debilitating rather than fatal? Why not go for the head shot to begin with, as with the guards, if they didn't want to keep her alive? I think Hydra kept Hand. She's the highest ranking member of SHIELD left, to their knowledge, & that makes her valuable, even with SHIELD in its present state of disarray.

QingTing | April 22, 17:20 CET

Hand could be revived from death, as Coulson was, but as an agent of HYDRA, as happened to another character in CATWS (which I'm seeing again tomorrow, with my son who hasn't seen it, yet).

Nebula1400 | April 22, 17:25 CET

That final scene with Audrey - I would rather have had her wake up and get furious at Coulson. I understand why they didn't go there, b/c there's a lot going on, but it would have been more satisfying.

As for Skye and Ward, aaagghhh.

Loved the May/Mom coda.

javelina | April 22, 17:26 CET

Never have I wanted Skye to live so much, and for Ward to die even more much.

Nebula1400 | April 22, 17:28 CET

I'm out kids, I'll step back in in th' morning.

"aaagghhh."

javelina

You too, huh?

roddikinathome | April 22, 17:30 CET

I really enjoyed this episode. I'm finally 100% invested and want to know what happens next.

Same here.

Sweet Coulson-Audrey scene. Smart Skye. Poor Koenig. Great May and Mom scene.

palehorse | April 22, 17:37 CET

So, do you think Skye left a message about Ward on that "picture window?"

Nebula1400 | April 22, 17:38 CET

I was impressed with Chloe Bennett's acting when she realizes what Ward is. Good job. And really liked how Skye pulled herself together too.
And Damn, Koenig should have trusted his instincts but there was a reason why Fury put him there, away from all the action. Poor guy.
And I'm hoping that May got quite a few rides because that is weeks of walking otherwise. What do you suppose was her mother's job? And where? In Canada? the U.S.? Elsewhere?

Lioness | April 22, 17:39 CET

It looked like a Pennsylvania license plate, anyway.

Sunfire | April 22, 17:44 CET

Did anyone catch the name of the actress who plays Mama May?

I keep seeing Bill Paxton credited as a cast member in this episode but he was only in the flashbacks, wasn't he?

AndrewCrossett | April 22, 17:48 CET

@Andrew - Yeah, he was only in flashbacks. I kinda missed him.

javelina | April 22, 17:50 CET

Interesting - thought the Skye /Ward / Koenig stuff was riveting , had a real tension to it. So much so that I found myself frustrated whenever they cut away for the Amy Acker part of the show. I found that story, while well intended, to be more filler than anything.

Also:

Chair of Truth was nicely done!
Poor Fitz - He was given his opening
I like MayMom
Didn't note the director - but very "movie" feel tonight
Any Ward-is-a-Triple-Agent holdouts left?

Three episodes left - hopefully they have a couple more surprises left in the bag o' tricks

TallMichaelJ | April 22, 17:53 CET

I no longer think the "Ward as triple agent" scenario is plausible. He's killed too many loyal SHIELD agents now.

Besides, that would be taking the twist-a-roonie thing a little bit too far. It would be like a Scooby-Doo episode... "It's not really Ward at all! It's old Mr. Johnson, the amusement park caretaker, wearing a Ward mask!"

AndrewCrossett | April 22, 17:59 CET

Absolutely Ward is Hydra, although I'm thinking there still might be time for Ward to do the clichéd redemption act to save Skye in the finale. I don't believe Garrett has as much control over him as he believes. I'd be disappointed if they went that route, but I think it's possible.

I also really really hope that Hand and Koenig stay dead. Should either of them come back it cheapens the pure evil of the acts (IMO) One of the reasons I stopped reading comics back in the day was I became aware of Stan Lee's edict on the "illusion of change" Keep the readers on their toes with cliffhangers and deaths and reveals ... but always return to status quo eventually. I've begun reading comics again and while I enjoy them, I'm not sure they've ever quite figured out a work around for that issue - I'd hate for it to bleed into the series

TallMichaelJ | April 22, 18:09 CET

How about Agent Triplett's grandfather as a Howling Commando?

mike13 | April 22, 18:14 CET

May's mother was played by Tsai Chin, who played Ming-Na Wen's aunt in The Joy Luck Club.

Yurchel | April 22, 18:14 CET

Thanks!

AndrewCrossett | April 22, 18:19 CET

I THOUGHT I saw her in the Joy Luck Club! Thank you, Yurchel!

blackflamerose | April 22, 18:26 CET

TallMichaelJ, while I somewhat agree, I'd love to see a series of Koenig LMDs.

