So the events of Captain America: The Winter Soldier have given Coulson’s team a shake up. One of their own is a traitor, though they don’t know it yet. May and Coulson’s relationship is strained. Skye has to give up her badge moments after she gets it. Fitz and Simmons don’t know what to do. And the foundations of Coulson’s beliefs are shaken.
But we learned one thing, “In Nick Fury We Trust.” Despite his team’s doubts, Coulson’s faith in Director Fury proved to work out. Am I the only one wondering why Fury trusts Patton Oswalt’s character so much. He must have proved trustworthy to be considered in the same league as Coulson, Maria Hill, and Captain America. Perhaps Fury felt bad for bumping The Goldbergs out of their timeslot this week, which also features Patton Oswalt, so he gave him Level 6 S.H.I.E.L.D. clearance for the inconvenience. That kind of security would make HYDRA infiltrating S.H.I.E.L.D. a little more understandable. Now that I think about it, S.H.I.E.L.D. does have a history of welcoming with open arms those that used to be against the organization. It started with Zola and continued through Black Widow and on to Skye. Perhaps not the best strategy when trying to ensure you don’t have any double agents in your organization.
Coulson did address the question many people were asking after seeing Captain America: The Winter Soldier. What will they call the show? Despite S.H.I.E.L.D. being taken down, Coulson made it clear that he still considers himself and his team agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. What remains of the organization is yet to be determined. At the end of the Cap film we saw Maria Hill being interviewed at Stark Industries, yet we know she is guest starring on an upcoming episode. Perhaps she hasn’t left S.H.I.E.L.D. as far behind as we were lead to believe.
And how is S.H.I.E.L.D.’s viewed by the United States Military? Since S.H.I.E.L.D. cannot be trusted, odds are Coulson’s team will not be given the same carte blanche that they are used to. It appears that General Talbot, played by Adrian Pasdar who voices Tony Stark in the Marvel animated series, may get in the way of the team’s goal of stopping HYDRA.
Speaking of HYDRA, now that they appear to have access to every dangerous item S.H.I.E.L.D. has ever discovered, they have become a serious threat. Despite seemingly being taken down in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, they still seem to have the upper hand. After all, cut off one head, two more shall take its place.
It should be interesting, presuming Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. gets renewed for a second season, to see how it bridges Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Avengers: Age of Ultron. The tag at the end of Cap that leads into the Avengers sequel teases that HYDRA will play a role. If the TV show plays its card’s right it could do a nice job of legitimizing the HYDRA threat by making them an admirable foe. Garrett’s HYDRA cell could keep the Marvel Universe distracted while Baron Strucker focuses on Loki’s scepter and “the twins”
What do you think of this new direction for Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Marvel Cinematic Universe? Do you enjoy that it is all connected or does it alienate you (no pun intended).