Agents of SHIELD Season 2 EP 15 Review

Agents of SHIELD is continuing a great second season that has turned the focus to the Inhumans and another SHIELD faction. Both of these plots may seem very separate but the two collided together and shaped what we should see during the remaining seven episodes.

***** SPOILERS for "One Door Closes" to follow *****

"One Door Closes," written by Lauren LeFranc & Rafe Judkins and directed by David Solomon, has the "Real SHIELD" show its strength and cause a lot of problems for Coulson's SHIELD.

The episode goes back and forth between the current time and a flashback to the day SHIELD was overtaken by HYDRA. The flashbacks bring Isabelle Hartley (Lucy Lawless) back to the fold and show her and Mockingbird (Adrianne Palicki) kicking some major butt from the start.

Hartley and Mockingbird are also joined by Mack (Henry Simmons) and rescue a wounded Robert Gonzalez (Edward James Olmos). These four and a few others follow the plan laid out by Fury to sink the helicarrier they are on. That is until Mockingbird proposes a new plan instead. She decides to defect from Fury's plan and save the ship.

This is where we see the beginning of this new SHIELD faction and lays the foundation for what they believe in. It is interesting to see them portray Mockingbird as the brains behind this new faction, even going so far as Gonzalez telling Coulson he didn't even want to be the Director of the "Real SHIELD." During the last few episodes, Mockingbird's true allegiance seemed to be very questionable thanks to her relationship with Hunter, but now it appears she has actually been telling the truth about just how loyal she is.

When we are back in the present day, Coulson (Clark Gregg) immediately starts questioning the loyalty of Mack while Mockingbird is snooping around his office. Once Mack and Mockingbird are discovered as being double agents, a scramble for control ensues as Mockingbird and Melinda May (Ming-Na Wen) go toe to toe for one of the best fight scenes in the shows run.

During the scrum for control, we see Simmons (Elizabeth Henstridge) get the best of Mockingbird and Mack save his old buddy Fitz (Iain De Caestecker) from an explosion that he set.

The "Real SHIELD" takes over the SHIELD base, but during their head count they somehow do not account for Agent May. With Coulson in handcuffs, he and Gonzalez finally come face to face to try and sort out their problems. This is truly great as we see Clark Gregg and Edward James Olmos share a lengthy scene and a lot of interesting dialogue. Just as they are finishing up their discussion, May comes in to save the day and help Coulson escape to find Skye.

Speaking of Skye (Chloe Bennet), she was taken away to a secret log cabin and since this is the Marvel universe, it is no ordinary cabin. 

Hulk Fist Indentation in Skye's Cabin

This just so happens to be the same cabin that Bruce Banner spent time in, likely the same one seen during the last scene of The Incredible Hulk. Skye starts to learn how to control her powers after a visit from Gordon (Jamie Harris) and a promise to return once she needs him. That comes much sooner than Skye anticipated after the "Real SHIELD" begins to hunt her down. She calls upon the other Inhuman after having her first moment that shows her true power as Quake, and it was beautiful.

Seeing Skye, Mockingbird, and May have a major presence in this episode, as well as Simmons to a lesser extent, was a nice reminder of just how many strong female characters the show has. Agent Carter got a lot of praise for being a show driven by a female character and Hayley Atwell was a great leading lady as Peggy Carter, but these four actresses also deserve a lot of praise.

Chloe Bennet started off being an awkward and seemingly forced character but has become a focal point of the show who has been given a story justifying her presence. Bennet has been tasked with introducing the entire MCU and its millions of fans to the Inhumans, and on a TV show none the less. She can now carry the show when necessary and her future is the most exciting thing about the show.

