We’re blasting off into outer space for the fifth season of Agents of SHIELD. Let’s begin!
Episode 1 – Orientation Part One
The Agents of SHIELD (sans Fitz) wake up from their unexpected abduction to find themselves in an alien-run space station.
What an absolutely stellar season premiere! This episode is bursting with everything to love about this show, all while juggling new characters and plot threads to set up the central storyline for this season and establish stakes and threats. It keeps things mysterious and ensures your attention is enraptured all the way up to the reveal in the final moments (that the SHIELD team isn’t just in space, but also in the future where the Earth was destroyed). You feel the confusion and desperation from the characters, and this episode’s directing knows when to let natural discovery take precedence over expositional dumps.
Also, for some reason, this is one of the funniest episodes in the entire show? Deke, Daisy, and Coulson all get in some good jabs, but Mack and Yo-Yo are firing on all cylinders with one hilarious remark after the next. And, at the same time, it’s also one of the most violent episodes in the show? And yet the tone still feels balanced? It’s crazy!
Rating: 10
Episode 2 – Orientation Part Two
Coulson and crew try to fit into this new Kree-dominated reality, Simmons is indoctrinated into servitude, and Daisy learns from Deke that she is apparently the “Destroyer of Worlds”.
Rolling off of the “future destroyed Earth” revelation from the previous episode, this episode focuses around how the characters process that information. Not that they are given much time to do so, as their harsh new reality starts setting in (humans kept as slaves, ritual killings, Simmons being captured, Daisy apparently being responsible for the Earth’s destruction, etc.). We also get formally introduced a new friend named Tess, and to the big baddies of this arc, Kasius and Sinara. The pair of villains are written and acted brilliantly, pose genuine threats through a combo of brains and brawn, and each have immaculate leitmotifs (especially Sinara). I love every single scene with the two of them.
Rating: 9
Episode 3 – A Life Spent
Daisy plans to free Simmons from Kasius, Simmons trains a young Inhuman named Abby, and Coulson and the crew keep trying to figure out how they were sent through time.
Another extremely solid episode that keeps up the momentum in this thrilling space-based arc. I’m especially a fan of the scenes of Simmons training Abby. Abby doesn’t stay past this episode (tragically she’s sold off to be a warrior), but learning to adapt to her power and using it to gruesomely take down the cruel behemoth she was pitted against is still invigorating. Likewise, Daisy’s solo sleuthing and fight scenes are as enjoyable as always, and we get a really creative scene of Yo-Yo using her speedster powers. We also see that Deke can’t fully be trusted, or perhaps he’s playing the long game…
Rating: 9
Episode 4 – A Life Earned
Tensions come to a head as Daisy is captured and Coulson and the gang are on the run from Sinara.
The first three episodes of this season can be considered as having put the pieces on the board, and this is the episode to start slamming those pieces together. Daisy is captured and ends up with Simmons (though clearly not how she intended), and the two of them share a few good moments. Another side character, Ben, also makes an easy first impression. Then, we roll right into Coulson confronting Deke about betraying them, a battle against some Kree, and then some excellent action of May fighting the seemingly unstoppable Sinara. Finally, to top if all off, a masked, space-faring Fitz makes a totally inexplicable appearance! What?!
And if that still wasn’t enough, we have an excellent emotional scene between Mack and Yo-Yo, as the two of them discuss Mack’s lingering feelings for the memory of his daughter, and Yo-Yo reassures him that his love for her will never be called into question.
Rating: 9
Episode 5 – Rewind
Stepping back in time, we see what happened to Fitz after everyone else was abducted, and we also see how he too made it to the future.
The episode that answers all lingering questions you may have had still bumping around in your head about what exactly is going on. Not only that, but the episode manages to do all of that, significantly expand the scope of this season’s story, AND tell a compelling story about the lengths Fitz will go to to save his friends even when the entire world seems against him. In fact, the time-displaced SHIELD crew aren’t in the episode at all. Yet again, Iain De Caestecker gets the chance to flex his acting chops.
