Agents of SHIELD Review: The Man Behind the Shield (Season 4 Episode 14)

Agents of SHIELD  Season 4 Episode 14 continues its run of exciting stories as Coulson’s past and present come together in the mission to save Mace from The Superior.

However, one of the best twist endings in the show’s history makes us almost forget all of what happens before it.

Agents of SHIELD uses flashbacks with less regularity than other comic-book shows, but it always uses them to perfection. Through the flashbacks we see how Coulson first meets The Superior in one of Coulson and May’s earliest missions with SHIELD.

Seeing Phil and May flirting about undercover missions like teenagers is a welcoming sight once more, especially knowing that we getting to see the real Melinda May, and not some created LMD May.

Their mission at the Russian base is utterly unremarkable. The real focus of these flashbacks are the Coulson/May scenes and finding out The Superior was originally just a “red-shirt lackey,” in Phil’s words, during their first meeting on that mission.

It’s a nice touch showing that even little missions leave long-lasting effects and damage to everyone. A thing that needs to be seen more is what happens after the big fight ends to those we deem “unimportant.”

Going back to the present, the team arrives at the Superior’s base after following some clues conveniently left for them. It’s hard watching Mace getting beating after beating from The Superior and his men. Mace proving once again that inside he’s one tough SOB is very satisfying as he hangs in there waiting for the rescue that he and The Superior knows that’s coming.

The highlight on “The Man Behind the Shield, besides the ending, is that for all the boasting The Superior does, the team takes him down like a chump. One of the worst feelings in the world has to be when you spend so much time looking for someone and the person barely remembers you. Lots of feelings hit — including embarrassment.

The embarrassment continues for The Superior when his big moment ends up being a easy one on one victory for Quake.

Seriously, the red shirts on Star Trek are laughing at how easily and quickly Daisy takes down The Superior. It’s satisfying and disappointing all at the same time. It’s too bad this isn’t the end of him as AIDA picks him up after his glorious loss and proclaims that she’s not done with him yet: “Even filth has its purpose.”

Twisting and horrifying is the only words to describe what happens next. Simmons has lingering doubts about the mission. I had the same thought as Jemma that it was strange that the team catches back up to Jemma and Leo so easily.

Jemma realizes something isn’t right after Phil, Daisy and Mack came back with a wounded Mace so quickly.

This scene feels like something you would see in a horror movie as Simmons and Fitz slowly realize that things are amiss. Someone has been tampering with Simmons’s LMD detector.

A quick test of this leads Simmons to test it on the team which reveals that Mace, Phil, Daisy and Mack have all been replaced! That pit in your stomach you feel when something is wrong? Fitz and Simmons having the same look on their faces realizing this was chilling and horrifying at the same time.

A feeling of uneasiness hangs in the air, and I love that it’s going to be Fitz and Simmons having to fight their way out of the base. The LMD storyarc has added a spice of creepiness that has been missing since Ward.

Quick Thoughts:

• Fitz is racked with guilt over his part in creating AIDA and has to have a pep talk from Jemma to break him out of his funk. I love seeing FitzSimmons support and love each other like this. It’s refreshing to see a couple have a healthy relationship for a “comic-book” show.
• “You make things from the genius of your mind and the goodness of your heart.”
• I have no clue how, but Coulson and May look older in the flashbacks scenes than they do now. At least May has much better hair now than she did then.
• With Dr. Radcliffe in his own little Matrix, AIDA is taking on a bigger role. Also AIDA continues to get more sinister and creepy week after week. The look she gives as Mace is being beaten by The Superior’s goons was frightening.
• “This is why I don’t have Facebook” — Coulson or millions of other people in the world? You decide.
• In the end tag, LMD Coulson turns LMD May back on so now it’s possibly 5 LMDs that have infiltrated SHIELD headquarters. Oh Boy.
• Seeing Mace get bloodied and beaten is sad. However, seeing how much he believes and trust in the team and Coulson was very heartening.
• My prediction is Simmons is going to save the day again and it’s just further proof that she is the best character on Agents of SHIELD .

What did you think of this episode of Agents of SHIELD ? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Agents of SHIELD airs Tuesdays at 10/9c on ABC.

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