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Agents of SHIELD 1.22 "Beginning of the End" Review: A Part of Something Bigger

May 20, 2014

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     The Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season one finale, “Beginning of the End,” was written by showrunners Maurissa Tancharoen and Jed Whedon and was directed by David Straiton. The three last collaborated on episode two “0-8-4.” This was a terrific finale of a great first season for the show. There was plenty of payoff – including a terrific appearance by Samuel L Jackson as Nick Fury. This was no mere cameo, Jackson played a significant role in the episode. I, for one, can’t wait to see what the writers have in store for us in season two!

    There were two moments in particular that really felt like they paid off from the “Pilot” for me. The first is the very catch phrase and hashtag that were attached to the “Pilot:” Coulson lives! In some ways, just having Fury in this episode was a nice echo of how pleasantly surprised everyone was when Coulson turned up alive. But more importantly, the sentiment comes back in the climactic talk between Fury and Coulson at the end of the episode. Coulson finally gets to have the conversation he’s been wanting to have with Fury about T.A.H.I.T.I.


     Coulson doesn’t understand why Fury used it even after Coulson warned him that people were losing their minds. Fury points out that May was monitoring the situation and that “it was a break glass in case of emergency situation.” Coulson replies, “Yes. But that emergency was supposed to be the fall of an Avenger.” This scene is beautifully choreographed as Fury, who has been slouched in his seat up until now, leans forward and says, “Exactly!” Coulson is gob-smacked to realize that he IS an Avenger. Of course, this isn’t news to the rest of us.

    Fury goes on to talk about the principle on which S.H.I.E.L.D. was founded: protection. And of course, it’s May in this scene who states it. Her prime directive is to protect Couslon – thanks for the Philinda fix, show! Fury goes on, however to state that protection means “sometimes to protect one man from himself and other times to protect the planet from an alien invasion.” Fury’s main point, however, is that “the belief that drives us all is the same.” Coulson replies, “that they are worth saving.” And Fury states “that truth LIVES INSIDE YOU, COULSON.” Coulson lives and so does that truth about S.H.I.E.L.D.. He goes on to say that Coulson has been the heart of S.H.I.E.L.D. and now he must be the head. He makes Coulson Director and tells him to rebuild S.H.I.E.L.D. from scratch. S.H.I.E.L.D. will live because Coulson does. I also couldn’t help but think that the person worth saving is Ward (Brett Dalton).

    One of the other big things that came out of the “Pilot” was our team. But Mike Peterson (J August Richards) and his son Ace (Ajani Wrighster) also come out of the “Pilot.” It’s their catch phrase that Skye (Chloe Bennet) uses to let Mike know Ace is safe: “What are we, Dad? A team.” Skye refers to their “ace in the hole,” and it literally is Ace who is the “incentive” from the “Incentive Program” that is the main way they are controlling Mike. I liked how they teased out exactly what the “Dealer” was, especially the opening scene as the new IT guy joins the “company” for the “incentive program.” They aren’t truly a part of a team; they’re just trying to protect their loved ones.

    The whole concept of being a team is what separates S.H.I.E.L.D. from HYDRA. I adored the banter between Garrett (Bill Paxton), Coulson, and Fury. Easily the best line of the episode for me was Garrett’s: “When was the last time anyone saw a tag team wrestling match with four dead guys!”Earlier in the episode, we’ve seen Coulson use Fury’s “One Man Speech” to inspire his own team who are going in against incredible odds. He tells them “a man can accomplish anything when he realizes he’s a part of something bigger. A team of people who share that conviction can change the world.”

     Garrett’s version is not quite right, however: “one man can accomplish anything once he realizes he can be something bigger.” Fury corrects him (hilariously): “A part. A part of something bigger.” Coulson’s greatest super power – because people have criticized the show for its lack of them – is his ability to attract good people and inspire their loyalty. At the end of the day, who does Garrett have? Only Ward. And he’s essentially brainwashed him into being loyal. In fact, Coulson tells Ward that his torture will largely be internal because Ward will have to live with the fact that he’s dedicated his life to “a deranged narcissist who never gave a damn about anyone” – including Ward. And let’s not forget that the show itself is part of something bigger – the Marvel universe.

    The episode is everything we’ve come to love about the show. There was lots of great snappy dialogue, such as I’ve already mentioned, great action, and great acting. The action picked up right where we left it in the HYDRA bunker. I loved May telling the HYDRA soldier not to call her The Calvalry and then taking the Berserker staff away from him. Coulson’s order to “bring down the house” was perfect as May did just that. The Ward/May final confrontation was everything I’d hoped for – complete with power tools and lots of dry wall to break through! I loved May taunting Ward with him never having been on top. Of course, her finally nailing him to the floor was simply a classic.

