The previous owner of the cabin felt a little green.
(Screencap courtesy of CTV.ca)
Last season, the aptly-titled “Turn, Turn, Turn” represented a shift in story for Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., influenced by the events of Captain America: The Winter Soldier. So, it’s naturally fitting that a similar shift is embodied by an episode that takes great pains in revisiting those events. With that said, let’s delve right into the blow-by-blow action for “One Door Closes”.
Previously on Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
While held captive by the “Real S.H.I.E.L.D.”, Hunter was introduced to Robert Gonzales and his cabal that makes up this splinter group. They’re not too happy with Coulson being placed in charge of S.H.I.E.L.D. and want him brought down in the name of transparency. In the resulting fracas, Hunter escapes Real S.H.I.E.L.D. and Bobbi decides to go back to the Playground to infiltrate Coulson’s S.H.I.E.L.D. again.
Elsewhere, Grant Ward and Agent 33 made their move and liberated Sunil Bakshi from U.S. Air Force captivity, but not before getting 33’s disguise-changing mask fixed. They brought Bakshi to an unknown location to subject him to the Compliance mind-controlling used on 33.
As for Skye, Coulson brought her to a remote cabin once occupied by Captain America to help her feel at home with her powers.
Recap (Full Spoilers Ahead)
“One Door Closes” represents a juncture of near-perfection for S.H.I.E.L.D., effortlessly bringing together spy-versus-spy suspense and superhuman struggles like an excellently-made peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
It’s here where we also learn the true motives of some of the folks who’ve become a part of the “real” S.H.I.E.L.D. (last week referred to as “S.H.I.E.L.D. II”, but will henceforth be known as “S.H.I.E.L.D. Beta” in this recap) thru a series of flashbacks glimpsed throughout the episode, flashing back to what’s simply known as “the Day that S.H.I.E.L.D. Fell” – better known as the events of Captain America: the Winter Soldier. As it turns out, Mack and Bobbi were with the almost imperial-like Robert Gonzales aboard the Iliad carrier (the same one used in present day by S.H.I.E.L.D. Beta as their main base) when Hydra/S.T.R.I.K.E. soldiers were attacking. While Bobbi had orders from Nick Fury to gut the Iliad in order to prevent Hydra from getting any valuable assets, she ultimately decides to buck the directives from the then-thought-to-be dead ex-S.H.I.E.L.D. Director, since it would mean that the valiant S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents who have fought to keep the Iliad afloat would end up dying. It’s here where the semi-democratic “Real” S.H.I.E.L.D. was born thanks to Bobbi’s actions saving innumerable lives, which could actually bring her convictions in line with someone like Captain America.
As seen throughout the episode (and even in past episodes), Morse has been more than willing to do what she feels is right, even if it flies in the face of any orders given to her, exemplified with her course of action in the flashback. That’s a trait that Cap has demonstrated time after time again, especially in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It’s also rather clear that she’s arguably the less cavalier of the command structure that makes up S.H.I.E.L.D. Beta, showing hints of a conscience surfacing in a situation that has forced her to turn her back on people she considered friends. While Gonzales is the way he is about Coulson and Calderon’s the “bad cop” of the hierarchy of S.H.I.E.L.D. Beta, Bobbi at least isn’t outright a “nefarious” character, even instructing her fellow S.H.I.E.L.D. Beta operatives to not use lethal force to bring Skye in during the climax of the episode. It also serves the purpose of making her redemption of sorts easier once she opts to help Team Coulson once again.
On the other hand, you’ve got someone like Gonzales who’s a lot more “hands on” and militant about particular issues concerning Coulson and how his S.H.I.E.L.D. has operated. He outright loathes how Nick Fury gets things done with his secrecy and all, even blaming him as the reason that S.H.I.E.L.D. fell in the first place. Gonzales even eyes his scorn towards Coulson, someone he views as nothing more than Fury’s “creation”. Of course, Phil doesn’t exactly share that sentiment about the situation, even suggesting that they could’ve avoided all of this with a simple talk. Gonzales makes note how he doesn’t want to be Director at the end of it all, but his actions suggest otherwise. He wants the secrets of The Toolbox revealed so that all of Fury’s hidden resources and any alleged intel on Gifted whereabouts are known to him. Plus there’s the fact that he’s taken the S.H.I.E.L.D. Base by force and made his intentions of taking down the current Director in the process. Clearly, it’s the work of someone who wants more power and is simply hiding behind his seemingly justifiable crusade as a Freudian excuse. If anything, Gonzales’ modus operandi suggests an early onset of grandiose delusions masked as a belief of wanting to do the right thing. However, it just makes Gonzales’ character all the more fascinating, even if he’s going up against our heroes. He’s not a true villain in the traditional sense, but there are enough hints suggesting something darker beneath the surface. Of course, Gonzales and S.H.I.E.L.D. Beta’s power plays aren’t the only significant element that forms the basis of this episode.
