Danny Hale reviews the eighteenth episode of Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 4…
While ‘Identity and Change’ last week showcased just how ruthless the Framework’s version our Fitz is, ‘No Regrets’ gave us a better idea of just how and why he ventured down this path. In addition, we got to welcome an old face back into the mix while possibly saying our final goodbye to one of our current heroes.
This week we finally got to meet Fitz’s oft mentioned father and can clearly see what kind of influence he has had on his son. Where I once thought the absence of Simmons to be the cause of HYDRA’s Dr. Fitz it appears that his father has been present throughout his entire life in this reality, reinforcing his message of toughness and repelling sympathy and the sensitivity that made Fitz the amazing person he was. As much as I have been enjoying ‘evil’ Fitz these past few weeks, this revelation really helped ground him and further legitimise this version of him. The only hope I think there is for Fitz to recall his memories is to come face to face with Simmons. I feel this is being saved for possibly the finale but I can anticipate how incredibly emotionally charged that scene will likely be. (If it even transpires!) I like to think the seed of doubt has been planted by Daisy at least by her telling Fitz that he loved Simmons and that she loves him. Admittedly it seems these words had no effect on Fitz other than to anger him but I was still appreciative that someone told him.
May began this episode with putting herself forward for a new experiment. By taking a dose she is granted an hour of increased strength in order to match the resistance’s leader, our Patriot. The ensuing encounter was awesome and exactly as crowd pleasing as it sounded; it’s been way too long since we’ve seen May properly throw down and I did say way back that I wanted to see Mace given a proper fight scene utilising his powers. I guess I finally got my wish. May’s subsequent transition from brainwashed HYDRA agent to stepping down at Coulson’s command was very quick and something I’ll be interested to hear more about next week. I loved that the unexpected sight of the potential young Inhumans stalled May, making her question her orders. I believe this, coupled with coming face to face with Coulson, has awoken some of her true nature. I am thrilled she is back in the fold and although slightly jarring without further context that post credits scene where May smashes the terrigenesis crystal at Daisy’s feet activating her powers was so, so great.
In an awesome reveal we got to see the return of Antoine Triplett this week! I was taken by complete surprise and didn’t realise how much I missed him until he graced our screens again. It was such an awesome feeling seeing a character who we lost way back in season 2, especially since I felt Trip’s death was a little sudden at the time. Along with Lincoln being teased again the possibility of seeing more old faces before the Framework pod ends is very exciting.
But on to the main event; I found the complete ease with which Ophelia and Fitz ordered the Quinjet to bomb the Isolation building startlingly and all the more effecting since the ensuing attack placed a lot of children’s lives in danger causing May to hesitate and display uncertainty for the first time since we’ve entered the Framework. The fact that this scene culminated with Mace’s death came completely out of left field; I was so enjoying getting to know him and loving seeing him be the hero he always wanted to be. I guess going out the way he did has its own beauty; it matches the Vienna lie he told all that time ago and now he really is the hero people believed him to be. His death felt a little surreal but then seeing Aida in the real world switch off his heart monitor was quite moving in its simplicity while also confirming his fate outside of the Framework.
I think at least one death was inevitable before our team made it out of the Framework; it is an incredibly dangerous world and the stakes have now been set even higher for our heroes. I am positively giddy waiting for next week; Ward is assembling his team to rescue Daisy while herself and May hopefully will begin tearing the Triskelion down from the inside. Most importantly though, in the midst of all the madness, Radcliffe it seems has confided information about a ‘backdoor’ out of the Framework to Daisy. We as viewers have been left in the dark but I think this may be the beginning of the end. Given the set-up, the remaining few episodes of season 4 should be a blast; all the writers have to do is maintain the incredible and consistent high standard this season has been setting from the beginning or, better yet, exceed it.
Danny Hale
Originally published April 20, 2017. Updated April 16, 2018.
