Every season Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. takes bigger and better risks with storylines. Season six expanded beyond Earth. Not only did a team search for a lost agent in space, but a threat from outside the planet came to Earth with one very big plan.
Though the scope of the show was bigger, a lot of the character moments reigned the story in. There were plenty of lighthearted moments to give fans a breather during the action-heavy season. Likewise, a lot of emotional moments and character growth were there to satisfy fans. All types make the list of the best moments from season six.
Jemma Hallucinates A Fitz-Monkey
When Jemma and Daisy shared an alien snack dubbed “puffies,” they were in for quite the surprise. They ended up on a not-so-serious hallucinogenic trip. Though the episode doesn’t rank high amongst critics, fans lauded the hour for being a lighthearted departure from the usual Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. storylines.
Amongst Jemma and Daisy’s girl talk was a moment at the bar. Jemma, drink in front of her, saw Fitz dressed in a monkey suit. He wasn’t actually there but appeared to be dancing on the edge of her straw. Fans everywhere thank the special effects department for the sheer fun of that moment, and the nod to Fitz’s love for monkeys.
Quake Absorbs An Atomic Bomb Blast
Daisy’s powers grew exponentially in season five, but we didn’t see the extreme version of her quaking in action much in season six. One particular scene highlighted just how finely tuned her powers now are.
It seemed like all hope was lost for Daisy, May, Deke and Snowflake as Sarge abandoned them with an atomic bomb. After exhausting their options, and nearly admitting defeat, Daisy took matters into her own hands - literally. She used her quaking abilities to contain the blast of the bomb between her hands, saving all of their lives in the process.
Snowflake’s Girl Crush
The Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. audience had an interesting relationship with Snowflake. Some loved her carefree psychotic antics. Others couldn’t care less when she disappeared for the final stretch of episodes. Most, however, would agree that she had one of the most iconic lines of the season.
After already voicing her admiration for May numerous times, Snow got to see Daisy in action as she quaked a flock of shrikes to dust. She excitedly asked May, “are all the females on your planet this powerful?” May, of course, affirmed they were. The series has always had incredible female characters, but season six reminded the audience of that.
Mack VS. Sarge
In the early days of their working relationship, tension existed between Mack and Coulson. They disagreed on a lot of things regarding S.H.I.E.L.D., but they always had respect for one another. Coulson making Mack director in his absence, and leaving him Fury’s black box, showed how much faith Coulson had in him.
That’s why the appearance of Sarge, a being wearing Coulson’s face, hit him particularly hard. When agents brought Sarge into custody in “Toldja,” Mack couldn’t take Sarge’s smug attitude for long. After trading witty retorts and questions, the two came to blows. It was emotionally satisfying to see Mack let out all that aggression, and Sarge certainly held his own.
Fitz And Simmons Reunite
Jemma Simmons started her season six journey searching for a lost Fitz. The two narrowly missed one another repeatedly, only for Fitz to end up captured by Chronicoms when they did come face to face. When the two finally reunited, it was in a mindspace created by the Chronicoms to help them figure out time travel.
While the reunion itself is sweet, one of the best moments is Jemma immediately regressing to her 12-year-old self in an effort to hide parts of her mind from Fitz. Too worried about how he’ll react to things like his season five death, her defense mechanism is to become a stubborn and immature child. A light and funny moment in an otherwise emotionally cathartic episode.
Sarge Remembers His Family
Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. built a lot of mystery around who Sarge really was. Daisy was initially in denial that any part of Coulson could exist in the being. She found herself proven wrong as memories of Sarge’s “family” surfaced.
Coulson’s memories provided Sarge with a confusing backstory, but the family he grieved for was revealed to be May and Daisy as the audience saw flashes of his memories. When he called Daisy “Skye,” she allowed herself to hope Coulson was still in there.
Of course, that hope was dashed shortly after, but the moment still ranks as one of the best for the season.
Deke Confronts Nana And Bobo
Deke is a fairly polarizing character for the audience. Some hate his perceived selfishness. Others just want him to be part of the S.H.I.E.L.D. family. In the episode “Leap,” both of those points of view collided as he got the chance to confront his grandparents.
Fitz believed Deke stealing technology from both S.H.I.E.L.D. and the future was wrong, and him making money from it was morally reprehensible. Deke pointed out, in a heated exchange, that he left S.H.I.E.L.D. and started his company because nobody wanted him around. Even Jemma didn’t tell him about what happened to Fitz the previous season. The exchange allowed both the characters and audience to better understand Deke’s abandonment issues.
May Saves Daisy’s Life
The audience always knew May was the toughest S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. With the finale, Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. proved that yet again.
After Sarge stabbed her through the abdomen, not only did May take out a few enemies on Izel’s homeworld, but she also returned to Earth through Izel’s portal for another heroic moment. Using the same sword Sarge stabbed her with, May ran Izel through before she could take Daisy’s life. Though May was in bad shape, she still made it possible for the team to save the day.
Jemma’s Jewelry Box Opens
“Inescapable” was a great episode for longtime fans. It focused on Fitz and Simmons and their relationship, yes, but it also provided them with a bit of intense therapy.
The episode revealed Jemma had a coping mechanism for all of the trauma in her life. She packed everything away in a jewelry box in her mind, the same tactic her father taught her as a little girl. That way, she wouldn’t have to deal with it. When the jewelry box opened in the shared mindspace, she and Fitz were terrorized by all of her repressed trauma in the form of a monster that looked just like Jemma. The monster even had costume pieces from so many major show events for her. It was a brilliant reveal and Easter egg for fans.
The LMD Coulson Reveal
Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. got its start on television with the resurrection of Phil Coulson. It seems it won’t end without a version of him on screen. Though the real Coulson’s life ended in Tahiti with May by his side, we’ve already seen other versions. A Skrull impersonated him in Captain Marvel, he had a Life Model Decoy in season four, Sarge wore his face in season six, and season seven will feature another Coulson.
The final moments of season six saw Jemma give Mack and Daisy a choice. She explained that using Chronicom and LMD technology, they created their most advanced version of an android. He would have all Coulson’s memories and be filled in on the events of season six. Without a second thought, or letting Jemma finish Daisy activated him. The audience welcomed him to season seven.
NEXT: Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.: 10 Things That Need To Happen Before It Ends