PaperSpock | April 22, 18:28 CET

Skye certainly seemed to be thinking clearly when going through the contents of the medicine closet after figuring out Ward had killed Koenig, so she clearly had some plans for how to protect herself. The thing is, we do know that despite himself, Ward does have real feelings for her. He told Loerlei, and he couldn't lie to her about that. And twice after Skye was shot and Ward made comments about whom he blamed,first at the end of TRACKS, and the second time at the beginning of TAHITI, when May tells him not to blame himself, he says it's not HIMSELF he blames. In both cases, he glares at Coulson, and we're clearly meant to think that he blames Coulson for Skye getting shot. But now we know it was Garrett he held responsible for Skye getting shot. They've already had an argument about it - it wasn't supposed to happen after he'd already developed feelings for her. I predict that Ward is going to be finding himself in some seriously conflicted situation between his loyalty to Garrett and the feelings that he hasn't been able to completely shut out for Skye. Maybe she'll even get to be the one to shoot him, and then have him die in his arms (that would be one from the 1950s playbook of television tropes).

barboo | April 22, 18:32 CET

I'm wondering when or if they'll pull the LMD card.

I was thinking how cool it would be to have Koenig be the unkillable SHIELD agent... the mild-mannered guy who just keeps coming back no matter how many times they try to kill him. It would be a cool running gag and Patton Oswalt would be the perfect guy for it.

AndrewCrossett | April 22, 18:34 CET

The director was Vincent Misiano, who has been around the block. I love it that he directed an episode of The Lone Gunmen, a show for which I still have a soft spot.

javelina | April 22, 18:35 CET

Every week now I'm excited to watch SHIELD to find out what happens next. It's stressful when it ends and I have to wait a whole week again. SO glad there are no more breaks in the schedule. It's great to see so much conversation on here too! I love the set up that Skye knows about Ward and he doesn't know she knows. I look forward to seeing how that plays out.

As a side note my love keeps cracking jokes about how OBVIOUSLY ward is evil "he threw away a man's sandwich".

witch_kat | April 22, 18:55 CET

I don't get Hydra. So they're like a baddie organisation who release criminals and do bad things, but they can easily recruit Shield agents. Makes no sense.

Bunnies | April 22, 19:24 CET

I think most of the Hydra agents were recruited before they joined SHIELD, and were then brought in by senior double-agents like Sitwell and Garrett.

AndrewCrossett | April 22, 19:35 CET

Simply recruit people who are ideologically similar to those in HYDRA. I'm sure we have plenty of people in our CIA, FBI, and NSA whose ideology is pretty much in league with Nazi ideology. It hasn't been too difficult to get people to build a massive surveillance system that pries into all of our lives, or cops to brutalize protesters, or to buy off politicians.

It's easy to recruit people who are ignorant to history, or who have been raised to believe things that go against their own best interest.

Nebula1400 | April 22, 19:43 CET

I love that Skye's "real" name was Mary Sue Poots.

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MarySue
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Poots

Of course! ;)

[ edited by Barry Woodward on 2014-04-23 05:00 ]

Barry Woodward | April 22, 19:54 CET

Ok, so clearly Skye left a message in the bathroom. I wonder what else she did with the chemicals; it didn't look like she was carrying any weapons with her, though, since she wasn't carrying a bag or anything else. The problem is that, if Skye and Ward were taken (in theory), Skye's note could be scrawled by HYDRA. I dunno if she would have left a clue that it was actually written by her.

I doubt we've seen the last of Amy Acker. RIP Patton Oswald, though.

RoguePirateBunny | April 22, 20:06 CET

RoguePirateBunny, I'm with you on your Skye theory. They focused too long on the chemicals and picture for her not to leave a note.

I was much more interested in the May/Coulson, Fitz/Simmons/Triplett, and Skye/Ward storyline compared to the Coulson/Audrey one. I really want Coulson to forgive May, and every episode I like May's character more and more if that is even possible. I've always loved the Fitz/Simmons dynamic. Agent Triplett has earned my trust, and I would love to see him on the team. And I want Skye to kick Ward's ass or aid in his downfall. Can't wait for the next week's ep with Maria Hill!

hpgwbtvs | April 22, 20:22 CET

Stage lights rejiggered to emit gamma rays? Really? That's about all I can say about this episode.

