Over the past three years on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. we have seen our intrepid heroes save the day countless times. They have worked together as a team, resolved their differences on numerous occasions and while they have been surprised or blindsided from time to time by their enemies, they have always found a way to rebound or get ahead of evil doers everywhere to make the world a better place. 

Except for this week's episode that is, since "The Singularity" turned out to be a vastly different episode of the show than we are usually used to. This was the first time in the series short history that our heroes were scattered and lost, and quite frankly, behind Hive every single step of the way, and this change in storytelling and design actually worked on so many levels, regardless of the bleak and bittersweet feel that the episode manage to provide. 

But before we get too deep into that, I made mention of a bittersweet feel to this episode and that needs to be discussed first because it came from an unlikely and quick plot point that is actually a huge deal for the Marvel Cinematic Universe...the end of Hydra. Yes, this week we said goodbye to the age old Marvel villain in sudden and stunning fashion, since it turns out that Malick's intel was absolutely solid and Talbot was able to destroy all of Hydra's assets in one fell swoop, and well the move was indeed bittersweet. I knew that someday Hydra would have to exit the picture from the MCU before becoming stale, I just...somehow expected more for Hydra's finale. A grand showdown with Coulson and the gang as opposed to just...poof, gone like that. But, on the plus side they are finally defeated.  

Hive on the other hand, continues to become an intriguing villain as the weeks progress and last night he showed off his intelligence and prowess by staying one step ahead of S.H.I.E.L.D. for the entire hour. Every single plan that Coulson and the team put together was all for naught and it was extremely weird to see the team trying desperately to react and adjust on the fly. It was also heartbreaking to see Daisy the way she is now, cold and calculated and willing to hurt her surrogate family without giving it a second thought. However this ugly part of the episode was a necessary evil if you will, since the capture of the good doctor as part of Hive's plan for global domination sets the stage for what should be a grand and sweeping season finale and sadly we are inching closer to losing a member of the team for good it would seem.  

But this is a show that doesn't dwell on darker themes forever and our lighthearted moments came courtesy of Fitz and Simmons and their budding relationship and let's be honest, it was cute to watch these two bumble and stumble their way through courtship and romance and I like the fact that both characters had an opportunity to show their sensitive sides and also grow as well. After all this is the first time we've seen Fitz be so bold in getting his goals accomplished and it was an awesome sight to see Simmons stand up to Hive and his silly attempts to get into her head; and also fire a few rounds into his gut. Either way, the show continues to deliver as we barrel toward the season finale and I'm good with the fact that this episode wasn't cerebral at all, it was simply tons of fun and I'm ready to see exactly how S.H.I.E.L.D. will find a way to defeat Hive. Until next time.

It's only been a week since Supergirl put the proverbial exclamation point on a wonderful freshman season with its thoughtful and poignant season finale. Since that episode I've been patiently watching the web for some important news regarding the show from CBS...the announcement that the series is being renewed for a second season.

Sadly that news has yet to arrive, in fact word is that the month of May is when CBS will finally decide the show's future and fate and I'm left wondering one question when I think about this interesting delay from the network to decide Supergirl's fate...what exactly are you waiting for? I understand television is a business, and a big one at that, and that CBS wants the proper return upon its investment, but do they fully realize the magic they have on their hands with this show and how it's already finding a home in the hearts of all of its fans? My hope is that they do know this and are thinking of ways to make the show better for its second season, but if by chance they haven't come to this realization yet...well there's several important reasons why this series deserves to continue its story.

First and foremost, the sheer fact that it is so supremely unique in its storytelling. Every episode of the first season had something important to say about our world and our society...in a positive way. It consistently spread the message that there needs to be unity in our world, and that by coming together we can achieve absolute wonders in the process, and it rarely did it in heavy handed fashion. The show also did a fantastic job of appeasing comic book fans as well by taking classic Superman stories through the years and adapting them to work for Supergirl instead and the end result was simply magnificent. For proof, look no further than the episode "For the Girl Who Has Everything", this repurposed Superman story found Kara trapped in a fantasy reality where she was home on Krypton and it remains one of my favorites from this past season. 