But he doesn’t go it alone, as none other than Hunter makes his first (and only, sadly) appearance since his departure in season three. For all our sakes, he’s the same confident, sarcastic, lovable loaf he’s always been, and his cameo here is much appreciated. There’s some good drama with the government (which becomes very important later), an official introduction to the monotone watcher of time, Enoch, and an unexpected reunion with Robin, the young prophetic little girl from season three (who will be HUGELY important later this season).
Also, an incredible Star Wars reference. Before Fitz is frozen in cryosleep, Hunter whispers through the glass “I love you”, to which Fitz immediately responds “I know”. Great stuff!
Rating: 9.5
Episode 6 – Fun & Games
With Fitz playing the role of suave space captain, the beginnings of a plan to escape from the future are put into place.
As befitting the title of this episode, this is where everything begins getting crazy. Fitz puts on one heck of a show, chewing the scenery with every line of dialogue, but he still has time for a touching reunion with Simmons and a marriage proposal (which she obviously accepts). We’re introduced to a new Inhuman named Flint, who is practically adopted by Mack and Yo-Yo, but this brief happiness comes at the cost of both Tess and Ben’s lives (though at least we get a great May vs Ben showdown).
But the craziness isn’t finished yet, as we still have Kasius’ own brother making an appearance into the story, and a super tense battle between Daisy and Sinara. Then some faces are slashed, windows shattered, a daring escape is pulled off, and Enoch descends to Earth’s ruined surface to protect May (who was exiled there after her match with Ben). The counterattack against Kasius and his reign over the Lighthouse (the name of this space station) officially begins!
Rating: 9.5
Episode 7 – Together or Not at All
The united SHIELD team fights back against the Kree, but they have some in-fighting of their own.
A slower, character-building episode compared to the previous few, and one that spends a surprising amount of time on Kasius and Sinara just dealing with their own struggles. Every scene with them in this episode (and all of their scenes just in general) are great, and definitely the highlight of the episode. Not to say that I dislike seeing Flint get revenge for Tess’ death, Deke officially partnering his services with the main cast, or Mack and Yo-Yo opt to help the trapped humans of the Lighthouse instead of taking an easy escape. It’s just that the Kasius and Sinara drama is super compelling (for as amazing as Aida is, she never had a fellow complex villain to bounce off of, which is something these two Kree evildoers DO have).
Rating: 8.5
Episode 8 – The Last Day
The SHIELD team finds an unexpected ally on the surface of the destroyed Earth that could provide answers they are seeking.
Probably my least favorite episode in this arc, even though I still like it a lot. It feels like a slow-burn episode of shuffling pieces on the board without building up towards much. I enjoy the reveal of an elderly Robin being with the group of survivors on Earth, as well as the remnants of the incredible Zephyr jet being retrofitted into a spaceship. There’s some good teasing about Deke’s backstory, and the humans on the Lighthouse vowing to fight against the Kree. I just don’t feel this episode is particularly exciting or engaging on top of that. The most memorable thing to happen is Robin’s death (which she, being prophetic, knew was coming), and the cliffhanger of Sinara sneaking aboard the Zephyr.
Rating: 8
Episode 9 – Best Laid Plans
Part one of the end of this space-faring arc, wherein Mack, Yo-Yo, and Flint start a revolution, and Sinara stages a surprise attack on the SHIELD crew.
Both halves of this episode are really compelling, which is a testament to quality writing and team-building for the cast. Mack, Yo-Yo, and Flint continue to have great chemistry, and the surprise appearance of a revived Tess is haunting (not to mention ties back to Coulson being resurrected by Kree blood in his TAHITI backstory). Their journey concludes nicely by outsmarting Kasius and freeing the human slaves. Meanwhile, Sinara’s attack on the Zephyr is as exciting as one could’ve hoped for, and she gets one final epically choreographed showdown with Daisy and Deke before taking a spear to the gut. RIP Sinara!
