MARVEL'S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. - "Maveth" - S.H.I.E.L.D. and Hydra go head-to-head in a battle that will change Coulson's world forever. While Daisy and her team of Inhumans fight to keep Hydra at bay, Coulson and Fitz take the ultimate risk, in the epic winter finale of "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.," TUESDAY, DECEMBER 8 (9:00-10:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network. (ABC/Nicole Wilder) Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 3 Episode 10 Review: Maveth | Tell-Tale TV

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Review: Maveth (Season 3 Episode 10)

Samantha Coley Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Reviews

For a mid-season finale, “Maveth” is actually rather underwhelming. The cast and crew hyped up the episode as a game changer full of plot twists and action points, instead most of the big moments are both predictable and unrealistic.

Ward finally meets his end (sort of) in the absolutely least satisfying manner possible: at the hand of Coulson, as the resolution of last week’s man pain-fueled revenge plot. Of all the people who have a reason to want Ward dead, Coulson’s is rather low on the list. Coulson killing Ward also solidifies the pointlessness of Rosalind’s story line. By having Coulson kill him to avenge his dead girlfriend, it minimizes any story she had into nothing more than a plot device to give Coulson a motive for murder. If the Agents of SHIELD writers needed a motive for murder all they would’ve had to do was look back at the things Ward did to the rest of the team: sexually and emotionally manipulating Daisy and May, leaving Fitz and Simmons for dead, torturing Bobbi, the list goes on.

Unfortunately, Agents of SHIELD reveals in it’s final moments that though Ward is dead, he isn’t gone. Maveth, the deathly creature that Hydra sought to bring back from the planet, managed to kill Will when the astronaut sacrificed himself so Jemma could get home. The worm-like monster spends most of the episode hiding in plain sight by inhabiting Will’s dead body. When Fitz learns the truth he shoots Will with a flare gun setting his body aflame and apparently rendering it useless to the creature.

We are then led to believe that somehow, Maveth slithers out of Will’s smoking corpse,  reanimates Ward, and then makes it back through the portal without being seen by Coulson and Fitz who left the planet just in the nick of time, nor by Daisy and Mack who were holding the portal open on the other side. We’re also supposed to believe that he also manages to get out of the castle before Melinda fired three missiles at it, destroying the structure and everything inside.

I know it’s a science-fiction, superhero show that deals with the unbelievable, but the closer you look at the background details and logistics of Agents of SHIELD the more it starts to fall apart. (Where are they getting all their money for the new tech? Can Maveth also become invisible? Why are tiny details like the 9 ancient cities on the mystery planet more interesting than zombie Ward?)

MARVEL'S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. - "Maveth" - S.H.I.E.L.D. and Hydra go head-to-head in a battle that will change Coulson's world forever. While Daisy and her team of Inhumans fight to keep Hydra at bay, Coulson and Fitz take the ultimate risk, in the epic winter finale of "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.," TUESDAY, DECEMBER 8 (9:00-10:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network. (ABC/Nicole Wilder) HENRY SIMMONS

The real heroes of this episode are the editing department and the actors of the main cast. Director Mack and Daisy bring Coulson and Fitz home in an emotional reunion made all the more satisfying by the beautifully timed music that sounds both heart breaking and triumphant at the same time. Among the team there are hugs and smiles all around as everyone is finally, if only for the moment, home safe. It’s especially satisfying to see May and Coulson hug after their time spent apart this season. Meanwhile Elizabeth Henstridge moves the audience to tears, yet again, with Jemma’s emotional reaction to Fitz’s return.

Other thoughts:

  • Andrew is set free by Jemma and though he saves her life, he apparently kills the other inhumans in containment before disappearing. I’m so annoyed with this plot line and the poor handling of his character that part of me hopes he just doesn’t come back. If he does return in 3B, I can only hope he’s afforded the same type of redemption arc afforded to characters like Daisy’s evil father.
  • Joey, the new Inhuman that can manipulate metal, is absolutely adorable. I hope we get to see more of him and Daisy when Season 3 returns.
  • Director Mack is awesome… so awesome that I actually want Coulson to let him keep the job.

Reviewer Rating:

User Rating:

Click to rate this episode!
[Total: 1 Average: 4]

What did you think of Agents of SHIELD’’s winter finale? What are your hopes for the next half of Season 3? Be sure to let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

Agents of SHIELD returns Tuesday, March 8th at 9/8c on ABC.

Samantha (she/her) is a social media specialist by day and a sci-fi junkie by night. As a freelance writer and podcaster, she also enjoys live-tweeting, blogging, good music, and better television. Her current favorite television shows include Star Trek (yes, all of them), Riverdale, and Stranger Things and there will always be a place in her heart for Battlestar Galactica, Leverage, and The West Wing.