A Red Vine is always fine.
(screencap from CTV.ca)
Grant Ward is back with a vengeance and a new faction with a familiar name crops up to stir trouble for Team Coulson in an episode that does more to set the stage for future episodes than tell its own complete story. The full recap in a moment, but first….
Previously on Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
A planned attack by a group of gifted individuals led by Doc Cal as a ploy to get revenge on S.H.I.E.L.D. doesn’t go exactly as planned. For one thing, the teleporting Inhuman Gordon takes Cal away so that he can answer to an unknown higher power. The siege also fails when elite S.H.I.E.L.D. agents defeat the Doctor’s crew, culminating in Skye blacking out due to releasing her powers inwards.
Speaking of Skye, some therapy from a Dr. Andrew Garner, May’s ex-fiancee, has recommended that she spend time away from the hectic chaos of S.H.I.E.L.D. to further understand her powers and what she can do with them.
Elsewhere, Mack finally revealed to a captive Hunter who he and Bobbi are truly working for: S.H.I.E.L.D. (with a different looking eagle symbol)?
Recap (Full Spoilers Ahead)
After being absent from the action since the midseason finale, the ever-enigmatic Grant Ward takes center stage in this episode that sets into motion a relationship most bizarre between him and Agent 33, the former Hydra operative he whisked away from Puerto Rico a while back.
Right from the opening homage to Pulp Fiction, it’s clear who the focus characters in “Love in the Time of Hydra” are, which is certainly in no way a bad thing if you’re a fan of the traitorous ex-S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent we all love to hate. This main story piles on the rather on-the-nose moments as it moves along, culminating in a scene where 33 decides to do some loving with Ward, as it were. The only catch here is that she’s morphed her nano-mask face into Skye’s face while still sounding like May. It’s as every bit as uncomfortable as it sounds, yet it makes for a bizarrely compelling moment in this episode. The other key aspect of Ward and 33’s plot is a scheme to break out Hydra operative Sunil Bakshi, who was taken into custody by General Talbot and the U.S. Armed Forces. It’s here where we reach a highlight of the episode, aside from the revelations surrounding “Real S.H.I.E.L.D.” (more on them later…)
The scenes inside the Air Force base with Gen. Talbot attempting to suss out the disguised 33 are a combination of both suspense and humor, especially when Talbot gathers up all the female personnel in the base and does a rather unique take on a spot check. While his plans ultimately fail, and the ex-Hydra agents do get away with Bakshi in tow, you certainly cannot fault Talbot for trying and wising up to “that damn mask” being in play once again. This whole bit does end, however, with Talbot humorously accosting his wife (who had been impersonated by 33 earlier), who is both rattled by being held at gunpoint and has tacos with her. It’s Taco Tuesday, after all.
It’s pretty damn clear that Ward certainly has no true love for 33, and is most certainly taking advantage of a woman who has pretty much lost her way thanks to having a literal identity-changing mask permanently grafted on to her face. This is an interesting echo to how his mentor, the late John Garrett, sought to do the same to him, and a clear sign of the student taking after teacher. Whatever the case is with Ward and 33’s relationship, they’ve certainly got a lot of nefarious doings on their mind, if their plans to make Bakshi “comply” glimpsed at the end of the episode are any indication.
While the twisted pseudo-love story between Ward and Kira/Agent 33 takes center stage here, you’ve also got the apparent “real” S.H.I.E.L.D. (henceforth referred in this recap as “S.H.I.E.L.D. II”) causing even more trouble for the Team. Headed by Robert Gonzales (the always-commanding Edward James Olmos), S.H.I.E.L.D. II’s intent seem to be exposing all of Coulson’s secrets and allegedly holding him accountable for the aforementioned secrets, preaching the need for transparency and honesty over things being kept in secrecy. Gonzales and his comrades attempt to convince Hunter to join their cause, but the roguish Brit is certainly not having any of the elder statesman’s stories, outright rejecting Gonzales’ (and later Bobbi’s) overtures for recruitment into S.H.I.E.L.D. II.
