The Geekcap: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. "The Inside Man"

We move back to Coulson killing Ward on Maveth. While Ward is left for dead, an eerie tentacle wraps around his view flashing back through Ward’s life before finally returning to the present. The creature stares at a multitude of screenings contemplating the character of Grant Ward, believing that he would have been an interesting man to have met in life. Gideon Malick reappears stating that he has a new plan to refresh the Inhuman supply and brings Lucio, the Inhuman with medusa-eyes, as an example. The creature asks to see his eyes, and Lucio freezes everyone in the room. The creature then moves out of an imprint made of dust that it causes to fly into Lucio.

General Talbot sees his wife Carla leave him off on a plane who blames him for choosing work over family and paying the price. Coulson arrives to see the act but states that he just wants to talk about the ATCU, claiming that technically he’s Talbot’s boss by order of the president. Talbot doesn’t take that claim well and insists that Coulson will never be his boss and they will never be partners.

Back at the base, the team prepare to follow Coulson with Hunter eager to grab a weapon out of the Inhuman threat. Fitz says that’s what they have Daisy and Lincoln for, but Hunter’s less convinced. He asks to see Fitz’s new invention, but Fitz says it simply makes gloves. Bobbi and Daisy comment on the gathering at the symposium with Daisy being less enthusiastic about people being negative towards Inhumans. She states that terrigenesis is not a disease but an awakening that caused her to become who she was meant to be and that she uses her abilities to do good things and stop bad people. Bobbi points out that some of those bad people are Inhumans, but Daisy comments that humans do bad things as well yet no one holds a symposium for that. Bobbi simply states that Inhumans are unchartered territory and asks about Lincoln’s first cov-ops mission.

Lincoln is at the airport tracking Talbot and Coulson under the watchful eye of May who’s trying to teach Lincoln not to rush in and use his powers. Talbot complains that the symposium will be a waste of time, but Coulson says that they need to figure out if any of the ambassadors would be possibly harboring Inhumans or secretly working for Malick. Meanwhile, Coulson also hopes that Talbot can work things out with Carla at least for the sake of their son. Before the two leave, Carl Creel, the Absorbing Man appears to them, causing Lincoln and May to attack. Creel first gets the upper hand by absorbing the rubber off a tire to block from Lincoln’s powers, but May hits him with a metal pole causing him to conduct the electricity. Before Lincoln can deliver a fatal blow, Coulson orders him to stand down while Talbot reemerges. To their surprise, Talbot states that Creel is actually his bodyguard.

The team transfer Creel back to the base where he is locked in a containment unit. Simmons begins to question him despite the bad blood between him and the team. He states he got his powers from an experiment, but Simmons also questions how he survived contact with the Obelisk. Creel says he doesn’t know, only that it hurt. Hunter is also furious that Talbot is working with Hartley’s killer, but Talbot states that he was only brainwashed by Hydra and has since reformed. Since Talbot refuses to go without Creel and bringing in their own Inhumans would ruin the symposium, Coulson agrees to take Creel and, even further, bans Daisy and any other weapons from going to the event.

Malick observes the creature, noting that Ward’s body is not the best shape. The creature states that the host must be dead, and that he cannot inhabit Inhumans as “we do not feed on our own kind.” Instead, he says that Grant Ward will suffice his needs.

May, Bobbi, Hunter, and Creel prepare to go on the mission with Hunter tempted to throw Creel off the plane. May states that he needs to focus on the mission, but Hunter doesn’t trust a guy who killed his friends. May throws back that the only reason Hunter is here is because of Bobbi, and that he couldn’t care about the mission otherwise. Hunter says he’s only trying to watch May’s back, but May states that they’re not friends.

Coulson states out their mission which includes five other delegates from separate countries. Coulson and Talbot believe that one of them is really connected to Malick and sends the team to gather intel on who it could be. Coulson will be attending the event as a CDC doctor while Talbot will be attending as himself, the president’s representative, wearing a traditional Taiwan outfit, which looks like a dress. Using Fitz’s technology and his new hand, Coulson gathers the fingerprints of the delegates for Bobbi, Hunter, and May to sneak into rooms. Talbot accuses many members of the symposium with being the inside man but eventually narrows it down to everyone. Back at Hydra, the creature requests Giyera and Lucio to find five humans alive.

With a break from the mission, Daisy invites Lincoln to train with her to prepare for an agent assessment test without powers. While Lincoln’s not excited to fight, Daisy’s impressed with how much better he’s doing in the field. Of course, he’s still not a match for Daisy and states that the field’s not really his thing. Simmons interrupts their sparring practice by requesting Lincoln’s opinion on a finding.

Talbot and Coulson begin the discussion by talking about the new “alien” threat. Coulson clarifies that the “aliens” are actually Inhumans who just want to find a place in the world. Rather than being a disease, the Inhumans contain a genetic anomaly that is not transferrable and only affects a small population. While some of the delegates are hostile or paranoid to concept of Inhumans, the Russian delegate Petrov is willing to create a sanctuary city within his country. Bobbi, however, does not trust the idea of all the Inhumans in one place where Malick’s involved. Hunter then becomes preoccupied when he notices Creel leaving his post.

Simmons demonstrates to Fitz and Lincoln a new reaction she observed using Creel’s blood. With a sample of Daisy’s blood from two years ago, she doses the sample with terrigen to cause terrigenesis. However, once she dabs the sample with Creel’s blood, the process reverses. In theory, Simmons finds she can create a vaccine for Inhumans to prevent them from going through terrigenesis, maybe even reverse the process in general. While Lincoln appears interested, Daisy is appalled.

Eventually, the rest of the delegates begin agreeing on the idea of a sanctuary city. While gathering intel, May intercepts a message meant for the Australian delegate Ellen King, leading Bobbi to break into her room. There, she finds evidence that King is keeping an Inhuman, Eden Fesi, under containment for military experimentation but has no connection to Malick. Hunter tails Creel to the back of a truck where he finds Talbot’s son in a stasis cube. After seeing the evidence, Creel knocks Hunter unconscious.

