Aniela Krajewska

VIP

8

So this movie premiered in Poland today and I just got home from the theater. I have two things to say: this is hands down the best installment in the Thor trilogy and it also definitely ranks somewhere in the top 5 MCU movies for me.

This movie was a wild ride from start to finish. The story was a ton of fun and so many things happened along the way, keeping you engaged at all times. While I do love slow movies that allow their scenes to breathe, the crazy pace of this one worked in its favor. There wasn't as much action as I had expected, but we did get some cool fights and general destruction. In the typical Marvel fashion, there were a lot of jokes and most of them were really, really hilarious. Some of the MCU movies try way too hard to be funny and I end up feeling annoyed at how many quips they cram in there, but in Ragnarok, the humor definitely worked. My personal favorites were the "Get help" scene, Thor's story about Loki turning into a snake and Bruce falling onto the Rainbow Bridge (especially Fenrir's reaction). Those had me laughing uncontrollably. And on the other end of the spectrum, there was quite a lot of emotional weight to both Odin's demise and the fall of Asgard. The movie struck a good balance between the two, keeping things exciting and light-hearted most of the time, but not being afraid to go a little deeper when the situation called for it.

As for the acting, Chris Hemsworth seemed to be really enjoying himself and while I'd often found Thor to be the blandest Avenger in the past, he had a lot more personality and charisma to him here. He was extremely likable and funny, but he was also the hero you rooted for throughout the movie. Cate Blanchett didn't get to do much as Hela, to my disappointment. She looked incredible and she did the best she could with what she was given, but in the end, the Goddess of Death didn't do much in terms of breaking the tradition of one-dimensional, evil-for-the-sake-of-it MCU villains. But she did at least seem to relish and enjoy her evilness. Tessa Thompson stole the movie for me. She was amazing as Valkyrie. She had wonderful chemistry with Thor and I like the idea of the two of them together, she's a much better love interest for him than Jane, but she was by no means reduced to that role here (thankfully!). She was a fully-fledged character with her own arc and personality. She was brash, badass and absolutely deadly in a fight while still having a more vulnerable, softer side and dealing with horrible trauma. She reminded me of Jessica Jones in that way. Watching her go from a drunken scavenger back to a mighty warrior ready to fight for her home and her king was a pleasure. I absolutely loved her and I hope to see more of her in the future MCU movies. Tom Hiddleston delivered as always, Mark Ruffalo was a great addition and Bruce's partnership with Thor was fantastic, and the supporting cast was also very good.

The soundtrack. Man, the soundtrack. 11/10, totally buying it. One of the best I've heard in a while.

The cinematography was gorgeous. So many colors, so many beautiful shots (the one with the Valkyries bathed in light riding towards Hela who was surrounded by darker colors? Holy shit, that looked like a baroque painting. Absolutely stunning). It was a pleasure to watch. The special effects were simply outstanding as well. Fenris/Fenrir was magnificent and let's just say I want ten angry, giant wolves immediately.

I had high hopes for this movie. The first Thor was pretty good, the second was meh (perfectly adequate, but painfully forgettable), but there was a lot of hype around this one and I really wanted it to be great. And it was! I had a blast watching it and I'd definitely see it again. Every standalone hero trilogy in the MCU so far has had at least one fantastic installment. Iron Man had the first one. Captain America had The Winter Soldier. Now, Ragnarok joins the circle. I'm very happy that it turned out as well as it did.

Three words: I. LOVED. IT.

Listen, I'm a simple bitch, okay? Let's establish that right out of the gate. I can make fun of tropes all day long (especially the romantic ones) but in the end, I will eat that shit right up and walk out of the theater with the biggest grin on my face. Arthur and Mera accidentally hold hands and suddenly I turn into your 80-year-old grandma Gladys clutching her pearls and going "oh my". Jason Momoa and Amber Heard are DCEU's new dynamite duo (as much as I love Gal Gadot and Chris Pine, they've been knocked off the top spot for me). Their chemistry makes my skin tingle. Was the romance cliche? Hell yeah it was! And I adored every second of it!

