Agents of SHIELD

Season 2, Episode 13

Wednesdays 9|8 EST

Spoilers, obviously

 

 

Karla Faye Gideon is your average lonely woman with razor-blades for fingernails, but her life changes when Cal and two thugs - a genius who doesn't like food and a jacked-up thug with .5 brain cells - show up at her door, release her hands from their SHIELD-induced bonds, and invite her to come on Cal's mission of revenge. Because she has nothing better to do than watch black-and-white movies on TV and eat alone, she accepts.

 

Back at SHIELD, Skye has been put on the Gifted Index, but she's okay with that - in fact, she thinks she's got herself under enough control that she can get back in the field sooner rather than later. Jemma is still highly upset that Fitz lied about Skye's condition, and not even Bobbi's coercing can get her to hold a real conversation with him. Mac calls Bobbi from a mysterious safe house, where he has Hunter handcuffed to a bathroom sink, and Bobbi promises to plan an extraction for them.

 

May goes and finds Garner, her extremely likable psychiatrist ex-husband, and brings him back to assess Skye. Skye is less-than-enthused about talking to a shrink, but she accepts, telling Garner that with May's help, she's calming herself down and learning how to stop the tremors.

 

Meanwhile, Cal and the Scream Team break into a psychiatric hospital that secretly housed SHIELD gifted. Coulson and Bobbi fly down to investigate, and this conversation happens-

 

Coulson: Hey, you know, we haven't seen Hunter - one of our top field agents, the guy I offered a permanent job to, remember him? - in a while.

Bobbi: He probably didn't want a permanent job here. NBD.

Coulson: Oh, okay.

 

They arrive at the hospital and find one man missing; David Angar, a man whose experimental cancer treatment went really, really wrong and gave his voice the ability to induce catatonia to whoever hears it. I would have gone with chemotherapy, to be honest. Turns out Angar's riding with the Scream Team now, but Cal left the words 'FIGHT ON' painted across the walls of Angar's former cell.

 

On the Bus, Fitz comes across the shocking sight of May being human around Garner and takes his coffee elsewhere. He and Jemma actually have a brief conversation about the Marner situation, but things quickly get rough as Skye sets off an earthquake in her sleep.

 

Meanwhile, Cal tells his tale of woe to the Scream Team in a diner booth - about how nasty SHIELD took his baby girl away, how he couldn't protect the people he loved, and how he turned to chemical enhancements which were, erm, of dubious success.

 

Coulson and Bobbi share some heart-to-heart lies, and then follow Cal and the Scream Team to Coulson's hometown (yay for Coulson Holmes and Bobbi Watson)! Coulson calls in to the Bus and tells May, who says they'll come immediately for backup. Immediately is right - she doesn't even give Warner a chance to get off the Bus before she takes off, headed for Wisconson.

 

Cal and the Scream Team arrive at Coulson's hometown highschool and Angar puts the entire football field of students into catatonic states. (A few birds get the short end of the stick, too.) Using the stadium microphone, Cal lures Coulson onto the football field where the students are lifeless (are they dead? Asleep? We never really find out) and Coulson is surrounded by Angar, the Genius, the Brute, and Faye. Cal firmly believes he has the moral high ground, and proclaims that he's not going to let SHIELD abuse Skye just because she's Gifted.

 

Bobbi and Coulson take on the Scream Team, but the standoff becomes more complicated when May arrives on the scene with a gun to Skye's neck, bringing Cal onto the field and telling him she'll shoot Skye if he doesn't quit it. Cal freaks out again (apparently he really hoped Skye got wings with this whole package deal) and gives the microphone to Angar, but before Angar can send the entire town into catatonia, blue light appears and Gordon -

 

 

- arrives, grabs Cal (no 'hello beautiful' for you, Mr. Crazypants) and whisks him away.

 

 

Everyone is really weirded out for a few seconds.

 

 

Then May, Coulson and Bobbi start fighting the Scream Team. Skye begins to quake, bruises appear all over her forearms, and she passes out. Skye wakes up on the Bus, and Simmons (who appears to have come down a little from her DISEASE!PLAGUE!MUTANT!GENOCIDE! high) + Garner tell Skye that she has a bunch of bruises and hairline fractures because she wasn't subduing her abilities, but dangerously internalizing them.

 

Garner recommends that Skye quit SHIELD, which May doesn't seem to agree with. Garner says, "After Bahrain, you of all people should know how badly this can end." He says that SHIELD is exactly the same as it was before, but he and May part on decent terms.

 

Simmons brings a report to Coulson and tells him she thinks they should put two categories in the Gifted Index - those who are 'Enhanced,' i.e. not born with abilities, and those who acquired them naturally. (I have an idea. Let's call them Inhumans. Yes?) Coulson tells Simmons to keep studying, but also gives her a gag order. GREAT, BECAUSE SIMMONS DOESN'T HAVE ENOUGH STRAIN YET.

 

In the post-credits scene, Mac and Hunter are extracted. Mac pulls Hunter's blindfold off and when Hunter demands to know what's going on, Mac says that he and Bobbi are working for SHIELD - the new SHIELD. We get a shot of a newly-designed SHIELD logo on the wall.

