Only one more episode to go until the season (and maybe series) finale. Thanos has arrived, and SHIELD is busy dealing with another potential alien invasion and Graviton, so all we get on that front is a quick look at New York after the Avengers fight off the Black Order. So what do we get? Read on and see.
1. Remorath
Okay, I know I haven’t talked much about the Remorath other than how unimpressed I am with their designs, but I do have to give some credit where credit is due. The name “Remorath” is actually quite clever for their species; it seems to be drawn from the remora, a fish that attaches itself to predators (particularly sharks) and feeds on its parasites and leftovers.
So why would a fearsome alien share its name with a fish like that? Because for all their bluster, they really are just remoras. They go along with whatever bigger fish is running the show, be it the Confederacy or Graviton, feeding off the scraps of their conquest.
Or maybe I’m just overanalyzing, but I’d like to think there’s some symbolism in the names there.
2. Escape From Space
Is it just me, or does the SHIELD crew have to escape from various prisons a lot? They’re pretty used to it by now, but I quite enjoyed how they got out this time.
The scene inside Daisy’s mind, where she tells Kasius Sr. off, was nicely done, and I was amused with how everyone expected Deke to understand the alien language (because he’s from the future) when all he knows is a few numbers; a nice aversion of the “everyone from the future knows everything” cliche.
Although the best part would be Coulson and May having their big damn kiss, as Coulson pulls out the holographic SHIELD shield. I’m glad that is still seeing use, it’s an under-utilized but awesome tool. I also love the look on Daisy’s face when she sees their kiss; very amusing.
Finally, May gets a nice moment of awesome as well, when, following a decent fight scene, whe reveals she redirected the missiles right back to the ship. Her one-liner of “Told you I didn’t need a gun to stop you” was a nice little touch before an appropriately massive explosion.
It was certainly a fun run.
3. Character Development
Between all the action and escaping, the characters still had time to reflect a little on their development. Coulson and May acknowledge how far they’ve come and how their connection to Talbot has changed (before he went off the deep end, of course), and Fitz-Simmons recognize that they’ve gone full-circle with the Centipede serum.
Daisy’s speech about how humans are complicated almost qualifies, although when she started talking about her fight with Yo-Yo, and how it wasn’t with a lack of respect, it started to feel a little forced. It could very well be the show’s attempt to patch things up between the two without actually having to make them work it out.
Still, the misstep there aside, it’s nice when the show can take a moment to acknowledge how everyone has grown.
4. Absorbing the Man
Poor Crusher Creel. He’s more than just the absorption-based villain we expected when he was first introduced, and while he’s not quite as developed as his comic counterpart can be (I’m looking at you, “Black Bolt” series), he’s had some good character moments.
And now he’s gone. Talbot had him transform into gravitonium then absorbed him.
It was particularly effective since we know that Creel trusted and was loyal to Talbot. He believed in him, and we as an audience knew the betrayal was coming the second he said “Join me.”
Maybe it’s a little poetic, how the man who absorbs elements ended up getting absorbed himself, but it served as another good sign of how far Talbot has fallen and a tragic end to a decent character.
5. Choose Your Future
The episode ends with a shocking realization: the Centipede serum can either be used to save Coulson or stop Talbot, but they don’t have enough to do both.
Thus, the team is left with a decision: do the save Coulson or the world?
Continued belowThis is undoubtedly the decision that Yo-Yo’s future self was referring to when she said not to save Coulson. Thus, they can very well potentially save the future by using it to stop Talbot, but in doing so let Coulson die. Or they can save his life, and in doing so doom the world.
Talbot is getting closer to ending it, too. Robin’s visions involved him tearing the Earth apart to bring out something, strongly indicating that he’s the one who will destroy everything. So we have more evidence that this is the decision they must make.
Will SHIELD break the loop, or will they put the life of one person – important though Coulson is – above the rest of the world?
Well, they’ll probably find a way to save everyone, but it’s a nice dilemma for the team to struggle with.
