So we have reached the end of Marvel’s Agents of Shield. Let’s just jump to my summarization and work back from there. I have made no secret of my admiration for this show. Has every one been masterpieces? No, but that is true of even the most iconic of programs. It is also true that even the best shows have stumbled at the finish line, marring people’s perception of the show as a whole (think Game of Thrones). Would this become Agents of Shield’s fate?
The answer to that question is no. The writers came up with an ending that was satisfying and an exciting conclusion to its seven seasons. As for the possible trip at the finish line, this time it didn’t happen. In truth, it was one of the most satisfying conclusions of a show that I loved since M*A*S*H*. So how did those magicians of writing bring the show to a close? Let’s take a look.
The End is at Hand
The finale picks up where Episode 11 left off with Mack, Daisy and Daniel Sousa approaching the Chronicom flagship to rescue Jemma…and Deke. Meanwhile, Coulson, May and Yo-Yo must overcome their shock over the destruction of S.H.I.E.L.D. and defend the Lighthouse, which was the only base left standing.
Malick tries to remedy that situation by sending in Garrett to plant explosives and bring the base down. When he is discovered, Coulson uses some old data Mack discovered from when Fitz figured out how to stop the “original”Gordon from teleporting. They use it to trap John Garrett and tell him to call Malick and abort their plan, or at least delay it. Garrett soon realizes that Nathaniel Malick has no intention of rescuing him, (seems familiar, doesn’t it John). YoYo saves the Lighthouse by centralizing the bombs just in time. They do damage but the Lighthouse still stands. Because of Malick’s betrayal, Garrett agrees to help the agents escape the destruction of the Lighthouse and join them in their fight against the Chronicoms.
And while his intentions seem good, their new alliance doesn’t last long. After the explosion, Coulson had picked up a signal. It appeared to be an automated S.H.I.E.L.D. transmission, directing Agents to the old Safe-house. Garrett teleports the agents to this location where he is promptly killed by one of the assembled agents. (Good rule of thumb…don’t reach for something when guns are pointed at you). Coulson identifies himself and it is revealed that they are all S.H.I.E.L.D. agents responding to that signal. One of whom looks a lot like Victoria Hand. She is feeling guilty about Garrett’s death. YoYo assures her that Garrett was a double agent. He got what he deserved. Ouch!
Jemma’s Memory Issues
Meanwhile, back on the Chronicom ship, Simmons still doesn’t remember Fitz. Sybil allows Daisy to find her. She calculates that Jemma will remember the information she wants about Fitz with Daisy’s help. For a moment it looks like it’s working and Simmons is recalling some of her lost memories. Unfortunately for the Chronicoms, Malick didn’t heed Sybil’s instructions and sends Daisy’s sister Kora to intercept Daisy. Daisy sends the now free Jemma and Deke on to the Zephyr as she confronts Kora, explaining how much Jiaying loved her. An angry Sybil sends in Malick to find Kora alone. She had let Daisy go. She didn’t believe what Malick had told her about Daisy’s evil. Malick is angry and stuns Kora and eventually hooks her up to his power transfer device as punishment (and to prepare for his impending battle with Quake).
Back at the SHIELD hideout, the assembled agents have all brought with them a specific set of items. These were 0-8-4’s that were being held until they received the signal. When Simmons arrives, she realizes that she can use the pieces to build a device, completed by her wedding ring. (Although she has no idea what it will do). The device opens a portal to the original timeline and out steps Fitz, finally making an appearance after spending the whole season on a milk carton.
What We Are Fighting For
In the second half of the finale, Fitz explains what he and Jemma had been doing before the end of the 6th Season. He explains the quantum realm and the physics of time travel. This explanation ties in with Avengers: Endgame and their time traveling escapades. At first, Fitz suggests the team just ditch this timeline to go back and save the original one. Of course, that doesn’t sit well with Coulson.
They cannot leave this timeline to deal with the Chronicoms. He reminds Fitz that this isn’t some virtual reality they can just turn off. These people have suffered enough. After discussing the possibilities with Deke, Fitz reveals that he can take them all back (Chronicoms included) to the original timeline but someone has to stay behind. Initially, Sousa volunteers but Deke offers himself up instead. It would require the knowledge to do what must be done. Daniel is still impressed with a lightbulb. Ouch again. Besides, he’s basically a Rock God in the ’80s.
Deke Shaw: Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.
They make preparations, installing the device Jemma built into the Zephyr while Deke uses the S.H.I.E.L.D. team at the Safe-house to be ready on their end. A final farewell and both devices are triggered and the Zephyr jumps back, taking the Chronicoms with them. In the meantime, the remaining S.H.I.E.L.D. agents ask Deke if he is now in charge there. He hesitates for a beat before saying, “Yes…I am.” Deke Shaw, Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Returning to the 6th dimension (Season)
Now that they are back to their original timeline, Fitz lays out a plan to defeat the Chronicoms. This will require going back in time to the end of the 6th season (go with me here). It is revealed that the hazmat suit-wearing agents who extracted the team from the temple at the end of that season were actually our beloved heroes in disguise. The missiles shown hitting the temple at the end of that season were actually the returning Chronicoms firing at the past Zephyr while the “current” Zephyr sneaks aboard the flagship along with Mack, Coulson, and May (Someone break out the Tylenol). YoYo, Sousa, Fitz and Jemma are back at the Lighthouse, awaiting the Chronicom assault.