Of course some stuff besides the romance also happens (but who cares about that? Not Gladys, that's for sure). The main plotline of finding the Trident does feel kinda like a treasure hunt with Arthur and Mera hopping from place to place, but because their chemistry and dynamic is just THAT good, it's all very fun and watchable. The villain is... well, he certainly is, eh? Actually there's two of them, but neither really made me feel anything. Still better than Steppenwolf, I guess? Although that's not saying much. The jokes hit more often than they miss and the movie did get a few good laughs out of me. But the more serious moments hit home for me as well, whether it's Arthur's reunion with his mother or his admission that he knows he doesn't deserve the Trident but it's his only hope of saving the people he loves. The tone feels pretty consistent and the transitions between the dramatic and comedic moments don't seem as jarring as in some other DCEU installments. The fight scenes are awesome. Especially the one in Sicily really made me feel pumped.

My favorite scene was by far Mera really experiencing the life on land for the first time. Her wide-eyed wonder (no pun intended, I guess) not only reminded me of Diana arriving in London, but it also had something wonderfully Little Mermaid-like (and not just because of the hair) about it. It was soft. It was pure. It made me feel warm inside. Mera eating the roses and Arthur immediately doing the same? Nobody's ever gonna ride for me this hard. Those are the kind of scenes that ground these huge superhero movies, that make them feel relatable to me and allow me to take a breath and really connect with the characters. And when 20 minutes later Mera goes full Bad Bitch In Charge on those soldiers and kills them with deadly wine spikes? Oh, I just about lost my mind. I want her to murder me. But aside from that entire sequence, there were plenty of other moments that really got my attention: little Arthur at the aquarium, Arthur and Mera's escape from Atlantis (such a fun chase!), our favorite power couple emerging from the ocean looking like they're on Baywatch (it was great, don't @ me), every time Mera used her powers (the glowing eyes!), the list goes on.

The visuals are absolutely stunning. Gone are the dreary grays of some lesser DCEU movies. Instead we get beautiful colors (Atlantis is beyond gorgeous), some great shots (Arthur and Mera swimming with the flare while surrounded by thousands of Trench people is breathtaking) and of course incredible CGI. It's a very aesthetically pleasing movie. And the music! I loved the music. This is one of the soundtracks I'm definitely gonna need to listen to at some point. And it takes some big balls to put a cover of Toto's Africa in your movie. I appreciate that. Some people are definitely gonna cringe when they hear it, but I had the biggest grin on my face.

Overall, this was a very enjoyable ride. It's quite long, but it didn't drag. I was invested in Arthur's journey. I thought the casting was perfect (and gosh darn do Jason Momoa and Amber Heard look good together! That has to be one of the most visually stunning pairings to have ever graced the big screen). And I just... felt super happy afterwards. I still can't stop smiling. It's a good movie not just by DCEU standards, but in general. I'd love to see it again and I'll definitely try to do so over the holidays. I honestly didn't expect to like it as much as I did. What a great surprise.

I'm not sure what to say. I don't know how I expected this show to end. On one hand, I'm okay with this ending, and I think it was a good way to conclude the show. On the other, I feel completely empty inside. It's strange to think that we're not getting another episode next week.

I was sure that John would be the one to die. It made the most sense. He had a good death, fighting until the very end. Still, I cried my eyes out when it happened.

I'm glad that Shaw is alive, and that she has Bear by her side. I loved how she smiled in the last scene. She totally heard Root's voice on the phone.

Finch is finally reunited with Grace!

So The Machine was talking to a version of herself all along. I'd kind of suspected that.

This was a great episode, and the last few minutes of it were bittersweet but also hopeful. The Machine's final monologue was epic. You know how sometimes you hear something so profound and powerful, something that speaks to you so deeply that you have to fight the urge to get it tattooed on your body? That's what I felt like when I heard that monologue. Overall, I'm quite satisfied with the way they tied it all up.

Now, it's time for me to say goodbye.

I discovered Person of Interest quite late - just a few months before season 5 started. I wasn't hooked right away, but I stuck with the show because I'd read stellar reviews online. It took me almost an entire season to really get into it.

And then Root showed up, kidnapped Finch, stole my heart in about 0.2 seconds, and I was officially obsessed. It took me only 10 days to binge-watch seasons 2-4 (after all, who needs school? Who needs sleep?). This show was a wild ride, and I'm grateful that I got to experience it.

Thank you, Person of Interest.

Thank you for giving us compelling storylines, jaw-dropping plot twists and intense action scenes.

Thank you for exploring fascinating themes, such as AI and the true meaning of humanity.

Thank you for gorgeous cinematography, spectacular score and special effects that blockbuster movies could be jealous of.

