Did anyone else sit and hold out hope that Ward would turn out to be a triple agent? No? Just me? Yeah, well, guess he proved me wrong. When last we left Agent's of S.H.I.E.L.D., Ward had returned and was back with the group. Before they have the run of the place though Agent Koenig demands they take a lie detector test. Simple enough, right? Except this test was specifically designed by Fury himself so not even the Black Widow could pass it! Surely this will catch Ward and his HYDRA face and finally reveal to the team that he's a traitor! 

During the test we learn some interesting things about the team. Like Triplett is a legacy! Turns out his granddad was a Howling Commando and fought alongside Captain America and Bucky Barnes (The Winter Soldier). Another of the questions Koenig asks each member is, if they were on an island, and had a box, what would be in that box? It's a very interesting question. Fits says Simmons; Simmons says a TARDIS, and the rest of the team has useful answers. Mine? I'd have Sebastian Stan. Or I'd just avoid getting stranded on a dessert island. Ward passes, for whatever twisted reason--I mean--by having a metal pin shoved under his fingernail. Then the team splits up, because HYDRA decided it would be a great idea to release all the villains in the Fridge. One of which has the ability to absorb light and energy. Coulson takes Fitz, Simmons, and Triplett with him. May decides she news to leave the group because she can't take Phil hating her anymore. Not while she's in love with him. That leaves Koenig, Ward, and Skye all alone in the secret base.

Do you guys remember the mention of a Cellist from The Avengers? She was someone Phil had been seeing…until he died. Well, turns out she is the target of the bad guy of the week. This super powered guy is really into her music, even though he knows he's crazy. Oh, and did I mention he can kill people with just a touch of his hand? That' alright because Fitz is on the case! He's using Bruce Banner's technology to help overload this guys powers and take him down. Only problem is, he's tough, really tough. And our Cellist? She's still not over Phil being dead. Despite the fact that he's not. So, Phil decides to stay dead and keep her safe. Of course, nothing ever goes according to plan. The Cellist ends up in danger. Simmons, Fitz, and Triplett each get their part of the machine knocked out of their hands. But Triplett gets his hands on the machine as quick as he can and Phil grabs the one that Simmons had. Soon Fitz gets his back and the bad guy explodes into a cloud of dark matter. Phil makes sure the Cellist is okay before leaving. the day, and the girl, are saved!

Back in the top secret base, Skye decides to hack the NSA satellites to give them global coverage of what's going on. Koenig isn't on board at first, but soon agrees to it. Once Skye's gone, Ward hunts Koenig down and well…Hail Hydra, our helpful Agent ends up in a supply closet, dead. Skye finds his body while looking for him, shortly after she and Ward make out. This leads Skye to the discovery we were all waiting for and the impending breakdown. She puts two and two together and realizes that Ward is HYDRA. It's about time someone on this team noticed that! She panics and locks herself in a bathroom while Ward searches for her. With some quick thinking Skye decides to play along with this until she can get the upper hand. She lets Ward take her to the Bus and they leave, under the guise of helping out the team. Only so Ward can ask her to look something up on her hard drive; decrypting it like Ward needs her to do….

Coulson and the others return to an empty base and no explanation as to why the bus and their team are missing. Coulson had just decided to talk to May too. Only, May's being picked up by her mother, on the search to find Hill and get some answers…..

That's right, Maria Hill will be in the next episode! More cameos to come? I hope so!

If you haven't seen Captain America: The Winter Soldier, you're seriously missing out! Why? Because Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is intertwined with The Winter Soldier's plot twist! That being said, seriously, betrayals? Can everything stop being all, murdery, of my feels?! That's something I'd appreciate, just saying.

In accordance with last week's episode, we hit it off with Ward and Garrett being all giddy over everything that is HYDRA. Because, again, we have to betray everything that we all knew and loved dearly and rub in the fact that HYDRA is everywhere. Well, that's fantastic because Ward turns out to be a major jerk, Hand is really dead, and it looks like Raina is on their team. Making it all totally okay to just play with everyones feelings. Speaking of, Skye and the Team have no idea about Ward yet, and boy is that going to be a rude awakening next week! Until then, Ward and Garrett are off to the Fridge to get some awesome weapons that Fury had stored there. Turns out, the Director was kind of bad at destroying things he said he destroyed; instead keeping them locked up, making it convenient for bad guys, like HYDRA, to come in and steal. Thankfully, Ward and Garrett also are kind enough to let out all the people locked up in the Fridge.

