‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’ Season 2, Episode 20 Recap: “Scars”

Agents of SHIELD Season 2 Episode 20 Recap
Elizabeth Henstridge and Luke Mitchell in ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’ (Photo: ABC / Kelsey McNeal)

“Scars” is an exciting episode for Marvel fans because it ties Avengers: Age of Ultron very neatly into the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. plotline. At the same time, the episode ratcheted up the conflict between the Inhumans and SHIELD, which included a big shocker and is obviously working toward a suspenseful season finale.

At SHIELD headquarters, the board members and Coulson (Clark Gregg) are trying to hammer out an organization plan. Coulson magnanimously suggests that he remain the director, but that the board is responsible for advising him. They all agree to it, although May (Ming-Na Wen) is reluctant. Later, she and Coulson get into a heated discussion about Theta Protocol (which turned out to be fixing up the helicarrier). She tells Coulson what he’s never known, that the girl in Bahrain didn’t get killed in the crossfire; May put her down.

The med lab is busy. Lincoln (Luke Mitchell) is still recovering from whatever Hydra did to him, while Kara (Maya Stojan) gets the stamp of approval from Simmons that her mind is back to normal. Later, Fitz tells Simmons (Elizabeth Henstridge) she shouldn’t feel bad for wanting to kill Ward (Brett Dalton), that he’s felt that way, too. But she tells him she feels bad because she failed to kill him and that whatever Ward does from now on is on her head.

Meanwhile, Skye (Chloe Bennet) is worried about how SHIELD will treat her friends and family at the Afterlife compound. Gonzalez (Edward James Olmos) and the board are worried about these people with powers. Skye tries to assure them that they mean no harm to anyone. Eventually, everyone agrees that Skye and Lincoln will go back with Gordon and convince Jiaying to talk to SHIELD. When Gordon makes the leap, however, Agent Weaver is able to track him. SHIELD plans their visit, which is more like an invasion.

At Afterlife, Raina (Ruth Negga) tells Gordon what she has seen in her latest visions. She warns him that the sit down between Jiaying (Dichen Lachman) and SHIELD is a terrible idea. She also suggests that Jiaying is the reason it goes bad and that she, Raina, should be the one to talk to SHIELD.

Skye convinces Jiaying that Coulson is a good man and will do right by her people, even though Jiaying is still skeptical. Cal suggests to Jiaying, in private, that she hand him over to SHIELD as a gesture of goodwill. But he also warns her that SHIELD is coming to index them and destroy them. He urges Jiaying to use the power available to her to strike first.

Back at SHIELD, everyone is suiting up for the mission. However, Coulson is directed to stay behind because he can’t be objective. He agrees. Mack (Henry Simmons) comes in and quits because he doesn’t like Coulson being in charge while he’s got alien blood. May approaches Bobbi and tells her they’ve been tasked with scouting the location ahead of everyone else. They head out in a jet. Everyone else loads up to go in a separate jet.

Everything gets turned on its head at the end of the episode. Bobbi realizes the plane is landing in a strange location. Then we see it’s not May, but Kara in disguise. Bobbi winds up knocking out Kara. But when the plane lands, Ward is waiting and he stuns Bobbi. He and Kara had planned this deception all along.

Our other group lands at Afterlife. Gordon comes to fetch Raina, but he’s got friends with him. We realize he wasn’t taken in by Raina’s manipulation. Jiaying orders Raina to be locked up, but Raina continues to plead with her not to meet SHIELD.

Jiaying meets with Gonzalez. He offers her a token they found in Hydra’s rubble, and she’s touched. She also retrieves a gift for Gonzalez: a blue crystal that contains metal from the Diviner.

On the plane, the team is securing Cal but they find vials full of liquid. He obviously knows what’s going on, but plays innocent.

Back in Jiaying’s office, she uses the crystal to kill Gonzalez, turning him to ash. Then she shoots herself with his gun. She stumbles out of the office, claiming Gonzalez tried to kill her. She’s starting a war!