Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD Recap Episode 102: 0-8-4

The Bus is up in the air and Coulson is reporting all clear. The air-traffic controller mentions a dust-up on the ground. The hole explodes in the side of the Bus and body flies out. Since when would using Lola to catch up with the plane is a “dust-up”? It wouldn’t. Flash back to nineteen hours earlier. Skye is officially joining the team as a consultant, much to Ward and May’s displeasure. Fitz and Simmons give Skye the grand tour while Coulson puts his foot down. After another “magical” Tahiti mention, Coulson explains to Skye what an 0-8-4 means. It is an object of unknown origin, and the last time they found one? A hammer in the New Mexico desert.HIt the jump to continue reading but expect some spoilers.The Bus lands in Peru to investigate the 0-8-4 at an archaeological dig. Skye is concerned about the local rebels, but Coulson assures her with the knowledge that they’ve kept a world-ending anti-matter meteor under wraps. He also tells Skye she would be in charge of keeping info under wraps which goes against her mission with the Rising Tide. Coulson, Fitz, Simmons, and Skye enter the Incan temple to find the 0-8-4 lodged deep into the wall of the temple. According to Simmons, it’s location in the rock predates the temple, but Fitz points out the craftsmanship is almost German.

Outside, Agent Ward watches the perimeter with Melinda May. He reveals a little of May’s past as the Cavalry, but she dislikes that moniker. Ward and May defend against an ambush, but they are outmanned. The military has arrived. Coulson steps out to settle the situation, only to recognize the Comandante  of the military fources as a former colleague: Camilla Reyes.

Back inside the temple, Fitz determines that the object has an active power source that could in fact be dangerous. As Ward informs the techies of the situation, a firefight erupts between the military and the rebels. Ward uses some sort of staff/energy mine that creates a concussive pulse taking out many of the rebels making escape possible. The team and military retreat to the Bus, where Fitz finally has time to explain to everybody. The active power source in the 0-8-4 is fueled by tesseract technology similar to Hydra weapons in World War II. Everyone step back.

While Coulson apologizes to May for bringing her into combat, Ward and Fitz argue about communication. Coulson invites the military personnel to rest easy until they can dispose of the 0-8-4 and return them to Peru. Coulson attempts to settle the dispute between Ward, Fitz, and Simmons. Fitz and Simmons discover the 0-8-4 is in fact not that old (decades) but had simply been embedded into the rock. Fitz also determines that the 0-8-4 is a laser weapon.

Skye attempts to make amends with Ward and provides some advice about allowing the team to work together. Coulson reminisces with Camilla in his quarters. He realizes her advances are a distraction to her men taking over the plane. Ward manages to subdue two soldiers in the main cabin. A third soldier uses gas to knock out May, and the fourth subdues Fitz and Simmons in the lab.

Reyes holds Coulson in order to relay confirmations to air control. The others are held in the cargo bay where Skye and Ward reveal May’s abilities and history as “the Cavalry”. The team forms a plan to escape beginning with Melinda dislocating her wrist to free herself and eliminate the guard. After gathering supplies, the team executes their plan beginning with one of Fitz’s quadrotors activating the 0-8-4 to punch a hole in the side of the plane. Oh yeah, Coulson had just called in an all good to air traffic control.

Ward works to subdue the remaining soldiers, while the others retrieve the 0-8-4. Melinda also regains control of the cockpit. Skye manages to seal the hole with an emergency raft just in time to save Ward. The team makes it to the Slingshot where the 0-8-4 is sent on trajectory into the sun. May convinces Ward to take on the responsibility of training Skye. As the group watches the rocket launch, Skye receives a message from the Rising Tide asking her status. It appears she has infiltrated the team for the Rising Tide. WHAT?!

My thoughts:

Just kidding… Nick Fury returns to chastise Coulson for damaging the Bus within a week. Fun after credits scene.

My actual thoughts:

A slight improvement on the pilot. Some of the pseudo-science jargon gets in the way of sounding legitimate. Unlike the pilot, this episode felt like it existed in its own corner of the Marvel Universe as opposed to shoe horned into the middle of it. The slow burn of the mysteries may get tired quickly so I hope they address a few sooner than later. Next week, it looks like we’ll get our first character from comic book continuity. And it also looks like he may have or simulate his powers.