Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Series Finale Review: What We're Fighting For
Sarah Little
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It's finally time to pour one out, take a parting shot, and say a spy's goodbye to our Agents of S.H.I.E.LD.
For the two-part series finale, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 7 Episode 12 and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 7 Episode 13, the team was tasked with saving their original timeline thanks to the meddling of the Chronicoms.
The stakes were high, and emotions were running rampant from character to character, making for a perfect end to this action-filled and full of heart Marvel show.
To start it all, Simmons and Deke needed to be saved from the Chronicom ship.
Thankfully, Sibyl wanted Daisy to get to Simmons to amp up the chance that Fitz's location would be divulged. Unfortunately for her, she underestimated Kora and the resourcefulness of Mack and Sousa.
Daisy: Kora.
Mack: How'd she get up here?
Daisy: I don't care. She's not gonna stop me from getting back Simmons.
Mack: And Deke.
Daisy: Sure.
So, some of my predictions for the series finale that I stated on my review of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D Season 7 Episode 11 came true, and some of them were severely wrong. But I would say fifty percent accuracy is not too bad.
One of my false predictions was Kora's fate. I thought there was no hope for her, but it turns out I underestimated her as well.
Kora has felt misunderstood and confused ever since Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D Season 7 Episode 8. She could be easily manipulated, which is why Nathaniel clung to her.
After some time with Daisy, though, Kora was able to see the truth that S.H.I.E.L.D. were the good guys.
Daisy has lost so much, from her mother to her father, that she deserved to have this one person who was built-in family. They didn't get off to the best start, understandably, but as much as finales are about endings, they're also about new beginnings.
Once Kora let Daisy leave with Simmons and Deke, it was clear that her story took a turn for the better.
Coulson: This is what we were fighting for.
Daisy: Family.
Simmons, on the other hand, was still experiencing memory problems and was spitting out what seemed to be nonsense until they met up with the other agents in the safehouse.
After a battle of their own at the Lighthouse -- R.I.P. John Garrett, again -- the remaining S.H.I.E.L.D. agents joined together with pieces of tech that only Simmons knew how to put together. Finally, the season-long mystery was revealed.
And just like that, Fitz was back!
His arrival prompted a squeal that was two-sided. For one, we have waited so long for Fitz to reunite with the team, and secondly, the way he entered the safehouse was all too familiar.
Anyone who has seen Avengers: Endgame at least ten times -- AKA me -- recognized Fitz's outfit and the way he entered.
While it was a bit different and didn't have the fancy Avengers logo, his jumpsuit and helmet were eerily similar to the ones the Avengers wore when they traveled through the quantum realm to save the world on the film.
Fitz soon confirmed our suspicions that he had traveled through the quantum realm between the original timeline and the one they had created through their adventures on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 7.
This subtle reference to the MCU was a supremely cool way to connect the show to its mothership one last time. And it was only fitting that the final connection was to what is seen as the end to an era of the MCU films.
At last, we finally got an answer to the question of whether or not the original timeline survived, thanks to Fitz and a series of flashbacks.
Is this the future or the past? They look so similar.
Simmons
The mystery of Fitz, Simmons, and Enoch's overarching plan to defeat the Chronicoms came to a head, and while it was confusing at first, it also made perfect sense.
The wait for the reveal was worth it, and even though the use of flashbacks has at most times felt like a cop-out on TV shows to explain the narrative, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. used them to their advantage and managed to make their inclusion feel natural.
Plus, it allowed us to see Fitz and Simmons live out their happy ending for a few years in their favorite star system. That is fan service at its best.
As it turns out, Fitz and Simmons had a daughter named Alya while in space -- cue the tears.
If any couple in the history of television deserves to have a happy ending, it's Fitzsimmons.
Piper: I'm sorry, are you saying we were guarding this thing for nothing?
Fitz: No, you were guarding our everything.
Their romance, as Fitz would put it, has been cursed at times. To see them retire and have a family of their own is all the fans have ever wanted, and I am one hundred percent confident that everyone will be satisfied with their ending.
Fitz and Simmons' love story has been a pleasure to watch, through the ups and the downs, there is no doubt that they will go down in history as one of the most epic romances on television.
And hopefully, with Alya, they'll see Deke again one day.
Once they realized someone would have to stay behind in the new timeline to ensure the rest of them were able to travel back to the original timeline, it was obvious that person would be Deke.
As seen on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 7 Episode 7, Deke excels at starting over and making a new life for himself. Plus, like Sousa, he is a man out of time and from a different timeline.
