#not sure but might be a bit anti-deke even if i do like him

[saltyaos]

a loooong meta about lots of things I hated about 5x14 and what happened next, starting with the speech Deke gave Jemma, and while I did appreciate the grandson trying to comfort the grandmother, in the context of this tvshow, of the couple, to me it was incredibly toxic so keep in mind this is anti-fitzsimmons, anti what they did to Fitz lately, anti what they did to Jemma in s5 too, anti Deke and Fitz’s relationship

@whistlingwindtree​​ asked me to confront Deke’s speech to Jemma and his talk with Fitz in the next episode, but there is so much I hate that I extended it. But because it literally turned into a giant of 5000+ words I’m going to cut it in 3 different posts and then probably not being able to write for like three days because it took me hours, but at least I vented a lot (because like I said before, this reminds me of personal life issues and I couldn’t get out of that mindset)

these are points I want to touch, in bold are the ones in this post

-the speech itself  (post 1) -Jemma can never break for the rest of her life (post 1) -all her friends are more Fitz's friends than hers except maybe Daisy who was in the middle (post 1) -Fitz and Deke and the grandparent grandson stereotype  -Deke's speech to Fitz  -what happened after that: mental breakdown or bad friendship because the husband comes first?  (post 1) -Jemma and Fitz were supposed to reverse gender stereotypes but if I look at s4 and s5 all I see is gender stereotypes, tv stereotypes and not much of their fundamental traits and quirks left (will be in my third post)

part 1 post/180449275812/a-loooong-meta-about-lots-of-things-i-hated-about

 [this is part 2] 

[part 3 will be linked here]

disclaimer: this is how I interpreted things, I’m not claiming it to be the Truth. I also wrote what I think the reasons behind their actions are. Reasons, not justifications. They didn’t happen out of nowhere.  

part 3 will probably be posted tomorrow, it needs revising. 

Fitz and Deke and the grandparents-grandson stereotype

this is more in reference to my previous post, I want to put my context before I go to the speech. whistlingwindtree feel free to jump to the next point.

now here’s the thing. I like Deke as a character, but if Fitz had been framed as hating him because protective of Daisy, if they had fought about it, it would have been fine by me, obviously.  (a much better fight than the canon ones too: 

Fitz accusing him of selling Daisy out, 

Deke pointing out that given that they now know Kasius had bombs everywhere, if Daisy had marched in and taken Jemma away, Kasius would have anticipated his plan of demanding people back or blowing the lighthouse up, and they wouldn’t have been ready back then because they had just arrived and humanity would have died, 

and Fitz pointing out that she could have quaked Kasius into pieces, killed all the Krees with her powers without having to get anywhere near them 

and Deke retorting that 1) he didn’t know Daisy back then as anything but the destroyed of world and he had no reason to believe she’d care for the people there at all, just for her friends, since she didn’t listen to his attempts to explain how things worked there, and 2) Kasius’ brother and the other krees would have destroyed everything later. They only had the chance to win when at the very end they found a way to make humans escape on a spaceship. 

And then Fitz telling him he couldn’t have predicted they’d ever make it out anyway and he should just own he did something horrible to Daisy and there is no justification for it. He can’t stand behind near a man who gives up and wants to keep status quo like that

Deke pointing out he regretted it so much he was ready to die to give them a chance to go home because now he knows Daisy would have fought for his people too but he’s not a mind-reader and when he tried to tell her people would immediately die she ignored him. And so on. 

See that? a legit reason to fight and disagree, and less dickery

and after 5x14 Deke asking Fitz if he still feels like judging him that much since he seems to have adopted the: sacrifice one for many frame of mind too, and them fighting over THAT)

but I digress

what I saw in s5 was Fitz being angry at Deke’s childlike interest in the world, and inappropriateness, even though Deke came from a dystopian society where he was a slave himself, and his constant dislike for Deke seemed a bit too much to begin with, but after 5x14 had me go ‘really? you are in no place to say ‘Deke is the worst’. So I was already on the fence about this relationship. I didn’t find anything about it cute. You can say all you want about Fitz being under-stress but it was in a context in which everyone was doing their best to help, Fitz was isolating himself and snapping at the newest arrival, and can you imagine if he had been like that with Hunter in s2? Come on. It didn’t feel like Fitz anymore and it was on the heels of all the Doctorness. It felt like the typical male character that annoys me. And yes, I put male particularly there because female characters aren’t allowed to be like that without having to go through all kinds of redemption soon after or being ‘put in their places’. Jemma has been mean to people before, and has been demonized for it or it has been written off or gone unnoticed because it didn’t fit the typical bubbly scientist role they try to fit her in nor the sad but a bit cold one misreading of her from s2 either. 

