Team Coulson finally pulled out a win in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 2, episode 5! Check out our recap, and share your thoughts on “A Hen in the Wolf House.”
Happy returns
After HYDRA ruins Pete and Mariah’s wedding with Obelisk-esque poison, Skye pushes Coulson for information on the mysterious carvings. Coulson refuses to spill, which only amplifies the tension between them.
Fairytales
Skye’s father performs an informal surgery on a bad man, while his companion watches. Raina interrupts to ask for the Obelisk back; although she is deeply endebted to SkyeDad, she is forced to confess that Daniel Whitehall scares her more than the doctor.
Enraged, SkyeDad nearly kills Raina. He refuses to give her the Obelisk, as it is the only thing that will make Skye “understand him.”
Raina leaves, and the wounded man’s companion tells SkyeDad to “Keep it together.” This turns out to be great advice.
Leverage
Simmons and Kenneth attend a meeting with Daniel Whitehall. Whitehall is frustrated at their lack of progress on the Obelisk. “I have waited my whole life to get possession of the Obelisk,” he brags says.
Whitehall asks Simmons her opinion on the alien metal, and she is forced to admit that it will be possible to weaponize the Obelisk.
She later uses a flexscreen to warn Coulson about this danger, unknowingly stalked by Raina.
Subliminal messages
At the Playground, As Fitz breaks up with imaginary-Simmons while trying not to drool over Mack. Meanwhile, Hunter suggests that Skye talk to her “HYDRA boyfriend” about whatever it is Coulson doesn’t want her to know.
Skye shows Ward the writing, and is unnerved to learn that Garrett started carving after being injected with GH-325. Ward is relieved that Skye is not responsible for the symbols.
“The Garrett I knew was long gone once the writing started,” he says. “And whatever took his place – I don’t think it was meant to survive.”
…on Earth, maybe.
Speaking of space…
Skye confronts Coulson about the carvings. He confesses that GH-325 must be the cause – and Skye’s lack of reaction is “either very good, or a whole different kind of scary.”
To Skye’s utter shock, Coulson straight-up admits that he thinks Skye might be an alien… but the conversation is interrupted by a call from Raina, who wants to meet.
The mole
Bakshi and Bobbi Morse (head of security) storm into the lab, announcing that something is rotten in the state of HYDRA: They have a mole. Morse zeroes in on Simmons, suspicious of her long association with SHIELD.
Simmons’ flexscreen is found in Kenneth’s desk; he is knocked out and taken away, but Morse is unmollified.
Later, Morse confronts Simmons in the bathroom. Simmons insists that her hard-drive holds only HYDRA files.
“HYDRA is everywhere,” Morse warns her.
Tick, tick, tick
Coulson meets Raina at a swanky restaurant, watched by Hunter, Skye, and May. Coulson wants the Obelisk, determined to keep it away from the world.
Raina pulls out her cellphone, displaying a picture of Simmons holding the incriminating flexscreen. She lays it out for Coulson: Either Skye leaves with Raina to meet SkyeDad, or Raina sends the image of Simmons to everyone in HYDRA – effectively forfeiting Simmons’ life.
She sets the timer for two minutes.
“No deal,” Coulson says. Skye freaks out in the kitchen, but May forces her to stand down. “Coulson has a plan,” she says.
Raina rapidly loses her composure, but Coulson stays stonefaced as the clock counts down.
The plan
At HYDRA, Simmons quickly realizes that her cover has been blown. She tries to run, but finds herself cornered between Bakshi and Morse. Morse strides toward the terrified scientist, whips out two batons… and totally takes out the HYDRA goons!
Simmons is like, “WHAT!” Morse, instantly transformed into a protective older sister named Bobbi, apologizes for the deception and orders Simmons to the roof.
“Coulson has a plan,” she says.
Simmons and Bobbi race to the roof, but the promised extraction is nowhere in sight. Morse pulls Simmons into a jump into thin air – and they land on top of the invisible Quinjet, piloted by a smiling Trip.
Oh, and Bobbi took Simmons’ hard drive.
*airpunch*
Monsters
Bereft of her bargaining chip, Raina begs Coulson to take her in. He refuses. Hunter shoots a tracker into her leg – Coulson is using Raina to get to Whitehall. He may try and save her, depending on how useful she is.
Meanwhile, Skye has somehow gotten past May and made her way to her father’s lair. All she finds is a framed picture of a man holding a newborn.
Coulson finds her, and she tearfully confesses that she just wanted a glimpse of her father. Coulson offers her a hug… as SkyeDad watches from outside, through a camera linked to his iPad.
Alien technology, man.
In the back room, May finds the slaughtered corpses of the two bad men. Nauseated, Skye calls her father a monster, unknowingly devastating her dad, who may have anger-management issues.
Since U been gone
Simmons, Bobbi, and Trip return to the Playground. Simmons is in awe of Bobbi, and is very pleased not to have been brainwashed.
At which point, we became convinced that Simmons has totally been brainwashed.
But in the meantime, she hesitantly reunites with Fitz.
Elsewhere, Bobbi – who has been invited onto the team – cheerfully greets Mack. Less than cheerful is Hunter, because it turns out that Hunter’s she-devil ex-wife is none other than the formerly blonde Bobbi Morse.
GPS
In Coulson’s office, Skye offers the Director a deal. She is all-in on stopping her father, as long as Coulson agrees to be honest with her from now on. Coulson takes the deal, and shows her his wall of crazy carving.
“It still means nothing to me,” he admits. “I don’t even have a theory.”
“I do,” Skye says. “It’s a map.”
Killer
SkyeDad visits Daniel Whitehall and Bakshi, bearing a gift. He reveals the Obelisk, which is called “The Diviner” in its native language.
SkyeDad promises to teach Whitehall not just how to use the thing, but to survive it. He wants to join forces to kill their common enemy, Phil Coulson.
And also, like, everyone else.
This guy’s not a monster, what are you talking about, Skye?
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