Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Roundtable: “No Regrets”

So far, the ladies here at NGTV aren’t having any regrets when it comes to watching AoS, and neither should you! We’re also having a blast during our post-mortems, so let’s just jump right in!

1. How frustrating is it that it seems like every time we get someone on-board the fake-world train, we lose someone else? Coulson is all in, but Jeff and Ward were vacillating.

Roz: I think it’s a good idea for Jemma and Daisy to have to work for the trust and support. It makes me mad as a viewer but I get it.

Rueben:  If we look at it from the perspective of Mace and Ward in the framework, Jemma does seem a bit crazy to them.  It stands to reason (from their POV, of course) that she just might be wishing for a different world than the one she’s in rather than the elaborate “story” she told them.  That Ward has no connection to the real world anymore given where his real counterpart ended up, but maybe with Mace’s death perhaps something will shift in Ward’s thinking.

Karen: I was truly frustrated during the first quarter of this episode. When it looked like Jemma had lost all of her allies (save Coulson) and Daisy to boot, it felt like a huge step backwards. I was relieved and also saddened that things ultimately changed, because we ended up with some new converts and a permanent “real world” loss.

2. Speaking of losing someone… Jeffrey got to live up to his reputation in the “real world” by saving the day. Of course, he didn’t have to sacrifice himself the first time around. Do you think he subconsciously remembers any part of his earlier faux hero profile? Did that come into play in this episode?

Roz: I really hope he remembers some of his faux hero stuff and that’s why he’s so Hell bent on fixing this AI world. But it could just be a good parallel between the worlds.

Rueben:  Perhaps in those last moments his faux hero profile from the real world took hold and maybe he remembered.  I was actually saddened to see that scene play out, but if it did one thing it helped solidify May’s lightbulb moment, don’t you think?

Karen: Man, was I bummed out by this. I was all prepared to come here and talk about how he was an actual Inhuman in The Framework – and now BAM… he’s gone. I’d like to think he might’ve remembered a little bit of his real life though, even just at the last minute. Maybe just enough to give him the strength to save the rest of his team – and May.

3. What’s going through Jemma’s mind when she sees Mack with his daughter? Why does she think he should stay behind during the mission?

Roz: I think it’s loss on Mack’s part that she doesn’t want him to go through that pain again. She doesn’t want him to not have Hope especially since he’s been missing her for years in our world.

Rueben:  I think she was trying to safeguard his happiness even for a short time given how devastating the loss of his daughter in the real world was for him.  There might have be a flicker of “does Mack have it better in the framework with his daughter than in the real world without her.”

Karen: I’m really glad I asked this question, because that never occurred to me. I feel really dumb for not thinking about Jemma wanting him to spend as much time with Hope as he can before they get out – but it makes complete and total 100% sense now that you say it. Fits with how Jemma would do things too.

4. Blast from the past! Tripp is back! How awesome was it to see him again after all this time?

Roz: Man, I went to twitter to squee with a friend when we saw him. TRIPP!!!!

Rueben:  It was so great to see him in the framework, but it made my heart ache that he isn’t with us in their real world.  It will be hard to have to say goodbye to him all over again.  It’s not like they can take him with them out of the framework into the real world.  To say the least, it’s bittersweet.

Karen: Oh Whedons, how you toy with our affections so. Kill them, bring them back… Kill them, bring them back… kill them, bring the… oh wait, nope, that one’s gonna stay dead. Seriously though, what a nice “Easter Egg” (get it!? it was Easter this week, guys) to have him back for a little bit this season.

5. We got to meet a new character as well. Fitz Sr. He’s on the Hydra train too, and it seems like he’s part of AIDA’s plan to keep him in line, right? Your thoughts?

Roz: Ugh, I just want AIDA to stop manipulating people by taking away a regret. But Fitz Sr seems like a bad bad guy.  Though he wasn’t the only Fitz I wanted to punch this week. Fitz’s “Nevertheless; she persisted” about Daisy made me rage and clap in glee.