Thank you for phenomenal characters, fantastic relationships, consistent characterization and incredible character development.

Thank you for starting my obsession with Amy Acker, which resulted in me binge-watching 19 episodes of Angel in one day (no, I do not possess amazing impulse control).

Thank you for making me laugh, making me cry, making me think, making me lose sleep over you.

Is there something about this show that I'm not happy with? Absolutely. I wish CBS hadn't acted like dicks and had given us a full season instead of measly 13 episodes. I wish Root hadn't died, and a part of me will always be bitter about it. I wish Shaw and Root had had more time. I wish they had paced the final season better (Root and Shaw are reunited after 10 months and over 7,000 simulations, Root dies in the following episode, and then we get a case of the week as if nothing happened? That's just bullshit right there), but I also know that the showrunners tried to do the best they could with a reduced number of episodes. And overall, they succeeded, making Person of Interest one of very few TV shows that were just as, if not more, exquisite in their last season as they were in their first.

Goodbye, Person of Interest. You will always be one of my favorite TV shows of all time. I don't think I'll ever get to watch something as engaging, thrilling, smart, thought-provoking, heartbreaking and powerful as you again.

No. No. I refuse to believe this.

I'm not crying, not yet. But I have this horrible, cold, twisting sensation in my stomach that usually means I'm nervous. Right now it means that my worst nightmares have come true.

I can't say that I didn't expect Root to die, but I didn't expect it to happen before the series finale, and even then, my silly, naive heart still hoped against all hope that she'd miraculously survive.

Root died protecting Harold, fighting for a cause she believed in. She transcended death and became The Machine's voice. They couldn't have possibly come up with a more fitting end for her character, but that doesn't mean I'm the tiniest bit okay with her dying. I feel sick, to be honest. I can't breathe. I don't know how to process this. Is this what heartbreak feels like? It sucks. It sucks so badly.

It's no secret that I loved Root. I absolutely adored her. She was one of my favorite characters of all time, and her journey from an antagonist to a hero was nothing short of extraordinary. I feel like a part of me died with her, and I don't think I'll ever get it back.

I can't focus because my feelings are overwhelming me. It was a brilliant episode. Great action, great Harold speech in that interrogation room, great Root/Shaw scenes... I need to scream into my pillow. Root just got Shaw back! It's not fair!

How am I supposed to live after this?

Everything hurts, and nothing matters anymore.

I think I need a hug.

Okay, so apparently this episode aired a day early in Canada? Thank you, Canada. You rock.

That being said, my mind is filled with incomprehensible yelling, and my hands are shaking, so I'll keep this one brief.

Have we just watched Shaw's Winter Soldier origin story?

Sarah Shahi was on fire, hot damn. What an amazing performance.

I was sure that Shaw's escape wasn't real the moment I saw that random-ass boat. Way too convenient. Then the episode made me doubt a few times whether it was a simulation or reality, but in the end it turned out to be exactly what I'd suspected from the beginning.

I'd been waiting to see my baby Shaw again for so long, but I wasn't prepared for that. God, I can't deal with my emotions. It's too much.

I just really want them to kill Greer, all right? Slowly and painfully. Hell, I'd kill that asshole myself if I could.

If the simulation was in Shaw's head, why wasn't it from her point of view? And have those creeps watched Shoot bang every time they've run it?

This episode was unbelievably sad, and I'll probably still be crying about it next week, but Sarah Shahi tearing apart Amy Acker's shirt might just be the greatest thing I've ever witnessed with my own two eyes. Is there any chance we'll get some more of that when Root and Shaw are finally reunited in the real world?

Shaw has chosen to put a bullet in her head 6,741 times instead of killing Root. I'm bawling. Ultimate OTP goals right there.

What an exquisite episode. It struck the perfect balance between heartbreaking and awesome. Easily one of the best they've ever done and definitely in my top 3.

I'll be on the floor sobbing uncontrollably if anyone would like to join me.

Person of Interest has finally returned from war! And as sad as I am that this season is the last one, it's always better for a TV show to end after 5 seasons and be remembered as spectacular than to drag on for 10 seasons and become an unrecognisable, unwatchable caricature of itself. It seems that they want to go out with a bang, and they're bringing out the big guns this season - literally and figuratively. This episode was fantastic. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time.

Harold's moral dilemma and his interactions with The Machine made me emotional. Who knew I'd get so attached to an AI? And he called her "she"!