Meanwhile, Coulson and the team hit the Bus and leave the Hub before the government can swarm in and make trouble for them. While in the air, Coulson has Skye collect everyone's badges and erase their identities. It's better to not exist then leave a trail for anyone to find. Without knowing Ward is a giant traitorous douche, Skye keeps Ward informed of what's going on via phone, because it would be too easy to have the Team know that he's really with the bad guys. Triplett joins the Team, despite Coulson not wanting that, and Simmons vouches for him. Fitz is not pleased because this other agent is totally hitting on his girl and she's digging it. To make things more awkward, May is concerned about Coulson's well being in the whole "I'm just doing my job, but you seem off, please don't be breaking" kind of way, which makes Coulson angry. A twist of fate is thrown their way, however, when Coulson goes to lock the badges up in his safe, only to find his is already there with some coordinates written on them. May is automatically more suspicious now, wondering if Coulson isn't a sleeper HYDRA agent.

We find out that Fury didn't directly oversee Coulson's recovery, and that was part of why May was keeping tabs on him. Which, you know, puts May even more on the outs with Coulson. It's all okay, sort of, because soon they find the secret base that Fury lead them too, only for a solo level 6 agent to tell them Fury is dead. Only once he and Coulson are alone does he reveal that Fury's really alive, but nobody but a hand picked select few can know about it. Skye tells Ward about the secret base once she finds out that the Fridge was attacked. Ward plays along and heads down there to regroup with them. Only because he needs Skye to un-encrypt the hard drive she backed up of all the information on from the Bus. 

All these crazy betrayals are still not setting well with me. I certainly hope Ward gets what's coming to him once everyone finds out about this. Though, secretly, I'm hoping it's still a lie somehow and that he's really a good guy. Doubting it, but one can only hope! Will we ever see Hill again? Will Fury ever give Coulson the answers he wants? Could there be anymore sexual tension on this show? I don't know about you guys, but I'm already excited for next week's episode!

We here at Girls of Geek are always excited when we find a true gem in the publishing world.  So needless to say we have been close followers of Evil Girlfriend Media.  This publishing company focuses on horror, science fiction and fantasy, something right up our alley.  To date they have released five books that have included the full length novel, The Heart-Shaped Emblor by Alaina Ewing and four short story anthologies; Witches, Stitches & Bitches, Roms, Bombs & Zoms, Stamps, Vamps & Tramps and their most recent release, Bless Your Mechanical Heart. With so many quality books coming out of this company, we thought it would be a good idea today to speak with the brains behind Evil Girlfriend Media, Founder/President and Writer, Katie Cord.

Girls of Geek: What led to the creation of Evil Girlfriend Media? 
Katie Cord: There were multiple things that led to the creation of EGM. The first being that back in 2006, my boyfriend called me his evil girlfriend after he saw me express my pent up anger at being bullied in nursing school through a horrific cartoon I drew. After that, I started a blog, Evil Girlfriend with a Pen where I wrote about my creative struggles in cartooning, writing, and life. Then in 2011, I created Evil Girlfriend Media to self-publish my own work, starting with He Left Her at the Altar, She Left Him to the Zombies. 

Girls of Geek: What motivated you to get into publishing? 
Katie Cord: I always wanted to create without others influencing my work. I wanted it my way. People were starting to make money and be validated by publishing on their own. There was less stigma attached to independent publishing.  I thought I could do it. After having a self-published book out for two years, some of my other writing friends started talking about doing it. After being publicly embarrassed because of the poor editing and formatting of the book, plus the struggle to get noticed in the self-pub world, I did not want anyone to go through that. Sometimes, it works better to let someone who is more skilled than you handle those details, freeing you up to create. Don’t get me wrong, I believe in the hybrid author 100%. It is the way of the future.