After the official vote, Talbot then calls out a traitor in the group: Coulson. Using the team’s surveillance, he proves to the delegates that Coulson has been spying on them, only to have Malick appear to group stating that Coulson is, in fact, the director of Hydra.

May and Bobbi rescue Hunter who explains that Hydra is keeping Talbot’s son in captivity. The group deduces that Malick is blackmailing Talbot to betray Coulson at the symposium, and that the building is actually surrounded by Hydra agents, leaving them with no weapons. Hunter, however, shows that he secretly smuggled in a plate of weapons along with Bobbi’s batons, so the fight is back on for SHIELD. Bobbi and Hunter search for Coulson and Talbot while May looks for Talbot’s son.

"I love you."-Bobbi    "I don't hate you quite as much."-May

Lincoln then argues with Daisy that the vaccine could be protection for people who don’t want to change or shouldn’t change, like Daisy’s mother wanted. Daisy points out that her mother was crazy and that he sounds like one of the Watchdogs on the Internet. Lincoln insists that there needs to be a balance, and the vaccine maintains a choice. However, Daisy states that the condition is a birthright, and if the government got their hands on a vaccine, it would no longer be a choice. Lincoln argues medically, their condition is actually a disease, but Daisy interrupts saying that just because he went to medical school doesn’t mean he’s the final judge. Lincoln fires back that he wasn’t hacking his way through life like Daisy was, causing small jolts of sparks to fly from his hands.

Malick states that while the symposium knows about his dedication to the World Security Council, little is known about Coulson. Through photo evidence of Hydra’s technology, Malick claims that Coulson wants to gather the Inhumans in one location to destroy them. Coulson, however, deduces that Malick must have something on Talbot to cause this and beseeches him to come clean as he is dragged out of the room.

Giyera and Lucio gather five humans for the creature and freeze them in place surrounding it. Giyera asks if one of them will be its new host, but the creature says that it has other plans for them. When the two leave the room, the creature spreads its dust around the room, leading to painful screams behind a closed door.

Hydra agents lock Coulson in a basement and disarm him (literally). Malick then betrays Talbot as well by handcuffing him to Coulson and locking him up as well. Coulson questions why Malick is doing this, but Malick responds that he’s building an army. Coulson states that there’s no way he can convert them all, but Malick’s not interested. While Coulson and Talbot are about to face death, Creel comes to their rescue, taking on a metal coating and beating the guards. While Creel has located Talbot’s son, he says he lost him trying to keep his cover in knocking out Hunter. He then helps the men escape while Talbot takes Coulson’s hand.

"Give me a hand!"-Coulson       "Got it!"-Talbot

Talbot admits that Malick took his son when he became the head of ATCU with Carla leaving him because of that reason. Bobbi and Hunter take on the rest of the guards. Just as one is about to shoot Hunter, Creel snaps the guard’s neck, though Hunter says they still aren’t even. Fortunately, the group escapes when May pulls the van with Talbot’s son and an unconscious guard ready to go.

Daisy goes to apologize to Lincoln for acting militant against the vaccine. Lincoln admits he’s envious of Daisy’s natural zen with her powers under pressure. When Daisy points out that he seemed in control at Afterlife, he states that it’s different being out in the field. Now he can’t seem to help himself. Daisy says that perhaps it’s good to lose control once in a while, and the two consummate their relationship.

The team recover Talbot’s son whom Coulson says will make a full recover, something that may interest Talbot’s wife. After the adventure, Talbot finally agrees to be partners with Coulson who can call him Glenn…occasionally. While they’ve succeeded in teaming with Talbot and rescuing another Inhuman in stasis, Coulson can’t help but feel as though Malick is reporting to someone else. In the midst of this, the creature emerges surrounded by the burnt remains of the five humans and slime. Ward’s body is now healed.

In the final tag, Malick has a toast with the Russian ambassador. After revealing the “director of Hydra,” Malick reassures the man that he will try to create the Inhuman sanctuary. Unbeknownst to them, Hunter and Bobbi have stored themselves inside the plane, listening to everything.

Interesting Notes

• Eden Fesi is actually the name behind Manifold, a member of the Secret Warriors from Austraila who has the ability to teleport. If you notice in the report for Eden, the military states that witnesses have seen him dematerialize.
• Mack is not present in this episode.
• The Watchdogs is actually a group that was known to work against Captain America in the late 80's comics. Look out for more of them in future episodes.
• While Carl Creel was something of a Secret Warrior in this episode, his son, Jerry Sledge/Stonewall, was actually the real Secret Warrior in the comics. Lots of potential in this episode!

The Geekcap: Supergirl "Falling"

In a new episode of The Talk, Cat Grant speaks about her news company. While she is labelled the most powerful woman, nay person, in National City, the question quickly turns to Supergirl. In a surprisingly considerate move, Cat describes Supergirl as one of the nicest and considerate people she has ever met and says that everyone should aspire be to be just as brave, kind, and strong. Meanwhile, while Supergirl flies to work, she hears a little girl being teased for dressing up as her. Supergirl immediately stops to compliment the girl’s look, stating that she and Laura are friends because she’s friends with all of the nice girls.

At Catco, Kara watches The Talk when Cat arrives looking for Winn. Kara searches for Winn when she hears a noise in a locked supply closet. Using her x-ray vision, she quickly sees something she wishes she could unseen as Winn and Siobhan walk out trying to redress. Winn tries to explain his situation as something that just happened, but Kara doesn’t want to hear any of it. Kara learns from Jimmy that Lucy has quit her job at Catco. When she thinks that this must have something to do with Jimmy revealing her secret identity, Jimmy states that he never told her. Instead, he just says that he blew it off with Lucy on his own and that maybe he didn’t love her as much as he should have. 