Once again, Root defied the dead lesbian trope and survived being shot at not once, not twice, but three freaking times! With LGBT characters dropping like flies on other shows (which is insane, by the way, and needs to stop immediately), I'm extremely happy that my favorite perky psycho is still alive. That could change, of course, with stakes being higher than ever this season, but for now, I'm just going to enjoy the fact that she's made it this far. The writers have always treated the characters with respect and I trust them to do Root justice, whether she survives this season or not.

"You can just call me Root, bitch."

I love her so much. So much.

Also, Root and John working together was a nice thing. She has built such amazing relationships with Harold and Shaw in the last few years, but she hasn't interacted with John all that much, which is a shame because they're so similar in many ways, and they make a good team. I really hope we'll see more of that.

I didn't pay that much attention to Fusco's storyline, but it's obvious he won't let go, and he'll probably find himself way over his head. Well, won't be the first time. We shall see where his investigation leads him.

Looking forward to next week. I have a strong feeling that this may just be the best season of all.

Another great episode. Probably one of my favourites of the entire show, to be honest.

I couldn't stop cracking up for the first 5 minutes. The scene with The Machine experiencing a facial recognition error was shown at New York Comic Con last October. I watched it on YouTube months ago, and I thought it was pure gold, but I was sure it was just a fun, little bonus. I never expected it to be an actual scene from an actual episode, but I'm so glad it is. The cast's impressions of each other were hilarious. Amy Acker's Reese and Finch were particularly on point. We also got Root in bunny slippers and her and Finch redecorating the subway. It was nice to have some happy stuff before things got serious again.

The Machine going crazy was really sad for me, especially when Harold realised that she was suffering, reliving her deaths over and over. His speech about things not being black and white and about people doing their best really touched me. Harold was a different man when he created The Machine, and since then he's had to learn that good and bad aren't always mutually exclusive, which is exactly what The Machine needed to understand in this episode. I love how they draw parallels between The Machine and her human agents.

How great is the relationship between Root and Harold? They've come so far. She kidnapped him when they first met, and now they're working together, fighting against Samaritan together, living together, and he's willing to sacrifice The Machine if he has to choose between her and Root? I'm in tears. And Bear likes Root too!

Of course that random guy we saw in the middle of the episode wasn't random. I really should've seen it coming.

The ending was amazing as well. Team Machine on a picnic? That's some fanfiction shit right there, and I love it. I know it won't last, but they deserve some peace and quiet every once in a while.

Wow. This episode was insane. Let's hope the finale is even better.

Harold casually strolling into an NSA facility to upload a super virus. I've never thought he was capable of pulling something like that off, but I love this darker version of him.

The simulations were my favorite part of the episode. It was interesting to see what the characters' lives would look like without The Machine. I'm thrilled that we got to see evil Root again. It made me realize (not for the first time) just how phenomenal Root's character development had been.

To quote Harold himself: "Anyone who looks on the world as if it were a game of chess deserves to lose". Samaritan's going down! But I hate the way they handled Greer's death, to be honest. He didn't deserve to die on his own terms. I wanted Shaw to kill him, preferably in a very painful, very creative way that would've made Game of Thrones look family-friendly in comparison. I wanted him to watch Samaritan burn. Why can't we have nice things?

I need to start preparing myself for next week. Don't get me wrong, I love all the main characters, but if Root's the only one to die this season, I will be bitter forever. I'm expecting a bloodbath, and I hope the writers don't disappoint me.

Daisy Johnson and Daniel Sousa being a potential ship is honestly the biggest plot twist of 2020, but I'm not mad about it. I was already like :eyes: when he pretended to be her fiancé last episode and this week has really solidified them for me. The chemistry is there. The vibe is there. All their scenes together are gold. Plus, we know Sousa likes a badass woman. I love how his "I'm right where I need to be" line at the end, in which he was probably referring to the Zephyr and helping save the world could very well also be referring to being at Daisy's side while she heals. They'd be great together.

Speaking of Daisy, I am thoroughly underwhelmed by how little Quaking we've seen so far this season. Damn Nathaniel Malick managed to cause more destruction before he dropped dead (or did he though) than she did in 6 episodes. Hopefully the healing chamber restores her powers after what that asshole put her through. Daisy getting tortured or used for somebody else's gain is an unfortunate recurring theme on this show.

