WARNING: MAJOR SPOILAGE!
After last week’s CRAZY season premiere of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., the action picks up right where it left off. For those of you who were wondering if Lucy Lawless’s death was a ruse or perhaps thought she would pull through, FORGET IT. She’s dead. Luckily for Lance Hunter, the one who actually survived, May shows up, Hunter tells her to continue her pursuit of Creel, even though she knows that if she doesn’t get Hunter out of there the army men will arrest him. Hunter tells her to go but May gives him a tool (similiar to the one Fury used to escape his overturned vehicle in Cap 2) so he can attempt to escape. May takes off and Hunter frees himself, just in time to be arrested.
This episode gives us a little insight into who Lance Hunter is, and where his loyalties lie. 
When Hunter is captured he is taken to Talbot who attempts to turn the merc against his new teammates and bring him Coulson! Hunter agrees to some pretty decent terms including 2 million bucks and a a proper burial for Hartley. What I like about this situation is that we don’t have to wait all season for his “betrayal” to be discovered. Coulson basically figures it out on his own before the episode is over, I’m sure it wasn’t too hard after Hunter shot up May and team with the stun gun. Hunter is more interested in taking down Creel, and getting revenge for what he did to his friends. Once the villain is contained, Hunter’s betrayal is revealed and yet Coulson invites him to join the team. Coulson gives Hartley a proper burial, but Hunter does not get the money. Hunter knows who the good guys are which may be worth ore than any money in the world. I think he’ll be a valuable asset to the team as the season goes on.
The Absorbing Man runs into a little trouble this episode. When he touched the obelisk Creel had believed that he was protecting himself by turning to rubber, this didn’t really work. Creel starts to notice a change in his transformations and then he starts to develop a spot on his arm, things aren’t looking so good for our new villain. When he calls his HYDRA contact, he realizes that his health isn’t top on their priority list. But they still convince him to bring them the obelisk. Then a familiar face from the past shows up, Raina! She wants the item as well and she is ready to give Creel something in exchange for it, carbyne. This material is stronger than diamonds and can absorb energy, seems like a good deal to me! Creel refuses and tells her to stay out of HYDRA’s way and takes the carbyne anyways. He’s off to meet Sunil, unlucky for him Raina put a tracker in the carbyne. The exchange goes bad when Hunter attempts to take out Creel. Raina gets her hands on the obelisk and Creel gets captured. Unfortunately the team is not able to get their hands on the HYDRA agent.
We learn that the obelisk actually has ties to Coulson’s alien mumbo jumbo that he and Garrett became so good at scratching into walls. This week May actually encourages Coulson to do it. What is the end-game for the object? Well we learn there are some people who can actually hold it! Raina being one of them. She is convinced to do this by a new mysterious man who at the end of the episode reveals himself to be SKYE’S FATHER! At least that’s the conclusion we all draw from him telling Raina to bring him his daughter!
We continue to feel bad for Fitz. Simmons still hasn’t returned but he finds a new friend in newcomer, Mack. 
Together they are able to fix the cloaking technology AND discover a way to stop Creel. I hope that I can stop ALMOST crying every time this sad situation is shown off. The show really needs Jemma to come back, especially with the dark path that it has been taking lately. A little levity isn’t a bad thing. Ahh, but they do get that cloaking tech working and The Bus makes a triumphant return.
This week’s episode keeps up the great pacing and mystery that the season premiere delivered. It continues to keep my interest all the while raising new questions into where the show is going with the whole alien hieroglyphic mystery. Especially now that we know that the obelisk is somehow connected to it all. At least Creel is in custody for now, next week we see the return of a rather “cold” would-be-villain.
