Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. “Collision Course Part II” was written by Iden Baghdadchi and was directed by Sarah Boyd, whose other credits include
Jessica Jones,
9-1-1,
Fear the Walking Dead, and
Bates Motel. Clearly, the special effects were no problem for her! I thought that Henry Simmons delivered a particularly good performance in this episode. Lots of great moments and reunions in this episode too. Let’s dive in!
The episode picks up right where we left off with the truck hurtling toward the tower and the space ship about to land, and Mack (Henry Simmons) trying to make an impossible decision. YoYo (Natalia Cordova-Buckley) is going to take the Quinjet to remove the team from the truck. Mack is confused that Sarge (Clark Gregg) would make a sacrifice move like this – and of course, Sarge is already onboard. He frees Pax (Matt O’Leary) and Jaco (Winston James Francis). Pax and Jaco try to warn Sarge that YoYo is a threat. Jaco also isn’t happy to learn that Sarge left Snowflake (Brooke Williams) behind. Lastly, there’s a fun bit of foreshadowing as Pax talks about being scarred for life by the memory of someone running into the forcefield device they are about to deploy…
On the spaceship, Fitz (Iain De Caestecker) is ready to give up on the communications array. Simmons (Elizabeth Henstridge) tries to give Fitz a pep talk but is distracted by the crew’s odd behavior. Simmons suggests that they’ve been infected by some “small alien pathogen or parasite” – oh, you have no idea! Fitz suggests it’s a puff party, but Simmons discounts it because they “lack joy”! It quickly becomes apparent that Izel (Karolina Wydra) is the cause.
Simmons tries to question her about the crew in a non-threatening way, and Izel readily admits that they’d all agreed that the crew were all mindless fools – and she gave them a higher purpose. Izel realizes that they are worried that they’ll end up like the crew, but she – like the chronicoms – highly values Fitz and Simmons intelligence – so rare in this galaxy! She wants their terran expertise and is excited to show them what they’ve built…
Snow reveals that the bomb is actually an atom-bomb. It’s Daisy’s (Chloe Bennet) turn to give the pep talk to Deke (Jeff Ward) when he starts to freak out about defusing the bomb. In the end, he can’t do it, and Snow finally loses her zen – she’s not fine about dying.
Sarge, Jaco, and Pax surprise Mack, shoot Agent Diaz (Geri-Nikole Love) and take the bridge. YoYo meanwhile discovers Pax and Jaco gone and their guard dead. Sarge tells Mack that if he and his agents don’t comply with his orders, he’ll kill Diaz.
Daisy grabs the bomb, and the truck smashes into the tower, releasing what look like a million shrike. Daisy saves them by creating a cushion for the bomb with her power. Deke and Snow immediately start celebrating – EW! – and May (Ming-Na Wen) reminds them that they aren’t out of the woods yet.
Sarge – as May predicted – freaks out when the bomb doesn’t go off. Meanwhile, Izel is alerted that they’re in danger when the tower is destroyed. She tells Fitz and Simmons that they’re in danger now too. Izel accuses them of being involved, but they assure her that their friends on earth will know something and can help. She gives them a few more minutes to make contact. Izel worries that either earth is more hostile than she thought or HE is already here. I think she’s right on both counts!
Sarge tells Davis (Maximilian Osinski) to ‘follow that spaceship’ – hilarious. Meanwhile, YoYo takes Pax captive. Mack suggests that as much as he wants to go after the spaceship too, maybe they should get their people from the ground first. He reminds Sarge – and Jaco – that Snow is still down there too. It’s hilarious when Sarge tells Mack that Mack doesn’t understand how the hostage-thing works! LOL! Jaco, however, is keen to get Snow. Sarge says that they always say no one slows them down – and Jaco points out that only Sarge says that and Snow isn’t “no one” – they’ve known her for years.
The argument is interrupted by YoYo showing up with Pax tied up and gagged. She leaves him just outside the forcefield. Sarge tells Jaco not to take the bait – and YoYo pushes Pax’s face – now actually scarred – into the forcefield. Jaco does take the bait, shutting off the forcefield – and we “see” that something happens around Mack’s handcuffs – but he stays “tied” for now. Meanwhile, Sarge simply kills Pax before Jaco can pull him in anyway, and then he puts the forcefield up with Jaco on the other side and tells Jaco to go handle YoYo. There’s a quick shot of Mack with the key to his cuffs in his hand...
Back on the truck, Daisy isn’t sure who has worse taste – Deke or Snow. May points out that Snow is a serial killer! LOL! May opens the door and everything seems quiet – until the Shrike notice them… and attack the truck. The Shrike-repeller is dead again.
Fitz finally fixes the communications, and Simmons transmits the 226 distress signal. She gets through to Davis who is happy to hear her voice, but responds with his call sign that is also 226! I thought this scene was hilarious as both sides are hoping the other can help rescue them! Davis asks if Simmons is on the spaceship and she confirms that she is – and that their landing site was compromised. Sarge knows immediately that Izel is on board.