@theonetruebix | April 22, 20:52 CET

A spectacular episode, though I agree with previous comments the half of the episode featuring the Cellist/Audrey Nathan was a bit of a disappointment due to how quickly things were resolved...though I think that Marcus Daniels isn't gone. The fact he was being experimented on at The Fridge makes me think they have do some hand-waiving and make him a sentient cloud of darkforce energy that will eventually re-coalesce.

What really stood out for me was the method by which Ward defeated Fury's super duper lie detector: old-school pain inducement via what seemed like a bent paperclip or bobby pin shoved into the nail bed of one of his fingers! All that whizz-bang tech and Ward fools it with one of the oldest tricks in the book :D

BlueEyedBrigadier | April 22, 20:58 CET

b!x how is that any different from all the other things they do in the show/movies/comics?

Beth | April 22, 21:49 CET

I'm so glad this show turned out to be great. Even if it means losing beloved characters played by Patton Oswalt.
Ward should be hanged with that lanyard.

Trentaferd | April 22, 22:08 CET

@Beth: Science fiction handwaving is one thing, and usually there's at least a pretense to it being either (a) possible or (b) so weird it's got its own rules. This was neither and simply made no sense under either form of handwaving.

@theonetruebix | April 22, 22:43 CET

I'm not even sure what gamma rays are, so I buy it.

gossi | April 23, 00:03 CET

Great episode. That completely made up for the mediocre ep last week.

libradude | April 23, 00:14 CET

It is looking to me like MAOS is going to be one of those shows like Buffy was for me that really hit their stride beginning with the last few episodes of the first season. I have been enjoying the show right along, but this episode was the one that made me feel like it is really getting to its potential for greatness! Yay!

barzai | April 23, 00:26 CET

The whole Amy Acker plot line was terrible. Such a waste of her talents. And when they were using those lights I just kept picturing a Ghostbusters fan film.

I'm not sure what they are doing with Ward, but they may as well have him grow out his moustache so he at least has something to twirl.

Kaan | April 23, 00:33 CET

b!X - Sooo.... it's ok for gamma rays to turn someone randomly into a giant green rage monster but a genius can't produce them when required to save the day. Got it. ;)

Kaan - While I agree the Audrey plot was a bit.. disappointing I understand that there was so much going on in the episode they couldn't base the whole episode around it so I'm ok with it particularly given I'm sure that's not going to be the end of her story, just the introduction!

Beth | April 23, 01:06 CET

Mornin'

I think it's a fair point about the gamma radiation from the lights being very um, underdeveloped in the story. I did assume that in the Marvel Universe it was an accepted fact that stage lights could be modified rather quickly to emit super light. I didn't dwell too long because the Skye plot was so good. I guess the fiction worked for me.

hann23 | April 23, 03:29 CET

I found it hard to invest in the sadness of Audrey and Phil, when I've only ever seen the actors together in Much Ado, and that wasn't a romance ('cause ick.) I'm much more invested in Coulson and May.

And gamma rays - does that mean he'll be Blackout Hulk now?

redeem147 | April 23, 03:58 CET

Fitz explained that a. Banner basically invented the technology, and b. Fitz used something from the Jet engines to rig the lights..I'm not sure how much MORE explanation a person would want in a 42 min episode with some other major stuff going on.

[ edited by Beth on 2014-04-23 13:07 ]

Beth | April 23, 03:58 CET

I'd love to see a series of Koenig LMDs.

- Paperspock

That would be awesome. It'd remind me of Weyoun from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.

swanjun | April 23, 05:00 CET

Koenig being an LMD in various locations would be like the Doctor in Star Trek: Voyager, who also happens to be the back-up Doctor on all starships.

Nebula1400 | April 23, 05:35 CET

I agree with Beth, I distinctly remember Fitz saying Bruce Banner invented the technology to create the gamma rays, so with that saying and a little hand-waving, I bought it and have no issue with it.

hpgwbtvs | April 23, 06:04 CET

I haven't seen the episode yet but the gamma rays rang a bell.

From Newsarama:

Special features in the DVD for the film Iron Man 2 reveal that the machine Bruce uses to douse himself with focused gamma rays was constructed by Stark Industries, the CEO and chief technologist of which is Tony Stark aka Iron Man.

It's all connected.

Simon | April 23, 06:32 CET

I'm on board the Koenig LMD bandwagon. Yes! That idea is perfect!

They shouldn't even explain it the first time he comes back. Just have everyone keep asking him how him came back to life, but all he'll say is that it's classified. Then right before he decides to tell them, he's killed again.