Alex: He likes you, you like him, okay? Rebound relationships, they can work.

Kara: Name one.
Alex: Kim and Kanye.
Kara: I'm embarrassed you even know that. 

At the DEO, Supergirl and Alex briefly discuss the Jimmy situation with Alex encouraging Kara to go after him before someone else does. However, Kara is less than quick to the prospect, believing that work-based relationships could never work out for them. Alex encourages her to embrace her feelings before another Lucy Lane comes to Jimmy. Hank and their new guest Senator Crane provide a new incentive to gain more funding for the DEO as the senator believes it is a vital defense to both the city and the planet, and no one best represents that to her than Hank, a tender gesture that Kara notices. An alarm sounds off for a fire, and Supergirl takes off to the city.

On top of a burning building, a group of firemen attempt to rescue one of their own under a fallen support beam. Supergirl arrives to save the men from the destruction. Before she leaves, however, she reacts to an odd force, something that makes her stop. When nothing seems to happen, she takes off again, but not before we notice a glowing, red material underneath the building. 

 Kara arrives at CatCo the next morning with a new outfit and attitude as she talks to Cat. When Kara’s able to immediately produce a list of potential replacements for Lucy in order of those who would annoy her the least, Cat accepts this as a good change and offers her tickets to Club Apocalypse while Siobhan grows more spiteful towards her.

Hank warns the agency of a group of people who have been taking out agency men with their on alien weapon: a K’Hund, one of the strongest Fort Rozz escapees. Supergirl’s less than excited about the prospect instead mocking the director’s tone and leaving on her own. On the field, the K’Hund attacks an officer’s vehicle before the DEO enter the scene. Supergirl comes in and begins to mock the K’Hund for his clichéd story and easily beats him. In the end, she has him beneath her feet but decides to let him go, saying he’s not worth her time. However, she tells Alex that the alien escaped.

Hank lectures Kara that the DEO’s job is to catch aliens not let them go free. Supergirl comments back that she’s only here to follow their orders, and that Hank should capture the aliens himself considering he’s powerful enough to do that. Alex tries to defend Hank by saying it’s dangerous for him, but Supergirl fires back that every single Kyptonian except for her cousin wants her dead and if Hank wanted to honor his people, he should at least fight as them. Supergirl then leaves to return to her day job but not before taking a chunk out of the wall with her fist.

The next day, Kara rides up Cat’s private elevator, believing Cat’s private elevator is a waste for one person, despite Winn’s and Cat’s questioning. Kara tells Cat that she saves 90 seconds of walking which keeps her latte 90 seconds warmer, so she’s off-the-hook despite being a little brazen. Siobhan, meanwhile, goes to Cat with a possible story of Supergirl letting the K’Hund go free. Cat shuts down the story, believing that there should be a good reason for Supergirl acting this way, and dismisses Siobhan. The DEO then captures the K’Hund who informs them on how Supergirl let him go.

Kara arrives at CatCo the next morning with a new outfit and attitude as she talks to Cat. When Kara’s able to immediately produce a list of potential replacements for Lucy in order of those who would annoy her the least, Cat accepts this as a good change and offers her tickets to Club Apocalypse while Siobhan grows more spiteful towards her.

Hank warns the agency of a group of people who have been taking out agency men with their on alien weapon: a K’Hund, one of the strongest Fort Rozz escapees. Supergirl’s less than excited about the prospect instead mocking the director’s tone and leaving on her own. On the field, the K’Hund attacks an officer’s vehicle before the DEO enter the scene. Supergirl comes in and begins to mock the K’Hund for his clichéd story and easily beats him. In the end, she has him beneath her feet but decides to let him go, saying he’s not worth her time. However, she tells Alex that the alien escaped.

Hank lectures Kara that the DEO’s job is to catch aliens not let them go free. Supergirl comments back that she’s only here to follow their orders, and that Hank should capture the aliens himself considering he’s powerful enough to do that. Alex tries to defend Hank by saying it’s dangerous for him, but Supergirl fires back that every single Kyptonian except for her cousin wants her dead and if Hank wanted to honor his people, he should at least fight as them. Supergirl then leaves to return to her day job but not before taking a chunk out of the wall with her fist.

The next day, Kara rides up Cat’s private elevator, believing Cat’s private elevator is a waste for one person, despite Winn’s and Cat’s questioning. Kara tells Cat that she saves 90 seconds of walking which keeps her latte 90 seconds warmer, so she’s off-the-hook despite being a little brazen. Siobhan, meanwhile, goes to Cat with a possible story of Supergirl letting the K’Hund go free. Cat shuts down the story, believing that there should be a good reason for Supergirl acting this way, and dismisses Siobhan. The DEO then captures the K’Hund who informs them on how Supergirl let him go.

Siobhan then plans to email the story to Perry White of the Daily Planet, but Kara deletes the email and shows the product to Cat. Cat fires Siobhan and informs her that, after a talk with Perry White, the Daily Planet will not hire her either because she values loyalty in her employees rather than backstabbing. Kara seems fine with the result, believing Siobhan to be a bad seed. To cheer the guys up, she takes them to Club Apocalypse.

While Winn worries about Siobhan who hasn’t called him back, Kara shows up at the club to dance with Jimmy. When she becomes a little too forceful in wanting to take what “the poor-man’s Lois Lane was to idiotic to keep,” Jimmy pushes her away, noticing something wrong. He then receives a call from Cat Grant who requests a meeting with Supergirl. Kara immediately leaves for CatCo.

Supergirl confronts Cat who wants to know why she let the alien go free. Supergirl complains that Cat created a “girl-scout” image of her in the media, but Cat responds that as a superhero she’s meant to represent the best of people. In her frustration, Supergirl states that she quits helping the people in National City, believing that Cat’s the most arrogant and self-serving person she knows. Proving she’s the most powerful person in National City, Supergirl tosses Cat off a building only to grab her at the last second.

