# Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D S02E07: The Writing on the Wall (open spoilers) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 12, 2014, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e07-the-writing-on-the-wall-open-spoilers/704400 "2014-11-12T01:46:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![pricciar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@pricciar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pricciar)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2014, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e07-the-writing-on-the-wall-open-spoilers/704400/1 "2014-11-12T01:46:08Z")
“The Writing on the Wall” Directed by Vincent Misiano Written by Craig Titley I’m not going to have time to watch the episode tonight, but as usual, I thought I would start the discussion thread. An episode title with a pun must be a sign of nothing but good things (or maybe Kree things). I’m looking forward to what happens. I expect there to be plenty of Ward, but I bet we won’t find out Ward’s brother’s true motivations just yet. I’m also guessing we’ll get a bigger introduction to the Tattooed Man. We’ll find out soon enough! [Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D S02E01: Shadows](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=735202) [Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D S02E02: Heavy is the Head](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=735949) [Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D S02E03: Making Friends And Influencing People (open spoilers)](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=736682) [Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D S02E04: Face My Enemy](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=737365) [Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D S02E05: A Hen in the Wolf House](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=738138) [Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D S02E06: A Fractured House](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=738875) ---
**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 12, 2014, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e07-the-writing-on-the-wall-open-spoilers/704400/2 "2014-11-12T03:28:43Z")
Did backstory exposition lady mention the Kree body had been around “since the pyramids”? ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2014, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e07-the-writing-on-the-wall-open-spoilers/704400/3 "2014-11-12T03:33:23Z")
> [@Lightray](#): > > Did backstory exposition lady mention the Kree body had been around “since the pyramids”? Before the pyramids, IIRC. Also, did anyone catch the name of Skye’s hacker source who likes to hang out at crime scenes? Micro…as in the Punisher’s sidekick Micro. ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2014, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e07-the-writing-on-the-wall-open-spoilers/704400/4 "2014-11-12T03:34:51Z")
BTW how much you wanna bet that the city in the designs that the Kree were so hot to find is Attilan, the home of the Inhumans? ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2014, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e07-the-writing-on-the-wall-open-spoilers/704400/5 "2014-11-12T03:35:24Z")
They named Tattoo Guy, but I don’t remember the name and haven’t had time to check the DVR again. Cameo appearance by former Agent Cameron Klein (I googled him, minor player in the comics, appeared in a few issues of Captain America, involved in the capture of someone named Cache). The writing is a map, of sorts, but not a two dimensional one. It’s a city, apparently, but probably not a known one on Earth. Ward is low key awesome. Excellent spy-craft, cool as a cucumber, and master of mindfuckery. Apparently he’s going to do his own thing, which may be useful to SHIELD from time to time, but loose cannons are dangerous. Fitz says the brain never “deletes files”, just loses connections–but there is always a backup. Still working on fixing himself. Simmons is a little more assertive this week. Another fun episode. ---
**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 12, 2014, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e07-the-writing-on-the-wall-open-spoilers/704400/6 "2014-11-12T05:04:17Z")
A good solid episode. We learned a lot about the Tahiti project and the meaning of the wall carvings. And we sort of know what Ward’s planning on. We even got a little information on the internal workings of Hydra since their unplanned reorganization last year. Baron Strucker is apparently the CEO back at international headquarters and Whitehall is the VP in charge of American operations. There was also another ad for the Agent Carter mini-series. I’m guessing there will be new episodes of Agents of Shield through December and then that show will go on hiatus for six weeks while they run the Agent Carter series. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2014, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e07-the-writing-on-the-wall-open-spoilers/704400/7 "2014-11-12T05:16:16Z")
