#robert gonzalez

Starting today with one of my favorites, Philip J. Coulson AKA Phil AKA Coulson from the MCU. I will chronicle his journey until his disability (only until because it’s a looooong journey. Watch Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. for more) and then how he deals with it after.

Jiaying was tortured and vivisected by HYDRA, which at the time was within SHIELD, just so her ability could be given to an old man who deserved to die. This same group took her baby away from her for years.

She also had Cal, her husband who she cared for despite the fact that he was clearly insane telling her that the register would be the end of their people. Even if SHIELD is no longer a part of HYDRA, they’re carrying a weapon on their vessel that is foretold to be the death of their people.

And to top it off, Gonzalez went in instead of Coulson. And even Skye visibly reacted because she was expecting Coulson, and knew Gonzalez was the leader of the SHIELD faction that ordered for her to be shot and killed, rather than brought in, and might have even put the order in. And Gonzalez openly tells Jiaying that SHIELD will be stepping in and taking authority of the situation, for no reason other than they can.

To be clear, most of what she did seemed in character. I think she panicked for good reason, because she was faced with a shadowy government organization that emerged from the smoking wreckage of the same organization that cut her open and stole her baby from her. and given the resources SHIELD had, there was nothing she could do except hope to take them down. 

What I do resent is that season 2 had so many options for villains that they had been building up to. Hydra, an organization full of bonafide Nazis who don’t believe in freedom. Cal, a man who’s clearly gone insane from the loss of his daughter and wife who will do anything to keep his family together. Ward, a man who has never taken personal accountability for his own actions. Kara, a tortured woman being led by Grant into believing the only thing that will bring her peace is revenge.

Hell, in the scene where she gets her villain reveal, Jiaying isn’t even the shadiest person in the room. Gonzalez is a former SHIELD leader who was willing to tear apart the entire organization down just to prove a point. He and the rest of his faction were rambling about transparency, in a spy agency, even though the way he infiltrated Coulson’s faction was double agents and more secrecy. He had a clear bias against the Inhumans, going as far to reprimand Bobbi for Skye’s escape and injury of Calderon, when Calderon disobeyed Bobbi’s orders to use non-lethal force to apprehend Skye (that is, unless he had orders from higher up to just kill Skye outright). And then even when Coulson is cooperating, he goes out of his way to dictate every choice by arguing that Phil is too biased in favor of powered people, and puts it up to a vote to overrule Coulson. Then he waltzes into Jiaying’s home and tells her what is going to happen to her people regardless of whether or not she complies. 

See this post for introduction to this exercise.

Use these quotes to equip you as you fight the good fight. Allow these ideals to give you strength and the fortitude to keep going. Add your own from season 2, or make your own post! This is our call as accomplices. This is our call as agents.

“We have to fight on for him––for those we lost. We have to take risks, so the sacrifices they made were not made in vain.” -- Director Coulson, 2.01

“It’s for their families. I think they deserve something for their loss. Don’t you think?” –– Agent Hunter, 2.02

“First of all, I want you to know that I see your progress. You’re an important part of this team, and I don’t want you forget that.” –– Director Coulson, 2.03

“Hard choices are coming. I need to you to make this one.” –– Director Coulson, 2.04

“But after today, I just don’t care anymore. All I care about is that we stop him, and I just wanted to let you know that whatever it takes to do that, I’m in.” –– Agent Skye, 2.05

“It’s always a shame when a good soldier falls.” –– Brigadier General Talbot, 2.06

“Everything we’ve been doing, it all leads here.” –– Director Coulson, 2.07

“You wanted to get back in the field? Here’s your chance.” –– Director Coulson, 2.08

“They are the point. They’re the reason I’m here.” –– Director Coulson, 2.09

“They are the bad guys. That makes you a bad guy.” –– Agent Skye, 2.10

“No, you’re just different now. You’re just different now, and there’s nothing wrong with that.” –– Agent Fitz, 2.11

“Love fighting? No. But you’re coming after one of my people, so I’m willing to fight.” –– Agent Morse, 2.12