(also... why weren’t the gravitonium expert Deke, also a computer genius able to re-program the framework in a world with no books or tech, grandfather and genius grandmother working together on the rift again?? To make Fitz even more of an isolated struggling protagonist? 

Again, it reminds me of the (always male) genius who snaps at people and is tormented stereotype that bores me so much and that is SO NOT Fitz. It’s Sherlock. It’s doctor House. it’s Wells. It was never Fitz. I loved Fitz for being different.)

But watching the flashforward when Robin remembered her past in the Lighthouse, and Fitz furious because Robin predicted Jemma’s death, and ripping projects there, and Robin and May stepping back and kinda instinctively protecting each other from his anger adds up to this and gives me horrible vibes. That’s now how Fitz should have been even in the Lighthouse, and yet that is the same Fitz from a universe where yes, 5x14 happened, and then the world ended, and Jemma supposedly supported him and he was the best man their daughter know. He was sweet with his daughter, I’m sure. But damn, if the context isn’t fighting to make me side-eye that too.  

It just made me so uncomfortable on many levels. They are all under horrible stress all the time, but Jemma is supposed to be nice about it, and Fitz is the grumpy-mean grandfather who snaps at a grandson who already had a bad relationship with his own dad too? Nice grandma who tries to calm down angry grandpa, and angry grandpa who doesn’t want the grandson there? A negative cliché that I hate.

Deke’s speech to Fitz

Deke’s characterization was all over the place, depending on the writers of the episode. And this takes the cake. Deke was shown so UNCOMFORTABLE and unhappy during 5x14, he was also clinging to the fact that the stories his mother told him were real, he needed to believe that.

Fitz: I don't see it. None of you looks like me. Deke: Well, I don't know what to tell you, Grandpappy. I guess your daughter found a real man. Fitz: Of all people. Why couldn't it be Flint? I liked Flint. Deke: Well, that's a lovely sentiment. That's almost as loving as when you had a robot point a gun to my head. Fitz: I didn't want to hurt anybody. Deke: It's fine. It's the first move you made that actually made me respect you a little bit. It's my kind of move. And this place, 80 years from now, I'd survived on moves like that. 'Cause it was kill or be killed. I know Johnson's still mad at me about the whole "selling her into slavery" thing, but you got to play the long game, or else the whole world is gonna be a vacancy, right? Fitz: Maybe. Deke: And you say you don't see the resemblance?

... WHAT?

here’s what I’m thinking: on one hand 1) Deke had at some point been a believer until he lost everyone 2) he was clearly in awe of his mother and her stories about his hero grandpa 3) his ‘long game’ was keeping humanity alive, and he thought he had to go against Daisy for it, like:

Deke: You are about to walk into a buzzsaw. Daisy: You're just worried it's gonna blow back on you. Deke: This has nothing to do with me! If you pick a fight with the Blues, they are gonna take it out on all of us. Today's Renewal was for three people. Tomorrow could be for 30. Death comes easy here. Daisy: Which is why I need to get to Simmons now. So if I were you, I'd get out of my way. Deke: You already destroyed the world once. I am not gonna let you do it again. (gets quaked into a wall)

and by the last Lighthouse-episode he had seen who they truly were and chose to die to let them go home, in the hope they might save humanity instead, so he had changed his mind. 

on the other hand: it’s bad enough that Fitz has done what he did, that the writers had Deke do what he did too, did they need to DRAG DAISY again to write them into another fight? Same show in which Jemma didn’t get to say anything about the time when she got tortured, not about when she was recently enslaved/mistreated/touched/humiliated and used in whatever way Kasius wanted? Same show in which Daisy was also tortured and didn’t get to say a word about it, nor she got to talk about how she was also used by Kasius as a fighting tool, operated on against her will, blackmailed using her friend against her? 

