Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Melinda
April 15, 2015 8:09 AM - Season 2, Episode 17 - Subscribe
Backstory on The Cavalry. Cal has a dinner party. Hunter knows hand-dryers.
I just want the details of how Jianying was put back together. The nightmares will be worth it.
posted by Ik ben afgesneden at 10:20 AM on April 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Ik ben afgesneden at 10:20 AM on April 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
stitching your wife back together after she's been vivisected by a Nazi - just inhuman things
But technically Hyde isn't an Inhuman, he experimented on himself to make himself super strong so actually wait why are you ow Ow OW OW OW!
posted by leotrotsky at 10:34 AM on April 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
But technically Hyde isn't an Inhuman, he experimented on himself to make himself super strong so actually wait why are you ow Ow OW OW OW!
posted by leotrotsky at 10:34 AM on April 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
Oh, and Raina can see the future. Wait, what?
posted by localroger at 11:17 AM on April 15, 2015
posted by localroger at 11:17 AM on April 15, 2015
Raina = The Real Clairvoyant; how ironic! (Or poetic justice?)
also, did not see that coming :)
posted by skye.dancer at 12:27 PM on April 15, 2015 [3 favorites]
also, did not see that coming :)
posted by skye.dancer at 12:27 PM on April 15, 2015 [3 favorites]
Still a loooot of emotional blackmail going on in that family.
"We're your family, and we love you! Unless you do anything that might be bad for us- then we won't love you anymore, and you'll have to go away! That's why you can never tell anyone that we're family! Now let's go have dinner with your father, who tried to kill all your friends!"
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 12:56 PM on April 15, 2015 [6 favorites]
"We're your family, and we love you! Unless you do anything that might be bad for us- then we won't love you anymore, and you'll have to go away! That's why you can never tell anyone that we're family! Now let's go have dinner with your father, who tried to kill all your friends!"
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 12:56 PM on April 15, 2015 [6 favorites]
Another solid episode that delivers on character development, plot and action, while furthering the world building of pretty much all the above and more.
What’s particularly satisfying about this episode is how well everything fit together. May having to kill the insane child caused her to leave SHIELD and not be there for the Avengers Initiative. The child being Inhuman factored into Jaiying having to keep her parentage to Skye secret, which could still blow up in everyone’s face. Yet that happy reunion fuels Raina’s, even as it give Skye a sense of peace and comfort, enraging Raina even further.
As to Raina, she’s playing Gordon and Lincoln. She’s going to be make a break for it and all hell’s going to break loose. But how can she escape if she doesn’t know where she is? I’m betting her precog powers will allow to see when Gordon is coming and going and possibly hitch a ride.
And what's up with Jaiying and Cal not being on the same page regarding the year of Skye's birth? Is Jaiying really who she says she is? It seems silly to speculate, but that was such an odd beat in the show.
What’s Coulson’s Theta Protocol? He mentioned it before, telling one of the Koenigs to prepare for it if the mission to the alien city went bad. So he’s trusting someone with the info, but not his right hand person, ‘causing her to doubt him. Secrets are necessary in the spy game, but they carry risks of there own.
Finally, what is about hand dryers that’ll help you throw off a tail? Agent Carter would really like to know!
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 1:33 PM on April 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
What’s particularly satisfying about this episode is how well everything fit together. May having to kill the insane child caused her to leave SHIELD and not be there for the Avengers Initiative. The child being Inhuman factored into Jaiying having to keep her parentage to Skye secret, which could still blow up in everyone’s face. Yet that happy reunion fuels Raina’s, even as it give Skye a sense of peace and comfort, enraging Raina even further.
As to Raina, she’s playing Gordon and Lincoln. She’s going to be make a break for it and all hell’s going to break loose. But how can she escape if she doesn’t know where she is? I’m betting her precog powers will allow to see when Gordon is coming and going and possibly hitch a ride.
And what's up with Jaiying and Cal not being on the same page regarding the year of Skye's birth? Is Jaiying really who she says she is? It seems silly to speculate, but that was such an odd beat in the show.
What’s Coulson’s Theta Protocol? He mentioned it before, telling one of the Koenigs to prepare for it if the mission to the alien city went bad. So he’s trusting someone with the info, but not his right hand person, ‘causing her to doubt him. Secrets are necessary in the spy game, but they carry risks of there own.