​That touching episode is a fine reminder that this show is also a positive, uplifting and fun superhero adventure as well. This is the era of the dark superhero; where their souls are tortured, their worlds are dirty and imperfect and everything they have to face is a powerful and ugly challenge. I'm not saying any of that is terrible because Heaven knows I'm always at my local Alamo Drafthouse when a new superhero flick hits the silver screen, but for a superhero series to consciously try and not be dark and brooding is quite the accomplishment and refreshing to say the least. There's always plenty of uplifting or lighthearted moments on this show and truth be told, "Worlds Finest" is an example of how much fun can be had on a series like this because having The Flash pop up in National City made for a wonderful episode that left me grinning with joy every time the two of them shared the screen.

But most importantly, this is a show that is beginning to inspire a young fan base. We all have that first superhero who took our breath away and inspired us to believe in the impossible and that heroes can truly achieve anything, and that's largely in part because a particular actor brought the character to life perfectly and that's happening here. Melissa Benoist plays the character so well that a generation of young girls are taking to Supergirl and what she stands for and that's a huge deal. Supergirl is a strong woman who can truly achieve anything she puts her mind to and that's a message and a persona that needs to be on television. So CBS, I implore you, as a fan of the genre, this show and as someone who sees the impact this character is quickly having on all of us, give Supergirl a full second season order and let this incredible character and her incredible story continue. 

Something that I have come to truly enjoy about Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. as a whole is the fact that the show is more than willing to take some serious risks with its storytelling and its characters and shake things up in stunning fashion from time to time. We saw it on display in the first season with the whole Hydra twist and last year with the fascinating Inhuman storyline. But this season, well the show has decided to go for broke by delivering one surprise after another our way.

We saw May's true love turn into a vengeful Inhuman. We learned about the Hydra God and saw it become one with Ward after Coulson took his revenge upon the former agent for murdering Rosalind Price, Phil's first love in a long time. We even saw Bobbi and Hunter say their goodbyes. It truly has been a season filled to the brim with twists and turns, but none of them have been quite as stunning as last night's revelation, when "The Team" gave us our first real look at the Secret Warriors plot line we have all been waiting for...and we were witness to the unthinkable as we watched one agent betray the entire team.

But before we get into that shocking moment, let's talk about the wonder of the Secret Warriors because that actually was quite an awesome little treat. It was simply incredible to watch this group work together in seamless fashion, using their powers in unison to slap Hydra around and I have to say of all the powers on display last night, Lincoln's turned out to be the coolest since I had no freaking idea that he would be able to convert electricity into physical form and use it like a lasso on the bad guys, but I digress. Because despite all the fan-boying I did during this episode, things became incredibly interesting shortly after that blast of an opening when the team returned home with Malick and learned that Hive infected one of the Inhumans to do his evil bidding. 

That little fact made this episode truly intriguing as we worked to figure out who Hive turned to the Worm Side and I appreciate how the episode slowly built the tension up this go round. Minute by minute the distrust between Inhuman and human grew and I have to admit, it left me on the edge of my seat and left me guessing as to who it could be and well, I know Lincoln seemed like the obvious choice, but truth be told I thought it was Joey. Erratic behavior or not from having to cope with killing a man, disappearing the way that he did raised my suspicions, which meant I was left stunned when the show revealed that the traitor turned out to be Daisy after all. Sure I completely understand that she is doing this without her own free will, but man...seriously...Daisy? 

This truly changes everything for the show because while the group has faced some insurmountable odds before, they've never truly faced off against someone they all love and adore like this. Yes, Ward was part of the team but his love of Hydra and willingness to torture his teammates ended all goodwill toward him. This time around the gang knows she's not in the right state of mind and that will make the fight against her a difficult one, especially since they can't use any of the Secret Warriors to help rescue her without running the risk of further infection. Which makes me wonder if Lash will indeed be saving the day after all. Either way, what a fantastic episode of this show and one that fully redeems some of the inconsistency of the past few weeks because I am completely engaged right now and have to know...how the hell will they save Daisy from Hive? Until next time.

​There's something magical that happens when a hero suddenly realizes there's no help coming their way and they are the only person who can save the day from an incredible threat that endangers everyone...they become fearless. Suddenly it's about protecting the innocent and doing whatever it takes to make them safe and last night, Kara Zor-El finally crossed that threshold during the  season one finale of Supergirl.

