AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. Roundtable: BOOM

Daisy, Mace and the S.H.I.E.L.D. team must find a way to contain an explosive Inhuman. Coulson and Mack come face-to-face with Radcliffe’s inspiration for Aida.

See what Ruben, Roz, and Karen had to say about the episode and leave your thoughts in the comments.

1. How are your feelings on Agnes?
Rueben: A little indifferent at this point except that I was really hoping she could help Coulson and Mack find May; but other than that I didn’t really feel much of anything for her. Did she really help the plot along or just help to avoid the inevitable: them finding May. Radcliffe did at least come across as if he truly loved her, but did he really help her by putting her in the framework?
Roz: I feel like we should have seen that Radcliffe was the sort to model an AI after a real person. I feel bad that she’s dying, but it gives depth to AIDA.
Karen: If they popped her in the show to give us back a little more of the “humanized” Radcliffe, it didn’t work. I still hate him for turning on Fitz (and SHIELD). I feel like he used her and then left when she was vulnerable – which makes him a first-class jerk.

2. Feelings on our old baddies of the week:
Do you want to know what Shockley becomes as an Inhuman in the end?
Rueben: I have to admit I was kinda surprised that he turned out to be an Inhuman, and it was cool how they ultimately captured him; but is that it now. He’s collected as mist inside that weird device they created to contain him, but is that it? We won’t see him again?
Roz: I feel like Shockley’s too good to get to be an Inhuman, but he’s got a temper so the power fits.
Karen: Yeah, I agree Roz, I hate it when a bad guy gets the Inhuman treatment. But I guess some of them have to be bad guys. I hope we see him again because John Pyper-Ferguson knows how to chew scenery. He’s a great foil for our good guys.

Or are you singing “Ding Dong the Witch is Dead!” with Nadeer out of the way?
Rueben: Now that you mention it, yeah, I think I am singing that just a little. Even though they say she died in the bombing, I had to keep wondering as the episode progressed if that was merely a set-up. It will be a relief if she is completely and 100% out of the way.
Roz: Man, I loved that she has finally died! She was getting on my nerves.
Karen: Hell yes. I’m sad that I have to say that because… Parminder Nagra, but damn, I hated Nadeer.  She was THE. WORST. Evil baddies like Shockley I can deal with, but politicians get on my last nerve.

3. Having AIDA see Agnes is a bad idea right? Why is Radcliffe so dumb about the AI meeting the Real McCoy?
Rueben: Yeah, that was a bit strange; but what unsettled me more was Aida’s reaction to Radcliffe kissing Agnes’s hand and then Aida taking Agnes’s necklace and placing around her own android neck. That’s not creepy at all, right?!
Roz: Radcliffe is very science smart but street dumb! I swear he should know better but he’s lacking so much common sense. The fact that he can’t see how bad it is to give an adaptive AI more tools for her to use is bad news for him in the end.
Karen: Ugh. Yeah. What does he still not get about the AI danger issue? I mean, ULTRON happened. AIDA is a ticking time bomb. Let’s make her jealous, why don’t we? What are the odds that AIDA “helped” her pass on into the framework? Radcliffe didn’t do much to confirm that flatline, or am I wrong?

4. Mace loves his football metaphors today. What position do you think he is on the team, actually?
Rueben: Football usually goes over my head (as the non-sports fan that I have been my entire life); but he was right in saying he finally figured out his place on the team: he is the blocker. Kudos for him for using himself as the decoy to give Fitz, Simmons and Daisy the time they needed to capture Shockley.
Roz: I like that he decided he was a blocker in the end. He is good at putting things to a stop when the time is right.
Karen: I’ve really grown to like him, especially now that he’s actively trying to fit in and find his true place on the team. Having Mace and Coulson working together to bolster everyone else is a great dynamic. Morale is at an all-time high with his vulnerability exposed and his enthusiasm shown.

5. Is the idea of Radcliffe trying to cheat death too mad scientist for you? Why or why not?
Rueben: Given that Agnes’s had that inoperable tumor – and again he really does seem to love her – I can see why he would want to develop a way for her to life beyond this reality, but no one should play God – even if they think they can – so yeah, it’s a big too mad scientist for me. That being said, I have a feeling that May is going to find a way to break down those walls and wreak his little otherworld.
Roz: Why is he so bad at being bad? He’s just reminding me of the baddie from Agent Carter last season – that is how dumb he is!
Karen: Well, he had to have a goal, and immortality is as good as any.

6. Thoughts, concerns, etc.
Rueben: If we’re supposed to be afraid of “The Superior,” I hate to say it but I’m not. He’s not at all imposing or scary to me. Although I am concerned about what he’ll try to do to Coulson.
I’m also concerned about what Aida’s next move will be. Will she try to take Agnes’s place in Radcliffe’s life here in our reality? Is she that far gone?
And, can we just have them find May already and stop the whole LMD project? It’s been an interesting ride (I guess), but I just want to see May back in the field.
Roz: Ruben is so right! I’m not scared of The Superior at all.
Karen: I think if Coulson isn’t the one to save May personally I’ll be disappointed. Also, Shockley being naked all the time was pretty funny. Especially when he hitchhiked.

Next time on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D:

A DEADLY TRAP LURES COULSON IN TO SAVE MACE, ON ABC’S ‘MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D.’

“The Man Behind the Shield” – Mace fights for his life while Coulson and team find themselves in a deadly cat-and-mouse game as they attempt his rescue, on “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,” TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14 (10:00-11:00 p.m. EST), on the ABC Television Network.

“Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” stars Clark Gregg as Agent Phil Coulson, Ming-Na Wen as Agent Melinda May, Chloe Bennet as Daisy Johnson, Iain De Caestecker as Agent Leo Fitz, Elizabeth Henstridge as Agent Jemma Simmons, Henry Simmons as Agent Alphonso “Mack” MacKenzie and John Hannah as Holden Radcliffe.

Guest starring are Jason O’Mara as Director Jeffrey Mace, Mallory Jansen as Aida 2.0, Maximilian Osinski as Agent Davis, Zach McGowan as The Superior, Frederick Lawrence as guard, Stivi Paskoski as lead SVR agent and Alexander Chemyshev as Russian thug.

“The Man Behind the Shield” was written by Matt Owens and directed by Wendey Stanzler.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. airs Tuesday 10/9c on ABC