Winn, Jimmy, and the DEO try to figure out the origins of Supergirl’s behavior by looking back at her last mission. After scanning the building, the team finds a level of radiation similar to that of kryptonite only man-made. While the substance doesn’t hurt her, it could explain her erratic behavior. They trace the red kryptonite back to Maxwell Lord who comes to attempt to help them. The DEO then lock him up as he tries to explain himself, that he attempted to recreate the substance after Supergirl’s encounter with Bizarro in order to fight Non and his gang. Hank states that the satellite on top of the building was his, and that the man likely set a trap to kill Supergirl. Lord has been tracking Supergirl’s actions in order to learn the synthetic kryptonite’s effects only to watch her toss Cat Grant off a building. In an effort to make peace, Lord says he will try to make a cure, but Alex warns that he turned Supergirl into the monster he feared she was.

"True power is choosing who lives and who dies."-Supergirl

Cat decides that she has no choice but to denounce Supergirl in front of National City despite Winn and Jimmy’s protests. With CatCo’s support for Supergirl gone, the city loses its trust in the hero. Alex then tries to talk to Kara only to find her dressed in a Kyrtonian garb. Kara states that Alex is only jealous that Kara has superhuman abilities which makes the human seem worthless. Without the DEO, Kara states that the city will worship her, and that Alex must deep down hate her, which was why she killed her aunt. With that line, Kara flies out into the city.

Lord nearly completes an antidote when Alex states that Supergirl’s on the loose. Senator Crane says that, unfortunately, the DEO must take Supergirl down to protect the city. While Hank does not want to kill Kara, the senator states that the DEO’s job is to stop alien threats, and Supergirl has now qualified as an alien threat. Lord finishes the antidote and hands the weapon to Alex as the team plans to ambush Supergirl.

Supergirl spots Cat’s recorded message and, in a fun shout out to Superman III, flicks cashews at bullet speed to the wall until one shatters the television. She then flies downtown to create some mayhem in the streets while the people can barely put up a fight. The DEO show up and try to fend her off with kryptonite bullets, but she still proves to be too powerful and steals their weapons. When she narrows her fight to Alex, Hank transforms to level the playing field. The two fly and pound away at each other, but J’ohnn still manages to stay ahead, mostly through his intangibility. Alex finally gets a clear shot to Supergirl with the antidote and brings her down safely. Unfortunately, the DEO also turns on J’ohnn J’onzz as an alien enemy. Alex begs for him to run, but he transforms back into Hank and agrees to being taken in by his own agency.

Kara wakes up in the DEO after the fight and tearfully remembers everything she’s done, mumbling that she had acted on every bad thought she ever had. Alex reassures her that no matter what happens, they are sisters. Senator Crane confronts Hank in his new cell about his lie where he admits that he is J’ohnn J’onzz but does not admit if he killed the real Hank Henshaw. Crane admits that she used to be afraid of aliens until she met him, but now she can only see everything he said as a lie. Alex then asks why he didn’t run where he admits that he’d rather spend a thousand years in a cell to keep Alex and Kara safe.

"Because I'd spend a thousand years in this cell if it meant keeping you, and your sister, safe."- Hank

Kara returns to work in her usual style to talk to Jimmy. She tries to apologize though Jimmy says he knows it’s not her fault. However, the things she said against Lucy reveal a hint of jealousy for Kara who states that she would jealous towards anyone Jimmy loved. Unfortunately, after the night, Jimmy needs more time to think about what he feels.

Finally, Supergirl goes to appeal to Cat, saying that she loves the city and everyone in it, and the happiest time of her life was being Supergirl. Every time she helped someone, she felt as though a bit of their light became her own with the red kryptonite taking every dark part of her out in the open. Cat brushes off her sorrow, stating that she didn’t scare her (only to actually admit that, yes, Supergirl did scare her). In the end, Cat acknowledges that it won’t be easy for Supergirl to win the city back, but that it’s not impossible, especially for someone like Supergirl. In a touching ending, Supergirl simply wants to stay on the balcony a little while longer.

The Geekcap: DC's Legends of Tomorrow "Night of the Hawk"

We open in 1958 Harmony Falls to an old-fashioned drag race. Two couples race through dark streets until a tire blows out and runs a car down the road. The crashed car lands near a glowing blue rock where the racers examine. Suddenly, Vandal Savage emerges and remarks that the rock is, in fact, a meteor, and that he has been searching it before coming across these people unexpectedly. Or perhaps, he remarks, it is destiny.

The legends arrive in Harmony Falls where they find Savage has been go on a killing spree with plenty of missing citizens. Although the place may be a small town, they note that Savage is good at hiding and must have a bigger plan than simply murdering townsfolk. Rip attempts to find a connection between the victims by sending the team out investigate them separately. Ray and Kendra examine the home of a murdered piano teacher, despite the more backward thinking of the realtor to Kendra. Sara and Stein examine the asylum where a doctor was murdered with some members of the staff who are a little too interested in Sara. Jax goes to investigate the teens who went missing after the drag race, and Rip and Snart investigate the murders themselves as undercover enforcers.

Stein, Sara, and Jax take a break by a diner where Stein reminisces over the idyllic 50’s, a time less friendly to people like Jax and Sara. Jax can’t help but feel like the town’s the beginning of a horror movie, but the team still have to find out Savage’s plan when Stein and Sara return to the asylum. Jax then spots one of the girls from the drag race and attempts to talk with her before being interrupted by two jocks. Jax stands up to them before they immediately back off. The girl, Betty, then asks if he can hang out later.