 

Hunter isn't the only righteously indignant individual around, as we get a shot of Gordon, who has absolutely no sympathy for the tantrum-throwing Cal.

 

(actual footage of Gordon's brain)

 

Gordon tells Cal he extracted him because he was "making too much noise," and adds, "You're not one of us." (Considering the fact that he's had three speaking scenes and probably 90 seconds of total screen time, I'm 100% obsessed with Gordon.) Gordon then sends Cal to someone who's going to decide his fate.

 

I hope it's a doozy.

 

P.S. WE GET WARD BACK NEXT WEEK!!!!!! HOORAH! Seriously, once Ward, Luke Mitchell and Gordon are all in the show - I mean, uh, I watch it for the plot.

Agents of SHIELD

Season 2, Episode 12

Wednesdays 9|8 EST

Spoilers, obviously

 

 

I've decided to create a petition. I'll call it 'PROTECT THE BABIES', and I hope we all sign it. The babies, by the way, include everyone. All of them. They're all babies and they must all be kept safe. Unfortunately, they don't seem to realize that, which leads us into the episode with a Portuguese beach, where Lady Sif emerges and proves her stance on being badly flirted with. I.E., she doesn't go for it. When the onlookers ask who she is, she tells them she doesn't know. (I don't know about you, but I found myself wondering if Loki - who has been masquerading as Odin since the end of Thor: Dark World and apparently doing a great job of it - erased her memory and banished her, or some other such nonsense. Had she been LOKI'D?)



Meanwhile, on the Bus, Skye's training is apparently improving (she even manages to flip May over her head! Points!) but May knows Skye is holding back. Skye fudges around the truth, saying she doesn't want to hurt May, who gives her the most May expression possible. Fitz, being the gloriously wonderful human being that he is, walks in and tentatively suggests that maybe Skye should take a break. Skye assures him she's fine.

Bobbi and Hunter have been getting their sexy-times on, and apparently they're both so good at multitasking that no sooner have they rolled off each other that they begin discussing work - mainly, how Coulson has asked Hunter to stay on permanently, and Hunter has decided he wants to.

Coulson tells Mack that, after watching him in Peru, he's decided he's wasting his talents under the hood of a car, and he wants to put him in the field. Mack is hesitant, saying he doesn't like violence, but Coulson points out that Mack doesn't even have to twitch in order to look intimidating.

Before they can fully discuss it, May walks in and announces that Sif is on earth. Coulson and May go to where some Portuguese officials are holding her, and they explain that the only reason she hasn't caused trouble is because she's looking for someone named 'Kava,' and they told her that they would bring Kava to her. Coulson says, "I'm not Kava." The official smiles and says, "I'm just glad I'm not the one who has to tell her."

Coulson talks with Sif, who remembers she's from Asgard + some basic knowledge but not much else. May comes in and says Skye found a video on Twitter that shows Sif combatting a man who wins the fight and runs off. Said guy shows up at a hospital in Portugal, asks where the supplies are, turns blue (literally) and assures the nurse she won't remember any of this.

The SHIELD team goes over the video again and sees that when Sif strikes him, some kind of blue sparks shoot out. They decide to send a team to examine the boardwalk, and Jemma all gung-ho about nipping-the-threat-in-the-bud, shooting-first-and-asking-questions-later, much to Skye and Fitz's dismay.

Mack, Hunter and Fitz go to the boardwalk and sniff around while Bobbi and Skye go to the hospital. The head nurse tells them that she hasn't seen the man they're looking for, but they notice in the background that a nurse is asking her colleagues who she is and why she can't remember anything.

Coulson and May find a balloon vendor on a beach who says that someone stole the nozzles off his helium tanks. They call Simmons, who says a lot of sciency things, and they figure that he's somehow using the nozzles to power a disguise suit to keep him from turning blue (??????).

Bobbi and Skye find the man in the hospital supply room and take him on, but he knocks Bobbi out and Skye quakes so hard her gun explodes and she knocks a shelf onto herself and the guy escapes.

Back at the Bus, they figure out that he's a Kree; and 'kava' is the Kree word for 'keys.' Mac and Bobbi have a vague chat about whatever-it-is-they're-hiding and Mac insinuates that Bobbi can't get close to Hunter. Mac reminds her how the team felt when they discovered Ward was HYDRA. "We're not HYDRA," Bobbi says, but Mack replies, "But you know how they felt."

The team discovers there's a city in Portugal called 'Chavez,' which means 'keys,' so they decide to head there. Skye asks to sit this one out, saying she's shaken up from her last encounter with the Kree. May's suspicious, but Coulson agrees, and they find the Kree guy very easily, over an unopened Kree crate. They also capture him very easily, with an electrified net. Yay for technology!

Coulson and Sif question the Kree guy, who tells them his name is Vintak and that he's here to help. He offers to restore Sif's memory with his truncheon, but of course everyone else is skeptical. Bobbi's inspecting said truncheon when Hunter walks in and attempts to flirt with her, but Bobbi pushes him away, saying she wants to slow things down. Hunter is obviously injured but assures her fine, consider things slowed down. As he leaves, Mack walks in and sees Bobbi, who is obviously unhappy about what she just did.

