Daisy tried a sacrifice play as Hive played God again, but someone punched holes in his omnipotence in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. 3×20.
This review contains spoilers.
As I’ve discussed at length in these Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. recaps, the back half of this season has been rather gloriously preoccupied with the concept of faith and religious belief. In retrospect, it seems it was only a matter of time before the series offered its presentation of that tried-and-true act in almost every theological play: Sacrifice.
“Emancipation” is a story of sacrifice. It is no mistake that the episode skids off the heels of another story about uniformly well-intentioned, but ultimately selfish actors — Captain America: Civil War. The triumphs and tragedies of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. 3×20 counterbalance that strife, as characters devote themselves to causes greater than themselves.
And in some cases, find themselves devoted by force.
That dark side is, of course, dominated by Hive and his minions, who are as swamped in religious terminology as ever. Hive speaks of humanity’s “absolution” to Daisy, and James encourages his own thematic connection to the fires of Hell. “Abomination,” another word with deeply evangelical evocations, becomes a pivot point from one brand of faith to another. The lead Watchdog brands Inhumans abominations — only to be transformed into a mindless creature so horrible to contemplate that Dr. Radcliffe calls the malformed Inhumans “Abominations of science.”
“They are not abominations,” Hive tells him coldly. Indeed, to Hive, the transformed Watchdogs are perhaps more like compliant angels than anything else. Unable to speak, unable to reason, these new Inhuman “children” are divine in Hive’s vision — exactly the obedient, unquestioning creatures he most longs to control.
It should be noted that this perverse connection isn’t something a human being could truly understand. Radcliffe, the scientist dragging humanity beyond its mortal confines, turns straight to religion when he see the Watchdogs.
“Oh my God,” he cries. “What have I done?”
What Radcliffe has done, to get gritty about it, is not unlike human sacrifice, perhaps that most primal manifestation of belief in greater forces. But what he has created is only a few crucial degrees south of Hive’s influence over ordinary Inhumans, as illustrated to bloodcurdling effect by Daisy’s deterioration throughout the episode.
Daisy herself is the icon perverse sacrifice throughout “Emancipation.” She gives up her blood in order to please Hive, lies movingly to Lincoln about their future as she lures him to her God. She moves around gingerly, almost ghost-like, as if she has set the timer on her own life. Once a lioness, fierce, strong, and protective, Daisy has become a lamb — weak, helpless, and devoted beneath the sway of a brutal power.
Of course, being willing to sacrifice herself is not quite the same as being sacrificed — or watching the evil fruit of your pains be born in front of you. Hive views his Watchdogs as the “children” of his and Daisy’s combined flesh and blood, and as appalling as that logic is, it’s also difficult to refute. In this fractured religious funhouse mirror, Daisy is Eve to Hive’s Adam; but Adam didn’t try to sacrifice Eve’s life to create a planet full of awful children.
Daisy is delivered from this ultimate sacrifice by the forces of S.H.I.E.L.D., which themselves are heavily influenced by theological thinking. Hive’s connection to the Biblical Devil are laid out explicitly (spiced with Talbot’s glorious incredulity) and both Fitz and Mack grimly contemplate a fresh dawning of Hell.
But luckily, it is faith of a brighter kind that motivates the agents in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. 3×20. Against, yes, even my expectations, Lincoln proves to have remarkable faith in S.H.I.E.L.D., working with May to deceive Daisy. Lincoln, who calls (falsely) upon Daisy like a prayer, is guided by his own faith in the fundamental purpose of Inhumans. Unfortunately, Mack’s revived faith in both the solidarity of S.H.I.E.L.D. and faith itself clashes painfully with Lincoln’s; but theologies do differ from time to time.
Coulson, of course, demonstrates profound trust in May and Lincoln to carry out their Hail Mary. But it is perhaps May herself, a character presented as quite distant from the season’s religious themes, whose faith and sacrifice prove most crucial in redeeming Daisy from her bondage.
It is May who leaves the luring of Daisy in Lincoln’s hands. It is May who brings Lash to the the Quinjet. It is May who opens the door to the existential risk to both Daisy and Andrew, sending Lash against the ultimate evil and trusting that he will once again choose not to murder Daisy.
Desperate times indeed.
And in the face of such faith, Lash acts with incredible grace. The man who was once Andrew Garner is unaffected by Hive, and proves his purpose (divine, evolutionary, or otherwise) — a truly miraculous antidote to Hive’s infection. In a stunning harmony, Daisy’s attempted self-sacrifice collides with Lash (or Andrew’s) capacity to save her.
“Now you’re free,” he tells her, banishing her infection in a swirl of light.
But horrifically, Hell also has its day. James gleefully murders Lash, completing Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. 3×20’s promise of sacrifice. May and Andrew’s story has finally come to its heartbreaking conclusion — and its hard to say if any amount of faith will help in the healing.
As the stinger perhaps illustrates. After encouraging Mack in his faith throughout the episode, emphasizing the fundamental humanity and strength that belief can engender, Elena gives Mack her crucifix necklace. “Keep the faith, Alphonso Mackenzie,” she says.
Between these two characters, it is a touching and powerful moment, a shoring up of faith. But between the writers of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and the audience, this is a different kind of fidelity entirely — it is a promise. Death and tragedy are not behind us. Loss is coming.
And, trapped like swayed Inhumans in our faith, we viewers have no choice but to believe.