Agents of Shield SEASON TWO (1 - 10)

Seasons one and two of Marvel’s Agents of Shield are a woven series of stories presented within the timeline of Phase two. Joss Whedon, his brother Jed Whedon, and Maurissa Tancharoen, are the initial writers and creators of the series. Jed and Maurissa would continue to be the creative cog of the series right to the very end of its final mission, but while Joss bookended the phase from Avengers to Avengers: Age of Ultron, the series was a close reflection of that world and the mythology in this universe.  The two seasons remained grounded to events on earth, and to coin the marketed phase – ‘it’s all connected’ The show would contain sparse cameo appearances and would lead up to a part of story that could segue into the fabric of the cinematic universe, while remaining an organization in the shadows.

At the conclusion of Agents of Shield season one, the next installment of story to hit audiences would be James Gunn's Guardians of the Galaxy while the show was on its summer hiatus. Guardians marked the first real off planet exploration besides the world of Thor. With no immediate earthbound activity to crossover with, the Agents of Shield season 2 was now freed up to continue its own developing storyline, when the series returned in the fall of 2014.

Season two is both expansive in cast and in concept.  No longer a functioning arm of government, or recognizable branch of law enforcement the Agents of Shield were only covert.  Phil Coulson was appointed the new Director by Nick Fury; who the world now believes is dead, sharing a fate like Coulson. This invisible dead man concept or rational was never explored for its practical difficulties. However, in light of this glaring formality Coulson was forced to make face to face meetings and establish a worldwide network of shield agents who have gone underground but still continue to track the movements of Hydra.  Many let go agents became mercenaries, available for hire, while most held onto the fundamentals ideals of the organizations.

The serum that saved Skye and brought Coulson back to life had a side effect, the last memory of a mission from a dead Kree alien’s DNA caused Coulson and those injected to carve out alien symbols in a sequential pattern until its host found its destination. That serum mystery got resolved in these first 10 episodes and opened up the door to unlocking Skye’s past.

Being Agents on the run,  and chasing Hydra, has brought on a few additional cast members , actress Lucy Lawless played an agent whose demise sets up the stakes for this seasons main story arc. The series brings the character of Mac, the resident team’s mechanic, Antoine 'Trip' Triplett last season’s add-on from the clairvoyant story arc (a descendant of the howling commandos), and Bobbi Morse (aka Mockingbird) & Lance Hunter the mercenary for hire.  

Daniel Whitehall 

Season 7

The summer of 2020 aired season 7 “The final Mission”, it deposits that the agents are now jumping through time to prevent futuristic machines from altering the history of the world and eventually conquering it.  Using this plot device of time travel the series displays call backs on season two while reaching its ultimate conclusion.  The first ten episodes of season 7 that calls back to first ten episodes of season 2 are the following. Patton Oswald’s Koenig character; Eric Koenig the liaison for 1^st hidden base in episode Providence was killed in season one, his clone brothers Billy & Sam were the custodian liaison of Shield’s current secret base. In the opening episodes of season 7 we are introduced to the original, Ernest Hazard Koenig who operated Shields first underground speak easy. The show deals with uprising of Hydra and the planned launch of project insight; the Hydra’s secret from the Captain America: Winter Soldier storyline.  Like season two, the final mission introduces us to Daniel Whitehall the Hydra scientist who butchers Skye’s mother to gain her eternal youth, and a younger Whitehall who gains Skye’s powers by the very same means. Both seasons returns us to the home of Skye’s birth mother and battling with Whitehall. 

Daniel Whitehall

Season 2

Leo Fitz the science and Technologies agent was left with neurological damage from prolonged lack of oxygen from the conclusion of season one, and because of his disability was not an active member of the team in the first 10 episodes. The same can be said in the final mission; his character is somewhere hidden in time purposely, he helped craft the time jump machine to continue on with their mission, but has his presence kept a far. This is essentially how Fitz was utilized in the ten episodes of season two.  Jenna Simmons played by actress Elizabeth Henstridge had her first solo mission working as a mole for Hydra’s R&D division in the opening episodes of season two.  The actress herself had her first directorial debut directing the 9^th episode of Season Seven; a groundhogs day scenario, and arguable one of the best episodes of that season.

Ultimate Avengers: The Movie

Ultimates was a comic book series created by Mark Millar, in response to a slump in sales across the board with Marvel historic intellectual properties.  The number of subscription and sales for Thor, Captain America, and the Avenger comics at the turn of the century were at a low.  Ultimates, Wolverine, Spiderman and X-men were doing much larger numbers than the Marvels usual brands, and executives gave Mark Millar cart blanche to retell the story, for a younger audience without any need to search for earlier issues for context; all readers would have ground floor start in this world’s iteration of Earth’s mightiest heroes. 

