S.H.I.E.L.D., tale - Nov 17

And so, keeping in mind that next week AoS is taking time off, let us recount as to what they have done in this episode.

They brought the strands together. Until now, the episodes tended to treat InHumans and Hydra separately, but now, they are bringing them together. Will is...sort of Hydra, just working for NASA and possibly not knowing this. Fitz and Simmons have finally kissed and are finally getting back together, because in worst-case scenario? Will is another knock-off of Ward, meaning a wolf in sheep’s skin. Ward himself...he is starting to play a greater role in S3, actually learning what Hydra is, what it stands for and what it does. The episode’s script is integrating the Avengers’ second movie into the plotline, and it is giving a new, bigger dimension to the show itself as well. Remarkable and Hydra nowadays is something more than just a Nazi death cult, something possibly worthy to go toe-to-toe with S.H.I.E.L.D., and especially Ward, since the next episode (actually aired in December) is going to put the end to ‘Ward’s revenge’ storyline once and for all, because S.H.I.E.L.D. needs something new and exciting to keep itself afloat, ratings-wise.

It is already doing that, mind, with making Rosalind not evil (supposedly), and Andrew – alive. Of course, as it may have been written before, redemption in S.H.I.E.L.D. is something of a select piece, almost anyone but Ward gets his or her chance of it so frankly, if Coulson puts Ward out of his misery in the next episode? It might be the better choice. It might also be the only choice, since the next month, December, is wrapping up the first half of AoS S3, for January? This is where ‘Agent Carter’ takes over. Agent Carter is a good show, though not as exciting as AoS...was, for now it is getting more straightforward and less unpredictable, and Carter is apparently going to Hollywood. You cannot get bored in Hollywood!

Back to AoS...there is not much left to discuss. There is hope for Andrew and May, Rosalind and Coulson, and Lincoln’s setting down. There are signs that Ward may be Hellfire, (which is a pity, he was a cool villain so far all on his own), though maybe they are just another plot twist and Fitz and Simmons finally kissed. Hooray! Go FitzSimmons! Lincoln and Daisy...they did not get too much time on this ep, but at least Lincoln has bonded with May, which is good for both of them. So yes, this is it for AoS this time around – a very exciting and informative episode to be watched.

S.H.I.E.L.D., Chaos - Nov 10

And so, the 50^th episode of AoS went past. Now it is time for the 51^st – and it still delivered, a very tense, dramatic episode. The Lash plotline had come to a mid-term resolution, as we learn what has happened to Andrew – or rather how. This is a story of a good man succumbing to darkness within, of becoming a monster and unable to stop it, of dragging his loved ones into this- Oh wait. Ward did in the second half of S1, and Cal actually underwent something similar throughout S2 – and this brings down to ratings.

Take this episode, “Chaos Theory”, for example. Both the main and the supporting cast did their parts without a hitch; the plot in many ways was as solid as it was in the episode 3x02 (the episode 3x01 should be killed and buried, BTW), and the conclusion of the episode’s finale was equally heart wrenching... spoilers alert – in this episode May got her heart broken, in the next – it’ll be Coulson’s turn, as the InHuman and Hydra plotlines appear to collide and yet the ratings continue to plummet. Why?

Because repetition. It began already in S2, as Gonzales infiltration of Coulson’s part of S.H.I.E.L.D. was reminiscent of Hydra’s actions in S1, save that it was done on a liter scale; the emphasis here is on ‘lite’. Yes, Mack and Bobbi seem to have made their peace with Coulson, (though their friends on Gonzales’ side, including the man himself, had died because of Coulson’s ideas, BTW), but this still was a repetition of what Ward and Garrett and other Hydra agents had done back in S1 – so it was up to the InHuman plotline to carry the day...and they failed. S2 finale was a bloodbath – an unnecessary bloodbath, and it did not get better in S3. Ward’s plotline doesn’t get resolved (he may be a villain, but not a very formidable one, if the site information is correct), the show is struggling with balancing InHuman and Hydra plotlines in general, and Andrew is really a repetition of Ward & Cal from the previous seasons – this isn’t very original, frankly.