Ray and Kendra continue their ruse as a married couple, finding a sweet sense of joy after their kiss in the previous episode, while Stein and Sara are less thrilled about their position. Stein suggests Sara search for the files of inmates with violent histories, but Sara becomes preoccupied with a particularly lecherous doctor against a nurse, Lindsy. Lindsy thanks Sara for the helping noting that many of the doctors want a good time with most of the nurses agreeing in order to get married. When Sara asks about her, Lindsy states that she’s “not looking to get married” and gives Sara a tour. The tour ends at Hall H where Lindsy notes is Dr. Knox’s personal hall for psychotic patients. To Sara’s surprise, she sees from a picture on the wall that Dr. Knox is, in fact, Vandal Savage.

Back in the neighborhood, Kendra finds herself greeted at the door by her new neighbors, the Knoxes. Curtis and Gail act neighborly and invite Kendra and Ray over to a party at their house with some underlining recognition on Savage’s part. Kendra deduces that while Savage recognizes her, he doesn’t know that she is from a different time and believes she is unaware of her history. Namely, he cannot steal her powers if she has yet to discover them herself. Rip and Snart have yet to find any evidence on Savage’s crime while Jax questions Snart’s loyalty after he iced his former partner Rory. Meanwhile, a man is murdered by hawk-like creature.

Sara continues to search for files in Knox’s office before running into Lindsy who offers her some wine from a doctor’s secret stash. Ray and Kendra mingle at Knox’s party with guests who are still unacquainted with a mixed “marriage.” Ray, however, states that he has the most beautiful woman in the room at his arm. Although Savage lurks over them, Kendra suggests they split up with Ray looking for evidence and Kendra staying at the party, believing that Savage wouldn’t kill her next to the canapes. Sara and Lindsy continue a talk with the nurse fascinated by Sara’s extensive life while she has never left Harmony Falls. Sara quickly asks if she has a girlfriend, making Lindsy uncomfortable, but Sara states that she can keep a secret. Lindsy reveals that she has kissed a girl but feels nervous about being a lesbian. Stein warns Sara against seducing a nurse in 1958, but the lecture’s interrupted when there’s an emergency in Hall H.

Ray’s search unfortunately only takes him to a sealed door. Savage nearly confronts Kendra but receives a call regarding Hall H and must leave. At Hall H, Savage confronts one of his rowdy “patients,” revealed to be a mutant hawk-creature made from one of the drag racers. Ray and Kendra inform Rip about Savage’s hidden room while Jax prepares for a date with Betty.

As the ATOM, Ray sneaks into Savage’s room. While the search is mostly uneventful, he finds the ancient dagger right to kill Savage before Savage returns. Sara continues to talk to Lindsy who notes some apprehension regarding Hall H and what goes down there. When Sara presses a little further, Lindsy interrupts by kissing Sara. Sara, overwhelmed by this response, quickly leaves.

Jax and Betty park out in a woods where Betty quickly kisses Jax. Jax asks that they take it slow and asks about her old boyfriend. Betty begins to discuss the drag race when they are interrupted by the two jocks who hassle the couple. Suddenly, the group is attacked by the hawk creatures who butcher the jocks. When Jax attempts to protect Betty, she recognizes one of the creatures as her former boyfriend. Unfortunately, the fight leaves her wounded, leading Jax to try and take her to Gideon. The two are stopped by a cop, forcing Jax to try and reason around a bleeding white girl in his car. The cop, however, knocks Jax out and drags his body from the scene.

Rip traces Jax’s bio-signature to the car and finds Betty. The group notes that the attack seems to have come from claw marks and, with the remaining details from Betty, believe that the meteor the group came in contact with was a Nth level meteorite, the same one that gave Kendra and Carter their powers. Stein deduces that if they can take residue from Betty’s attack, the might be able to create a cure, and the group attempts to plot a final attack on Savage using the dagger with Kendra as bait, much to Ray’s discomfort.

Sara than discusses her kiss from Lindsy with Stein, remarking that she was actually the one to move away from it. In light of what has happened, Sara has discovered who she could end up hurting if this relationship continues. Meanwhile, Jax wakes up in Savage’s clutches before he too becomes another hawk-like monster. Enacting the plan, Kendra moves to distract Savage while Ray and Rip go undercover as a patient and orderly, respectively. To save Jax, Snart and Stein search beneath the asylum.

While Kendra nearly distracts him with a kiss, Savage sees through her plan and steals her dagger. Savage releases the creatures on Snart and Stein, leading to an all-out war in the asylum. Snart and Stein face the transformed Jax while Sara protects Lindsy. Kendra fights Savage before Ray blasts him out a window. Within the chaos, the team retrieve Jax.

Thanks to a serum created by Gideon and Stein, the team manages to cure Jax and the rest of the victims. Sara and Lindsy then share a heartfelt goodbye with Lindsy noting that she shouldn’t have fallen for a ninja. Jax leaves a parting gift for Betty, a new car, before saying goodbye to her as well. Ray also confronts Kendra and agrees to be less protective of Kendra in future missions. After learning that Snart chose not to kill Jax in the fight, Jax finally apologies for his attitude and acknowledges Snart as a part of the team, much to Snart’s dismay.

The team wait for Ray, Kendra, and Sara before leaving 1958. However, the plan changes when their ship is attacked by Chronos. In the midst of the attack, the Waverider appears to take off and vanish from 1958, leaving Ray, Kendra, and Sara behind. 

Notable Quotes

Stein: “I’m not the only one whose vision is blurry in the left eye.” 

Sara: “Just so you know, R’as al Ghul taught me how to kill someone slowly, over the course of days.

Ray: “Say what you want about Savage. He makes one hell of a casserole.”

Lindsy: “Should have known better than to fall for a ninja.”  

Kendra: “Fate is a prison. When free will is gone, what’s left?"

