Agents of SHIELD aired their season finale with much fan anticipation of discovering who or what exactly was the mysterious Inhuman creature on the other side of the portal. With a strict time limit on exploration Fitz along with a handful of Hydra goons and Ward seem destined to answer this question for fans. The episode also had many other story lines intertwined through the out the main story. Coulson following after Fitz, the sudden assembly of the secret warriors to rescue the former and even Lash running free again just to really make things jumbled. While the story rich episode gave fans plenty to contemplate for the final hour of SHIELD in 2015, it also felt like it made each of the smaller story lines seem as if they didn't quite get the time needed to really have the impact they should have.
The biggest story of course was what was happening off world on the discovered planet. Fitz was off to selflessly rescue the love of his life's stranded lover and bring happiness to Simmons at the cost of his own feelings. We got to see Fitz in a role of determination and self assurance that is normally not in his wheelhouse. The mostly timid tech geek even tried to distract Ward long enough to steal his pistol at the beginning of the show. In a way it confirmed that Fitz's love for Simmons is his driving force and what has drove him over the last couple of seasons.
Coulson gets knocked out in the last episode and not to do without cliche cinema scenes we get a dream of his lost lover in bed with him one more time telling him he has to wake up. When Coulson finally does come around the fans are treated with a nice little Star Wars Easter egg before Coulson sets off after Ward and a whole lot of doing nothing until later in the episode.
Back on Earth things really start to feel rushed, we get the first kinda version of the Secret Warriors sent on a mission with May while Mack takes Hunter and Bobbi into the Hydra Castle. While this all seems like the makeup for an awesome finale fitting all of this action into an hour long episode about something happening on another planet doesnt leave much room for really cool fight scenes. Instead of Lincoln getting to go fully powered and an awesome light show to knock on the generators it all happens off camera, along with almost all the other action.
Even with all the crammed in stories, the main story was fascinating. As someone who has spent a lot of time reading Marvel I can honestly say I have no idea what planet or what Inhuman is being chased down on the show. That level of mystery is nice for fans who normally can see the next curve ball coming based on knowledge of the comics.
During the fight for the portal site, Simmons unleashes Lash on hydra in order to save herself. This was another rushed scene between Simmons and Dr. Garner prior to his release where she basically chose to unleash a murderous killer in roughly five seconds. Instead of seeing Lash go on a rampage Marvel took the cheap way out and let his fury go on off camera when he killed all of the captured ATCU Inhumans.
We was also robbed of a chance for a really cool Mockingbird scene when Bobbi enters a room full of Hydra guards and takes them all out single handed. After this and Simmons rescue by May's team they all converge on the portly room with the full night of Hydra trying to break in the doors. Mack finally fits the part of Director when he orders the retreat of everyone but himself in order to ensure the security of his team. He even orders May to aim and be ready to destroy the castle with the weapons on the plane if he gets over run by Hydra, but when Daisy stays with him it takes away from the suspense of him possibly going down with the castle.
After finding Will, He and Fitz escape from Ward and finally make their way to the portal on their own and everything seems to be going well. At the same time Coulson captures Ward and spares his life so he can lead him to Fitz and everyone can go home happy and together. The finally twist of the show was one that not many saw coming, Will died saving Simmons when she went through the portal home. Once Fitz realizes will his being possessed by the evil Inhuman it attacks Fitz and is getting ready to kill him until Coulson catches up to them and shoots Wills body in the head.
With Coulson distracted Ward attacks him from behind and they both go sliding down the slope they was standing on above Fitz. During their struggle Fitz has to shoot the Inhuman controlled body several more times before it finally appears he has killed the thing. With the portal closing and Fitz urging him to leave Coulson finally kills Ward. In a very dramatic and personal way, Coulson uses his robotic hand to crush Ward's chest. The finally scenes show Mack ordering May to fire on the castle while he rises out of the smoke in the containment pod to the safety of the ship.
The team all embrace one another and Simmons is clearly torn with grief for will and happiness that Fitz is alive. Lincoln and Daisy embrace in a kiss securing them as the new flame on the show. Coulson and Fitz share a hard look over surviving the planet together and the killing of Ward. Everything seems like a happy ending until the last few seconds when a now taken over body of Ward stumbles onto a road in front of Malick informing the viewers that the Inhuman made it through the portal and into the world to wreck havoc over the remainder of season 3.
Rating: 7/10