In previous episodes, Gordon the eyeless Inhuman has basically only dropped by to teleport and taking people away to Parts Unknown. However, he gets a much meatier role in “One Door Closes”, as he finally gets to see Skye in person. Whether Gordon is truly a trustworthy character with altruistic motives is up in the air, but his appearance in this episode shows that he’s very much at least a friend for his people, especially when he tries to convince Skye to embrace her status as an Inhuman rather than fear it. This is certainly helped all the more by just how well recurring actor Jamie Harris does in conveying the fatherly demeanor Gordon displays in this episode. While it appears that Luke Mitchell’s Lincoln Campbell (who’ll make his first appearance next week) will fill the “close mentor” role for Skye moving forward, I would not be against Gordon instead fulfilling that role.
Skye’s character arc in “One Door Closes” ultimately culminates in a moment where Skye fends off some S.H.I.E.L.D. Beta agents, then being forced to use a shockwave to deflect a bullet shot at her by Calderon. This moment represents not only a literal shockwave (handled expertly by S.H.I.E.L.D.’s SFX team, who do the best that they can on a budget significantly lower than the Marvel Studios films), but an emotional one, as Skye asks for Gordon to take her away. Much like the episode’s title, one door has closed for the moment for Skye, but it’s all but certain that another door will soon be opened.
So, yes, things may look like they’re about to be FUBAR for Coulson with his operatives captured and base of operations annexed by S.H.I.E.L.D. Beta, but he’s definitely not going to be alone in his bid to take S.H.I.E.L.D. back from Gonzales’ cell. At a tropical locale that may or may not be Tahiti, he’s met by a homely Lance Hunter, who had just escaped from S.H.I.E.L.D. Beta’s clutches. Hunter is more than willing to be on-board to help his boss against the new threat. With that commitment, it becomes clear that S.H.I.E.L.D. Beta may have bitten off more than they can chew, because Coulson is sure as hell not going to go down without a fight. It also cements Hunter as one of those characters you look forward to seeing every week, coming off of his wonderful turn last week as someone who isn’t wowed at all by S.H.I.E.L.D. Beta’s sales pitch.
In any case, much like the event that “One Door Closes” revisits was an incident within a greater happenstance that helped alter the course of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and S.H.I.E.L.D. as a whole, this very episode pretty much does the same for the status quo that continues to shift with every succeeding episode. It is a strong episode from start-to-finish, simply put.
Grade: 9.0/10
Notes from the Field
- A key talking point to take away from the flashbacks on the Iliad is that the carrier was holding cargo with contents unknown. That could very well be a Chekhov’s Gun that returns in full force at a later time. Could that cargo be a certain peacekeeping program that’s been left dormant?
- As you can see in the opening picture above, seems like a certain green-skinned Avenger left his mark on the cabin that Skye stays in. Well, as it turns out, it’s apparently “The House that Banner Built”.
- It’s revealed that Hydra apparently sent in an “enhanced” operative to take the S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy headed by S.H.I.E.L.D. Beta member Agent Weaver. Your guess as to who is as good as mine.
- “Fury left us orders…” “To do what?” “To save S.H.I.E.L.D.” (Bobbi, Hartley, and Mack discuss their plan of attack aboard the Iliad)
- After an all-too brief tenure in the opening episode that saw her character get unceremoniously killed off, Lucy Lawless reprises her role as Agent Hartley in the Day That S.H.I.E.L.D. Fell flashbacks seen during the course of the episode. Here, she gets to do a lot of ass-kicking in a brief amount of time.
- “Fitz, why did you make me watch Paranormal Activity?” (She’s got a point there. Then again, I’m not a fan of those films)
- “Always with the Nazi thing…” (Even dirty Hydra scum don’t like being compared to Nazis)
- “That’s a really nice entrance.” (Coulson shows how impressed he is with May saving his neck)
- “Fury’s secrets didn’t bring down S.H.I.E.L.D., Hydra did.” (Phil’s got a point, Robbie)
Next Week
While Coulson and Hunter begin their plans to liberate S.H.I.E.L.D. from Gonzales’ splinter faction, Skye is far away in God-Knows-Where as she begins her spirit quests of sorts to embrace her Inhuman heritage. All that and more Edward James Olmos next week, because there’s nothing wrong with more Edward James Olmos (even if he’s pitted against your favorite characters).
Marc Quill just happens to cover shows aired on Tuesdays at 9/8 on ABC that are also based on Marvel Comics. He’s also very Canadian. You can reach him on Twitter @MarcQuill.