Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. “Failed Experiments” was written by Brent Fletcher and directed by Wendey Stanzler. There are some standout performances in this episode, including Henry Simmons and Chloe Bennet. There are at least two experiments that fail. This was the last episode before Captain America: Civil War, and I have to say that I saw no real connection to the show at all. There is one brief mention of S.H.I.E.L.D. being defunct and that is it. If you felt you needed to rush out to see the movie? Don’t. Overall, I really wasn’t impressed by the movie. My least favorite in the franchise so far. I view the movie itself as a failed experiment – one too many superheroes for me – and the link between show and movie universe also feels like a failed experiment.
The episode begins waaaay back in the past and we see the initial Kree experiment in which they use their own blood to transform Hive’s (Brett Dalton) original body’s DNA. He wasn’t the only subject, but the others became the ancestors of the inhumans. Hive has invited the last three remaining HYDRA descendants for their “reward.” They are going to be the modern day guinea pigs for Hive’s recreated experiment.
Back at the base, we get another walk and talk – this time between May (Ming-Na Wen) and Lincoln (Luke Mitchell). He’s desperate to do something to help to get Daisy (Chloe Bennet) back. May finally lets him have it, and points out that he’s not the only one who cares about Daisy – and they’ve all known her longer!
Simmons (Elizabeth Henstridge) and Fitz (Iain De Caestecker) are not having much luck coming up with an anti-toxin cure. I loved them arguing about who had the worse experience – Fitz with Daisy, still acting like they were best friends, or Simmons with Ward acting like her dead boyfriend. Simmons declares herself the winner and muses she had to shoot him three times just to shut him up. Fitz remarks that must have felt good, but Simmons says she wishes he’d died rather than just oozing. They go back to fretting about their anti-toxin and having no way to test it. Lincoln has finally found a way he can help and he offers to let them test it on him.
Coulson (Clark Gregg) is running facial recognition software to find Daisy. I loved the effect of him sitting stock still for what is clearly hours, watching the screen, as the business of the base flashes around him. Mack (Henry Simmons) help to analyze the location once Daisy is spotted. Mack is ready to go in, guns blazing to rescue his partner. Coulson points out that it’s a trap because Daisy is a highly-trained spy – she’s trying to lure them in. Coulson also points out that Daisy was the one who programmed the facial recognition software that she just go flagged on.
Mack thinks she wants them to rescue her. He thinks that she’s too strong to completely give in and that there’s a part of her that is resisting and trying to reach out to them. Coulson says that he wants Mack and May to lead a team in, but it’s not a rescue, it’s a targeted strike.
Hive tells Daisy that the town they are in represents the worst of humanity. The greed of the few outweighing the needs of the many. Their water was poisoned and they didn’t band together. Daisy points out that you need a good leader to hold a group together. Hive recognizes that she’s talking about Coulson. Daisy says Coulson the reason she joined S.H.I.E.L.D. Hive declares that S.H.I.E.L.D. is no better than HYDRA as both fueled a never-ending war machine. Daisy tells him that her friends at S.H.I.E.L.D. tried to stop wars. Hive points out that the only reason S.H.I.E.L.D. exists is to fight wars. Daisy counters that the Kree Reapers were trying to make soldiers, and Hive points out that that is not what he became. And Daisy says, “Sometimes the world’s greatest miracles happen by accident.” How creepy is it that these two are getting so close?
Daisy wants to know how Hive got kicked off of Earth. Hive says that others became afraid of the connection he had with other Inhumans and it lead paranoia and then to Civil War – nice riff on the movie.
Radcliffe (John Hannah) has pushed ahead with the experiment, adding his own modifications with the terragen crystals. He can change their DNA and make them inhuman all at the same time – or so he thinks. Hannah does a great job as the mad scientist! Hive points out that only billionaires can build iron suits – Tony Stark’s Ironman – and only the military can make super soldiers – Captain America and arguably the Winter Soldier, which can only lead to a war of its own. And of course, that is exactly how that war plays out – Ironman versus Captain America… sort of. Hive has a more collectivist philosophy.
