# Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D S01E08: The Well (open spoilers) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 20, 2013, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s01e08-the-well-open-spoilers/674316 "2013-11-20T03:43:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s01e08-the-well-open-spoilers/674316/21 "2013-11-20T14:26:14Z")
> [@The\_Controvert](#): > > Skye’s role in the team is “The Chick”. (See “Five-Man Band” trope) It explains why Skye is used the way she is, with respect to the team dynamic. The roles are: > > The Leader: Coulson > The Lancer: May > The Big Guy: Ward > The Smart Guy: FitzSimmons > The Chick: Skye I don’t see that. You’ve got a team of three men and three women so there’s no “[girls are a class](http://www.cracked.com/blog/6-sexist-video-game-problems-even-bigger-than-breasts_p2/)” effect. Skye’s more like a [Sixth Ranger](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/SixthRanger) crossed with a [Naïve Newcomer](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/NaiveNewcomer). ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s01e08-the-well-open-spoilers/674316/22 "2013-11-20T14:34:36Z")
If the little boy didn’t drown, it wouldn’t have made the impression it did. Ward’s fear of the bully killed his brother, IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s01e08-the-well-open-spoilers/674316/23 "2013-11-20T14:47:21Z")
Two silly things that momentarily took me out of the story: First, we have a couple of Norwegian Neo-Nazi Pagans wrecking Oslo to show off their new powers. And how do we know this? Because they write “WE ARE GODS” in flaming letters on the street. In English. They could just as easily have had the video be “VI ER GUDER” and had Coulson dramatically translate it into English. The second one was Randolph, who as we saw is a womanizing immortal. Which made it incongruous when he was reaching for his car’s door handle and we see his wedding ring. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s01e08-the-well-open-spoilers/674316/24 "2013-11-20T14:49:07Z")
It was a nice touch to show that all Asgardians are into bestiality, not just Thor. “No, horny.” ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s01e08-the-well-open-spoilers/674316/25 "2013-11-20T15:05:11Z")
> [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](#): > > If the little boy didn’t drown, it wouldn’t have made the impression it did. Ward’s fear of the bully killed his brother, IMHO. I agree, but I’m not sure that a show owned by Disney, airing at 8 PM with a TV-PG rating will be willing to come out and say that a main character was forced to murder his younger brother as a child. I’m betting they’ll leave it ambiguous. ---
**Author:** ![Sparky\_the\_Wonder\_Spirit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@Sparky\_the\_Wonder\_Spirit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky_the_Wonder_Spirit)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s01e08-the-well-open-spoilers/674316/26 "2013-11-20T15:10:37Z")
> [@Lightray](#): > > Actually, the crossover with Thor was pretty damn minimal. the opening scene – which had the only actual connection to the Thor movie – was quickly over and utterly irrelevant to the plot. The staff and the Asgardian nebbish have about as much connection to the Thor movie as the Chitauri hat did to the Avengers movie. Yeah. This episode didn’t deal with TDW fallout in any meaningful way - The Evil Norwegian Pagans With No Goals Beyond Being Evil and Norwegian could’ve dug up their magic stick at any time. ---
**Author:** ![randwill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@randwill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randwill)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s01e08-the-well-open-spoilers/674316/27 "2013-11-20T15:25:58Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > First, we have a couple of Norwegian Neo-Nazi Pagans wrecking Oslo to show off their new powers. And how do we know this? Because they write “WE ARE GODS” in flaming letters on the street. In English. They could just as easily have had the video be “VI ER GUDER” and had Coulson dramatically translate it into English. That’s much better! But it’s American television so it’s not allowed to be that good. ---
**Author:** ![NineLineMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9e8a1a/32.png) [@NineLineMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NineLineMan)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s01e08-the-well-open-spoilers/674316/28 "2013-11-20T15:28:50Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > The second one was Randolph, who as we saw is a womanizing immortal. Which made it incongruous when he was reaching for his car’s door handle and we see his wedding ring. Plausible deniability for a Scandinavian academic - the [Doctoral Ring](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doctoral_ring). ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s01e08-the-well-open-spoilers/674316/29 "2013-11-20T15:29:56Z")
I thought this episode was only so so. I am starting to think that some people on this show are just poorly cast. Specifically The Guy, I can’t even remember his name, that’s how forgettable a character he is. The Dark Haired guy who is not Coulson. I never bought for a second the effects the staff had on him. He is just not a good actor. Otherwise, there were things to like. Fitz and Simmons are coming along as characters. This story line was a good premise and the idea of a a run of the mill Asgardian was inspired but still, just so so. Also hyping this as a tie in to Dark World was BS. It was a tie in to Thor’s character to be sure but this plot had really nothing to do with the plot of the movie other than as a reason to have the team in Europe at the start of the story. Still, just a C+ or B- for the week. ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s01e08-the-well-open-spoilers/674316/30 "2013-11-20T15:30:46Z")
I liked this episode. It had some nice moments about how the post-super world changed things, like the neo-Nazis latching onto the fact that the Norse gods are real, and Randolph’s bit about studying Norse mythology becoming less literature and more history. > [@silenus](#): > > It was a nice touch to show that all Asgardians are into bestiality, not just Thor. Being sexually attracted to other sapient humanoids isn’t bestiality. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s01e08-the-well-open-spoilers/674316/31 "2013-11-20T15:32:31Z")
