I feel like Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 3 is when my opinions about the show start to shift into more critical commentary. That’s not to say I don’t enjoy season 3. The season features interesting storylines, and Hive, in particular, was a well-done villain. The in-depth story the show goes into regarding Inhumans and their history is riveting. It’s also cool to see S.H.I.E.L.D. get closer to returning to full strength after having to rebuild. And don’t even get me started on how circular storytelling creates such a suspenseful narrative. Just out of personal preference, season 3 is probably near the middle of my rankings for “Favorite Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Seasons.”
Here are some noteworthy thoughts from my latest Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 3 rewatch:
Why does Coulson have such a tough time not calling Daisy “Skye”?
This always bothered me and made no real sense, because I never understood the attachment Coulson has to Daisy’s self-given moniker. Sure, “Skye” is the name he knew when he met her, so he knew her as Skye first. But it has always been obvious he has a soft spot for her—that he cares for and respects her. So why is calling her “Daisy” now so difficult for him? He’s the only one on the team who has to be corrected, sans a Simmons who slips up after having recently been rescued from Maveth, which more than warrants a pass.
May and Hunter are an entertaining duo I never knew I wanted.
Hunter may be a capable agent, but he’s also such a chaotic person. So to see that opposite May’s stern, reserved demeanor was a great contrast. Their differing personalities are what made them entertaining to watch as a pair. However, an underrated part of their team-up is getting to see that May actually cares about Hunter even though they’ve had their issues. The frustration May felt in season 2 when Hunter shot her with an ICER? Fair. The anger she developed after Hunter played a role in letting Andrew get caught up in that store explosion? Understandable. But even if their shared motivation in stopping Ward is what brings them together, May putting up with him is just partial proof she cares enough about him to work with him.
Bobbi using her experience to electrocute that man is everything.
As if Bobbi wasn’t awesome enough, this moment made her even cooler. May was absolutely correct that Bobbi’s experience was imperative to her skill set. Admittedly, it was kind of weird to see Bobbi be hesitant to fight, because she had generally been shown as such a strong, confident, capable field agent who isn’t afraid to engage in combat. But that also made her more human, and I don’t think we would’ve gotten the pool electrocution scene if not for that hesitance.
Daisy’s wardrobe in season 3A is not it.
The way Daisy dresses in the first half of season 3 always seemed weird to me. I don’t think it’s just me disliking her attire either. Because I’ve brought the subject up to my sister and friend, and neither of them is fond of her outfits in the first half of the season.
I’m all for letting people dress how they want, but Daisy’s attire felt out of character. In trying to make her seem more mature and experienced, it felt like she wasn’t a woman in her 20s who would express herself through fashion. Sometimes, her outfits felt more akin to a middle-aged woman who didn’t care about using fashion as a means of self-expression. Fortunately, Daisy’s outfits later in the season seemed more suitable for her and more complementary to her story, her pain, and desire for comfort. What bothers me more, though, in that first half of season 3 is how Daisy is the only woman on the team who’s dressed in lower-cut shirts. I’m sure there’s valid reasoning behind it—being more open and vulnerable, maybe, now that she’s more confident in who she is as a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent and Inhuman. But it’s unsettling to see that the only woman dressed to show cleavage is the young Asian woman.
Daisy and Lincoln become less appealing with every rewatch.
I’m not one to speak much about movies, shows, fandoms, ships, et cetera that I don’t like. I’d rather spend my time and energy on what I enjoy and love. But I can’t discuss Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 3 without addressing Daisy and Lincoln/StaticQuake. That said, I am not a fan of the pairing. It’s fine if you do, but anyone who ships them and/or likes Lincoln may prefer to skip this section.
On my very first watch of the show, I didn’t mind Daisy and Lincoln. I didn’t ship them, and I wasn’t a fan of them, but I also didn’t dislike them. My feelings about them were limited to “It’s sad he died and Daisy was left devastated.” Each time I rewatched the series, however, I realized how unappealing I found them. Beyond obvious things like attraction and shared Inhuman heritage, I’ve never understood why they like each other enough to be in a relationship. They’d both recently gone through terrible things, but finding each other and being in a relationship could be the good amidst all that chaos. But what does Daisy like about Lincoln? Why is Lincoln drawn to Daisy? What do they have in common besides the Inhuman background? How are they different, and why do they still work despite those differences? Their relationship feels very surface-level and circumstantial, as though they only became a couple because the timing and situation allowed for it. The audience has to trust in what we’re told about them and their relationship instead of being shown how and why they’re a couple. If I can’t understand why they like each other, why should I like them as a couple?
