AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D.: The World’s End {Roundtable}

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. ended the season with some serious questions and plenty of excitement as it went along. With the show not returning until mid-season next year, this means we’ve got plenty of time to sit on all of these burning questions until later.

Last week we were all excited by the idea of Ghost Rider vs AIDA/Ophelia. What did you think of the confrontation?

GABRIEL LUNA

Rueben: It was a bit anti-climactic for me, as there wasn’t as much battle as I thought until the end when it was Coulson as Ghost Rider – instead of Robbie as Ghost Rider. Also, I kept thinking that even though she was reduced to dust that there was going to be some 11th hour surprise that she wasn’t really gone. I’m glad I was wrong about that.

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Roz: I wanted so much more of the Robbie vs Ophelia than we got because I needed someone to really put her away. But yeah, even when she was ash, I was nervous.

Karen: I liked the tension building theme that they used, but I definitely would’ve liked more fiery fighting. GR is so great when he’s kicking ass. The human vs. LMD fight after AIDA teleported was pretty cool though.

In the “battle” of Hope vs Yoyo, were you happy to see who won?

HENRY SIMMONS, JORDAN RIVERA

Rueben: I was glad that Mack and Yoyo got out of the framework, but did anyone really win? Sure, they were both saved, but Mack is going to have those memories of Hope that will haunt him, and Yoyo, well, she may always come second to the “what ifs.”

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Roz: It’s not really winning when everyone hurts in the end, so it’s something like a hollow win for Yoyo. I wonder if this will make it hard for them to be romantic next season because those memories of Hope are so strong.

NATALIA CORDOVA-BUCKLEY

Karen: I really hate to call this a “battle”. Nobody’s a winner here. Mack is going to be hurting, and Yoyo and he will see some rough waters because of it. I don’t think he’ll blame her though. She was incredibly caring and sympathetic. Mack knows that and he’ll have that in his head if he’s smart.

UGH AIDA WHY? How do you respond to AIDA’s childlike behavior?

MALLORY JANSEN

Rueben: She was a newly constructed mortal being, and was going through her terrible twos during this episode. To me that was her way of throwing a temper tantrum because she wasn’t getting her way. Death is a bit harsh for a two-year old tantrum, but given all that she did – both in the real world and the framework – being dissolved to dust almost wasn’t enough punishment, as harsh as that is to say.

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Roz: The choice to go around and kill everyone that Fitz loved to prove her point was just ONE STEP TOO FAR, but I like that the team thought she’d do something and had an LMD of Simmons around. I think even her death is too good for her after the way she didn’t like the elaborate world. It sort of reminds me of the kid who loves to create a whole world and as soon as it’s done goes all King Kong and destroys it.

Karen: She. Is. The. Worst. (I had to get that in one last time). Pride goeth before a fall, and that was so true here. She was way too confident, and that was definitely her downfall. SHIELD used her own tech against her, which she never thought they’d be capable of, so down she went. The childlike thing was just par for the course. Yeah, she’s “new,” but I think it was more of a false-confidence thing. More vindictive and petty than anything else.

So Coulson had the power of GR? Do you want to know how that transfer happened or is it just good to see one less AIDA in the world?

Rueben: If I’m not mistaken, when Robbie and Coulson were talking after the battle with AIDA, the demon went back into Robbie and that Coulson merely “borrowed” him to end AIDA. I don’t think Robbie would have been able to use his chain to crossover into that hell world without the demon. But, during that conversation, it seemed like Coulson made some kind of deal. I really want to know what’s behind all of that.

Roz: I think it’s interesting that Coulson has enough vengeance to let GR in for a bit – and I’m so curious as to why it was able to happen – but yes, that conversation between Robby and Coulson confused me. What is Coulson’s big secret? I don’t like that he has one, though it feels like he’s had so many secrets during the show I can’t complain.

Karen: He definitely made a deal with The Spirit of Vengeance. What kind of a deal would you usually make with a leader of the Underworld? Think in that direction at least. Those are the only deals he makes. Same deal Robbie and all the GRs before him made. There’s a very small chance he just borrowed the power, but TSoV isn’t very lenient. He’ll take all or nothing.

I’m sad to see Radcliffe go. Are you? What do you feel about his choice of last lines?

Rueben: To be honest, I won’t miss him. He was a bit scrupulous although he did help Yoyo out in the end – thanks to that smart play by Daisy to alert him to Yoyo being in the framework as it fell apart. I think he redeemed himself at least a little bit in the end, and that was a fitting closing scene and last line for the character.

Roz: I think the last few episodes Radcliffe had done so much to make me sad that he didn’t get to finish his whisky or the famous ending of “The Hollow Men”. I suppose for a poem that is the oft-most quoted, it fit him to go out feeling like some sort of wronged hero. Man, does he want to be Kurtz or Cesar? WHY?

JOHN HANNAH

Karen: I’ll miss John Hannah, but he’ll go on to other projects. As far as his tenure on AoS, I think it met with a logical end. His Framework counterpart definitely righted some of his real life wrongs, but that didn’t do anything to keep him alive. I liked how they ushered him out – on a “whimper”. Kind of.

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SPACE?!?!?!?!?

Rueben: I’m thoroughly confused by that whole final scene. At first, I thought he was in some kind of prison, and I was expecting to see the others in the same fate; but then he opened that window covering to expose he was in space. I was like, “what the hell is going on here?” I’m hoping Karen can provide some of her Marvel Comics wisdom to help clear up the confusion.

Roz: Is this supposed to connect SHIELD to Inhumans next year? Because if not, I don’t get it. I mean, I do, because Guardians is out in Space for the MCU, but I don’t get it for the progression of the show. Is Space the only place where they are all safe after everything that happened? Isn’t that just writing into a corner?

Karen: My preliminary guess is that they want to revive SWORD, but I honestly don’t know. They may be planning to do some things with the Inhumans that will cause AoS to be ineffectual on Earth, so to create a new SWORD team with the AoS members might give them a new storyline to work on. I think it will actually open things up for the writers, not close them down. Of course, it’s just a guess – but I’m not the only one thinking that. I saw a few other people guessing it as well, so who knows?

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Side notes:

Karen: I’m sad they didn’t take this opportunity to bring back Tripp and/or Ward, but it looks like their plan was to make all the Framework beings disappear.

I found myself saying to May that she should either just demand answers from Coulson and shut up already. I mean, they were in the middle of a brou-ha-ha, and she’s bringing up the scotch? WTF?!

I have to give Mallory Jansen HUGE props for her work this season. She knows how to gnaw on that scenery but good.
Poor Zach McGowan (Anton Ivanov on AoS/King Roan on The 100) died on The 100 as well this season, so let’s hope he catches a break somewhere?

Is it wrong that I want to see Coulson with a fiery hand shield?