So what happened here? That speech to Fitz was like him slipping back to asshole because of the bad influence? He was disliked and reacted hiding behind dickery (which doesn’t excuse bringing up so lightly that he sold Daisy out, but this is not the point I’m making here)? 

and I’m not saying Deke wasn’t acting like a dick in the first episodes, mind you, but the way he goes from one attitude to another makes me feel like the dick one is a mask to survive and be less hurt, and in this case to be approved by grandpa

What I also mean is that this speech to Fitz takes like twenty terrible turns and I don’t know what the writers were trying to convey anymore, and that I feel it all starts from Fitz. 

Were the writers trying to say that Fitz was so horribly wrong that of course the guy who had to ‘kill or be killed’ his whole life and did all kinds of bad things would relate to it and make Fitz feel bad? That they were both right about doing what’s necessary? The end justifies the means? (no, not always, even the 100 knows that)  

Or were they willingly writing some toxic masculinity type of ‘grandson who just got physically and emotionally hurt by grandfather tries to make him angrier because that seems to be the only way to be respected by that kind of grandfather, and agrees with his actions to get some approval from him without even realizing it’? which is actually my theory except they didn’t think it’s toxic masculinity just like they didn’t think Alistair was abusive to Fitz? because honestly. Fitz blurting out he wanted Flint to be his grandson and all that has to be hurtful, it WAS hurtful, and when Deke speaks about it being a ‘lovely sentiment’ the sarcastic voice and expression are the same mask/defense mechanism that he used in the Lighthouse. Fitz keeps openly disliking him literally the first time he sees Deke after knocking him out really hard and then keeping a gun aimed at him and keeping him hostage. It’s also why Deke is trying to hurt him back pointing out his mother married a real man (and we know Deke disapproved of his father, it was clear in the way they talked with the other Lighthouse old guy about how the Lighthouse changed people, including his father, he was saying whatever he could to hit back)

hell, Deke switches and calls Daisy ‘Johnson’ like he’s some cool guy who barely knows her even though he’s been calling her Daisy the whole time, just to reach Fitz with that attitude. They are ‘strong men’ in this speech. They don’t let feelings get in the way. Fitz points out he didn’t want to hurt anyone, and I’m sure he didn’t, but he also later refused to let Jemma die even if it meant the end of the world, so he did have limits, and in a way he must know he hurt Daisy that much, so what the hell are they really talking about? I can see how people can interpret it as Deke actually just pretending to be nicer, but since we were shown scenes of Deke being alone or kinda unseen and still being all childlike and/or interested in Daisy, and also because of the change of tone and body language around Fitz, I can only see toxic masculinity spurred on by a grandfather who hates him. Deke already had unhealthy ways to react to begin with.

i can also see Deke trying to show Fitz their resemblance as an attempt to bond because he’s that desperate for grandpa’s approval... or as a punishment for grandpa who dislikes him so much, show him he’s not that different because fuck him. 

Of course after that Deke is seen saying whatever he needs to say to his grandma too to get her approval, about Daisy being a hardass and all, and then he apologizes to Daisy for being late and all that and it’s shown Daisy doesn’t know what he’s talking about so maybe instead he was imagining things about Daisy because flustered? 

Were the writers maybe trying to make me dislike both men at the same time, while I was already feeling repulsed by the arc they were giving Jemma?  

Jemma gets a speech about how she has to keep being the lovely kind understanding wife, Fitz gets a speech about how it’s kill or be killed in this world. Jemma is there to be supportive, Fitz is the one who acts one way or another. He’s supposedly in control enough not to hurt Jemma and she can totally trust that their love will keep him from doing anything to her while also not responsible for his action because mentally ill, but after 5x14 he seemed perfectly fine, as if it was just a temporary window in his life. What?

and the deleted scene where Deke hugs him and Fitz can’t wait to get out of it?

this is not a ‘funny’ grandfather who doesn’t want to admit he likes his grandson moment, this is adult grandson who lost both parents at a very young age and never made up with his dad tried to bond with grandfather who hated him and kept hating him and gave him one last hug in case he died which the grandfather really disliked, and grandson even tried to bond over by acting as if he didn’t care about Daisy, that’s how much he was acting there, it was unnatural, and it was okay to sell her out, after all grandpa is the kind who would point a gun at him and sweet grandma so he can operate on Daisy, who is tied up to a table. Same grandpa who said he didn’t want to hurt anyone but also thought it was the ONLY option and therefore never regretted it.

Why the hell did Fitz look almost upset when Deke commented that meeting his grandparents wasn’t that great after he spent the entire season disgusted by Deke?