Ming-Na Wen joined the show as a stone faced, no nonsense right hand lady to Coulson but her transformation to becoming Skye's mentor while also kicking major butt every week is amazing. Adrianne Palicki is basically a nicer and younger version of Agent May, but she has been on a roller coaster ride during her first season. She has now been turned into a villain of sorts but I still find myself rooting for her, except for when she is defying SHIELD. Elizabeth Henstridge has also come a long way since her being an agent afraid to be in the field, even taking down Mockingbird in this episode. She is still trying to come to peace with all the changes at SHIELD, and after her best friend suffering brain damage as a result of saving her life and now Skye becoming something that could destroy them all, it's hard to really blame her.

The episode ends with Coulson on a beach, but thankfully not TAHITI this time. He is there to meet up with Lance Hunter (Nick Blood), his only other agent not being held captive. The show has really developed Hunter recently and made him the character that is worthy of being a season/series regular and not just a guest star. He signs on, while be it on a napkin, to be fully committed to Coulson's SHIELD team and these two will have their hands full come next week.

Check out a preview for next week's episode "Afterlife" below!

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Agents of SHIELD Season 2 EP 14 Review

After weeks of inhuman and alien plots, Agents of SHIELD took a turn back to its roots of secret missions featuring the return of many recognizable faces. We also met a new enemy for the team as we get closer to finding out where Bobbi (Adrianne Palicki) and Mack (Henry Simmons) place their allegiance.

***** SPOILERS for "Love in the Time of Hydra" to follow *****

"Love in the Time of Hydra," written by Brent Fletcher and directed by Jesse Bochno, sent the characters we have grown to love in three separate directions.

The first was Coulson (Clark Gregg), May (Ming-Na Wen), Skye/Daisy (Chloe Bennet), Fitz (Iain De Caestecker), and Simmons (Elizabeth Henstridge) on the mission of helping Skye understand and control her powers while also deciding what her role should now be within SHIELD. May convinced Coulson to pull Skye off of active duty, which did not go over well her.

Simmons developed new gloves for Skye to wear that are meant to diminish the strength of her powers. This seems to be just the beginning of the transformation that Skye will undergo, which hopefully ends with her looking something like the image on the left.

Speaking of transformations, emotions of the audience went through the roof during a straight to the point confrontation between FitzSimmons. It has been great to see these two come back together and hopefully this conversation will bring them back together and give us more of the witty banter the pair had in Season 1.

The other members of Coulson's team were unable to be apart of these events due to them being with the "Real SHIELD." This version of SHIELD is run by Robert Gonzales (Edward James Olmos) and features one familiar face among their leaders in Agent Weaver (Christine Adams). Their leaders plus Mack and Bobbi try and convince Lance Hunter (Nick Blood) that, just like every evil organization, they are not the enemy.

The "Real SHIELD" is convinced that Coulson is the real problem and he should be the one to blame for the deaths of Isabelle Hartley (Lucy Lawless) and Agent Triplett (B.J. Britt), the transformations of Skye and Raina (Ruth Negga), and much more. Thankfully, Hunter does not agree with them and even hijacks one of the many vehicles on-board their helicarrier to escape.

This episode also featured the return of Grant Ward (Brett Dalton) and Agent 33 (Maya Stojan). Last time we saw the two of them they each had a number of things that needed to heal. Ward was shot three times and Agent 33 had part of her mask and face destroyed so they needed some obvious time to get back to being themselves. They set on a mission to fix Agent 33's face and then kidnap and start to brainwash Sunil Bakshi (Simon Kassianides). The kidnapping means an encounter with General Talbot (Adrian Pasdar) which ends up being quite comical thanks to the inability of Talbot in distinguishing who people really are.

Dalton was a welcome edition to the show after a few weeks of being away and getting to see Grant Ward back in action was a highlight of the episode. Nick Blood also gave a memorable performance as he continued to thwart the attempts of the "Real SHIELD" recruiting him. Hunter has become an increasingly likable the past few weeks which I find to be fascinating given his cold shoulder approach at the beginning of the season.

As the writers make the likes of Hunter and Fitz more likable, they have turned Bobbi and Mack into characters that are hard to be a fan of. Their characters are still interesting but I could not imagine them keeping an actress as high profiled as Adrianne Palicki and have her turn evil, especially given her character's history.