There’s also the revelation that the members of SHIELD are trapped inside of a paradoxical timeloop, wherein they recognize that everything that has happened to them in space has already happened before.
Rating: 9
Episode 10 – Past Life
In this mid-season finale, the SHIELD team pushes for one last effort to return to their original times and escape the horrors of the Kree.
This is, simply put, an excellent mid-season finale. It’s startlingly how much they cram into this one episode, but it really makes the most of its runtime regardless.
We get Flint using his powers over rock to recreate the monolith that sent the SHIELD team to the future. We get Enoch and (seemingly) Deke sacrificing themselves to power up the device to allow the team to travel back in time. We get a chillingly touching scene of Kasius falling to pieces over realizing that Sinara is dead. We get the reveal that a future version of Yo-Yo has been enslaved by Kasius this whole time and as been used as a crude seer (not to mention she’s missing her arms, what?!?). We also get a fierce and brutal beatdown between Kasius and Mack, finally ending the cruel dictator’s reign with a clever helping hand from Simmons.
On top of this, we discover that Coulson’s suffering from some sort of illness, Daisy tries to remain in the future so that she can’t accidentally destroy the world like everyone claims she’s responsible for (only for Coulson to knock her out and take her back with them anyway), and future Yo-Yo claims that the only way to save the world and break the timeloop is to let Coulson die from his illness! Yikes!
Rating: 10
Episode 11 – All the Comforts of Home
Without missing a beat, the SHIELD team is thrown right back into the action after safely arriving in their proper time.
Credit where credit is due, season five doesn’t waste a single second in hitting the ground running after the gang returns from space (Mack even begrudgingly quips “Whelp, we’re back” after receiving news of an unexpected HYDRA threat minutes after returning). We get some more lore about the mysterious monoliths and their power over time and space, the Kree orb McGuffin from season three makes an unexpected but welcome return, and we get introduced to two new major characters for the rest of this season: General Hale and her daughter, Ruby (played to unsettling perfection by Dove Cameron).
This episode also balances it’s two wildly different tones very well. We have some great comedic relief from Deke, who ended up transported back in time on accident and is now wholly a fish-out-of-water (hugging trees, eating from trash cans, and discovering the joys and sorrows of alcohol). At the same time, Ruby establishes herself as an immediate threat by (quite bloodily) chopping Yo-Yo’s arms off in a fight, leaving the poor speedster to pass out from shock as Ruby escapes.
This season’s only getting crazier from here!
Rating: 9.5
Episode 12 – The Real Deal
Coulson reveals the depths of his illness to the team, and a dimension of fear begins creating ghosts from everyone’s pasts.
This is the 100th episode of Agents of SHIELD, and the creative team didn’t hold back at all in delivering one of the most enjoyable and emotionally resonant episodes in the entire show.
We start with Coulson finally telling his team about his illness, which is a result of briefly taking on the Ghost Rider spirit to defeat Aida in the previous season. It’s borderline incurable, and Coulson knowns he has precious little time left. This revelation devastates the team (particularly Daisy, who delivers a heart-breaking performance thanks to Chloe Bennet). Daisy again proves to be the emotional core of the show, and if you forgot how impeccable her relationship with Coulson is, then the scenes they have here will set you straight.
Then, we have the fear manifestations. These could have been throwaway monsters or some such, but the show goes the extra mile by really flexing this “100 episode celebration” bit. An LMD attacks Yo-Yo while she’s recovering from her violent amputation. A nun (from the orphanage Daisy was raised in) floats by. None other than Lash and Hive make their terrifying appearances, and an illusion of Mike Peterson almost convinces Coulson that everything in the show has been a dream and that he’s still on the operating table after being stabbed by Loki (which would, of course, be Coulson’s worst fear). Thankfully, the real Mike Peterson shows up to save the day, alongside a bevy of SHIELD agents.
