# Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D S02E13: One of Us **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 18, 2015, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e13-one-of-us/715251 "2015-03-18T00:31:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2015, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e13-one-of-us/715251/61 "2015-03-19T16:47:55Z")
> [@Lightray](#): > > It’s not clear she knew she had her Quake powers until Fitz scared them out of her. Before that, she knew something had happened to her, … > > … Whereupon the entire band of trained-killer superspies started complaining about how they needed to be _protected_ from her. So, Fitz made a good point. Yeah but she didnt report that to May or Coulson. And they were perfectly right to do so. Remember, her power could destroy the world and she cant control it. And she’s a useless ditz. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2015, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e13-one-of-us/715251/62 "2015-03-19T16:57:55Z")
Well, she did tell Fitz, “we have to tell Coulson” but Fitz talked her out of it. Mac is the one who said they should be protected from her, but Mac is being a douche right now. These big bad spy assassins run towards danger all the time. Except Mac the douche. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2015, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e13-one-of-us/715251/63 "2015-03-19T18:43:15Z")
> [@Declan](#): > > Lady fingers, if it was only the blades attaced, one wonders why they just were not amputated at the first joint and let her live some sembalance of a normal life. We watched a while and I finally had to pause it to say, “Exacto blades on her fingertips? THAT’s her superpower?” Poor Drea. She started off playing a glamour girl and has played worn sluts ever since. ---
**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:** [March 19, 2015, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e13-one-of-us/715251/64 "2015-03-19T20:59:22Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > We watched a while and I finally had to pause it to say, “Exacto blades on her fingertips? THAT’s her superpower?” Yes, and the only thing they can think of to neutralize this grave threat to society and all that we hold dear is permanently attaching metal tubes to her fingers? Putting her into some super-prison? Really, I guess in the world of AoS, those people implanting themselves with magnets in order to gain a ‘sixth sense’ would probably get on the index… Seriously, in a world where beings exist that could level a whole city if you just rub them the wrong way, I really wouldn’t think that ‘perma-strapped some pointy bits of metal to her fingers’ even rates a mention. It’s basically like carrying a knife, only less convenient and useful. And why did all the bad guys look so grubby? I guess the sweaty, unshaven look is kind of Kyle MacLachlan’s thing in this (and I’m loving every second of screentime he gets for some reason), but really, the rest of the gang just looked like their most devastating attack might be standing upwind from you… I mean, yeah, I get they’re outcasts from society. But that doesn’t mean you can’t shower once in a while. ---
**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:** [March 19, 2015, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e13-one-of-us/715251/65 "2015-03-19T21:07:31Z")
I think Cal just gathered the easiest people on the list he could find. The real powerful ones are likely hidden, or still imprisoned in other facilities. This was just a pick-up crew to bother Coulson. Cal’s not real big on the patience and planning these days. Still needs a little tweaking. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2015, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e13-one-of-us/715251/66 "2015-03-19T21:53:42Z")
> [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](#): > > And why did all the bad guys look so grubby? I guess the sweaty, unshaven look is kind of Kyle MacLachlan’s thing in this (and I’m loving every second of screentime he gets for some reason), but really, the rest of the gang just looked like their most devastating attack might be standing upwind from you… I mean, yeah, I get they’re outcasts from society. But that doesn’t mean you can’t shower once in a while. That speaks to how they’re treated. Voice guy hadn’t cleaned his face, brushed his teeth or scratched what must have been a really irritating itch for ages. How did he even eat? Shield is a bit guilty for mistreating prisoners, even if they are evil. May told her ex, “this is the new SHIELD,” but by they end of the ep he concluded it was the same SHIELD, and he wouldn’t be a part of it. Coulson needs to try harder to make SHIELD what he believes it should be. ---
**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:** [March 19, 2015, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e13-one-of-us/715251/67 "2015-03-19T22:48:48Z")
I’m pretty sure that’s the reason they encounter “the real SHIELD.” If it was business as usual, Coulson would turn everything over to Adama and be done with it. But I’m quite sure Coulson will have a crisis of conscience (probably over what they want to do to/with Skye) and there will be angst and conflict. ---
**Author:** ![Lasciel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e79b87/32.png) [@Lasciel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lasciel)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2015, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e13-one-of-us/715251/68 "2015-03-19T23:16:08Z")
Aaaannnd to muddy the “who knows what regarding Coulson’s status” question still further, I’d argue that actually, not many people in SHIELD know that he even died in the first place, which contrariwise, makes everything actually easier. My proof - the very first scene in Season 1 where Hill is talking to Ward, she makes a comment about Coulson, and Ward interrupts “I’m level 6, I know Coulson died in the Battle of New York” - so that implies that people BELOW level 6 do not know. Now, we’re not sure WHAT they don’t know - do they not know that he died at all? Do they know he is deceased but not WHY? Do they think he is alive and on a deep cover mission? We don’t know, but I suspect that they don’t even know that he died. We do know that the Avengers got told that he was dead, as a motivating incentive. I can’t imagine that any of them are the type to just bring that up in random conversation with SHIELD operatives of any level, so no figuring it out from there. So, even with Coulson