They bring the Kree down to see whether or not the truncheon is biologically wired to him (why not just take the truncheon to the Kree...? Ah, well) and since he knows they won't trust him, he manages to get it out of their hands and restores Sif's memory before giving the truncheon back. Sif remembers that her mission was to pick up the Kree and take him back to Asgard for safekeeping. Sif’s memory. Then she punches Vintac in the face.

This was her mission: to pick up the lone Kree that made it to Earth. She’s heard of how the Kree once came to Earth and changed humans into genetically engineered soldiers to fight in their wars. Apparently, their plan worked a little TOO well on earth, and it was shut down. Vintak is there because he saw that the Diviner worked, and he has to retrieve it and whoever the Diviner changed in order to keep everyone else safe - and to keep the Kree from re-starting the program. There were seven Diviners in the crate they picked up in Portugal, and they're all missing.

Vintak calls these changed humans 'abominations' one too many times and Skye, terrified, starts to quake. The team puts two and two together and suddenly they're split into sides - Sif and Vintak want to capture Skye and take her to Asgard, but Coulson and May are having none of it. Coulson calls in backup and holds Sif and Vintak off while May snatches Skye and flees with her to Cell D.

Vintak and Sif knock Coulson out of the way and Sif follows in pursuit of Skye, but Mac and Bobbi stop Vintak in the hall. "Think we should call for more backup?" Bobbi asks Mac, but they have no time as Vintak attacks and knocks Mac aside. Hunter arrives and fights Vintak, but the Kree is much too strong and bats him out of the way. Bobbi takes him on, but it turns out she's a distraction. Fitz arrives and BLASTS THE KREE DOWN USING THE BAMBINO. I WANT TO THROW FITZ A PARTY. Bobbi then uses Vintak's own hand to stun him with his truncheon, erasing his memory. You go, girl!

Sif finds May and Skye in the cell and forces her way in, but Skye can't stop quaking. In a last-ditch attempt to stop her powers, she shoots herself in the arm, effectively stopping the quaking. Sif takes a very forgetful Vintak back to Asgard after warning Coulson about Skye. The rest of the team feels betrayed by Fitz, keeping Skye's secret from them, but Fitz defends her, saying they would have attempted to 'handle' her and done it badly. 'WE need protection from HER,' says Mac, but his face falls when he notices Skye standing just outside the room. She walks into the interrogation room and puts down a duffel bag, apparently moving in for the safety of everyone else.

In the post-credits scene, we see Hunter approach Mac on the quinjet. He demands to know what he and Bobbi are up to, and says he heard them mention more backup in the hallway. Mac lunges at Hunter and suffocates him until he's unconscious (I THOUGHT HE WAS GOING TO KILL HIM AND HE DIDN'T AND I'M SO RELIEVED BUT STILL SO CONCERNED AND NERVOUS AND WORRIED AND JUST /PROJECT PROTECT THE BABIES/).

QUESTIONS

1. WHAT. ARE. MAC. AND. BOBBI. UP. TO?

2. Is anyone else's heart breaking over Jemma's turnaround?

3. HOW IS WARD??? IS HE OKAY???

4. WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY MORE GORDON. I MOVE FOR ANOTHER PETITION - A PETITION TO HAVE GORDON SHOW UP, TELL SKYE SHE'S BEAUTIFUL, AND LEAVE. JUST THREE SECONDS. SKYE NEEDS TO HEAR IT. (That wasn't a question, but still.)

 

Take a look at the promo for the next episode and WORRY WITH ME.

I’ll be getting back to my series on Relationships in The Avengers soon, I promise. But when I saw on Twitter that it was International Women’s Day, I knew I had to focus on some great fictional ladies. It can be hard to find well-written women in fiction, but once in a while, there are a few precious gems. While this is by no means an exhaustive list, these are just a few of my favorite heroines I’ve come across over the years. They amount to, more or less, 15, so that's the title of this post. Hooray, alliteration! Also, I've kept this post (mostly) spoiler-free.

1. The supporting ladies on Parks and Recreation

Obviously, when I think of fantastic female characters, I think of Leslie Knope. And as Amanda showed us, she really is awesome. However, it’s hit me while watching Parks and Rec lately just how much the rest of the ladies rock, as well. So it’s time to show them some love.

Ann Perkins: She’s often the foil and straight man to Leslie’s wild side, so sometimes she can get lost in the shuffle due to the loud personalities of the other characters. But honestly, I think Ann is awesome. I find her very relatable, especially in the episodes where she realizes she changes herself based on which boyfriend she has. She’s also hilarious in and of her own right, because she’s so deadpan. While Parks and Rec’s sense of humor is often larger than life, Ann allows us to see a sense of humor that’s a bit more subtle. I love that. Kudos to Rashida Jones for playing such an awesome character.