The Calvary!
This sets up a pair of final battles on the Chronicom ship. One in which we get an epic battle between Daisy and the Kora enhanced Malick, while Coulson faces off against Sybil. In that battle of the Robot wits, he allows Sybil to think she’s won and gets her to send all her hunters to the Lighthouse. Once she has entered her authorization, May drops in and taking Sybil out. The Calvary has arrived! She and Coulson clean up the rest of the Chronicoms in the control center.
While that’s happening, Mack saves Kora and with all the hunters in the Lighthouse, Kora uses her powers to boost the signal to hunters. May uses her new empathy powers to reassign them until they achieve the same level of empathy as Enoch. They drop their weapons and YoYo asks them if they’re friends or enemies. The hunters reply, “Friends, as we have always been.”
Malick vs. Daisy
Daisy’s epic battle with Malick is the last fight in this Chronicom War. It goes back and forth until Daisy allows him to hold her against one of the radioactive dome structures. She knows that if it’s containment is ruptured, the ensuing blast will destroy the Chronicom vessels. With the knowledge that her friends had escaped, she uses her powers to rip apart the dome. This destroys their ships, killing Malick and exposing herself to the cold vacuum of space. Sacrifices had to be made, said Fitz. But not today. Not in this finale. Daisy gets picked up by the Zephyr and Kora uses her powers to heal her sister.
During this time, Jemma remembered what they were fighting for. And we find out why Simmons had a memory implant blocking her recollections of Fitz: before she came to save the agents. It turns out that her and Fitz years spent together had been fruitful. They had an adorable baby daughter who was hidden in the pod that Fitz had traveled in. All were safe.
Where are they now?
The scene shifts to a year later, and the agents all gather (virtually) for a final goodbye (along with the appropriate Social Distancing). Daisy and Sousa are SHIELD commanders, operating in space with Kora in the new Zephyr 3. Mack is still Director and he commands from a rebuilt Helicarrier. Yo-Yo works for Mack and leads a strike team with Piper and a Davis LMD. (Jemma had left Piper to guard the pod that their daughter was in. She told her she would give Piper anything she asked if she kept it safe. Bringing back Davis, who died at the hands of Izel was her payment). May meanwhile, is a lecturer at the new SHIELD academy, renamed the Coulson Academy. Fitz and Jemma are now retired and raising their daughter (although Jemma is still doing research for Daisy). They finally got the happy ending we always wanted for them. And Coulson decides to live out his new life as an LMD, riding off into the sunset in a new and improved Lola (courtesy of Mack). Great ending.
Final Thoughts
I loved this final. It brought to a nice end for the characters who I have grown quite attached to during their Seven Season run. The main thing was that it gave FitzSimmons the ending they deserved. Anything else would have been a failure as far as I’m concerned. So that was a must. As my son would say: CHECK✔️
I’m sure that fans of Philinda are somewhat disappointed that somehow Coulson and May didn’t end up back together. I feel their pain. But without some major time manipulation, that “ship“ sailed at the end of Season 5. And while they brought the Coulson character back in the form of an LMD, it for all extent and purposes, ended their intimate relationship. But their friendship remains. May seems happy in her job, exhaustion not withstanding. She is content in her new life. And it appears that Coulson has accepted his circumstances as well. He has many options open to him. The future is wide open.
For a show that struggled to build an audience, the week leading up to the final saw how many people actually were invested in this show. It was good to see. It was even better that so many of the cast and crew went out of the way to engage with the fans during the week. For Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. fans, it was like a High School Reunion with great memories and stories to tell. Now that it’s over, what will we do to pass the time. That’s the good thing about television in the Streaming era…There’s always something new. But for now, Great Job Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and thanks for Seven memorable Seasons.🖖🏻
Your Thoughts
Did you watch this last season of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.? If not, now is a great time to catch up at your leisure. “Time” constraints have been removed. But do check it out. If you did see it, what was your impressions of the final, the 7th Season, and the series as a whole? Share your thoughts with us at GeekVibesNation.
Senior Writer at GeekVibesNation – I am a 50 something child of the 70’s who admits to being a Star Trek/Star Wars/Comic Book junkie who once dove head first over a cliff (Ok, it was a small hill) to try to rescue his Fantastic Four comic from a watery grave. I am married to a lovely woman who is as crazy as I am and the proud parent of a 18 year old boy with autism. My wife and son are my real heroes.
