Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 4 Finale review - World's End

We've come down to the end of another season of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

World’s end

The journey always moves forward. Always

This episode had a hell of a lot to do to put a lid on what has been a very good season overall and I’m pleased to say this episode accomplished pretty much everything it set out to do, plus leaving us on quite a cliffhanger (which surprised me given the renewal was only announced last week)

Anyway, so the return of ghost rider helped wrap things up with the Darkhold and provided a somewhat easier resolution to the Ophelia issue. In theory, I would’ve loved Fitz or Jemma to have been the ones to provide the fatal blow but let’s be real here, she’s too powerful and neither of them had the capability of doing so, as cool as it would’ve been. But it isn’t entirely easy either, as upon realising that Ghost Rider can hurt her, Ophelia keeps teleporting away.

So, Anton Ivanov, he was boring throughout his appearances and sadly this hasn’t changed but it provides an interesting fight as Daisy and Ghost Rider fight against waves of LMDs created by Ivanov. There is some nice action but it’s there’s little fist fights and when there are, you can’t help but feel that Ghost Rider could end this immediately.

Fitz gets the lion’s share of character development in this episode as he’s still very shaken from the events in the Framework. I think it’s quite clever that they drew parallels to Daisy’s arc at the beginning of the season. I always enjoy the idea of a character using the experiences they’ve gone through to help someone else. A weird parallel I know, but it’s one of the many reasons I love Ratchet and Clank: Nexus.

But it’s not all about Fitz, it’s about… actually it’s mostly about Fitz, but Coulson gets a few things straight too, having a conversation with May about the bottle and them agreeing to taking a step or two back with regards to their own relationship. I think that’s a good step after all that’s happened and I’ll be interested to see how things progress given their new situation.

Oh yeah, Talbot, still p*ssed off, still kinda blunt and ignorant and having no idea what’s going on, oh and the autopsy has leaked to the public and S.H.I.E.L.D. are once again called upon to clear their name. Unfortunately, Ophelia’s one step ahead and sends a Daisy LMD to kill Talbot, whilst she fails thanks to S.H.I.E.L.D.’s intervention, it was seen and could be publicly released and could have a major impact on both S.H.I.E.L.D. and particularly human/inhuman relations. Talbot’s in a coma and that’s about it from him.

So, with the Darkhold gone, Ghost Rider having learned the magic portal thing from Doctor Strange meaning we may see him again. 

We have to look at Yo-Yo in the framework, and whilst you’d think it’d be about her, it’s instead more a swan-song for Radcliffe, AGAIN! Ophelia’s shutting down the framework so time is a limited option. Yo-Yo’s quick to realise how Mack’s fatherhood feels real to him and tries to coax him gently in the end, but the destruction of the Framework and of course the disappearance of Hope, is what brings him back to reality. Radcliffe is the last survivor and toasts the end of the world. Is he redeemed for all he’s done? Maybe, but Radcliffe was an interesting character and it’s sad to see him go.

Ivanov is still a loose end but before the end the team get to have one moment together, having food in a bar, before everything turns upside down again. Next time Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. IN SPACE!

It's a great ending to what has been a great season of the show, and I can't wait to see where it goes next.

Rating 8.5/10

I’m not gonna be covering the new inhumans series, and I’m told season 5 will premiere mid-season so if that's the case, we’ll be back in January.