Save the reveal for the third appearance.

Jason_M_Bryant | April 23, 06:51 CET

They shouldn't even explain it the first time he comes back. Just have everyone keep asking him how him came back to life, but all he'll say is that it's classified. Then right before he decides to tell them, he's killed again.

"Oh My God! They killed Koenig! You bastards!"

JMaloney | April 23, 08:43 CET

Fun fact: In the original comics, Eric Koenig was a Nazi commando in WW2 who was persuaded to defect by Nick Fury. He became a founder of S.H.I.E.L.D. and a leader of the Howling Commandos.

Of all the characters on AoS who have been given from-the-comics names, Koenig is probably the one least like the original.

In the original comics, Koenig died in battle with Hydra alongside fellow Howling Commando Gabe Jones... who might very well have been Triplett's grandfather.

AndrewCrossett | April 23, 09:02 CET

Maybe next week we'll learn Agent Koenig had a chest tattoo.

andOtherDreams | April 23, 09:32 CET

Watched it on my ABC app. I liked this episode better than most of the others. It did a good job building suspense. One quibble/question, if Koenig was using the badge thingies to keep track of everybody, why would have one on himself?

More important quibble, when Coulson is wrestling with whether or not to tell Audrey he's alive, why doesn't he once consider the most obvious reason not to do so: It's freakin' highly classified! And unintended disclosure could lead to all kinds of problems with the Avengers team members, etc.

[ edited by Squishy on 2014-04-23 19:11 ]

Squishy | April 23, 10:07 CET

Squishy, because he didn't want people to know he was using them to track people, by having one himself it made it less obvious there was an "un-advertised" function. We also don't know that there's not some other function they're used for that would mean he'd need one.

As for the highly classified, all S.H.I.E.L.D.'s files have been dumped on the internet, I don't think much of anything's classified any more!

[ edited by Beth on 2014-04-23 19:13 ]

Beth | April 23, 10:13 CET

I guess I buy the first point. Not entirely sure about the second point. If ALL the files were dumped on the internet, wouldn't everybody already know all about TAHITI, etc.? And wouldn't everybody already know that Coulson's alive? And Fury too for that matter? Presumably, SHIELD still has some secrets that weren't uploaded right?

Squishy | April 23, 10:39 CET

There might not be records of TAHITI, since that project's secrets have secrets. But there are probably personnel files for all active agents, and so on. Coulson was supervising a team having field adventures, after all.

Sunfire | April 23, 10:47 CET

So theoretically, Audrey could find out Phil's still alive just by googling him? And I guess this means all the Avengers now know he's alive too? It just seems kinda surprising, but I guess it's possible. If so, I wonder if Phil will appear in Avengers 2, and if he does, how they'll deal with this issue.

[ edited by Squishy on 2014-04-23 20:08 ]

Squishy | April 23, 11:07 CET

Skye erased all digital records of Coulson and the gang. They no longer exist on the interwebs.

[ edited by Barry Woodward on 2014-04-23 20:40 ]

Barry Woodward | April 23, 11:39 CET

Oh yeah, I forgot all about that! Thanks, Barry. It didn't make much sense to me at the time, but I see now there may well have been an important purpose (perhaps more narrative than strategic) behind erasing all that stuff.

Squishy | April 23, 11:51 CET

On an unrelated point, I'll go ahead and speculate that we'll learn Skye's superpower in the season finale...

[ edited by Squishy on 2014-04-23 21:05 ]

Squishy | April 23, 11:53 CET

Oh yeah, I forgot about Skye's data vanishing act. Hmm. That does complicate things.

Sunfire | April 23, 12:32 CET

I didn't get the whole lie detector scene with Ward - the machine was giving Koenig clear signs, when asking the Hydra questions, that something is wrong. Just because he was telling the "truth" in the next question, as to why he is there, that doesn't erase his previous answers. Why did Koenig just suddenly accept him to be okay? I must have missed something, can you guys explain?

Other than that, I loved this episode, there was a lot of suspense and I found myself, for the first time, really, really rooting for Skye. She is a smartie.
I'm sad Ward is so evil though :(

Illy | April 23, 12:49 CET

I do like that Hydra are not one size fits all villains.

Alexander Pierce actually thinks he's the good guy.
"Nick, our enemies are your enemies.
I can safeguard the lives of seven billion people.
by sacrificing twenty million."

John Garrett is a narcissistic survivor, with no moral compass.
"I saw which way the wind was shifting . . . ,
and I adjusted my sail."

