Well, that was easy.
As far as determining the MVA for each particular Agents of SHIELD mission goes, this was probably the easiest so far in this inaugural season. I mean, no one really did anything that was commendable, except the head honcho.
The most successful person in “Providence” was Grant Ward, who freed Raina, led the raid on the Fridge, found the Gravitonium buried in the sub-cellar and reintegrated into SHIELD at the secret base. I reckon, however, that it’s safe to take him out of the running until his eventual redemption.
And even when that happens, and personally I’m hoping it doesn’t involve sacrificing himself or rejoining SHIELD — he’s so good as a villain that I want him back in that capacity next season — it would have to be a really spectacular redemption or a disturbingly bad week for everyone else for him to be honored.
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Everyone Comes Up Short of Consideration
There’s not even much to discuss when it comes to everyone else’s contributions on this mission, which was basically just to find a safe place to hide out until they can figure out their next move. And outside of the team effort to get the Bus up and running in time to make a not-so-daring escape, the agents had very little to offer.
Simmons put her suddenly-sketchy reputation on the line to bring Triplett aboard, and while I trust him, he did spend the last X number of years working side by side with the man who turned out to be the Clairvoyant. Fitz is suspicious of their relationship, and May continues to blow the cover off everything by constantly questioning the highest-ranking living member of SHIELD.
Basically, we’ve got six people who have no idea if they can trust the person next to them all standing around doing that shifty eye thing at each other. Skye at least pulls her own weight, wiping away any proof of their existences and collecting their badges to disavow themselves from the now terror label-affixed organization.
She also noticed the glowing coordinates on Coulson’s ID, not to mention including the failsafe on the Bus’ data-filled hard drive that prevented Raina from gaining access to the GH325 blood samples. And she did it all while heartbroken that the one thing she’s finally felt a part of has dissolved before her very eyes. Like four days after she finally became an agent.
And then she went and welcomed Ward into the secret base. Sheesh, talk about a bad week!
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Coulson Runs Away with It
Maybe it’s training, experience or protocol, but Coulson is the one agent who doesn’t duck and run (until, of course, gunfire rings out outside Providence) in the face of uncertainty. Even with his own team skeptical about following his orders, he trusted his gut and knew that 1) Fury is still alive, and 2) SHIELD sent those coordinates.
He led his team to the heart of a snowy, freezing-cold wilderness, on a Bus that was leaking fuel and short on supplies, with a miles-long walk that ended in the middle of nowhere, with no knowledge of what was there. But he had faith. He believed.
And even when it seemed that all was lost and Coulson himself began to crack under the weight of it all, he gave it one last impassioned speech about the virtues and gravity of being an agent of SHIELD, that oath he swore so long ago. Who knows what would’ve happened had he not given up, tossed his badge into the air and been greeted by Koenig, but he proved himself the hero of the day and a rock for the organization as a whole.
PS: An honorable mention goes to Agent Koenig, both for being awesome and for being smart enough to not trust Coulson’s team with the information about Fury. HYDRA thinking he’s dead is the most significant aspect to SHIELD’s prospects of reclaiming power. Then again, he was just following orders.
You can watch Agents of SHIELD every Tuesday at 8pm on ABC.
(Image courtesy of ABC)
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
Emmy-winning news producer & former BuddyTV blogger. Lover of Philly sports, Ned, Zoe, Liam and Delaine…not in that order