Another highlight recently has been the ability of the writers to find time for the fun and heartfelt conversations between Coulson and Skye. Whether it was Coulson comparing Skye to his beloved car Lola or Skye pleading with Coulson to just be her friend and not a SHIELD Agent during this difficult time in her life, the interactions between the shows main characters are something that the show is based on and needs more of.

A quick shout out is also well deserved for Ming-Na Wen who had to display the regular stone cold perception of May but then also convey the emotion felt by Agent 33 after being "taken in" by Ward.

Agents of SHIELD returns next week with "One Door Closes." Check out the promo for the episode below as the two SHIELDs come face to face!

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Agents of SHIELD Season 2 EP 13 Review

Now that Agents of SHIELD has returned from its winter break, the focus has turned to the transformation of Skye/Daisy (Chloe Bennet) and the discovery of double agents, again. In the thirteenth episode of the season "One of Us," Calvin Zabo (Kyle MacLachlan) assembles his own team of super powered people to help him seek revenge on SHIELD.

"One of Us", written by Monica Owusu-Breen and directed by Kevin Tancharoen, introduced us to a handful of new baddies that Coulson (Clark Gregg) and the rest of his (dwindling) team will have to face.

***** SPOILERS for "One of Us" to follow *****

Zabo organizes a team that includes newcomers such as a lady with razor blades for fingernails in Karla Faye Gideon (Drea de Matteo), a man with super strength in Francis Noche (Geo Corvera), a tech genius in Wendell Levi (Ric Sarabia), and later a man with a deathly scream in David Angar (Jeff Phillips).

Coulson and Mockingbird (Adrianne Palicki) go off together to hunt down this team of super villains, while Agent May (Ming-Na Wen) recruits her ex-husband Dr. Andrew Garner (Blair Underwood) to help Skye deal with her new abilities.

The super villain team lures Coulson and Mockingbird back to his hometown for a big showdown, but Coulson arrives short handed. Skye is unavailable due to safety reasons, Fitz (Iain de Caestecker) and Simmons (Elizabeth Henstridge) are not reliable field agents, and Mack (Henry Simmons) has kidnapped Hunter (Nick Blood) in order to preserve the secret that he and Mockingbird are hiding.

Just as the showdown is about to begin, Gordon (Jamie Harris) steps in and takes Zabo away before any real harm can be done. The team takes down the remaining villains in typical SHIELD fashion but the battle ended yet again with them worrying about Skye.

We were all lead to believe that Skye had been getting a handle on her abilities and stopping the shaking from happening, but as it turns out, she has only been harming herself. Instead of stopping the quaking, Skye has been internalizing the effects which has caused her arms to become severely bruised and for hundreds of hairline fractures to develop throughout her body.

The episode ends with Mack taking Hunter to the place that will reveal what side him and Mockingbird are on. What side is that? According to Mack, it's the "real SHIELD." We will be finding out more about the "real SHIELD" in the coming weeks and find out exactly what Mack and Bobbi are up to.

The episode itself was good and pickup a lot near the end after a slow first half. Blair Underwood was great as May's ex-husband and the scenes with him and Skye are fantastic. The special effects were once again far and above anything we saw in season 1 and shows the commitment by Marvel to give the show the budget it needs to make the VFX as close to movie quality as they can.

Check out a preview for episode 14 "Love in the Time of Hydra" below!

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What are Bobbi and Mack Up to in Agents of SHIELD?

Season 2 of Agents of SHIELD has been a crazy ride. The inhuman story has been at the forefront of this season but there has been a very interesting secondary plot forming the past few weeks. Back in episode 9 "Ye Who Enter Here," Bobbi Morse (Adrianne Palicki) and Mack (Henry Simmons) revealed that they have another agenda and that their loyalties may not entirely lie with SHIELD.

