Article originally written for Seat42F.
This week’s installment of MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D.
takes us into the “Afterlife.” Specifically, Skye (Chloe Bennet) wakes up in a
place called Afterlife, where she is surrounded by both those with powers and
many who wish to have them. Meanwhile, everyone else searches for both Skye and
a way into the toolbox as the conflict between the “real” S.H.I.E.L.D. and
Coulson (Clark Gregg) continues.
It’s a bit of a relief to see Skye among people who can help
her. I understand her desire to go save her friends, but Skye is not much use
to them in her current, unstable state, anyway. With Gordon (Jamie Harris),
Lincoln (Luke Mitchell, The Tomorrow People), and the woman Skye doesn’t know
is her mother and whom many believe to be dead, Jiaying (Dichen Lachman), Skye
has a chance at not only controlling her abilities, but figuring out how to use
them. She will come out of this experience better than ever if she just allows
herself to listen to them, as they do seem to have her best interests at heart,
at least for now.
A setback occurs when Skye learns that the group is treating
Raina (Ruth Negga), too. It’s hard to know if Skye’s right and Raina doesn’t
deserve assistance or if Jiaying is right and Raina was just Cal’s (Kyle
MacLachlan) pawn who merits compassion. Seeing that Gordon and Jiaying have Cal
locked up is encouraging, but Skye doesn’t know the fate of her father, so
that’s of no comfort to her. Will Raina come out of this place with newfound
purpose, or will she continues to do fiendish things because what she wanted
didn’t turn out to be what she expected?
Coulson and Hunter (Nick Blood) go looking for Skye,
believing she is more crucial to immediately retrieve than S.H.I.E.L.D. itself
is, or perhaps believing that Skye is the key to taking back the organization.
They have a bit of help in doing so in the form of Deathlok (J. August
Richards), who has undergone some impressive upgrades. “Afterlife” is a little
slow in moving this part of the story along, but it’s worth it just to see
Hunter’s face when Deathlok shows up, an event Coulson doesn’t clue Hunter into
for that very reason. Priceless. And by the end of the episode, the trio has a
method of transportation, plus they’re heading towards Ward (Brett Dalton),
which promises to be awesome, so it all plays out well.
Coulson has other assistance, too. May (Ming-Na Wen) remains
completely loyal. Gonzales (Edward James Olmos) offers her a seat at the table
in “Afterlife” and urges her to take it for Coulson’s sake, but she doesn’t
seem to accept. This scene demonstrates both who May is, which I never doubted,
but also backs up Gonzales’ claim that he is not a bad guy and just wants to
help S.H.I.E.L.D. be what it should. He does want to stop Coulson, which causes
conflict, but we see him treating the rest of the team with nothing but
respect. That’s a good sign.
Fitz (Iain De Caestecker) and Simmons (Elizabeth Henstridge)
take advantage of Gonzales’ leniency to smuggle the toolbox out of the base
with Fitz, leaving Simmons almost exactly where she begins the season, a lone
mole among enemies. By working together here, the twosome repairs their
troubled relationship, though Gonzales’ people don’t see that, thankfully.
Sadly, though, the bond between Mack (Henry Simmons) and Fitz seems to be
destroyed. It’s uncomfortable to watch because Mack truly does think he’s doing
the right thing, as does Bobbi (Adrianne Palicki), and their commitment to
Gonzales isn’t that different from our main cast’s commitment to Coulson.
Is Gonzales right in thinking Coulson’s people shouldn’t put
their loyalty to Coulson ahead of their loyalty to S.H.I.E.L.D.? For them,
Coulson is S.H.I.E.L.D. and understandably so. They’ve watched him lead the
organization through its darkest time. Yet, if Gonzales is going to lead the
new S.H.I.E.L.D., perhaps they’re making the wrong decision, and maybe Coulson,
who has admittedly been erratic, really shouldn’t be in charge. He seems better
after the temple, but they don’t all know that for sure yet. Coulson is a great
guy, but he’s not a perfect leader. Nor is Gonzales, though, even if he does
allow the others to overrule him on May and let democracy win.
I still keep hoping there’s a peaceful resolution to be had
here, and perhaps Skye will be the tool that can make it happen, once she
wields her power correctly. None of the S.H.I.E.L.D. people, on either side of
the schism, deserve to die or be locked up. They just need to come to an
understanding, which will be difficult, given the strong personalities and
opinions involved. “Afterlife” gives me optimism if only because both sides of
the fight seem to be acting reasonably rationally, putting their cause ahead of
personal feelings, even if they disagree on what that cause means exactly.
MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET on
ABC.
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