warangel88

I'm surprised Fitz isn't getting the help he needs. Him hallucinating about Simmons isn't a good thing, it seems like he is dependent on her.

I would of thought Coulson getting him some help would be important. But if this has been going on for months. I don't have much hope for Coulson and the New SHIELD

DR76

How can I be brutally frank? I really couldn't care less about Ward. I never have. In fact, what was he doing there in the first place? I doubt that he knows everything about HYDRA. I even doubt that he knows everything that Garrett knew. His presence with Coulson and the others make NO SENSE whatsoever.

In fact, everything about the writing in this episode was rushed - including the introduction of new characters and situation. Whedon and Co. dumped its usual style of storytelling and rushed the story in order to satisfy the critics, the viewers and the Disney corporate suits who had complained about Season One's slow development of the storyline. Apparently these critics know nothing about story development in a serial drama format. And I guess Whedon and Co. lost that knowledge as well.

If this new episode had been the first episode of "SHIELD" I had seen, I would have given up on this series with the drop of a hat.

Butterfly85

I had no problem with the things Skye said to Ward, he did try to kill them and all 0_0. He's no victim and after the way he betrayed them all and tried to kill Fitz and Simmons he deserves worse. If they try to redeem him it won't mean a thing to me and they would be dumb to let him back in after everything he's done.

warangel88

But he is a victim.

He was a victim of abuse by his older brother, parents, and even Garrett abused him. He was a psychologically messed up and Garrett used that to his advantage. He pretty much mold him to be the perfect spy/assassin loyal to him.

However that doesn't excuse what he has done. THe only thing he can do is move forward, and try to be better.

DR76

Coulson and May went through a great deal of trauma, themselves. So did Skye, who spent all of her childhood in various foster homes. Trip was dealing with the death of a friend and former partner when he was introduced. And yet, Ward decided that giving into evil was the way to deal with his past. Screw him.

warangel88

But they also weren't abused their whole lives. You can't wave a special wand to make somebody better/realized they are being abused.

Mistified

I am not sticking up for Ward because he is a terrible person but he was abused his entire life and was always just used as a weapon. He tried to kill himself because he really had to reason to live without his abuser. That is a serious issue, it's as though he has Stockholm and he is obviously having a mental breakdown that could have been avoided had he received help at age fifteen instead of being taken by Garret and by an extension Shield. They need to question how Garrett under Shield was able to take a minor and no one questioned where he was for five years. I don't think that he needs to be forgiven but I do think suicide is a sensitive issue and I am not sure I like how they handled that.

indigo sunrise

I think it's important that yes, he definitely is a victim of extensive abuse, but it also isn't enough to excuse away his actions on its own and give him a free pass because of that. His character is interesting to me because it is such a grey area, and I really hope they are going to do his character justice by giving him the redemption arc that he deserves, where it isn't rushed or done because of his feelings for Skye or anything like that, I want him to find out who he as a person really is, and what he can do to be better if he actually, honestly wants to try. Because he thinks it's the right thing to do, not because people around him are telling him that that's what he should be doing. It would also be really interesting if at the end of the day, he's actually going to choose to be against SHIELD.

Ideally, I would've liked to not even have seen Ward for at least half a season or longer, before they'd even start to deal with it. But since they are dealing with it now, I just hope they'll build it up in a way that really explains his character and that they don't neglect what he's been through, but also don't in any way use it as an excuse.

Mistified

I agree that he needs to do it for himself. Otherwise Skye is just another Garrett who Grant wants to overpower him. I think he needs to realize that he can be the Grant Ward that he 'pretended' to be. Strong, loyal and heroic and I think he needs to strive to be that but not for them but for him. I do think that it wasn't a role and that it was him trying to be someone that he could be proud of. Ward is a scared kid that had his childhood ripped from him. He was sent to military school then juvy then straight into shield so he never had a chance to learn social skills, or morals because he never ever had them.

warangel88

I never said he should be excuse/free pass for his actions. I don't think Redemption arc truly equals that, despite what some many believe.

But I do think he needs to see a therapist or w/e,(Fitz as well because I don't think he is getting better). Actually realize that what Garrett did to him was abuse, and to find out who he is. But right now he seems to be following the same path that made him follow Garrett.

DR76

Why not suggest this for most of the characters? Why only Ward? Why is it so important that Ward, more than anyone else, be redeemed? Because he's the show's personification of the Alpha Male? I never understood the obsession with him.

gingerly

Because he's the only one that needs redeeming? He did some terrible things last season, if I recall correctly.

Mistified

Because he is the only core character right now that needs it. They need to acknowledge that what he did was not right and he should decide to become a better person, it happened with Natasha Romanoff too. It will never take away the past but they can use their skills to help others and I think he can get there.

warangel88

Do the other characters really need to be redeemed?

More or less FitzSimmons are generally innocent because they worked in the lab, and we haven't really seen any of their inventions caused harm. May, Coulson, and Trip are/were specialist, and I don't deny the fact they probably have killed because they believe it was for the "greater good" or w/e. (Also a majority of Ward's killings were probably for SHIELD)

Now I do think SHIELD needs to redeemed. It seems to me Coulson is following the same patterns as the old one. Leaving people behind to die, or make the decision that would lead an agent to his/her death if it meant getting the mission done.

gingerly

They actually compared Ward to Natasha a few times on the show, even before the Hydra reveal. Yet another thing they weaved in to add to the reveal itself.