While last week served as the setup for Kara's defining moment as a hero, this week delivered it and man, I have to say this season finale was satisfying on so many levels because it truly had something for everyone. If you wanted big time action, you got it. If you wanted gentle and touching moments, that was there too; as was a healthy dose of redemption for several of the characters. But what would Supergirl be without a few twists and turns along the way and the good news is, "Better Angels" was filled with plenty of those as well.

Case in point, Myriad. I was a little surprised that this whole grand mind control scheme was so incredibly easy to defeat. But it made sense why the show wrapped that up so quickly. For starters, we can't get a showdown between Non and Supergirl without it being out of the way and it was important to show much the S represents hope wise for National City and how much Kara has touched everyone on a personal level in some form or fashion. Regardless of her mistakes, the people trust her and believe in her and that worked as the perfect setup for saving all of mankind because holy cow, Non upped his crazy game like no other. I really wasn't expecting him to go from "humanity must be saved from its own mistakes" to "kill 'em all" in record time like that, but a push from Indigo never hurts and let's be honest, we always knew that deep down he was this evil.

That little twist led to best surprise of all last night, the fact that Kara was going to stop him one way or another, and was fully prepared to die in the process. That's how much it meant to her that everyone saw her as a symbol of hope in this world, and this is what I meant when I mentioned that moment when a hero realizes it's up to them and them alone. But rather than be bold and simply woosh off to save the day, Kara handled the weight of it all in beautiful fashion. There was something incredibly unique about her saying goodbye to those she loved before doing this, and I think Cat's point about living every day to its fullest applies here the most. She knows now how fragile life is on this world, and how much every last one of these people mean to her, and having lost Kelly last week, and Krypton too so long ago...now was the time to do this right and make sure her friends and family know what they mean to her regardless of what the outcome was going to be.

It made the final showdown matter more, it made her super acts all the more spectacular and it made that ending ten times more satisfying. Because "Stronger Together" has always been an important theme to this show. That unity is the key to accomplishing wonders, and that's exactly what happened in this season finale. She went the extra mile for those she cared for and to have them go to the same lengths to save and help her...it proves she's doing exactly what Cat said she would do in this life...she's changing the world. That's what we have come to expect out of our Kryptonians over the years and that makes for one fantastic season finale and I certainly hope that CBS makes a decision quickly to give us a second season of this show because this is exactly what television needs right now; something fun, something uplifting, and something that inspires. Until next time.

Well, another season of Daredevil has come and gone too quickly and I must admit that this season is my favorite of the two. For me, all it takes is a good storyline to keep me intrigued and with the addition of the Punisher this year, it is hard to say it was lacking in that aspect. But the thing that keeps this series moving forward is the characters and what they bring to the story and this year, there was no lacking in that whatsoever.  So without further ado, time for my character breakdown of Season 2 of Daredevil.
​
Matt Murdock – Unlike season one, this season Matt is starting to understand the truth behind what is happening to Hell’s Kitchen. Even with putting Wilson Fisk behind bars, the Kingpin still appears to have the power to change the outcome of whatever he wants. With a new vigilante coming to town, Matt knows that the Punisher’s methods are wrong and when he is able to stop the beast from killing everyone in his way, Matt understands what caused the rampage. More so than ever, Matt keeps his friends in the dark about what he is looking for and winds up pushing them away for what may be for good. The budding romance between Matt and Karen is cut short when the only woman he ever loved comes back into the picture and even though he knows he has hurt Karen in the process, he is willing to throw it all away to be with Elektra once again. He's not a very likable character this season since Matt treats his friends like trash and pushes them away, but there may be a shot of redemption since it was for their own safety, but I kind of hope he stays on his own for the next season.

Karen Page – Karen was able to grow a bit in this season and her quest for the truth winds up getting her in more trouble than she bargains for. This seems to be a turn off for a lot of people, but I enjoyed watching her investigative mind take over. Being able to find things that nobody else would even bother to look for, she wants the truth and nothing else. Falling for one of her bosses was entertaining and the hurt she suffers when finding out that Matt is hiding something from her was actually a great motivator to prove that he is wrong about other things.  Being able to break through the Punisher’s walls also made her essential to the story with Frank Castle since she was the only one he would talk to overall. Joining the paper, Karen will probably see and report on more things that nobody else in Hell’s Kitchen will want to touch in the future. I look forward to seeing what she does next, especially when it comes to the Kingpin getting out of prison.

