# Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D S02E06: A Fractured House (open spoilers) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 29, 2014, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e06-a-fractured-house-open-spoilers/702814 "2014-10-29T01:43:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2014, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e06-a-fractured-house-open-spoilers/702814/21 "2014-10-29T16:26:36Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > Yeah, unless this was some elaborate plot to use Ward against his brother it reflects some pretty poor writing. No way Coulson does that type of transfer. Even to the stupidness of taking his hood off before loading him in the truck? Why would you do that? > > . And simple handcuffs in front? Not in back or full leg irons too? ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2014, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e06-a-fractured-house-open-spoilers/702814/22 "2014-10-29T16:55:15Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > He does seem to have a certain callous indifference to killing. He gets annoyed and he kills people in the vicinity. > > If the people he kills happen to be bad guys that’s just a sign that he’s running with a bad crowd. He does have a violent temper, and he seems to know it. He seemed frustrated with his own lack of control, and Raina thought she was helping him keep it in check. He doesn’t want Skye to think he’s a monster. > [@Telemark](#): > > Didn’t he kill most of the village back in China? I thought it turned out the village was really just Hydra agents. > [@](#): > > So, is Talbot now an ally? Is he convinced that Coulson and SHIELD are on the side of good and Senator Ward is evil? Not an ally yet, but the team has earned his respect, and having Talbot’s respect is a very good thing. ---
**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:** [October 29, 2014, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e06-a-fractured-house-open-spoilers/702814/23 "2014-10-29T17:07:02Z")
> [@Lightray](#): > > So dumb. Beyond dumb. Especially when even beat cops carry thumb cuffs and zip ties. ---
**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:** [October 29, 2014, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e06-a-fractured-house-open-spoilers/702814/24 "2014-10-29T17:32:36Z")
Very stupid unless it’s a Xanatos gambit by Coulson to get Ward free for some purpose, but then that would make him responsible when Ward kills his guards. ---
**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:** [October 29, 2014, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e06-a-fractured-house-open-spoilers/702814/25 "2014-10-29T17:37:11Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > I thought it turned out the village was really just Hydra agents. According to Ward. ---
**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:** [October 29, 2014, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e06-a-fractured-house-open-spoilers/702814/26 "2014-10-29T17:39:48Z")
> [@Lightray](#): > > Coulson was flourishing that idiot ball so much I thought he’d joined the Harlem Globetrotters, which totally ruined any “surprise” at Ward’s escape. > > They had Ward locked up in a cell where even the air supply is controllable by tablet. Furthermore, they have knock-out guns which apparently have no long-lasting effects. _And_ they know that Ward is an Agent, trained to escape. Knock the F’er out, wrap him up in duct tape like a mummy, and send him out as dead-weight! There’s no cameras running that they had to make it look good for. _Of course_ Ward escaped the handcuffs! Hell, May did the same damn thing in the opening episode (dislocating shoulder, rather than thumb, but even so). > > So dumb. There was also the “You will never see Skye again” line. Followed by walking Ward out through the office corridor. “Oh, hi, Skye, how’s it going?” Although that did give Simmons a chance to be badass. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2014, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e06-a-fractured-house-open-spoilers/702814/27 "2014-10-29T18:56:42Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > According to Ward. But, Ward has never lied! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![AHarris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bcef8e/32.png) [@AHarris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHarris)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2014, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e06-a-fractured-house-open-spoilers/702814/28 "2014-10-29T19:12:52Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > But, Ward has never lied! 🙂 Both could be true… It’s possible that Hydra taking his wife and Skye hostage caused him to go over the deep end and target everyone in the village. Especially if the Shield agents showed up in the middle of the rampage and took Skye away before he could find Skye. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Q](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/898d66/32.png) [@Johnny\_Q](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Q)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2014, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e06-a-fractured-house-open-spoilers/702814/29 "2014-10-29T21:23:05Z")