One of the things that has especially turned me off from them is their sequence of events in episode 3×12: “The Inside Man.” In that episode, Daisy and Lincoln fight about a potential “cure” for Inhumans. Daisy tries to defend Inhumans, insisting their differences don’t warrant being “fixed.” Lincoln retaliates by lauding his medical knowledge and education over her, claiming that “technically” being an Inhuman is a disease and a vaccine is necessary. He also makes a comment implying he’s better than her because he “didn’t hack her way through life” like Daisy did. Daisy later apologizes about her “militant” behavior, and Lincoln explains how his insecurities with his powers make him envious about how Daisy can just accept her Inhuman-ness. While his feelings are valid, it always bothers me that he never apologizes for belittling her and implying his education makes him superior. In the end, the fight is “resolved” with them having sex, which feels like a cheap and gross conclusion to an important situation.
Is it possible to watch “Parting Shot” without crying?
If you can watch Bobbi and Hunter sacrifice their positions and lives and leave S.H.I.E.L.D. to save their team without crying, then I’m not sure I can trust you. Without fail, I will cry during this episode every time I rewatch it. From the genuine love and concern Bobbi and Hunter have for each other to the deeply saddening spy’s goodbye (especially when Mack says farewell), there are so many great, I will cry about so many things during 3×13.
The “us versus them” mentality is so strong.
The divide between humans and Inhumans has always been strong on the show. However, it wasn’t until this latest rewatch that I realized the “us versus them” mentality in season 3 is that strong. The S.H.I.E.L.D. team is, obviously and thankfully, accepting of Inhumans and willing to work with them now. But it’s not that simple. Some sort of divide is inevitable—especially considering the negative public sentiment about Inhumans. Even with Daisy, there are moments where she places more emphasis on her being part of the Inhuman community over being a member of S.H.I.E.L.D. It makes sense, though. Her Inhuman background is a new part of her identity, and she wants to integrate that into the life she already has. But the Inhumans aren’t all as eager as Daisy. And even if S.H.I.E.L.D. tries to be accepting and understanding of Inhumans, anyone sans Daisy simply can’t understand what their lives are like. It just goes to show that humans’ willingness (in S.H.I.E.L.D., at least) to accept Inhumans as they are requires a lot more work than just giving them a place in the organization.
The Secret Warriors starting and ending in the same season is unfortunate but necessary.
I honestly don’t see how the Secret Warriors could’ve realistically been a long-term plot point in the series. The team (S.H.I.E.L.D.) within a team (Coulson’s team) within a team (the Secret Warriors) idea would just be too much to keep up on an extended basis. At a certain point, they would need to branch off and be the focus of the story or be pushed aside. It was cool to see a group of Inhumans come together to help a world that didn’t accept them. It could’ve been interesting to see how the Secret Warriors could’ve grown. But, again, that would been a lot to take on in a show where there was already so much going on.
Coulson killing Ward is a lesson in karma.
I don’t like Ward either, and I get wanting revenge—especially considering what happened with Roaslind. But it would’ve been fine to just leave him alone and alive on Maveth. Coulson has to learn that the hard way, though, and live with the consequences of his actions. It does make me wonder just how guilty he feels about that choice. Because Coulson does mention his guilt briefly in the show. But it never gets fleshed out further. He never has a full-on breakdown about it, which would’ve been valid. I get Coulson is generally composed and can keep it together, but he certainly has had his moments. The most in-depth Coulson gets with that regret is when he mentions that Lincoln was paying for all of the team’s mistakes, not just Daisy’s, by sacrificing himself.
The way they show Hive recalling his hosts’ memories is brilliant.
Hive is such an interesting, complex character, and I really enjoyed seeing how the past sacrifices made an impact on the current host. There would be moments where Hive recalls random memories from previous hosts, jumping from one recollection to the next. It was a nice way to show the curse of being such a powerful being. Brett Dalton did a great job at portraying the confusion and jarring demeanor.
Chloe Bennet is heartbreakingly spectacular during the sacrifice scene.
If you’ve seen the scene, then you know what I’m talking about. If you haven’t, I don’t know what you’re doing here, but you should watch it. It’s easily some of Chloe’s best work in the entire show.
Daisy going rogue at the end of the season has to do with so much more than Lincoln.
I point this out because I’ve come across many people online who fail to recognize the comprehensive culmination of Daisy’s grief in the show. Yes, Lincoln’s death caused her to go rogue, but that was just the catalyst. Lincoln’s death was not the reason she left S.H.I.E.L.D. It was just her breaking point. After finding and losing her birth parents and blaming herself for Trip’s death, Daisy already held so much grief going into season 3. So, when Lincoln dies, it becomes too much for her to handle. She leaves because she doesn’t want to lose anyone else, nor does she want to endanger anyone else. By delegating Lincoln’s death as the sole reason for Daisy’s departure from S.H.I.E.L.D., it disregards the hardships and loss she had experienced beforehand.