And his resolution...it is something else. AoS was dealing the whole redemption angle rather badly, ever since the end of S1. For a while the show’s writers made redemption sound like a big deal, right out there next to teamwork, but then...

No, it is not about Ward, though the way Coulson had handled him in mid-season 2 was not very smart or logical. This is about Jiaying too – Coulson did offer her a chance to solve things peacefully with Gonzales and co., and she threw it back into his face and in a very nasty way too, not to mention deadly. Yes, she was killed, but Lincoln came back, or rather – helped in the first place – of his own will, S.H.I.E.L.D. got nothing to do with it...

By S3 AoS seems to have abandoned the redemption plot altogether. The good guys are good, the bad guys are bad...and they die. Kebo in particular, though von Strucker seems to have gone into a coma instead. This is simple, this works, but it is somewhat disappointing, in a simplified way. AoS already has to deal with competition that was inspired by its initial success, from ‘Killjoys’ to “Dark Matter’, from ‘Supergirl’ to ‘Blindspot’, and those shows are quite successful and dramatic, especially ‘Blindspot’, but none of them have any excessive plot twists as AoS does. ‘Blindspot’, for example, has a very ‘noir’ feeling lately, but it is not dependant on plot twists as AoS is.

And speaking of repetition, drama and relationships – Will, Jemma’s new cough friend cough back from ‘4722 hours’ is some sort of an evil doer? Gasp, shocking. Seriously, how this is (or will be once Will is back on Earth himself) different (if you look past the secondary details) of what Skye went with Grant or Melinda with Andrew? Not really. This is more of the same, and the same is not always good. AoS’ ratings continue to go down, and this is very sad, for it is a very good show – but all good things must come to an end...let us just hope that AoS will not end any time soon.

So: the Lash situation is resumed, and now it seems that it will be Ward’s turn next. Hopefully, the scriptwriters will do something more original to him rather than turn him into Hellfire. 

S.H.I.E.L.D., 50 ep - Nov 3

And so, S.H.I.E.L.D. celebrated its 50^th episode. Let us start with that.

S.H.I.E.L.D. is a great show, with many well-developed and thought-provoking plot twists. Tonight’s twist, which revealed that Dr. Garner is actually one of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s new enemies, proves this is true. It also shows agent Morse recovering from Ward’s shot, Hunter living with the consequences of his recklessness, and Ward, well, Ward actually has been offered redemption. Since for him the word has some very unpleasant connotations...no. Just now, Malick has probably judged him correctly, but who knows? The show’s writers have not finished with him yet, because his big showdown with Morse and May hadn’t occurred in this episode – instead, the younger von Strucker seems to be gone, and so’s Kebo. The show’s scriptwriters have done it to perfection! That anniversary video on YouTube has depicted it very neatly. (Ward may be a villain, but Brett and Chloe still go around; it's cute, in a weird way, and there's the talk of redemption...yeah).

Sadly, the other aspects of AoS universe lag behind the visual/auditory ones – i.e. the show itself. The comic is...actually not related to the show; rather, it is a series of adventures, mostly of Coulson himself (Daisy/Quake actually appears to have a series of her own) that deals with saving the world. So far it is only him and May, Fitz and Simmons – and that is it. Ward, Raina, Whitehall, Garrett – they are all gone, at least for the moment and probably are not making a proper appearance; Hell, the regular Hydra villains are not making much of an appearance, and the latest comic installments seem to lack a common story arc (the first 6 issues had that at least). Plus, unlike some other comic series, (“Arrow” for example), the S.H.I.E.L.D. comic is not really a part of AoS universe, it is just inspired by the series...and only loosely so. Ouch.

And as for at least one of the show’s sites (marvel190 dot com), it suffers from irregular updates...and just plain sloppiness; one of the last season’s clips is described as having Ward and May...going after Ward. Somehow the site got Lance and Grant, aka Nick and Brett confused, and considering that the two of them are two very different-looking people, which are just sad.