Radcliffe is anxious to get to his experiment and cuts off Hive’s monologing. As it turns out, he shouldn’t have been so hasty as his subjects all scream in agony before simply melting. Radcliffe is actually brash enough to tell Hive that the mistake is Hive’s. He needs blood from a living Kree to make it work. Hive’s blood is from a dead host.
Radcliffe suspected all along that it wouldn’t work. When Hive wants to know why he didn’t speak up, Radcliffe admits that Hive is pretty scary! Hive grabs him by the throat, telling him he should be scared. Radcliffe says he can do it, that he’s motivated to do it because this is game changing stuff. He wants to change the world! Hive reveals the device he took from James – he’s going to call the Kree Reapers with it!
Another great walk and talk as May and Mack make their way to the jet and the mission. We’re introduced to two new agents – Piper (Briana Venskus) and O’Brien (Derek Phillips), and I have to say I was expecting them to die right from the moment we met them! AOS’s own red suits. Mack tells them their getting the best weaponry S.H.I.E.L.D. has to offer. O’Brien wants to know what the Cavalry is packing – and May responds as she always does that she’ll take a gun if she needs one – but Mack insists.
May responds that he seems extra motivated and Simmons points out that he’s responsible because Daisy was his partner. May is utterly exasperated with everyone making it about them. May tells him the mission isn’t about Daisy, that none of them saw she’d turned and that he needs to get his head straight. He agrees it’s not about Daisy but insists it’s about him making it right.
Coulson is getting briefed by Lincoln on the test of the anti-toxin. Lincoln plays down the risks, but Simmons focuses on them, pointing out that he’s being a love sick fool, making the grand gesture. Coulson asks Fitz for his opinion and Fitz says that he agrees with Simmons that it’s dangerous… but it could also work. Simmons points out that Daisy wouldn’t want Lincoln to risk his life and Fitz says he’s glad it’s not up to her. In the end, Coulson puts the brakes on the experiment and tells Simmons to look for other options.
The Inhuman town has a bar, and they are taking advantage of it. Daisy gets better acquainted with James (Axle Whitehead), and he’s clearly shaping up to be the most recent wise-cracker. Daisy defends S.H.I.E.L.D. to James by saying they just don’t know any better – but they could make them understand.
Coulson goes over a last briefing with the ground team. The plan is simple. Go in, kill Hive, get out. May asks about the other Inhumans in the town, and Coulson says not to engage them unless absolutely necessary. They’re under Hive’s control and not acting on their own. Mack wants to know what to do in the worst case scenario that Hive can’t be killed. It’s vintage Coulson – delivered as only Gregg can: “I suggest running. Very fast. Away.”
Fitz checks in with Simmons. She’s fine with him disagreeing with her. This is a wonderful scene as the two reminisce about Milton – one of the guys they knew at the Academy. How I’ve missed them reminiscing about their academy days! Simmons says that they should make an agreement not to let work disagreement affect their relationship outside of work. Fitz boasts that it’s a good idea because they both know who is right most of the time, leading Simmons to bring up the sore point of her beating him to the top of their class!
Lincoln has snuck into the lab and injects himself with the anti-toxin as they watch! It’s another great special effect as his lightening goes crazy and he then collapses. Simmons wants to inject him to counter the anti-toxin, but Lincoln insists he can handle it and he wants to help.
May uses the fact that James is a blowhard against him. Wen is utterly fantastic in this episode! I loved her being all confused about what is going on and getting him to talk. And then going all fangirl on him! It’s always hilarious to watch May go undercover. James completely spills the beans on what’s going on. I loved Mack being all distracted – “wondering if there’s a chance this guy doesn’t get his ass whupped.” And Coulson responding, “Not a chance” and smiling.