Great episode. Yeah, I immediately thought Attilan, and the blue Kree whatever he is really wanted to get there before he died, so much so it’s etched into his DNA. Newly independant Ward is fun! ---
**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2014, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e07-the-writing-on-the-wall-open-spoilers/704400/8 "2014-11-12T07:40:16Z")
So either that city is on earth some place hiding in plain sight, or we are going to have another episode with the asgardians Declan ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2014, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e07-the-writing-on-the-wall-open-spoilers/704400/9 "2014-11-12T07:58:33Z")
There’s also the blue area on the moon, but I don’t think they’ll go that route. How about Kazar’s hidden land? Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch are associated with Mount Wundagore. I’m guessing it’s in the Himalayas. Skye’s parents were in China. ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2014, 10:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e07-the-writing-on-the-wall-open-spoilers/704400/10 "2014-11-12T10:21:43Z")
gotta love a dead man switch you can let go of to pick up your luggage. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2014, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e07-the-writing-on-the-wall-open-spoilers/704400/11 "2014-11-12T10:53:36Z")
Decent episode. Highlight: Playing “ **Who is He and What is He to You** ” by \*\*Bill Withers \*\* during the scene where Ward cleaned up. Love that song. Lowlight - a commercial: I watched real time so couldn’t FF through the commercials. One of the last ones was for women’s protective undergarments. Last line? “Because pee happens.” Just didn’t need that. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2014, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e07-the-writing-on-the-wall-open-spoilers/704400/12 "2014-11-12T12:32:47Z")
Pretty good episode, not a home run but a stand up double. I thought they did the train layout setup well, my wife figured it out before the reveal but I was in the dark until just before. That was pretty good writing. I suspected that Cameron Klein was used in the comic, that’s a nice little touch. Interesting that Coulson and the level 6 agent both could recognize people in the program even though their memories of it had been erased. It doesn’t feel right that Coulson would trick Skye like that and lock her in the cell that used to house Ward. (They only have one cell?) The bartender seemed to be a friend of Ward’s, one who treated him well. And Ward killed him (presumably) without a second thought. He’s pretty cold. I like that his motivations aren’t clear and he’s got his own agenda. Clearly, not a nice person but a useful one. He’s a better character this season than I could have imagined. If you didn’t know the backstory you wouldn’t have thought there was anything wrong with Fitz this episode. He didn’t have much screen time but it almost felt like they’re moving on from that story line. I doubt they are, but he seemed almost “normal”. ---
**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 12, 2014, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e07-the-writing-on-the-wall-open-spoilers/704400/13 "2014-11-12T14:39:45Z")
So the one thing they didn’t explain is why Skye is the only person to receive the serum who didn’t go insane with the pattern. Is it because she’s part Inhuman? Or is it because she’s already been to that city, so has no compulsion to find it again? > [@Telemark](#): > > It doesn’t feel right that Coulson would trick Skye like that and lock her in the cell that used to house Ward. (They only have one cell?) Presumably that’s their most secure cell. I thought it was a nice touch though - it showed that Coulson truly wasn’t in control of himself - he’d do anything, including locking up Skye in a cell with bad connections for her, to find out the last piece of the pattern. > [@Telemark](#): > > If you didn’t know the backstory you wouldn’t have thought there was anything wrong with Fitz this episode. He didn’t have much screen time but it almost felt like they’re moving on from that story line. I doubt they are, but he seemed almost “normal”. Corpse diem - seize the Dead. ---
**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 12, 2014, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e07-the-writing-on-the-wall-open-spoilers/704400/14 "2014-11-12T15:12:29Z")
> [@simster](#): > > gotta love a dead man switch you can let go of to pick up your luggage. My wife noticed that right away. Then he did it again and ultimately had the dead man’s switch released 4 or so times. The SHIELD team was pretty stupid for trying to tail one of the best agents in the biz that way anyway. This isn’t the French Connection, May can tail him from the Quinnjet or something else high tech. You don’t have to be 20 feet away from him. > [@muldoonthief](#): > > So the one thing they didn’t explain is why Skye is the only person to receive the serum who didn’t go insane with the pattern. Is it because she’s part Inhuman? Or is it because she’s already been to that city, so has no compulsion to find it again? That second theory is an interesting one. I just assumed that they were leaning on “she has alien DNA so she’s not affected.” Pretty good episode though it seemed a little too clean to have the team turn over tattoo guy to the authorities because he had other crimes to atone for. What crimes? They didn’t establish anything about him other than he’s crazy and he’s killing because of what Project TAHITI is doing to his head. ---