    Triplett (BJ Britt) and Coulson continue to be great together. They both share a love of the past, gadgets, and apparently firepower! Not to mention, they both share that same ideal about S.H.I.E.L.D.. This is also an interesting contrast to Ward who really has no loyalty to anything other than Garrett. I made the comparison between Buddy and Fitz (Iain De Caestecker) last week, but the comparison can also be made between Ward and Garrett. Ward is little more than a loyal dog to Garrett – he earns his meals by fetching the birds that Garrett targets. Ward says to Garrett, that HYDRA was always a means to an end – healing Garrett – and it’s not like they’re true believers. And then, Garrett does perhaps the cruelest thing he could to Ward – he tells him to decide what he wants. Ward has been conditioned for so long to not think for himself that taking orders away from him is a punishment. In fact, that’s the other half of the internal torture that Coulson says he will suffer: Ward will have to figure out who he is without Garrett.

    The one thing that Ward has decided he wants is Skye. It was hard not to feel a little sorry for Ward as he told Skye that she had unlocked a weakness in him. I thought it interesting that Skye didn’t say that Ward was evil but merely weak. Does she still see that there might be something worth saving in him? Regardless, I don’t think either Skye or Ward will be seen to have been born evil – or monsters for that matter. Though I was disappointed that we saw no reaction on Ward’s fact to learning that Fitz was still alive.

    Once again De Caestecker and Elizabeth Henstridge (Simmons) deliver incredibly powerful and moving performances. I want to single De Caestecker out for special mention as he is so talented in bringing both comedy and drama to the show – something that Clark Gregg has also been outstanding at all season.

    Our relief at finding Fitz and Simmons alive is quickly diminished by the fact that their situation seems hopeless. When they realize their situation is hopeless, Simmons asks Fitz what he thinks it’s like. He typically turns to a practical explanation, thinking she means dying, but Simmons wants more. She wants to know what comes after. Fitz turns to his mother’s explanation that it’s like before they were born. Simmons turns to science, but in a very metaphysical way. She turns to the first law of thermodynamics – that no energy is created or destroyed within the universe – in other words, their own energies will live on, just in some other form. Of course, Fitz sees this as a way to finally actually be the monkey he’s wanted all season! Simmons also muses that it’s fitting that they are at the bottom of the ocean – the site where all life on earth comes from. I had to wonder if this talk of evolution wasn’t significant given the rest of the episode and the entire season. And doesn’t Fitz’s obsession with having a monkey fit in nicely with this theme too?

    Raina (Ruth Negga) is concerned only with evolution. Her question which she finally gets to ask of Garrett now that he can “see everything” is what will she become? Garrett himself has evolved – in a bad way, but he has still becomes something else if not more than he was. We also have Fury’s remarks about protecting the world from alien invasion. Garrett, in his madness, draws an elaborate schemata with an alien language, and in the very disturbing final scene, Coulson draws an even bigger version of that schemata. Garrett even says to Coulson and Fury that he knows that he and Couslon share this vision of the future.

     Raina also goes to see one of Skye’s parents at the end of the episode. I thought it interesting that they were supposed to have been killed – like Garrett – and from the back, in the dark, they looks somewhat like Garrett did in the end. Is Skye not channelling the alien language because it’s not alien to her? Regardless, I think this notion of evolution and the tie to aliens is going to factor prominently in season two. I also think that this will again be a dividing line between Coulson and Garrett. I think Coulson will both explain or at least share this schemata with his team. I’m looking forward to Skye’s reaction! Will she understand it too?

    In the end, the solution that Fitz and Simmons comes up with can only save one of them. This scene is perhaps one of the best in the series – and satisfying for those fans rooting for Fitz/Simmons. As soon as Simmons realizes that only one of them can make it, Fitz insists that it has to be Simmons. She tells him she couldn’t because he’s her best friend, and Fitz tells her, “you’re more than that, Jemma. I couldn’t find the courage to tell you, so please let me show you.” It’s hard to tell by Jemma’s response if she does feel the same way about him. Am I reading into it because that’s what I want? Is she simply grateful to him? I had to wonder if Fitz himself didn’t want to know for sure because he pushes the button before she actually can respond. But she does manage to somehow drag Fitz to the surface with her, and I can’t believe that I was alone in actually jumping off my couch to cheer when Fury is there waiting for them!

    Some of my other favorite moments from this episode? Coulson asking if everyone is ready to change the world and May answering, “No. I’m ready to kick some ass.” I’m always ready to watch May kick ass! Coulson asking Triplett if he brought the noise maker, and Triplett answering, “Sir. I bring the noise and the funk wherever I go.” Yes, Triplett, you do! Skye revealing that the bomb was a Hulk figurine. The moment Coulson looks up after being tossed by Garrett and sees Fury – who gives him the big gun. Coulson using the alien gun from “0-8-4” to blow Garrett into nothing. And finally, finding Billy Koenig (Patton Oswalt) waiting for them at the Playground, and Billy being just as big a fan of Coulson as Eric was.

