Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD Recap Episode 106: F.Z.Z.T.

A pair of troop leaders tell their boy scouts a scary story. The older leader, Mr. Cross, claims to hear a humming and wanders to the dark woods to investigate. As the younger troop leader passes out snack, a cup begins to float beside him. Mr. Cross begins yelling in the forest. The younger leader leads the troop into their truck. In the distance, Mr. Cross continues to scream. A lightning bolt strikes the car ripping the car’s battery out of the hood. After silence spreads through the woods, the troop investigates. The troop discovers Mr. Cross dead… floating mid-air.HIt the jump to continue reading but expect some spoilers. On the Bus, Simmons examines Coulson for his physical. Simmons mentions Coulson’s physical wasn’t necessary for three months, but Coulson reveals his physical therapist requested it following the mention of his “rustiness”. In the lab, Fitz inquires about Skye’s demeanor following the events of the last unrecapped episode. Due to her betrayal, Ward has been rather cold to her. Ward gathers the team.

In the forest, the team investigates Mr. Cross and the scene. Everyone is clueless. Simmons nears the floating body and a static shock causes the body to drop. The team continues to investigate on the bus. Skye turns up empty on her background checks on Cross. May’s interrogation of the younger troop leader reveals nothing. Simmons examination of the body reveals damage to the brain double that of a lightning bolt. Fitz discovers a signal similar to the one that led them to Mr. Cross.

Coulson, May, and Ward race to discover the source of the signal, but before they arrive, the signal disappears. They find a barn with another suspended body. Skye discovers the first real break in the case. The new victim, Frank Whalen, worked with Cross as a volunteer firefighter. Both were among the first responders following the Avengers event in New York. Whoever killed the two men knew both… and also likes to polish a Chitauri helmet.

The field agents drive out to the fire station Cross and Whalen. Upon arrival, Coulson meets Tony Diaz, the man with the helmet. Skye realizes the signal is reoccurring. As Coulson confronts Diaz, Diaz mentions an inaudible hum. Fitz realizes the three men contracted a virus from the Chitauri helmet which is causing discharge. Coulson orders the evacuation of the fire house as Diaz’s signal increases. Coulson stays to calm Diaz. He relays the story of his death to Diaz and assures that wherever he went after dying, it was beautiful. Diaz accepts his fate.

Fitz clears the field agent team of infection. The firefighters are led into SHIELD quarantine until they can be cleared, and the Chitauri helmet is loaded onto the Bus for transport to the Sandbox, a SHIELD research facility specializing in hazardous materials. Coulson charges Simmons with discovering a cure. Following a heart-to-heart with May, Coulson meets with Simmons. Simmons has made a breakthrough: the virus spreads through electrostatic shock. Coulson quarantines her in the lab when a metal lab tool begins to float behind her.

Here’s the skinny: based on the infection rate of the firefighters, Simmons has two hours before the virus kills her. The Bus is still three hours out from the Sandbox. If Simmons cannot cure herself, she will essentially blow up the plane midair. Fitz struggles to aid Simmons, but tests so far are unsuccessful.

Meanwhile, Ward admits to Skye his helplessness. Coulson receives orders from Agent Blake at the Sandbox to make delivery of the hazardous material his top priority. He is also ordered to dump anything that may have been contaminated.

Fitz and Simmons argue over the success of their tests so far as well as their history together. Fitz blames Simmons for pulling him along, but for all their bickering, they realize they’ve always been there for each other. Their argument also leads Simmons realization that a cure would rely on a survivor of the virus. As the three firefighters has all died, she realized the one survivor of the virus would be the Chitauri. Fitz races to retrieve the helmet and joins Simmons in the lab. The duo work together to use Chitauri cells from within the helmet to create a new anti-serum. The test appears unsuccessful. Simmons requests Coulson tell her father first before asking to be left with Fitz.

Agent Blake questions Coulson’s commitment to his orders, but Coulson sticks to his guns. Meanwhile, Simmons knocks out Fitz before locking him in the lab. Simmons opens the cargo bay doors. Fitz awakens to discover the cure worked. Simmons leaps out of the cargo bay. Fitz loads the cure and makes it out of the lab. He rushes to grab a parachute, but struggles to get it on. Ward jumps down to the cargo hold and takes the parachute and cure. He leaps out and saves Simmons.

After chastising Simmons, Coulson admits to May that he’d requested the tests. He admits to feeling different, but May reminds him that he suffered a trauma. Whatever her history, it helps to assure Coulson that someone can move forward even if they’ve changed. Simmons thanks Fitz for being her hero, for being the one beside her the whole time. Upon arrival at the Sandbox, Blake warns Coulson that his disobedience may cost him his team. Coulson responds with a challenge which surprises Blake.

My Thoughts

I enjoyed the last episode. I didn’t write a recap but I enjoyed the episode because it gave us more of everything. More about Skye. More about the rising threat. More about Project Centipede. More about gifted and SHIELD’s involvement. Last week’s episode sealed the deal for me. I’m in for the long run. This week’s episode… blew me away. It did everything right. The story teased literally felt like it was over in the first twenty minutes which left me shocked when I realized there was still a half hour to go. The second half felt strongly Whedon-esque but I’m so glad it didn’t turn out to be a Whedon move. The episode’s integration of events from The Avengers was well handled, and the character interaction primarily between FitzSimmons and Coulson/May felt very personal and real. I’m looking forward to more especially as the show will also feature fallout from Thor: The Dark World in a few weeks.