Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. chased its two main stories this week by introducing some new faces and welcoming back old friends, but with this episode, the second season is now two-thirds over and the series isn't giving up any hints as to how it will bring together all the various threads. Will the Inhumans be brought into conflict with S.H.I.E.L.D.? Will the two halves of S.H.I.E.L.D. come into conflict (a civil war?) as to how they'll react to the Inhumans? And in the short-term, whose loyalty will go where?
The latest member of The Blacklist is experimenting with immortality, but Liz and Red are coming at them for different reasons and with different goals.
Here's something I thought I'd never say: what ever happened to that Agent Grant Ward? Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s man of action was as bland as Melba toast, that is until it suddenly turned out that he was HYDRA-ish affiliated, an apprentice of the evil John Garrett. Then, all of the sudden, Ward was complex and driven. He was a character we wanted to learn more about because it turned out there was more to learn. And then he started out the second season as a kind of hunky Hannibal but with less eating people, gently telling S.H.I.E.L.D. everything they wanted to know about HYDRA, but not everything he knew. But after being shot by Skye and left for dead in Puetro Rico, it's time to ask the question, what the heck happened to Ward?
Finally, an episode about everyone's favorite fake husband secret agent! Of course, you know I'm being sarcastic, right? Holding on to Tom Keen as a regular character on The Blacklist struck me as a move akin to when Alias tried to hold on to characters like Will and Francie even though the point of having them around had long since disappeared and taking time out of the plot to service them seemed more a distraction than anything. The Blacklist has had many chances to eliminate Tom Keen, but for some reason it feels compelled to keep him in play. Now, presented with another opportunity to get rid of him in this episode, they once again passed up on the chance.
Skye's dad recruits of a team of villains to take on the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., while Skye herself struggles with her new powers and her place on the team.