    I found this to be a very satisfying finale. It answered a lot of questions and gave us so much of what’s made the show enjoyable while leaving us with lots of big questions to be answered next season. Quinn (David Conrad) and Raina are on the run with the Gravitonium and Mike is on his own trying to make amends for what's he's done. Fury tells May and Coulson that they won't be seeing him for a stretch.

     I did love the hero shot of the team – Coulson, May, Skye, Simmons, and Triplett as they arrive at the Playground. I did very much miss Fitz, however. We know he’s alive, but it certainly seems that he will never be the same. As his brain was without oxygen, it would seem most likely that his genius brain may have been adversely affected – how will this impact on both him and his relationship with Simmons? Surely, there must be a S.H.I.E.L.D. solution somewhere! What did you think of the finale? Were you satisfied? Do you think we will see Ward again next season? Should he only return as a bad guy? Can the team ever forgive him? Do you think Coulson may pose a danger? Is Skye a monster? Is this going to be a very long summer? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

26 comments:

  1. Is this going to be a very long summer?


    It really is! Thank god the Guardians of the Galaxy publicity machine has kicked into gear I need my MCU fix!!


    I also love the Coulson and Trip friendship, hope we get to know more about him next season. I think we will definitely see Ward in S2 but maybe not every episode, use him when he is needed. As for Fitz I am so worried for my little monkey loving scientist, I can see him be a different man altogether but hopefully Simmons will keep him safe and help him out.

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  2. Fitz really is my biggest worry going forward. Will Simmons pity-date him? That would be so wrong. For that matter, he's always been so concerned with being the smartest, I think that would be the hardest thing for him to lose. I wonder if they will use Dalton the way they did Britt this year - that is, bring him in as a regular later in the season...

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  3. Oh no I don't want any pity dating either, if they come together I want it to be because they both feel the same way. Oh yeah they could use Ward that way, maybe May visits him every so often to mock him as he rots behind bars!

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  4. And Skye and Fitz to really make him suffer! But I worry it would hurt Fitz more... Nothing like having a character in peril to really make you realize how attached you've become, right?

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  5. Still that was a great hero-moment for Fitz. I felt so much for him. Thank god Simmons saved him! I do wonder why they didn't show him in the end. Maybe it's because they couldn't decide what do to with him story wise aside being Fitz-Simmons.

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  6. I agree - great hero moment for Fitz - seeing as he missed the opportunity to jump out of the plane for her. But I think Fitz adds a lot more to the story than just as half the team. De Caestecker is just a terrific actor imho...

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  7. I hope Agent Trip becomes a series regular and I can admire him and his chemistry with the rest of the group every week. Also, Phil Coulson, Director of SHIELD!

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  8. This episode was everything I could have hoped for. It was such a classic Whedonverse finale. It had the action, comedy, and emotional punches that I expected and it was just an all-around fun episode.

    The fact that we didn't see Fitz at all after Fury rescued him and Simmons worries me a bit. At least we know he's alive, but the signs are all pointing to a much different Fitz when we come back. FitzSimmons has been my favorite part of the show and I would hate to see their dynamic go away or change for the worse. But my heart was breaking into a million tiny little pieces during their last scene. It will be interesting to see what Jemma's feelings are on everything.

    Everything with Fury was great. He brought some wonderful humor to the episode and they definitely did not short him on the best lines. The scene at the end with Coulson was my favorite though. Coulson knows that Fury trusts him, but he definitely didn't realize just how highly Fury thinks of him and he never would have thought of himself as an Avenger. Of course, Coulson may be starting to go bonkers... I'm really interested to see where they decide to head with that.

    I'm so torn on whether or not I think they should give Ward the opportunity for redemption. Given that this is a Whedonverse show, I think it's the route they'll eventually go. Some other sites have had debates about which Whedonverse redeemed character he's most like and I fall squarely in the Faith camp. I guess I feel like Ward more directly hurt the team because he was so entrenched whereas Faith was a bit more of an outsider so that's what prevents me from being 100% on board redeeming him. However, I completely trust this group of writers to put together a good redemption arc if that's how they choose to go.

    One random thing, did anybody else feel like they were watching "Restless" there for a minute during the final scene of the episode? The score track just reminded me of it so much.

    I could definitely keep going on but we'd be here all night. I think I've watched this episode about 5 times this past week already and I keep thinking of new things each time I watch it.....

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  9. He actually already is a series regular! Britt and Paxton came on as regulars. Weird - but good!