April Ludgate: Who doesn’t love April? Her creepy, dark persona makes my life. But the best part about April is that the writers have often shown us her vulnerability underneath the hardened exterior she projects. We saw this particularly in season 7, though it’s sprinkled throughout the entire series. One great piece of evidence that indicates her soft side is that she’s in love with Andy, who’s practically a ray of sunshine. I love April so much, not only because she’s so dark, but because she’s relatable in so many ways.

Donna Meagle: It wasn’t until season 7 that I realized how much I love Donna Meagle. She takes no crap and isn’t afraid to speak her mind, but she’s also intensely loyal to her friends. My favorite scenes with her happened with Jerry in “Pie Mary (Producer’s Cut)”. And I’m wildly happy about where she eventually ended up. But most of all, Donna, thank you for reminding us to… 

Honorable mentions: Shauna Malwae-Tweep and Joan Callamezzo, whom I personally find hilarious. Thanks for the laughter, ladies. And to Diane, because I love Lucy Lawless.

Shoutouts to: Rashida Jones, Aubrey Plaza, Retta

2. All the ladies on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Marvel has been doing an amazing job bringing females to the big screen, and AOS is no exception.

Melinda May: Okay, okay, I confess, I’m a terrible person because at first, I wasn’t sure if I liked Melinda May all that much. HOWEVER, over the course of the series, I’ve found myself falling in love with her. She’s another one of those ladies with a badass exterior, but we have been able to see vulnerable moments, mostly with how she cares for Skye and Coulson. While she is an incredible fighter, I appreciate the way she has a good head on her shoulders and can think quickly. She has a gift for tactical thinking, which is something she desperately needs.

Skye: Skye has been my favorite since day one. She is basically a fangirl in the first episode--why wouldn’t I love that? As the series has gone on, though, we’ve seen her become something extraordinary--she went from hacker to S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, to, ahem, [SPOILER REDACTED]. And her personality has grown by leaps and bounds as well, which is incredible to see. When I think back on our very first episode of AOS, I can’t believe she’s the same person.

Jemma Simmons: Like May, I wasn’t sure if I liked Simmons. But now, I adore her. She has a sharp mind, but the greatest thing about her is her compassionate heart. She searches for answers because she truly loves humanity, I think. I love the blending of brains and heart. I also think we’ve seen her at her best in season 2. While my heart breaks over Fitzsimmons, this season’s events have been great for her character arc, and I can’t wait to see where she goes.

Honorable mentions: All the ladies from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This honestly deserves a post of its own someday, but I wanted to give it a quick mention here. Truly, Marvel has some of the best ladies out there. From the deadpan Pepper Potts to Agent 13, the Marvel ladies are a true gift. (Black Widow especially. You already probably know how I feel about her. Also, AGENT CARTER.)

Shoutouts to: Ming-Na Wen, Chloe Bennet, Elizabeth Henstridge

3. Felicity Smoak (from Arrow)

Felicity Smoak from Arrow is one of the best-written female characters I’ve ever seen. While I’m not very far into Arrow, I still had to give her a mention because she is fabulous. She’s quirky, nerdy, smart, beautiful, and a great role model for all fangirls everywhere. 

Shoutout to: Emily Bett Rickards

4. Jessica Day (from New Girl)

Who's that giiiiirl.... it's Jess!

Jess is one of my favorites. She’s adorable, feminine, and hilarious. Like a lot of my favorite characters, she has a good dose of awkward. She’s strong, but vulnerable. She makes us laugh with her singing and dancing. And best of all, she likes Lord of the Rings.

Shoutout to: Zooey Deschanel

5. The ladies from Once Upon a Time

Emma Swan: Emma is fantastic. She starts out as a bail bondsperson and then grows into even more of a heroine as the story progresses. We see her fight a dragon with her gun and a sword, and she will do anything for the people she loves. She learns to open up over the course of the show, but still retains her ability to defend herself (and her family).

Regina Mills: Nobody touch Regina! Yes, she started out as the Evil Queen, and yes, we do hate her for a while, but she cleans up her act and then becomes arguably one of the best characters on the show. She’s loyal like Emma is, and once she uses her magic for good instead of evil it’s a sight to see. The only beef I have is that the storywriters seem like they just really don’t want to give her a happy ending.

Snow White: Snow’s a little busy now that she’s taking care of her family, so we haven’t seen her as active in the storylines as she was in the beginning. And that’s really a shame. Seeing Snow White as a wanted outlaw and warrior, who knew how to think on her feet, was awesome. Seeing a woman warrior with a soft heart was even more awesome. Please, OUAT, bring back the kick-butt Snow that we love.

Belle: She’s strong, yet has an unfailing loyalty and optimism to those she loves (aka Rumple). She’s not afraid to cry and is one of the softest characters in the series, I think, yet isn’t afraid to get stuff done.

Shoutouts to: Jennifer Morrison, Lana Parrilla, Ginnifer Goodwin, Emilie de Ravin

6. The Bennet Sisters from The Lizzie Bennet Diaries

Have you ever wondered what would happen if Elizabeth Bennet had a vlog? Me too.

