# Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D S02E19: The Dirty Half Dozen **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 29, 2015, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e19-the-dirty-half-dozen/718768 "2015-04-29T02:41:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2015, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e19-the-dirty-half-dozen/718768/81 "2015-05-01T17:31:04Z")
> [@D\_Odds](#): > > Yep, you got me. It’s just like the whole Team Vampire versus Team Werewolf thing that was going on. Because disliking one character in an ensemble cast means one must align with another. PC or Mac. Apple or Android. PS or Xbox. Always has to be one or the other. You might be True Neutral. Other people who complain are [more open](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=18199235&postcount=38) as to the root of their objections. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2015, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e19-the-dirty-half-dozen/718768/82 "2015-05-01T17:37:02Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > One thing I’m _not_ going to miss after the season wraps up - all the whining about Skye’s role. > > Yes, it’s Skye’s show. Here, this is the world’s tiniest violin playing for all the (I assume) Coulson fanbois who won’t shut up about it. You’re not wrong, but the show is called “Agents of SHIELD” not “Agent Skye of SHIELD.” ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2015, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e19-the-dirty-half-dozen/718768/83 "2015-05-01T18:11:30Z")
> [@JSexton](#): > > In the comics, most mutants had some heightened physical abilities, even those with non-combat mutations. It seemed to just go along with the territory, and also made it easier for the writings to explain how the psychic guy could survive a Juggernaut rampage that ought to have killed a normal human. I think they are doing the same sort of thing here with their version of Inhumans. Gordon the teleporter seems stronger than a normal human. So does Cal, even though he isn’t an inhuman, per se. Skye probably has a new burst of speed and strength post-terrigenesis. Also, have you noticed that every male in comics has the statuesque physique of a Greek god, and every female can double as a Victoria’s Secret model? Except the extreme outliers like The Blob who look outside the norm because of their powers. Colossus can create metal skin. He has no need to work out. He should be a pudgy, short guy. Cyclops shoots lasers from his eyes, there’s no reason he would ever feel the need to lift weights. And psychics like Jean Grey? They should be haggard looking nerds with a bad posture from sitting all day and using their powers to bring them food from the refrigerator. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2015, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e19-the-dirty-half-dozen/718768/84 "2015-05-01T18:17:54Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > One thing I’m _not_ going to miss after the season wraps up - all the whining about Skye’s role. > > Yes, it’s Skye’s show. Here, this is the world’s tiniest violin playing for all the (I assume) Coulson fanbois who won’t shut up about it. No it’s _not_. It’s Coulson and his Agents, _not_ super special butterfly Skye. I despise her. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2015, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e19-the-dirty-half-dozen/718768/85 "2015-05-01T18:41:55Z")
> [@control-z](#): > > You’re not wrong, but the show is called “Agents of SHIELD” not “Agent Skye of SHIELD.” True enough. And I was exaggerating a bit - I still see it as an ensemble piece. But am happy with the level of Skye we’re getting. She’s always been the main POV character. ---
**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:** [May 1, 2015, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e19-the-dirty-half-dozen/718768/86 "2015-05-01T18:44:01Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > Cyclops shoots lasers from his eyes, there’s no reason he would ever feel the need to lift weights. Cyclops is the really bizarre case. By some inexplicable means, Cyclops is in better physical shape than Scott Summers is. ---
**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:** [May 1, 2015, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e19-the-dirty-half-dozen/718768/87 "2015-05-01T19:20:14Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Cyclops is the really bizarre case. By some inexplicable means, Cyclops is in better physical shape than Scott Summers is. At least the Danger Room was an explanation as to why all the X-Men were in good physical shape, even those with non-physical powers. ---
**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:** [May 1, 2015, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e19-the-dirty-half-dozen/718768/88 "2015-05-01T19:22:06Z")
“Agent Skye of SHIELD” would be a better title, and a better show. Coulson is boring as fuck in large doses. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2015, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e19-the-dirty-half-dozen/718768/89 "2015-05-01T19:29:02Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > “Agent Skye of SHIELD” would be a better title, and a better show. Coulson is boring as fuck in large doses. Sure, then I could skip it. It was promoted as Coulson and team, but Whedon simply cant stop his predilection for waif-fu. However, if it had been promoted as Special Magical Butterfly Skye Gets Her Wings, it never would have been shown in the first place. ---