Rueben:  Aida did tell Daisy that she removed one thing from each of the SHIELD agents – one thing or one sentence.  I have a feeling there was something that Fitz Sr. said to Fitz in the real world that didn’t happen in the framework to have such a stark shift in Fitz’s thinking, making him into the horrible person he is in the framework.  Aida wants Fitz so badly that she turned him bad by keeping Fitz Sr. in the picture and making sure the Jemma in that world was eliminated.  So very calculating and yes, it’s a means to an end to keep Fitz on the not-so-straight path.

Karen: Every week, someone is THE. WORST. Seems like it’s either AIDA or Fitz, and this week it’s AIDA. I bet Fitz Sr. has something to do with a past trauma for Fitz Jr. and it’s helping Mme. Hydra tighten her tentacles around him. Bleah. I’ve seen enough Hentai… y’know what, I’ll just finish that thought right there.

6. May’s trigger is the kids. It was what AIDA uses to get her to buy in, and it’s what wakes her up (figuratively so far at least). It looks like we’re in for a May/Daisy team-up.

Roz: I’m all for this team up especially since May bought the Kool-Aid until kids were reprogrammed.

Rueben:  I was actually relieved when she reacted to the kids being in that building, but also a little surprised that that’s what it took for her to have her “lightbulb” moment.  “Why are there kids here?” she said.  And then she also got to see Mace in a different light sacrificing himself to save that kid and all of them too.  I think that whole scene helped solidify it for her.  The team-up with May/Daisy is going to be intense, for sure.

Karen: She’s been in The Framework the longest, and it was adapted to her specifically. With that said, I’m also glad she was actually affected by the kids. You’d think AIDA might’ve kept the young’ns FAR away from the Triskellion so as to not trigger May, but hey, what do I know? I’m not a sentient AI intent on ruling the world.

Anything else?

Roz: See my thoughts on Fitz’s “political” words of the week.

Rueben:  In the clips, it looked like Aida was taken down somehow and that Fitz was now in charge of HYDRA.  I can’t wait to see how that all plays out, and what role the May/Daisy team-up plans into that.  I also want to see if Jemma is going to say anything at all to Mack about the real world given her reaction to seeing/meeting little Hope.

Quotes:

Coulson: I’ve got to ask What is it about that guy? Every time I see him, I get this weird itch, like hives. Did we get along?
Jemma: Well, you crushed his chest with your cybernetic arm and left him for dead on an alien planet, so no. Wh… He’s behind me, isn’t he?

Mace: “A team that trusts is a team that triumphs?” That’s… That’s a little cheesy.
Jemma: You had t-shirts made, coffee mugs.

Gate Guard: Flugelman?
Coulson: It’s Canadian.
Gate Guard: I don’t have you on the entry logs. You coming from the Triskelion?
Coulson: Yeah, and I’m new, actually. Just filling in for the other guy. How about that story on Bakshi News the other day? That Inhuman they found with lion paws for hands? So weird. Just the paws.
Gate Guard: Finally. You’re all set.
Coulson: Ah.
Gate Guard: Hail.
Coulson: Back at ya.

Next week on “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”

“All The Madame’s Men” – Daisy finds herself teamed up with an unlikely partner. Meanwhile, Aida prepares to put her ultimate end game into effect, on “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,” TUESDAY, APRIL 25 (10:00-11:00 p.m. EDT), 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 Brett Dalton as Grant Ward, Mallory Jansen as Madame Hydra/Aida, Jordan Rivera as Hope Mackenzie, David Weiss as serious man, Patrick Cavanaugh as Burrows, Zach McGowan as The Superior, David O’Hara as Alistair, Ben Cain as Hydra agent, Andy Comeau as Hydra doctor and Kavita Patil as Mrs. Lee.

“All the Madame’s Men” was written by James C. Oliver & Sharla Oliver and directed by Billy Gierhart.