Selling arms to the Contras?
Quite effectively, it seems.
But what was the Other SHIELD doing while Coulson and his band of rag-tag misfits fought and beat HYDRA on their own? That alone should make any SHIELD agent think twice about supporting the Other SHIELD.
Talbot didn’t inherit what was left of SHIELD; he was tasked with hunting down what was left of SHIELD (and sorting it out from its HYDRA bits).
He missed an entire helicarrier, apparently.
And, let’s be realistic here: Edward James Olmos is only on this show because he played Adama on BSG. His entire characterization, so far, is “Adama from BSG with a cane”. Of course we’re going to call him Adama – that’s who he’s playing. Not a one of us will bat an eye when he drops his helicarrier on someone in the season finale.
At least Lucy Lawless, when she was cast because she played Xena, isn’t actually playing “Xena in sensible clothes”. We should probably call her D’Anna.
Okay, so Talbot is hunting Coulson, but also working with him when convenient. But, still technically hunting him?
DrDeth drop correcting people for using a past character’s name to refer to a role played by the same actor. It’s been done before and there is nothing against the rules about it. It is clear the posters know who they are referring to and don’t need your “corrections”. If you are genuinely confused as to who is being referred to then ask. Otherwise you’re just Jr. Modding and hijacking the conversation.
nm.
NM? Wasn’t he a friend of Ludicrous Lion on H.R. Pufnstuf?
I thought that was him playing Innocent Bystander #3! 
BTW, UAG is also a character on the new 24 Monkeys show. Is he hired purely for his over-the-top gravely voice or what?
:D:p:)
In case you aren’t familiar, the Cross Time Caper is a story arc from the original Excalibur run by Chris Claremont and Alan Davis i the early 90s (with Captain Britain being one of the founding members of Excalibur). The arc had its ups and downs (Davis ended up leaving partway and Claremont left after it was over but still had some unresolved character developments) but it’s one of my all-time favorites and it was, I thought, very unique and creative. Plus it had just about the coolest lineup ever (Captain Britain, Meggan, Nightcrawler, Phoenix, Shadowcat, and Lockheed).
Coulson was appointed Director by Fury, which seems reasonable in a comic book world, but was it really Fury’s appointment to give. I would expect that Fury could nominate someone, but that they would require something along the lines of senate or congressional confirmation. Clearly G-man has that confirmation, else having control of a strategic asset like a helicarrier would start involving national govts.
My line of thinking is that G-man has a positive outcome where shield absorbs Coulsons merry men and assets and goes from there, but is planning for a negative outcome, should Coulson demure. What is left, is to figure out , what Fury’s legacy in the tool box is and how it can be played.
Declan
I thought part of G-man’s concern was that Fury himself was corrupted by all this alien tech blasphemy. I think he’s all rogue. Maybe he has allies in government, but he’s not operating above board at all. Talbot & Coulson should both know about him.
Except who knows that, who even knows Fury is alive?
And why doesnt Gonzales just call Coulson up and say “Hey, Dude, nice fight vs HYDRA and keeping the faith, but I am the rightfully appointed Director, not you. OK?”
and again, wtf what was Gonzales and his shit-load of agents and possibly helicarrier doing while Coulson & co fought HYDRA all by their lonesome?
[Alucard] If they live to the end of the month I might remember their names. For now they’re just spare blood.[/Alucard]
Dude- “Alucard” is just Dracula spelled backwards. 
I kid, I kid! (It’s a joke, son!)
D
ALUCARD is Dracula spelled backwards! - some peasant
I don’t think Fury had any authority to appoint an official successor. He essentially appointed Coulson as his spiritual successor. He said that Coulson still believed in Shield’s original mission of protecting humanity from aliens and superpowers so he should be the guy in charge of whatever is left of Shield. But the only thing Fury’s blessing really carried was that Shield loyalists who had been loyal to Fury would probably follow Coulson in turn. That and whatever hidden assets Fury handed over.
Up until this latest episode, it appeared the official government position was that Shield was disbanded. Loyal Shield employees were supposed to report to Talbott’s agency to be debriefed. And Shield employees who didn’t report as ordered were going rogue - even if they weren’t Hydra, they were legally nothing more than mercenaries.
Now the big question is who Gonzales’ group is. Is it another unofficial agency like Coulson’s? Some group working for Talbott? A reformed version of the old Shield? A new agency with the old name? A Hydra front?
So barring any unforseen events, I am calling it as
May sides with Coulson
Fitz goes over to battlestar helicarrier
Skye sides with Coulson in spirit, but gets spirited away by sightless
Simmons neutral, which way the wind blows
Mac and Bobbi, already team Gonzales
Hunter, goes team Coulson out of spite, can be brought aboard team Gonzales eventually
Ward totally out of control
33 could be salvaged for either team.
Declan
My take:
May stays with Coulson, and she’ll continue to question his motivations as appropriate.
Fitz? He goes with Coulson and Skye. They both share the “changed misfit people treat differently” thing.
Skye does indeed get whisked away by Gordon the teleporter, or at least he shows up and gets to know her. She stays loyal to her Coulson family but wuvs her new family and won’t betray them.
Simmons is iffy. She’ll stay with Coulson but she’ll be confused and stuff.
Mac swallowed the koolaid. He belongs to Gonzales.
Bobbi is barely on board with Gonzo. She switches back to Coulson & Hunter.
Hunter. This dude is all about honesty and loyalty. He’s Coulson’s.
Ward: He & 33 do their own thing, as co-dependant whackjobs. 33 might leave Ward though. She’s not as nuts as he is.