Unless Skye’s mom is Uncle Ben, I wouldn’t be surprised to see her show up eventually. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2014, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e06-a-fractured-house-open-spoilers/702814/30 "2014-10-29T21:26:00Z")
> [@tripthicket](#): > > Hard to see because of the quality of the [sneak peek currently up](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TuO30k3QIE), but Rogers does move Mjolnir the tiniest little bit. Not enough for anyone else or even Rogers to notice, but the smile on Thor’s face slips for just a moment before he returns to his “you’re all not worthy” cockiness. Many people are speculating that this is a foreshadowing. > [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > . It looked like Cap was able to get it to move a little, which startled Thor. I watched it again online, and you’re both right. Cap definitely moved it a little, and Thor reacted, but recovered quickly. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2014, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e06-a-fractured-house-open-spoilers/702814/31 "2014-10-29T21:45:30Z")
> [@Johnny\_Q](#): > > Unless Skye’s mom is Uncle Ben, I wouldn’t be surprised to see her show up eventually. Is Ward’s little brother alive? Expect to see him, too. ---
**Author:** ![stegon66](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee59a6/32.png) [@stegon66](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stegon66)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2014, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e06-a-fractured-house-open-spoilers/702814/32 "2014-10-30T00:07:24Z")
> [@](#): > > BTW, we’re all assuming Phil did not fall for Senator Ward’s little “Grant was the evil one but blamed it all on me” speech, right? After dealing with Loki, I suspect Coulson is not so easily fooled… ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2014, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e06-a-fractured-house-open-spoilers/702814/33 "2014-10-30T04:03:18Z")
The ease of Ward’s escape (well, to the extent that we saw) annoys me. For a high-value prisoner as dangerous as he is known to be, his restraints are trivial - single pair of cuffs, in front of him? Absurd. Had he be busted free by some of the “contacts” he’d referenced… maybe. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2014, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e06-a-fractured-house-open-spoilers/702814/34 "2014-10-30T04:44:32Z")
Talbot’s going to be pissed, that’s for sure. Talbot doesn’t like looking stupid. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2014, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e06-a-fractured-house-open-spoilers/702814/35 "2014-10-30T04:49:51Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > The ease of Ward’s escape (well, to the extent that we saw) annoys me. For a high-value prisoner as dangerous as he is known to be, his restraints are trivial - single pair of cuffs, in front of him? Absurd. Had he be busted free by some of the “contacts” he’d referenced… maybe. Wasn’t there a line about putting some sort of tracking technology on him at some point? Or maybe on someone else–not sure, but I would not be surprised if they did something like that and allowed him to “escape” on the theory that he’ll lead them to something important, possibly the obelisk. ---
**Author:** ![Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/half_man_half_wit/32/21766_2.png) [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Half_Man_Half_Wit)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2014, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e06-a-fractured-house-open-spoilers/702814/36 "2014-10-30T06:50:54Z")
> [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](#): > > Dude has the worst luck with tattoos. He had one for a while on Sons of Anarchy until it was forcibly removed… > > Yeah, Senator Ward almost had me there. I was starting to think that he was the straight up brother and Agent Hotcakes Traitorface was just lying but I soon started to think that _both_ are screwy. Actually, both brothers are telling the truth as they know it—it’s really the _third_ brother who’s the criminal mastermind, manipulating his siblings to his designs. That scene in the well? Grant legitimately thought Chris forced him, while Chris just as legitimately believed Ward was just acting on his psycho impulses. That’s when brother three got them both under his control, and he’s been playing them ever since. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2014, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e06-a-fractured-house-open-spoilers/702814/37 "2014-10-30T11:25:59Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > Wasn’t there a line about putting some sort of tracking technology on him at some point? Or maybe on someone else–not sure, but I would not be surprised if they did something like that and allowed him to “escape” on the theory that he’ll lead them to something important, possibly the obelisk. I guess I wouldn’t be surprised if that was the case, but I would be disappointed. Even if Coulson had such a cold-blooded plan to let a killer like Ward run free and shrug off the inevitable victims he’ll create in the process, Coulson has no way of controlling what happens to Ward after he yields custody. Was saying “Don’t give him an inch” supposed to be reverse psychology, make the FBI guys careless out of contrarian bravado? If not, they were awfully stupid to transport a dangerous prisoner with only his hands cuffed in front of him. Coulson becomes likes Nolan’s Joker in that case, where his plan was for highly unlikely and stupid behaviour from others to work in his favour. ---
**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:** [October 30, 2014, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e06-a-fractured-house-open-spoilers/702814/38 "2014-10-30T14:07:14Z")
> [@stegon66](#): > > After dealing with Loki, I suspect Coulson is not so easily fooled… I was hoping for a line like “I’ve had some experience with evil brothers.” ---
**Author:** ![JSexton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@JSexton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JSexton)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2014, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e06-a-fractured-house-open-spoilers/702814/39 "2014-10-30T15:27:18Z")
I kinda feel like I watched a different episode than the rest of you, as my takeaway was dramatically different than everyone else in the thread. The big issue is that everyone is calling Senator Ward EVIL. Why? Because of what Agent Ward said? That’s your evidence? Because I thought Coulson made it crystal clear that Ward has been lying and manipulating is the entire time. Sure, his intel has been solid, but he’s been selling a couple big lies by padding them with truth. The whole time he was locked up, he was trying to manipulate Skye into getting him out of the cell to search for her father. We literally saw him practicing the thumb dislocation in his cell, preparing to escape when the opportunity arose. It just turned out that he got a different opportunity than the one he was planning on. Oh, but he didn’t want to get turned over to his brother, you say. Another lie, this one a Br’er Rabbit. “Don’t send me to my brother!” he squeaked. “Don’t take me out of this escape-proof cell and into the hands of idiots who don’t know what I’m capable of, heavens no!” Senator Ward’s version of what happened at the well was true. Agent Ward is, and has always been, the dangerous psychopath. Sure, Senator Ward is ambitious, and like Talbot, his interests may not always align with SHIELD’s interests. But I do not think he’s evil. We have no reason to think he is, other than Ward’s word. And like Coulson said, Ward is the guy that lied to their faces for years, and murdered his friends. Why are we believing him? This was the best episode yet, because it did what the Whedon clan excels at: it sets up an expectation and then shatters it. We expected a redemption arc for Ward, due to his true love for Skye. But Coulson doused that with a bucket of cold water: Ward is delusional, and dangerous, and Cannot. Be. Redeemed. They did this in little ways, too, like at the Bruges safehouse, with the plucky agent (that we conveniently met earlier via skype) buying time to get the villain monologing. Did the heroes arrive in the nick of time to save her? Nope. Dead. Most shows wouldn’t have the courage to run that play. ---
**Author:** ![gonzoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a6a055/32.png) [@gonzoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzoron)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2014, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e06-a-fractured-house-open-spoilers/702814/40 "2014-10-30T15:32:46Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > Yup, pretty good ep. I almost fell for Ward’s brother’s act, even after Ward warned Skye his brother would do exactly what he did. Weird, everyone here seems to be be taking the opposite tack than I did. I would say, “I almost fell for Ward’s act… but then I remembered he’s a psychopath.” Ward’s brother’s no white knight, but I question _everything_ Ward says nowadays, _especially_ when prefaced with “I’ll never lie to you.” I think the brother’s screwdriver story is more likely than Ward’s well story. I did like the episode a lot. The Bobbi/Hunter bickering felt a bit unearned, since they are both new characters and it took up a lot of the episode. But it was worth it for the bi where they paused, then both shot the same guy who getting up, and then got back to the bickering. man, I a loving the Fitz/Simmons scenes. I can’t believe how far they’ve come since last season. Heartbreaking. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e06-a-fractured-house-open-spoilers/702814.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e06-a-fractured-house-open-spoilers/702814.md?page=3)