Threat of the Week
A lump of metal lodged in a pyramid.
Issue of the Week
The value of teamwork.
Plot
After a brief shot in which the side of the SHIELD aeroplane (the Bus) gets blown off, we cut to nineteen hours earlier.
Its Skye's 'first day of school' Mae and Ward register their doubts as to her reliability, Ward because of her political affiliations and Mae because, alongside FitzSimmons, she is not combat ready. On the other hand, Simmons greets Skye warmly and Fitz burbles neurodivergently at her in a non-confrontational manner.
The bus takes them to Peru where, inside a pyramid, an artefact has been discovered. FitzSimmons investigate the artefact - designated 0-8-4 - while Mae and Ward fend off militaristic attackers outside. Coulson soon recognises the military leader, Reyes who is implied to be a former partner in arms, as well as luuuuuv for Coulson. The ceasefire comes to a quick end when the groups are attacked by a second group of Peruvian militants - this time the local rebels who don't like the government's mining policies. Forced to flee, the group, alongside Reyes and some of her soldiers, make it back to the Bus, artefact in hand.
Fitz is unhappy that the artefact has been handled so recklessly as it is emitting dangerous levels of Gamma radiation (see The Incredible Hulk) but Ward and Skye find the time to talk over their differences. Skye tells Ward she is inspired by the insurgents in Peru because while working together they are more likely to find a resolution to their problems. Ward counters, saying that they are causing needless violence and death, postulating that his worldview involves himself identifying threats before they happen and taking them out alone.
Coulson's ex tries to seduce him but he immediately works out that this is a distraction as the Peruvian government want the 0-8-4 for themselves, making moves to neutralise the SHIELD team, starting with Mae.
The team are tied up but alive, Coulson enjoying some one-on-one time at Reyes' feet who needs him to verbally confirm the Bus's change of course back into Peruvian airspace. Meanwhile the team work together to come up with a plan to retake the bus, which involves blowing out the side of the plane. Ward points out that this correlates with Skye's philosophy. The team are successful, with Skye at the last minute risking her life to plug up the hole in the plane with an inflatable life raft, working on her own like Ward.
Coulson points out to Reyes that although his team is young and inexperienced, she brought them together by giving them a common enemy to face. We close on a scene of the Agents enjoying a beer while watching the artefact getting launched into space, beyond the reach of any government. Skye secretly confirms her devotion to the political group Rising Tide.
It's an Episode 2
In my memory this was the episode with Asgardian character Lady Sif and so I realised that I had forgotten about it in its entirety.
I'll cut myself some slack here and say it's not the most memorable. After finding the issue of the week, the downtrodden and struggling Mike, to be the most interesting thing about the first episode, this week I was surprised to see that the 0-8-4 had almost no effect on the plot beyond simply serving up its MacGuffiney realness and then fucking off into space.
Besides this, the thrust of the episode is redefining Skye and Ward's contrasting views ( very much hinting at an opposites attract story down the line) and beginning to define Mae and FitzSimmons. It's somewhat effective. Mae is designed to be enigmatic and therefore we're not exactly besties with her by the end, but the introduction of her nickname 'The Cavalry' in SHIELD circles, and her aversion to active combat, hints at a damaged badass who is haunted by the actions of her past. It's tropey but it's also an episode of Marvel's Agents of SHIELD and so I think it's enough for now. She's Mommy of the group as Coulson fills the role of her work spouse. The younger cast, obviously are the squabbling kids.
And two of those 'kids' Fitz and Simmons get a lot of time to shine in this episode. The one advantage of the non-presence of the 0-8-4 in the story is the space it gives the writers to provide the actors some charming goofery to play with. I'm particularly enjoying Simmons during this watch, I feel that, even if she doesn't get the best lines, Elizabeth Henstridge makes them so. From her declaration that she doesn't know everything because she's not 'Hermione' to her offering to 'open a window' because Fitz thinks the 0-8-4 might overheat, she brings a compulsive drive to the character's babble which isn't irritating (as sometimes Fitz veers upon being) and warms me to her immensely.
Overall it's an episode 2 of a supernatural team show. The characters' mission statements have been drawn out. I think they're well defined. The action is rather good, with a moment of synchronised combat featuring Coulson and Reyes showing us their historical connection being a highlight for me. It's a somewhat paint-by-numbers development of a mismatched team but I've certainly come away from the experience more invested in them and so job done?
Final Thoughts
It's an unexceptional story with some budget pumped into the action to make the viewer feel like they're being treated good. That said, it's foundational building work which needs to be done in order for the more interesting character stuff to happen down the line. I'm quite enjoying my little Marvel show. The team members all feel like outsiders (even if Ward's outsider status is a self-anointed position above everyone else) but together they know how to open a life raft and read an instruction manual. Good for you my guys. See you in 3.
Oh, and Nick Fury turns up at the end.
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