Jemma's secret was pretty easy to figure out to be honest, I've seen many theories about the device in her neck suppressing her memories. FitzSimmons continue to be tragic as always.

Coulson's "yo I'm a bad bitch, you can't kill me" moment was funny as hell. Just casually getting blown up because he knows he'll return somehow.

Mack's parents turning out to be Chronicoms was horrible. His younger self literally got orphaned! His memories will all change! Or at least they should. Time travel is very confusing.

I wonder what happened to the Zephyr and what time period it jumped to. If we're following the pattern, it should be the 90s. I need to see what Daisy will pick as her 90s attire.

We're halfway through the season and halfway through the list. This one won't suprise anybody:
3x05 "4,722 Hours"
Granted, I could have done without Will and I think the episode would've had an even bigger emotional impact if Jemma had been alone the whole time, but still, this episode perfectly showcased Elizabeth Henstridge's acting chops and let her shine. She absolutely deserved it. AoS had never done a bottle episode before so this was an interesting change of pace for a show that relies strongly on its ensemble. Every minute of this episode was stellar, especially the beginning and Jemma's struggle to survive. The hopelessness of not being able to find water at first, the triumph of overpowering an alien creature and using it for food, coping with loneliness by talking to Fitz... I FELT it all. It was a masterclass both in acting and character writing.

Time travel is my favorite thing in the world. Literally nothing gives me more joy than a ragtag team in a futuristic vessel visitng different points in history. Whether it's Doctor Who, Legends of Tomorrow (the only good Arrowverse show we have left, I said what I said), Timeless (deserved 7 seasons tbh) or now Agents of SHIELD, the serotonin rush I get from watching some chaotic neutrals running around in period clothing is indescribable. Can't wait to see what our favorite Agents plus Sousa are gonna do (and more importantly, wear) now that they're in the 70s (that song at the end is from the 70s, right?). Another thing that I love to see in my TV shows are film noir episodes. Framing Coulson's inner monologue and the black and white as his systems malfunctioning was pretty nifty. The whole intrigue with Sousa's death was well-crafted and I'm glad he's gonna stick around. Poor Enoch got absolutely no love, hopefully he will be reunited with the team eventually. May being an empath is so cool! Didn't see that coming but looking back it makes perfect sense. Overall, this episode was a blast. Season 7 has really forced me to reconsider my top 10. The showrunners said that this season was an opportunity for them to have fun and celebrate the show and it definitely shows.

And now, for the next episode in my Top 10 (that you're undoubtedly chomping at the bit to see):
2x10 "What They Become"
Season 2 was really hard to narrow down since it's one of my favorites. Another strong contender from the first half of that season was 2x05 "A Hen in the Wolf House", which gets an honorable mention because it gave us Bobbi Morse and finally revealed what Jemma had been up to while she was gone. But "What They Become", just like "Turn, Turn, Turn" from last week, was a total game changer for the show. This is the episode where Skye meets her father and learns that her name is actually Daisy, this is the episode where she goes through Terrigenesis and we get a first glimpse of her powers. When she quaked off that cocoon... that was a cultural reset. This was a mid-season finale to rule all mid-season finales, which combined with an unbearable 3-MONTH-LONG (!!!) break afterwards puts it in the iconic category instantly.

That 70s opening sequence has to be the best one we've ever had (also they really said fuck Fitz lives by not including him, huh).

First of all, what the hell is going on with Jemma? That glowing thing in her neck can't be good. They must've done something to her during that time in the season 6 finale before she came back in the revamped Zephyr. I'm worried. And I'm even more worried about Daisy and that asshole trying to steal her powers. Actually, pretty much everything went sideways in this episode, from the Chronicoms using poor Mack's parents as leverage to Sousa yelling at Jemma (leave her alone!) to him and Daisy getting kidnapped. May introducing herself as "Chastity McBride" was really funny though and so was Patrick Warburton's character. Daisy calling Coulson "Dad" was an underrated moment that I absolutely loved. Enoch appearing in the nick of time to fast and furious the team out of trouble made me grin. And what I wouldn't give to see the look on Sousa's face when Daisy tells him that her powers are not a result of a serum, but a metamorphosis she went through when some space crystals triggered the latent alien genes in her DNA. Also, Daisy continues to be a total fashion icon. That outfit had me quaking (I'll show myself out).

