At front and center, Clark Gregg as Director Phil Coulson |
I’ve never missed an episode of Marvel’s Agents of
S.H.I.E.L.D. In its first season, I was a staunch supporter. It was an exciting new
window from a different corner of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Moreover, I
thought the idea of the developmental “slow burn” was just more risk-taking genius
from Marvel Studios. Every week I would shake my head about the ratings
decline. AoS is the little-show-that-could. Despite a seeming distance, the continuity of the show is integrated with the movies. There
have been a handful of guest appearances by characters like Nick Fury, Maria
Hill and Lady Sif (From Thor). In the film, Captain America: Winter
Soldier, Cap discovered the deeply-embedded infiltration of Hydra within
S.H.I.E.L.D. and following that, the tie-in to AoS was gripping. Winter
Soldier directly unraveled the life of Phil Coulson and revealed a Hydra
double agent on his team in Grant Ward which made for some very tense
interactions for the seasons to come. In case you didn’t know, it was Coulson
who prepared the Helicarrier for Nick Fury in Avengers: Age of Ultron.
But I want to talk
about the recently wrapped third season which at the finale welled up gladness
in me. For those who don’t watch the show, I need to quickly illustrate how
Coulson is still alive after being impaled by Loki, and how the third
season takes off.
MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD
Agent Coulson in Project T.A.H.I.T.I. |
Phil Coulson did
die in The Avengers. During the course of AoS, we learn that before the
Battle of New York, Coulson and Nick Fury were involved in implementing a
device for the express purpose of “resurrecting” an Avenger killed in battle. A
device that Coulson resigned work from with a recommendation for it to be shut
down. Because Director Fury held such value for Coulson, he ordered for him to
undergo the process. This is a concept that delivers on the gruesome. In
flashbacks, Coulson is seen laying on a gurney with his scalp opened as
S.H.I.E.L.D. doctors look on. A metallic device massages his exposed brain
amidst his agonized cries for death. He returns with implanted memories of
having been well-rested referring to it as “the magical place.” On a mission to save one of his
agents, Coulson discovers the corpse of a Kree in a S.H.I.E.L.D. compound. It’s
the alien whose fluids were drained to create the medicine that restored his life.
Coulson discovers the Kree corpse |
After the events of
Winter Soldier, Nick Fury reunites with Coulson and names him acting
director with the task of rebuilding S.H.I.E.L.D. The revelation of the Inhuman
phenomenon develops further, essentially leading to one of their agents, Daisy
Johnson to be reborn as an Inhuman (She becomes the character, Quake who
originated in the comic book). During the third season, Grant Ward continues
his operations as a rogue Hydra agent and in vengeance assassinates an ally and
love interest of Coulson. Coulson is consumed with an uncharacteristic
vengeance and tracks Ward down.
At right, Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury |
Brett Dalton as Grant Ward |
Maveth |
Brett Dalton as Hive |
Imagine if I wrote
a TV script called, Hamilton. Hamilton is a regular brother from a
Brooklyn projects neighborhood, who just happens to be a prince. Hamilton’s
dead father talks to him through a Ouija board and tells him that his uncle
murdered him. In my script, I write that Hamilton becomes insane with despair;
drinking and smoking weed, stunted by indecisiveness on how to deal with his
uncle’s treachery. How can he guilt-trip his own mother about marrying his
uncle? In my script, I write that Hamilton stands one night in front of the
corner bodega, declaring to himself aside a sleeping drunk, “To act or to
delay, that is my prayer…” Take in all of that and you would be within your
bounds of good sense to assume that I am lifting much of my content from Hamlet.
Of course, I might say you only want to see what you want to see.
Agent Mack finds
Daisy in her cell. In their last encounter, Daisy was under sway with Hive and
brutally beat Mack, even using her powers to fracture his bones and nearly
killing him. But after Daisy comes back, Mack refreshes his commitment as her
partner. Mack restrains her in loving embrace, and tells her that he forgives
her. She breaks down in sobs, murmuring how she doesn’t deserve it. Note, the
same conflicted and tormented Daisy finds Hive again and falls to her knees
before him asking him to take her back. He doesn’t. He says to her that she’s
been made impervious to his power. But this act from Daisy portrays the painful
reality of sinful addiction and the hopelessness to break free of it. Legions
of Christians testify today that the power of Christ broke them from all kinds
of addictions. The real Satan can create a false sense of this which mirrors
what Hive can do. The real Satan cannot undo the salvation of a true, genuine
Christian. What Hive gives to his followers seems substantial, but just like in
real life it doesn’t feed or satisfy the gnawing of the soul. Chloe Bennett
plays Daisy/Quake. She’s a very young actress, but it needs to be said this may
be her best acting yet. I repeatedly was moved to tears because of the sorrow
that she conveyed. That one scene with Mack choked me up. It was undeniable. I’ve
known that sorrow personally. There was nothing gratuitous about her
performance. Marvel take notice, please.