The Geekcap: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

We open three months right now on a ship hovering above Earth. A monitor is beeping wildly with drops of water and blood, a crate, and a cross necklace floating in zero gravity. Once we see a SHIELD emblem on the sleeve on an unseen person, the entire ship is engulfed in flames

In present day Bogatá, Columbia, the police are transporting a cartel of weapons before being stopped by an invisible force that shatters their car windows. When they attempt to confront the force, their guns quickly vanish and seem to fire back. In a flash, the gun crates are gone. Unbeknownst to the police, the crate of guns is now in the hands of a Colombian woman, who’s wearing the same cross necklace.

Coulson and May take a look at Rosalind Price’s old place which still has the blood stain from her death. May consoles Coulson, knowing that it must be hard to come back, but Coulson simply states that they couldn’t be at their base for this meeting. In comes President Ellis who has become more interested in handling the Inhuman situations since even Fox News has kept talking about it. Coulson states that his team is doing something about it.

Back in Columbia, Daisy and Joey make their way through the Colombian police under the guise of officers exploring the new alien threat. Joey helps translate Spanish although he believes he’s not so good at projecting authority but states that it does remind him more of home such as times when his mother would cook on Sundays. The two speak to Colonel Ramon about the “alien” threat with Daisy reassuring the officer that they have a team ready to find the threat if it is indeed bad.

The President then gives Coulson the go-ahead to continue his mission with SHIELD all the while pretending that the organization doesn’t exist due to bad public memory. In the public eye, he will elect a new head of the ATCU to be the face of the administration’s response. Unfortunately, the President is less than helpful on Gideon Malick, saying that the man has built up too much power and influence to be taken down and he never had time to get inside his head. While May sees this as a loss, Coulson says he may have thought of a different method.

In Columbia, Mack, Bobbi, and Hunter investigate the scene of the crime, taking note of local protesters. Hunter says it doesn’t compare to the super-powered people where all it takes is a tainted fish taco to take out the police in less than four minutes. Bobbi notes that the police believe they were attacked by something invisible which Hunter finds fascinating though claims he wasn’t think of anything bad. He then remarks how even he tried a fish oil pill and hoped for x-ray vision, but of course, for nothing bad. When Mack looks at him oddly, Hunter responds that he was not the only one who thought about doing it. Bobbi, however, says that she only thought about it and didn’t do it, simply because “rehab’s a bitch.”

Back at the lab, Lincoln and Simmons help to create a new containment unit for the Inhumans based on the new powers that keep appearing. Although Simmons’s formulas are working fine, she still desires Fitz’s opinion and can’t seem to stop staring at him.

Mack discovers a trail of skid marks on the ground to explore. He traces the skid marks to the worn shoes of the Colombian women who spots him. In a flash, she takes his gun and, in two more, knocks him in the back of a truck. Mack then wakes up duct-taped in her bathroom as she argues with a relative about what to do next.

At the base, the team try to find where Mack is using surveillance footage that shows a mere glimpse of the woman in action running at approximately six meters per 1/13^th second. Simmons begins modifying the containment unit despite having no way of getting her in one. When Simmons explains that the containment unit modifies itself based on the random Inhuman abilities, Lincoln actually responds that the powers are not random but an evolutionary necessity based on the moment a person gains abilities, or at least that’s how it was explained to him. Even though it may see random, there may actually be an intellectual design.

Coulson calls on Fitz to help him with a project and asks how Lincoln’s doing in the lab. Fitz remarks Lincoln has been helpful in explaining Inhuman biology to Simmons and keeping her occupied since Will’s death which Fitz still feels guilt for causing. Coulson responds that sometimes there is no choice but the hard choice, and that they both did what was necessary. Coulson fires up the brain machine and states that there is still one person out there who knows about Gideon Malcik, and they need to get inside his head.

The woman admonishes her relative to “get rid of the problem today” while she takes care of the complication in their bathroom. When she begins to question Mack, he attempts to make his escape by knocking her out but finds himself trapped when she slams the door before snapping back into place. He discovers that she can only speed back and forth “like a yo-yo” but still cannot beat her.

The team at the base then prepare to take Werner von Strucker under the machine. Simmons notes that with his limited brain activity, it doesn’t seem like it will be possible. Coulson is still adamant about trying to find a way to reach Malick.

Malick, in the meantime, is dealing with the situation in Columbia. Since Dr. Garner killed many of the Inhumans in stasis, they require a new way to replenish their stock for their new leader. Giyera has doubts since the being can barely stand at this point and hasn’t even spoken. A guard than says that the being has been asking for Malick. When Malick approaches the being, we see the emaciated near-death body of Ward who states that he’s hungry.

Mack is still held hostage by the woman who questions him knowing that he is not with the local police. While neither can properly understand the other, they eventually come to a crossroads when Mack states that she was the criminal who stole the weapons. She states that she is not a criminal and that her powers were a gift from el Dios, God. Mack replies that they were actually a gift from el pescado, fish. When she recalls that she was eating fish prior to her terrigenesis, she begins to believe Mack right before Daisy, Bobbi, and Hinter come to his rescue. With an expertly-timed shield, they manage to incapacitate the woman and bring her back to the base.

Simmons, Fitz, Lincoln, and Coulson attach Strucker to the machine which Simmons claims is dangerous on a normal subject. Although Lincoln is less excited about the situation that Coulson describes as less pleasant than losing his hand, they turn on the machine and start the process. Coulson tells Strucker to focus on Gideon Malick, but the boy starts having flashes to being beaten to near death.

The remaining team begin to investigate the woman whom they now know as Elena Rodriguez, a woman who worked a clerical job by day and took art classes by night. With no known record, they question why she was found stealing guns. Hunter points out that Dr. Garner was a fine therapist before turning into an Inhuman killer. Additionally, Bobbi also finds Elena’s cousin, the accomplice Mack spotted with her, also with no record. When Elena wakes up trapped in her containment unit, Joey attempts to communicate with her about the situation, but Mack is simply happy that she’s on the other end of being trapped.

