Board Thread:Television/@comment-1713281-20131004113215/@comment-1895174-20150513182124

M: "It's 'Gordon,' right?" G: "And you are...?" M: "I'm the guy who kills Gordon."

BEST. DAY EXCHANGE. EVER.

SPOILERS, obviously

The finale puts any doubt that Agents of SHIELD is the most improved show of the 2014-2015 television season. Even Kyle MacLachlan's cheap-looking Mr. Hyde prosthetic couldn't keep it down. Whereas the first season ended without solving the mystery behind Coulson's resurrection, without resolving the season's central question, Season 2 ends by tying up every single character arc the audience could get invested in. Every twist, from the truth behind Jiaying's longevity to Coulson getting his hand chopped off (in line with the trend in Phase 2 movies), was a legitimate surprise; the latter also providing a fitting thematic bookend with what happened to Izzy Hartley in the season premiere. The fights Bobbi v. Ward and 33, and Coulson and Mack (and I guess Fitz) v. Gordon were incredible. And along the way, it managed to wrack up an impressive body count. Jiaying, Raina, Agent 33, Gordon, and Agent Beardguy all join Bakshi, Gonzales, Trip, Senator Ward, and Whitehall among the ranks of the dead. Compared to the S1 finale, in which Paxton's John Garrett was the only major fatality, it's a testament to the show's much more robust supporting cast. We probably won't see much more of Cal, either, not that he's been TAHITI'd into being a vet who doesn't recognize his own daughter. Who knows. Maybe the memory wipe isn't perfect. Cal instinctively going back into Mama Grizzly mode when next season's threat comes for Skye is going to be an amazing moment.

And Simmons isn't dead. Not yet, anyway. She got swallowed up by that thing I'm still certain is a symbiote, setting her up to be an antagonist next season. Regardless, that thing's going to turn Simmons into the Inhuman-killing weapon Jiaying and Gordon were so afraid of.

Hopes for S3:
 * Promote Henry Simmons (Mack) to series regular. He was in every episode of the last season and had some of the best moments in the finale. I don't know how this hasn't already happened.
 * More Deathlok.
 * Coulson assembles his Secret Warriors. Skye, Bobbi, Dethlok, Lincoln, maybe what becomes of Simmons after the Kree rock spits her out, and a few new characters. How about Jessica Drew? or Simon Williams (his brother Eric being a recurring villain)? Perhaps Donnie Gill is still alive?
 * Get Patton Oswalt for more than three episodes.
 * Who knows what D-list villains will awaken now that everyday consumer products are contaminated with Terrigen materials.