And this week on Agents of SHIELD Throwback Edition:
2x21 & 2x22 "S.O.S Part 1 & 2"
Okay, so these are technically two episodes but it's a two-part story, so you can't really talk about one without the other. The reason they are on this list is because it's highkey my favorite season finale of AoS ever. Daisy's mom literally trying to murder her? Daisy's fight with that Inhuman who could clone herself? Ward shooting Kara instead of May? Bobbi being tortured by Ward (remember those needles???), breaking free, fighting him, getting tied to a chair to watch Hunter die and taking a bullet for him? Daisy going to see Carl and giving up the name she chose for herself to honor her dad? Simmons getting eaten by a rock? Honestly, SHIELD always pulls through when it comes to their season finales, but the raw energy of this one is unmatched. Truly legendary in every way.

I'm actually glad that we're back to one episode a week. It means that I can enjoy the show for a bit longer.

Harold was the most interesting part of the episode. He's really willing to do anything at this point, which is a completely new side of his character.

It's been a week since I had to say goodbye to the love of my life. I miss the real Root like hell, but The Machine with her voice is great. When She said She'd loved Root, I couldn't help but smile. And the way She experiences love is fascinating.

I know a lot of people weren't satisfied with Shaw's reaction to Root's death, but to me, it was all perfectly in character for her. Shaw wouldn't cry, she'd go out there and shoot people, which is exactly what she did in this episode. But it killed me to see her spinning on the roundabout. Why is this show constantly making me suffer?

Since Harold went rogue in the previous episode, they had to give the rest of the team something to do, leaving us with pretty much another case-of-the-week episode. The storyline was interesting, but I'm kind of disappointed, to be honest. I can't explain it. Maybe my standards were impossibly high after last week, or maybe I'd thought that the last three episodes of the series would focus entirely on kicking Samaritan's ass. But overall, it was a great episode, as always, and I'm excited for next week.

That feeling when you have to go to school, and you can't watch the episode until you get home in the afternoon... Well, dear teachers, if you really expect me to put Maths or History ahead of one of my favorite shows' final season, you're seriously underestimating my obsession with fictional characters. I swear, tomorrow I'm getting up at 5 AM just to catch the next episode before classes.

The beginning of the episode was amazing. My multilingual baby Shaw in a cowboy hat? This is the stuff that dreams are made of.

Root with a big-ass gun is my new OTP.

ROOT AND SHAW! I'm screeching like a dying pterodactyl right now! Both actresses absolutely nailed that scene. Amy Acker's eyes are just inhumanly expressive. It's hypnotizing to watch. They should have their own award category. I wish that Person of Interest and its exquisite cast got more recognition because they absolutely deserve it. It's sad that even the show's own station doesn't appreciate it.

"The one person I couldn't kill... was you."

Everything hurts, and I'm crying. It's a good pain, though. The kind of pain that makes you feel alive.

The Voice was a compelling villain, and the plot twist was as unexpected as it was incredible.

The shootout at the precinct was an awesome scene.

Elias and Harold had a lot of good scenes too. Elias blowing up The Voice's car was great. I totally thought they'd really let him go, which would have been stupid, but that's how Harold rolls, so I would've understood it. Still, I was pleasantly surprised that they didn't just let the bad guy get away.

Fusco knows! Finally!

The whole team at the end made me cry even harder. Is this show trying to kill me?

4 episodes to go. I can't deal with this.

Excellent mid-season finale. Can't wait for the next 8 episodes to drop in the fall. What I love about Redemption is that it understands what made the original Leverage so good and uses it - that shouldn't be a surprise considering that both shows were created by the same people and have the same executive producers, but it's been 8 years since Leverage wrapped, so it wasn't a given that everything would come together as nicely as it did. We could've used more Hardison, but I understand Aldis had other commitments. Hopefully he'll pop up more often in the second half of the season. Breanna is a good character though and I enjoyed watching her. She and Harry fit in with the rest of the team really well. Nate's presence was heavily felt throughout these 8 episodes (and especially in this one) and even though I was never fully on board with his and Sophie's romance (she could do better), I did tear up a little when she realized that Nate never mentioned her to anyone because she was too important to him (on the other hand, that means that he was apparently like "yeah, fuck these guys" when it came to blabbering about the OT3). I kind of like that there isn't really a clear mastermind/team leader in Redemption - Sophie and Parker seem to split that role most of the time, but overall the whole planning aspect feels more like a team effort this time around. The cons were super entertaining and creative as always, and you can tell that everyone involved had a lot of fun making this, which is always nice to see. I'm looking forward to more shenanigans and I definitely wouldn't be mad if they decided to do another season after the first one wraps. I honestly feel like I could watch this chaotic bunch forever and not get bored.

