Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 4 isn’t my favorite, but it is undoubtedly the best season of the series. Most fans agree with that because of the quality of narratives and storytelling in the season. After all, the show doesn’t really get more exciting (or anxiety-inducing) than Ghost Rider, AIDA, and Life Model Decoys.
Robbie Reyes will always be the coolest Ghost Rider.
To be honest, Robbie Reyes is the only Ghost Rider whom I actually know. By that, I mean, I’ve never consumed Ghost Rider media that focuses on the other versions of the character. The 2007 Ghost Rider movie starring Nicholas Cage? I’ve never seen it — though I’ve wanted to. I’ve just never gotten around to it. The Danny Ketch version? I know of him but have never read his comics.
So my opinion that Robbie is the coolest Ghost Rider isn’t a completely fair assessment. But I maintain my stance, because no other version of Ghost Rider has appealed to me more than Robbie’s version. Sure, the general idea of Ghost Rider, this flaming skull figure who rides a motorcycle, is cool. But Robbie’s Ghost Rider is more appealing to me. I prefer the Hell Charger over the Hellcycle, and I think it’s awesome that there’s a Mexican American Ghost Rider.
Robbie is complicated and compelling. He’s an older brother who’s guilt-ridden and somewhat cocky but also caring and well-meaning. There’s so much to his character that would be fun to explore, especially with the Darkhold and his experiences in hell. He has an interesting comics arc that would be nice to see come to life in the MCU as well. Gabriel Luna is great in the role. I love his portrayal of Robbie, and it’s a shame we never got more of him (even though we were supposed to!).
Yo-Yo’s friends are the worst.
Losing friends doesn’t feel good, but it can be for the better, and that’s definitely the case for Yo-Yo’s friends, because they indeed are terrible. For one, the way the bride “jokes” about how Yo-Yo dresses and will have to wear a dress for her wedding feels so judgmental and mean. There’s also the obvious discrimination against Inhumans, as though the fact Yo-Yo has Inhuman genes somehow makes her a bad person and horrible friend. The irony is those friends are actually the ones who are bad. But good riddance, and good for Yo-Yo for getting those toxic women out of her life.
Fitz and Radcliffe make me miss Fitz’s other friendships.
Every time I get to season 4, it makes me miss when Fitz’s primary friend (not counting Simmons) wasn’t Radcliffe. Fitz developing a friendship and working relationship with Radcliffe is nice—at first. But the hubris of their scientific-genius minds is too much to go unsupervised. Science is fun for them, but they don’t know their limits or when to stop. Neither one is a voice of reason, but they’re both so preoccupied with their work and having someone like themselves in their lives. The secrecy of their work doesn’t help either. There’s no one to provide another perspective or outside opinion.
Everyone else is either busy, or Fitz is too focused on working with Radcliffe that we no longer have the Fitz who was actually friends with others on the team. He and Mack don’t hang out anymore, but Mack’s skepticism would be a good balance for Fitz. Hunter was a good contrast for Fitz, but he had to leave. It’s tough for me to get into this point without writing a whole essay. But, essentially, Radcliffe was just a bad influence on Fitz. It could’ve been okay if they weren’t so invested in their work and didn’t end up spending as much time together as they did. But that wasn’t the case, and it ultimately led to the Framework and AIDA’s attempted takeover.
Mack is so right about AIDA.
Mack’s skeptical and judgmental nature can be a lot sometimes. That’s part of what made Mack somewhat unlikable early on when he became a main character. Thankfully, he grows so much as the show progresses. But he was absolutely right about AIDA being a reason for concern. His mistrust of robots was completely justified just for AIDA alone. Fitz and Radcliffe were way too trusting of and reliant on the anthropomorphic, woman-presenting android. And I don’t blame Mack for making that robot girlfriend comment, because he wasn’t wrong no matter how much Radcliffe tried denying it.
Also, now that artificial intelligence is more prevalent than ever, may Mack’s attitude serve as a reminder about the concerns and terrors that AI presents.
Why does Mace make everything a sports analogy?
I love sports. It was the first thing I ever loved. But I cannot imagine going through life by comparing every situation to sports. It’d be one thing if the people around him were those who would appreciate the sports analogies, but I’m not sure there’s a single instance in the show where anyone does. The British scientists, especially, are not likely to understand all the (American) football comparisons.
Maybe it’s just one of those things that were meant to make Mace seem cringey, annoying, and less appealing, even though he’s actually a solid guy and a good boss. Because no one on the team really likes him, and the incessant sports analogies would just make him more insufferable to them. But then he dies, so it heightens the guilt of his demise.
Waking up to Ward will always be a horror story.
I’m not a fan of Daisy and Lincoln, so I wasn’t necessarily rooting for Daisy to find Lincoln in her bed like she hoped. But that doesn’t make Daisy finding Ward any less horrifying. After all, she was already so distressed by having just taken out all the LMDs who looked like her team (and herself).
The thought of finding her dead ex-boyfriend in the fake reality she willingly entered to save her team (and the world) probably brought her a brief moment of relief and contentment. But, instead, she finds the guy she liked romantically but turned out to be a Nazi traitor who tried murdering her best friends. Being jarred upon the sight of him in her bed is more than valid, and so is immediately trying to quake him. The fact she doesn’t freak out or react worse is amazing and a testament to her growth as an agent.