Foggy Nelson – If you do not love Foggy, there must be something wrong with you. Even though it does not seem like he has grown that much from the first season, he really has. Being forced to think more on his feet than normal, Foggy was able to show that words are much more powerful than weapons. If his buddy Matt would be willing to give this a try, he might find that he is able to go through a night without as many cuts and bruises. Even when the District Attorney is at his throat, Foggy is able to pick which battles he knows he can win and saves up his ammunition for the right time. The opening statement that Foggy was forced to give for Frank Castle brought the jury to tears because he was able to appeal to their humanity and not their hatred, which defines him in a nutshell. I am surprised that the story does not follow him more, but he does not bring that much action to the table. Soon, I believe we will see him working at a large law firm and hopefully throwing an odd job to Jessica Jones.

Frank Castle (The Punisher!) – Oh my goodness, I have been waiting to see this appearance ever since it was announced and it did not disappoint in my eyes. Only reading a few of the comics, I am not versed in all things Punisher, but it looks like they got a good part of him right from what I do know. Looking for vengeance for the loss of his family, the Punisher will stop at nothing to get answers from anyone that has them. Taking out half of the crime families in Hell’s Kitchen, it is even a task for Daredevil to stop him. But there is much more to Frank Castle than just vengeance when he opens up, he is a little puppy dog when it comes to how much he loved his family and how much fun they had together. Even his old colonel recognized how kind this man was while in the marine corps. When he is not on a rampage, Frank Castle could be one of the few people you would want to have watching your back, but when the switch gets turned on, there is nothing anybody can do to stop him as he seems to be proficient in all weapons, even a shank. I really liked this showing of Frank Castle and there was nothing better than seeing him go back home and admitting to himself that that part of his life is over before heading back to the streets of Hell’s Kitchen once again. I would like to see a series with just him and some new running mates or have him pop up in The Defenders, but when he killed the man that caused the death of his family, his vengeance should be served and now he can retire…but probably not.

Elektra Natchios – I was on the fence about the Elektra character being brought in, especially after watching the two movies that featured her character. I will admit that I was not a fan of her character until the next to last episode where you see the killer instinct in the little girl’s eyes. Falling in love with Matt back in college, she wanted to do anything that could unleash the darkness in him, but he would not succumb to it. Being disappointed in this, she runs away from what she could not accomplish, but comes crawling back for help years later. Even though it was at Stick’s command, I would think that she would have been able to say no to that, and it kind of took away from the power she should have possessed. When she finally discovered who she was, besides a stone cold killer, she is forced to make the decision that would eventually cost her, her life. I was sorry to see her go, but you never know what the Hand will have in store for her future since they seem to have found a way to live forever.

Sargent/Detective Brett Mahoney – I knew during the first season that Brett would become a little more vital to the storyline, especially since he is a quiet informant to Foggy and in turn Daredevil. Seeing as to how he is able to get the facts about what is happening around Hell’s Kitchen, he knows that at least two of his friends will be able to help with the problem. And the door swings both ways as Daredevil knows that the police need a shot of good publicity when it comes to catching the bad guys and turns the collar of the Punisher over to him. Being torn on what is wrong and what is right when it comes to justice, Brett wants the city streets safe again and even though he lets his little conversations go with Daredevil, he knows that at some point, the masked vigilante will have to be arrested and put away for good.  