The two have been snooping around SHIELD headquarters and scanning Director Coulson's for information. During "Who You Really Are," Bobbi, also known as Mockingbird, and Mack encounter Vin-Tak, a Kree warrior, and are instantly overpowered. Their lack of strength brings them to wonder if they should call for backup, and they don't mean more SHIELD agents.

Mockingbird and Mack have debated on bringing Lance Hunter (Nick Blood) into the fold but Mack has been opposed to this idea. Based on upcoming episode synopsis's it appears that we could get an answer on what is going on in the next few weeks. But who wants to wait that long? Not me. So I thought I'd share my theory on how things might turn out.

I've been thinking about what the two newcomers could be up to and this is basically what we have to go on- They have both been with SHIELD for some time, with Mockingbird taking time to pose as HYDRA. Luckily, they are not HYDRA but they do know how it feels to find out close friends are not who they said they were. They are both highly trained in fighting and have past ties to Hunter.

I have come to the belief that Hunter may actually be the key to it all. A quick Google search or Marvel comic knowledge about Lance Hunter and maybe you know where I'm going. Are Bobbi and Mack actually part of another secret intelligence organization?

In Marvel comic history, Hunter eventually becomes the Director of STRIKE, Special Tactical Reserve for International Key Emergencies. STRIKE is basically the British version of SHIELD but the two have worked together countless times.

It seems likely that Hunter will eventually be brought on board to Mack and Bobbi's plan and if they are members of STRIKE, then it could be starting Hunter down the path of ultimately reaching his role in the comics. Bringing another friendly organization into the mix could prove to be helpful, especially with a lot of villains on the way.

Hunter is on to the two of them and it is only a matter of time before this becomes a big enough problem that Mack can't just sleeper hold out of. This will be an interesting subplot for the rest of season 2 and maybe a bigger plot line in the future of Agents of SHIELD.

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Agents of SHIELD Season 2 EP 12 Review

The focus of Agents of SHIELD from the beginning was that ordinary people can do extraordinary (inhuman) things. During this second season, more and more special people have popped up with three taking the focus this week.

***** SPOILERS for "Who You Really Are" to follow *****

Skye/Daisy (Chloe Bennet) has been the primary character for the last few weeks but this week, Marvel brought a few cosmic characters into the fold. Asgardian warrior Lady Sif (Jaimie Alexander) and a Kree by the name of Vin-Tak (Eddie McClintock) join the show with a goal that ultimately shakes up the team.

Vin-Tak comes to Earth to investigate an alert being sent back to his planet from an ancient and dormant city. The city was home of Kree long ago during their experimentation of humans and was the site of Skye and Raina's transformations.

Sif has followed Vin-Tak to Earth because of the disagreements that Asgardians and Kree have had in the past. The two have a destructive dual that ends with Lady Sif without her memories in the bottom of the ocean.

Luckily, Director Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg) and the rest of SHIELD come to her aid. They do what they can to help track down Vin-Tak including Mockingbird (Adrianne Palicki) and Skye doing their best to take down the Kree "villain."

After eventually subduing Vin-Tak and him granting Sif back her memories, things begin to get very tense for all parties involved. Vin-Tak explains he came to Earth to find whoever was affected by the terrigen mist in their ancient city. Vin-Tak, Sif, and Coulson begin unloading questions upon Skye, which causes her to lose control and quake.

Her secret is officially out and it tears the team apart. Coulson and Fitz (Iain De Caesteker) support Skye and believe she can eventually learn to control her new powers, but not everyone agrees. Mack (Henry Simmons) believes the team needs protection from her and it seems Simmons, Mockingbird, and Hunter agree. Skye's mentor Melinda May (Ming-Na Wen) is on the fence but it seems she will side with Coulson and Fitz.

