Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. returned for its final season a couple weeks ago with the season opener “The New Deal”. The episode, along with the following week’s “Know Your Onions”, dealt with the agents time traveling to 1931 to stop the Chronicoms from assassinating a young Wilfred Malick, father of Gideon Malick of HYDRA in the present day. Wilfred has been trusted to transport a vial of super serum soldier to HYDRA. If the Chronicoms kill Wilfred before the delivery is made then the Red Skull is never created, HYDRA never rises up in Nazi Germany, Captain America is never born, and S.H.I.E.L.D. ceases to exist.
I really enjoyed the start of the season and the time-travel shenanigans. After seven seasons, S.H.I.E.L.D. has grown from its rough beginnings into an entertaining show with well-developed characters and enthralling narratives. The best part of this season has to be that Clark Gregg is back playing Agent Coulson, well… at least a LMD version of him. Sure, I liked seeing Gregg play an alien with Coulson’s face in season 6, but just as how Robert Downey Jr. is Tony Stark, Clark Gregg is Coulson. He basically created the fan favorite character and its his charm that has led to an extended presence in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the character’s entrance into the greater world of Marvel Comics.
So with Coulson back, and Mack leading a team consisting of some of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s best heavy-hitters (Quake, Yo-Yo, Deke, FitzSimmons, May, Enoch) this season was geared up to be one of its best. In my opinion, the show hasn’t really been able to top the heights of season 4 (Ghost Rider, LMDs, What If?). Season 5 and 6 had their moments, but overall I wasn’t exactly ecstatic at the future destroyed Earth plot or whatever season 6 dealt with (honestly, it was a struggle to follow what exactly was going on). But season 7 has had my interest from the very first scene.
I’m loving the promise of the team jumping around significant points in time involving S.H.I.E.L.D. and seeing various familiar faces while tying up dangling plot threads. Even though we haven’t seen Fitz yet (and May has mostly been “sleeping”), just seeing the team all together trying to save the world is great! I could do without the Chronicoms, but if that’s what it takes to get my favorite agents time traveling I’m all for it.
Time travel is something that has popped up a lot in the MCU in the last year. Avengers: Endgame had its own version of the popular science-fiction trope, and S.H.I.E.L.D. actually looks to be building on that idea. A lot of fans have theorized that the agents’ time shenanigans in season 5 caused them to start an alternate timeline where The Snap never happened (given season 6 never dealt with its aftermath), so maybe season 7 will see them jump back into the main timeline.
The end of episode 2 saw Enoch left in 1931 as the agents were instantly transported away to follow the Chronicoms through time to their next destination. It looks like they will stop in the 1950s to meet up with Agent Sousa (Peggy’s old partner), so hopefully that’s where we’ll meet up with Enoch again! How will he have changed after twenty years in the early 1900s with Grandpappy Koenig? Will he own a successful bartender? Honestly, I knew Enoch was going to be left behind as soon as “Know Your Onions” started making a big deal about being back at the ship before it jumped. He’s the only one who won’t age given that he’s a robot-alien (that’s what Chronicoms are, right?).
I’m excited to follow Coulson, Mack, and the rest of the team throughout time on what is sadly their final mission. Here’s hoping it’s a good one!
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 7 continues tonight with episode 3 “Alien Commies from the Future!”
What were some of your favorite moments from the first two episodes of the season? Which characters do you hope to see return during the 13-episode run? Tell me down in the comments!