Mitchell Ellison – If you want to talk about someone that steals the show, I could not wait for Ellison to get on the screen once again. Having the best one liners in the show, Ellison is the voice behind Karen, keeping her on track to find the answers that she desperately craves. Knowing that Karen has it in her to be a great investigative journalist, Ellison keeps his foot on the pedal when it comes to the former secretary to keep her motivated to move forward. But the story is not the only thing that he wants, especially when he sees that someone could be in trouble. Trying to take care of his staff members, Ellison knows that they are the only reason the paper is still in service and will do anything to make sure they are safe. Why can’t they make a series about a newspaper that reports in a city that is being overtaken by a vigilante or superhero and just have Ellison take the lead, I actually think that I would watch that.
​
I know there are a couple others that I have missed on this, and if one of them was your favorite, I am sorry that I left them out. Stick made it back and continued to train Matt on what he did not know, Marci Stahl is taking care of her friend Foggy, Claire Temple is called upon to help when there is no one else to turn to (she should have been featured a lot more) and District Attorney Reyes is trying to keep things covered up from her past. Even though I hate politics, I liked how they were utilized in the show with the District Attorney and her own motives and it even gets called out several times. But the rebirth of Wilson Fisk has to be my favorite part of the show and the episode "Seven Minutes in Heaven" made me a very happy man. I was hoping for a little bit more of an overlap between Daredevil and Jessica Jones in this season, but I guess two references and two appearances by characters would have to be enough, even if they were far from my favorites. Well, on to another year of waiting for the next round of Daredevil to make it through. I don’t know what to expect next and I think that is what makes it so exciting, at least until the rumors start to fly again. 

After rescuing Stick from the Hand, Matt and Elektra are back home trying to come up with a plan to take out the ancient gang. Finding out that she is Black Sky, Elektra is worried that the Hand will do anything to get her back and even though Matt is strong as Daredevil, he will not be able to weather the storm that is coming. Needing to get as much protection as they can get, the two visit Melvin for some additional body armor for Elektra. As Melvin is happy to help, he is worried that he will not have enough for his wife, but has a surprise for Daredevil, a new weapon of his own design that the Devil can utilize during the fight for his life.

After Foggy receives a call from Detective Brett Mahoney, he sees that his old friend is shaken up about the beating he is recovering from. Getting Matt to agree to show up at the police station, Daredevil receives some concerning news. All of the files that have anything to do with the vigilante have been handed over to the Hand, even the names of the people he has saved in Hell’s Kitchen. Rushing to Karen’s apartment, Matt finds that she has been taken and now the fight with the Hand has become personal. While on the rooftop, Matt is not able to cut out the ambient noises to try and locate his secretary, but with help from Elektra, he is able to focus and hone in on a police scanner report of officers down.

While on a bus to her holding cell, Karen is trying to gather up as much information as she can. Finding out that the man next to her has an ankle bracelet, she urges him to turn it on so they can get help. As the Hand hears the sirens outside of their door, they are able to take care of the two officers that show up and are prepared for another wave, just in case. The Hand kidnappers find the source that has given them away to the police, but before they are able to cut off their prisoner’s foot to get rid of it, an expected guest bursts onto the scene. Daredevil is able to take out all of the kidnappers and free the hostages with ease and after ensuring that Karen is all right, he heads off to prepare for the next battle.

Frank Castle has returned home for the first time since his family died. Walking around the house full of memories, he sits at the head of the table and remembers how much he has missed the days with them. But that thought only lasts a moment and Frank knows that there is more for him to do. Going to his garage, Frank fires up his police scanners once again and prepares for battle, but with who, he does not know yet. Finding a cache of weapons in Colonel Schoonover’s shed, Frank will be able to become the Punisher once again and take a shot at anyone that gets in his way. Hearing reports on the police scanners about officers down, Frank knows exactly where to go and who he will be helping.

Freeing the hostages from the Hand is only the first step for Matt and Elektra as they need to cut off the head of the man in charge. Nobu has been looking forward to the battle for a long time and now has two reasons to fight, to kill the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen and to obtain Black Sky for himself and his followers. Meeting on the roof of the Hand’s hideout, Nobu will pull no punches, but gives the direction to not hurt Elektra while Daredevil is dealt with. Even though Elektra is battling against him, Nobu tries his hardest not to harm her, but falls short when she tries to save Matt from a fatal blow. Receiving it in place of her love, Elektra’s wound is fatal and even though it is not part of his code, Matt is now on a rampage to get revenge. With the Punisher taking out members of the Hand in Matt's way, Daredevil is able to defeat his undead foe and flee the scene before anybody truly knows what happened.
​
As season finales go, Daredevil definitely did not disappoint. There is another fifteen minutes of the show that I did not cover, but you will have to watch it and find out for yourself what is going to happen next season. As of right now, Nelson and Murdock is finished and Foggy will be going to work for Jeri Hogarth at her firm, but will still stay in touch with Karen since the two are good friends. Frank Castle has found a new uniform that he will continue to wear while punishing the evil doers of the world. Matt Murdock is on his own after pushing all of his friends away, but might be able to get one back after telling the truth for the first time this season. Karen has a job at the paper and will be able to turn heads with her articles, as long as she sticks to her truth, since she has been through a lot. Stick’s war has been fought and now he should be able to rest for a short bit, or at least recover from the interrogation that he went through. That’s it for now, another season of Daredevil has come and gone. I hope they put a new season on the books soon since this story has been fantastic and there is a little bit more to tell, especially since Fisk is still behind bars and the Hand seems to be more powerful than ever.  