The sub-plot of the episode and possibly this season has been the mysterious plans and alliance that Mockingbird and Mack have. Morse wants to bring her on-again-off-again boyfriend Lance Hunter (Nick Blood) into the fold but Mack suggests to push him away, which Morse does. Unfortunately for Hunter, he knows their is a secret and confronts the enormous human being that is Mack about it and ends with Hunter unconscious on The Bus.

The true star of the episode was Fitz who has time and time again this season turned in memorable performances. He is the only one to stand up for Skye in front of the rest of the team and Iain De Caesteker more than holds his own and steals the majority of the scenes that he is in.

A quick mention must be given to the visual effects team for Agents of SHIELD as they continue to make the VFX look on par with those we've become accustomed to seeing in Marvel Studios Movies. Whether it was the Absorbing Man earlier in the season, the seamless transition from Kree to Human for Vin-Tak tonight, or making the Biofrost look extremely similar to what we see in the Thor franchise, that crew has time and time again risen to the occasion this season.

Check out the promo for EP 13 and the superhero vs super villain battle it will have!

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Agents of SHIELD Season 2 EP 11 Review

After a two month break that had Agent Carter fill the void, Agents of SHIELD returned with force after a crazy season finale. The first half of the season left viewers with some unanswered questions, but the second half of the season is sure to answer those.

***** SPOILERS for "Aftershocks" to follow *****

The return of Agents of SHIELD promised to be very inhuman and it delivered on every aspect fans could want. The episode followed the journeys of Skye/Daisy (Chloe Bennet), Raina (Ruth Negga), and the rest of SHIELD following the events that happened in the Temple.

Skye has been locked in a quarantine room since the last time we saw them and has not been coping well. She dreams of the death of Tripplet (B.J. Britt) and blames herself for his death.

Raina is also struggling with her new abilities and appearance. She now has spikes coming out of every part of her and is using them for some very deadly and bloody reasons. She tries to find comfort in Cal (Kyle MacLachlan) but ultimately his joy from finding out Skye also had a transformation dominates his thoughts.

For the rest of the SHIELD team, they are all in different places and "Aftershock" was able to really show the differences by fantastic performances across the board. Coulson (Clark Gregg) has put the blame on himself and has become increasingly agitated and angry. May (Ming-Na Wen) is using fighting like always, Mack (Henry Simmons) continues to build, Fitz (Iain De Caestecker) investigates Skye's blood, Simmons (Elizabeth Henstridge) searches through the destruction and seeks the termination of all super powered people, and Hunter (Nick Blood) and Bobbi (Adrianne Palicki) each comfort each other.

HYDRA is scrambling to fill the void left by the death of Whitehall (Reed Diamond) and thinks Bakshi (Simon Kassianides) would be an acceptable replacement. The SHIELD team devises a plan to trick HYDRA into eliminating their main leaders and fulfilling their promise of handing Bakshi over to General Talbot (Adrian Pasdar).

This was also possibly the most emotional episode of the series. Whether it was a large group fight, Simmons announcing her hatred for people with powers, or Fitz discovering that Skye is the one who caused the death of Tripplet, the emotion that each of the actors displayed throughout the episode was a real bright spot for what has been a great second season.

Lady Sif (Jaimie Alexander) returns next week for episode 12, "Who You Really Are." Check out the promo for next week's episode! 

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8 Questions Season 2 of Agents of SHIELD Still Needs to Answer

Agents of SHIELD has turned itself into a strong Marvel property halfway through its second season. The first season was filled with one off stories and events that seemed to have no real purpose to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, that is, until Captain America: The Winter Soldier. The show is now 10 episodes into its second season and has taken a break so Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell) can star in Agent Carter. When Agents of SHIELD returns in March, there are still some questions that need to be answered. Below are 8 questions we want answered before season 2 of Agents of SHIELD ends.

How will Skye's Transformation Affect the Team?
Ever since we first met Skye, it was clear she was special. She erased her real identity and was labeled an 0-8-4 by SHIELD as a child. Thanks to the mid-season finale, we know that Skye's real name is Daisy Johnson and will become a version of Quake during the rest of the season. 


