There was a knot in my stomach from the opening scene of the Season 5 finale of "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." Of course, there are spoilers ahead, but if you've already watched (or are desperate to know what happened), read on.
Watching the team quarrel throughout episodes can get repetitive, but there is a renewed emotion in each of the characters as they each struggle to deal with the challenge they face: save Phil Coulson, or save the world? It seems as though everyone but Yo-Yo wants to save Coulson, but the decision is apparently made for all of them as Agent May destroys their supply of odium, their only solution to the current crisis.
With a name like 'The End,' it has to be good
Speaking of crisis, General Talbot makes quite an entrance as he crashes his Kree ship into Chicago. It's hard to root against him, since the MCU's version of Graviton has been around since Season 1, usually as an ally. This doesn't go unnoticed by the team, who race to stop him. Before they leave, Coulson and May have a little alone time, furthering the Philinda storyline.
Before they land, the team is briefed by Daisy, who admits she isn't qualified to lead the team. A seemingly healthy Coulson makes an appearance, although he later tells Daisy he doesn't feel well, revealing he hasn't taken the Centipede serum yet. Mack gives S.H.I.E.L.D. their directive: save lives.
On the ground, the team does just that, evacuating Chicago's citizens trapped in the chaos. May and Mack find Robin in a skyscraper holding up the ship. Mack goes to find Robin, who is trapped on the ship, but Fitz shows up and reminds us of an ominous fact: neither Mack nor Polly make it to the Lighthouse. However, they manage to save the pair from scavengers, who are allies of the Kree.
On the ground, Daisy slows down Talbot's destruction and uses the distraction to try to talk him down. Predictably, it doesn't work, and Talbot flies them into the sky, threatening to merge her with him. He slams her into the ground from hundreds of feet up. She somehow survives (even though her powers don't include invulnerability), but this gives Talbot the opportunity to try his gravitonium trick.
The shock-wave from Talbot's blow rocks the city, trapping Fitz under rubble and briefly shorting the power in the Quinn jet. Coulson has passed out and is unresponsive, Fitz is presumed dead, and Daisy is about to be fused with Talbot, the event that presumably ends the world. It looks dark, until it doesn't, with the line, "Something's different," from our favorite Seer, Robin.
Daisy swiped the Centipede serum before her fight, and she injects herself with it, making her immune to Talbot. She breaks apart from his grip and blasts him into space, ending the threat and breaking the time loop. Coulson begins to breathe again due May and Mack digging out Fitz, and find out he's alive. However, the warm feelings are quickly snuffed out once we see that Fitz isn't out of the woods entirely; he can't feel his legs because debris has cut into him at his waist.
Now that the time loop is broken, Fitz can die.
But he doesn't. The farewell party at the end isn't for Fitz, although the show strings that bluff along for as long as they can. The goodbye is for Coulson, who has "days, maybe weeks to live." Each member of the team has a moment with him, and they watch as he steps onto a beach in Tahiti, an appropriate place for him to spend his last few days. May steps out with him, and they hold hands as they watch the jet fly overhead at the command of Director Mackenzie.
It was good, but what comes next?
Thank heavens we didn't have to watch Coulson die. It was much more satisfying to know that he'd be living out his days in paradise with his love, rather than suffer in a battle with Talbot or just drop dead.
In fact, the producers delivered on their promise to wrap up the season in a neat little package.
That doesn't mean they don't have plenty of creative options since we know that the series has been renewed for a sixth season. Instead of feeling forced, like shows that don't plan for extra seasons often do, "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." can play on some of the off-screen drama, even though there are no burning questions to address.
For instance: How bad are the extent of Fitz's injuries? Is he paralyzed? Or merely bed-ridden? What happens to Deke now that the time loop has been broken? Or Robin? What are the plans Mack has for the organization? And maybe most importantly, how does "Infinity War" affect the agents?
None of these questions are large enough to be considered cliffhangers, which is good because the next season won't air until summer 2019, which means fans will have to wait over a year to see what the show has in store next.
