Marvel’s Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. Review – “Heavy Is The Head”

This week’s episode of Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. picks up its intense action, gives us a slightly better introduction for a couple of new characters, and finally addresses some mysteries that have been swirling since the end of last season (kind of). Onward!

Not-So-Short Summary: We’re back in the flipped vehicle. May comes to the rescue to save Hunter, but he forces her to go after the Absorbing Man instead and lets himself get captured. He does, however, confirm that Hartley and the other guy are dead.

With May in pursuit of Creel, Coulson wants to suck the joy out of everything (much like Peter Quill). He orders May to survey and not engage, even though she has a clean shot to take down Creel.

Back at base camp, Skye tells Coulson about the alien symbols on the 084 obelisk. She doesn’t like his casual response of “good job” and confronts him about how he’s separated himself from them and how she thinks something has happened with him in the last month or so that he’s not telling anyone. But more on that later.

Hunter gets dropped off on the side of a country road and picked up by Talbot, who’s acting friendlier than you would expect. I bet he’s up to something! Keeping on this track, Hunter gives Talbot flippant answers until he names his price: $2 million and a proper burial for Hartley. In return, he’ll double-cross S.H.I.E.L.D. and turn Coulson over to the government.

In the lab, half of the crew takes in the cloaking hardware from the quinjet they stole last week. There are many comments about Fitz’s mental state and Simmons’ betrayal, until Fitz wanders in. Ian De Caestecker‘s portrayal is more than heartbreaking. It’s almost to the point where you’re suffering along with him because you know he knows the answer. It’s worse that Fitz still knows what he’s talking about, but the sane, normal part of his brain is Simmons, which he can’t put into words. And it’s a very cool visual for his mental instability.

Creel is waiting at the first drop off point with the 084 and accidentally touches the waitress, killing her and forcing himself to flee. He has an infection from the 084 that will not disappear no matter what he absorbs. And it’s freaking him out. After talking on the phone and getting ticked off at his HYDRA handlers, Raina appears to soothe his anger. Again targeting people with “gifts.” She wants the 084 and bribes him with carbine, three times stronger than diamond and can store energy. His infection spreads to his neck and he takes off with the carbine.

Hunter returns to S.H.I.E.L.D. HQ and tells Coulson about Talbot’s deal, not mentioning the amount of money and only focusing on the funeral for Hartley. He gets sent out into the action with the team in a little bit and claims a “Scout’s Honor” that he won’t betray them. Or so he says.

HYDRA sent a phone number over their encrypted line, and by HYDRA, I mean Raina. We get banter between her and Coulson until she mentions the carvings both Coulson and Garrett are drawing/drew. The carbine Creel stole has a tracking device in it, so the crew follows it until they find Creel and his HYDRA contact. …Then Hunter knocks out the crew and goes after Creel, which…doesn’t go so well. Oh, and Raina gets the case with the 084 inside.

On the Bus, Fitz keeps repeating that he didn’t solve it today (“it” being the molecular-changing DNA of Creel and how to stop it), and finally Mack realizes that Fitz is looking for an old design, which they find in the S.H.I.E.L.D. archives.

Coulson come to Hunter’s rescue, using Fitz’s old design to defeat Creel and tsk-tsking at Hunter’s “Scout’s Honor” pledge not to double-cross them. At Hartley’s funeral, these two have a heart-to-heart where Coulson tries to recruit him. It works. Hunter is tasked with selling out the Director.

Okay, a lot of things happened in the last five minutes, including Coulson and May discussing the symbols as his “episodes” and how he hasn’t had one in eighteen days (this includes commenting on the paper clip he has bent into the symbols); they document everything with pictures. And Raina is studying the 084 obelisk until–gasp!–Skye’s dad tells her to grab it.

It doesn’t kill her. Instead, the alien writing appears and stays there. Raina is impressed and will get her answers as soon as she brings Skye.

Badass Moment of the Week: Coulson showing off their firepower to Talbot at the very end. He gives Talbot Creel in exchange for a) not blowing up Talbot and his crew then and there, and most importantly, b) a little bit of space to do their S.H.I.E.L.D. thing.

Best One-Liner: “He talks and we may have to evacuate. …I know, and we just retiled the bathrooms.” Coulson putting things into perspective.

Runner-Up: “Try yoga…or something,” says Skye.
“I tried it…but… I’m really not flexible,” replies Coulson.

Fun Theory I’m Making Up Right Now: Coulson is looking through the files in the Cube that Fury gave him and it definitely looks like Stark technology. And updated Stark technology. Now that S.H.I.E.L.D. has a base, some support, and a bit of an arsenal, they’re going to need more funding–and technology upgrades. How many episodes until Tony Stark shows up? I say three! (This is a completely unrealistic theory, but just go with it.) Also, Coulson is obsessed with Captain America; I think the quick glimpse of Peggy Carter’s file would garner more of a result than his intrigued “hmm,” especially since she helps start S.H.I.E.L.D..

Hunter continually mentions his psychotic ex-wife. The rumor mill that is the internet has theorized that it’s Bobbi Morse, aka Mockingbird. No idea if there’s any truth to this (she isn’t showing up until the October 21st episode) “S.H.I.E.L.D. isn’t a life, it’s a job,” says Hunter to Skye toward the start of the episode, but I think Natasha Romanoff would have a thing or two to say about that line. Both for and against it.

This Mack character that is helping Fitz in the lab is quite wonderful. The manifestation of Simmons makes the comment about how he doesn’t treat Fitz like the others do, like he’s about to break, and it’s a welcome relief. Honestly, it hit a little home with me, too, because when you’ve gone through massive emotional trauma of any kind, all you want is for people to treat you like a normal person, not like you’re going to fall to pieces at the tiniest mention of anything slightly off. And for them to stop giving you those awful, sad, puppy-dog pity eyes. With real-Simmons’ reappearance next episode, I’ll be interested to see if she and Fitz meet and how Mack will factor into it.

Something’s up with these symbols, but at least May and Coulson know. Coulson keeping his distance from the group–and Skye–to protect them from it? He didn’t trust himself last season when the T.A.H.I.T.I. reveal hit him, so why would he be any different now? I just hope they don’t make this LOST-esque and draw out the mystery of the symbols until the end of the season…or the end of season five when we’ve forgotten all about them.