But in any case, S.H.I.E.L.D. has delivered a very beautiful episode number 50, which was very pleasant to watch, to put it lightly. Hopefully, the following episodes will keep this up, and the ignominy of ‘Laws’ (episode 3x01) will be put behind us.

Something different - Pathfinder 3

And so I decided to add the souldrinker class to another monster from the Inner Sea Monster Codex - the cyclops oracle. I think it works, no?

Cyclops oracle 8/souldrinker 8 CR 15

NE Large humanoid (giant)

Init -1; Senses low-light vision; Perception +16

AC 21, touch 8, flat-footed 21; (+6 armor, -1 Dex, +7 natural, -1 size)

Hp 198 (10d8+8d8+8d6+136)

Fort +15, Ref +7, Will +17

Immune ingested and inhaled poison, no longer needs to eat or drink

Defensive Abilities ferocity

Speed 25 ft.

Melee +1 quarterstaff +17/+12/+7 melee (1d8+7), bite +11 (1d8+2 plus grab)

Ranged heavy crossbow +11 (2d8/19-20)

Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.

Spell-Like Abilities

At will – bestow curse (DC 21)

SA energy drain (DC 21, 2/day), summon cacodaemon, summon ceustodemon

Oracle Spells Known (CL 8^th; concentration +11)

6^th (3/day) – animate object, mass inflict moderate wounds (DC 19), symbol of fear (DC 18)

5^th (5/day) – commune, dispel chaos, plane shift, slay living (DC 18), unhallow (DC 18)

4^th (5/day) – arcane sight, divination, dismissal (DC 17), inflict critical wounds (DC 17), summon monster IV

3^rd (6/day) – bestow curse (DC 16), detect thoughts (DC 16), inflict serious wounds (DC 16), protection from energy, speak with dead (DC 16)

2^nd (7/day) – aid, cure moderate wounds, inflict moderate wounds (DC 15), silence (DC 15), true strike

1^st (7/day) – command (DC 14), comprehend languages, detect poison, divine favor, obscuring mist, shield of faith

0 (at will) – bleed (DC 13), create water, detect magic, guidance, know direction, purify food and drink, stabilize, virtue

Mystery ancestor

Str 19, Dex 8, Con 17, Int 14, Wis 15, Cha 16

Base Atk +17; CMB +22; CMD 27

Feats Alertness, Brew Potion, Combat Casting, Extra Revelation, Fleet, Improved Great Fortitude, Iron Will, Lunge, Power Attack, Scribe Scroll, Skill Focus (Knowledge [history]), Toughness

Skills Bluff +7, Diplomacy +17, Heal +7, Knowledge (arcana) +20, Knowledge (geography) +9, Knowledge (history) +21, Knowledge (local) +11, Knowledge (nature) +10, Knowledge (nobility) +10, Knowledge (the planes) +11, Knowledge (religion) +11, Linguistics +9, Perception +16, Perform (oratory) +5, Profession (soothsayer) +13, Sense Motive +26, Spellcraft +15, Survival +7; Racial Modifiers +8 Perception

Languages Aklo, Celestial, Common, Cyclops, Draconic, Dwarven, Giant, Orc, Terran

SQ cacodemon familiar, daemonic patron, damned, flash of insght, oracle’s curse (hunger), revelations (assume fate [3/day], brutal trance [8 rounds], doomsaying [3/day], wisdom of ancestors [commune, 1/day]), soul pool

Combat Gear: potions of cure moderate wounds (2), potions of invisibility (2), potion of protection from chaos, scrolls of dispel magic (2), scroll of locate object, scrolls of remove curse (2), scrolls of tongues (2), wand of cure light wounds (15 charges), wand of inflict serious wounds (8 charges), wand of lesser restoration (9 charges), holy water (2)

Other Gear: +2 hide armor, +1 quarterstaff, heavy crossbow with 20 bolts, headband of alluring charisma +2, antitoxin (2)