This review contains spoilers.
Last weeks episode finished off with Hunter and Bobby in the belly of a plane that Malick is riding off in, after his success in turning Anton Petrov to his “cause” and convincing him that Phil Coulson is the head of Hydra.
The episode opens on Bobby and Hunter being interrogated by Russian authorities. After a small sequence, we cut to Bobby and Hunter elsewhere – and a caption reads ’34 hours before’ – instantly, I’m excited. I’m a huge sucker for narratives where you’re presented with a current situation, and then the rest of the time is spent showing you how the characters got there.
Kickass, really great things about the episode:
This was a really Hunter and Bobby centric episode, and seeing them work together was actually really great. We haven’t had a hugely intense look at them working together in SHIELD so a whole episode dedicated to them? Awesome.
It was also cool to see them discuss their relationship in terms of SHIELD, and them bringing up the sacrifices they’ve not only made as a couple (never getting to go away together, no honeymoon), but as people – namely, the fact SHIELD constantly makes alliances with people they shouldn’t, Ward being a prime example. They constantly talk about the ‘Greater Good’ but then they end up getting damaged later.
The fight scenes this episode were incredible – they were really wonderfully choreographed, as per usual with this series, and there were some really stand-out moments – slow-mo Daisy kicking ass, Daisy and Bobby fighting together, and Bobby and Hunter fighting off security guards. It’s just awesome.
The episode twist, of going from Espionage to Assassination real damn quick. I loved that the initial plan was infiltration and intel gathering, because SHIELD is in a terrible position, and if Russia thought America was coming in hostile on them, it would cause a lot more problems for just SHIELD. I also liked this weeks Inhuman – a man who could manifest his shadow as a sentient being. He was also a political Inhuman, and the first of his kind.
Enjoyable family moments I loved:
So first things first, MACK IS BACK. After his mysterious just not, being around at all for the last episode, I was glad to have him and his sarcastic quips back. I also have a note about this particular exchange;
“You’re going to need some transport, is that going to be a problem?”
–Insert Hunter punching a Russian man in the face-
“No, I think we’re good.”
What we also learn from this episode are that Hunter and Bobby are the King and Queen of bullshitting. The detective interrogating them says something along the lines to Hunter of “It’s impressive. How you can talk about absolutely nothing and make it sound like information” – that sounds an awful lot like most adults.
FitzSimmons are BACK! Finishing each others sentences and working together again – it’s really fantastic to see and it made me really excited. This was especially heightened by the fact that Hunter apparently shares nature documentaries about the planet dying with the two and gets them to watch them so they can all sit and discuss it together – absolutely adorable.
I think we all also know the ultimate team moment of this episode: the ending. But I’ll come to that later.
The “meh”/”why.” stuff;
This episode didn’t have many moments I didn’t like – but one moment I did sigh at was May’s speech to Hunter about how she’s still angry about him shooting Ward even when it could cost Andrew (SN3 EP4 – Devil’s You Know) – but then she talks about how SHIELD is for the great good? Don’t get me wrong – anyone and their dog knows Hunter’s choice was driven mostly by vengeance for Bobby, but considering Ward was the head of Hydra, and he had a metric tonne of weapons at his and Hydra’s disposal, I would honestly say he made a better call than risking Ward getting away. So I feel like that moment was a contradiction – but, it did lea to Hunter and May being friends again, and Hunter making quips later to her that she smiles at.
Overall, I really liked this episode – I feel like it’s my favorite so far of 3B. The narrative was great, the cinematography and fight choreography was really something else, and it was one of those great episodes where the team act like a family. I also felt like this episode, while seemingly filler, moved character issues forward a bit more. We had a major change in the teams layout, and it also gave a close look at just how precarious a position that SHIELD is in right now. This precarious position is only more heightened by the fact Malick has political influence all around the world – making him all the more formidable, because he is untouchable.
The final scene of this episode with The Spy’s Goodbye broke my heart. It was such a bittersweet ending, and by the time the second shot had been purchased for Hunter and Bobby’s table, I was an absolute mess.
It was such a beautiful way to say goodby to two really significant characters from the SHIELD roster, two agents that have come so far and become such an integral part of the team. It really solidified that these people aren’t just spies who work together – they’re a unit, they’e friends and they love each other. This final scene was so perfect, and a fitting farewell to two great Agents – for now, at least.
Seeing as their was no hide nor hair of HiveWard this episode (which surprised me considering his huge dramatic ending in The Inside Man), I imagine next episode will bring him forward. Given the ending of the episode featuring Malick’s daughter who wants to meet “someone” – and I can only assume that someone is Hive.
I’m hoping that from this point on, with the new team and information, we’ll start to see major progress and we’ll build up to an incredible, action-filled finale that this show has now become famous for.