The being in Ward eats a leg of raw meat while watching screens of a history of destruction. Giyera remarks that they believed him to be dead, but the creature responds that the body was dead. It then states that while the humans have advanced, they have not changed. Fortunately, Giyera is no longer human. It knows that Giyera does not believe in its power but states that once it’s strong enough, everyone will know.

Strucker’s case continues to worsen. As a last result, Coulson turns to Lincoln to help him restart part of his brain, even with the risk of frying his circuits. Against his better judgement, Lincoln kickstarts Strucker’s brain, allowing him to reach back to another memory about Malick, a secret location at the back of a pawn shop.

Joey tries to reason with Elena, stating that if they don’t protect her from the world, they must protect the world from her. Elena reveals that she believes her power was a gift from God to end the injustice to her people, and that she and her cousin only stole the weapons away from the police she calls thieves in uniform who only have power with their weapons. With her power, she protects others. When Bobbi and Hunter track Elena’s cousin dumping weapons into the harbor, the team believes Elena’s story. However, Bobbi, Hunter, and Elena’s cousin are caught by the Colombian police who have their own Inhuman as reinforcement. The Inhuman uses his power to freeze the group and murders Elena’s cousin as an example before taking the other two.

SHIELD manages to recover Elena’s cousin’s body, giving her a chance to grieve while the team come up with a new plan. Mack then reconciles with Elena, stating that he too goes by his faith that they are here to help people, and that her powers are part of a bigger plan. In honor of her cousin’s death and to work against the corrupt police, Elena agrees to help the team. For starters, Elena explains that her powers are connected to her pulse, and that she can only go as far as her heartbeat. With Elena on board, Mack and Daisy come up with a plan.

Using Elena’s powers, she sneaks a pass card away from a guard, giving the team access inside the building. Mack tracks Hunter and Bobbi in the building, utilizing a new incapacitating weapon much stronger than duct tape. Joey begins taking care of the weapons by turning them into modern art, and Elena and Daisy take care of the guards with Elena speeding their weapons and Daisy blasting them. Mack finds Bobbi and Hunter, but the other three have to face the man with medusa-eyes. Elena tags him before being paralyzed, Joey melts his glasses, and Daisy blasts him to the wall, giving the Secret Warriors an official win.

Coulson moves to the pawn shop to find a secret landline connecting to Malick. With the SHIELD technology, they manage to connect the line to various Hydra locations around the world, planning to shut them down. Hydra, however, still has some ideas as a ship manages to retrieve the medusa-eyes Inhuman from Columbia.

Despite the success, Elena refuses to stay on SHIELD, stating that she is needed more at home. While Joey tries to argue for her to stay as an Inhuman, she responds that she is also a Colombian, office manager, and daughter, and the people in Bogotá need her. Daisy believes that the team could still work across the world and convinces Coulson to allow Elena to return home with a communications watch should she or they need her. Elena apologizes to Mack for kidnapping him as the two say their goodbyes with Mack remarking “I’ll see you soon, Yo-Yo.”

Fitz later congratulates Simmons on her work, but Simmons blurts out that she misses them. Despite working together, there seems to be a chasm between them. Fitz remains guilty about Will’s death, but Simmons replies that Will died saving her on the alien planet with Fitz killing a creature. They agree to start over with their relationship as Simmons introduces herself as Jemma Simmons, bio-chemist and Fitz as Leopold Fitz, engineer. Lincoln and Daisy also have a moment as Lincoln talks to Daisy about her letting Joey return home. Daisy states that since the President had changed the duties of the ATCU, Lincoln can return to his normal life. Lincoln, however, says that he prefers staying with Daisy, and the two kiss.

May and Coulson also reconcile after the situation with Coulson displaying a new, realistic hand. Although it looks and feels real, Coulson states that it feels just like the others. Coulson wonders why he doesn’t feel any better after returning, but May states that she understands: he has joined the Calvary. The two then watch as one of Malick’s companies seems to be taking damage from their influence.

Malick himself is starting to feel doubt considering the loss Hydra has taken. The creature in Ward then notes that he wants to believe but is unsure if he can. As if responding to the question, the creature begins to show some of its power.

In the final scene, the President reveals to Coulson the new head of the ATCU: General Glenn Talbot.

Notable Quotes:

Mack “I’ll see you soon…Yo-Yo.”

Daisy “You’re my new best friend.”

Hunter “Tell me you didn’t try one of those little fish oil pills? I had my fingers crossed for x-ray vision.”

Elena “I’m the criminal?”

Mack “Yeah, you. Whoosh whoosh.”

Simmons "I miss you."

The Top Jason Todd Moments In Comics

The Top Jason Todd Moments In Comics

By Sylvester P Barzey

So, 2016 is finally here and for most that means, new workout programs, tax return blow outs, and a countdown to summer vacation. However, for a selected group of amazing souls, 2016 means, amazing comic book movies! Yes, 2016 is the year of the geek and for this geek it’s all about, God vs. Man, Strength vs. Heart, and Badass Ninja vs. Last Survivor Of An Alien Race.

Okay in short it’s all about Zack Snyder’s "Batman Vs. Superman" in 2016. Now this movie has been surrounded by rumors, from Lex (Played by Jesse Eisenberg) being the real Lex Luthor’s son, to my favorite wild rumor that Batman (Played by Ben Affleck) is really Slade Wilson(Deathstroke for those not in the know) who is undercover as Bruce Wayne, for some reason that was far too crazy for me to begin to understand.

The latest rumor on the other hand is far more believable and has to do with one of my favorite DC Comics topics in the world, Robin The Boy Wonder. There have been reports that the movie will have a subplot focusing on the death of Batman’s sidekick Robin, and that the Robin in question will be none other than Jason Todd, the very same Robin who died in the comics (Yes you Grayson lovers, the prodigal son is safe).