Her transformation gave her powers to make her "inhuman" but it did come at a price. Agent Triplett died trying to stop the transformation from happening. The loss of a close friend along with another team member gaining super powers will certainly change the dynamics within the team. Will Daisy feel responsible for the death of Triplett? Will the team blame her for his death and as a result fear for their own lives? These are just a few interesting scenarios that could happen. My theory is the team will distance themselves from Daisy only pushing her to her father, Mr. Hyde. Once that happens, the team will go after her to save her from her very dangerous and angry father.

What has Raina Become?
Daisy was not the only one to experience a transformation when the Terrigen Crystals were triggered. Raina also changed into something unknown. Her eyes changed slightly during the transformation to look almost cat like. The spikes coming out around her face is where things get confusing. Some people believe she will be Tigra but I am just not sure. Who or what Raina will become the rest of the season should be very interesting to discover. Will she use her new powers for good and potentially become an ally for SHIELD or will she continue to help Mr. Hyde and Ward? Only time will tell.

What are Ward's Motives?
Ward has become the most interesting character on Agents of SHIELD for most people. One week he seems hell bent on destroying his family and the next he is a puppy dog trying to do whatever he can to earn Daisy's trust and affection. Daisy is not easily fooled however and last time we saw Ward, he had a gunshot wound courtesy of her. He got help from Agent 33 (Maya Stojan) and is now on his own. What will Ward do the rest of the season? Will he try and help Mr. Hyde and Daisy bond together? Is there a chance at redemption in his future? It seems like no one knows what Ward is going to do next; maybe he doesn't even know himself.

What are Bobbi and Mack planning?
In "Ye Who Enter Here," episode 9, it is revealed that Bobbi Morse (Adrianne Palicki) and Mack (Henry Simmons) have another agenda that is a mystery to the rest of team and the audience. Whatever they are planning, they want it to be just the two of them. Lance Hunter (Nick Blood) knows that something is going on with Bobbi so there is a chance he will try and find out what is really going on.

Is Koenig a L.M.D?
Ever since we met the first Agent Koenig in season 1, it has been unclear how it is possible for there to be so many Koenig's. So far one has died but two more have popped up this season. The recurring joke is that they are all brothers and that there are many more, leading myself and many others to believe that Koenig is actually a Life Model Decoy. Agents of SHIELD just introduced the first Inhumans to the Marvel universe so could they also already have established L.M.D.s? It could prove pivotal to storylines down the road in the cinematic universe.

How Many Diviners Are There?

It was assumed that the Diviner that Coulson, Dr. Whitehall, and Mr. Hyde were all after was the only one in existence. In the mid-season finale, we caught a glimpse of another Diviner that lit up when Raina activated their Diviner. There are at least one more of these devices but probably many more. How many Diviners truly are out there and who has possession of them? 

Who is the Man without Eyes?
Speaking of the second Diviner, we know that it is in possession of the man pictured above. Who is this man? That is a true mystery. It appears that this man will cause some trouble for the team, especially Daisy.

What has happened to Season 1 Characters?
Season 2 of Agents of SHIELD has been much improved in comparison to season 1. The journey of the team has drastically changed since the beginning of the show, the collapse of SHIELD, and now dealing with Inhumans. The first season did bring along many characters that seemed to have a future with the show. The likes of Ian Quinn (David Conrad), Mike Peterson (J. August Richards), and Franklin Hall (Ian Hart) looked like no brainers to pop up again in the second season but have so far been no shows. I like the direction that Agents of SHIELD is going and it is connecting itself more to the movies. Characters like these had a future with show it appeared and now are nowhere to be seen or heard from. Getting clarity on what has happened to them would be a good way to truly close out the first season.

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Agents of SHIELD Season 2 EP 9 Review

Marvel's Agents of SHIELD is closing in on its winter break. This week premiered episode 9 of this season titled "Ye Who Enter Here." Before the episode came out, teases about what the episode would focus on came to light in interviews. Next week will be the winter finale for the much improved second season.