This is one story that you must check out if you haven’t yet. The Lizzie Bennet Diaries is a webseries on YouTube that ran from April 2012 to March 2013. It’s a modern-day adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, told via vlog-style episodes and social media accounts. It was brilliant. You can watch all episodes here. And if I may say so, they did a wonderful job of giving us ladies to love and root for.

Lizzie: Obviously a take on Elizabeth Bennet, this version of Jane Austen’s famous character is my favorite. She is wickedly smart and unfailingly sarcastic, and a bit impulsive. Like in the original story, she makes snap judgments. She is flawed and she is real, but she is also amazing. She is hilariously funny, loyal to her siblings, and dedicated to her dreams. She’s wonderful and I love her.

Lydia: I never loved Lydia until this version. Lydia starts off as “totes” exuberant, and she is definitely a bit obnoxious. But over the course of the series, we see her get hurt and go into a downward spiral. We see her broken. It hurts a lot. And yet Lydia is resilient, and by the end, we know she’s going to be okay. (It’s a character arc that really hurts and I’m still not over it.)

Jane: JANE. Jane is that character that you want as your best friend, your confidant, and your everything. She’s one of the sweetest people I’ve ever seen--too sweet for me to express. She’s there for her sisters whenever they need her. Like her sisters, she gets hurt in the series, but believes in love enough to try again. She also will offer you a cup of tea anytime you need it.

Honorable mention: Charlotte Lu, featured above. She helps Lizzie run her vlog channel, is Lizzie's best friend, and keeps everything sane and rational. She's also ambitious and just a great character. Also, Gigi Darcy. She plays a big role in the series, and you end up falling in love with her. She went on to have her own series, too--Welcome to Sanditon.

Shoutouts to: Ashley Clements, Mary Kate Wiles, Laura Spencer

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This list is by no means the end, and I hope to feature even more awesome female characters in the future! Please check out the Twitters I linked in order to support these actresses for bringing us such amazing characters. And lastly, who are your favorite female characters? Tell me below in the comments!

Spoilers for Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and all Marvel movies.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has been known for pushing the limits and going bigger and bolder with every movie. As we finish Phase Two and go into Phase Three, big things could be in store for Marvel and the characters that we adore. Marvel's never been one to aim small. What might they try to do next?

Marvel's Phases: An Explanation

In October of 2014, Marvel unveiled their titles for Phase Three. For those unaware, the titles that Marvel releases have been separated into phases.

Phase One

Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man 2, Thor, Captain America: The First Avenger, The Avengers

Phase One was when the Avengers assembled and the Marvel Cinematic Universe was established. We got everyone's origin stories, which culminated with a meet-up of all the heroes in The Avengers. 

Phase Two

Iron Man 3, Thor: The Dark World, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Guardians of the Galaxy, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Ant-Man

This is where we're currently at. Guardians released summer of 2014. Avengers: Age of Ultron is set to release May 2015, and Ant-Man will be coming along in July. Now that the Marvel universe has been established, we're able to delve even deeper into our characters with sequels. And, in Ant-Man's case, we get another origin story. 

Out of the two left to release, I'm most excited for Avengers: Age of Ultron. The trailer for that is here. (May can't come soon enough!) I'm less excited about Ant-Man, sadly. You can watch the trailer for that too, here.

Phase Three

Captain America: Civil War - May 6, 2016

Doctor Strange - November 4, 2016

Guardians of the Galaxy 2 - May 7, 2017

Thor 2: Ragnarok - July 28, 2017

Black Panther - November 3, 2017

Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 - May 4, 2018

Captain Marvel - July 6, 2018

Inhumans - November 2, 2018

Avengers: Infinity War Part 2 - May 3, 2019

Phase Three begins in 2016 and will end in 2019. First of all, I'll be 23 by the time we're done with Phase Three, which is pretty hard to picture. Secondly, it's pretty clear that Marvel has big plans. With the amount of movies releasing in Phase Three, it's pretty hard to imagine the Marvel universe staying the same. 

The End of the MCU As We Know It?

Even now, some big changes are happening. Robert Downey Jr. seems to be inching closer to retirement--while he will appear in Captain America: Civil War, it's likely that we won't get an Iron Man 4. Chris Evans's contract will be running out, after which he'd like to retire from acting. He guesstimates that he will be done playing Captain America in 2017. I'm not exactly sure, then, what this means for his appearance in Avengers 3, but I believe he'll be in that film.

Another big game changer will be Captain America: Civil War. It appears to draw off an event in the comics, in which some of Marvel's superheroes side with Tony Stark, and the rest side with Steve Rogers. If they stick closely to this plot event in the comics, there will definitely be a rift created between our united heroes.

I've heard several rumors about what the future of The Avengers holds. In canon, Steve Rogers died and his best friend Bucky Barnes took up the shield and became Captain America in his place. Judging by the fact that Sebastian Stan was contracted for 9 films, I'm highly inclined to believe this may be the direction they're going. (More info here. If this were to happen, I'd predict it happens in Avengers 3.) I've also read a really convincing fan theory that Tony Stark may die in Avengers 2. (Please, no!) You can read more about that here. It's possible that someone will die however, because Joss Whedon says the theme of Avengers 2 is, "death, death, and death."