So what. What were the writers doing? 

I’m supposed to compare these two speeches, the one Deke gave Jemma and the one he gave Fitz, but it’s like they are different people, talking about also different people, two different Fitzes who bring out different sides of Deke. 

There is nothing not toxic about this. Deke feeling the need to act all macho to impress Fitz and talking about disgusting things like they are okay, Fitz so openly insulting Deke again and again even after speaking to Jemma about him, their characterizations changing every episode and making people feel like they don’t know what is really going on (Fitz doesn’t want to hurt anyone vs Fitz bringing up that Daisy ‘betrayed’ them too when she is angry at him vs Fitz showing he’s regretful with his facial expressions to Daisy and saying he didn’t have a choice vs Fitz telling Jemma that he still thinks it was the right thing to do vs Fitz looking at Jemma like she’s insane when she says that maybe it was the right thing to do vs him being annoyed about being locked up as if he’s not hallucinating and cutting people open because he thinks it’s the right solution without even trying to talk to them first vs Fitz being unable to look at Jemma in the eyes). The writers writing Jemma in the position of the good wifey through Deke’s speech in a way that means she really spent her life like that. 

What is science, by the way, she’s sure as hell not the analytical and weird scientist she was before, not if you listen to these speeches. Deke’s speech to comfort Jemma is about Fitz. Deke’s speech with Fitz is him trying to show to Fitz that they can both do horrible things when they think it’s for the right reason so he shouldn’t be on a high horse. 

Everything is horrible. 

[agl03]

Deke deserves the "contempt" as you call it that the team is giving him. His actions have shown he's still the selfish person from the future and now he's trying to protect a serial killer.

Hi Anon,

I think you’ve sent me a few asks along the anti Deke lines and I’ve kept deleting them but I’ve had a long week full of a lot of pain and now some of the really good drugs so I’ll respond just this once.

If you are anti Deke feel free to unfollow me right now, because I love his character, love the Fitzsimmons Family, and hope I am right about the arc he/they are on right now.

Has he made mistakes, yes.

Has he made some stupid decisions, yeap.

Has he been thrown into the field with absolutely no training and expected to live up to the bar his grandparents set, yeap.

Will he make more mistakes in the future, absolutely.

But so has every single person on the team.  It’s part of the show and part of how they grow.

Deke grew up in a completely different environment than anyone else on the team did.  Nearly every moment was focused on survival, literal survival and not being killed over the smallest of things by another Human or a Kree, with few to watch his back.  

Had he known what had happened to Fitz, he would have stayed to help. But Jemma was the one who chose not to tell him initially because she wanted him to have a chance to have a normal life and couldn’t see too far past finding Fitz herself.  

Alone in a new world Deke quickly figured out what he needed to get ahead and be safe/secure was Money.  And very quickly figured out a way to do that.  Again, it might not have been the best way of doing it but he was trying to help people too.  He was working on solutions like making sure people didn’t go hungry.  This to me is similar to Daisy’s work the the Rising Tide.  She was outing Shield Secrets and agents from her van when they first found her.  She was doing what she thought was the right thing.

I don’t think it was fair for him to be kept in the dark once he was back with Shield about Fitz’s death, that should have been one of the first things he was told.  Nor do I think it was fair how he was forced out into the field with no training and expected to perform as a trained agent would in a high pressure situation with the person that had tried to murder him not long ago.  

As we saw last week one of his major motivations was making his grandparents, making Fitz proud.  He couldn’t wait to show off what he’d done.  Spend time with them.  And grow closer as a family.  He’s been so desperate for a family his entire life and he finally has one.  In Fitz he finally has that positive Father figure that he never had and I desperately hope is an arc they explore between the two.

Deke could have easily been drawn in by someone like a morally grey Radcliffe and used as Fitz was in Season 4.

I also don’t think this set up is an accident.  Over the seasons we have seen Fitz lose and/or get betrayed by people who got close to him.  Ward and Radcliffe stand out as some of the most brutal of betrayals because Fitz saw them as family figures.  Especially Radcliffe, he’d finally had that father figures who supported him and celebrated his mind.  He lost Coulson who was the closest thing to a positive father figure he’s had, even more he didn’t have a chance to say goodbye.

Now the dynamics have shifted and it’s Fitz’s turn to be the father figure an mentor.  And I am here for that with bells on.

