Agents of SHIELD 4.16
Apr. 12th, 2017 02:14 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
selenay(Look at me, posting more than three times in one month. Hey remember when I used to actually talk about telly? Let's see what happens when I do that.)
You know, considering how horrific and depressing the Framework world is...I'm finding this arc absolutely fascinating. I can't even explain why, because it's painful and awful and I'm seeing characters I love (Fitz!) do terrible things. There's just something about it, about the world building and the consequences, that are keeping me enthralled.
I haven't seen much fan reaction (largely because it airs so late in the rest of the country that all the chatter has fallen off my Twitter feed by the time I wake up), so I don't know how everyone else feels, but I can imagine there are a lot of people hating it because of the twisted fucked-up-ness of it. I get that.
It's just that, for me, I'm really finding it interesting to watch expectations get stripped away and see how that plays out. It's particularly interesting to see who is still a good guy and who has fallen into the traps embedded in this world. I mean, I knew Coulson would still be a good guy, but I did not expect to see Mace be an awesome hero! Or see Fitz turn into an evil monster :-( At the same time, I can kind of see where that came from. There have been hints, at least, about decisions people made in their pasts and the way those decisions led them to SHIELD, so seeing those decisions changed and the ripples that spread from that...
They have always regretted something, but they never understood how critical that thing was to making them who they are, and the Framework is showing that. Of course, it's been manipulated by AIDA and I'm really hoping it turns out it's her interference that turned Fitz so evil, but still. How much of the Framework is the logical culmination of their biggest regrets being taken away, and how much is AIDA's tampering? I guess that's what will really be the long-term consequences of this, even after they get out of the Framework.
I'm fascinated, in a horrified kind of way. I know there are a lot of people who loved Ghost Rider and thought it was the best arc ever, but it wasn't one I found hugely interesting. Maybe it's because I don't have the investment in that particularly comisc character. The LMD arc and now this one have been narrative catnip for me and I'm really enjoying them.
You know, considering how horrific and depressing the Framework world is...I'm finding this arc absolutely fascinating. I can't even explain why, because it's painful and awful and I'm seeing characters I love (Fitz!) do terrible things. There's just something about it, about the world building and the consequences, that are keeping me enthralled.
I haven't seen much fan reaction (largely because it airs so late in the rest of the country that all the chatter has fallen off my Twitter feed by the time I wake up), so I don't know how everyone else feels, but I can imagine there are a lot of people hating it because of the twisted fucked-up-ness of it. I get that.
It's just that, for me, I'm really finding it interesting to watch expectations get stripped away and see how that plays out. It's particularly interesting to see who is still a good guy and who has fallen into the traps embedded in this world. I mean, I knew Coulson would still be a good guy, but I did not expect to see Mace be an awesome hero! Or see Fitz turn into an evil monster :-( At the same time, I can kind of see where that came from. There have been hints, at least, about decisions people made in their pasts and the way those decisions led them to SHIELD, so seeing those decisions changed and the ripples that spread from that...
They have always regretted something, but they never understood how critical that thing was to making them who they are, and the Framework is showing that. Of course, it's been manipulated by AIDA and I'm really hoping it turns out it's her interference that turned Fitz so evil, but still. How much of the Framework is the logical culmination of their biggest regrets being taken away, and how much is AIDA's tampering? I guess that's what will really be the long-term consequences of this, even after they get out of the Framework.
I'm fascinated, in a horrified kind of way. I know there are a lot of people who loved Ghost Rider and thought it was the best arc ever, but it wasn't one I found hugely interesting. Maybe it's because I don't have the investment in that particularly comisc character. The LMD arc and now this one have been narrative catnip for me and I'm really enjoying them.
no subject
Date: 2017-04-12 11:14 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-04-13 03:50 pm (UTC)They really are! The trauma levels are going to be epic. I'd imagine they'll be particularly high for people like Fitz and May, who have ended up doing things so contrary to their normal centre of morality.
hire a decent team of mental health professionals and other EAP-type people.
I'm hopeful the HR team made it out of the base before everything went to shit, because they are going to be inundated with requests for help with that.
no subject
Date: 2017-04-13 12:26 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-04-13 03:50 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-04-13 03:00 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-04-13 03:53 pm (UTC)Yes, that was it! I didn't have the character attachment, and the plotline was too heavy on the manpain and not particularly original (to me).
The LMDs raised so many complicated ethical questions and they actually explored them, which I loved! And that might be why I'm loving this arc, too. It's complex and there are no easy answers and it's digging into issues around reality, self-determination, and sentience, and I freaking love that!