Girls of Geek: Now you've worn all the hats at EGM. Writer, Publisher, Editor. What is it that drives your passion for literature? 
Katie Cord: I've said this in other interviews but it still holds true. I've always had this natural desire to read and know story. At age four, I would sit in our living room floor crying because I couldn't read the words in the book. Then as I got older, I was this chubby lonely little opinionated girl with weird teeth, thick glasses, and unruly hair that lived out in the country in Pulaski County, Kentucky. I read all the time to distract myself from the things that bothered me in my world. It was an escape. I want to share stories that not only teach us things about ourselves and our world but give others the same escape I needed to survive and enrich my own life. Plus, you can ask other kids from my childhood, I was always trying to start a club or business.

Girls of Geek: What are some of your influences when it comes to writing? 
Katie Cord: Oh goodness, this gets embarrassing. Not because they aren't great writers but the disparity of women on the list. From childhood, Stephen King, Nevil Shute, Ray Bradbury, Ira Levin, Ann M. Martin, Margaret Atwood, Madeleine L'Engle, George Orwell, H.G. Wells, and Robert Heinlein. In all fairness, my grandmother owned a junk store and as payment for working for her, I would get to pick out all of the books from huge estate sale libraries.  I benefited from the sold-off books of deceased, rich, educated people whose families didn't care about their vast love of science fiction. I still love the smell of old books.

In my adult life, I've been exposed to more popular fiction. One of the folks I really love reading is Rachel Caine. Four years before I met her, I read WORKING STIFF and thought about how I wanted to write stories about smart women having adventures without romance as the driving force of the book. I also love Octavia Butler. She was a highly intelligent woman who wrote about concepts that people still have trouble grasping. I absolutely loved DAWN.  That damn book broke my heart. I wept for the main character, her alien lover, and how shitty humanity can be.  And these days, my work with EGM and as a writer has introduced me to a bunch of writers whose friendship influences me greatly.  My friend Timothy W. Long has really influenced my life, Evil Girlfriend Media, and my writing. The man writes like a poet about murder, mayhem, and the zombie apocalypse. How can you not love a man who has a title that includes, "Satan's Glory Hole?"  Trailer Boy a.k.a Ken Scholes – author of the Psalms of Isaak series and a whole pack of short stories -- has also really impacted my writing. Basically, he says, "Trailer Girl, get your act together and write!" He threatens to destroy EGM by starting his own competing publishing empire if I don't write for myself. I think that makes him an influence.   Or maybe Satan.

I’ve also been influenced by my writing group, Cascade Writers Workshop. It is where I met Alaina Ewing, our flagship author and closest friend. Stephanie Bissette-Roark who is one of our spot on submissions editors and who we wouldn’t get through our submission pile without. Karen Junker who reads for us and advocates for good practices in working with authors (sometimes we do make faux pas). Then there are the multitudes of people who’ve believed in Evil Girlfriend Media and me. An encouraging word goes a long way when you feel like giving up.

Girls of Geek: What brought about the idea to revitalize the short story anthology that EGM has now released four of? 
Katie Cord: Well, I love short stories and I love anthologies. How could I not want my company to release them? We are going to focus on full length manuscripts in 2015. We have two major anthology projects in the works and plan to do another Three Little Words in 2015.

Girls of Geek: What can you tell us about Bless Your Mechanical Heart? 
Katie Cord: BLESS YOUR MECHANICAL HEART is a collection of short stories all meant to make the reader think, Bless Your Mechanical Heart. Sometimes, the reader will find themselves thinking this about the human characters as well.  This is a fusion of a southern saying and classic futuristic science fiction story elements. I'm absolutely in love with this book and I hope others will see how great it is too.  It includes stories by Seanan McGuire, Peter Clines, Ken Scholes, Jody Lynn Nye, Sarah Hans, Jason Sanford, Fiona Patton, and Lucy A. Snyder. It is edited by the award-winning editor, Jennifer Brozek.