With Snowflake, that are both a chaotic energy and it’s not like Shield hasn’t fallen for, worked with, or given a former baddie a second chance before.  Just last season, Daisy was telling Hale she wanted to recruit Ruby and try to help her find the right path after she’d cut off Elena’s arms and had Fitzsimmons as hostages.  

Snow is going to be a bit lost here now.  She’s lost her team that has been like her family for years in a matter of hours.  She was betrayed by her leader and Sarge seemed like her mentor and left for dead.  Even worse she is quickly going to find out Jaco’s sacrifice will have been in vain and Izel made it to earth.

I am not sure where she will ultimately fall but the fact that Deke is continuing to fight for her and cares for her will go a long way in what is to come for her.  This is very much a parallel to Fitz trusting Radcliffe in Season 4.

Deke is socially awkward because he didn’t have a normal childhood and we’ll we’ve seen his grandparents flirt.  I do think more time with Nana and Bobo and getting settled into a more normal life, well as normal as Shield gets, will have a massive impact on him as the Season’s progress.  

A little bit of comfort, reassurance, and respect goes a long ways in helping someone who is scared, overwhelmed and out of their comfort zone.  Imagine if Mack, May, and Daisy treated Deke like the team treated Skye when she first joined the team and how big of a difference that would have made right out of the gate.  

So I”m very happy for him to have some time with the thing Deke wants and honestly needs the most right now, his family.  

It’s fine to not like a character and it’s fine to disagree with me.  But please don’t sent this kind of stuff to me again because I will not hesitate to block.  It’s not going to change my mind just as I doubt this meta will change yours.  

[unaugmentedmonkeyscantfly]

Muse: Agent Leopold James Fitz, PhD

What Is Your Muse’s Blood Type: O+ How Do You think Your Muse Handles Rejection?: Outwardly, he’s very gracious and understanding.  Inwardly, he can nurse a grudge. What Makes Your Muse Jealous?: Being left out or not even considered over someone with less qualifications (including but not limited to significant others of love interests) What’s A Bad Habit Your Muse Has?: Self-depreciation. A Prized Possession Of Your Muse: The astrophotography poster he’s had since he was a pre-teen. Any Medical Conditions?: Oh boyo.  Anoxic temporal lobe injury (probably not limited just to there but eh) aggravated by severe psychological trauma and multiple things stemming from it, including but not limited to: depression, anxiety, hallucinations, motor control problems (mostly trained away by now), aphasia, fatigue, and in rare cases psychosis.  PTSD symptoms are also present although he mostly attributes those to the brain injury rather than to the trauma.  {in a couple of AUs, the injury that took his life in canon was lower and either crippled or severed his left leg.}

Questions for the Muse to Answer

What’s Your Favorite Color: “Blue-grey, like the sky when i’s about to rain.” What’s Your Favorite Food: “I’m a simple bloke.  Apart from Jemma’s mozzarella an’ prosciutto with a hint of pesto aioli, pretty much anythin’ you could find in a pub would do me fine.” Skiing or Snowboarding?: “They both sound cold an’ miserable and way too easy to break a limb or get caught in an avalanche.” Worst Injury You Ever Got?: “Well, I mean...I would have to consider the brain injury to be well above an’ beyond the time I got shot by a Kree, or the time I got my arms broken.” Early Riser or Sleep in?: “It is extremely rare for me to want to get up before the roosters stop makin’ their awful crowin’.” Video Games or Books?: “They both have a time when I’ll prefer them, it all depends on what I’m feeling like and what books.” Something That Makes You Cry?: “Most everything these days, either happy cry or sad cry.” Someone You Hate? Why?: “Ssssssso...there’s this bloke, and he did some bad stuff, tortured Inhumans, dictator, blah blah, crimes against humanity, without a shred of emotion about it.  Him.  I hate him.”

Phobias: “Drowning.  And I wouldn’t call it a phobia, but I very much did not like looking out into space with nothing else around and only a thin membrane of what I assume was glass between me and certain death.” (also, to a point, claustrophobia and blood.  And parasites.)

Favorite Soda?: “Irn Bru, what is this, a citizenship test?” Favorite Drink in General?: “Tea with two sugars an’ a bit of milk. Or maybe beer.”