Sarge tells Izel that he destroyed her tower and her Shrike and he’s coming for her. Simmons thinks it’s Coulson – of course. Izel remarks that he’s finally remembered her name and tells him to come for her and she’ll help him remember his name. Sarge tells her that he prefers actions to words – or names. The two continue to exchange threats and insults. Izel reminds Sarge of something else he always says – “People dream of doing something heroic, but in the end, they save their own skin.” She asks him whose skin he’s saving now – this is also a nice bit of foreshadowing as Jaco will sacrifice himself by the end of the episode.
The two continue to threaten each other, but they say two interesting things. Izel says he can try to kill her or come to his senses, which implies to me that at some point they weren’t enemies – maybe even allies? More interestingly, Sarge tells Izel that he’s going to kill her because she robbed him of his family, the woman he loved, his home, and the last thing he had left – his memories of them. She tells him that she didn’t rob him of them, he never had any memories to begin with. Are we going to learn that the family he lost was S.H.I.E.L.D., the woman he loved was May, the home he lost was Earth???? And are we going to learn that he never had any memories because those were Coulson’s memories and he’s just a clone???? That’s my theory….
Izel immediately slams Fitz up against the wall – she’s clearly very strong! She’s certain that they are conspiring with Sarge because they clearly recognized his voice. Fitz explains that they knew someone who sounded just like him but he’s dead. Simmons insists that there must be some explanation, and she says there is – they lied. She’s about to have them Shriked – and I adored that they disarmed the two guards – they couldn’t have done that six seasons ago! Izel falls back on Sarge’s mantra – they’re saving their own skin. Fitz and Simmons run – and Fitz has an idea that he knows Simmons won’t love.
The Shrike attack the truck – and I LOVED the shot of Deke screaming and May stopping the Shrike with a knife mere inches from his mouth! They try reinforcing the windows, but the Shrike keep coming.
YoYo catches up with Jaco, and he stops the fighting to talk. He tells her that they’re trying to save her planet. She asks him if he’s ok with the killing. She’s seen the softer side to him and knows he isn’t. Francis was really growing on me and delivers a terrific performance here. He’s clearly torn between his loyalty to Sarge and his own feelings. He tries to excuse Sarge’s actions by telling YoYo that Sarge has been at this a long time – he wasn’t always a killer. YoYo asks Jaco if this is what his family would have wanted. He insists that they’d want him to stop the monster who took them away from them. YoYo says that would be a nice trick.
Meanwhile, Sarge is losing it on the bridge. Mack goads Sarge, telling him that Izel won their war of words and it’s been a rough day for Sarge’s master plan! Sarge threatens to kill Diaz, and Mack keeps talking! He tells Sarge that he feels like he’s getting his plane back by the end of the day… Mack then breaks out of his cuffs and the two fight – it’s a great fight – but how did Sarge get so strong??? Gregg must have had a blast holding his own against Simmons! When Davis tries to help, Mack tells him to fly the plane. Mack tries to get Sarge to stand down, but he won’t. Sarge thinks the tables have turned when Jaco shows up, but YoYo has won him over. Mack knocks Sarge out as he says “Toldja” – which is a nice call back to that episode and Sarge’s toldja.
Sarge wakes up in the containment pod. He watches as Mack, YoYo, and Davis prepare to take the Quinjet and board the spaceship. Why won’t Mack use the blades? He tells YoYo to just shoot the bird-zombies and keep shooting? Sarge warns them that they won’t get off the ship alive, and Mack tells him that they don’t leave people behind. Sarge begs them to take him with them – but they’re bringing Jaco with them to help fill in the blanks of what they don’t know.
On the truck, we get another scene that I just loved. Here’s another culmination of the six seasons that we’ve grown to love these characters. Daisy tells the others to fall back while she opens the door. May explains that she’s creating a choke point – she can get all the Shrike concentrated in this one area – and then she shakes them all into dust! It’s a beautiful display of how far Daisy has come and how much control she now has over her gift. Even better is when Snow asks “are all the females on your planet this powerful?” and May answers “They are”!!! Yes we are!
We get a super short, super sweet scene as Fitz and Simmons are hiding in a very tight space on the ship, and Fitz tells Simmons, “you smell nice.” Love these two!
Davis, Mack, YoYo, and Jaco enter the ship and almost immediately hear Izel signing. Jaco says it’s her, and Mack reminds him that S.H.I.E.L.D. is a capture not kill outfit. The minute they see one of the crew members, Jaco kills him and Mack says, “what did I just say?” but quickly changes his tune when the bird-zombie immediately pops up. I love how Simmons is terrific with the comedy too as he tells Jaco, “good call” and pats him on the arm! Davis and Jaco hold off the bird-zombies while Mack and YoYo go for Fitz and Simmons.
Mack’s joy at seeing Turbo is definitely one of the highlights of the episode.