Girls of Geek: What advice can you offer to up and coming writers/editors/entrepreneurs who are reading this interview and are hoping to do what you do?
Katie Cord: Well, I'm going to give you advice I've learned from other successful people in the business who mentor me almost daily: 1) Be nice. 2) Know your limits and boundaries. 3) Try as best as you can to be honest and forthright with others. 4) Forgive yourself if you are not perfect. 5) Learn from your mistakes.  6) The thing that will separate you from the coulda-shoulda-woulda-beens is that you never stop working. You just learn to work more effectively. 7) Quit talking and just do it.  8) Follow through with your promises and if you can't, figure out a way to remedy the best you can. 9) Realize, for you to succeed others, do not have to fail (courtesy of Jennifer Brozek). 10) Did I mention be nice? Included in that, watch your words to others. Entitlement and derogatory comments get you nowhere.  

Girls of Geek: Is there a particular story that you as a writer are dying to tell? 
Katie Cord: Yes, I actually have two manuscripts I'd like to take 4-5 weeks off and work on. One is about two sisters in the zombie apocalypse. The other is a YA about a young girl who's half zombie in a post-apocalyptic dystopian society modeled after the McCarthy era. I'm also in the early stages of working on a time travel love story with a good friend of mine. All my stories are usually about self-discovery and surviving difficult circumstances. So, I don't know if that answers your question. I mean, like all writers, I have about 8-10 stories milling around in there at any given time that are DYING to get out of my head.

Girls of Geek: What's next for Evil Girlfriend Media? 
Katie Cord: Evil Girlfriend Media has one more book coming out this year that will be announced in May. Then we are releasing at least six full length books in 2015, one anthology, and potentially a couple of e-novellas.  We have a Kickstarter coming out later in the fall. It is being rescheduled from this summer.

To learn more about Evil Girlfriend Media, visit their website: http://www.evilgirlfriendmedia.com/

There has always been a great debate regarding just how much technology should be a part of our lives. I see people in their thirties and forties lament console gaming and how it has robbed children of the wonder of playing outside. Or sometimes I hear people wonder what life would be like without cell phones and the ability to unplug for the night and not deal with work or the fact that any human being can reach us almost anywhere on the planet at any instant.  

Technology has truly changed our lives through and through, and there is nothing wrong with wondering how far it will go from here.  In fact there has always been talk of the creation of artificial life and artificial intelligence, and the consequences that could come from it.  It is that potential to see a robotic creation by man go anywhere mentally, physically or emotionally that captivates our imagination and thanks to the good folks at Evil Girlfriend Media, we now have a beautiful collection of stories revolving around such possibilities with their recent release of Bless Your Mechanical Heart. 

This wonderful anthology, edited by Jennifer Brozek features seventeen tales from seventeen authors that explore the world of androids, robots and cyborgs in incredible fashion.  What impressed me most about this anthology was the simple fact that it put these mechanized creatures into many real life situations we face on a daily basis.  They are faced with conflicts in love, conflicts in friendship, they face death and even grapple with bullying and religion.   

It allowed me to relate to these robotic creations on a level I didn't expect.  They truly came to life in so many ways and well, so many of these stories touch your heart on a personal level.  "The Lambs" by Seanan McGuire handles bullying and its awful effects on children in a new and inventive way.  "The Body as a Ship" by Mark Andrew Edwards is another fine look at the world we live in today and how the technology we own in many ways denotes our social standing, but at what cost?  Last, "The Apocrypha of Gamma-202" by Peter Clines gives us a terrifying look into the future and well...adds a fresh twist on religion that is utterly terrifying.  

Sadly, we don't have the time to highlight all of the amazing stories in this book, but I will say that every last one of them is a page turner.  On several occasions I had to force myself to put this book down in order to get other things done.  It's another wonderful anthology from Evil Girlfriend Media who continue to turn out one incredible short story collection after another.  If you're a fan of science fiction, you need to pick this one up.  Because it not only provides you with that futuristic fix, but it leaves you wondering after you've finished the book with one important question...what does it really mean to be human?  

To pick up your copy of Bless Your Mechanical Heart visit these sites:
Barnes and Noble
Amazon

It's funny how one simple plot twist can completely change everything when it comes to a story.  From the characters you've known, to something as far reaching as the past and the present, such a move can add so much to the story.  In the case of the return of HYDRA in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, the ramifications from what we learned in this motion picture...leave me a little uncomfortable.  