And as if that alone wasn’t enough, the episode concludes with the long-awaited and highly anticipated wedding of Fitz and Simmons. It’s a beautiful, poetic, tear-jerking moment peppered with smiles, laughs, and amazing character beats. Finally seeing these two grasp some semblance of true happiness warms the heart like nothing else. Finally, we close on the reveal that Deke is actually their own grandchild through a clever little storytelling twist.
Readers…this is how you do a nostalgia fan service celebration right.
Rating: 10
Episode 13 – Principia
SHIELD and HYDRA gather their forces to prepare for the impending apocalypse, as predicted by young Robin.
A more standard episode given the craziness that came before and the craziness to follow, but it’s definitely still enjoyable in its own right. Coulson has a few great zingers when it’s revealed that Mack’s old school nickname was “Mack Hammer”, and the SHIELD team’s hunt for Gravitonium (a stellar callback to an unfinished season one plot thread) aboard a floating cargo ship is exciting. It’s also neat to see the enemy perspective, as Hale and Ruby begin bringing new recruits into the fold for their as-yet-undisclosed plot.
Rating: 8
Episode 14 – The Devil Complex
A horrifying revelation about Fitz comes to light, and Hale and Coulson’s opposing teams finally meet face-to-face.
Let’s get the enjoyable (but not earthshattering) stuff out of the way first. There’s a few more dimensional illusions that are fun to watch, and seeing Hale and her team have an actual conversational meeting with Coulson’s crew is an unexpected delight. It’s also great to see Anton Ivanov again, if only to see that smarmy Russian jerk forced to serve someone more competent than he ever was.
Now that we’ve covered that, the highlight of the episode is easily the reappearance of the show’s most frightening villain: The Doctor, Fitz’ Framework HYDRA persona. Getting to see Iain De Caestecker play both sides of Fitz in a single scene is glorious, but even that can’t hold a candle to finding out that the Doctor isn’t a creation of the rampant dimensional illusions. Fitz himself is genuinely having a mental break, and his subconscious is manifesting the Doctor persona to do what he believes has to be done: cut into Daisy’s neck, slice out her power inhibitor, and release her quaking powers to save the day.
This is a huge issue, because Daisy was purposefully leaving her power inhibitor (injected by Kasius back in the future space land) in place specifically because she believed her lack of quaking would keep herself from becoming the Destroyer of Worlds and breaking the Earth apart. However, in order to prevent SHIELD from being sucked into the fear dimension, Fitz believed only Daisy’s quaking could save the day, and so he acted without consent and willingly turns himself in afterwards. Sobbing with anger, Daisy promises him that she will never forgive him. It’s intense stuff!
Rating: 9.5
Episode 15 – Rise and Shine
Coulson and Hale begin to see each other’s perspectives, and an old foe-turned-ally makes his reappearance.
Utilizing a reoccurring scene of waking up and eating breakfast, this episode manages to show four different perspectives on the current plot line. First, we have an extended flashback with a young Hale in her HYDRA training school (complete with cameos from Agent Sitwell, Werner von Strucker, and Daniel Whitehall). These flashbacks are excellently acted, and provide fantastic character development for both Hale and Ruby. Then, we get Ruby’s POV of performing the same motions, followed by Coulson and, of all people, Glenn Talbot.
Talbot’s not doing so hot since we was nearly shot to death at the end of the previous season, and he now suffers from uncontrolled outbursts and minor brain damage (shown tearfully well in a hospital scene with his wife and son). Despite it all, Talbot refuses to bow to HYDRA, and holds out hope SHIELD will rescue him. Meanwhile, Coulson takes his kidnapping in stride, producing some top shelf quips as per the hilarious norm. We also discover that Hale’s end goal is to partner with a Confederacy of benign aliens to save Earth from it’s promised destruction.