To sum all this up, it's clear that once we reach 2019, we'll have a lot of new faces to keep track of, and it's possible we'll have to say goodbye to the Avengers we've come to know and love. I only hope that Marvel continues to stay golden and doesn't run itself into the ground. While I'd hate to say goodbye to the MCU, I'd rather have them bow out while we still appreciate them, than for Marvel overstay their welcome and keep churning out films with mediocre plots.

New Faces

We'll be getting some more origin stories in Phase Three. 

Doctor Strange

As the closest to release, we know quite a bit about this movie. We know that Benedict Cumberbatch will be playing him. If you'd like to read our reaction to the casting, as well as a little more about Doctor Strange's origins, you can find that here.

I'm moderately excited for the Doctor Strange film. While I wasn't initially thrilled at the casting, I've loved Doctor Strange's story and I can't wait to see it brought to life in the film.

Black Panther

Black Panther is notable because it's the first time an African-American superhero is going to headline their own movie. We've had appearances by Nick Fury, James Rhodes (War Machine) and Sam Wilson (Falcon) as secondary characters, which should not go unnoticed. But it's exciting that Black Panther will be the focus of a movie this time. Black Panther is also notable because he was the first African-American superhero created by Marvel. 

Black Panther, aka T'Challa, has had a rich comic history and was a key player in several big plots, so it makes sense that they're bringing him in. He was also a member of The Avengers, which could mean that he's in line to replace one of the original Avengers as time goes on. (My sister and I touch a little bit on Black Panther's origins here.)

While I've been skeptical about some of Marvel's latest choices (i.e., making Ant-Man into a film), I'm really behind this one. I think it's about time that he got a movie.

 

We've already had casting news. Chadwick Boseman will be playing Black Panther. Additionally, the character of Black Panther debuts an entire year early--we'll first see a glimpse of him in Captain America 3.

Captain Marvel

If there's any Phase 3 movie I'm really excited about, it's this one. Like Black Panther, this one is important because it's the first time a female will be headlining her own movie. While I'm a little miffed that Black Widow still hasn't gotten her own film, I'm still excited that we'll be getting another awesome female superhero.

There have been several different Captain Marvels in the history of Marvel, but this movie will be focused on Carol Danvers, previously known as Ms. Marvel. Carol Danvers is closely connected to the Kree, who first appeared in Guardians of the Galaxy; she has Kree genetics that give her superhuman powers. It's safe to say the Kree will definitely be playing a role in the Marvel Universe, as Skye was injected by Kree blood in season 1 of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and now we'll be getting a story about Carol Danvers.

Carol Danvers too has had a rich backstory, and would be a perfect candidate for a movie. There's no casting news yet, but I'm looking forward to seeing how she is portrayed. 

Inhumans

SKIP THIS SECTION IF YOU'RE NOT CAUGHT UP ON AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D.

The fact that this movie was amongst the Phase Three titles made little to no sense to me until the midseason finale of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., where it was revealed that Skye is actually Daisy Johnson, aka Quake. While Daisy Johnson is not canonically an Inhuman, the powers-that-be have decided to mix and match her origin story, so now she is one.

The Inhumans are a race of superheroes from the comics. They're truly inhuman, as they were bred to be weapons for the Kree. They have a long lifespan and an assortment of superhuman abilities. The Inhumans are also heavily connected to Ronan the Accuser, the villain in Guardians of the Galaxy, who reveals to them that they were bred to be weapons. Now, it's no wonder that they're coming to more prominence. 

One thing I greatly hope for this film is that Skye/Daisy will be able to crossover from the TV show to the MCU. That would rock my world. I genuinely hope that Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. doesn't stay isolated from the MCU, and that we'll get to see characters crossing over between both of them.

Since the powers-that-be are already messing a little bit with the Inhumans canon, it's hard to say what will make it from the comics into the film. However, you can read more about the Inhumans and who might show up in such a film by going here.

Sequels

I'm excited especially for Captain America: Civil War, because we'll get to meet some new heroes (and see Steve Rogers and Tony Stark again). I do wonder whether Bucky will appear in Cap 3, or if they're putting that to rest for the time being. But I do know that there's no way that Bucky can't appear in Phase Three at some point.

I am least excited for Thor 3: Ragnarok, because I found that Thor 2 was the biggest disappointment for me out of all the Marvel movies. However, I'm a big fan of the Thor franchise in general, and getting to see Jane Foster and Darcy again will be worth it. (I only hope they let Jane Foster do something instead of be incapacitated for almost the entire film.)

I'm thrilled to see Guardians of the Galaxy 2, however. I enjoyed the first movie and really look forward to getting even more backstory on the characters. That's the one I can't wait for. 

And, of course, I'm excited for Avengers 3: Infinity War. But I'm also terrified.

The End of the Comics World As We Know It

Big news broke in the comics world when it was found out that they're basically rebooting Marvel's comic universe. It seems as if they are attempting to merge the comics with the Marvel Cinematic Universe. You can read more about it here.