The difference is that Sousa and Daisy had formed a strong romantic connection, and as Deke so eloquently and hilariously put it, he knows a lot more about tech and science than Sousa does.
Deke: I'll stay.
Mack: D-
Deke: First of all, I'm the one with the scientific knowledge to be able to repatch the power. Danny boy over here is still impressed by a lightbulb.
Sousa: That's not accurate or nice.
It was a bittersweet goodbye between Deke and the team, as they might just see him again in twenty years or so but never this version of him.
On the bright side, Deke will be able to fulfill his superstar dreams, while also possibly taking on the role of a secret S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. It's a perfect ending and beginning for the quirky grandson of Fitzsimmons.
Once the team got back to the original timeline, right where they left it, they got to work to stop the Chronicoms from destroying S.H.I.E.L.D. once again.
With the combination of May's, Kora's, and Daisy's powers, they were able to give the Chronicoms compassion and return S.H.I.E.L.D. to its glory.
Coulson: Now it's my turn to smile. We just needed you to enter your authorization.
Sibyl: Oh? And what comes next?
May: The Cavalry.
There was no doubt that the Chronicoms would be defeated, but it was sweet, in a sort of cheesy way, that their win didn't mean all Chronicoms would be killed. It was a nice way to honor Enoch's memory.
They all did their part, from Daisy finally putting an end to the ever-annoying Nathaniel and Kora saving her life to May falling from the ceiling and taking down Sibyl like the badass she is.
The mission was over. So, what came next for the team?
As mentioned before, Fitz and Simmons retired and settled down with their adorable daughter with the most precious accent. As for the rest of the team, they all went their separate ways.
May's teaching at the Coulson Academy with Flint as one of her students, Mack seems to be the director of S.H.I.E.L.D., Yo-Yo is a part of a new S.H.I.E.L.D. team with Piper and Davis, and Daisy is traveling through space for possibly S.W.O.R.D. with Sousa and Kora.
As for Coulson, he is just figuring it all out.
Daisy: Are you really just seeing the world?
Coulson: There's some places I've always wanted to go.
Daisy: Okay. But look at what you did here. There are people out there who are lost, people who show promise. If you don't find them, who will?
Coulson: How's it going with your new recruit?
Daisy: She's doing great. She's been through a lot, but, um, it's funny what can happen when someone believes in you.
Coulson: Give me a call when you get back.
Daisy: Yes, sir.
Who would have ever thought that they would all, especially Coulson, make it out of this season alive? And living their best lives? For a show that has had so much tragedy, an ending like this is a nice surprise.
And the very last scene with Coulson and Lola -- take note that the combination for the briefcase containing the car keys was 136, the same number of episodes the show did -- was obviously the only way to end the series.
Albeit a bit confusing -- though, that's to be expected with time travel -- it was a perfect finale that perfectly summed up what these last seven seasons have been about.
Family.
This whole S.H.I.E.L.D. team sees one another as family, as proved by their yearly get together at the S.H.I.E.L.D. safehouse. They all send Fitzsimmons' daughter presents, they worry about one another, and they're supportive above all else.
They didn't start as a family on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 1, but with time and through shared experiences, they became one. If that doesn't make your heart feel all warm and fuzzy, I don't know what will.
Endings are hard, but they're necessary for all aspects of life as Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. so beautifully showed us.
Throughout the entirety of its last season, the show alluded to the fact that their mission against the Chronicoms would be their last one together.
May: We're not the same people we were.
Coulson: Pretty sure everyone would agree on that.
May: I'm wondering if we change the timelines or if they change us.
Coulson: The Melinda May I know would never ask these philosophical questions.
May: Which is the point. How did I become this me?
Coulson: I don't know, but I like this you. And if I'm completely honest, I like this me as well.
This allowed them the opportunity to give each character a deserving and practical sendoff, spread out throughout the season. Not one character ended up in a place that didn't make sense for their character arc.
Nothing lasts forever, it can't, but every character took with them what they learned on this seven-year journey through space and time and everything in between to create new beginnings for themselves.
What did you think, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Fanatics?
Was it a good ending for a show that lasted seven seasons? Were you surprised by the Fitzsimmons baby reveal?
And how badly do you want a spin-off with Daisy and Sousa traveling through the cosmos?
Let me know in the comments, and do not forget that you can watch Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. online right here via TV Fanatic!
Sarah Little was a staff writer for TV Fanatic.She retired in September 2021.