Trip is undoubtedly the best part of the Framework.
I’m being absolutely biased when I say this—I know. But I love Trip, and I’ll always be sad about his death, so Trip being alive in the Framework will always be the highlight of that storyline for me. It’s always so great to see his charisma and dedication again. Beyond my own preferences, I also love how happy Daisy and Simmons are to see he’s alive in the Framework. Seeing how Daisy, especially, is overjoyed to see him again is heartwarming, because she undoubtedly will always feel some guilt about his death—not that she played a role in it, but we all know she takes some blame.
The part where Trip asks Daisy whether he was romantically involved with either Daisy, Simmons, or May in the other world is very amusing and perfectly features the lighthearted charm he brought to the show. But that also reminds me of the inherent trust he has in Daisy and Simmons despite the women’s secrecy. The fact he’s supportive and so willing to help them says a lot about the kind of person he is. I also adore the implication that Trip could go on to lead and become the new Patriot.
Framework Ward being the final Ward appearance was the right choice.
Admittedly, when I first watched Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 7 as it aired live on TV, I would’ve liked for Ward to make a cameo in the final season. But, upon further reflection, I changed my mind pretty quickly. With every full series rewatch I’ve done, I continue to believe that Ward didn’t need to be in season 7. Ward was in the show *plenty*. His villain story will always be the best in the show and one of the best parts about the show. But they really used him as much as they could. Anything more would’ve felt like overboard, because the “redemption” arc he got in the Framework was enough closure for the character as a whole. If they tried to bring him back and give him another redemption story, then it would’ve felt redundant.
Albeit not real and just part of a simulation, Framework Ward already showed us what a good Ward could’ve been like. They didn’t need to find a Ward from an alternate timeline and make him good. Not to mention, keeping the lone legitimate Ward’s story to that of being the traitor just makes that narrative all the more emotional and powerful. It had such an impact on the team and the show itself. Why cheapen it by revisiting Ward just for the sake of making the last season seem more full-circle?
Mack choosing to stay in the Framework will forever be heartbreaking.
Season 4 is a real turning point for Mack. When we first meet him, he’s just the mechanic on the team who turns out to be (sometimes overly) critical and a double agent for “real S.H.I.E.L.D.” In season 3, we see him grow into a proper field agent who’s more understanding and a proper (work) partner for Daisy. In season 4, we get a legitimate look at Mack, the person—mostly thanks to his relationship with Yo-Yo but also his deceased daughter, Faith. The Faith storyline adds so much depth to his character. It also sets up the arc for the rest of the show really well. But having Mack go through the pain and trauma of losing his daughter a second time is brutal.
We never know exactly what kind of moments and memories Mack got to make with the real Faith. In the Framework, however, we see Mack creating an entire life with this smart, ambitious little girl. Surely, much of that is time he never got to have with her—things he never got to do with her or know about her. But even though none of it is real, that pain is. It makes Mack’s easy acceptance of that loss and transition back to reality all the more impressive. No one would ever question Mack’s physical strength, but it’s a testament to his emotional strength.
AIDA becoming a human is a terrifying reminder of how horrible and complicated being a human can be.
There’s no denying that AIDA becoming a human is horrifying, but it also served as a great (albeit scary) message about what it means to be human. She discovers wonderful things, like love, joy, and connection. But she also realizes it means learning about heartbreak, anguish, fear, and other downsides to humanity.
AIDA finds out she can’t just have the good parts of being a human—all of the experiences and positive emotions that she has witnessed but could never fully understand as an android. AIDA finds out the hard way that you can’t have a full understanding of what being human means unless you know the good and bad of it.
Fitz taking responsibility for everything is admirable and shows his growth.
The team never would’ve let him do it, but part of me wishes JedMo and the rest of the production team would’ve figured out a way for Fitz to just take the blame and punishment on behalf of everyone else. It could’ve been so interesting to see how that route would play out. He had come such a long way since being that timid, apprehensive scientist who wasn’t eager to go into the field. He had become so much more confident in himself and his abilities. For better or worse, he had learned how much he could offer.
Fitz had legitimately become a team player and leader (this unintentionally sounds like something Mace would’ve said, and I’m only slightly cringing at that thought) by the aftermath of the Framework. He has always cared about his team, but his willingness to take responsibility for everything placed him in a new light.
The diner scene is honestly one of the most heartwarming moments of the show.
Before they got abducted, that is.
One of the greatest appeals of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is the team’s found family dynamic, but I feel like there actually aren’t many moments from the seven-season series that show the team, as a whole, being a family. Given how much the team grows in size from the first season to the last, it’s understandable.
There are a lot more people to include, so it’s easier to show the sibling dynamic between, for example, Daisy and Mack more often than it is to show the team as a whole. But having a meal together is one of the most familial, domestic things people can do. As a Filipina, sharing meals and bonding over food is such a valued family tradition. So I found it especially heartwarming to see the team all sitting at the diner’s counter, enjoying food and debating whether to have pie for dessert.
“AIDA, seriously, therapy. Just consider it.” – Daisy Johnson/Quake, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. episode 4×22: “World’s End”