Henry Simmons as Mack |
Daisy Johnson is
guilt-ridden by the horrible betrayal she has committed under the sway of Hive.
I find it interesting that she condemned Grant Ward for his betrayal and it
must’ve been grating for her to realize she was somehow guilty of much of the
same. She doesn’t see how she can go on. She’s got an idea on how she can atone
which is to give her life to destroy Hive. It was at this point, I expected the
show to go in the clichéd direction of finding redemption through selfless
deeds, which most of the world still believes is the answer to eternal life.
But my heart leapt at what happened next. My chest heaved with emotion. A
S.H.I.E.L.D. agent named Lincoln-- also an Inhuman and Daisy’s lover pushes her
out of the ship. Bleeding and weakened, he catapults Hive and himself into
space where a deadly blast would take them out leaving the earth unharmed.
Director Coulson remarks to an inconsolable Daisy, “He’s dying for all of our
mistakes.” Before detonation, the recurring scene of a floating cross attached
to a chain in zero gravity.
Luke Mitchell as Lincoln |
Scene foreshadowed throughout the third season with floating cross. |
The true face of Hive |
THE BASIC CHARACTER OF S.H.I.E.L.D.
The placement of Coulson’s body to be reanimated by machines is one of the more unsettling, darker aspects of S.H.I.E.L.D. and reveals further how this organization is less heroic than presumed. That’s some indication to me how Hydra could’ve remained hidden for decades. The writers are very honest in manifesting the true spirit of S.H.I.E.L.D. which finds more expression in the weariness of the agents in what they say and what they do. They are isolated and without peace. The team has repeatedly expressed their desire to see Ward dead and in later episodes voice their approval of his murder. Coulson’s likability falls for me. Evil always wins when we choose to practice it against our enemies. I don’t condemn the character, but I firmly condemn the celebration of that thinking. I’d like to see how Coulson will deal with that failure in his life. I applaud the honesty of the characters, but it’s the amorality of the show that has waned my interest in it now. No matter how much a show glosses its work with handsome and beautiful, talented and charming people, the true essence of who they’re playing is like sudden and piercing body odor. It can’t help but be sensed. S.H.I.E.L.D. recruits the brightest, the most talented, but with special attention to the most apathetic, the ruthless and cynical. Because of this, I was initially puzzled as to where the show was going next, but the crescendo of this third season really was wonderful in a surprising way.
God is so very
compassionate in giving the world every reason to believe that the cross is
true. Scholarly, professional men have tried to prove that Christ was a myth
and came away deeply humbled and saved. They receive a power that causes them
to walk in love and truth. Religion can’t duplicate that. Neither can society.
I think that Marvel
Studios ought to make Phil Coulson, Daisy Johnson and Melinda May a significant
part of Avengers: Infinity War, with actual appearances in those movies.
You can’t leave AoS out when Thanos arrives. Plus, I am looking forward to see
Coulson appear in the upcoming Marvel‘s Iron Fist.
KEY EPISODES FOR THE THIRD
SEASON ON MARVEL‘S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D.:
Episode #9- “Closure”
Episode #10- “Maveth”
Episode #11- “Bouncing Back”
Episode #12- “The Inside Man”
Episode #15- “Spacetime”
Episode #16- “Paradise Lost”
Episode #17- “The Team”
Episode #18- “The Singularity”
Episode #19- “Failed
Experiments”
Episode #20- “Emancipation”
Episode #21- “Absolution”
Episode #22- “Ascension”
THE TALENTED WRITERS FOR
THE EPISODES LISTED
Brent Fletcher, Jeffrey Bell,
Monica Owusu-Breen, Craig Titley, Maurissa Tancharoen and Jed Whedon, George
Kitson and Sharla Oliver, DJ Doyle, Lauren LeFranc, Chris Dingess and Drew Z.
Greenberg.
No comments:
Post a Comment