I lost count at the number of musical references James used – but it’s a nice little gimmick for him, so I hope they keep it. May keeps him talking until he gives up Hive’s location, they she just takes him out with her pool cue. It’s almost disappointing…
Hive is worried about Daisy being able to defeat S.H.I.E.L.D. Daisy tells him that she wants to make them understand, she wants them to go through the Kree experiment. Bennet also deserves special mention for her wonderful performance in this episode. In this scene, Hive pushes Daisy – what if S.H.I.E.L.D. came after him to kill him, to severe their connection? And then Daisy becomes something we’ve never seen – she tells Hive if that happened, she’d “rip their hearts out.” And she’s almost as scary as he is. Hive tells her that they are coming for them. The ones who made him – so far he is still in the dark about the S.H.I.E.L.D. strike.
Lincoln is sure the anti-toxin is going to work. Fitz, however, won’t let Lincoln put them on the same side. Lincoln disobeyed a direct order from Coulson. Lincoln is not too thrilled when he finds out that the next step involves Simmons drilling into his head!
They track Hive to the abandoned mine. I loved Coulson telling them to go in hot, safetys off – and Piper telling him they were never on! Coulson recognizes the writing on the object and tells them to run – he knows the Kree are coming!
Hive is in the church and confesses to Daisy that he sent for the Kree. He explains that they are Reapers and that they exist only to hunt. They’ve been in stasis for 1,000s of years. He confesses that the Reapers are his greatest fear. He hopes with her help that they’ll be able to rip their hearts out – her words coming back to haunt her! She points out that they won’t be easy to kill. He wants her to get the blood from the living Kree that they need for the experiment to work.
I loved out team re-grouping to process the addition of the Kree to the equation. May sees someone else to fight or at least contain. Piper is highly focused on them being aliens! She wants to know if they aren’t going to take a moment to process that. Welcome to S.H.I.E.L.D.! Mack is the most practical. He wants to know which side they are on. Can he use them as a weapon? Maybe they can use the fact that they’re taking out Hydra and Inhumans? I loved Mack’s musing about whether they wanted to form some kind of “creepy-dude alliance.” May points out that these guys are hunters not allies. Coulson tells them to follow at a safe distance but stay out of its cross hairs.
One of the Kree take out the last two Alishas (Alicia Vela-Bailey) – there were only five of her, right? When it’s clear that the Krees’ target is the church, they assume they are after Hive, but Mack also assumes Daisy will be there. He breaks from their orders – though May tries to stop him – because he’s got to try.
Daisy and Radcliffe face off against one of the Kree – well, Radcliffe denies any culpability and keeps the equipment between him and the Reaper. Daisy takes it on and takes it down pretty easily. In fact, so easily, that Radcliffe is clearly just as afraid of her now. She crushes its spine and then tells Radcliffe to drain it. Radcliffe tells Daisy she was fantastic. He’s almost finished draining the Kree, so Daisy can leave – he clearly can’t get rid of her fast enough!
Mack show up and says that Daisy is coming with him – but Daisy doesn’t want to go. Like at all. Daisy tells Mack that she’s doing this to save him. Mack wants to know how killing a blue alien is going to help him, and she drops the bombshell that she’s planning on making him into an inhuman. Mack’s face says it all. Of all the agents, Mack has always been most repelled by the inhumans – though he’s come a long way – so suggesting turning him really proves how far off the reservation Daisy is.
Mack insists that this isn’t her. Daisy insists it is and that everyone at S.H.I.E.L.D. can stop trying to save her because she’s not lost anymore. Mack tries to tell her that she’s been infected by a parasite, she’s sick. But Daisy counters that it’s S.H.I.E.L.D. that’s been messing with their heads. He started as a mechanic and she was a hacker and now they are both soldiers! Her logic seems pretty sound! Mack says they had to adapt and nobody was forced to do anything.
