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AGENTS OF SHIELD: “The Good Samaritan” {Roundtable}

By Karen | November 4, 2016

Agents of SHIELD is on a small hiatus, but it went out with a huge bang! The Nice Girls are here to discuss “The Good Samaritan,” and we have three different points of view this week. Makes for a GREAT discussion!

Question 1. So many twists! Turns out Eli is a true bad guy! How big of a surprise was that to you, and did it make you feel differently about Lucy & the Scooby Ghosts?

Can you SEE him saying Muahahaha in his head?

Rueben: I have to admit, I didn’t see that twist coming although I probably should have. He put on a really good act that it wasn’t him all along who caused Lucy and the other ghosts to become what they became; enough that I didn’t see it until it was right there. As for Lucy and the Scooby Ghosts, well, I don’t think they were any better than him just a smidge less evil (if that’s possible).

Roz: I should have seen that twist, but I also missed it. Right now I’m not a fan of a bait and switch in terms of who I should root for; it’s sort of bad character development to hide something so big. As for the Scoobies, I also feel like we’ve been lead on a misdirect to make me feel something that now feels hollow and bitter.

Karen: Now I can give away more from the comics. *whew* Eli, in Ghost Rider canon, is a serial killer. Robbie is bonded with Eli’s spirit, although he’s not his uncle. I like the changes they’ve made to translate the characters to the show, because making Eli their uncle allows them to skip a lot of that exposition. He’s killed all of his co-workers, so that mirrors his serial killer status in the books. I’m guessing that he might become melded with Robbie in order to stop the process of his God-like transformation on the show.

Question 2. Gabe, is he the worst brother ever or what? Robbie LITERALLY made a deal with the devil in order to save his little brother’s life, and does he get gratitude? Nope. Are you glad the jig is up already – and did you like how his backstory unfolded? Are you still in the dark about some of the details? I’m glad I’m asking the questions this week – I may have to recuse myself on this one. 🙂

Just tell us already…

Rueben: I was a little surprised by Gabe’s reaction – given how overall supportive he has been about his older brother. But that being said, I think I would’ve freaked out if I saw my brother turn into a burning skull, and probably would have had the same reaction. I think maybe it will just take some time for Gabe to come to terms with it. However, Robbie made the ultimate sacrifice for his little brother and there should be some gratitude extended.

As for seeing the story of how Robbie became the Ghost Rider, I thought it was interesting; especially learning that they were hit mistakenly instead of their uncle. I actually understood how things played out, but I’m curious if there is more backstory than that.

Roz: Right now I just want to be done with the Reyes and Moras because they are so bad for each other and the world. That Robbie was turned into the Ghost Rider because Lucy and her husband wanted him out of the picture is cruel, especially now that we know Lucy’s side lost that battle. That Gabe can’t see a sacrifice for what it is is even more sad.

Karen: I’m really glad his secret is out, but I’m super disappointed in Gabe. Can you tell by the way I phrased the question? I mean, he saved your life, dude! Get over yourself. Hopefully he’ll figure it out and deal with the fact that Robbie is a supernatural being – but I think it might take learning what the Spirit of Vengeance is really about. I’m not sure Robbie even knows the whole story, so we’ll have to learn that as well. The whole “skull on fire” thing looks pretty evil, yet if you know what it does, it’s hard to argue with it’s vigilantism. Greater good and all that.

Question 3. Jeffrey Mace (his name is still a major letdown for me) is giving in to Nadeer’s pressure to bring Robbie in for murder. What’s your feeling on that debacle?

Rueben: I’m guessing his name was kept a bit tame to hide what he really is? I think that Mace was succumbing to pressure before he did his due diligence. He should have investigated into what Robbie is before just acting on her pressure him with what information she presented to him. Is he going to do that with all Inhumans that she brings to him?

Roz: Mace is just not thinking with greater foresight and that gets me. Bring back Director Coulson!

Karen: I gotta agree with you Rueben. How far down the road will that go? Is he going to get a weekly assignment? Will he become her tool? Slippery slope.

Question 4. Okay, so Fitz and Coulson get to see the power of the Spirit of Vengeance. How fast is Fitz gonna try to retro-fit the containment unit? Are they going to find out more about TSoV?

y u brak mai box?

Rueben: Yes, I can imagine Fitz will upgrade the containment unit pronto as soon as he figures out where Simmons went, of course. He was very worried about her so his focus will be on her and then the containment unit – unless something else horrible (i.e. Robbie’s uncle “hits” first). I’m sure they are both going to want to get lots more information on TSoV, and I can’t imagine that there won’t be more explanations.

Roz: If Fitz doesn’t retrofit the containment unit, he’s not doing his job. I also think we’ll get answers on TSoV.

Karen: We all need to know more about it. At least show-wise. They’re staying fairly true to the comics’ canon, but twisting it just enough to make it TV-friendly for people who stick to that medium. Even I’m left guessing how much knowledge was transferred to Robbie when he was imbued. They’ve shown Johnny now, and I’m 100% sure we saw his basement in that other episode, so could he be in another flashback? Absolutely. Could Robbie have an other-worldly chat with a spirit-related entity? Sure. If he knows the entire story, he’s got some ‘splainin’ to do.

Question 5. Speaking of Fitz & Coulson, any speculation on what happened to them when the machine turned Eli into Mol… oh, maybe I shouldn’t say that. What do you think happened to Robbie? Where do we go in the first few minutes of the next ep?

Rueben: Ah man, see, there is yet another thing I don’t know about the Marvel Universe (Eli turned into what??!!). I was freaking out when the pulse went off and then we didn’t see what happened to Fitz and Coulson. I’m hoping that it did nothing more than knock them out; that it didn’t do any harm to them. I definitely think that Robbie will just walk it off given the power he was endowed with.
As for what will happen in the first few minutes of the next episode, they will deliberately keep us in suspense by showing us anything else except for what happened to them, leaving us hanging until at least 10 minutes into the episode. You know – to build the suspense.

Roz: If they killed Fitz and Coulson I’m going to be pissed! But maybe they went all ghosty?

Karen: I don’t think Fitz or Coulson are dead. I wouldn’t be shocked if either or both of them are affected though. They may not even be present for an episode or two. Because DRAMA. I have no idea what that pulse would’ve done to them though.

And Rueben, I don’t want to keep you in suspense so I’ll tell you – it’s been speculated that Eli has become Molecule Man or someone like MM. I was just teasing you. 🙂

What floated your boat in this episode?

Rueben: I liked learning the backstory about Robbie becoming TSoV as it helped me understand his character better. I also enjoyed the banter between Fitz and Mack when they were hiding Robbie, Gabe and Daisy. I was happy to see May back in action albeit without giving a beatdown on anyone.

Roz: Other thoughts: I’m still not sure what the purpose of this mini season is? I know shows have to evolve, but the mission each week seems less SHIELD based and more just crazy science.

Karen: To answer Roz, the whole front half of the season is two-fold. The main thing is to introduce the Darkhold Tome for Dr. Strange, and then to bring Ghost Rider in. Since the Tome is part of Ghost Rider’s story, they wove them together.

I might be strange (see what I did there?) but I loved the crash scene. The special effects were really cinematic, and I will never get tired of the Ghost Rider transformations. My husband got me interested in the character, and I’ve never lost my love of the Spirit of Vengeance. There’s a huge part of me that feels satisfaction when bad people get what they deserve, even if it’s just in fiction. So it’s no wonder that I love Heroes like Batman, Green Arrow, Ghost Rider, etc. They take the law into their own hands.