On top of this, Mack demonstrates his brilliant friendship with Fitz by promising Simmons he still believes in the good in him, and Fitz himself has a tense argument with Daisy about the lengths he’ll go to to save everyone.
Rating: 9
Episode 16 – Inside Voices
Coulson and Talbot unite to escape from Hale’s base after negotiations fall apart, and the SHIELD team itself begins to fracture too.
A slower episode, but one that continues to demonstrate season five’s commitment to not wasting any scene without building character or enhancing the themes or plot. Coulson and Talbot unite for the first time in what feels like forever, and their rapport is as incredible as ever. Talbot’s right-hand man, Carl Creel, has a great fight scene with Ruby. Meanwhile, Simmons and Yo-Yo trick Mack into letting Fitz escape from containment so that the three of them can head off to stop Hale’s team from accessing the Gravitonium and the “Destroyer of Worlds” project. Daisy also reunites with Robin and Robin’s mom. Then, a season one unused scene is adapted right into the main plot so seamlessly it almost feels intentional!
Rating: 8.5
Episode 17 – The Honeymoon
While part of the SHIELD team goes to rescue Coulson and Talbot, the other part must deal with an increasingly deadly and obsessed Ruby.
The promised rescue mission that opens this episode concludes with a Ruby and Daisy showdown, one that ends in a retreat after Deke is badly injured. Still, it was basically a success, and the SHIELD team celebrates their reunion with Coulson…but not for long, as they now have to run off to save Fitz, Simmons, and Yo-Yo, who all reckless rushed off to stop the “Destroyer of Worlds” project in the previous episode. Not to mention the cliffhanger ending where Talbot’s HYDRA brainwashing (last seen in season two) is reactivated while he’s inside the Lighthouse base. Uh oh!
Meanwhile, we get a great fight scene between Yo-Yo and Ivanov, finally ending the Russian terrorist for good. Fitz and Simmons also make for a heartwarmingly comedic duo as they blast robots and talk about their honeymoon plans and the logistics of spacetime. Still, Ruby is the star of the episode, as her sanity steadily declines in exact opposite proportion to her vengeful drive rising. She attacks and locks up her own mother, kidnaps Fitz and Simmons, and prepares to activate the “Destroyer of Worlds” project…on herself.
Rating: 9
Episode 18 – All Roads Lead…
Ruby’s violent power trip brings all of the SHIELD and HYDRA forces bearing down on her, as the end of the world draws near.
The cataclysmic episode that caps off Ruby’s story arc and whose consequences immediately bring about the last four episodes of the season. This is a hyper-focused, mile-a-minute episode that will leave you breathless by the end.
Outside of some (admittedly still well acted and entertaining) scenes with Coulson trying to talk down a brainwashed Talbot, the majority of this episode is about Ruby. Having forced Fitz and Simmons at gunpoint to hook up the Gravitonium and the “Destroyer of Worlds” pod, Ruby enters it and begins becoming infused with power. However, at only 8% power, she screams with pain and begs to be released, much to the newly arrived Hale and Daisy’s horror. After being freed, it’s clear the power (and the effects on her mind) are too much for her, as demonstrated by Ruby accidentally killing her boyfriend and her violent attack on the SHIELD team.
However, no matter how out-of-control she is, Ruby is still a teenager out of her depth, so it comes as a jaw-dropping shock when Yo-Yo decides to slice the girl’s neck open, killing her. Part revenge and part dedication to seeing the future averted, Yo-Yo believes she’s saved the doomed future by taking out Ruby. Daisy, however, is horrified, and Hale is mortified and furious, vowing to take revenge on SHIELD for killing her daughter.
Ever step SHIELD has taken so far has only brought them closer to the end…
Rating: 9.5
Episode 19 – Option Two
The SHIELD team gets trapped inside the Lighthouse as Hale and the Confederacy launch a counterattack.
