Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. - Heavy is the Head

Wrapping up the two-episode arc guest-starring Brian Patrick Wade as the Absorbing Man, Agent Coulson (Clark Gregg) deals with the death of two members of his increasingly small fighting force and the capture of a third mercenary whose knowledge of the operation could bring what's left of S.H.I.E.L.D. tumbling down. With May (Ming-Na Wen) on Creel's tail, the team also hopes to retrieve the 084 (although they aren't the only ones after the device).

Unable to finish with the cloaking tech, Fitz's (Iain De Caestecker) troubles continue, although Mack (Henry Simmons) is able to help the brain-damaged scientist do some good by appropriating and old invention to help stop Creel. Along with introducing Skye's (Chloe Bennet) mysterious father (Kyle MacLachlan), "Heavy is the Head" also marks the return of Raina (Ruth Negga) whose ability to touch the 084 without dying a painful death suggests there is something different about the young woman and perhaps Skye as well. (Perhaps they are Inhumans?)


Given the death of the woman he loves because of the incompetence of the U.S. Military, I never really bought the possibility of Lance Hunter (Nick Blood) betraying the team (even when he tranks them and unintentionally allows Raina to make off with the device). With Creel avoiding fights for most of the episode the second episode may not be as action-packed as the premiere but the return of Raina and reveal of Skye's father are threads which will likely be soon woven into the fabric of the show's Second Season.

We also learn that May is the only one Coulson has confided in about fighting the same madness which helped destroy John Garrett (Bill Paxton). Directly tying the artifact to the visions which Coulson recreates in his fugue state, we still aren't given any clues as to what the symbols mean or why those exposed to the alien blood are haunted by them (except Skye for some reason). Next week brings the return of the real, not just hallucinatory, Simmons (Elizabeth Henstridge) although from the preview it looks like Coulson and his team will be disappointed with her career choices since leaving S.H.I.E.L.D. (or will they as it seems plausible she's actually been working undercover against the organization which destroyed Fitz's mind?).