Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD: The 10 greatest episodes of the show (so far)

1. Season 5, Episode 22: “The End”

“The End” was fashioned to be a possible series finale and, although the show got picked up for two more seasons, it didn’t undermine the fact that this episode is bananas. From start to finish, this is one of the best hours of television ever and one of the finest episodes of the entire series. The stakes have never been higher, as the team rushes to find a way to save Coulson and stop Graviton (Adrian Pasdar) at the same time.

At the beginning of the episode, the team is at odds over whether or not to save Coulson using the Centipede serum or try and take Graviton out with the Kree odium. May finally makes the decision for everyone, and smashes the odium vial, leaving the team the only option of using the serum on Coulson. After things get so heated, Daisy appoints Mack as the new Diretor of SHIELD, and he leads the team in the effort to save lives in Chicago, where Graviton has landed. The team works together to get civilians to safety, as Coulson and Daisy strategize how to take out Graviton. Coulson reveals to Daisy that he didn’t take the serum, but gives her the pep talk she needs to go over Graviton.

While rescuing Robin and her mother, Fitz is pinned down by falling debris in an abandoned building. Mack and May rush to his aid, but it’s too late. When they remove the debris they see that he has been mortally wounded, and Fitz bleeds out while Mack holds his hand. Coulson collapses in the Zephyr on the way back to base and Simmons and Yo-Yo try to save his life. Simmons rushes to get the serum to save Coulson, but discovers its gone. Yo-Yo is able to jumpstart his heart and bring him back to life. As Daisy is fighting Graviton, she notices that Coulson discretely put the serum syringe inside one of her gauntlets and she injects herself before Graviton can absorb her.

In the final minutes, the team gathers for what we think is a toast to the now deceased Fitz, but it’s really for Coulson. Although he survived, he only has a short time left, so he says goodbye to the team and is joined by May on the island of Tahiti to live out the rest of his days. The remaining members of the team commandeer Graviton’s alien ship and set off to space to find the other Fitz (also a long story).

The acting calibre in this episode is off the charts, full of emotionally charged scenes, both good and bad. The shot of Simmons realizing that Fitz had been killed and the goodbye scene between Coulson and Daisy hit especially hard. However, the show also ends on a note of hope, that the mission will live on. This would have been a beautiful and fitting series finale for Agents of SHIELD, but we’re awfully glad we get two more seasons of our favorite spies in action.

What are some of your favorite episodes from Agents of SHIELD? Let us know in the comments section below.