The end of season five is getting closer, and the fate of the world is still uncertain. This week, Daisy may be doomed to be the Destroyer of Worlds if a Kree alien has his way. Talbot comes home to his family a super-hero, but the gravitonium has driven him insane.
There is a solution, but it involves making the most difficult choice of all
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This is one of those episodes that seems to be scattered, but winds up with a perfect landing in the form of the ultimate choice: save Coulson or defeat an insane Super-Talbot (Adrian Pasdar) to keep him from cracking the world.
Much of the episode centers on Talbot really enjoying his gravitonium-boosted powers. It makes him the Avengers all rolled into one. It’s just too bad it makes him paranoid and gives him more delusions of grandeur than anyone. He can fly, control objects, and bend his landscape to his will.
It also makes him do scary things like slam his wife Carla (Raquel Gardner) against a wall and keep her there, while his son George looks on with horror. He also offers a solution to the voices Carl Creel (Brian Patrick Wade) hears in his head after he got a dose of the mineral. Unfortunately, it means merging Creel to Talbot. It’s a sad end to a guy who was a HYDRA tool because of his absorbing skills.
Talbot says he’s doing it to “fix things”, to be the hero he always wanted to be. He could be a cousin to Thanos and his belief that erasing half of Creation will “fix things”. Still, his growing need for gravitonium is driving him insane, and he’s also linking himself with the Remorah. He’s even asking Robin the Seer (Lexy Kolker) how he’s cracking the world, because he needs more of the mineral.
While jailed by Qovas (Peter Mensah), Coulson and May discuss what is happening with Talbot, and he blames himself for not trying to save Talbot sooner. They do admit the general has changed a lot over the years, and that they should try to help him.
While this is happening, Treyan the Kree (Craig Parker) thinks he’s got a prize in Daisy. Thanks to a device on her head, he enters her dreams, and tells her about how she’ll be his weapon/property when he figures out how to use her powers to their full potential. He also thinks he’s doing her a favor, keeping her away from humans who hate and fear her. She retorts by telling him he’ll have two sons who will die in a disgraceful manner, and that she can escape because she’s the Destroyer of Worlds…starting with Treyan’s dream world. She cracks the device and flattens guards everywhere. It may have been a bit too easy for her to escape, but this is the penultimate episode. This could have worked better if this happened two weeks ago.
Back to Coulson and May, they do escape actually thanks to Deke (Jeff Ward) and brute force. He’s starting to grow on everyone as a capable crew member, especially when they try to keep some missiles aimed at the Lighthouse from firing.
May has a plan, but Coulson and Daisy must go. He refuses, but protects her from bullets with a SHIELD ray from his hand. At that point, he kisses her in a much better romantic moment than May telling him she loves him in a very stern tone a few weeks ago. Daisy is amused, at least, while fans are overjoyed. Now if there’s a reason to keep him alive and kicking, that’s it.
May has a very competitive fight with Qovas while Deke figures out how to redirect the missiles. They wind up aiming the missiles at Qovas’ ship, while they leave thanks to the transporter. It’s quite a nifty move.
The issue of Coulson’s health, and whether his death breaks the time loop, is discussed again. However, Fitz decides if they just “not fail” to save him, that might work. Jemma merges the Centipede Serum with Jiayang’s DNA, but it’ll take a while for the serum to revive Coulson’s deteriorating body.
As for Talbot, they discover if they combine the Odium with the serum, that will kill him. Considering how his need for gravitonium will crack the Earth, it may be necessary.
Only one problem: there’s only one dose of the serum.
The episode ends with a Hobson’s Choice: use the serum to save Coulson or kill Talbot.
Very tough choice, isn’t it?
After all, if there is a sixth season, who can replace Coulson?
Not even an LMD can do it.
However, didn’t Clone Elena tell Elena back in “Past Life” Coulson has to die to break the time loop?
What if that happens? Does everything reset, and everyone who died or went insane goback to normal at the diner where season four ended? That could make the decision easier, or backfire somehow.
Some of our readers also suspect the clone may be lying.
Anyway, the world can’t blow up while Thanos and his Black Order are causing havoc. The Infinity War is still happening while SHIELD ponders what to do.
So, next week, a decision must be made, and it may affect the future of the world and SHIELD…if they have one.
One more thing: a site called MCU Cosmic says a move is underway to get a sixth season approved, but with some interesting tweaks. It’ll take place during both runs of Captain Marvel and Avengers 4, meaning the show and movies will more or less share the same timeline, as SHIELD is doing now with Infinity War.
If that is the case, my prediction of how a new season could unfold could happen.
Of course, ABC could say no…and Disney will remind the network who is the boss again. Since this is not only an excellent way to wrap up Phase Three and SHIELD in general (unless it’s part of Phase Four, which would be a great idea), maybe ABC should take it. We’ll find out soon.