Let's recap quickly.  HYDRA was essentially never defeated at the end of Captain America: The First Avenger.  They were quickly integrated into the newly founded S.H.I.E.L.D. and well, they've been with us essentially on every single Marvel adventure.  Think about it now.  At what point have they not touched one of our favorite characters in some form or fashion?  You have Senator Stern who clearly was more than just a jerk and it is obvious now he had other intentions for Tony Stark's suit.  

But what else has HYDRA had their hands in?  Well, some of this will serve as speculation but it's important speculation to say the least.  Especially when it comes to The Avengers.  Granted, Loki was most certainly the villain, but let's be honest. HYDRA was always watching. They were up close and personal with many of the world's greatest heroes, observing and undoubtedly getting an idea of their weaknesses.  Their reach in this film goes further since now we know what happened to Loki's staff, courtesy of the end credits sequence in The Winter Soldier.  

Not to mention this raises more questions for Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. when it comes to HYDRA's role on the show.  In fact now that we know where loyalties lie and who the Clairvoyant really is now, it makes you wonder if HYDRA's interest in Coulson's resurrection is all part of a bigger plan.

If anything, it makes the Marvel universe a scarier place because let's be honest.  HYDRA always has a plan. As the saying goes, cut one head off, two more take its place.  Now we are left to wonder who will be the next leader of HYDRA and what their next move is and what's worse...now that they are out of the shadows and into the light, we will be seeing more of them in upcoming Marvel movies, because clearly...HYDRA is here to stay.

As Easter quickly approaches I find myself wondering what to get people. Oddly, I never used to give gifts for this holiday, that is until I started being friends with Mattie. Still, it wasn't until my friend Eryn introduced me to the fact that Zombie Chocolate Bunnies exist. I didn't know that was a thing! Guys! It's a thing! Who knew? Since finding out that they make these really cool confections, I decided to search around the internet and see what other fun things I could find. Easter, after all, is different for everyone. Like everything, though, it can be turned into an awesome day filled with Zombie Bunnies. It doesn't get better than that.

Yes, the Chocolate Zombie Bunny is currently on ThinkGeek.com and that's not the only thing they have. This delicious looking Bunny, is made of solid white chocolate and is a fantastic gift for anyone of all ages. Though, if you're not into chocolate, good news! They also have Zombie Bunny suckers! These little fellas come in a 4oz bag and are supposedly cotton candy flavored. 

Now, Peeps are awesome, I think we can all agree on that. Whether they're bunny shaped, or chick shaped, white, yellow, or pink, they're all tasty. How could they possibly improve on Peeps? By giving them just a twist of Minecraft flair. Creeper Peeps are also on ThinkGeek.com, and they look awesome. What a fun Easter treat to share with friends, families, and all geeks They're a fun gift, or just to have around the house! Peeps are an Easter staple, but what about jelly beans? Sure, you can find any of them in store, and have boring flavors…but what fun is that? How about some Harry Potter Berie Botts Every Flavour Jelly Beans? Wow, what a name. But, really, these fun jelly beans come in all sorts interesting flavors ranging from the tasty to the down right disturbing. You can find these on Amazon.com, or if you're lucky enough, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

Lastly, what would Easter be without a fun stuffed bunny! Why just have just any stuffed bunny, when you can have a Zombie Bunny from Amazon or a Domo Bunny from ThinkGeek! It's not a holiday without a plush. Of course, you could always go the unconventional route and give your friends a plush microbe disease! I know I mention these often, but they're my top go-to gift! Mattie just happened to get two for her recent birthday. They're hilarious, and always a conversation starter.

However you celebrate Easter, just remember to keep it epic!

This week's episode coincides with the new Captain America movie, and if you haven't seen it, you really should. In the wake of HYDRA secretly being apart of S.H.I.E.L.D. since its conception, the Hub and every other S.H.I.E.L.D. facility are under attack. Agents turning on Agents, and nobody knows who is friendly or who is the enemy. Thankfully, there are some characters we can still trust in. Like Phil Coulson. On the Bus, things aren't going so well for Agent May. Coulson, Skye, and Fitz are convinced she's the Clairvoyant. With the Bus heading in a direction that is currently unknown, the team is even more on edge than they should be. May, as it stands, is not the Clairvoyant, but an informant for Fury. Fury apparently knew Phil would ask her to be apart of this team he was putting together. So she made a list of parameters for what this team of his should be, gave it to Fury, and the rest is history.