What Did You Have For Breakfast?: “Some sort of MRE that was down here, I think it was supposed to be grits and bacon or some other very American dried nonsense.” When in the Shower What Do You Wash first?:  “My face, while my hair’s soaking.” 3 Items in Your Top Drawer?: “Packets of crisps, socks, and an improvised divider to keep them separate.” What Kind of Underwear Do You Have on Right Now?: “Boxer briefs, not that i’s any of your business.” Stockings or Leg Warmers?: “Uh...for me, or are we talkin’ what I like to see on other people?” Superhero Name: “I dunno, it would depend on whatever powers there are.  I can’t go around callin’ myself Captain Underpants an’ then my power is heat vision.” (There are verses where he has powers, and thus names, but not in mainverse.) Super Villain Name:   “I’d rather not have that conversation.”  (The Doctor.  Obviously.)   Song you are listening to right now?: “Deke yammering on.” Worst Job Ever?: “Military prisoner.” Best Job Ever?: “Highly acknowledged genius who people had to bribe people to get on their team.” What’s Your Type?: “Intelligent, kind, usually brown-eyed brunettes but one had blue eyes, confident in her abilities, and a sharp dresser.” When Giving Spankings, I Use: “Nothing.  I am vehemently opposed to spanking in any context.” Ever Been Thrown Out A Window? Why?: “I feel like at some point I probably was considered someone worth tossing out a window, but i’s never happened.” Do Dogs Randomly Sniff You?: “First off, dogs don’ normally randomly sniff anyone.  It just seems random to us because our olfactory senses aren’t as keen, so we have no idea what scent they’ve found interesting.” What’s Under Your Bed Right Now?: “Jemma does a damn good job makin’ sure I don’t accidentally store things under there..” What Kind of Drugs Are You On?: “Anti-depressant, anti-anxiety, an Alzheimer’s drug, and I think Jemma’s looking at anti-psychotics.” Last Person To Give You An Orgasm?: “Jemma.”  {ct: temple of unrequited love:  “Yeah, I’m not, I don’t wanna talk about that.”}   Do You Regret What You’ve Done?: “A lot of it.” Your Best Pick-up Line: “I don’t...have those.” Any Roommates?: “In the traditional sense of people who share a living space with common areas, pretty much everyone I work with.  In the literal sense of people with whom I share a bedroom, just Jemma.  And I don’t especially want that to change.” Are they Sexy?: *awkward stammering* “In the right circumstances.” {ct: temple of unrequited love:  “I don’t...find...there’s not...ehm...”}

Would You Steal a Kiss from them?: “Theft is wrong.  I might surprise her with it, should it be appropriate.”

Choose Between

Boxers or Briefs: “Hybrid.” Panties or Thongs: “Neither, not on me, thanks.” Coke or Pepsi:  “I haven’t done an objective comparison.” Dominant or Submissive: “Go fuck yourself.” Dogs, Cats, or Both: “Dogs.”  (although he does want a precious little Scottish Fold kitten to look after) C4 or Dynamite: “They both have uses, I can’t answer that without context and details.” Catch Phrase or One-Liners: “Definitely one-liners.” Day or Night: “Day.” Star Wars or Star Trek: “You can’t categorize them in the same sentence.  One’s pure fantasy in a space setting, the other is military-styled exploration.  That’s like comparing apples and tomatoes.  Yes, they’re both fruits, with some similarities, but they’re more different than they are alike.” Spanking or Whipping: “Neither of those, since the way this is phrased is asking for a sexual situation.  I hope.  Because it’s either that or you’re talking about discipline, and we do not have time for that conversation.” Cake or Pie: “Cake if we’re just eating it alone, but pie if we’ve got vanilla ice cream.” Zombies or Vampires?: “Both are terrifying possibilities.  Zombies make the better video games, though.”

tagged by @jemmaqueenofspace

[agl03]

“The Other Thing” Promo Breakdown

Didn’t do too shabby prediction wise with 4!

Well done synopsis dudes, hiding that Fitz was the hostage...which honestly makes a whole lot more sense.

Anyway, I know lots of people are wanting this so I’ll dive right in!

Sarge has May and if looks could kill Sarge would be so dead right now.  Now the phrase here “I’m going to turn you,” thing concerns me and I’ll go a bit deeper into that as we progress.

EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!  Good to know the icky bat things can jump hosts when they want too.  Ew.  But why is this thing so willing to leave its host here, hence I have more concerns.  The one in Keller (RIP Keller) didn’t try too even when Elena and Benson were trying to cut that out.