Finally, what is about hand dryers that’ll help you throw off a tail? Agent Carter would really like to know!
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 1:33 PM on April 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
"We're your family, and we love you! Unless you do anything that might be bad for us- then we won't love you anymore, and you'll have to go away! That's why you can never tell anyone that we're family! Now let's go have dinner with your father, who tried to kill all your friends!"
I dated a girl like that once. It... didn't end well.
posted by Servo5678 at 2:07 PM on April 15, 2015
I dated a girl like that once. It... didn't end well.
posted by Servo5678 at 2:07 PM on April 15, 2015
"We're your family, and we love you! Unless you do anything that might be bad for us- then we won't love you anymore, and you'll have to go away! That's why you can never tell anyone that we're family! Now let's go have dinner with your father, who tried to kill all your friends!"
Yeah, that was problematic after Jianying's big speech about how Skye was safe now and nobody was going to send her away.
posted by Ik ben afgesneden at 3:06 PM on April 15, 2015
Yeah, that was problematic after Jianying's big speech about how Skye was safe now and nobody was going to send her away.
posted by Ik ben afgesneden at 3:06 PM on April 15, 2015
I don't think they were off on her birth year. Her mother only said July 2nd but didn't mention the year or correct Skye about her being 25. Cal said July 2nd, 1988 and she then realized she was 26.
posted by 2ht at 3:57 PM on April 15, 2015
posted by 2ht at 3:57 PM on April 15, 2015
Happy Cal was adorable, in a creepy and pitiable way.
posted by homunculus at 4:35 PM on April 15, 2015
posted by homunculus at 4:35 PM on April 15, 2015
Maybe those bunk beds are just for a lot of Koenigs?
posted by snofoam at 5:22 PM on April 15, 2015 [5 favorites]
posted by snofoam at 5:22 PM on April 15, 2015 [5 favorites]
The Cavalry story was pretty great, totally worth the wait so it could be built from both the May/Garner side and the Inhuman side.
posted by eyeballkid at 5:25 PM on April 15, 2015
posted by eyeballkid at 5:25 PM on April 15, 2015
People have pointed out that the show is sort of trapped in a holding pattern until they can sync up with next Marvel theatrical release. A solid flashback-based episode like this seems like a perfect way of getting through this in a rewarding way. Really good episode.
posted by paper chromatographologist at 6:59 PM on April 15, 2015
posted by paper chromatographologist at 6:59 PM on April 15, 2015
7 Australian backpackers died in that avalanche.
posted by dazed_one at 7:56 PM on April 15, 2015 [14 favorites]
posted by dazed_one at 7:56 PM on April 15, 2015 [14 favorites]
But the mountain wasn't hurt; that's the important thing.
posted by Ik ben afgesneden at 8:21 PM on April 15, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by Ik ben afgesneden at 8:21 PM on April 15, 2015 [3 favorites]
What I'd like to know is how aussie mcsparkietoes knew that was Skye's family. If it's super seekrit there's no way he should know.
posted by coriolisdave at 8:35 PM on April 15, 2015
posted by coriolisdave at 8:35 PM on April 15, 2015
Raina's vision told him. Add in Jaiying jumping in to train Skye, and its pretty obvious.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 8:41 PM on April 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 8:41 PM on April 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
Aussie Mcsparkietoes (aka Cancelled Tomorrow People Survivor) knows about the father, but he still thinks Jaiying is just training Skye. Thorngirl's vision didn't mention the mom.
posted by Ik ben afgesneden at 7:09 AM on April 16, 2015
posted by Ik ben afgesneden at 7:09 AM on April 16, 2015
I remember someone counting among Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s first season flaws the fact that the season ended and we didn't know the back story behind "Calvary", which seemed silly (apologies if that silly person was from here); either way, it was totally worth the wait. This was a great episode.