“Except it doesn’t disappear. You’re pushing it aside.” –– Dr. Garner, 2.13

“We can leave all this mess behind––just start over. Be new people. Be better people.” –– Agent Hunter, 2.14

“We can’t keep pretending that everything’s the same as it was yesterday. I mean, look around.” –– Agent Morse, 2.15

“We cannot afford to be enemies to each other when there are new threats out there, waiting for the moment we are at our weakest. A house built on shifting sand will fall.” –– Agent Gonzales, 2.16

“Do good.” –– Dr. Garner, 2.17

“Desperate times, desperate measures. Count me in.” –– Agent Fitz, 2.18

“I saw an opportunity to do the right thing. So I took it.” –– Agent Simmons, 2.19

“The next terrible thing he does is on me.” –– Agent Simmons, 2.20

“Do you think it’ll end with me? There’s always someone else to blame.” –– Agent Morse, 2.21

Look I had a really emotional night watching figure skating and anyway I don’t remember this episode at all so I hope I’m not going to be crying again. Hahaha. I’m not really a crier it was just one of those competitions.

Of course a Koenig has Star Wars sheets

It’s a flashback wheee

Oh no he mentioned Trip :(

Theta protocol issssssssss....a helicarrier? I expected something more exciting.

Really, I can’t believe all this drama is over a helicarrier.

May is still mad

Phil wants to reunite Shield, which, I mean, kind of just means back to where we were.

Lincoln is freaking out over being at Shield which I kind of wonder if all this is due to Jiaying scaring him on purpose

Also Raina is like some freaky inhuman Oracle which is both interesting and kind of hilarious because she’s obviously living for the drama

So according to Cal Raina was some kind of street orphan in a Dickens novel?

IT’S THE CREEPY KREE TELEPORTER ROCK

YES YOU SHOULD HAVE DESTROYED IT GONZALEZ

I JUST REALLY HATE THIS ROCK OK

Poor Daisy really is stuck between a rock and a hard place

But also low blow bringing out Bahrain

Ugh Real Shield needs to CHILL and leave the Inhumans alone for now

Look, Cal’s not wrong about Raina. They’d all do better to listen to him.

May and Coulson are both a little awkward about Daisy having a bio mom too now

PHIL CALLED HER MELINDA ALERT ALERT

But also I hate when they fight

Also I find it interesting that May says that the lines were clear- she was married to Andrew and worked with Phil. Does that means the lines aren’t clear now?

I think Fitzsimmons joke with the hula dancer is HILARIOUS

That’s no way to look at your girl’s dad Lincoln. So much stink eye for real.

It’s so hard to tell if Raina is telling the truth or trying to manipulate Gordon or both

Daisy’s spending all her time trying to convince the each side that the other are full of good people which ehhhh

NO GONZALEZ SHOULDN’T GO UGH

I feel like May supported him out of anger

Jemma taking Ward’s foolish decisions upon her is bad.

Jemma needs some serious therapy. This will be a constant theme forever basically.

Mack sounds super bitter about Coulson being back which I find hilarious considering what he is now.

Bet he regrets giving Coulson such a hard time.

Cal and Jiaying were getting really cozy there, but I don’t trust anything she says.

“I think we’ve been spending too much time together” Noooo hahaha I love this combo though.

Ooooooooof course Kara is making bad life choices

With Ward

KARA NO

Ha of course Jiaying didn’t trust Raina

And is scheming with Cal

Sigh

NO ONE IS MAKING GOOD LIFE CHOICES HERE

When you’re quoting a legit Nazi, you should be questioning everything you are doing

Whew Jiaying has definitely gone off the deep end

Also she’s a liar

GROSS GROSS GROSS

Shut up Ward

Honestly this was more drama than I needed. So it gets an 11/10 on the DRAMA scale. Also Jiaying gets my inaugural BAD LIFE CHOICES Award. Congrats madam. 

Our song for this episode is War by The Cardigans because Jiaying was really on fire to start this war. Look at your life look at your choices.