Part of me also wonders if in the “I’m going to turn you” May goes on a mission with Sarge and Co. to hunt one of these, so she can see how bad they are.

May uses what is clearly the super important blue knife given the number of times they’ve shown close-ups of it so far.  My guess is it’s a special metal or has Special powers that keeps the bat things from blowing up into the big crystal things.  No shock here that after an intense fight scene May comes out victorious.  Also if Sarge intended for that thing to take her over, she wouldn’t have that knife in there with her (though I will say she could have lifted it but if she did why not take out her captors).

Unsure if this happens before or after May takes on Mr. Parasite, currently leaning before especially if I’m right about her going on a mission with them.  But I have a lot of concerns here.  Sarge is trying to make himself and the others look like the good guys here.  That they are trying to save the world.  But no, Sarge is NOT A GOOD GUY!  HE IS THE ANTI COULSON!  EVEN IF THE BAT THINGS ARE BAD THEY STILL HAVE A BAD PLAN OF THEIR OWN!  Good guys don’t go around murdering anyone that gets in their way.

So now this puts “I’m going to turn you,” into a totally new light.  He’s going to ‘turn’ May to their side.  To try to use her to keep Shield from interfering or even helping get the bat things (which really won’t take much after Keller).  May will be one of the easiest to do this too because she loves Coulson, and will not want to believe someone with his face is doing bad things.  It also sets up a bit of the rift with the team as to who believes they are doing good and not.

Oh good it’s the hole of doom and “oh poop” look from the trailer.  Yes, the big white hole is bad.  Still could be a wormhole or the Evil Chromicons are trying to get something out of it?

Not sure what is going on with Enoch here, he seems to be just chilling either way.  He could be with the girls, traded himself to try to save Fitz, or Atarah there took control of him...which last option honestly sucks.

By the looks on their faces...not good and possible Fitz getting hurt.

150% So over all of this and how hostage Fitz.

Atarah first demands something and then her questions answered.  Once again Fitz is the leverage.  I’m really not sure what Atarah is after my top contenders now are their portal jumper, Gravitonium, or information.  

Lovely Malachi has joined Fitz for some whump and monologuing.

Yeah, you tell them Daisy, Quake em all!  And if Daisy looks like that Jemma is going to kill us all at her reaction to hearing or seeing Fitz hurt.  Can I take back my Role Reversal theory now?  No?  Okay well, next bit in that is I am expecting Jemma to trade herself or surrender in order to be with or protect Fitz.

Jemma:  Let’s pretend to agree with her and you blast her.

Daisy:  Love that plan.

I’ll take Fitz trying to talk his way out of this mess for $500.  Malachi is going to be a jerk for $1000.

This looks horribly like Fitz can see/hear Jemma, which makes sense if they can hear/see/know he’s being tortured. I’m not sure if something has happened to her to cause him to yell like that or if he’s trying to warn/stop her.  He also has his “sass” finger up there.  Malachi adjusts his hold on his gun, so looks like he might hit Fitz vs shoot him.  AKA Bring on the Mind Prison! 

On the Earth side of things we’ll likely check in with Shield who will be reeling from the loss of Keller (I think Mack’s speech from the promo is for it), Elena especially having a difficult time, Deke being weighed down my guilt and getting a fair amount of disappointment sent his way.  All on top of them looking for May.

I’m not gonna trust too much of what comes out of Sarge’s mouth and am very very concerned that he is playing May.

In Space Davis and Piper are ??? after the fight.  I have concerns about Enoch being controlled but will hope for the best.  I also think that Jemma’s end of the line comment could come here.  In that, she’d rather stay in Space with Fitz if Atarah won’t let him go vs go home.  Fitz’s rescue doesn’t go as planned (shocker) and the Mind Prison likely kicks off end of 5 or at the very least is set up.  I have two weeks to fully prepare myself for Fitzsimmons to have a super brief reunion before being tossed into Mind Prison Hades.

The more I think about it Gravitonium could be that elusive McGuffin Atarah is after.  The Chromicons tech is well advanced so there isn’t much on the Zephyr they don’t have.  Not only that Fitzsimmons are pretty much the only two left with any expertise in it.  AND it gives an opening for Adrian to somehow show back up like he teased at Dragon Con.