This episode actually feels a lot like a classic horror movie episode, wherein our main cast are trapped in a dark, solitary location and must survive against a seemingly unstoppable threat. A horde of literal light-consuming aliens are unleashed into the Lighthouse, and the SHIELD agents desperately try to stop them. There’s a lot of good action, some charming moments (Mack lets Coulson briefly wield his iconic shotgun-axe), and the clear standout moment is Talbot absorbing the remaining 92% of the Gravitonium and achieving awe-inspiring gravity powers he uses to save everyone else.
It isn’t an episode that blows you away, but it’s certainly entertaining enough set-up for what follows.
Rating: 8.5
Episode 20 – The One Who Will Save Us All
Intent on fixing past mistakes, the newly powered Talbot takes Coulson for a visit straight to Hale and the Confederacy.
Riding the high of his new power, Talbot steals every scene he’s in in this episode, even if the subtle clues in his dialogue and little twitches in his expressions make it clear that the powers of the Gravitonium are messing with his head. It isn’t hard to see where his character is going, but it’s still an enjoyable journey, and it’s still sad to see him finally turn on our heroes in the final minutes of the episode (right after killing Hale, no less).
Talbot’s motivations come from great intentions of genuinely trying to be a hero, however, and nowhere is this desperation to save the earth more apparent than when our cast finds out about an invasion led by an intergalactic threat known only as…Thanos. Just when viewers thought Agents of SHIELD would no longer connect itself to the larger MCU, the show proves itself the only piece of Marvel media willing to put in the effort for a truly connected universe. The Thanos reveal is awesome, and it really drives home the urgency of this season’s final episodes.
We also get some clear connections back to the destroyed future arc of this season by meeting Kasius’ father and coming to understand how the Kree took over after the earth quaked apart. Daisy and Deke get a nice little scene together, Mack and Fitz have an argument that ends with Mack telling Fitz that he needs to figure out what kind of man he wants to be, and there’s even an unexpected Daisy and Yo-Yo tussle.
Rating: 9
Episode 21 – The Force of Gravity
Talbot begins scouring the earth for more Gravitonium to power himself with, and SHIELD has to come to a fateful decision.
This episode finally gives us the reveal that it will be Talbot, and not Daisy, who ends up destroying the world, as his search for Gravitonium deep inside the earth’s crust begins to seriously jeopardize the stability of the planet. This makes stopping him an absolute priority, but that proves a difficult task as Talbot is nigh untouchable with his overwhelmingly strong gravity powers, and he takes Robin and her mother hostage to use Robin’s prophetic powers for his own aid.
Meanwhile, the SHIELD team find a solution that might be able to take Talbot down…but it requires the use of a one-of-a-kind miracle drug. The issue is that the same miracle drug is the only possible thing that could save Coulson’s life. The warning that Future Yo-Yo gave about needing to let Coulson die now becomes clear. An end to the timeloop paradox is in sight, if only the team can decide on whether or not to take it.
Also, on a lighter note, Coulson and May finally kiss, and it is glorious. There’s a swelling musical riff, and the two kiss while ducking behind Coulson’s shield from enemy blasters. Glorious.
Rating: 9.5
Episode 22 – The End
The threat of Talbot and the timeloop paradox loom large…and everything comes to an end.
Where do I even begin? This isn’t just my favorite season finale in the show. It’s my favorite episode in the show.
The majority of the episode’s opening covers the main cast and their extremely heated argument over whether Coulson should be saved, or if the drug should be used against Talbot. Yo-Yo pleads for the latter, begging her teammates not to risk continuing the timeloop. Daisy and May are firm for the former plan, insisting that a new solution can be discovered. Unkind words are exchanged, and the unity of the team is in serious jeopardy…until the stoic and kindhearted Mack brings everyone back under a united banner as SHIELD, with a duty to save the people.
Coming out of the shadows for the first time since Aida’s destruction of SHIELD’s public credibility in the previous season, our main cast rushes out towards Talbot, who is currently ransacking Chicago for more Gravitonium. The panicking public welcomes them with open arms, and the efforts of the SHIELD agents save hundreds of lives. Fitz, as well, proves himself exactly the man everyone always knew he was by rushing against an alien attack squad and saving Mack, Robin, and Robin’s mom.