This week's episode focused on the team traveling to the mystery city while also rescuing Raina ever so briefly from HYDRA's grasp.

***** SPOILERS for "Ye Who Enter Here" to follow *****

Marvel and cast members promised surprises and reveals and Agents of SHIELD delivered. Not only were there jaw dropping reveals but there were also heart wrenching conversations.

Fitz and Simmons finally started to talk through their awkwardness and get back to being closer to the FitzSimmons we knew and loved. Now that they can finally talk to each other, they can help each other and we will get more fantastic moments between the two.

As far as some spoilery reveals go, there are three specific moments that we will discuss. The first is the mystery plan Morse and Mack have/had planned. Then what Raina, Skye, and others can/will become. Lastly we will discuss what happened to Mack at the end. Spoilers will follow so beware!

First, on the trip to the mystery city, Bobbi Morse (Adrianne Palicki) and Mack (Henry Simmons) discuss whether or not they should bring Lance Hunter (Nick Blood) in on a secret plan of theirs. What their plans are remain a mystery and is very interested to find out as the season progresses.

Secondly, after Skye and the team "rescued" Raina, the two of them got to talking. The most interesting line teased and basically confirmed what has been fan speculation over the last few months. It should not be long before Skye, Raina, and possible even Skye's dad and Coulson are revealed to be Inhumans. Raina said that the two of them are humans who have the potential to be more. She then mentioned how her grandmother was "special," just like them two, and how she believed in the "blue angels" known as the Kree. The Kree came to Earth to find a way to basically improve the human race. It looks like we will get closer to the eventual reveal next week in the winter finale.

Lastly, near the end of the episode, Mack goes down into the city and is exposed to the ancient writing. After being exposed, he gets incredibly angry and super human strength. He tossed around Coulson and Simmons and was held at gun point by Fitz. Fitz came close to shooting his new best buddy but Bobbi came in and shocked the evil Mack. Evil Mack fell back down into the city and resulted in Coulson telling the team to blow the city. Mack could already be dead after falling over 100 feet. His actual fate will likely be dealt with next week.

Check out the preview for next week's winter finale below!

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Agents of SHIELD Season 2 EP 6 Review

Marvel's Agents of SHIELD has flipped the script so far in season 2. Instead of light episodes stuffed with one-liners, the shows sophomore season is darker and more serious. Coulson and his team have been tasked with rebuilding SHIELD, stopping HYDRA, hiding from Talbot, finding the Obelisk, and figuring out what those mysterious markings are.

***** SPOILERS for "A Fractured House" to follow *****

This week in "A Fractured House," the team takes a break from those tasks to maintain the reputation of SHIELD. Thanks to HYDRA poising as SHIELD, they attacked Talbot and Senator Christian Ward. His trustworthiness is immediately put into question as he sends out a message to SHIELD that his men will find them, shut them down, and kill them.

When Grant Ward is asked about his brother, he tells Skye just how untrustworthy his brother is. Coulson is already past that point and discussing what he could do for the senator to not get that act passed. They come to an agreement on sending Grant Ward into his brother's custody for a few weeks.

While all of this is going on, Fitz and Simmons relationship continues to be tested. Fitz is still scarred by the accident and that Simmons left him when he needed her. Simmons cannot seem to accept the fact that he is different. Thanks to Fitz's new best friend Mack, he tells it how it is to Simmons. Fitz is only worse when she is around and their relationship will never be the same.

Now that relationships have been changed between Fitz and Simmons and Ward and Skye, the show introduces an old flame. Bobbi Morse, aka Mockingbird, and Lance Hunter have been revealed to at one time being married.  The current relationship is definitely one filled with awkwardness but also underlying trust and care for one another.

What does the senator plan to do with his brother? Well, Ward has broken out of transport and now on the loose, but it seems like he will team up with his brother no matter what. The final scene showed the senator with full body tattoos of the mysterious alien markings floating around in Coulson's head. 

