*and HOPE she shows up again.
Whether or not Ward has actual feelings for Skye (and I think he does, considering his reaction to her getting shot) - the true answer to “Why are you here?” is “Skye.” His HYDRA mission was to get Skye and have her decrypt the hard drive. Even if Ward’s lovey-doveyness is all an act, that answer is still the truth and wouldn’t set off the Orientation machine.
Although Koenig must not know how to read it right if he’s getting all these LYING! LYING! HE’S A FILTHY LIAR! responses, but one final question makes him put his gun away.
Exactly. The only thing we’ve been shown put into the secret subfloor was the gravitonium/Graviton. If Ward had let that slip, Coulson would have realized something was up. The other prisoners, though … common knowledge in SHIELD and HYDRA that they were at the Fridge.
I agree, but his assigned mission and his personal mission happen to align here - it’s unclear if the machine worked because of his spoken answer or his emotion. It reminds me of Spike back in BtVS when he went on the quest to make him like he was before - the audience thought it was back to Evil Spike but he really meant to give him a soul. In this case, he’s going to get Skye to decrypt the hard drive but he may be also going to win her to his side. This could challenge his devotion to Garrett/HYDRA.
Oh, yeah, I agree that’s the direction we could be heading, and we were led to believe Ward’s feelings were what convinced the machine. I just think it’s possible to read that another way - which means Ward stuck that thing up under his fingernail for nothing. Nothing!
As to another element that’s arisen (at least in my mind): Remember what an important plot point it was at the beginning of the series that the news of Coulson’s resurrection not get out? The whole idea of the Bus and the select team was so Coulson’s merry band could jet about and do SHIELD business off the grid, because it was important that the Avengers (at least) not find out Phil was alive unless it was directly from his mouth. Even about a month ago, it was key that Sif keep his secret from Thor and the rest of Asgard.
Well, we’ve seen Coulson at the Hub several times. Not only Level 8 and above agents saw him, but numerous gun-toting low-level security types (along with plenty of HYDRA personnel) know he’s walking the earth. Garrett for sure knows, and we think HYDRA is anxious to find out this resurrection blue-alien goop for their own use.
So the question is: Wouldn’t word get out? Wouldn’t some Level 2 Fridge security guard (we’ve already seen how much of a failure they are at following orders, god rest their gullible souls) tweet a picture of Coulson arriving with the gravitonium, or tag him on their Facebook page? And if all these flunkies know … wouldn’t Tony Stark? Or Steve Rogers? Or Natasha or Hawkeye or … pretty much anyone connected to the Avengers?
I continue to be willing to suspend my disbelief, because I am enjoying the heck out of this show (and I realize it’s based on comic book logic, so …). But the previews for next week of more security flunkies arriving at Providence -seeing Coulson alive! OMG! - made me realize this secret really isn’t all that secret anymore.
I saw what you did there, and I’m not sure I like it. 
As much as I like the theory that Simmons may be another HYDRA mole, I also think that her turn on the lie (almost-) detector kills that one.
I’m betting that Mae’s mom had worked (she said she was retired, but still had contacts) at NSA or CIA. I don’t think too many other agencies would be able to figure out where Hill worked, even though she hasn’t gone off the grid like Fury has.
I think it was only a secret because:
- the secret alien goo
- the effort Fury went to
- the fact that Fury manipulated the Avengers
#2 and #3 are moot at this point because everybody either thinks Fury is dead (most of the world) or knows he’s a manipulative asshole (Rogers, Romanoff). #1 is still relatively secret in that only Hydra and SHIELD know about the goo. Everybody else just knows Coulson didn’t really die and the means are irrelevant.
loved loved loved the whole lie detector scenes, silly is it may have been. More character development in 3 minutes than in practically the whole season so far.
The scenes with Skye/Ward were tense. Perfection. Though for some reason, I was getting a very strong Buffy/Angel(us) vibe. Maybe that’s why I liked it so much…
I don’t buy Simmons as Hydra, but then I didn’t buy Ward as Hydra, and here we are. So what the heck do I know. The only one I can definitively say is NOT hydra is Skye, I guess. (given her reaction to learning Ward is, alone with no one but the viewers watching.) Coulson isn’t actively Hydra, I’m sure, but as May stated, who knows what was put into his head? Fitz, Triplett, and May sure don’t smell Hydra at this point either, but who knows?
That’s one of the frustrating things about secret agent shows. For the most part, the writers can decide someone’s been lying at at any time. On the other hand, it’s kind of freeing, since I can just sit back and enjoy and not bother trying to guess what’s going on.
Or, you know, it could be that the secret of his being alive got out last week when he was in a videoconference with Adrian Moustache when he introduced himself as Phil Coulson Agent of SHIELD. And was told to stay there to be “debriefed.” And then went on the run.
Since the security flunkies arriving in the preview look like they work for Col. Moustache, no, they probably won’t be surprised.
Someone really needs to reference Tahiti in the show again so Coulson can parrot “It’s a magical place” and then get miffed about it.
I think this was the weak part in an otherwise top notch episode. I guess I want it explained more how you go from openly pulling out a weapon to trusting a subject. Did Koenig put that much faith in the lie detector and its results? Or was the phrasing of the questions such that Koenig had to make sure he wasn’t asking something that the sub conscience and conscience would be fighting? As I said, just a bit more as to why he let it go and was trusting enough that he would be alone with Ward.
I liked the show but the second half of the season has just been awesome! It used to take me a week, sometimes more (I think at one point I had three to watch on the TiVo) but now I nearly watch it live! I have really been happy with the show!
Yeah, I was a bit disappointed in Koenig. When Koenig and Ward were alone after sending Skye off to hack NSA, I thought the indications were that Koenig had figured it out and was beginning to play Ward.
Then cut to an off screen death.
Of course, if things are consistent Coulson can go back to not trusting May since passing the polygraph isn’t evidence of anything.
Oh, almost forgot: Amy Acker!!! YAY!
Of course she had to show up eventually. 
Not a super-meaty role, yet, but maybe she’ll be back. It would be nice to have a recurring character who isn’t SHIELD. Or maybe she’ll be recruited. You never know when a mission will call for a cellist, if only for backing score for the badassery of the rest of the team…
Coulson, the guy who makes speeches about how they can’t allow personal interests to control their actions and then takes the team on a 100% personal mission to save his ex girlfriend. I wonder how many innocents have died at the hands of other escaped prisoners while Coulson went after a guy who apparently poses no real danger to the object of his obsession? He even said the cellist could save him. No way to know now. He’s apparently dead.
I think Fury, May and Simmons are right to question Coulson’s state of mind and decision making abilities.
I took that to be in more of a “I’ll wrap myself in your skin and we’ll be together forever.” way as opposed to a “You calm me and I can maintain control with you around” way.
Well, Hulk had his Betty, King Kong had his Fay Ray. It could have been heartwarming or bittersweet. Or Coulson could kill his competitor. Fitz should kill Triplett.
The way Patton Oswald told the desert island question made me think of the Replicant Interview in Blade Runner I think that was intentional.
I do too. “You find a turtle on its back.” Blam!
The whole scene reminded me of Firefly, where they interviewed the crew.
It occurred to me that Skye must almost certainly believe Ward killed May. He told her this implausible (albeit actually true) story about May suddenly deciding to quit SHIELD and leaving without saying good-bye. Sky found that surprising even at the time. But then she found out Ward killed Koening and hid the body. So the obvious assumption would be that he did the same thing to May. She must have been wondering why she hadn’t been killed also until she realized Ward needs her alive until he gets the password.