Marvel’s Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 5 episode 9 review: Best Laid Plans

This review contains spoilers.

5.9 Best Laid Plans

‘Best Laid Plans’ is just one of those episodes that feels like you’re watching it for like five minutes and then it’s over. Because folks, this sucker moves as SHIELD finally takes the fight to those Kree bastiches.

The story is split into two plots this week as Mack, Yo Yo, Flint, and the rest of the humans aboard Kasius’s slave station must fight for their survival while Coulson, Daisy, May, Fitz, Simmons, and Deke have to figure how to fly a decades old Zephyr off what is left of the Earth.

Whew, where to begin? I guess we should discuss Mack’s rebellion. This week, Mack and company discover that Kasius has his station armed to blow at any moment. So think about that- the rest of the human race (as far as we know, maybe the Avengers shunted half the population off planet before Daisy destroys the world or something) is in danger of being destroyed if the always unstable Kasius decides to blow his station.

It seems like Mack and his crew are at a grave disadvantage because how in the world could the always suspicious humans aboard the station ever unite to take the fight to Kasius? Well, it seems that in his arrogance Kasius pushes things too far and the humans indeed unite. Combine that with Mack’s leadership and inspiring presence and Yo Yo’s fiery determination and you have a legit rebellion.

The whole thing speaks to just how far Mack has come. I was afraid that at the end of last season, what with the loss of his daughter in the Framework, Mack would be in for a very bleak and soul searching season. Not the case, Mack is every inch the leader and hero and manages to figure out a way to finally take Kasius down a peg.

But he doesn’t do it alone. I am pleased to say that Tess returns this week. A few weeks back I commented on how the death of Tess just seemed like dismissive plot convenience. This week, Kasius brings Tess back to life using the same Kree tech that brought Coulson back in season one.

That’s a very cool way to tie the Kree mythology into the ongoing narrative of the series and bring back a character that seems like she has a lot more to give. I’m kind of hoping that Deke, Tess, and Flint are able to accompany SHIELD back to the present – if they ever get back.

Speaking of Deke, the mercenary has a choice to make this week as it is up to him whether to dispatch Voss. Voss tried to kill Daisy last week and ended up killing the precog Robin. Deke refrains from killing his old friend which shows us that there is a little morality in Deke that we really didn’t know about. It also brings up more discussion about Deke’s father whom Voss also betrayed. Any guesses on whom Deke’s daddy might be? For some reason, I’m getting a Ward vibe here. Am I nuts?

We also get a great deal of info on the Zephyr with some timey wimey Fitz and Simmons stuff. It seems that somewhere in the past, Fitz redesigned the Zephyr using ideas that he garnered in the future. This confirms that Fitz and SHIELD are able to get back to the correct time but they are unable to prevent the end of the world. None of which will matter if Fitz and company can’t get the Zephyr off the ground. Which they do by just letting the summbitch float to space before May Han Solo’s the sucker.

But it ain’t that easy, kids. Sinara stows away aboard and we knew there would be a throw down with the ball wielding blue fatale. I kind of assumed it would be May taking down the master of the balls, but with May at the helm, it’s up to Daisy to have the boss fight.

Now, keep in mind Daisy still doesn’t have her Quake powers, but with Deke and gravity’s help, Daisy indeed takes down Sinara by impaling her on a pipe. Ouch. I will miss Sinara’s ominous music and fearsome presence, but it is still a satisfying victory for Daisy and SHIELD.

With Sinara taken down, SHIELD is able to take off. Mack and company confront Kasius who babbles on and on, giving SHIELD’s new human friends time to move all of the Kree bombs to one sealed level of the station. Because Kasius is an arrogant prick, he prattles on before hitting the trigger.

All he succeeds in doing is blowing up all the Inhuman blood and terrigen crystals on the station. Ooops. Kasius makes it out, but now he has no Inhumans, no Sinara, and no bombs to control his human chattel. It seems he does have a seer though, so Kasius isn’t out of the fight yet.

Yeah, that’s a lot of action, and as I said, this sucker moves. With Sinara dead and Kasius almost defeated, I’m assuming we’re getting to act two of the season very soon. I guess the next part of the season will see SHIELD back in the present trying to solve the mystery of the end of the world. There are really tons to explore if and when SHIELD gets back to the right time.  

Is Daisy really the Destroyer of Worlds? We can see may develop as the surrogate mother to Robin. We can learn the identity of Deke’s father. We can see Fitz and Simmons struggle to prevent the end of everything. One thing is for sure, as far as plot is concerned, this is the most ambitious season of Agents Of SHIELD to date.

Read Marc’s review of the previous episode, The Last Day, here.