In the meantime, Agent Garrett is under attack by S.H.I.E.L.D. drones. Fitz is able to gain manual powers of the guns, and Coulson shoots the drones out of the sky. Garrett joins the team on the Bus and together they discern where they're headed…the Hub. Just as Skye decodes a signal embedded in S.H.I.E.L.D. communications. It simply reads: HYDRA. Now that the team knows what's going on at the Hub, they make the choice to go willingly to save Simmons and Triplett. Whom are in the midst of trying to stay safe. Simmons tries to upload the blood sample from Skye to the S.H.I.E.L.D. academy database. While trying to contact an old friend still there, they find out about the HYDRA take over first hand. And speaking of Hand, she and her team appear to be working for HYDRA.

Or are they? When Hand confronts Simmons and Triplett, it sounds like she's offering them to joinHYDRA, or die. Only when Triplett fights back, she reveals that they're not HYDRA agents, but attempting to find out who is really S.H.I.E.L.D. and who isn't. Now that she is officially not the enemy, Hand believes that Coulson is…here is where the betrayal of beloved characters starts and doesn't end. Coulson and the team make it into the Hub and start searching for Simmons and Triplett, and well, Hand too. Since they think she's HYDRA, or rather Garrett thinks she is. Ward and Skye head off to destroy the computers that are giving off the signal in the Hub. They also share a moment in a tiny bathroom, and share a kiss. Ward confesses he wants to talk to Skye, open up to her, and that he shot the fake Clairvoyant because he was trying to protect her. Skye gives him a smooch, and Ward kicks butt to clear the path for her to get to the control room.

Garrett tries talking Coulson into killing Hand when they see her, only to be found out. Garrett reveals some key information about Raina that Coulson never shared. Two and two get put together, and suddenly the long time friend is really the Clairvoyant. As if that couldn't get worse, Garrett also happens to be HYDRA. As luck would have it though, just before Garrett, and the handful of HYDRA agents, can execute Phil, May, and Fitz, the lights flicker out (thanks to Skye blowing up the control room), and things spring into action. Coulson and May take to knocking out, or killing, the HYDRA agents while Fitz attempts to hide. In the end, Fitz saves May and Coulson, respectively. Shortly after, Hand, Simmons, Triplett and a team rush in. The room had been bugged, so Hand heard everything and believes Coulson is on their side. In the end, Ward accompanies Hand on her way to take Garrett to the Fridge. Only so he can double cross her and her team. Ward kills them, and nods to Garrett….turns out he is on Garrett's side…

Along with the huge amount of betrayals, there are mentions of Fury's death and Captain America's take down of the Helicarriers. In the wake of the fall of S.H.I.E.L.D., the team is shaken. Coulson doesn't trust May, but she's on their side and that seems to be fleeting. A new chapter is about to begin; the only question I have is, what next?

I think it is safe to say we all expected Marvel's Phase 2 of motion pictures to be well...pretty damn dark.  But in my humble opinion, they have been more melancholy to date than say dark and challenging.  I'm sure there are plenty who will disagree with this assessment, and that's fine. I used the phrase to date because something spectacular happened this weekend, something that needed to happen in Marvel films for some time, they finally upped the ante and gave us one hell of a show with Captain America: The Winter Soldier and in doing so, this is a franchise of films that just set a new standard for itself and grew into adulthood in the process.

I say that because while Marvel films are full of fun, they have missed a few things to me.  What has always made comic books so attractive are the incredible struggles these heroes not only have to go through internally but externally.  To date, I would say Marvel has mastered the internal struggle just fine.  Tony Stark has been through plenty and Steve Rogers' story has always been fascinating.  I mean here's a kid who just wanted to do "his part" and help the world and well...he got his wish and then some.  

But the greatest stories to me are the ones where the hero must sacrifice so much and battle against incredible odds and while we have seen some impressive Marvel films when it comes to action I personally have never felt nervous or terrified that these guys might or might not save the day.  I knew the Chitauri would fall to The Avengers, it was a matter of how.  That all changed this last weekend when I sat down to enjoy The Winter Soldier. 

