TV REVIEWS: FTN Reviews Agents Of Shield Season 05 Episode 11: All The Comforts Of Home

Well…that got dark. After arguably the worst arc of the series (in my opinion), Agents of Shield had a lot to do to make up for the first ten episodes of what’s likely its last season. Especially given recent news that the Season 05 finale will act as both a season and series finale just in case the show isn’t renewed. We knew the team would make it back to Earth, but what came next? Well, “All The Comforts Of Home” addressed that in several ways.

First off, the Agents of Shield team did indeed make it back in whole. And it was great to see them back home, and embracing the simplistic beauty of their world that was still very much alive. I’m a sucker for what I like to call the “smaller moments”, and when they went above ground to River’s End and just breathed in the non-recycled air and felt gravity and sunlight on their faces…it was beautiful. The space arc had an effect on them, and it was clear they were happy to be back on their real world…even if they were on a clock.

Things picked up when a part of the prophecy for the end of the world came true via the “blue light in the sky”, which turned out to be a Kree transmission device, much like the one we saw in Season 03. This turned out to be a feint though, as General Hale was using it as a lure to bring Coulson and team into a trap…and it worked, even bringing in former Shield agent Piper to help sell the illusion. It was a nice twist, and it only grew from there.

For not only does Hale have robotic soldiers on her side, she’s got a trained killer…in her daughter! Meeting her in the beginning was interesting, as I thought it was a way to “humanize” Hale, but this was anything but, and because of Ruby, Yo-Yo now has no arms…for anyone who’s read the Secret Warriors arc, you’ll know this happens to her there too. The horror Yo-Yo felt when she realized she just took a big step towards her “inevitable” destiny was very real. And as if that wasn’t bad enough, Hale is now recruiting a “team” to take down Shield…and it includes Crusher Creel!

But one of the biggest twists by far was the return of Zeke, who was wormholed to the present as well, and then got to enjoy the Earth he was only told stories about. Much like the others, his simple joy at seeing trees, eating gummy bears, going to a real bar, it was fun. I must say however, there better be a good payoff for him being in the present. Otherwise, it’s going to feel gratuitous.

In the end, “All The Comforts Of Home” was a solid return to the series, and kicks off what might be the final arc in the series. We’ll have to see how it all goes from here, but I am hopeful.