Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 3 Episodes 2-3 review - Purpose in the Machine/A wanted (inhu)man

When we last left we saw desperation hit many of our main characters as they deal with the fallout from the finale to season 2, let's take a look at how that fallout begins to take shape

Purpose in the machine

You know how I said none of threads established in episode 1 had much longevity to them. I stand by that and now add that. Simmons’ and the arc of her being in that other planet/dimension thing on the other side of the portal. It’s resolved. Sure the consequences of the arc could be leading to greater things (it certainly seemed to enhance the connection between Fitz and Simmons) but the arc itself is already concluded.

The focus is on Fitz trying to get Simmons from wherever she is. After finally convincing everyone that the rock is a portal, by finding some dust on it from another world, Coulson calls in an expert in all things portal, cue the return of our favourite Asgardian in hiding *quickly checks his name* Randolf

With his help they discover secret rooms underneath an English castle (of course) where they’ve somehow made a machine designed at controlling the portal (they had been sending people through in previous years) and once the machine breaks they work out Daisy can do it (Coulson’s still calling her Skye, how adorable – you know they found a stupid way to do that in the comic too)

Oh we have the recruitment attempts for the secret warriors and the idea that none of the inhumans so far are ready psychologically for it, Mack agrees and Skye tries to push but ultimately has to accept it.

So, time for Ward to show just how much of an ass he is, ah how little things have changed as he mercilessly kills a man that punches him, kidnaps the son of a former HYDRA leader and vows to rebuild HYDRA by killing off all the stupid people. And why do I still think they’ll be cannon fodders, oh yeah, they’re opponents have actual superpowers. HYDRA really needs to look into inhumans, better get right on that.

Then we have Hunter trying to infiltrate HYDRA despite the fact that he’s fought against HYDRA on multiple occasions.

Then we finally get to meet May, whose been hiding from SHIELD by staying with her father? Huh. His father was injured in a car accident that May is paranoid about Ward being involved in, so when she’s approached by Hunter, she refuses? Nah, just kiddin’, she’s with him straight away. Time for them to infiltrate HYDRA where they’ll inevitably not succeed because this infiltration can’t be stretched that far.

I honestly kinda hoped they’d stretch the Simmons plot out a bit, maybe even give us a glimpse of what she was going through in real time as opposed to that one scene at the end of the first episode, still it’s a reasonably strong episode.

Rating 7.5/10

A wanted (inhu)man

Sometimes compromise is better than war. S.H.I.E.L.D. is not a massive organisation with the resources it once did, hence the need for another organisation to help people feel safe, the A.T.C.U. This episode further explorers their role in events with Lincoln more or less the framing device for that.

So the summary goeth thusly, Lincoln is a wanted man after his details were publically released and him denounced as a terrorist threat. The A.T.C.U. are on his tale and the only man he can trust betrays before dying of shock with even Lincolns powers failing.

Yeah, calling Lincoln a framing device might be a tad unfair, he certainly has development in this episode, his desperation truly shows and his despair. Characters in Arrow and the Flash feel like they’ve gone through everything. The team in S.H.I.E.L.D. have gone through everything and it makes for much more interesting drama that connects better with the action.

Speaking of drama we have Simmons adjusting to life back on Earth, barely communicating, not sure of herself and reacting badly any time a phone rings. She also really doesn’t like red wine, and finally breaks down. Fitz really does try for her, which is more than she did for him, really (Admittedly under very different circumstances) but he isn’t getting through as much as he’d like and Simmons ends up wanting to go back. This is the planetary equivalent of Stockholm syndrome, I did say these guys go through everything.

Meanwhile we have the much less interesting plot of Hunter and May climbing the HYDRA ranks. In comes a fight in which Hunter gets a lot of blood on his face, and May has to largely has to stay in the shadows because she’s too conspicuous. Also it turns out she didn’t walk away from her relationship, we’ll probably get to that later

OK, so with the A.T.C.U. closing in on Lincoln Coulson calls in to try and share his knowledge. They try to make him choose between Skye and Lincoln, but when Lincoln escapes (likely more scared than ever) he has to make a different call, offer his knowledge and expertise to try and change them from the inside. I’ve got to admit, after arguing with the military and another S.H.I.E.L.D. branch it makes sense to try and find that compromise.

But it comes at a cost as it drives yet another wedge between Coulson and Daisy, who you can see is devastated when things go awry with Lincoln and not happy to find S.H.I.E.L.D. laid a tracker on him

This season has been doing great so far, and I’m hooked once again, all I can say it keep up the good work

Rating 8/10

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