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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Promo Poster for Agents of SHIELD Released

This morning, EW announced they have partnered with Marvel for the second straight year to reveal exclusive promo posters for upcoming episodes of Agents of SHIELD.

EW released the first poster, which you can see below, and features Skye/Daisy/Quake (Chloe Bennet), Director Coulson (Clark Gregg), and what appears to be our first look at Raina (Ruth Negga) post transformation.

Agents of SHIELD returns from it's winter break next Tuesday, March 3rd!

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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 Mid-Season Finale Review

Over the past few weeks we have gotten increasingly stronger hints as to just who Raina, Skye, and her father might be and become. Season 2 of Agents of SHIELD has clearly been leading to something and it seems like it something that they have had planned since the beginning.

***** SPOILERS for "What They Become" to follow *****

In the series premiere, it became clear that Chloe Bennet was playing a character whose real name was not Skye. Then when we met Kyle MacLachlan, many tried to figure out who this mysterious father and daughter could be. In tonight's episode we finally got our answer, and it is rather inhuman.

With Skye in the clutches of HYDRA and back together with her crazy father, he finally gets a chance to tell her about her life. He tells her his name is Cal but not much else. He includes her in his plan to avenge his wife's death and kill Whitehall.

Whitehall knows the revenge is on the way and has "Skye" realize that she too can hold the Diviner.

All hell breaks loose as a result. Cal fights HYDRA guards. Coulson fights Whitehall. Cal fights Coulson. Skye fights Ward. Cal nearly beats Coulson to death before "Skye" jumps in and threatens to kill the man who has chased after for his entire life. He leaves, but his final word is the most important. Daisy.

"What They Become" written by Jeff Bell delivers on every front. The first 20 minutes is delegated to heart touching and intense conversation between Cal (Kyle MacLachlan) and Daisy (Chloe Bennet). The scenes featured what could be argued as the best scenes of the season thanks to the acting put on by MacLachlan and Bennet.

While the dialogue and emotion truly stood out from the episode, the amount of information and reveals were truly outstanding. They revealed two identities for key characters in the series. They transformed two characters from the first season that did not seem to serve much purpose into potential Inhumans. They also managed to kill off two members of the show who had become well respected among fans. AND, they introduced a new villain for the rest of season 2.

Agents of SHIELD has improved drastically in its second year and has delivered great episodes for the first half of the season. When Agents of SHIELD returns in March 2015, the expectations should be no less than fantastic. As Agents of SHIELD continues to deliver, more and more people will join the party.

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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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10 Burning Questions Heading Into Season 2 of Agents of SHIELD

Season 1 of Agents of SHIELD is officially in the books. The 22 episode season had many twists and turns and came into its own following a tie in with Captain America: The Winter Soldier that changed the series. The writers and producers did a decent job answering questions that were brought up in this series, but there are also many questions they still need to answer. Thankfully Agents of SHIELD was picked up for a second season that will debut in the fall at 9 p.m. on ABC. The second season will give the fans a chance to get some of their questions answered. Here is a list of 10 questions season 2 of Agents of SHIELD needs to answer-

***** SPOILERS for season 1 of Agents of SHIELD to follow *****

1) What is Skye's Real Name?

In the pilot episode of Agents of SHIELD, Skye is helping Mike Peterson erase his identity. She states that this is not the first time she has done this before. Later in the season, she is interviewed by Eric Koenig and when he asks if that is her real name, she replies that's her self-given name. Season 2 needs to give us insight into Skye's past more as they have laid many different seeds as to just who or what she might be. Her real name could prove to have a high impact on the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with many, including yours truly, thinking she could/will become Carol Danvers, Ms. Marvel.

2) Who/What are Skye's Parents?

Early on in the series, mysteries surrounding Skye's parents and her upbringing came into question. SHIELD had restricted all files about Skye's parents but it was later revealed that the people that were protecting Skye were killed by "monsters" and died keeping Skye alive. The agents protecting Skye deemed her an 0-8-4, an object of unknown origins. Raina, who will be discussed later, is apparently in contact with Skye's father, bloody hand and all. Season 2 seems poised to deal with her parents as Skye's father should comes to the forefront to find his long lost daughter.

3) What Makes Raina Special?

Ever since Raina and her flower dresses showed up in Agents of SHIELD something about her has seemed "off". Raina is drawn to people with special abilities whether that was Scorch, Garrett, Deathlok, or Skye. She even had to use the same machine she used to torture Coulson at some point in her past. When talking with Garrett in the season finale, Raina asks him, "What will I become?" Viewers do not get to see Garrett's answer but a popular theory on "Flowers" is that she could be an Inhuman, a group of genetically enhanced beings operated on by the Kree long ago. Whether or not Raina is or could be an Inhuman or another type of alien, will need to be answered in season 2.

