Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Roundtable: “Frenemy of My Enemy”

Jaiying moved forward with her plan to banish Cal, but Skye felt sorry for him and wanted to break it to him gently. She took a trip with him to his hometown under the guise of picking up some of his things. He told her all the plans he had held for them as a family before she was taken. Skye manages to steal a cellphone from a passerby and calls Coulson, but the call is cut short. Hydra follows a trail left by Gordon’s transporting that leads them to the Skye’s location, but luckily Coulson is watching and his team (which now includes Ward) follows them. In the chaos of a showdown, Deathlock and Lincoln are both captured by Hydra. Gordon pops in to grab Skye and whisk her to safety, and Coulson turns himself in to Bobbi and Mack when they finally arrive at the party. He is ready to go back to headquarters, and asks them to take him to their leader.

1. What were your thoughts on the Skye/Cal bonding time in Wisconsin? Was contacting Coulson part of her plan all along, or just a convenient opportunity she seized?

Louise: I liked that the two of them had a chance to be more like father and daughter, but i don’t know if Skye’s thinking three steps ahead or just one to come up with a plan because her motives are so murky because of everything else going on.

Liz: I thought it was really a good spotlight on Skye’s nature. Regardless of how she was raised, she still has a heart and can’t stand to see anyone suffer. I don’t think she was even completely OK with shooting Ward. Cal is just crazy. I’m not really interested in him at all except for the information he gave on Jaiying. The history he gave to Skye about her parents is necessary for Skye.

I don’t think Skye was planning on contacting Coulson, I think that was just her seizing an opportunity.

Rueben: I think Skye was just trying to do right by Cal in terms of not leaving by the side of the road like an abandoned puppy, ya know? But I don’t think she has any true deep down feelings for her dad except for concern over what he is capable of doing. I think she’s been looking for a way to get back to Coulson and the rest of the team, but I don’t think she had a specific plan. I think she just took advantage of the situation that was laid before her.

Jan: The bonding, to me, was both nice and awkward. Knowing the end game was to abandon him made me feel sympathy for Cal, even though I believe Skye was right and there was a good possibility he would hurt someone. I don’t think contacting Coulson was in her plan all along, but she saw an easy mark and decided it was as good an opportunity as she was going to have.

2. Was May right to betray Jemma for sending the real toolbox with Fitz, though she claims it was to protect her?

Louise: May’s got her her own set of priorities and I think she’s going so far as to protect everyone from Coulson who left her in the cold recently. But it seems that Coulson was intentionally leaving her without that information and that’ll be a rift in their relationship. Basically I get that May’s trying to follow orders even if she’s only working on partial intel.

Liz: I’m not entirely sure she totally betrayed Jemma. She went to Bobbi, not Gonzales. I think that May sees that Bobbi is not 100% on board with Gonzales and his S.H.I.E.L.D. I think that she’s still trying to protect Fitz, Jemma and even Coulson, until she gets some answers from Coulson.

Rueben: I think May, acting on what information she has (which is murky and not fully formed), did what she thought was right; but I think that Coulson not telling her as much as he could have to keep in the loop better will come back to bite both of them in the ass.

Jan: I’m on the fence with May. I don’t think her actions are because she has joined the other side, as Jemma suggested. But I’m not sure that protecting Jemma was her only motivation either. She’s a bit miffed that Coulson had all these secrets, and wanting the truth is one of her top objectives. She’s trying to protect her team but at the same time she wants very much to get to the truth.

3. Coulson made a pact with the devil, Ward. Do you believe he really intended to send Ward to “Tahiti”, given the fact that he gave his word as the “Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.” and that status is debatable due to the situation?

Louise: I think Coulson wants to get Ward out of the picture as soon as he’s proved useful so I think “Tahiti” is as much a promise as Coulson can make in his debatable position as leader of SHIELD.

Liz: I think that’s a really good question! I think that Coulson would try to send Ward to “Tahiti”. Coulson is fighting to take back his S.H.I.E.L.D. He still considers himself the director. However, I think he also knows that Ward will slip away from him as soon as he’s finished doing what he promised he’d help Coulson with.

Rueben: I think that Coulson simply wanted Ward’s help and he would promise the moon, the sky and the universe to get Skye back. I can’t say for sure if he really means to use “Tahiti” on Ward (let alone that Ward doesn’t deserve that is a whole other story). And since Coulson’s leadership role is most likely going to change (perhaps drastically) he may not be able to hold any kind of promise to anyone.

Jan: I believed everything Coulson said to Ward up until that comment. I’m not sure the slate will ever really be wiped clean for Ward, especially not if Fitz has any input. Coulson will say whatever he needs to in order to complete the mission and protect his team. He is driven to get Skye back.

4. Were you happy to see Ward back working with Coulson, even as a frenemy, or are you over and done with Ward by this point?

Louise: Ward’s slightly evil side makes for good storytelling right now so I’m not over and done with him yet. If he betrays Coulson or does anything stupid, I’m happy to change my mind.

Liz: Ward is only really interested in Ward, so yes, I’m pretty much over and done with him. He can’t be trusted at all and I really don’t see what more he could bring to this show.

Rueben: I’m still intrigued by Ward in terms of what makes him tick and how he can seemingly change his allegiances so quickly. Is that just to play along with whatever situation is placed before him or does he always have an ulterior method. Probably a little of both, but I have to admit that I do miss Ward from time to time.

Jan: In all honesty, I did like having Ward back. I don’t trust him, but I like the action he brings on missions.

5. What was your favorite scene in “Frenemy of My Enemy”?

Louise: Fitz wanting to take his revenge on Ward for all the damage it caused him because it’s great to see Fitz being more like his old self and feeling something for the man who ruined so much of the last year.

Liz: Contrary to what I said above about Ward, it was cool that after they overcame the Hydra fighters Ward called Coulson ‘Boss’ again.

Rueben: It was a minor scene in comparison to everything else, but when Fitz was being chased by those other agents, running up those stairs and into their invisible plane and the agent ran right into the plane because, well, it is an invisible plane. That made me laugh.

Jan: It was that brief moment when Skye was reading her father’s name on the door and quietly said her birth name “Daisy Johnson.” It drove home that she finally knew what her real name was after a lifetime of searching.

6. Who was MVP this episode?

Louise: Even though he got taken by HYDRA, is it bad that I want to give this week’s award to Mike? He was awesome this week, even when he wasn’t going by what Coulson – or anyone else – expected.

Liz: Team Coulson/Hunter. Those two work so well together and they’re so funny. Hunter completely trusts Coulson and that says something. He’s not a trusting soul as a rule. Also, I like the way Coulson has his fun with Hunter. Sometimes I think he springs surprises on Hunter just to see that wide-eyed wonder look on his face.

Rueben: Fitz because he seems to be getting back to himself, at least a little bit. He wasn’t happy with Ward being with them and if it hadn’t been for Hunter, I think Fitz might have actually tried to do something to Ward. Even with Ward, obviously, being a more powerful fighter, Fitz was going to do his worse to the man who basically wrecked his life.

Jan: This is tough for me this week. So many players and it’s difficult to choose any particular one that made a bigger difference. I will go with Skye, just because it was her actions that brought all sides to the same location for a showdown at the end, and that sets the stage for the next chapter of this story.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. airs Tuesdays at 9/8c on ABC.