farting around in front of God and everyone during SHIELD tv episodes, point 1, civvies have no clue who he is or why he’s important, so there’s that, and 2, if no one in SHIELD under Level 6 even knew he was dead in the first place, then they’d have no issue with seeing him around. Level 6s know he was supposed to be dead, but if they saw him, they’d keep their trap shut or get in trouble. Above Level 6 knows either the cover story that he died for a few seconds, or are even higher-leveled/need-to-know (ref Hill & May) and know the whole sordid TAHITI/Kree shitstorm, and they’re not saying anything to the rank and file either. So there’s no reason to think that Coulson is getting made by SHIELD agents in general. Now that we’re in Season 2, the infrastructure of SHIELD is a little precarious - most are Hydra, others are dead or scattered about, and the ones left are more worried about the government holding them accountable for SHIELD atrocities or getting waxed by Hydra agents than worrying about whether a single agent, charismatic or not, superhero-experienced or not, is dead or alive. Especially since it appears that Fury hasn’t told anyone else that he put Coulson in charge of his own personal version of SHIELD while the “real SHIELD” is chugging along run by whoever Hand left behind to mind the fort. (My money is on Hawkeye, which means he at least of the Avengers knows that Coulson is alive.) I can see Black Widow knowing (the SHIELD data-dump at the end of CA2, and I can also easily see that she wouldn’t want to share that with the others, because she likes and respects Fury and wouldn’t want to drive a wedge between him and the Avengers. I would also strenuously argue that if Stark has been heading towards the Ultron program and towards Civil War, he’s probably keeping tabs on as much of SHIELD/the INDEX, and whatever else he can get his hands on (we know he’s (ok, JARVIS) is better than their security systems because of the Helicarrier hack) and I would strenuously argue that he’s going to lob the “Coulson is actually alive and has been secret agenting for x time without bothering to tell any of us” bomb at the other Avengers in CA3 as proof that the supers are all considered loose cannons and if they all just worked together then they’d know these important things like he does. Why do I think this? Because Stark is a little shit, and he was personally impacted by Coulson dying - note the PTSD in IM3. Also, Coulson as a team-unifying event worked really well in Avengers, and I can easily see the Russos or whoever else being positively gleeful at the thought of using him as a dividing point as a contrast. Aaand that ended up beings super long. My apologies, my sweet tea was a little strong today. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2015, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e13-one-of-us/715251/69 "2015-03-19T23:28:32Z")
Is Coulson really going to play much of a role in the new Avengers movie? ---
**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:** [March 19, 2015, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e13-one-of-us/715251/70 "2015-03-19T23:48:05Z")
Probably not that big a _role_, but he will definitely be an issue that gets mentioned. Of course, I could just see Joss having Coulson show up, everybody looks at him, say “We thought you were dead.” He replies “I got better.” and that’s the end of it, just to fuck with us. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2015, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e13-one-of-us/715251/71 "2015-03-19T23:49:38Z")
> [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](#): > > Yes, and the only thing they can think of to neutralize this grave threat to society and all that we hold dear is permanently attaching metal tubes to her fingers? Well, it undoubtedly cured her of self-abuse, too. 🙂 > [@](#): > > And why did all the bad guys look so grubby? I guess the sweaty, unshaven look is kind of Kyle MacLachlan’s thing in this (and I’m loving every second of screentime he gets for some reason), but really, the rest of the gang just looked like their most devastating attack might be standing upwind from you… I mean, yeah, I get they’re outcasts from society. But that doesn’t mean you can’t shower once in a while. Yeah, when Roary-Boy let loose, I figured everyone was passing out from his breath. This ep was an uncharacteristic turn to the stupid for the show. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2015, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e13-one-of-us/715251/72 "2015-03-19T23:54:20Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Probably not that big a _role_, but he will definitely be an issue that gets mentioned. Of course, I could just see Joss having Coulson show up, everybody looks at him, say “We thought you were dead.” He replies “I got better.” and that’s the end of it, just to fuck with us. That’s what I figure. The moviegoers don’t care that much and the TV show viewers already get plenty of Coulson. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2015, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e13-one-of-us/715251/73 "2015-03-20T01:13:02Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I’ll admit I had one moment where the show threw me off. The second scene with Fitz and Simmons. After Simmons had rebuffed Fitz earlier but then was talking to him I thought the reveal was going to be that he was alone in the lab and had reverted to imagining conversations with Simmons. No, that was just a case of people who used to like each other forgetting for a moment that they now hate each other. Pop culture cliche with a touch of real life. ---
**Author:** ![gonzoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a6a055/32.png) [@gonzoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzoron)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2015, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e13-one-of-us/715251/74 "2015-03-25T23:00:29Z")
Not my fave episode… Anyone want to explain why the screaming guy didn’t have a Gimli sized beard? ---
**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:** [March 26, 2015, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e13-one-of-us/715251/75 "2015-03-26T01:17:17Z")
His beard couldn’t grow without sunshine? ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2015, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e13-one-of-us/715251/76 "2015-03-26T01:33:18Z")
It probably all rubbed off. Or rotted off. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e13-one-of-us/715251.md?page=3)