Daisy even twists the team as the team of misfits that Coulson offered to her to fill the loneliness. When Mack tells her the team cared about her, it almost seems like he’s getting through to her. And Mack makes it personal. He cares about her. Daisy dismisses him – so what does that make us? Friends? Like that is nothing. Mack says friends, partners – it’s more of a bond than what Daisy is implying. And then Daisy takes the low blow of mentioning Hunter and Bobbi. She tells him that it wasn’t hard for them to leave because nobody else at S.H.I.E.L.D. mattered to them! She has completely twisted their sacrifice!
Daisy tells Mack to leave, and he simply lays down his gun. He tells her that part of her wants to come back – the part that sent up a red flag. Daisy maintains that it was an accident – she slipped up because she isn’t thinking like a spy anymore. Daisy is even crueler to Mack. She tells him she looked up to him almost like a big brother – but he’s not even a good brother to the one he has. I love how this show pays off the entire season in ways like this. Those two little hits mean so much in the context that we’ve already been given.
Mack tries to tell her that what she’s feeling isn’t real. He maintains it’s not his reality. Mack then destroys the Kree and its blood with a splinter bomb, telling Daisy that if he can’t save her, he’ll at least save everyone else. And then Daisy uses her power on Mack. I immediately went from omg, she’s going to turn him to an even bigger omg, she’s going to KILL him! Mack refuses to fight her. Daisy is in the process of killing Mack, when May shoots her. They are emergency evacted in a containment pod, leaving Daisy in Hive’s arms.
May watches as the other Reaper engages with Hive. She tells the team to stand down – maybe the Reaper will do their job for them. Hive’s fight is nicely interwoven with Daisy’s non-fight with Mack. May isn’t sure that Hive is losing – she recognizes a thousand year grudge when she sees one. The Kree tells Hive that he is a failed experiment, and he responds with Daisy’s words from earlier in the episode: “Sometimes the world’s greatest miracles happen by accident” and then Hive infects him/eats him. Coulson screams for them to take the shot and everyone unloads, including Piper with a rocket – Hive simply regenerates his shoulder!
Simmons is shocked by what Daisy did. Mack admits that Coulson was right. The team reports that Hive was intending to turn others. Interestingly, Piper and O’Brien are also at Mack’s bedside. It’s interesting that we are getting these two new characters this late in the season, which makes me wonder what role they will play. Will they be the first victims of Hive’s plan?
Simmons goes to Lincoln and breaks the news that he’s a prisoner until he’s fully recovered. Lincoln is beside himself and doesn’t know what to do. She breaks the news that the anti-toxin didn’t work. Mitchell is terrific in this scene.
Hive is not happy with Daisy – she failed them. He is left with questions regarding her apparently still strong ties with S.H.I.E.L.D. He’s not sure that he can trust her. But Daisy says she’s through with S.H.I.E.L.D. and she has answers. She tells him she has the DNA he needs – because Coulson used Kree blood to bring him back – and that means that Coulson has it too! Daisy offers herself to be drained – and there’s a nice shot of her almost like a Christ on the cross – she’s willing to sacrifice herself for her new family.
Will the team have to sacrifice Daisy in order to take down Hive? And how are they ever going to top Hive as a big bad?! The scenes for next week promise to kill off a member of the team in the season finale – who will it be? I loved the scene between Bennet and Simmons - both actors just nailed it, hitting each emotional point perfectly. As always, the stunts and effects were terrific. I’m really liking John Hannah as Radcliffe, and I’m hoping we’ll get to see him continue – possible even as an inhuman himself! What did you think of the episode? Let me know in the comments below!
About the Author - Lisa Macklem
I do interviews and write articles for the site in addition to reviewing a number of shows, including Supernatural, Arrow, Agents of Shield, Agent Carter, The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, The X-Files, Defiance, Bitten, Killjoys, and a few others! I'm active on the Con scene when I have the time. When I'm not writing about television shows, I'm often writing about entertainment and media law in my capacity as a legal scholar. I also work in theatre when the opportunity arises. I'm an avid runner and rider, currently training in dressage.
