Warning: Spoiler Alert
Coulson and Rosalind sit down and Rosalind’s dining room table for a gourmet candle lit dinner of DJ’s fast food burgers. They discuss what little progress Coulson and his people have made getting a pulse on Malick’s movements. Rosalind outlines her next day and how she plans to meet with Malick. Before she can go any further a single bullet flies through her living room window striking her strategically in the throat. Coulson jumps into action, but there’s no saving her. She dies within seconds. From a solid full city block away we trace the bullet’s path…to Grant Ward.
Before Coulson can completely grasp what has just happened, his phone rings. On the other line, is Ward, taking great joy in the sound of panic in Coulson’s voice. Quickly, Coulson grabs a second phone and texts that he need immediate extraction. That’s about the time that Ward explains that tonight is the night Coulson dies. Ward has his men in route to do the deed.
Coulson gets the drop on the first guy, then uses the first guy as a human shield to get over on the second guy. As he hears a third coming, he surveys the room. Coulson is about to go ‘MacGuyver’. Using an spray can air freshener and candles, Coulson creates a explosive diversion that aids in taking out guy #3 and #4. Coulson eludes guy #5 by jumping out of a window, and hits without killing guys #5 and #6. That’s when Mack arrives, Coulson jumps in and they pull away.
Upon their return to base, Coulson heads straight for his office. May prevents Daisy from following. Inside he removes his bloody shirt. Out of his pocket falls the matches Ros had from the first pub they shared their first date like moment. The camera goes outside the office where most of the team have gathered. They can hear Coulson angrily causing damage to his office.
After Coulson’s momentary fit of anger, he escorts May to the interrogation room. Coulson wants to eliminate Ward and is willing to make his own team uncomfortable to gain new intel to help in accomplishing his goal. Beginning with details of when May and Ward were intimate. Each team member takes turns sharing whatever information they can, while Coulson’s demeanor never changes. Focused on the task. Daisy is able to shed some light into the psychosis of an adult from a damaged childhood.
Mack escorts Banks into the base. Banks claims that all he wants to do is get the guy who got Ros. Mack introduces Banks to Fitz and Simmons. They begin by showing Banks the mission patch from Will’s jacket. Banks recognized it immediately. A project NASA was working on when he and Rosalind joined up. The project was headed by an independent contractor, hired by Gideon Malick.
Ward meets up with Malick. Malick is not entirely pleased with what has transpired. He has no ill will towards taking out Rosalind, but risking Coulson at this point in the plan is in his estimation, reckless. Ward believes that the plan will go off without a hitch, all because he thinks he knows Coulson so well as to predict his moves.
Hunter attempts to give his condolences to Coulson. Without a word, Coulson goes right for Hunter picking him up by his neck. With his replaced hand, Coulson punches through a brick support just right of Hunter’s head. Hunter tries to apologize for not getting Ward earlier Then Coulson pulls back and blames himself. Everything that’s happened since Coulson brought Ward in is on Coulson.
Hunter wants another shot, one he will get. Coulson has a plan. That plan involves crossing lines the Director of SHIELD should not cross. Coulson temporarily hands over control of SHIELD to Mack as acting Director of SHIELD. Coulson will not divulge the details of his plan, by design.
Simmons tries to convince Fitz that opening another portal, even to get Will, is irresponsible. Especially considering Hydra has been trying to open a portal for decades. “That’s just an old wives tale that Hydra mothers tell their goblin babies.” Just then, gunshots are heard. Banks turns to Fitz and Simmons, gun raised. Fitz asks him not to do it, but Banks isn’t in control of himself. Malick’s Inhuman pusher (who strangely enough is played by Mark Dacascos, the host of Food Network’s original Iron Chef America). Banks’ gun levitates and shoot him in the forehead. Fitz and Simmons are spared as they are to meet with Malick, whether they want to or not.
Malick wants Jemma to share details on what she saw on the other side. Simmons nor Fitz are willing to concede anything. Jemma quickly deduces that Malick needs her because Hydra has no idea how to get back. Ward suggests they separate the two, perhaps to squeeze something out of them individually.
Coulson, Hunter and Bobbi stage a robbery. Just before we can figure out why, Coulson approaches a thirty something male in the back. All he says is, “how’d you find me?” before Coulson hits him in the face with the butt of a shotgun.
With Fitz and Simmons separated, Ward does what Ward does. Monologues like a seasoned late night talk show host. Simmons doesn’t give him anything. But Ward was never going to hurt her. The same cannot be said for Iron Chef. Next Ward moves to Fitz. Fitz’ concerns begin and end with Jemma. He holds up relatively well until he hears Jemma’s screams. Ward has no intention of doing anything to Fitz. Making him hear her screams should be enough.
Ward gets a call. Its Coulson with a little something Ward did not anticipate. Coulson aims his phone’s camera at the man they kidnapped from the jewelry store. That person is Thomas Ward, Grant’s younger and presumably innocent brother . The move gets its desired result. Thomas pleads to not be killed. Bobbi explains that no one in the plane wants that. When they explain that they are using Thomas to draw out Grant, Thomas declares that they better finish him off. Then we get a little truth about their childhood.
Grant calls back but Coulson is not the one to answer the phone. Grant starts in with what he will do to Fitz when Thomas’ voice is heard. They need a trace on his location and talking to Thomas might distract Grant long enough to get the trace. Thomas ironically pushes back a little. Asking why Ward killed their parents and Christian and even admitting that Thomas proactively moved and changed his name to stay hidden from Grant. Coulson pulls the phone after Bobbi gets the trace. In no uncertain terms, he lets Grant know that yes, they traced the call. And they are coming to put Grant down.
Ward, Malick and FitzSimmons are held up in the castle we saw a handful of episodes ago when Fitz brought Simmons back. Malick plans to open the portal. Problem is that the castle is surrounded by a ‘fortified Hydra’. In order to prevent any more harm to come Jemma’s way, Fitz has volunteered to go through the portal himself.
As acting Director, Mack makes the decision to take Daisy, May, Lincoln and Joey (Joey’s first official action) to prevent Hydra from opening the portal. Meanwhile Malick’s plan involves Ward leading Hydra troops on the other side. An idea that does not sit well with Ward. Standing over Coulson’s dead body is far too important to play general in someone else’s dream.
With a clear opening and hands bound, Jemma runs over to Fitz hoping to deter him from the decision he’s made. Iron Chef makes a move but stops short.
Fitz: You touch her and the deal’s off.
Simmons: Fitz, you can’t do this.
Fitz: My mind’s made up Jemma.
Simmons: We can’t let them bring that thing back to this planet…Fitz! Please, just let them kill me.
Fitz: I can’t do that. I won’t. I lost you once. I can’t lose you again. I just…not strong enough to live in a world that doesn’t have you in it.
Simmons (puts her head on his should and whispers): Come back to me. Just don’t bring that thing back with you.
Fitz: Only thing I’m bringing back is Will.
Ward enters the room in full desert fatigues willing and able to lead they Hydra forces on the other side. They open the portal and Hydra’s men start filling in. Up in the sky, Coulson identifies Ward’s heat signature. The problem is, Ward just jumped through the portal. Coulson doesn’t wait. Grabs a parachute and jumps off the plain. “I’m ending this tonight”. He aims right for the room in question. Before Malick can give the order to close the portal, he hears a sound behind him. Its Coulson diving into the portal.
On the other side, Ward leads the men through a dust storm. Coulson lands on the planet tumbling head over feet. His landing plants his skull firmly against a rock. He appears to be unconscious. Not good under most circumstances, especially not these.
