This week’s episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. got Bobbi back in the field, gave us answers to questions we’ve been asking for weeks, and gave us our first glimpse at the intimidating Gideon Malick (Powers Boothe). You can check out our review of the episode here or read on for our breakdown of the biggest moments of the episode.
1) Bobbi’s Back
While Agent Morse’s recovery has afforded her an opportunity to grow as a character and build an on-screen relationship with characters she’s not usually paired with (her conversation with Fitz was a highlight of episode 3), we’ve all been anxious to see her return to the field. Biology degrees notwithstanding, the lab just isn’t where Mockingbird belongs, and this episode finally puts her back in her element. After Coulson takes Hunter off of the hunt for Ward, he reassigns the mission to May, who recruits Bobbi to come along with her. Despite her tests saying she’s not 100% ready to return to action, May’s more personal test determines that she can handle herself just fine. In yet another example of a pairing we haven’t seen before working beautifully, May and Bobbi kick copious amounts of ass this episode, and May offers some emotional support as someone who has gone through a similarly traumatic experience as Bobbi. As (arguably) the two most capable field agents S.H.I.E.L.D. has, a May-kingbird team-up makes total sense, and the two work extremely well together.
In terms of what Bobbi’s return could mean for future episodes, there isn’t too much to speculate about here. We all knew that Bobbi would return to the field eventually, and now that she has, the only potential wrinkle is her hesitation to fight. Even that issue seems to have been solved after her conversation with May, though, so it looks like we’ll be seeing the Bobbi we know and love from here on out.
2) A.T.C.U.’s Inhuman Spa & Resort
After weeks of negotiating and trading information, Rosalind Price finally agrees to show Coulson their Inhuman containment facility, and it doesn’t disappoint. As Daisy, Mack, and Hunter watch from afar (via a Dwarf drone stolen from Fitz), Price shows Coulson the stasis-chambers where new Inhumans are kept in a medically induced coma while the A.T.C.U. searches for a cure. Daisy is, of course, horrified by this realization; while Coulson, despite his misgivings, understands Price’s point of view. We find out that she lost a husband to cancer, and she believes that by keeping Inhumans healthy and safe until a cure can be found, she can spare them and their families the pain she had to go through. There’s a surprising amount of logic to what Price says, and even if she doesn’t necessarily feel totally comfortable with her own methods, you can tell she honestly believes she’s doing the right thing.
The A.T.C.U. may be operating in a moral gray area, and their methods for dealing with Inhumans certainly clash with S.H.I.E.L.D.’s, but they certainly aren’t evil. The complexity of the situation and absence of an obvious “right” choice make this one of the more interesting conflicts the series has ever taken on. In future episodes, I’m sure we’ll see Daisy and Coulson clash over this topic, and we could even see Daisy and her fledgling group of Secret Warriors go on a rogue mission to protect some of their own.
In fact, in the press release for next week’s episode,, it has been revealed that Daisy will be on a mission “to protect Inhumans” and Juan Pablo Raba, who plays Joey Gutierrez, is listed as a guest star. While the obvious threat to Inhumans is still Lash, Daisy could take Joey, Mack, Hunter, and any other willing Warriors to liberate their fellow Inhumans from the A.T.C.U. facility. This could fracture the building trust between the A.T.C.U. and S.H.I.E.L.D., and put some serious strain on Coulson and Daisy’s relationship.
3) The Strange Case of Dr. Garner and Mr. Lash
In the breakdown for episode 4, I wrote:
Some fans are speculating that [Lash] could in fact be Andrew, but I’m not sure that theory holds much weight. If we’ve seen Lash, I doubt he’s a main member of the main team, or anyone who’s been around for a long time.
Needless to say, I was surprised at this week’s reveal. Right before he dies (or does he?), Von Strucker reveals to May what actually happened when he and his Hydra buddies attacked Dr. Garner in the convenience store. We see that Andrew is Lash, and, unlike Bruce Banner, seems to have control over his transformation.
Not only do we know Lash’s identity, but May does as well, so his secret won’t be kept for much longer. There are, of course, tons of things we still don’t know about Lash, such as how long he’s been an Inhuman or why exactly he’s on his mission. It could have something to do with May’s experience with Katya Belyakov in Bahrain. The Inhuman child was driven insane by Terrigenesis, and used her sensory manipulation powers to kill dozens. Ultimately, May had to put her down, and the psychological trauma of killing a child led to her changing her mind about having kids, leaving field-work in favor of a desk job, and ultimately the dissolution of her marriage. Garner could be dedicated to destroying Inhumans who he deems “unworthy” to hold their powers, i.e.; anyone who might hurt others, accidentally or not. That would also explain why he’s allowing others (like Daisy) to live. If that’s the case, it’s oddly romantic…but I doubt May will see it that way.
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