I must say it started out in standard Marvel style and don't get me wrong I was enjoying myself, but once it was revealed that Hydra had returned and was in control of so many people and S.H.I.E.L.D., well...needless to say I was blown away. Now the stakes were extremely high and this is the first time in a Marvel flick I wasn't sure the good guys would win.  You didn't feel safe watching this film, because it was hard initially to know who to trust.  

It was also the first time in a Marvel film that I've truly seen a main character fail completely.  Granted it's not Cap's fault that Hydra came mere seconds from taking over the world.  But holy crap, he sacrificed so much to take down the Red Skull and Hydra and well...in a way it was all for nothing.  That's heartbreaking and made me love the character even more because he got that precious second chance.  

But man, all in all this upped the ante like no other.  This is truly the best Marvel film to date and the next set will have to maintain this brand new standard.  But it was refreshing to truly see the world on the line, bad guys that were everymen in many ways and well hidden and a hero that truly sacrificed it all to make the world a better place.  

It's back! After some waiting, we finally get to see the Team again! Looks like Skye is back to feeling better but Simmons and Fitz still want to run tests. Simmons thinks that the cure they used on Skye needs to be shared and used world wide! Little does she know the source of the mystery drug that saved Skye and Coulson's lives. But Skye knows, and she's determined to keep Simmons from sharing the information.

Meanwhile, Agents Garrett and Triplett are trying to hunt down the Clairvoyant; who sends Deathlok to the safe house the Agents are in to get rid of them. Thankfully, both are too quick and manage to survive. After that little tiff, Coulson calls them to a meeting along with Agent Blake, Agent Sitwell, and Agent Hand to form a plan on finding the Clairvoyant and putting an end to this once and for all. In doing so, Skye is made an official member of S.H.I.E.L.D. (much to Hands' dismay) and asked to search the S.H.I.E.L.D. data base for anyone possibly fitting the profile. Skye decides to break everyone into teams. One person has the profile information of the suspect, the other person has the location. Ward and Triplett are the first team, May and Blake are team two, and Coulson and Garrett are team three. Hand leaves for S.H.I.E.L.D HQ to handle ground operations in case anyone needs backup, while Agent Sitwell is called away for a mission. In the search, May and Blake are attacked by Deathlok, leaving Blake in critical condition and May relatively unharmed.

Thankfully, Skye think's she's found the Clairvoyant. Triplett is sent to HQ with Simmons, while Fitz, Coulson, May, Ward, and Garrett take to finding the suspect. Turns out, Deathlok leads them right to him. Fitz is sent away back to the van with Skye, and Coulson finally confronts the Clairvoyant. Whom is confined to a chair and only able to talk through a computer. In the midst of attempting to push Coulsons' reserve, Ward snaps and shoots the Clairvoyant, killing him. Exasperated, Coulson sends him to the cell on the Bus, planning to talk to him. Skye gets there first, however. While everyone is distracted, Fitz tempts to call Simmons and discuss the blood sample she's supposed to be analyzing of Skye's. Instead, the call is dropped and he finds that the land line is tapped. By whom? None other than Agent May. He tells Skye, who tells Coulson, who orders the line cut immediately.

Coulson is convinced the man that Ward killed wasn't the Clairvoyant, but a decoy. The real Clairvoyant is an active member of S.H.I.E.L.D. Not with mind reading capabilities, but with access to the database and all the files of every Agent that just so happens to work for the organization. May finds the line cut and decides to investigate, with her gun out. Coulson and Skye ambush her with their own weapons drawn. It all looks incriminating, but I honestly don't think May is working for anyone but Fury.

Before any answers are given, the Bus is taken over and shown flying itself to an unknown destination. Hand is seen in the command center at HQ demanding that everyone aboard the Bus be killed, except Coulson. Fade to black, and we're all left wondering what is going on! Who is the Clairvoyant? Is May reporting to Fury? Why can't we know now!? All good things come to those who wait, so I guess we have to tune in next week to see how this all plays out.

On a brighter note, Captain America: The Winter Soldier comes out this Friday in theaters. While it's not answers, it is a quick fix of Marvel, so you can guess where Mattie and I will be for sure! Hopefully we can drag along the rest of the team too!