Perpare for the winter finale of Agents of SHIELD. Prepare for mediocrity and twists you could have guessed yourself. Because you probably did. Ward and Fitz land through the portal and on the desert planet to find a Hydra symbol erected in the dunes. The Death Inhuman who will be referred to as Maveth used to live there. Ominous.
Back at ‘Hydra Castle,’ Morse and Hunter prepare to take control of the compound and open the portal so Fitz and Coulson can return safely. Hydra has brought Inhumans to the Hydra compound for Maveth to control and fight in his army while they hold Jemma captive.
While Fitz is leading Ward’s team through the desert planet, he jumps through a manhole in search for Will. Ward is prepared to kill him but Fitz will not be deterred. He tells Ward that they can’t survive without Will and that they can use him as their guide. Will lives to fight another day.
Coulson is still unconscious where he crashed in through the portal. But not totally useless, one could argue. He is dreaming of the woman who got killed because of him and that he thinks he was in love with even though they barely knew each other. Rosalind is another example of a woman used as a prop to motivate a man. Ah, tired plot devices. So fun. So overused.
Fitz wants to lose Ward and Will takes the lead. He leads the team into the no fly zone where the Maveth usually hits. While the dust storm distracts Ward, Will kills the remaining Hydra soldiers. Coulson is lucky enough to happen upon them at this exact moment. If he had come any sooner, he would have been murdered by Hydra. Fortuitous.
Coulson shoots Ward, so intent on murdering him that he is totally cool with leaving Fitz on his own. “He’s a smart guy!” Coulson argues. How Director Coulson could ever be considered a protagonist is truly beyond the audience. He’s fine with letting the most precious being on this earth (and this desert planet) perish just for a vendetta. What a real prince. Not at all like Ward. Coulson takes him hostage as Fitz and Will are separated from the group.
Will tells Fitz that there used to be civilizations on the planet before they were divided and destroyed themselves. Fitz catches on a minute too late. This isn’t Will at all. Will was killed while getting Jemma through the portal. This is actually Maveth.
Ward and Coulson come upon “Will” and Fitz fighting. Fitz tries to stop Maveth from going through the portal that has just opened. In a last ditch attempt to save everyone, Fitz shoots a flare which consumes Will’s body, supposedly killing him. Anyone believing that has clearly never seen television before. Coulson crushes Ward to death and follows Fitz to the portal. Everyone is united and happy and mediocre.
Maveth seems to be dead, as does Grant Ward. But is he? Well his body is alive at least. And judging by the sallow-eyed Winter Soldier eye make-up he’s toting, he is now inhabited by Maveth thing. Surprising? Not in the slightest. Enough to keep the audience interested until the second half of the season? Only time will tell.