I know, I know, I barely got caught up and then I fell behind again. I promise it won’t happen again, so here is the first of two episode recaps to bring you all up to date.
The “Previously” segment begins with Ward telling everyone about his evil big brother who forced him to do nasty things to their younger brother and get reminded about Hunter and Bobbi’s relationship. Talbot mentions a senator with deep pockets who wants Coulson and Ward talks to Skye about her dad. This could be a rather explosive episode – family drama a-go-go!
Talbot is addressing the UN about SHIELD to drum up support for his hunt, the representative for Italy stands up to request proof that SHIELD are the bad guys and gets a nasty surprise. He gets hit in the chest by some nasty little disc thing that burrows in and turns him to ash. A team in SHIELD uniforms attack while Talbot tries to get everyone out. Oh well now that can’t be good.
In his windowless, clockless cell, Ward is working out, same time every day apparently according to Simmons. She and Skye discuss him and Simmons’ time at HYDRA but Mac interrupts them with news of the attack on the UN. Mac and Skye ask Coulson if it was actually them but he says it was HYDRA out for revenge, tasks the pair of them to find out more.
Bobbi Morse recognises the leader, a guy named Scarlatti who almost killed Agent Barton (Yes, Hawkeye, that Agent Barton) few years back. Also Bobbi is wearing a Star Was t-shirt – I’ve mentioned the girl crush right? Anyway, Simmons recognises the tech that Scarlatti was using from her time at HYDRA and Bobbi knows the guy who developed it, Toshiro Mori. Coulson sends her to see him along with Hunter and May, Hunter is a bit dubious about working with his ex-wife until Coulson reminds him that things are a bit more serious than his relationship dramas.
Talbot meets with a senator who is pissed about the attack and Talbot’s failure to stop it. Talbot says that they might not have been SHIELD after all. The Senator is defensive and Talbot asks him if he’s worried people will find out about his brother – This is Ward’s evil big brother!
Senator Christian Ward argues on TV with a Belgian politician regarding his plan to set up a global police force designed to stop SHIELD. Skye says that being a douchebag obviously runs in the family, but offers to talk to Ward to find out about the brother and try to stop his plans. Coulson contacts an Agent Walters in the Netherlands, tells her and her team to go dark and get to safety since HYDRA are on to them.
On board the QuinnJet Hunter and Bobbi have a little chat that’s all manner of awkward while back at base Simmons and Fitz work on fixing the hard drive that was stolen from HYDRA.
Skye and Ward chat about Christian. Ward wants to know if this is about him, if his brother knows that he is with SHIELD and seems quite worried about the prospect but then somehow he manages to turn the conversation to Skye’s dad – again. She gets flustered and Coulson intervenes and shuts Ward’s cell down.
Okinawa, Japan – Bobbi goes in to meet Toshiro using her HYDRA cover – May is surprised that she speaks fluent Japanese but Hunter isn’t since clearly Morse and Toshiro have some history. Hunter claims to be fine with her kissing Toshiro and May says that’s just as well considering he had a hickey for a week after the South Beach job. Inside, Toshiro asks Bobbie about her cover, he’s heard that she is SHIELD. Bobbi replies that they are all SHIELD, mentions Scarlatti’s attack on the UN with the SHIELD eagle on his chest and then asks about the weapons that he used. Toshiro says that the original design was old school HYDRA and that he hopes that he has proved himself worthy to work on the Diviner. Hunter intercepts a message telling Toshiro’s men to kill Bobbi and he immediately jumps into action to save her – yep – someone definitely still has some unresolved feelings. Toshiro tells Bobbi that Scarlatti’s team are heading for Beckers, the Belgian politician who was arguing against Senator Ward’s plans – uh-oh. Hunter takes out the guy about to shoot Bobbi in the head and together they take out the rest of Toshiro’s goons before arguing over whether or not Bobbi actually required saving.
May, Hunter and Bobbi head out to save Beckers, knowing that if ‘SHIELD’ manage to kill him then even those countries who were neutral on the SHIELD issue would fall behind Senator Ward’s plans.
Fitz and Simmons argue, he’s really trying and feels like Jemma is looking at him funny. She says that she is trying not to treat him any differently but he says he is different. He doesn’t want to be but he is. Fitz is angry, he needed Simmons and she left him. She walks out and Mac arrives.
Coulson goes to see the Senator and tells him the truth about SHIELD and HYDRA. Christian says he won’t confuse the American people by defending SHIELD and condemning a new enemy in HYDRA. Coulson asks what people will think if they find out that the Senator’s brother is HYDRA.
Back at base Skye goes back to see Ward to carry on their chat, cameras off this time.
The senator seems genuinely concerned about his brother’s safety. Coulson talks about the incident at the well and Senator Ward drops some information on him, says they cannot trust Ward at all, at the same time as Ward is telling Skye the same thing about big brother. Seems neither Ward brother is entirely trustworthy right now. They both have an agenda that they are trying to use SHIELD to achieve. The senator says that Grant always finds someone to believe his lies and right now Skye seems to be eating everything he is feeding her since she is desperate to learn more about her dad (really? even after finding out he’s some murderous rage monster?). Ward still says he can lead her to her father and se thanks him before telling him he is being transferred into his big brother’s custody. The deal is Senator Ward takes his Anti-SHIELD proposal off the table in exchange for Grant.
Scarlatti is after Julian Beckers. Mac and Fitz find out that the guy who designed the weapons HYDRA is using was called Beckers – Vincent Beckers. Simmons realises it’s a set up and they go to find Coulson. He’s with Ward who is currently begging him not to hand him over to Christian, but Coulson needs the Senator much more than he needs Ward.
Agent Walters arrives at a safe house in Bruges, Belgium and is surprised to find that Julian Beckers is already there with several dead SHIELD agents. Scarlatti’s crew is there too and he kills Walters. Just then Hunter rocks up with a duffle bag full of beer and a Hail Hydra and claims he is a merc like them and is able to point Scarlatti’s crew in the direction of a couple of higher level SHIELD agents to kill. Specifically the two agents he is stalling for. May and Bobbi burst in and ass kickery ensues. Bobbi and Hunter make a great team while May goes after Scarlatti who seems to think that a single female agent is an easy mark. Idiot. When the dust settles, SHIELD have lost a lot of agents but they have taken down the impostors.
Simmons and Mac have a chat – he calls her out for leaving and for wishing that Fitz was his old self when his current self is just fine, it’s Simmons that’s the problem.
Hunter is packing to leave but Bobbi stops him, she still wants him around – and who can blame her.
Senator Ward makes a speech to the UN, Talbot seems to be on SHIELD’s side and in standard Marvel bad guy transportation protocol (see Loki at least twice) Ward is taken down a hallway past all the people he has wronged and handed over to the FBI – who he proceeds to kill and escape from. Oh. CRAP!
Finally some dude walks into a tattoo parlour to have his creepy ass, alien writing, full body tattoo finished – ummm… YIKES!!!