**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 12, 2014, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e07-the-writing-on-the-wall-open-spoilers/704400/15 "2014-11-12T15:41:14Z")
> [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](#): > > Pretty good episode though it seemed a little too clean to have the team turn over tattoo guy to the authorities because he had other crimes to atone for. What crimes? They didn’t establish anything about him other than he’s crazy and he’s killing because of what Project TAHITI is doing to his head. Coulson said he had been a black ops agent for Shield back before his resurrection. I don’t know if that’s supposed to imply he was one of the Hydra sleeper agents or if it’s just a reminder that Shield did some questionable parts under Fury’s rule. ---
**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 12, 2014, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e07-the-writing-on-the-wall-open-spoilers/704400/16 "2014-11-12T16:03:50Z")
> [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](#): > > … The SHIELD team was pretty stupid for trying to tail one of the best agents in the biz that way anyway. This isn’t the French Connection, May can tail him from the Quinnjet or something else high tech. You don’t have to be 20 feet away from him. The entire “Ward escapes!” plotline requires passing the idiot ball around so much that I’m surprised Manchester United isn’t trying to recruit from SHIELD. They should have seen _all_ of this coming. It beggars belief that May knows all of Ward’s dropbox sites, but is too stupid to have foreseen this outcome. They have an injectable tracer which they _just_ used on Raina, yet didn’t use on Ward because… reasons. Dumb, bad writing. ---
**Author:** ![JSexton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@JSexton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JSexton)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2014, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e07-the-writing-on-the-wall-open-spoilers/704400/17 "2014-11-12T16:35:30Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Coulson said he had been a black ops agent for Shield back before his resurrection. I don’t know if that’s supposed to imply he was one of the Hydra sleeper agents or if it’s just a reminder that Shield did some questionable parts under Fury’s rule. He said he was “an assassin for the dark side of SHIELD”. One can assume he did unsavory things that Coulson didn’t agree with. Not Hydra, probably, but likely influenced by them, at the least. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2014, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e07-the-writing-on-the-wall-open-spoilers/704400/18 "2014-11-12T16:40:45Z")
> [@Lightray](#): > > They have an injectable tracer which they _just_ used on Raina, yet didn’t use on Ward because… reasons. > > Dumb, bad writing. This really stuck out for me as well. Of course, Ward might know how to disarm or remove it, but if you go that route he’s just superman. I still like the plotline of him being a 3rd party, just not how he got out there. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2014, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e07-the-writing-on-the-wall-open-spoilers/704400/19 "2014-11-12T17:12:29Z")
> [@simster](#): > > gotta love a dead man switch you can let go of to pick up your luggage. Yep. Either is wasn’t or he turned it off from time to time, since his hand would cramp, or he does have to go to the bathroom, sleep etc. In which case shoot him then with a sniper rifle with sleepy bullets. Really, for such smart agents, they sure are dumb where he is concerned.:dubious: ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2014, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e07-the-writing-on-the-wall-open-spoilers/704400/20 "2014-11-12T17:21:57Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Yep. Either is wasn’t or he turned it off from time to time, since his hand would cramp, or he does have to go to the bathroom, sleep etc. In which case shoot him then with a sniper rifle with sleepy bullets. > > Really, for such smart agents, they sure are dumb where he is concerned.:dubious: They still lurv him. It’s part of his spy talent. “I’m everyone’s type.” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e07-the-writing-on-the-wall-open-spoilers/704400.md?page=2)