It seems as if they are trying to drive more people to read the comics by making the comics more like the movies. I see the logic behind it. However, I don't think it's a good idea. The comics and the movie universe are two very separate things. The comic universe was exploring plots completely different from the MCU, and they were allowed to go deeper than the movies can just because of the nature of the format. Making the movies and the comics more similar completely erases all the hard work and development that's been done by the comic artists. It also leaves comic fans hanging. In my opinion, not a good move.

One caveat: I'll confess, I'm not as well-versed in the comics world as I should be. (Being a broke student has its disadvantages.) I do a lot of research when writing these posts, and while I try to cross-reference and verify everything, I may have made some mistakes. All that to say, if you know more about this, please feel free to correct me or leave your opinion in the comments.

Conclusion

Big things are happening in Marvel. While we've had big changes, such as the dismantling of S.H.I.E.L.D. in Cap 2, this only means that Marvel must go even bigger to outdo themselves. This does worry me slightly, as  this could mean losing some major characters. I don't like change and I don't look forward to saying goodbye to our current core team of Avengers. At the same time, however, we get new faces, like Black Panther and Captain Marvel, and we get to see the return of the characters we love for another time. Until I know what the future holds, I'll be grateful for every film we get, and every chance we get to see the Phase One Avengers on our screens one more time.

Which Phase Three movie are you most excited to see? How do you feel about the potential changes we could see in the Marvel Universe?

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Season 2, Episode 10

9|8 EST on ABC

Mid-Season Finale

(Will return in March 2015, aka TOO FAR AWAY)

SPOILERS

  

This episode broke my heart. It crushed my soul. Like a grape. I give you fair warning.

 

In the last episode, Whitehall gave the order for his jets to shoot down the Bus after Ward leaves with Skye and Raina. May pulls a Maverick-worthy piloting maneuver and escapes. HYDRA leaves, thinking they've destroyed the Bus, even though there's no debris or bodies or wreckage or anything, really.

 

 

 

That's REAL talent. You can be my wingman any time, May.

 

In Puerto Rico, HYDRA is using a plasma drill to tunnel their way down into the Kree city, while Trip, Fitz, and Simmons plant WWII-era bombs (seriously, being the grandchild of a Howling Commando has a lot of low-tech perks) inside the city to keep HYDRA from getting to it. They have no idea what happened to Mack, and to prevent the same fate from happening to them, they're wearing hazmat suits (since apparently, the berserker thing is triggered by skin touching the floors, walls, etc.). How they figure this out, I don't know; and it doesn't seem to matter, since they spend half the episode running around hazmat-suit-less anyway.

 

 

 

Meanwhile, Ward takes Skye to see her father, Cal, and have family reunion so functional it could give the Kardashians a run for their money. Skye is less than enthused to meet her father, but he's his usual sweaty and vaguely nervous self. Apparently he doesn't hulk out when he gets angry or anything like that; he just gets really, really ticked off and then kills people with his bare hands.

 

 

Cal tells Skye that he wasn't always this way ('this way' being a murdering psycho) but after she was taken away from him and his wife was murdered, he changed. (Just slightly.) He tells her that he and his wife worked together in a clinic, and SHIELD (aka HYDRA sleeper agents) took her away. Cal left Skye with people he trusted and followed Whitehall, but when he got there, his wife was already dead. I admit, I actually felt for Cal during this scene; such a horrible thing happened to his wife. He and Skye sit on a couch and he hums 'A Bicycle Built for Two' while awkwardly patting her shoulder.

  

doing the family bonding
 

Whitehall, with impeccable timing, sends an agent to tell Cal he wants to see him. Cal then tells Skye Whitehall has served his purpose, and he's going to kill him. Best day ever!

 

 

Whitehall has gathered Ward, Raina and Cal together to celebrate the big event of reaching the Kree city. Whitehall really comes into his own here as the giant Nazi creep that he is - he oozes evil slime and he does it really, really well. Even his stupid little glasses look evil.

 

 

 

He tells them that, while they all have questionable loyalties, the only one he doesn't understand is Ward. He then tells guards to bring Skye in, and asks Ward why he brought her along and countermanded his order to bring down the Bus in the first place. Raina helpfully suggests it's because he wants to prove himself to Skye because he loves her. Because Whitehall is an evil genius, he believes Skye can hold the obelisk, and he has her prove it. She grabs it, and then uses it to kill a guard while her father stabs another one with a scalpel and Ward threatens to shoot the rest of the HYDRA agents.

 

 

 

Unfortunately, Whitehall still has the upper hand and they're disarmed. He quite happily states he's going to dissect Skye to see if she's as 'special' as her mother, and reprogram Ward into compliance. Ward gives him this cute little smile. I can't help it. I've always loved Ward most.

 

 

Ward and Skye are tied up and Cal is tossed in with them, and they're placed under guard. Considering Cal is a wee bit insane, Ward is a deadly killer and Skye is a SHIELD field agent, you know they aren't going to be there for long. SHIELD (I've decided to just call it SHIELD instead of S.H.I.E.L.D. because I'm lazy and don't want to take the extra time) shows up in a timely fashion. Go Coulson!