For most fans it’s good to hear that they’re trying to stay true to the comics. The rumors state that Jason is the late Robin and that he's also the second, meaning that Dick Grayson is running about somewhere in Snyder’s world. Now we’re not sure if we’ll see Dick in the movie at all, but reports say we will be getting a name drop in this year’s blockbuster.

Now with all that said you might be wondering just who is this Jason Todd and why should we care? Well for one he’s a young sidekick that you know is about to die, I mean have a heart, and two he has played a big role in shaping Batman’s world in the comics. So, today let’s take a look at some of Jason Todd’s best Comic Book moments to get an idea of just who this lost soul is.

(Warning, this list contains spoilers for a few comics in which Jason has been in. So read at your own risk!)

Stealing The Wheels Off The Batmobile:

Batman is a dark force that guards the streets of Gotham. Some people don’t even believe he's real, which is fine by the Dark Knight, because not knowing builds more fear in the hearts of the wicked. More or less Batman is the wrong dude to mess with, so for someone to look at Batman’s Batmobile and say “I’m gonna steal his tires” Is not only crazy, it’s down right insane.

Well that’s just what a young Jason Todd did. In his pre-52 backstory, Jason was a homeless teen who happened across the Dark Knight’s ride and saw dollar signs. Batman caught the boy in the act and decides to overlook his grand theft auto moment (I mean really, how much do you think those wheels are worth? In real life Jason would be in jail so long, that his son would have to finish out his time) and take him under his wing as the second Robin! Someone might have been desperate for a partner, I’m just saying.

Crawling Out His Grave:

Now the New 52 backstory for Jason has him dying at the hands of the Joker, only to be returned to the land of the living by Talia Al Ghul and the magic of the Lazarus Pit. 

Which is a very clean and easy way to bring back the Ex-boy wonder, but fans of the Bat family might remember Jason’s pre-52 return which was a little more confusing, with Superboy prime banging on the barrier between the worlds causing shifts in time and altering reality all together. This gave us a new backstory for Donny Tory and many other awesome things, but above all it gave us that awesome Jason Todd moment, when he’s crawling out of his own grave. I’ll take grave crawling over a dip in a magic spa any day.

Gun Wielding Batman:

Another great Jason Todd moment happens during the Battle For The Cowl Storyline, in which Batman is believed to be dead, but those he lead and even those he has battled refuse to let The Batman die. Batman’s death leads to an odd battle for who should be the new Batman, which includes Tim Drake in a late 80ish Batman outfit, Dick Grayson dawning his own set of Bat wings and even Two Face got in on the action. Yet, the best Batman surprise would have to be Jason Todd, in his battle ready Batman Suit equipped with pistols and other deadly force weapons. The best way of describing it is if Batman and Punisher had a little psycho baby. He's so cute, go on little psycho Batman, go and punish the wicked.

Laying The Smackdown On Tim Drake:

Now I’m not 100% sure what Jason’s problem is with Tim, maybe he’s mad that Tim replaced him as Robin (to be fair, you were dead Jason. Dead! It’s not like you and Batman were on a break), but Mr. Drake and Mr. Todd have had some pretty memorable battles over the years. From Young Batman Vs. Psycho Batman, to Robin Vs. Psycho Robin.

Now maybe I’m being unfair by calling Jason a Psycho but let’s take a look at the facts. He broke into Titan Tower, attacked and subdued all the members in hopes of getting Tim alone for a battle of the Robins to see who is the best robin of them all. Oh and did I mention he did all this in his old Robin outfit which was clearly too damn small for him. I mean really, what were you thinking Jason “This is skin tight, but he’ll get the point” No, No, Bad Jason.

Death Of Todd:

New 52 or Pre-52 it really doesn’t matter because Jason’s death is heartbreaking, laughable, and haunting in both versions. To have a young boy go across the world to find his mother only to find out that he was being lured into a trap by The Clown Prince Of Crime, The Joker, is just good storytelling no matter the time period. Having to face the Joker one on one is a scary thought, but what made it worse was to know that the Pre-52 fans of the late 80's voted for Jason to die via a 900 number. Jason was killed off by the fans, let that sink in. However, he rose like the phoenix to be loved once more, well that’s not really true but I like him more than Damian that’s for sure.

Crazy Nightwing:

Now I’ve never been a fan of the Nightwing comics, he was always going from girl to girl and having some internal battle about how he isn’t Bruce, but he wishes he was or something like that. But, when there was a crazy Nightwing running around New York City killing people you know I had to pick that comic up.

Jason Todd decides during the One Year Later period in comics, that he was gonna be a killer Nightwing and bring Justice and Fear to New York City. Even after Dick Grayson shows up he still refused to give up his copycat ways. It took a kidnapping by mobsters, an Ex-sidekick team up, and some choice words from Dick for Jason to leave town. To be honest I think he was just bored of the outfit. Nightwing didn’t have much when it came to style, or places to put your guns for that matter.

Those Father Son Moments:

Now this really isn’t exclusive to Jason (I mean Bruce has a real son who is a Robin after all and a demon, sorry I just don’t like him too much. Hmm I wonder if this is how fans felt when Jason became Robin?), but it’s worth putting on the list. For nothing drives home the point of Batman’s battle against evil than seeing him react in a family moment, be it reading a letter from his earth two father, carrying a dead Nightwing in his arms in Injustice, or sitting down and having popcorn with Jason on their night off.

Nothing really helps you understand why Batman is doing all this than seeing how much he cares for his Bat family. His battle started with the death of his parents, but it turned into the need to ensure no one ever feels his pain. He takes in the broken and builds them up to be strong or in the case of Jason a strong, crazy ass, costume stealing killer.

Hope you enjoyed my list, let me know what some of your favorite Jason Todd moments are and what you hope to see him bring to the big screen in the future.