The genesis of each character remained somewhat the same, the story was told in modern day setting, and each story and its style was conceived in a way that it could be told in a theatrical movie experience kind of way.  Nick Fury of the 60’s was adapted from the cold war model of super spies; readers at the time loved James Bond and relate to this world.  Nick Fury was now a trendier African American who completed his tour in the Gulf War and became the head of Shield.  Thor though obviously powerful was not taken seriously as an entity having god like lineage, Captain America remains a man out of time, who dedicated himself to fight a war and went through a life altering process only to now find out there is no great war to fight.  The Ulitmates was created in a world post 9/11 were tragedy had consequences and collateral damage of say a Hulk smash affected your neighbors and the unknown bystanders in the vicinity; who might have been related to your co-worker.

It is very important to note that Ultimate Avengers: The movie was released in 2006,  two years before the theatrical release of Iron Man, the movie that  brought Robert Downey Jr. into the spotlight,  and introduced us to Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury. After watching either version of Ultimate animated movies, victory does not come without a price; either a significant loss, or consequence of one’s actions.  In any true form, the villain rarely sees him or herself as a villain. It is a matter of chance and circumstances; or one bad day that lead down a path.  In the Avengers movie: Age of Ultron Tony Stark can be viewed as Villain, his intentions are noble; his PTSD and haunting nightmare drive him to create the Iron Legion, and the Ultron program. To protect the earth from an alien invasion or an extinction level event.  Tony devises a three day window before Thor leaves for Asgard by holding a party to keep Thor on earth, while enabling the God of Thunder continued visits to Jane; as he tries to interface the technology of Loki’s scepter to the A.I. of his Ultron program. That plan to interface goes awry when Ultron determines that man himself is the root cause of earth’s decay, and the avengers are the true threat which needs to be stopped to allow the fall of humanity.  Determined not to repeat his mistakes Tony convinces Hawkeye to leave the room to check on an injured Natalia while he convinces Banner to create a second murder-bot, with the Jarvis A.I.  to interface with; in order to undo the mistake he just made with Ultron, not fully knowing if this version won’t repeat the same results. In the Ultimates animated movie Bruce Banner is viewed as the villain. Like the greek myth’s Prometheus who stole fire from the gods, Banner’s desire to crack the code of the super soldier serum unleashed a god like horror to man, a rampaging beast of carnage.  Banner deliberately lies to Nick Fury and Betty Ross regarding trials of test subjects and uses all the vials of Steve Rogers’ blood on himself to gain control intellectually of his monster. The deceit and lies may have been forgiven if he was successful in controlling the Hulk, instead it compiled to the threat of an alien invasion with Hulk attempting to murder each Avenger.

Similar to the Phase one set up of the MCU which was influenced by Mark Millar’s work, Nick Fury and shield unearth a frozen Captain America trapped suspended since his days stopping hydra and a Chitauri invasion during the Second World War. Vibranium composes the haul structure of the Alien aircrafts, and Captain America is thawed out in time to lead a team of earth’s mightiest heroes to prevent Earth from being conquered.  It’s the team’s ego and not working in a team environment that causes the Avengers to fail, and nearly lose a member. The crushing defeat and learning to trust each other, and follow a plan allows the heroes to shine; However not all the heroes can be seen in the light as David Banner’s misguided attempts almost kills the entire team at the edge of victory.

Mary Shelly

Mary Shelly

Aug. 30, 1797 - Feb. 1, 1851

Mary Wollstonecraft Shelly, an English Author, whose father William Godwin was a philosopher and novelist; he was considered radical because he favored Utilitarianism and was the first modern proponent of Anarchism. Godwin published two books in one year the first was an attack on political institutions, the second a mystery novel designed with intent to attacking aristocratic privilege. The father and daughter had a close relationship but it was stained as Godwin had to work abroad to support his family, as her relationship with her stepmother was rocky. Godwin has been quoted to describe Mary as ‘singularly bold’, imperious and active of mind. Her mother, Mary Wollstonecraft was a defender of women’s rights and had written a book on her travelers to Scandinavia, where she gave birth to a daughter Fanny Imaly, A daughter out of wedlock which was a situation frowned upon by their peers, and by society at the time. Godwin pursued and married Mary Wollstonecraft when she fell pregnant with Mary; and to ensure Mary Shelly's birth was legitimate. Shelly herself was born in London, August 30, 1797.  After giving birth to Mary her mother died a few days later. Four years later, her father remarried and Mary Shelly would eventually become the sister to five semi-related siblings.  

At Age 16 Mary eloped to Italy and became the second wife of Poet Percy Bysshe Shelly.  Shelly’s original wife died of suicide; Mary would bare Percy several children of whom only one survived a son Percy Florence.

Mary Shelly’s first book, Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus (1818), was conceived for a ghost-writing contest; on a stormy night in June 1816. Influenced by the experiments of Luigi Galvani, an Italian physician, physicist, biologist and philosopher who pioneered bioelectromagnetics. In 1780, Galvani discovered animal electricity, more specifically muscles of dead frogs ‘legs twitched when struck by an electrical spark.  The creation of her novel won for her a place among the imaginative writers of England, it was an instant wonder, and has spawned a mythology all its own to this very day.  Many believed Percy had written it since he penned its introduction and the book debuted as a novel from an anonymous author.