We will start to get answers to what exactly the alien markings are in two weeks when Agents of SHIELD returns for episode 7 "The Writing On The Wall." Check out the promo for next week's episode below! Also be sure to tune in to Marvel's 75th anniversary special next week at 9 pm EST on ABC for a look back at Marvel as well as a sneak peak into their future! 

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Agents of SHIELD Season 2 EP 4 Review

Ever since Captain America: The Winter Soldier came out, HYDRA has been the focus of attack for what is left of SHIELD and its allies. Agents of SHIELD was a clear example of this as the focus over the last 10 episodes has been stopping HYDRA and all the threats they present. That focus lead to the tone of the show being very serious, straightforward, and frequently dropping surprises and jaws.

In this week's episode of Agents of SHIELD "Face My Enemy," the tone of the show took a dramatic turn. Instead of a dark and serious plot and sets, this episode was light and full of... dancing? Yes, dancing.

With an ancient painting being sold that features the same mysterious markings Coulson has in his head, he and May dance their way to the painting and into trouble. With Bakshi posing as General Talbot and Agent 33 closing in, Philinda must get out of danger without the help of the rest of their team.

The episode was directed by Kevin Tancharoen, known for directed Mortal Combat: Rebirth, and his expertise in fighting clearly showed. The May on May fight was one of the best fight sequences in Agents of SHIELD especially with the real Melinda May's "fatality" move.

"Face My Enemy" also featured more great usage of Skye, further expanding Lance Hunter and Mack, and exploring the emotional and mental turmoil that Fitz is fighting through. They have to join together to save The Bus from exploding, ending with Hunter showing Fitz a sign of respect.

Next week's episode "A Hen in the Wolfhouse" marks the debut of Adrianne Palicki as Bobbi Morse, aka Mockingbird. It will also draw us closer to finding out who or what Skye and her father really are. Check out the full promo for next week's episode below.

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Agents of SHIELD Season 2 EP 2 Review

Marvel's Agents of SHIELD continues to change the characters fans grew to love in season 1, whether we like it or not. In "Heavy Is the Head," more changes to the lives and personalities of Coulson, Fitz, and even Simmons were glimpsed and touched upon. Between the meaner and slightly crazier Coulson and the depressed and delusional Fitz, the Agents of SHIELD team continues to change.

Last week's premiere brought the likes of Isabelle Hartley, Lance Hunter, Idaho, and Mack to the team. Unfortunately, Hartley and Idaho had a very short tenure on the show. They both were announced dead from the hands, or should I say concrete body, of Carl Creel, the Absorbing Man. The main team now consists of Coulson, May, Skye, Triplett, Fitz, Mack, and Hunter. 

"Heavy Is the Head" continued on the strong path as the premiere but also had some of the recurring problems of the series. So far this season we have been given more questions than answers. This episode did answer the fate of Isabelle Hartley did not do much of anything to address the biggest questions surrounding the series. While we did get some insight on Coulson's "episodes", the show needs to quickly give us a reward for these mysteries and not drag them out all season long.

On a positive note, Henry Simmons, who plays Mack, and Iain De Caestecker, Fitz, give the best performances of the episode. While many of us do not like the direction that sad Fitz is in and is heading, the dialogue all episode between him and Mack was fantastic. Much like last season's bromance between Fitz and Ward, it looks like a new bromance is forming and I love it.

Kyle MacLachlan also made his Agents of SHIELD debut as Skye's father. Raina brought him the 0-8-4, in which he showed her she can not be harmed by touching it. For answers on why she was not harmed, Raina must bring Skye to her dad so they both can be informed of their origins.

The promo for next week's episode "Making Friends and Influencing People" is exciting to say the least. As you can see below, next week's episode will feature the return of Donnie Gill and also a new (HYDRA?) version of Simmons!

Share your thoughts on this week's episode in the comments below!

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