4) Will Fitz Ever be the Same?

Fitz became a fan favorite quickly and his future on the show will be a big question on fans minds till season 2 starts. As we all know, Fitz's brain was without oxygen for quite some time trying to save himself and Simmons. Simmons reiterates that while Fitz is alive, something is wrong with him. Since  that is one of the biggest cliffhangers the show left us with, it should be dealt with early on in season 2. Unfortunately, it does not seem like he will be the same Fitz fans grew to know and love. But who knows, with everything SHIELD has or had at it's disposal, Fitz could turn out to be just fine after all.

5) Is Coulson Unraveling?

Coulson is still angry about what happened and Nick Fury did a really good job not answering any questions fans and Coulson had. The one thing that Fury said that stood out was that Coulson is not "special." The reason Fury saved his life is because he is one of the few people that Fury trusts. Fury even went as far as to say that Coulson was an Avenger. Now whether that means he just views him as part of the team or is a foreshadowing of what's to come (Captain Marvel anyone?) remains to be seen. What we do know is that Coulson was injected with GH 325 to save his life, the same stuff Skye and Garrett got injected with. Skye seems fine but Garrett went a little crazy in the eyes of many. Coulson might be heading down the crazy path too. The final scene of the season is him copying down an alien formula of some sorts. What exactly that formula is remains to be seen and brings us nicely into our next question.

6) What is the Alien Formula?

This formula was first shown in episode 4 ("Eye-Spy"). The team used the robotic eye technology to send Ward on a mission meant for Akela Amador. Once Ward got to his final destination, he gazed upon a wall with bizarre markings on it. You can view that formula here. We have no clues on what that could be but it is believed to be of alien origin and either a formula, equation, or maybe coordinates. We will have to wait for season 2 to find out.

7) What was the Blue Alien?

The blue alien shown in episode 14 ("T.A.H.I.T.I.") is still an 0-8-4 as far as we know. Rumors have circled that is a Kree, even Chloe Bennett might have confirmed it. It has markings similar to ones of aliens seen in Guardians of the Galaxy so that movie could prove to shed a lot of light on this situation. What kind of alien this is will determine the futures of not only Coulson but also Skye.

8) Is Koenig a L.M.D.?

One of the more surprising scenes of the final was the return of Patton Oswalt. Weirdly enough, he did not return as Eric Koenig but as Billy Koenig. The first thing that my mind went to was Koenig being a L.ife M.odel D.ecoy. The L.M.D.'s were first brought into the thoughts of fans in the Avengers when Tony Stark answers Coulson's call but says that he is not Tony Stark and just a Life Model Decoy. Koenig being a L.M.D. seems the most likely answer as it would allow SHIELD to operate many bases with the same man.

9) What happened to all their villains?

Now this is not a huge question and one that is always likely to happen in finales. Over the course of the season Marvel made many villains for the team to battle. Their biggest, John Garrett, is now dead, but many of his creations and followers are still out there. Deathlok is now free and has set out to right his wrongs but there are many other people whose whereabouts are unknown. Ian Quinn and Raina left The Bus together along with the case of Gravitonium. As to where they went, we don't know but they unknowingly brought along another teased villain. In episode 3 ("The Asset") Dr. Franklin Hall falls into the Gravitonium but manages to survive. This teases his eventual transformation into "Graviton." These 3, along with Raina's connection to Skye's father could prove to be a deadly group. There is one more mystery person. Donnie Gill. Gill was introduced in episode 12 ("Seeds") where he created a machine for Ian Quinn that could generate storms. When he tried to turn it off, he got struck by lighting and was given frost/freezing powers. He will eventually become a villain known as "Blizzard". He went into SHIELD custody but where exactly he went is unknown. His future and whereabouts, along with those of Raina, Deathlok, Quinn, and Graviton, will hopefully be addressed in season 2.

10) Can Coulson truly rebuild S.H.I.E.L.D.?

The happiest moment of the season possibly was Fury giving him the task of rebuilding SHIELD with the help of "The Toolbox". The Toolbox is a little black box that contains information to help Coulson rebuild SHIELD. Coulson has many friends capable of helping him do this whether it is Melinda May, Maria Hill, Tony Stark, or Steve Rogers. All 4 of these people along with Director Coulson, would form a very good core for SHIELD to revolve around. It will be a tough task for Coulson to rebuild a secret organization the world views as one built on terrorism. Coulson now holds a big key to the future of Marvel's Cinematic Universe. First he needs to go inform his fellow Avengers that he is in fact still alive, even if not all there. With them by his side, SHIELD will be able to rebuild and form many new allies.