That's the thing about Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s place in the MCU, though, and the concerns that its just biding its time until certain movies come out. I don't need every episode to have some universe-changing reveal. I don't need that at all. I just want them to be good.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 8:52 AM on April 16, 2015 [2 favorites]
That's the thing about Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s place in the MCU, though, and the concerns that its just biding its time until certain movies come out. I don't need every episode to have some universe-changing reveal. I don't need that at all. I just want them to be good.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 8:52 AM on April 16, 2015 [2 favorites]
Yeah, poor Aussie backpackers aside, it was a good episode. Mind you, making May a key part of any episode tends to result in awesomeness. I think an episode about May re-tiling her roof would probably be pretty spectacular.
posted by dazed_one at 10:23 AM on April 16, 2015
posted by dazed_one at 10:23 AM on April 16, 2015
7 Australian backpackers died in that avalanche.
Yyyyeah.
Skye's mom: Why are you so twitchy?
Skye: I'm afraid I'll hurt things.
Skye's mom: Why, what's your power?
Skye: Uh, I sort of cause earthquakes.
Skye's mom: Duhh, you can't hurt a mountain, silly.
Everyone else, ever: Earthquakes are literally one of the only things that can hurt mountains.
posted by Dormant Gorilla at 7:58 PM on April 16, 2015 [5 favorites]
Yyyyeah.
Skye's mom: Why are you so twitchy?
Skye: I'm afraid I'll hurt things.
Skye's mom: Why, what's your power?
Skye: Uh, I sort of cause earthquakes.
Skye's mom: Duhh, you can't hurt a mountain, silly.
Everyone else, ever: Earthquakes are literally one of the only things that can hurt mountains.
posted by Dormant Gorilla at 7:58 PM on April 16, 2015 [5 favorites]
The payoff on Calvary* was really solid. I think May is the best thing about the show.
I know this is super shallow of me, but I'm blown away with how beautiful Jiaying is. The actress is Dichen Lachman, "a Nepalese-born actress and producer of German-Australian and Tibetan descent". The actress seems to have some talent but she's pretty hamstrung in the role of being nurturing immortal mommy. The way she handled Cal makes me think they have bigger plans for her. I hope so.
* I can't tell if the pronunciation "calvary" is a mistake or some clever wordplay. "Cavalry" are the horse troops who come in and save your ass. "Calvary" is the hill on which Jesus was crucified, Golgotha. In American English the two pronunciations are often conflated, but I prefer to think it has some deeper symbolic meaning.
posted by Nelson at 10:19 PM on April 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
I know this is super shallow of me, but I'm blown away with how beautiful Jiaying is. The actress is Dichen Lachman, "a Nepalese-born actress and producer of German-Australian and Tibetan descent". The actress seems to have some talent but she's pretty hamstrung in the role of being nurturing immortal mommy. The way she handled Cal makes me think they have bigger plans for her. I hope so.
* I can't tell if the pronunciation "calvary" is a mistake or some clever wordplay. "Cavalry" are the horse troops who come in and save your ass. "Calvary" is the hill on which Jesus was crucified, Golgotha. In American English the two pronunciations are often conflated, but I prefer to think it has some deeper symbolic meaning.
posted by Nelson at 10:19 PM on April 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
Dichen Lachman is amazing, she is THE reason I kept with Dollhouse as long as I did. When she first popped up on this and then was killed I was really hoping that wasn't the end of her story.
posted by saffry at 7:10 AM on April 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by saffry at 7:10 AM on April 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
keep her parentage to Skye secret, which could still blow up
Will blow up, given that Raina's vision specifies Skye being with her family. I can buy Sparkletoes not necessarily putting that together right away for multiple reasons; there's several ways to interpret family, as Skye flat-out says in this episode, and he could also simply think her precognition is not perfect and/or she's filling in additional pieces. But truth will out.
Which of course, as others say above, is probably the big eyeroller in this episode about oh well they turned on you but let's keep this fact between us lest these bunch all turn on you. On the upside, at least when this happens Skye will know why they're after her, unlike her claim that she doesn't know why they came to the cabin.
But wasn't she told on the phone that they'd been compromised and she should run? Bobbi's presence might make that a little confusing but it's not like moles are a new idea for them.
posted by phearlez at 9:17 AM on April 17, 2015
Will blow up, given that Raina's vision specifies Skye being with her family. I can buy Sparkletoes not necessarily putting that together right away for multiple reasons; there's several ways to interpret family, as Skye flat-out says in this episode, and he could also simply think her precognition is not perfect and/or she's filling in additional pieces. But truth will out.