 After Percy’s death from an accidental drowning in 1822, Mary returned to London with their son and pursued a successful career in writing.  Frankenstein was followed up by Valerga (1823), The Last Man (1826), Lodore (1835), and Falkner (1837).  Mary Shelley would succumb to brain cancer and died on February 1, 1851. Her final novel Mathilda was finally published over a hundred years later in 1959.  There was a loosely adapted autobiographical movie released in September 2017 along the festival circuit, before reaching a theatrical debut in the spring of 2018 starring Elle Fanning in the title role; the film does depict the turbulent years, and infidelity that Shelly experienced in her marriage with Percy.

Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

Guardians of the Galaxy is directed and co-written by James Gunn.  A man who got his start learning the craft working for Troma studios, the b-movie production company that brought you a cult favorite like the Toxic Avenger.  Gunn came to Marvel expecting that a few of the songs he wanted used could receive clearance for the soundtrack of the movie; coming from his last film which had a budget of $3 million dollars and some creative restraints. Gunn was happily surprised that the Marvel’s legal team and budget was accommodating to include all the songs on his wish list. The reward in bringing these songs to the landscape of the movie was to bridge generations, the music of the 70’s have a nostalgic undercurrent for an older audience and to a young generation who listen to music that samples songs of that decade got to re-connect to the original artist. A lyrical narrative of the songs relate in the journey of telling this operatic space odyssey.  At its time Guardians of the Galaxy volume 1 is the only Marvel soundtrack that broke into Billboards 200 music charts. Black Panther would be the second motion picture of the stable of 23 to reach the same musical status and influence a market that was not in the movie industry.

The Worlds of the Guardians; Earth is referenced as Terra,   Gunn has made a note that not all aliens speak the same language, and that Peter Quill aka Star Lord has some form of interpreter device that allows him to understand and communicate to all the species, so when a character mentions a hamster in one of the dialogues it is not an Earth hamster, but in a reference to an animal that characteristics and stature would be equivalent, that his device could interpret in a translation based on Terra edition translation.  

Morag: The Abandoned planet, in a written scene not included in the movie The Broker, played by British actor Chris Fairbanks provides Peter Quill a holographic map device of an ancient city in Morag. Centuries ago the planet cultivated an advanced civilization until climate change or some extinction level event decimated the inhabitants.  Every 300 years the oceans would recede allowing passage into the remnants of this once great city. Quill arrives early, likely when it’s not safe to do so to claim the Orb before Yondo and the Ravagers, or Korath the Pursuer and his men arrive on the planet.  This one fact can explain why in the last 300 years neither that of Thanos nor anyone else was unable to claim all the infinity stones until this point.

Xandar- Headquarters to the Nova Empire, The Nova Corps, and to the Broker.  The planet has 3 Suns in relative close proximity to one another; this unusual alignment is showcased on the chest plate of a Nova officer and is a proudly distinguished insignia of the planet’s inhabitants.

The Klyn. Is  space station that acts as a prison, or a federal penitentiary, for the worst offenders that Nova Corp has come in contact, a super max prison structure, similarly seen in films like Fortress,  Escape plan,  and partially in face off.  The Klyn is where the last member of the Guardians of the Galaxy is met, Draxx the Destroyer. The alliance and the formation of the group is forged in their need of one another to escape the Klyn and their reason to remain is the contents of the Orb.

Sancturary  is a planetoid planet , ruled by Thanos and home to the Chitauri, The Other, and the Space Throne. In the movie we are first introduced to Nebula on the planetoid to accompany Ronan the Accuser, it is however suggested that the children of Thanos resides at Knowhere. But for the movie it seems very evident his Black order would be by his side.

Knowhere  A mining colony  is actually the remnants of an ancient celestial head, Home of the collector,  A captured Howard the Duck and Dark Elf, and according to comics The Black Order (Children of Thanos) would also reside here, but that would make little sense because the infinity Gem being guarded by the collector would be at a threat being so closed to Thanos’ minions. We are also introduced to Sakaarn people giving chase to the guardians in addition to the ravagers.  The planet Sakaar not visited in the movie is further right of the Knowhere and more  along the outskirts of this Galaxy

Hala  is the Home Planet to the Kree, Home to Ronan the Accuser, He is unearthed and dressed in his introduction of the movie . As his name suggest he represents the military branch of government and is  a jurists, and is considered the third most powerful Kree in the Empire. The Kree and Xandorians have orchestrated a peace treaty, to end their 1000 year blood soaked war, Ronan holds on to his fundamental old ways most likely witnessing the death of his grandfather and father in this bloodied war.  Ronan is clearly divided with this union of peace and wants the eradication of Xandar , The Power stone would grant him satisfaction in his bloodlust.