Everyone was playing multiple angles on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 2, episode 14 — but not everyone came off looking very good.
Just desserts
Ward and Agent 33 kidnap a man from a diner to fix 33’s mask-damaged face. The man is able to repair the mask, but not return the brainwashed woman to her original appearance. Ward murders the scientist and goes out to get 33 another “surprise.”
She asks him to stop; “I have nothing to give to you in return,” she says, but Ward brushes this aside.
But when he gets back, 33 has found a way to even the scales — with a negligee and Skye’s face. Ward is tempted, but rebuffs her advances because, you know, Skye shot him. 33, who has a massive crush on Ward, despairs that her true self has been wiped away by Whitehall.
Ward thinks that having a sad childhood is the same thing as being tortured and brainwashed, and tells her that he recovered from his abuse by confronting his family, and digging down deep into their issues.
That’s Ward-speak for “And then I burned them to death, it was awesome.”
“You are the only one who can find yourself,” Ward tells 33. He coaxes her into hunting down Bakshi, who was instrumental in her kidnapping and brainwashing.
Origin stories
Skye gets upset when Fitz and Simmons argue about which Avenger she is, and whether or not her earthquake causing abilities should be cured. Meanwhile, May agrees with Dr. Garner that Skye should be retired from SHIELD; she says that Skye has changed, and now she doesn’t know how to handle her.
With extreme reluctance, Simmons delivers a small black briefcase to Coulson. She is concerned about “possible repercussions.”
“That’s my decision to make,” Coulson tells her.
The Director then takes Skye to a safe house for people with powers; on the way, they discuss their dads. It turns out that Coulson’s father made him work with him on Lola, but even though Lola can fly now, at her heart, she’s still just a simple red corvette.
Like Skye! Kind of.
At the cabin, Coulson tells Skye that she is pulled from active duty. “You can use this time to get a handle on your abilities,” he says.
To that effect, he gives her what Simmons has been working on – gauntlets gloves that reduce the magnitude of Skye’s powers. That seems great, but there might be side effects.
Frustrated and sad, Skye asks Coulson what he would do in her place. He says he doesn’t know – but she is one of the few people he can trust, and believes that she can get on top of her abilities.
The other side
Hunter meets the heads of Other-SHIELD, which appears to be led by a venerable gentleman named Robert Gonzales. They explain that Fury’s secretive style of leadership did’t sit well with them, and they are not happy that Coulson appears to be taking the same approach.
Hunter’s composure is rattled when Bobbi does indeed turn out to be a part of Other-SHIELD. Gonzales says that Coulson used to be a good agent — until he was compromised by alien technology, and became obsessed with all things extra-terrestrial. Gonzales attributes everything that’s gone wrong – including the death of Isabelle Hartley — to Coulson’s alien issues.
When Hunter can’t exactly disagree, Bobbi offers her report: She believes that Coulson has been compromised.
Later, Bobbi and Hunter talk. Hunter asks Bobbi to leave with him, but she says she has to “see this through.” Hunter makes a break for it, and discovers that he’s on a freaking Helicarrier, whaaaat!
He then escapes in a submarine pod, probably through sheer hilarious luck.
Fake-out
Agent 33 poses as Mrs. Talbot to get into the Air Force base where Bakshi is being held. Having been once burned with the magic masks, General Talbot catches on fairly quickly — but 33 is one step ahead, and dons a dude’s face to get to Bakshi.
Ward has also killed a bunch of people.
Bakshi is hella confused at the apparent rescue and tries to activate 33’s brainwashing. She decks him, and she and Ward escape with their new prisoner.
After Talbot scares his poor wife half to death when he thinks she’s a spy (but she got tacos, so hopefully it’ll all be okay) he tells Coulson and May about 33, Ward, and Bakshi.
“Darn,” they say.
Blame game
Fitz is angry about Coulson and and Simmons’ continued secrecy. He copes by accusing Simmons of wanting to change Skye.
Again.
“I don’t want to change Skye. The Diviner did that,” Simmons retorts. “I just want to fix her!”
But Fitz has an answer for this, too. “You know what the the scariest change is, Jemma? It’s you.”
Remember Agent Simmons: Everything is your fault.
But on the plus side, Coulson and May don’t trust Mack any farther than they can throw him… which probably wouldn’t be very far.
Cure for the pain
Between Hunter’s escape and Mack’s report about movement on the Skye situation, tensions are high at Other-SHIELD. Bobbi says that Team Coulson is the threat, not Hunter.
“It’s time that we removed that threat,” she says. “I want to go back in.” She promises that she can end the situation in six hours.
Elsewhere Agent 33 studies her destroyed face in the mirror. “Nice to finally meet you,” says Ward. She introduces herself as Kara, hugging and thanking him. (Good lord.) Ward says that it was all her doing, and the two get down to the torture and brainwashing of Bakshi.
“If I obey, will my compliance be rewarded?” he asks Kara, and it’s not like he doesn’t deserve this, but it’s horrible to see how thoroughly Ward has steered 33 to the dark side.
And to the dark side she goes.
“To be honest,” Kara tells Bakshi, “It really won’t make a difference.”