‘S.O.S’: Part 2
The things we do for love
Coulson forces Cal to talk; “Hyde” mourns the kind woman Jaiying once was, solving the mystery of the devastated village in the Hunan Province. It took the lives of all those people to revive her. Coulson points out that Skye will not go along with Jaiying’s plan, and is in danger.
“She’s not my daughter, but she’s the closest to family I’ve got,” he says. “And I will save her, no matter what the cost.”
“Please,” Cal says. “Let me help you.”
About face
May, Hunter, and a team of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents infiltrate Ward and Kara’s Lair of Evil. Ward assures Kara that no one will interfere with Bobbi’s torment.
“I’ll take care of [May],” he promises. “I owe her that.”
As their backup is picked off, May sends out a message — her agents should not lower guard until they see her face. Kara overhears this, and smiles.
Hearing Hunter approach, Bobbi frantically tries to wrench herself free. Hunter opens the door, and Bobbi — wonderful, brave, amazing Bobbi — hauls herself in front of the gun and catches the round in her back.
At nearly the same time, Ward rounds a corner and slams into May. Grinning, he shoots her three times.
“Baby?” May whispers. Ward’s self-satisfied smile collapses; Kara’s mask dies as she does.
Bobbi is slightly luckier. She hangs on long enough for Hunter and May to race her back to the Playground, where Simmons quickly operates on her friend.
Ruthless
On the Iliad, Jaiying orders a case of the Terrigen crystals set up in the main fan room of the ship; the rest are to be loaded onto the quinjet. Lincoln finds the signal Weaver has sent out to Coulson; Jaiying murders agents with the crystals until Weaver expands the S.O.S. to reach all of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Meanwhile, Lincoln and Gordon eye the Evil, Horrible, Evil, Scary, Evil, Why-Does-This-Abomination-Exist Evil Kree Thing. Gordon believes it is safer with the Inhumans, and you know what Gordo? We completely agree. Please. Keep. This. Thing. Away. From. Simmons.
W-what?
Anyway, Lincoln expresses doubts to Gordon about Jaiying’s brutality. Gordon reminds him that Jaying went to extreme measures to save Lincoln. Gordon also believes Skye has been turned against them.
This theory is tested when Lincoln finds Skye — who has been freed by Mack — about to disable the S.O.S. When she gets through to him, Lincoln tells her the plan for the crystals. Mack knocks him out, because he’s really not taking any shit right now, and heads off with his axe to guard the crystals.
Standing in the way
May calls Andrew Garner after Bobbi comes out of surgery. “You haven’t made a call like this since Bahrain,” he notes. “Do good, Melinda,” he tells her. “Get home safe.”
On a similar note, Simmons nervously watches Fitz prepare to leave with Coulson. She points out — as fans have noted all season long — that they still have not discussed Fitz’s declaration of love in the medpod.
“There’s nothing to discuss, Jemma,” he says.
“Maybe there is,” she says — and bursts into tears as Coulson pulls a surprised Fitz away on their mission to the Iliad.
This show is evil.
May, Coulson, Fitz, and yes, Cal, fly to the Iliad to answer the S.O.S. Coulson dismisses the other S.H.I.E.L.D. forces when then Skye’s message comes through — obviously, this is a trap. She also sends out the information about the lethal crystals being held in the fan room.
As they land, Cal insists that he will take care of Jaiying, while Coulson handles the crystals.
Skye confronts Jaiying as she prepares to load more Terrigen crystals on the quinjet. Jaiying insists that she is going to build a better world for people like them.
“And kill anyone in your way,” Skye adds.
“Only if they’re in our way,” Jaiying says coldly.
Jaiying leaves Skye to fight Miss Multiplication, and locks Cal away on her way to the quinjet. Lincoln and May intervene before Skye is overwhelmed. Lincoln removes the inhibitors from Skye’s hands and she goes after Jaiying.
She promises May not to hesitate — to do “whatever it takes.”
As it began
Gordon flowers into the fan room, and is surprised to find Mack waiting for him. (Partially because Mack is super sexy right now, maybe? That’s just us? Okay.) When Coulson and Fitz arrive, Fitz sets up his quantum field disruptor. No-Eyes is shocked when the trap kicks in.
“What did you do?” he demands.
“Science, bee-yatch!” says Fitz. Ultimately, Gordon teleports himself right onto the pipe Fitz is holding.
This would be a win, but Gordon is clutching a Terrigen crystal — which slips from his fingers as he falls to the ground. But Coulson dives forward and catches the crystal!
This would also be a win, but the show definitely answers the question “Is Coulson an Inhuman?” as the Director’s hand begins to turn to stone.
But, in a great and terrible echo of Isabel Hartley, Mack slams his axe down on Coulson’s arm, severing the stone from still-living human flesh.
So… win?
Hands taking hold of me
Skye finds Jaiying on the deck, loading the crystals onto the quinjet. Jaiying channels Darth Vader and invites Skye to join her. “You and I together — think of how powerful we could be,” she breathes. “We could launch a revolution — side by side.”
But Skye refuses to let Jaiying take anymore lives. Jaiying reaches out to cup her daughter’s face and begins to suck Skye’s life away from her. But Skye twists toward the quinjet and blasts it into the ocean — along with its cargo of Terrigen crystals.
Soon, mother and daughter are locked together again, sending their powers through each other. They are interrupted by Cal.
“Please,” he says. “Stop. You don’t have to do this.” He looks at Skye. “You don’t have to live with that pain. I will.”
Cal grabs Jaiying, crushing her to death. Stunned, Skye can only watch as her father weeps over the woman he loved, lived for, killed for — and killed.
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