Agents of SHIELD Season 5 Episode 14 Review: The Devil Complex

| March 26, 2018 |

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This Agents of SHIELD review contains spoilers

Agents of SHIELD Flavor 5 Episode xiv

Well, you merely knew that the honeymoon between Fitz and Simmons wouldn't last forever, correct? Only who knew it wouldn't fifty-fifty begin?

This week injure, you guys. I think nosotros tin all concord on that. With the warm and fuzzies notwithstanding lingering from Simmons and Fitz's wedding a few weeks back, the reveals this week just hurt. And boy oh boy, did this week's episode masterly play with viewer expectation and land with a stone solid gut punch.

Last week, the agents secured the Gravitonium they needed to close the breach. This week, we kick things of with Fitz unable to mold the Gravitonium in order to use information technology to shut the gate to the fear dimension. Sounds like a typical SHIELD episode; Fitz and Simmons getting scientific discipline-y with the extra layer of their grandson, the time lost Deke, hanging around and observing nana and papa.

Of grade, there is the always-present possibility of some anomaly leaking in from the fear dimension, like a ghostly astronaut that appears this week. A viewer is ready for something from the past to popular through that portal and bring the drama and fear.

Which is why when Doctor Fitz from the Framework manifests into reality it's frightening only not all that surprising. Of course, HYDRA Fitz would be regular Fitz's greatest fear. Simply things are not what they seem, not at all. Evil Fitz arrives, takes out Mack, and manipulates events so he tin can housebreak Daisy. If you lot'll call up, Evil Fitz was obsessed with Inhumans then it is actually no surprise that he wants to get at Quake.

But it'southward not Evil Fitz. It's not Framework Fitz. It's non a phantom manifestation of Fitz's worse nightmare. It's Fitz himself. In a masterful plot stroke, this week's episode plays off Fitz's old brain injury and his experiences within the Framework and reveals that Fitz, the real, recently married Leopold Fitz, takes on his dark side in lodge to dorsum Daisy'south powers.

He does this in order to allow Daisy to dispense the Gravitonium to shut the fright gate. Yeah, an altruistic end, only in gild to practice this. Fitz has to torture Daisy and risk her life in addition to reactivating the powers that are destined to destroy the world. Fitz needs a dark edge to do what he thought was necessary to close the gate, and he finds that dark edge in his Framework persona.

He tortures his friend. He shoots Mack. He risks the end of humanity. He allows his Framework self to have control of his morality. Fitz is non possessed or facing an evil doppelganger, he is now his own fear. Damn, that'south some strong writing.

All this brings upwardly the question of how volition this team survive? If Fitz is capable of this kind of cold manipulation, how tin can his new wedlock survive? I judge that's why Deke is around, to remind the states all that no matter how far Fitz bends, his bond with Simmons is forever secure. Deke is a walking, talking promise or perseverance and a better tomorrow. Yeah, he's used every bit comic relief, but suddenly, thanks to this week'southward dark plow, Deke is and then much more than just LOLs.

There's still more going on other than the shocking Fitz twist equally SHIELD manages to abduct General Hale this calendar week. Piper helps Coulson track Hale's cellphone, simply information technology turns out SHIELD is played. Hale wants to be captured and confront Coulson and along for the ride is Crusher Creel and the returning Anton the Android.

I dearest me some Arresting Human being so Creel is always welcome but it is as well cool to see the chess match between Coulson and Hale every bit that story unfolds. Yeah, it's all kind of drowned out by the Fitz shocker, merely the Coulson and Hale confrontation sets up some huge doings for the weeks to come.

Every bit does the return of Daisy's Quake powers. Daisy was happy with her lack of power. Afterwards all, no powers, no Earth breaking like an egg. The return of these powers confronting Daisy's will and the pain she has to endure to become them back is the ultimate expose by Fitz. The brilliance of the twist is that you lot can't fifty-fifty argue with Fitz'south reasoning. He needs to close that gate and then he does, simply man, did he accept to do some sick shit to get the chore done. I can't see how Daisy will ever forgive him. By closing the gate via Daisy, has Fitz doomed the earth? This all some multi-layered, head spinny stuff correct here.

We also got to check in on Yo Yo as her new arms are being built. She is without fearfulness considering she knows she has to survive into the horrible future, which adds some other layer of pathos to everything. Simply on a lighter note, I am and then set up to see Yo Yo kick ass with some robot artillery.

And she will need to kick ass because the episode's stinger reveals that Hale is a role of HYDRA. But a HYDRA we oasis't seen notwithstanding, a very conflicting HYDRA whose plan has not been revealed. That'southward for adjacent week and the weeks to come; every bit for this week, allow us recognize a performance of a lifetime by Iain De Caestecker who plays a dual Fitz and breaks our hearts.

Damn man, I'm withal shaking over this one, I recollect I accept to call it: five stars.