The actions taken by S.H.I.E.L.D. II really do not paint a pleasant picture of these people, which is likely the point behind all this. Gonzales preaching to his subordinates about how they need to act against Coulson and the need for transparency in regards to S.H.I.E.L.D. directives is undercut by all the secrecy Mack and Bobbi have been taking part in. It’s also quite unclear just what they’ve been up to since the fall of the Original S.H.I.E.L.D. in The Winter Soldier. While Coulson’s S.H.I.E.L.D. has pretty much crippled the Hydra hierarchy (save for, obviously, Baron Strucker) and removed their names off of the U.S. Government’s most wanted list, the S.H.I.E.L.D. II operatives under Gonzales’ watch have apparently just been fixated with spying on Coulson this whole time instead. It’s hardly time well spent for the Gonzales-helmed S.H.I.E.L.D., but their convictions certainly can’t be questioned. As it stands, we’ve got no reason to take any of Gonzales’ fears concerning Coulson at face value, staining their rationale a fair bit. That being said, while this particular plot with S.H.I.E.L.D. II is a compelling one, it could’ve been much better served had it been teased and built up right from the get-go of Season 2, rather than suddenly becoming a thing starting from the midseason premiere.
Compounding things for Gonzales and S.H.I.E.L.D. II is Hunter escaping their clutches with some added knowledge about the group’s motives. And while Bobbi decides to try the “infiltrate Coulson’s S.H.I.E.L.D.” trick by the end of the episode, it’s bound to backfire now that her former beau knows about her misdirection and will most likely report to the Team about it what he’s seen. Any way you slice it, things are not going to end well for S.H.I.E.L.D. – both of them, in this case.
With S.H.I.E.L.D. splinter cells wanting him gone and rogue agents on the loose doing God-knows-what, Coulson has a lot on his hands to deal with. He does still have time to have a heart-to-heart talk with Skye as he escorts her to a remote cabin once occupied by Captain America shortly after his defrosting. On the way there, Phil tells Skye a story about how he found an appreciation for working on a 1962 Corvette with his dad for years on end, clearly using this story as a way to keep her on the level in regards to the whole “escorted to a remote cabin” thing. It’s not an easy decision for Coulson to make, but he definitely put forth his best efforts to be the friend that Skye needs instead of being the “S.H.I.E.L.D. guy” she also knows him as.
At its core, “Love in the Time of Hydra” is nothing more but an episode that sets things up for future plots to come on the show (S.H.I.E.L.D. II’s scheming, Ward’s maneuvering, etc.). It doesn’t do that job perfectly, but it does put some fascinating pieces into play for the future.
Grade: 7.0/10
Notes from the Field
- The Harry Potter references returned once again, with Hunter deridingly referring to S.H.I.E.L.D. II as being a “Hufflepuff” type of group.
- I dunno what Simmons’ problem with the Hulk is. Banner is awesome.
- Fitz being the voice of reason regarding everything, right as things are starting to go rather south is a welcome development, almost functioning as an audience surrogate in regards to the sudden hostility that Simmons has exhibited in recent episodes.
- “You know, the scariest change, Jemma — is you.” (Fitz rightfully putting the increasingly-paranoid Simmons in her place)
- “It’s… that damn mask again.” (Gen. Talbot experiencing a bit of déjà vu)
- “Damn it, Hunter…” (Bobbi trying to talk some sense, but to no avail)
- There was a rather nifty transition from Gen. Talbot saying that he doesn’t like a spy in his midst to showing a shot of Mack lurking about on the Bus. I’m a sucker for visual trickery like that.
- “I’m gonna be up to my ears in edible arrangements to make this thing right…” (Gen. Talbot debriefing Coulson on the Taco Tuesday he’s had)
- Typecast “jerk” actor Kirk Acevedo was present in this episode as – surprise – a jerkass character who is a part of the “inner circle” of S.H.I.E.L.D. II. You might recognize him from the current SyFy adaptation of 12 Monkeys.
- “Bloody hell” (Hunter realizing just where the heck he is)
Next Week
All hell breaks loose when S.H.I.E.L.D. II mobilizes against the Team in an orgy of explosions, brawls, and a whole lot more.
Marc Quill just happens to cover shows aired on Tuesdays at 9/8 on ABC that are also based on Marvel Comics. He’s also very Canadian. You can reach him on Twitter @MarcQuill.