**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:** [May 1, 2015, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e19-the-dirty-half-dozen/718768/90 "2015-05-01T19:48:35Z")
1. You can skip it **now**. Nobody is holding a gun to your head. B. Whedon (Joss) has nothing to do with the show anymore, other than executive producing it through his production company. Whedon (Jeb) is one half of the show-running team, and he has never shown waif-fu inclinations. iii. The development of Skye as Quake has taken this show from ho-hum to outstanding. $. ABC/Disney/Marvel disagree with you. Rather intensely, in fact. ---
**Author:** ![JSexton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@JSexton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JSexton)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2015, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e19-the-dirty-half-dozen/718768/91 "2015-05-01T19:57:20Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > No it’s _not_. It’s Coulson and his Agents, _not_ super special butterfly Skye. I despise her. Yes. We know. You’ve mentioned that. ---
**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:** [May 1, 2015, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e19-the-dirty-half-dozen/718768/92 "2015-05-01T20:11:31Z")
Cal has the Inhuman ability to paralyze trigger fingers. It’s the only way to explain how he can walk up to people who are pointing guns at him and grab them. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2015, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e19-the-dirty-half-dozen/718768/93 "2015-05-01T20:20:41Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > 1. You can skip it now. Nobody is holding a gun to your head. > > B. Whedon (Joss) has nothing to do with the show anymore, other than executive producing it through his production company. Whedon (Jeb) is one half of the show-running team, and he has never shown waif-fu inclinations. > > iii. The development of Skye as Quake has taken this show from ho-hum to outstanding. 1. I like Coulson, May, Fitz & Simmons. Great characters. B. I disagree. Either Joss is running things more than we think, or Jeb has the same predilection. iii. Just the opposite. Look, up until Skye changed to Quake, she was _worse than useless_. Her only ability was to make Coulson and Ward act like morons, and to screw up missions- or to _BE_ the mission as she got in danger _yet again_, forcing the team to _drop saving the fucking world_ to save\* her\*. Dejah Thoris and Kim Bauer got nothin on her.😛 Her "Mad hackur skillz’ could be done better, faster and safer by a neckbeard down on some sub-level of SHIELD HQ. Until she became a super she was worse than useless. But now she’s a _super_. Cool, eh? Not so. SHIELD agents arent supers. Not to mention Skye doesnt seem to even be part of the team anymore. And even if she was, we have the issue of totally mortal humans in a team with supers- just the problem we have with Hawkeye and Black Widow. ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2015, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e19-the-dirty-half-dozen/718768/94 "2015-05-01T21:06:23Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > iii. Just the opposite. Look, up until Skye changed to Quake, she was _worse than useless_. Her only ability was to make Coulson and Ward act like morons, and to screw up missions- or to _BE_ the mission as she got in danger _yet again_, forcing the team to _drop saving the fucking world_ to save\* her\*. Dejah Thoris and Kim Bauer got nothin on her.😛 Her "Mad hackur skillz’ could be done better, faster and safer by a neckbeard down on some sub-level of SHIELD HQ. Until she became a super she was worse than useless. > > But now she’s a _super_. Cool, eh? Not so. SHIELD agents arent supers. Not to mention Skye doesnt seem to even be part of the team anymore. And even if she was, we have the issue of totally mortal humans in a team with supers- just the problem we have with Hawkeye and Black Widow. …Do you actually watch the show? You really seem fixated on aspects of the show that aren’t that important or have been addressed episodes ago. It’s like you go off of what you were told the show is or what you just think it is. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2015, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e19-the-dirty-half-dozen/718768/95 "2015-05-01T21:11:53Z")
