S.H.I.E.L.D. Exposed – “The Only Light in the Darkness”
Nooooo, not the comic relief!
Tensions were riding super-high last week and I was fully prepared for this week to be less intense and I was correct. The tension in this episode, following the revelation and return to the fold of Hydra double-agent Ward, is much more subdued as Ward is left to skulk around the secret base while the rest of the team is off hunting a Fridge escapee and Coulson’s ex-girlfriend.
Amy Acker guest stars this week as Coulson’s cellist love interest that was mentioned in Avengers. Now, I’m going to let you in on something, dear viewers. In the lead up to this episode, I was discussing who the cellist is, the actress and how she’d appeared in the pilot with TV buddy (I have one of those, don’t judge me.) My friend was throwing out theories to what this all meant and when it came to the episode, I had a stunning realisation that warranted a pausing of our [DVR’d] viewing. In a bizarre Crisis on Infinite Whedon-Earths, my brain had transplanted Amy Acker’s scientist character from Cabin in the Woods and put her into the pilot of Agents of SHIELD. Why? Best I can figure is because Ron Glass was in the episode, an alum from ANOTHER Whedon project. I am IMMENSELY stupid sometimes.
Anyways, the team (Coulson, Triplett, Fitz and Simmons) head off to save Audrey Nathan (Acker) from a super-powered stalker by the name of Marcus Daniels, aka Blackout. I think I saw this villain once in a big event book but I know nothing about the character other than what is exposited in this episode. Mainly that his powers are drawn from the Darkforce (Which I DO know as the source of power for Darkhawk and Darkstar. Much dark. Very force. Meow.) He shoots thick ropey strands of darkness and can drain the life out of humans with a touch, so yeah, pretty big deal. He sees Audrey as his Only Light in the Darkness which is a nice title reference so he stalk her upon his escape.
Audrey is played perfectly, as both frightened victim and staunch defender of SHIELD. Her revelation of a past relationship with Coulson shocks the team but none reveal his rebirth to her. Coulson has his reasons for not doing so himself and I agree with his mentality but it’s still pretty awesome to go full-on Ghostbusters on Blackout with a gamma flashlight and reassure a mostly unconcious Audrey before she wakes up.
Meanwhile, in the Bunker! May quits the team, narrowly missing Ward’s attempted assassination. Koening gets garroted by Ward and the show loses Patton Oswalt. Boo-urns! He was a great character! This leaves only Skye and Ward alone in the bunker and I could hear the moistening of a thousand SkyeWard shippers from here. Again, I would like to point out that this motherfucker has killed dozens of people, even people we actually knew! Fancying Skye does not a road to redemption make. Thankfully, Skye realises Ward is a double-agent so that should put a stop to THAT nonsense. Hats off to Chloe Bennett for her amazing acting during her later scenes. She pulls a Romanoff and manages to convince Ward that all is well but I feel she might have left something for the team to help her.
Stinger for this week is a bad-ass May hiking all the way to a highway near Ontario before her transport arrives. She called her mum! That’s hilarious and sweet on so many levels. Her mum appears to have been apart of some other government agency (Possibly a Chinese equivalent of SHIELD?) and is a pretty sweet old lady. I really liked this scene, it added some much needed levity.
Overall, another fantastic episode leading into the finale in just THREE WEEKS TIME! I’ll see you guys next week!