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  10. YEAH! I have a friend who is a Whedon-scholar who has done nothing but criticize the show from the start, so it's great to have a real Whedon-fan chime in to say you love it and it feels totally like a Whedon show!
    I'm very worried about Fitz - and I hope that Jemma won't stay with him out of pity if that's not the way she really feels.
    I know that Ward did terrible things and betrayed the team, but he was very seriously brainwashed and abused by Garrett. I'm actually surprised that more people don't feel he's deserving of redemption.
    I'm afraid I don't know what "Restless" is.... *blushes*

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  11. Great review of a great episode. This one really pulled it together, as your review amply demosntrates.

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  12. I was a little worried in the early going. It took a long while to gel but these last six episodes had so much more of the characteristics I expect from a Whedon show. I think the hoops S.H.I.E.L.D. had to go through being in the Marvel universe and having to work around the movies hurt it more than we expected initially.

    I know that Ward has the history of abuse and manipulation which definitely colors his actions but his betrayal stings a bit more than other characters. Plus he killed Patton Oswalt and there aren't many worse crimes than that. :)

    "Restless" was the season four finale of Buffy. The score on that episode was excellent.

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  13. He is? BLESS. Best news I've got all day.

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  14. I agree with this being a great finale. This and Bones, to me, are the only ones which lived up to their potential. Arrow had some good bits, but it also had a lot of plot holes and events which made no sense (I'm looking at you Quentin at the end). OUAT was a disappointment to me. But Shield and Bones: both showed how it could be and should be done, if you want a conclusion which keeps you hooked for next season.

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  15. I don't know how badly hurt Fitz is, yet. I don't know if the authors know or not. They might use this as another way to do some sort of experiment which turns him super-human. I can see Simmons using what she learned from her experiments on Skye's blood to create a new version of the cure, with different effects...

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  16. I'm surprised people are against Ward's redemption as well. Seriously, once they see what Black Widow did before she became good, they might change their views.

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  17. I know, many have been over this and Maria Hill has better things to do and is in the public eye at the moment, but she should have been made director. I hope that she and Fury planned this together, because we know from CAP2 (don't read further if you haven't seen it), that Fury trusts her first and foremost. He tried to call her when he was attacked, she knew he was alive... Coulson is not director material in my opinion.
    Otherwise I liked what transpired!

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  18. I think Fury is looking at the bigger picture with choosing Coulson. Fury has morals, yes, but he isn't above going down some questionable roads when the need arises. I've always seen Hill as being molded from that same cloth. Maybe not to the degree that Fury is, but she has exhibited some of those characteristics.

    Coulson, on the other hand, lets his morals be his driving force. He is on the whole a very honest man and has the ability to inspire loyalty. With S.H.I.E.L.D. being viewed as a terrorist organization, they need someone like that in charge to help rehabilitate S.H.I.E.L.D. in the public eye (whenever they decide to go public again). This is what makes Coulson the best choice for this.

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  19. Morals don't help with tough decisions though and as director he has to be able to make those, even if there might be casualties. He is driven by his morals and his feelings, which makes him a great handler and group leader, but not director. He should be the public figure (but not director) for SHIELD, because, as you said, people trust him.

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  20. SHIELDNCISArrowfanMay 21, 2014 at 9:39 PM

    I hoping they bring in agent 13/sharon carter as a recruiting as a unofficial help from CIA

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  21. Really? Did Natasha killed a puppy she bonded with for years? Did she dropped the two most adorkable scientists she could ever meet at the bottom of the ocean, leaving one of them potentially brain-damaged? Was she a member of HYDRA? Was she a complete misogyne? Did she said stuff like ''Maybe I'll just take what I want, wake something in you'' to the ones she loved, like Ward said to Skye?

    Honestly, that last one, that line he said to Skye, I can't believe some people still hopes he redeems himself after he said THAT to her...

    We know Black Widow was a bad one. At least she has values. 'can't say the same about Ward.

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  22. Save Ward, Redeem Ward, Love Ward, Bring Ward back to the team, he was brainwashed and unloved, Ward needs encouragement, kindness, love and most of all Skye... #SkyeWardForever

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  23. Yes. I agree - the link to the movies is both a blessing and a curse. Thanks for the info on "Restless" - I really need to watch all of Buffy...

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  24. I'm actually just working on my review of the Arrow finale - I thought it was great too. There are actually some hints leading to that bit with Quentin at the end - but I would agree that it was needless drama.

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  25. I have no idea what's going to happen in S2, surely Shield & Fury have to be back for the Avengers 2?



    Fitz! Oh no, I'm sure they'll sort him out, right? He saved Jemma so now she might think it's her turn to save him?



    One thing's for sure, it's going to be one long summer!

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