Fearing what Elektra will do when she reaches Stick, Daredevil is there to stop her before there is no turning back. But Daredevil is not the only one in the building looking for a fight as the Hand moves in and abducts his old teacher. While Elektra has had her reason for being in the building taken away from her, she throws down the gauntlet with her past boyfriend and warns him that if he gets in the way again, he will be just another dead body on the street. Even though Matt understands the threat, he needs to find Stick before Elektra does to save his life and knowledge from the members of the Hand.

After surveying the docks and seeing all of the dead bodies being pulled out of the water, Karen is ready for a break. Having to believe that the Punisher is dead, she wants to let the story go and get back to her normal life once again. But Ellison is a great editor and will not let his soon to be prized investigative reporter give up just yet. Steering her to another angle of the Frank Castle story, Karen is back on the hunt to find out who the real Frank really was. Interviewing Colonel Schoonover, Karen hears stories about how fun Frank was when he was in the unit and how the ex-marine was able to read people at a glance. Thanking the colonel for his time, Karen is the first to find out that he is the Blacksmith and wants nothing more than to finish the Frank Castle saga with a bang. Forcing Karen to drive to an unknown location, she finds out that she will not be on this trip alone.

With some key information on how the Hand is able to move about the city so quickly, Matt takes to the tunnel systems and is quick to find the gang. But the Hand is starting to understand how Daredevil is able to track them, so they take to fighting in a different method. Still the student, Matt listens to Stick as he whispers hints about how to track the stealthy ninja force and when they are all defeated, Elektra comes back into the picture. Wanting to finish her quest to kill Stick, Matt steps in her way once again, but the Hand has been waiting for her return for many years and fill up the little room with weapons drawn.

This episode however was not about the battle between Elektra and her boyfriend, or her teacher, it is about how she came to be. Showing how Elektra was trained by Stick and how hot she would run when in the heat of battle, she was able to take down every foe in her way. Being told that she was too dangerous and that she would have to be put down, Stick did everything in his power to keep her safe. Killing was always in her fighting DNA and even though she was able to calm it down a bit, it is still what she is best at doing. Finding out that she is Black Sky, whom the Hand fights for, Elektra now has a group of fighters on her side that will serve her every command. But with the sweet whispering in her ear, will she take her assigned post at the top of the Hand, or will she try and save the people that have been there for her during her life?

When the storyline is focused on two key things, it makes for a very enjoyable episode to watch. I love the Elektra storyline in this one for the fact that you finally get to see her growing up and the fire that Matt never noticed being sparked in her early years. She was trained to be a killing machine and even at a young age, she was good at it and when Stick decided to leave her, she vowed to never forgive him. Stick knows what is happening, but Matt is slow to figure it out as the Hand only wanted Elektra to show up so that they could have a leader once again and no matter how many men she has killed, when she is home, she will be treated as the boss. Karen is at the end of the line as her piece on the Frank Castle seems to be all for naught after he was killed at the pier. But when she wants to get a character witness and talks to the Colonel, she finds out that he is the mastermind everyone has been looking for. Knowing that Frank is alive and not too far behind when she is being kidnapped, Karen is in for the ride of her life. One more episode to go and most of the questions have been answered, but now we just need to find out what is being hidden in the sarcophagus that the Hand is hiding and if the office of Nelson and Murdock will be closed going forward.  Let’s do this!