TV Review: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (2×15) “One Door Closes”

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This week on Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD, things take to even more drastic turns, and this time it’s less revelation and more action. Well, it’s more eventful. There is also action, though.

R.E.A.L. D.E.A.L. S.H.I.E.L.D.

Bobbi and Mack are “outed” this week, and the REAL DEAL SHIELD’s infiltration on Coulson’s base of operations begins with a lot of solid action and some gritty flashbacks. We get to see where Bobbi and Mack were on the day that SHIELD fell, amidst the events of The Winter Soldier, with thoroughly intense infiltration aboard a helicarrier to retrieve Robert Gonzales. The action sequences both in the flashbacks, and the present, are the first instance of really feeling the tone I expected SHIELD to have when I got on board the show, really emulating the grit and drama I gathered reading Ed Brubaker’s Captain America books as a teenager.

Coulson starting a Civil War?

With the allegations against Coulson coming to light, it seems that Gonzales not only didn’t trust Nick Fury’s secret keeping in general, but it seems the Vibranium lockbox that was entrusted to Phil actually contains the identities of supers to a certain degree. This conveys Gonzales is on the side of the World Council who, if you recall, was willing to blow New York with a nuke in The Avengers. Could this small box contain the information that would make the split between Fitz and Simmons about Skye’s abilities expand into a national controversy? It’s uncertain for now, but May’s rescue was her most badass I’ve seen to date, and the secret MI6-looking elevator shaft was a hell of a narrow escape for Coulson. We see Phill on a tropic beach by the episodes end, with Hunter having tracked him down, and making up their contract on a napkin. Coulson has nothing left, and I have a feeling he’s gonna get to badass levels of desparate to restore his team.

Skye

Skye is finally getting the help she needs. While she’s staying in, what is referred to as, Bruce Banner’s cabin, she gets an unexpected visit from Gordon, our  eyeless inhuman. He provides the guidance to her that she’s needed from the start, explaining what her powers are: tapping into the vibrations of all things in the earth. He hints that, when she’s ready, he can help her, and meet others just like them. Before he gets too Professor X on her, he teleports away without revealing too much too soon. Skye gets a call later on from May during Gonzales’ infiltration, and Bobbi’s team sent to retrieve her gets a little banged up in a pretty darn cool looking slow motion effects shot of Skye tapping into her newly understood power, leveling pretty much half the forest mowed down. Gordon, who apparently can hear whispers from thousands of miles away, hears Skye’s plea for help, and teleports her away to God-knows-where.

This just might have been Agents of SHIELD’s best episode since the winter finale, and the best action sequences and effects so far. Its quite surprising to see the dynamic of the show shifted so quickly after such a drastic change in December, but it is very welcome if this episode is any hint to where it will take the controversy of supers, and Gordon’s mysterious Inhumans dojo.

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Episode 2.15 “One Door Closes” (9/10)