With ratings taking a big dip for the second episode of Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., can Agent Coulson and his team keep hold of the viewership in the latest episode; titled “The Asset”. So let us take a look at some of the references and easter eggs and I will share with you some of my own thoughts and opinions. Warning for those of you that haven’t caught the episode yet there will be some spoilers ahead.
Quick Review
I really enjoyed this episode, we spent more time with our three main characters (Ward, Skye, and Coulson) which allowed us to get a lot more character development out of the trio; with Clark Gregg’s character ultimately getting the best lines in the episode. The “threat of the week” aspect of the show seems to continue but I can’t complain if we get more setups for actual Marvel characters like Franklin Hall.
I felt the tone of this episode was more in line with an episode of Fringe, but it still had the tendency to revert back to No Ordinary Family humour, especially in scenes involving Skye.
Despit this episode having the first introduction of an actual comic book supervillain, Franklin Hall (aka Graviton) played by Ian Hart, it was very light on easter eggs.
A few references were however made to the events of The Avengers, a nice mention of Coulson’s collectable cards and S.H.I.E.L.D. being the cause of an alien invasion while another was a shoe-horned name drop to the team that felt just off.
Past and future
An opened ended origin story allows for the return of Dr. Hall with enough of a grudge toward S.H.I.E.L.D. to allow him to become Graviton which would be great to see. Along with the discovery of a new element; gravitonium, which does not even exist in the comics.
We know of the Slingshot protocol where S.H.I.E.L.D. sends off artefacts it deems dangerous into the sun. However, it appears if S.H.I.E.L.D. feels the need to keep hold of some of these items they do so by putting them in the Fridge, a secure storage facility, which I hope we get another chance to look inside and see what they have stored inside.
More hints towards Coulson’s fate came up this episode, with the indication that he had a new body due to his lack of muscle memory, whether though cloning or a mechanical body we don’t know but the focus on the word “rusty” could be an indication to the latter.
One error I did spot however was a sound effect added to the scene where Agent Ward dismounted the cowboy where someone forgot the difference between a shotgun and a pump-action shotgun.
Did you guy notice anything else I missed? Let me know in the comments below.
Read the analysis of previous episodes
Pilot episode
Episode 2 “0-8-4”