> [@randwill](#): > > That’s much better! But it’s American television so it’s not allowed to be that good. I just figure that SHIELD has the same video systems the Federation has. You know, the ones that not only translate everything into English but make everybody’s mouths move like they’re speaking it as well. Automatic lowest common denominator rendering. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s01e08-the-well-open-spoilers/674316/32 "2013-11-20T15:36:28Z")
> [@Grumman](#): > > Being sexually attracted to other sapient humanoids isn’t bestiality. _Rishathra_ it might be, but I contend that if you aren’t fucking the same species as yourself, it’s bestiality. For _somebody_. ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s01e08-the-well-open-spoilers/674316/33 "2013-11-20T15:58:24Z")
Good ep, things are chugging along. I liked the swerve with Randolph and I didn’t think of that coming at all. I liked that we’re getting a little deeper into the Marvel U. I thought the Thor love was a little overdone though. I thought Coulson offering to introduce Randolph to Thor was a little silly. I liked how Agent Ward had a little more past developed beyond “I got beat up over a piece of birthday cake.” And my wife yelled “She left the door open!” right at the end. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s01e08-the-well-open-spoilers/674316/34 "2013-11-20T16:04:42Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > _Rishathra_ it might be, but I contend that if you aren’t fucking the same species as yourself, it’s bestiality. For _somebody_. C’mon, people, settle down; I’m sure we can all agree on an appropriate word for someone who enjoys sex with people not even one-tenth his age. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s01e08-the-well-open-spoilers/674316/35 "2013-11-20T16:10:25Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > C’mon, people, settle down; I’m sure we can all agree on an appropriate word for someone who enjoys sex with people not even one-tenth his age. Vampire? d&r ---
**Author:** ![Lightray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightray/32/391_2.png) [@Lightray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightray)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s01e08-the-well-open-spoilers/674316/36 "2013-11-20T16:14:20Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > _Rishathra_ it might be, but I contend that if you aren’t fucking the same species as yourself, it’s bestiality. For _somebody_. That’s a goofy and overly dramatic position to hold. This is a _comic book_ universe. Humans can interbreed freely with Skrulls, Kree, Asgardians, and Uatu knows what all else. They’re _all_ essentially the same species for such matters, and so it is not bestiality in any manner whatsoever. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s01e08-the-well-open-spoilers/674316/37 "2013-11-20T16:24:27Z")
> [@randwill](#): > > That’s much better! But it’s American television so it’s not allowed to be that good. > [@silenus](#): > > I just figure that SHIELD has the same video systems the Federation has. You know, the ones that not only translate everything into English but make everybody’s mouths move like they’re speaking it as well. Automatic lowest common denominator rendering. 😛 It was just annoying that they went to the trouble of getting all the little details right - the sign, the truck decals, and the uniform patches were all in Norwegian - and then let this one through. Having done all the other ones just made it stand out. > [@NineLineMan](#): > > Plausible deniability for a Scandinavian academic - the [Doctoral Ring](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doctoral_ring). Huh. I did not know that. I don’t know if that’s actually what the show was going for but I’ll let it slide. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s01e08-the-well-open-spoilers/674316/38 "2013-11-20T16:28:39Z")
> [@Lightray](#): > > That’s a goofy and overly dramatic position to hold. **Of course** it is! Have you missed my previous (checks count) 38,000 posts? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![The\_Controvert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@The\_Controvert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Controvert)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s01e08-the-well-open-spoilers/674316/39 "2013-11-20T17:06:54Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I don’t see that. You’ve got a team of three men and three women so there’s no “[girls are a class](http://www.cracked.com/blog/6-sexist-video-game-problems-even-bigger-than-breasts_p2/)” effect. Skye’s more like a [Sixth Ranger](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/SixthRanger) crossed with a [Naïve Newcomer](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/NaiveNewcomer). Although Skye does have some of the characteristics of NaiveNewcomer, she is fast becoming assimilated and she is even training to be a SHIELD agent. I think she was a SixthRanger in the Pilot only. Here’s the description of “The Chick”: “A peacekeeping role to balance out the other members’ aggression, bringing them to a nice or at least manageable medium. The Chick is often considered the heart of the group. This role is played by a woman or girl.” So I would say Skye / Simmons both fit there. Skye, in particular, is there to balance out the others, who don’t question SHIELD policies very much. I also see “The Chick” as someone who doodles heart shapes in their diary at night, so I see Skye (and Simmons) in that role. ---
**Author:** ![gonzoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a6a055/32.png) [@gonzoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzoron)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s01e08-the-well-open-spoilers/674316/40 "2013-11-20T18:27:32Z")
> [@Tangent](#): > > Anybody else catch the _Dollhouse_ reference? I caught it before it happened. Coulson: Did I fall asleep? Me: \ For a little while. Masseuse: For a little while. Me: \ Overall, I enjoyed this ep. Really feels like things are gelling. Like last week, I do like the character shuffling, i.e., it’s not just Fitz bouncing off Simmons, Coulson bouncing off May, Skye bouncing off Ward. Last week was Simmons/Skye and Ward/Fitz. This week Ward bouncing off May (probably literally). I was also pleased at how little it linked to Thor 2, and how little it spoiled Thor 2, since I’m probably not going to see the movie until DVD. I called the Prof being more than he appeared, but didn’t call him being Asgardian. Who knew there were nebbishes in Asgard? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s01e08-the-well-open-spoilers/674316.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s01e08-the-well-open-spoilers/674316.md?page=3)