Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Roundtable: “The Team”

In this week’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Daisy and Lincoln gather the other Secret Warriors and stage a rescue of the S.H.I.E.L.D. team. As a bonus, they take Malick prisoner. Malick didn’t hesitate to tell Coulson everything, including an important detail – Hive can control other Inhumans, no matter how loyal they are. When Malick is murdered, Coulson knows one of the Secret Warriors is infected. He falls for false evidence suggesting Lincoln is the culprit, but it turns out to be Daisy. When Lincoln refuses to go with Daisy, she leaves on her own, literally bringing the house down on her way out.

1. Were you surprised that Malick was giving up information so easily, or do you think he was just totally done with Hive after Stephanie’s murder and was looking for a chance to turn?

Roz: No, not really. I think he’s a pacifist at heart – more of a head guy than anything else – so I think he’ll still play mind games and try to twist what he wants until he gets the job done.

Rueben: At first I thought he was just shining Coulson on, but then I had to wonder if this was just his way of getting back at the Hive because of taking Stephanie’s life.

Liz: No, I wasn’t surprised. He knew he was about to die. His daughter was dead. He had nothing left to lose.

Jan: I was unsure at first whether Malick was being so amiable because he was up to something or if he was just done with Hive. I think since Stephanie’s death he was ready to get away from Hive at his first opportunity, though.

2. During the autopsy scene, were you more like Fitz (couldn’t stand to watch) or Simmons (didn’t bother you at all)?

Roz: I’m so Team Fitz on this one. I can’t take the gore like this.

Rueben: While I love both characters, I was grossed out like Fitz was. I given Simmons credit for being able to do that autopsy.

Liz: Couldn’t stand to watch.

Jan: I was definitely a Fitz.

3. Up until the final reveal of who the infected Inhuman was, who did you think it was going to be?

Roz: Man, I so thought it was Lincoln, but it being Daisy is a slap in the face as she’s always been our gateway into understanding the show and this universe. There’s one way to find a way back to a ship that fandom had a thing for (but now with extra creepy factors that weren’t there before).

Rueben: It was too obvious that the story was trying to make it seem like Lincoln was the infected one, but I have to admit I didn’t see it being Daisy until it was almost too late.

Liz: I thought it was going to be Joey.

Jan: My first thought was that Joey got infected when he killed the Inhuman that was known to be infected. I totally didn’t see it being Daisy. Of the four, she was my last choice.

4. After what Daisy did to the bunker, where does SHIELD go from here?

Roz: I don’t know where the show can go, but it won’t be good with whatever happens in Captain America: Civil War.

Rueben: Can they afford to rebuild? How hurt are they (physically, emotionally, mentally)? Do they even have time to rebuild? Just more questions to an already big question, right?

Jan: No idea. I’m hoping they all get out of the bunker safely, but won’t have much in the way of supplies and technology. This is going to be tough to bounce back from.

5. Will Coulson be able to get Daisy back? The real Daisy?

Roz: I doubt Coulson can get the real Daisy back, especially since Hive thinks of her as Skye and doesn’t seem to care about bodily autonomy. I think it’s best to leave the Secret Warriors alone, too.

Rueben: Is there any of the real Daisy left? Or is there a way to heal her like what Fury did to Coulson in the beginning of the show? See just more questions to an already tough question.

Jan: I’m optimistic they will get the real Daisy back, but I’m not sure if they can overcome all the damage she’s done.

6. What is that ball that Hive wanted so badly?

Roz: I put my money on some sort of power source.

Rueben: It’s obviously got some significance, but since I don’t know the Marvel Universe all that well I don’t want to surmise what it might be. That being said, though, I have a feeling it’s not going to be good no matter what it is.

Jan: I haven’t a clue.

7. Do you think Hive’s intention (in choosing Daisy and Stephanie) was to choose the person that would mean the most to the intended victims Coulson and Malick?

Roz: Hive has plans that I can’t even understand right now, so I have no clue.

Rueben: Yes, now that the question has been posed, it does stand to reason that Hive would go over who means the most to Coulson (i.e., Daisy) the same way he went after Stephanie – to get at Malick. Does he have plans to go after anyone else, though, since Malick, and most especially Coulson, were his only real obstacles if you can even think of those two men as obstacles to the unstoppable Hive. My brain hurts now from trying to figure it all out.

Jan: I think Hive always knows exactly what he’s doing, so yes.

8. What was your favorite scene in “The Team”?

Roz: MAKE OUTS! I’m shallow.

Rueben: I agree with Roz that it was so great to see that moment between Fitz and Simmons; and them sharing several kisses. Swoon!

Liz: I think it was at the end, when Daisy took the plane. It was an awesome scene. Powerful.

Jan: Although it wasn’t good for the team at all, the scene of Daisy leaving and destroying everything on her way out was visually pretty cool to see.

9. Who was the MVP of this episode?

Roz: Lincoln for taking a stand against Hive infected Daisy and what she should be doing versus what she is doing.

Rueben: The MVP was Lincoln for the very reason Roz stated, he took a stand against the infected Daisy.

Jan: The team of FitzSimmons. They were quick to realize about the infection. As bad as things ended, it could have been much worse without them.

Images courtesy of ABC/Kelsey McNeal/Eric McCandless