Grant Ward is doing it because of his
personal connection to Garrett.
"I owe Garrett everything."

And most of the nameless faceless followers
are just that, nameless faceless followers.

Toady: "HAIL HYDRA!"
Garrett: "Put your arms down. You look like a West Texas cheerleader."

There are a lot of different, crooked paths to evil.
Hydra seems to have a lot of them covered.

(Thanks @javelina, I couldn't remember and couldn't find the clip to verify, now I recline corrected.)

[ edited by RobynH on 2014-04-24 07:03 ]

RobynH | April 23, 13:36 CET

Illy, Koenig was asking "Why are you here" Ward said, "It's my duty" Partial truth, lie detector reading shows yellow. K: "Are you associated with Hydra" W: "Yes, everyone is because they infiltrated the highest shield levels" Technically not a lie, machine shows no color. K: "Are you Hydra" W: "I'm loyal to Coulson and my team" The lie detector turned red, so Koeing asked, "Do you have another agenda?" W: "Skye" passed that question.

I believe the yellow indicates an unclear answer and red indicates a lie, which is why Koeing asks the follow-up questions. Ward was really smart with the way he worded the answers, so they weren't technically lies. I'm with you though, having the machine indicate a lie after Ward said, "I'm loyal to my team and Coulson" should've been a huge red flag. I'm assuming Koeing is a romantic, and is taking it as 'shield collapsed, and he is here because he loves Skye.'

On ABC.com they have this specific clip called, "Grant Ward Faces the Ultimate Lie Detector" if you want to re-watch the scene.

[ edited by hpgwbtvs on 2014-04-23 23:33 ]

hpgwbtvs | April 23, 14:25 CET

I love this story line. I've always wanted to see a TV show turn one of the good guys evil and actually stick to their guns. Not some stupid, "He was under a spell", "He was mind controlled", "He swapped bodies with someone", "He was tricked", "He was just fooling the enemy" or fifty other million cop outs TV shows usually give us. I love that Ward is truly a villain and has been pulling the wool over the eyes of his team and the TV viewing audience as well. This is bold story telling.

Hopefully, all the bashing this show got early on from bandwagon haters has subsided. Recent episodes have made this show as much of a must see show for me now as Arrow

Angel&Faith | April 23, 15:40 CET

I think "The Only Light in the Darkness" is my favorite episode. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is now the show that keeps on giving.

All the relationships of the group are part of the discussion, rotating amongst them all. And at one point I felt a sense of horror during Skye's reaction to Grant's 'real me'. It also played as a metaphor for opening up to another human being. Really relatable stuff.

The teaser in the beginning was really cool too, the way they handled that scene. I loved the villain and his ability. But the mid-credits scene hinted at a character I don't really care for. So there's that. But overall an awesome episode.

Out. For. A. Walk. Bitch. | April 23, 17:06 CET

@RobynH - "You look like a WEST TEXAS cheerleader!"

My favorite line of the year, I think. Certainly way up there.

javelina | April 23, 17:49 CET

Continuing my thought from last night--I bet that Skye used the chemicals from the bathroom to destroy the hard drive. It looks like she has it, and she might be able to fool Ward/HYDRA for a little while (since only Reina appears to be computer-savvy).

So: she left a note, destroyed the hard drive. Or that's my theory, anyway.

RoguePirateBunny | April 23, 20:45 CET

I like that theory, RoguePirateBunny.

Nebula1400 | April 23, 20:59 CET

Anyone notice that Koenig had a Walther PPK pistol--you know, the one James Bond uses? Interestingly enough, he de-cocks the pistol in the less safe manner (pointing away, thumbing the hammer, and pulling the trigger) rather than simply using the safety. It's a small and underpowered gun, compared to what firepower everyone else at SHIELD has been seen using.

jclemens | April 23, 21:27 CET

Loved this episode.
One thing that struck me really funny was Ward's confessional speech. The first time he gave Skye the line about him & his brother (early in the show), I was cringing at the awkward hokeyness of it. SO much better hearing that stuff from Evil Ward.

And I love the Patton Oswalt, LMD idea. I don't want that character to be gone.

jcs | April 23, 23:01 CET

I thought the chair scene with Ward and Koenig was one of the best things I've seen on the show to date. Gripping and tense.

Simon | April 23, 23:37 CET

I wish Koenig had shot Ward dead in the chair. Then removed the lanyard from around his neck, secured it in a locker, walked to the door and stuck his head out into the hall and yelled, "Next!"...

