Devastating endings blended with bittersweet beginnings on the insane two-hour Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 2 finale, “S.O.S.”
‘S.O.S’: Part 1
Opening maneuvers
Chaos breaks out in Afterlife as Jaiying’s plan kicks into effect. She blames the violence on Gonzales and seals the deal on the war by sending an Inhuman to fire on the compound in a quinjet.
Devastated by the perceived betrayal, Skye attacks May. She gets the best of her S.O., but only by using her powers.
The confused agents speed back to the Playground and Weaver returns to the Iliad. Eventually, Team Coulson realizes that they have been well and truly played by Jaiying the Warmonger, and Kara the Bobbi-napper.
Hunter and May leave to find Mockingbird, with murder on their minds.
For they have sinned
Bobbi has been locked in shackles by Ward and Kara. The two psychopaths begin their elaborate plan to torture her until she confesses to betraying Kara to Hydra. Suffice to say, it involves anesthesia, a terrible manicure, and a tidal wave of pain.
According to Ward, this act of complete, unmitigated evil will help Kara heal. You know, like Ward has “healed.”
“Good luck with that,” says Bobbi. She waits for the pain to kick in, not a cell in her body interested in “admitting her sins.”
Bobbi does, however, tell Kara the truth about what happened. In order to preserve her cover at Hydra, she gave up the location of one safehouse — which may have been empty. This choice saved dozens of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, and Bobbi stands by her difficult decision.
As the pain kicks in, Bobbi tries to impress upon Kara that she is caught in Ward’s cycle of violence and revenge. (One victim of which was Ward’s dog, so yeah, he shot the damn dog.) But Kara doesn’t care; she’s happy to be in love with that evil, self-pitying cretin.
“No matter what he does,” Kara says, “I will always stand with Ward.”
Well. That sounds familiar.
The angel
Skye tries to get a handle on the increasingly hostile scenario at Afterlife. A visit with Raina results mostly in further tension, though she does reveal that she and Skye will never speak again, and that Jaiying is misleading the Inhumans.
“It’s you who are destined to lead,” Raina says. “Even in the darkness, you’ll see the truth.”
Frustrated, Skye soon rejoins Jaiying, narrowly missing the revelation that her mommy is an evil, life-leaching succubus. Jaiying, who feels much better, says they have to stop hiding from S.H.I.E.L.D. and fight. She gives Skye the amulet from Gonzales.
“Bring this back to me if you decide to join our fight,” she says.
Jaiying’s question is answered when she meets with Raina. Having come into her identity as an “angel,” Raina decides not to play stupid. “I’m here to show the Inhumans exactly what you are,” she tells Jaiying. “Even in the darkness, they will see the truth.”
“No, they won’t,” says Jaiying, and stabs Raina to death.
…as Skye watches, the amulet of her loyalty falling from her hand.
But even with the truth revealed, Jaiying is not keen on relinquishing control. “If we are to survive, S.H.I.E.L.D. must be destroyed,” she insists, and she wants Skye — “Daisy” — to lead and protect the Inhumans after her.
Skye is like, “Um, absolutely freaking not!” so Jaiying has Skye knocked unconscious, and taken to the Iliad.
The monster
At the Playground, Simmons reports to Coulson that Cal’s vials contained an insane attempt at a super-strength formula; she is shocked he’s still alive.
The effect is still rather pronounced, as Cal is going to pieces in Vault D. He rebuffs Coulson’s attentions and giddily confesses that he is there to kill S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. Coulson tries to tell Cal he is being manipulated by Jaiying, upsetting the doctor to the point that his heart stops.
Simmons saves him with a shot of adrenaline, which has the effect of reviving not only Cal, but the grotesque Mr. Hyde. Though Cal makes mincemeat of the laboratory, Coulson is reluctant to harm Skye’s father because Coulson is too damn noble for this line of work.
Eventually, FitzSimmons lead Cal to the hangar, where Coulson pins the monster behind an SUV.
“Now it’s just you and me,” he says. “And we’re gonna talk.”
What you have done
While Kara rests, Ward continues his interrogation of Bobbi; she is gloriously unimpressed.
“I’ve seen the real Grant Ward,” she spits. “The one buried deep inside. He’s a coward who always has an excuse — or someone else to blame.”
Then Bobbi rips herself free (!!!) and starts fighting Ward. She makes a brilliant stand until he breaks her leg. Though she must be in an unfathomable amount of pain, she still refuses to confess to a crime she did not commit.
Kara aims her gun at Bobbi, but grows glum as she realizes that Bobbi has absolutely no f*cks left to give.
But Ward has an idea. He activates Bobbi’s cellphone, and Hunter locates the signal immediately; aware that this is probably a trap, he and May follow the beacon.
Unfortunately, Ward has other plans. He puts Bobbi, gagged and chained to a chair, in front of a sensored door; the next person person who enters will activate the rifle poised next to her.
“Brains everywhere,” Ward grins, because this is literally his idea of a good time. Kara wonders what Bobbi will feel when she sees someone she loves die.
“I know what we’ll feel,” Ward says. “Closure.”
And we in the audience feel only overwhelming nausea.
Blue
On the Iliad, Weaver and Mack — who has decided to stick around — work furiously to get the ship ready for battle. Mack spots the Inhumans infiltrating the ship, carrying an unconscious Skye. They very quickly subdue the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, including those guarding the Evil, Horrible, Evil, Scary, Evil, Why-Does-This-Abomination-Exist Evil Kree Thing in Room 43… though Weaver manages to send off an emergency beacon to Coulson.
Mack hides, grabs an axe, and prepares to fight. Because he’s the best.
Meanwhile, Jaiying arrives on the ship and produces more of the deadly blue Terrigen crystals.
“Now what?” asks Lincoln, because let’s face it, a very small brain rests behind that pretty face.
“Now,” Jaiying explains, “We begin.”
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