Which of course, as others say above, is probably the big eyeroller in this episode about oh well they turned on you but let's keep this fact between us lest these bunch all turn on you. On the upside, at least when this happens Skye will know why they're after her, unlike her claim that she doesn't know why they came to the cabin.
But wasn't she told on the phone that they'd been compromised and she should run? Bobbi's presence might make that a little confusing but it's not like moles are a new idea for them.
posted by phearlez at 9:17 AM on April 17, 2015
Another entertaining episode. I really loved May's backstory and thought it was one of the rare times that backstory actually lived up to the hype as character motivation.
I don't think they were off on her birth year.
Given the very significant looks that mom and dad exchanged, I think that they are definitely hiding something about the circumstances surrounding her birth, but what?
I'm wondering if it's somehow connected to the event alluded to by the SHIELD agent ("Death follows her!") who May and Coulson chased to Mexico during the first season. The agent said that Skye's entire village was destroyed and everyone in it was killed including an entire squad of SHIELD agents. From that point onward, Skye who was considered an 084, was rotated through the foster system to keep her hidden. Who/what destroyed the village and killed everyone? Daddy Hyde? HYDRA? (Whitehall?) A rogue faction of gifted people? Was this mentioned/implied during an episode and I missed it?
What’s Coulson’s Theta Protocol?
Although May didn't know what is was, given the expressions on her face I'm more and more convinced that Jemma does--or at least has an inkling of what Coulson is up to--and is dissembling about it. Perhaps the protocol is a contingency plan for if/when some group (like HYDRA) triggers a mass terrigenesis of people with gifted/Inhuman genes. You'd need a lot of beds and a therapist on tap for that, not to mention some well adjusted, SHIELD-friendly gifted folks.
A mass-reveal of gifted people could certainly lead to those nightmares of being hunted that Raina was having!
posted by skye.dancer at 12:55 PM on April 17, 2015
I don't think they were off on her birth year.
Given the very significant looks that mom and dad exchanged, I think that they are definitely hiding something about the circumstances surrounding her birth, but what?
I'm wondering if it's somehow connected to the event alluded to by the SHIELD agent ("Death follows her!") who May and Coulson chased to Mexico during the first season. The agent said that Skye's entire village was destroyed and everyone in it was killed including an entire squad of SHIELD agents. From that point onward, Skye who was considered an 084, was rotated through the foster system to keep her hidden. Who/what destroyed the village and killed everyone? Daddy Hyde? HYDRA? (Whitehall?) A rogue faction of gifted people? Was this mentioned/implied during an episode and I missed it?
What’s Coulson’s Theta Protocol?
Although May didn't know what is was, given the expressions on her face I'm more and more convinced that Jemma does--or at least has an inkling of what Coulson is up to--and is dissembling about it. Perhaps the protocol is a contingency plan for if/when some group (like HYDRA) triggers a mass terrigenesis of people with gifted/Inhuman genes. You'd need a lot of beds and a therapist on tap for that, not to mention some well adjusted, SHIELD-friendly gifted folks.
A mass-reveal of gifted people could certainly lead to those nightmares of being hunted that Raina was having!
posted by skye.dancer at 12:55 PM on April 17, 2015
Nelson: "I can't tell if the pronunciation "calvary" is a mistake or some clever wordplay. "Cavalry" are the horse troops who come in and save your ass. "Calvary" is the hill on which Jesus was crucified, Golgotha. In American English the two pronunciations are often conflated, but I prefer to think it has some deeper symbolic meaning."
Huh - I didn't hear that pronunciation at all; it sounded consistently like "cavalry" to me. Maybe there's more of a distinction in other dialects besides mine? Not sure.
posted by koeselitz at 12:58 AM on April 18, 2015
Huh - I didn't hear that pronunciation at all; it sounded consistently like "cavalry" to me. Maybe there's more of a distinction in other dialects besides mine? Not sure.
posted by koeselitz at 12:58 AM on April 18, 2015
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Recaps
Various BS
He did it. He made good on his promise. Everybody else gave up, but he didn't. After all those years of suffering and torment he found his daughter and reunited with his family.
Good for you, Cal.
posted by leotrotsky at 8:18 AM on April 15, 2015 [7 favorites]