Meanwhile, after another intense exchange between Daisy and Coulson, it’s revealed that Coulson opted not to use the miracle cure, instead gifting it to Daisy. After an exciting (and fairly well CGI-ed fight scene with Talbot (actually this whole season has had great effects)), Daisy uses the drug to juice up her powers, and blast Talbot into space. It’s a thrilling and heroic victory, though tinged with some somber resignation at seeing Talbot’s body freeze in space. We was a good man who lost himself in trying to be the world’s hero.
However…absolutely nothing compares to the sheer emotional devastation of what follows.
Heading to safety with Robin and her mom, falling debris crashes down onto Fitz when he shoves the other two aside. Mack and May dig him out, only to find a metal sheet impaled straight into Fitz’ chest. As Fitz weakly looks at Mack, asking if Robin is alright and wondering why he can’t feel his legs, Mack knows it’s already too late. Holding onto his close friend’s hand, Mack stays with Fitz until finally, inevitably, Fitz dies from his wounds. There’s nothing but pure silence as Mack returns to base to inform Simmons about the tragedy (well, it certainly wasn’t silent in my house with my own sobbing in the background).
Then, in the closing scene of the season, we get hit with a double-twist. Because the timeloop paradox is now broken, time will continue moving forward as normal. However, there’s now a second, still alive Fitz out there in space. Because Fitz was originally left behind at the start of the season and then he froze himself for cyrosleep, that Fitz is still out there (alongside a still alive Enoch, too). This Fitz won’t know anything about this season’s events, his wedding, or his own death, but Simmons and the rest of the team are more than ready to find him and bring him home.
However, then comes the second twist. Right when you might be prepared to dry your tears from Fitz’ death scene, you’re minded that Coulson still only has days or weeks left at most. To prepare for this, he’s retiring from SHIELD, and so there’s a lengthy farewell scene of him saying goodbye to every member of the team. Mack is appointed as the new SHIELD director, and Coulson shares fond words with everyone gathered.
As expected, the waterworks come out when Coulson says goodbye to Daisy last. Looking lovingly at the girl who is, for all intents and purposes, his daughter, Coulson says that he left her a letter on her bed that tells her how proud he is of her. Daisy breaks into tears, the two of them hug, and in real life I start crying all over again. Coulson then heads off…to none other than Tahiti, as he steps onto the beach with May, ready to share the final moments of his life with the woman he loves.
The season closes on Coulson and May, hand-in-hand on the beach, while the rest of the team flies away overhead. It’s a shot that perfectly mirrors the opening shot of the season…a child’s drawing of that exact scene. Robin’s drawing.
Fade to black. Cue main theme.
Rating: 11
SEASON CONCLUSION
You know, I’d always been under the impression that shows were only supposed to get worse over time. Or, at least, they’d stabilize after a season or two and then continue maintaining quality, until inevitably being milked dry and declining in relevance. Agents of SHIELD bucks that trend time after time, and it’s no exaggeration to say that this is the best season of the show so far, and easily it’s best season overall. What other show can you say that about?
I won’t talk forever here, as I tried to summarize my feelings on this season with each individual episode. I will say, though, that the sticking point of excellence in this season is easily the quality of the writing. Every single character, every single scene, every single plot thread all pull together into a wonderful, cohesive, purposeful whole. Time travel isn’t an easy subject, yet Agents of SHIELD not only handles it flawlessly, but presents what is most likely my favorite time travel storyline ever. I can’t even begin to imagine how difficult writing this season was, but it so cleverly and wonderfully pulls it off. It was all worth it.
Genuinely, one of the highest pinnacles of television I’ve ever seen.
Rating: 10
But hey, that’s just my opinion!
The Contrarian Corner 