AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D.: “A Life Spent” Roundtable

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is wasting no time getting down to business in season 5! The Earth-shattering episode last week left us with a lot of questions. Join Rueben, Karen, and Roz and they talk about what happened in the episode, and what it means for our heroes both on the small screen and, possibly, in theaters.

What’s Deke’s long game?

Rueben: Right now, I am SO angry at him for turning Daisy into Kasius and his not-so-merry band of blue that I don’t think I could see any long game if I tried. He is in for a world of trouble, though, once Daisy and the rest of the team get free. He is in for a world of hurt too.

Karen: I had a feeling he’d turn at some point, but man, I really didn’t want him to. Daisy won’t soon forget it, and I don’t think anybody gets exactly how powerful she is. I know they have this whole “worldkiller” persona to link to her, but they haven’t seen her first-hand for realsies.

Roz: It’s a game of survival – which seems to be all the humans know with the Kree, but this won’t end well for him as SHIELD has long memories. To quote a song, Deke is looking out for number one.

Who’s leaving that message for Virgil?

Rueben: I want to hope that it’s Fitz, but that’s such a long shot – but maybe it was someone who ended up working with Fitz to get them back and is carrying on the mission? Wishful thinking!

Karen: I wanted it to be Fitz, but it didn’t sound like him once it came in clear near the end. I’m guessing it’s someone that has intel from the surface. I mean the whole point of Virgil’s book and why he stayed on the freighter was to do “recon,” and that guy is probably part of it. Recon for when the “Delegates” arrive.

Roz: Yes, why can’t Fitz by 100+ when all of this is happening to help, but I do like your answer Karen. There has to be some group of people down there that wanted SHIELD up there.

And now let’s just imagine something: how can the end of the world in the future connect with the larger MCU? Are we playing this half season as some tie-in to Black Panther or Infinity War?

Rueben: Wow, this is the time that I wish I knew more about the MCU; but since I don’t maybe they are setting us up for some kind of connections to what will happen in both films. It would make sense because there have been there have been other tie-ins.

Karen: Well, last season’s connection was thematic with magic, and then physically with the Darkhold Tome. Right now we’re already tied thematically because they’re in space, and there are clues that point to Thanos causing the destruction of Earth – if the Agents are in another of the multiverses. That became more likely now that Deke actually spelled out the theory this week. It also makes a path home easier if Fitz is trying to pull them home through a multiverse wormhole that brings them back to an intact Earth.

Roz: Oooh, Karen! Multiverses are fun, but man, they complicate things. (Yes, I’m looking at you X-Treme X-Men!) But I suppose for something that has a destroyed Earth, that’s the best possible answer. I’m just not sure if we’re doing more with Black Panther (where we clearly still have Earth), or if this is all for Infinity War in the spring.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. airs Fridays at 9/8c on ABC. Read more of our discussions about the show here, and be sure to join us on Twitter Friday nights as we live tweet each episode.