Director Mace kidnapped, robot duplicates about, and now they know May is trapped in a virtual reality. There’s been plenty of interesting twists and turns within these past few episodes, so let’s see if this episode can keep up the momentum.
Quick word of warning: unless you mind spoilers, watch the episode before you read this article. I’ll try to keep the details vague, but I have to talk about how it ended.
1. Enter The Matrix Framework
Last week, I made a few comments comparing the Framework to the Matrix, not only in that they’re both virtual realities designed to replicate the real world, but in how the human mind requires conflict. This episode takes the parallels even further, starting with a virtual training fight, with Coulson versus Daisy, very similar to Neo and Morpheus training against each other in the first Matrix movie. When Coulson gets knocked back, everything freezes and it nearly does a Matrix-style freeze-frame rotating shot.
Mind you, the choreography of the fight scene was very nice, and was shot quite well. Better than the more plot-important fight scenes later this episode, in fact.
Of course, we also learn a little more about the Framework, like how Fitz designed it to be used as a training program. Plugging in still just looks like the characters are lying down and wearing headsets, although Fitz does mention “it’s not a bloody Oculus Rift,” even if a visor might have made it look a bit better.
2. The So-Called “Superior”
This season has not had good luck with villains. Eli Morrow was a half-decent one, but Nadeer fell short, and the Superior, who was supposed to take her place, proved just as unappealing.
What’s his motivation? He hates aliens, he hates people looking weak, and he has a grudge against Coulson for what he caused during a SHIELD mission some time back. Not exactly the most compelling motivation, but it’s something. Still, after teasing us with how Coulson ties into everything in the Marvel universe, to just get his story of “Your mission got my team killed, and now I hate you” seems rather anticlimactic. Even Coulson dismisses him by calling him a “red shirt” in a nice little “but for me it was Tuesday” speech. (“Cool backstory, bro.”)
Why should we take him seriously as a threat? He controls the Watchdogs, but as I’ve repeatedly said, the Watchdogs haven’t exactly been the most compelling enemies as it is. He’s a soldier, sure, but he has nothing unique about him.
In fact, he gets beatdown by Quake with almost disappointing ease.
3. Flashback Time
Half the episode involves a flashback, featuring a younger Coulson and May as they carry out a mission connecting to the Superior’s backstory. Of course, it’s still Clark Gregg and Ming-Na Wen, although I’m fairly certain she’s wearing a wig. The makeup and soft lighting helps make them look a little younger, but overall it couldn’t have been all that long ago.
Still, it gives us a little more information on their time together. There’s plenty of typical bickering, and the way they behave does show how far they’ve come, with Coulson floundering during the mission and May being all-too eager to beat up some bad guys.
Most amusingly, we learn that they once had to go undercover as a married couple, and while under surveillance had to play the part in bed. Apparently Coulson spent a lot of time faking the foreplay, while May was more willing to – shall we say – “commit” to the mission.
4. Rescue Mission
There’ve been more than a few times when the SHIELD agents get together, fly off with a ship full of weapons, and launch a rescue mission. It’s reached the point where they’re all pretty by-the-book, and this one is no different.
Team smashes in, beats up some bad guys, fights the boss, drags their guy to safety. It went so quickly that it’s easy to ignore.
And yet that’s exactly what they were banking on. Well-played, Agents of SHIELD. Well-played indeed.
5. The Robot Replacements Resume
Alright, show, you got me. The end of the episode featured a legitimate twist, and it’s got me looking forward to the next one.
Continued belowI joked before about how I welcome our new robot overlords, or how anyone could be a LMD now, but I didn’t think they’d actually go through with it to such a degree. Mace replaced by an LMD? Sure, that would make sense. Another agent or two, maybe a previously-unknown background agent, fine. But all the team’s heavy hitters? An actual, honest-to-goodness surprise!
And next episode is looking like it’ll have a bit of a survival-horror/robot invasion theme to it, so that’s sounding good already.
So while I may have a fair bit to complain about here and there, the episode definitely ended on a strong note, and it’ll be nice to see where it goes from here.