That would have been a jaw-dropping, "OMG, did they really just do that?" type moment for me.

[ edited by Penthos on 2014-04-24 20:53 ]

Penthos | April 24, 04:47 CET

The juxtaposition of the two scenes (the cellist and Skye) also left me much more interested in Skye -- we all kind of new what would happen with Blackout, and we didn't know what would happen to Skye. I guess the only plus was using the eerie cello music for Skye on the run.

It's interesting how Ward always discouraged Skye from going in over her head, alone into danger -- and now that Danger is him as they head to South America.

Ronald_SF | April 24, 14:02 CET

I found it hard to accept Evil Ward last week, but I was sold this week where it mattered: in the scenes with Skye. He seems genuine when he says "I'm a bad man" to Skye, and his obsession for Skye does not contradict his evil agenda. Well done.

Ronald_SF | April 24, 14:05 CET

I was really shocked to find that for once, the Amy Acker part of a show was not my favorite part of that show! I hope she absorbed some of that power blast thingy Coulson and Triplett crossed the streams and put the ghost in the trap so she has a reason to pop back up again next season.

Btw, I was all ready to have an entire episode dedicated to Sky and Ward playing cat and mouse next week in that bunker. Could've done some Buffy-esque genre spin on horror tropes. "The call is coming from inside the bunker!"

D-e-f- | April 24, 16:22 CET

I'm enjoying this show more and more, glad I stuck with it! Am I the only one who felt sorry for Ward when he confessed that his brother made him beat up his younger brother. I've always have a soft spot for the abused, emotionally manipulated characters in the Whedonverse (e.g. Faith, Connor). I hope they can give him a good redemption story but I don't think I will like it if they make his love for Skye the magical solution to solve all problems. But if they can do it right it could give for some nice complex team dynamics next year :)

lostinthis | April 24, 23:41 CET

So what happens with the lanyards? Did Skye leave the tablet where the team could find it and so they could track where her and Ward were going? Do the lanyards track past the secret base that everyone knows about now? Did May leave her lanyard or will they be able to track her with it? I want the lanyards to be more than just the one ep tool.

LOUiE | April 25, 00:16 CET

I doubt May would stand there and go "hm, this lanyard's pretty spiffy looking. I'll keep that around on my journey through the wintery wilderness because there's obviously no tracker in it and I need to have as many useless things with me as possible. *starts whistling*"

D-e-f- | April 25, 04:39 CET

Redemptive thought: Ward's overriding loyalty has always been very personally to Garrett. If Garrett is killed... what then? Does that put him on a new path? It certainly doesn't erase what he's done - and he's done a lot, but is the character still redeemable at this point? I dunno.

Random thought: After seeing Amy, I wish Jed and Maurissa would reach into the Spartacus cast. Dustin Clare or John Hannah on the show would be freaking awesome.

BringItOn5x5 | April 25, 04:54 CET

@BringItOn5x5 only if they keep swearing like there's not tomorrow :D

I miss the Spartacus language so much.

D-e-f- | April 25, 10:35 CET

It'd definitely liven up the bus a little if Agent Gannicus got drunk after killing a few dozen Hydra flunkies (while blindfolded) and sang another round of "My Cock Rages On". Simmons' scandalized reaction alone...

I miss that show. And I'm seriously bummed that DeKnight's Incursion project seems to be going nowhere fast. It sounded like a great concept.

BringItOn5x5 | April 25, 16:22 CET

I don't want Ward to get a redemption story. I'm sick and tired of redemption stories in TV. He's evil and that's the end of it. I will lose a LOT of respect for this show if they pull the usual, "Oh he's not really so bad, let's forgive him" routine. I'm sick of people going bad then going good again on TV. Angel did it. Once Upon a Time did it. Once Upon a Time in Wonderland did it. Breaking Bad did it. Homeland did it. Lost did it. Supernatural has done it. EVERY show does it. Let's for once have someone go bad and STAY bad. I don't want any excuses or cop outs with Ward. He's betrayed the team. He's KILLED people. There is NO going back from that.

[ edited by Angel&Faith on 2014-04-26 18:26 ]

Angel&Faith | April 26, 09:24 CET

I wouldn't mind Ward being redeemed. I would mind him being forgiven and let back on the team. I can't see that happening believably given his murdery past. If he's redeemed, I want him dying or allowing himself to be captured to save the team.

QingTing | April 26, 15:32 CET

April 22 2014