Davis and Jaco come upon Izel, and Davis reminds Jaco they’re not supposed to pursue her. Jaco tells him they can end this – and Davis is onboard. The two separate and by the time Jaco gets up to where she was, Davis has come up the back way and Izel is gone. Davis is out of our – and Jaco’s – sight – and I’m willing to bet that Izel has somehow taken over his body because he starts acting strangely after that. Jaco and Davis meet back up with Mack and the others and wants to go after Izel. Mack insists that they got what they came for, and YoYo tells Jaco to live to fight another day.
When they are outmanned and outgunned and cut off from the Quinjet – which ends up destroyed! – Jaco has another way out. He’s still got the acme hole in his jacket! I loved Simmons immediately saying that she liked him because of it! And Jaco’s “It’s because I’m likeable.
And then we get a big reunion as they all end up on the truck! Daisy is thrilled to see Simmons and Fitz – and Deke is ecstatic to be reunited with his BoBo! Which completely confuses Fitz – because, of course, this Fitz has never met Deke! De Caestecker is terrific here.
While the others are busy saying hello to each other, Jaco grabs the atomic bomb and draws himself another hole. He tells them to tell Sarge that he completed the mission. YoYo tries to stop him, telling him that he doesn’t have to do it for Sarge, but Sarge insists that he’s doing it for himself. Even Snow tries to stop him, but he comforts her by telling her not to worry – he’ll be a butterfly. I’ll miss the dragon man….
The end of the episode is mostly taken up with a celebration in the Lighthouse. Daisy and Mack catch up. She remarks on the number of new faces, and Mack wants to know when he gets to hear stories of deep space. Daisy once more tells Mack not to be stupid about YoYo – who he’s been staring at for 20 minutes!
YoYo and May catch up. May is upset with herself for not killing Sarge immediately. Another little bit of foreshadowing. May wants to know how YoYo got Jaco on their side, and she says she didn’t, she just reminded him of what he was fighting for. The two toast Jaco for seeing Sarge for what he was.
Sadly, Piper (Briana Venskus) show up and is giving Davis a hard time. He’s distracted and not really himself – but of course, she’s too self-absorbed to notice. He suddenly falls asleep in the middle of their conversation. I’d fake it if I had to listen to her too….
Fitz is trying to play darts and Deke is all over him like a bad rash! Deke once again brings up that Fitz being there proves that his multi-verse theory works. He then tells Fitz about his company, and tells Fitz and Simmons that he wants to learn all about Scotland – his heritage! And that he can buy them a castle to stay in… Fitz looks a bit shell shocked by the time Deke runs off to try to find Snow who he wants them to meet…
Snow is waiting for Sarge, who tells her that it wasn’t personal. Snow is furious, however, and tries to attack him. Deke pulls her away – and then Daisy pulls him away, asking why Snow – a murderer – isn’t in lock up. Deke accuses Daisy of being jealous – and regretting not having gotten together with him! Daisy has no idea (really???) what he’s talking about and Deke has to try to dissuade the guards from taking Snow.
Mack then declares that it’s time for a toast. He declares that without every single one of them there is no S.H.I.E.L.D. And then we have a series of shots of the various team members. Daisy is finally unpacking – and we see a letter addressed to her – from Coulson? Fitz and Simmons cuddle and catch up on the couch. Davis is still unconscious. Deke tries to make Snow’s cell more homey with a gigantic tv. May looks at Coulson’s shield.
YoYo is also unpacking when she’s interrupted by Mack. Once again, Henry Simmons is terrific in this scene as we see yet another side to Mack – the embarrassed, self-conscious schoolboy! He tells YoYo that there are things that he’s wanted to say for a while. YoYo doesn’t want to rehash the same old territory, but Mack has something new to say. He tells her that he screwed up. They’ve both been through hell and back, and he figured if he could get her off his mind, he’d be a better Director – more clear-headed. But he thinks about her all the time. Today, though, when they were going in to battle, he didn’t worry about her because he knew she’d be alright.
He tells her that he’s not asking for forgiveness now – just the chance to earn it sometime. But YoYo closes the door before he can leave and tells him that they can take it slow – and the two kiss! I’m super happy to see these two back together. And while I also love Fitz and Simmons together – who doesn’t?!?!!? Please do NOT ever put Deke and Daisy together – I just love her not taking him seriously.
The end scene takes us to Sarge’s cell. May bursts in and he taunts her – you’re not much of a talker, so get to it. And then she pulls out a gun and shoots Sarge – does she actually kill him? And is it even May or is it Izel in May’s body or imitating her?
This was another great episode with a lot of terrific scenes. It’s great to have the team back together again. As always, I love that the women are always front and center in the action – even our big bads this season appear to be both female and male – who will prove to be evil? Sarge or Izel – or neither? It was sad to lose Jaco in this episode too. What did you think of the episode? Let me know your thoughts and theories in the comments below!