     

Phil Coulson, Melinda May, Skye, Jemma Simmons, Leo Fitz, Billy Koenig, and Antoine Triplett will be back for Season 2 of Agents of SHIELD in the fall of 2014.

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Agents of SHIELD Season 1 Finale Review

 It's over. Not forever thank goodness as Marvel and ABC announced that season 2 of Agents of SHIELD will kick off in the fall, but season 1 is now officially over. Through all of it's highs and lows, Agents of SHIELD has turned itself into a quality television show. Ratings were not where Marvel wanted which prompted them to push back the time slot next season to 9 pm. "End of the Beginning" finished the season strong and had many great moments

***** SPOILERS for season 1 of Agents of SHIELD to follow *****

"End of the Beginning" delivered on every front fans could want. It had a great story. It had great one liners. It had great action scenes. It had a lot of emotion. It had a big time cameo. It gave us fans a lot of things to think about.

One of the first things we see from the season finale is John Garrett sketching that at first looks like gibber jabber, but when we get a closer look, it is actually very familiar. Garrett is copying down what is believed to be some type of alien formula or equation. Now that Garrett has GH 325 flowing through him as well as the centipede formula and Cybertek gear, he feels one with the universe. The formula is not something small, and even though it is still a mystery as to what exactly it is, it looks like it could play a big part in season 2. 

Meanwhile, Fitz and Simmons try to rescue themselves from the bottom of the ocean and Fitz is willing to do it at all costs. In his plan to rescue them, he gives up his chance at surviving. Luckily, once Simmons pulls herself and him to the surface, a friendly face appears. Nick Fury. 

The rest of the team is busy stealing armored trucks, blowing holes in walls, and breaking into Cybertek for a showdown with Deathlok, Ward, and Garrett. Ward thinks Garrett is losing his mind and confides in Raina where she tells him to get the one thing he cares about, Skye. Raina says she is important to the evolution of the world and that Ward, a monster, and Skye, whose parents are "monsters", are not that different.

When Ward goes to get Skye, she delivers many one liners and sets up an amazing fight sequence between May and Ward, where May is the victor. Coulson is trying to take down Garrett when Fury show up. Garrett calls it the first tag-team fight between 4 dead guys, which prompts Coulson to say, "I only see one." Thanks to Skye's ability to deliver a message to Deathlok, he turns on his master and shoots a rocket right at Garrett, seemingly killing him. Ward gets taken into custody where Coulson says he will find new ways to make his life miserable.

Skye lets Deathlok walk away free but he knows SHIELD, or what's left of it, will monitor his actions. Coulson finally gets his yelling session with Fury where we still don't get many answers thanks to a wonderful surprise from Fury. He hands Coulson a little black box that holds the key to rebuilding SHIELD. Director Coulson, weird to say, is now the overseer of SHIELD and will rebuild it slowly and from the ground up. Fury, meanwhile, states nobody will see him for quite some time.

In one of the craziest scenes of the episode, the believed to be dead John Garrett, kills the people guarding him and drags his body to a machine that equips him with brand new Cybertek gear. With the audiences jaws dropped and Garrett poised to be back for season 2, Coulson destroys him using the 0-8-4 from episode 2. As the team takes off, they head to the first coordinates found in the black box, where they are met by a familiar face. Simmons shows up outside The Bus and is greeted with hugs from the rest of the team. With Fitz not by her side, the team asks questions leading to an uncertain future on how/if Fitz will recover. 

Another familiar face, or maybe not so much, appears after. Agent Koenig. But this time not Eric Koenig, Billy Koenig. Billy Koenig, played by Patton Oswalt, could have a mysterious origin. Is he a life model decoy? Is he a clone? Is he a twin? Only season 2 can answer those questions.

As far as what to expect for season 2 of Agents of SHIELD, the last few minutes plant a couple HUGE seeds. The first is Raina handing a picture of Skye to a person in a dark room with bloody hands. Raina tells this person that she has found their daughter. Raina has previously mentioned Skye's parents being monsters, so just what kind of monster will be a big question on fans minds till next fall. The second seed, and the final scene for season, involves Coulson. Coulson sees the alien formula/equation that Garrett sketched and walks to a near by wall with a knife. He then starts making the same markings as Garrett, leaving us with questions on his sanity. 

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