> [@Push\_You\_Down](#): > > …Do you actually watch the show? You really seem fixated on aspects of the show that aren’t that important or have been addressed episodes ago. It’s like you go off of what you were told the show is or what you just think it is. I have watched every one. Do _you_? And I am not alone with Skye hating. ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2015, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e19-the-dirty-half-dozen/718768/96 "2015-05-01T21:18:52Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > I have watched every one. Do _you_? And I am not alone with Skye hating. Right, you are not alone. We get it. You hate Skye. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2015, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e19-the-dirty-half-dozen/718768/97 "2015-05-01T21:20:11Z")
Besides this thread here (and many other SHIELD threads) there is this: [http://www.reddit.com/r/shield/comments/1xby7o/why\_does\_skye\_get\_so\_much\_hate\_spoilers/](http://www.reddit.com/r/shield/comments/1xby7o/why_does_skye_get_so_much_hate_spoilers/) > **[5 reasons why Skye from ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’ is a Mary Sue and why it...](https://www.popmythology.com/why-skye-from-marvels-agents-of-shield-is-a-mary-sue/)** > > Marvel’s Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. was a brilliant idea. The recipe practically screams success. First, [http://happynicetimepeople.com/agents-shield-recap-skye-worst/](http://happynicetimepeople.com/agents-shield-recap-skye-worst/) ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2015, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e19-the-dirty-half-dozen/718768/98 "2015-05-01T21:54:18Z")
Personally, I’d like to see Skye’s story time cut in order to give all the others more time. Heck, just take away 1/4 of her time and split it among the other original 5 and it might make the show more palatable to me. But they’re not playing just to me, so they are going to go with whatever gives them the best chance for renewal. As stated, my problem with the Skye scene in this episode is similar to my problem with many shows, especially comic book shows. Whether someone is healing from multiple cuts requiring stitches and minor broken bones (Daredevil), healing a broken back (Batman), or learning new vastly new skills and abilities (Skye), timelines get so compressed that it takes _me_ out of otherwise enjoyable fare. That said, some googling leads to [_Winter Soldier_ taking place 2 years after _The Avengers_](http://screenrant.com/captain-america-2-winter-soldier-set-two-years-after-avengers/). I’m not going back to rewatch any of SHIELD, but did Skye’s serious training begin before or after Winter Soldier. I remember her being rather Mary Sue-ish during the Hydra takeover. The bigger question then becomes how much time has elapsed between _Winter Soldier_ and _Age of Ultron_. Were there any points during the season where they might not have been chasing/being chased by big bads and she could have gotten real field training to supplement May’s training? I could be (and often am regarding minute detail of TV shows) wrong, but I believe the _Agents of SHIELD_ have been on a rollercoaster with very little time between crises, especially after _Winter Soldier_. ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2015, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e19-the-dirty-half-dozen/718768/99 "2015-05-01T22:02:35Z")
Not sure I’d go with something Johansen said in an interview as gospel. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2015, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e19-the-dirty-half-dozen/718768/100 "2015-05-01T22:06:03Z")
> [@D\_Odds](#): > > . The bigger question then becomes how much time has elapsed between _Winter Soldier_ and _Age of Ultron_. Were there any points during the season where they might not have been chasing/being chased by big bads and she could have gotten real field training to supplement May’s training? I could be (and often am regarding minute detail of TV shows) wrong, but I believe the _Agents of SHIELD_ have been on a rollercoaster with very little time between crises, especially after _Winter Soldier_. Unless told otherwise, I assume that events occur in real time. Winter Soldier came out in early April 2014, so as far as I’m concerned, that’s when they occurred in-universe. Similarly, current events are taking place in late April-early May 2015. That means that Skye has had about a year of serious training [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e19-the-dirty-half-dozen/718768.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-s02e19-the-dirty-half-dozen/718768.md?page=6)