 

 

Cal seizes the opportunity to leave Skye and Ward and attempt to kill Whitehall, but turns out Ward had a hidden knife (because he's agent Grant Ward and jumped out of a plane without a parachute) and he gets himself and Skye free. Then a thing happens.

Ward tells Skye to stay there and heads over to the door to check on the current state of affairs outside.

Skye gets up and takes a gun from the guard Cal killed when he escaped.

Ward turns around.

And Skye shoots him.

 

 

Not once, but multiple times.

 

 

 

I was in shock. My heart didn't know what to do. I forgot what air was. And then I remembered this parallel. And then a small part of me died. Right then and there. It died dead.

 

 

SKYE YOU WERE NOT SUPPOSED TO TAKE THAT LITERALLY. WARD WASN'T THREATENING YOU. HE WAS HELPING YOU ESCAPE. AND YOU SHOT HIM. YOU SHOT HIM. I AM GOING TO HAVE A HARD TIME FORGIVING YOU FOR THIS, SKYE. YOU JUST LOST POINTS.

 

 

 

I mean, I know you're ticked at him because of what he did, but he's told only the truth since then! All he's done is help! You might feel bad, but you know what?

 

 

 

Coulson, May and Huntingbird have stormed the castle and two awesome things happen.

 

a) Coulson shoots Whitehall and then enters a fight with Cal. Coulson then pulls a full-on Natasha Romanoff.

 

 

 

b) Hunter (who has quickly become my second favorite, after Ward) gains even more points by quoting Deadpool.

 

 

 



 

Coulson holds his own, but Cal gets the upper hand and is beating him to a bloody pulp when Skye rushes in and threatens to shoot him if he doesn't stop punching her real fake dad and leave. Cal does leave, but assures Skye that her destiny will force her back with him. Skye will have none of it.

 

 

Cal leaves, but not before he calls her by her real name - Daisy. First Mary Sue, then Skye, then Daisy, then...

More on that later.

 

Meanwhile, Agent 33, lost without Whitehall, finds Ward (who survived, because he's agent Grant Ward and he can shoot the legs off a caterpillar at 500 yards as long as there's no wind) and helps him get up and out. (This is going to be an intriguing working relationship.)

 

 

Skye goes to the room with the hole in the ground and finds the Obelisk gone. She knows Raina has taken it, and while she had no intention of going into the Kree city, she decides she needs to find Raina and take the Obelisk herself.

 

 

 

 Coulson follows, telling May to stay behind and get everyone out. This happens just around the time Trip and FitzSimmons emerge, having planted bombs that will go off in ten minutes.

When May tells Trip that Coulson and Skye are still in the tunnels, he throws caution to the wind and enters the tunnels again to disarm the bombs before they blow up his friends. YOU GO, TRIP. EVEN THOUGH YOU AREN'T WEARING A HAZMAT SUIT.

Meanwhile, Raina finds zombified Mack, who leads her to the temple. Skye follows close behind and, since she's 'worthy,' Mack lets her pass, too. Trip finds the last bomb and disarms it just before it goes off, and we all breathe a collective sigh of relief.

Until Skye and Raina face off, but it's too late - the Obelisk is on the pedestal. Crystals emerge like a miniature Fortress of Solitude or that science project you did in third grade, and Trip runs in just in time to see it happening. The Obelisk sends an explosion outward that quickly turns Raina and Skye to stone. Trip, trying to stop Skye from dying, smashes the crystals, but once again, it's too late. Trip looks down to see shards in his chest. WAIT! BUT - HE WAS SUPPOSED TO LIVE!

 As he turns to stone and crumbles, the last thing he sees is the girl he couldn't save. (I might be being a bit dramatic here, BUT IT'S WHAT HAPPENED AND IT'S NOT OKAY.) Outside the temple, Mack appears to snap out of his trance, with Coulson standing beside him. Things begin to fall apart everywhere, and the stone crumbles off of Raina – we only see a brief image of cat-like eyes, and then it crumbles off of Skye, who is reborn.

And we know who she is now. She is Daisy Johnson, the inhuman known as Quake for her ability to cause earthquakes. Daisy Johnson, who is personally selected by Captain America himself to be an Avenger. Daisy Johnson, who gets Level 10 clearance. Daisy Johnson, Nick Fury's protegee. Daisy Johnson, future Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. Daisy Freaking Johnson.

In the post-credits scene, we see an Obelisk glowing on a desk, and an eyeless man answering a ringing telephone. The person on the phone asks the eyeless man “Are you seeing what I'm seeing?” The voice then tells Eyeless that this means there's 'something new,' and to tell 'the others.' What does this mean? Are 'the others' the Inhumans? How many Obelisks/Kree artifacts are there? Is the guy with no eyes The Reader, or possibly Videmus, or maybe even a Seeker?

Will Ward be okay? Are the Koenigs really androids? Will we survive until the next episode?

 

In the meantime, here's an interviewwith B. J. Britt/Trip (very cute, very sad, includes a great video) about Trip's death.

You can go console yourself with the approaching premier of Agent Carter. Or something. I really don't know.