The hospital storyline was thrilling, but it got overshadowed by Shaw's escape. That was a wild ride.

I legitimately laughed when Shaw shot Lambert. He really had it coming. Confronting Shaw without a bulletproof vest or backup was one of the stupidest things I've ever seen on this show. Maybe even the stupidest since the list of dumb stuff on Person of Interest isn't very long. It's one of the best TV shows I've ever had the pleasure of watching, after all.

Root only had a handful of scenes in this episode, which was kind of a disappointment after the previous one. On the other hand, we got Root in glasses and a lab coat, so I won't complain. Can Amy Acker please stop doing that thing with her face? You know, the thing where she's so goddamn stunning and perfect? I can't handle it.

It seems that I've developed trust issues, and even though I'm 99.9% sure that this time Shaw really got away from Samaritan, a part of me is still afraid that there'll be some cruel plot twist. I can't wait for next week. Hopefully we'll finally get a Shaw/Root reunion. It's about damn time.

Do you guys realize that there are only 5 episodes left? How am I supposed to live after this show ends?

Leverage is my ultimate comfort show. I only watched it for the first time last year, but I loved it immediately. It's got a fantastic bunch of characters, the found family trope, a cool heist in every episode, wacky hijinks that make you wheeze with laughter, and a fun, campy tone that's so refreshing in a world where more and more shows take themselves way too seriously. I started rewatching the original show last month in preparation for the revival (of course I timed it wrong and didn't manage to finish, but whatever), and it holds up so well on the second viewing. Not many shows manage to make me smile and say "God, I love this so much" after almost every episode, but Leverage is one of those rare gems. And thankfully the first episode of Redemption left me with the same bubbly feeling. The original cast members have barely aged (they're all looking :fire::fire::fire:) and the chemistry between them is as good as ever. Nate was always my least favorite of the bunch, so I don't miss him all that much. Harry seems like he'll be a good addition to the team. The first 10 minutes of the episode did feel just a little rusty, but after that it kept improving and by the end the Leverage we know and love was fully back. The banter is there, the chaotic energy is there, the fun is there. I'm honestly really pleased so far. Now, if they could just canonically give us the OT3... It's time.

WARNING: THE FOLLOWING COMMENT IS RATED S FOR "SAPPY AS HELL". PROCEED WITH CAUTION.

We all know a bad series finale can ruin the entire show, which is why I've been feeling on edge all week. I just wanted a satisfying ending for my team. And, for the most part, I got one.

I started crying as soon as they said the team would never be all in the same room again. And then Deke made a sacrifice to stay in the altered timeline! It made me so emotional, but it was also funny (the way Sousa tried to be all heroic only for Deke to just… go full Deke on him). He’s gonna be just fine. I almost dread to think what SHIELD looks like under his leadership, but I'm sure it's equal parts hilarious and insane.

Fitz guiding Jemma to get her to remember was lovely. Iain and Elizabeth brought their A game, as always. I’ve missed that good old Caestridge magic.

The way they brought the whole thing full circle to the season 6 finale… Genius. The logistics of time travel made my head hurt, though. It’s way too complex for me.

”- Nice flying there.
- That used to be all I did.”
Yeah, like a million years ago. That line got a smile out of me. The season 1 nostalgia is real. Everybody gives the pre-Winter Soldier episodes so much flack, but I really enjoyed those early case-of-the-week shenanigans.

Daisy and Bitch Boy’s showdown paired with Cavalry dropping from the ceiling made me SCREAM. When Daisy blew up those Chronicom ships... Avengers? I don't know them. I only know one superhero and her name is Daisy freaking Johnson. The movies wish they had her. For a minute I really thought she was dead and my heart stopped. I wouldn't put it past the writers to kill her off. The Whedons have never met a surprise death scene they didn't like. But she’s okay! And Kora saved her! I’m fine (* narrator voice * she was not fine).

So like I predicted FitzSimmons had a child. A very blonde, very cute child. Her little voice made me tear up even more, if that’s even possible. That adorable accent!

I'm glad we didn't see the actual goodbye because that would've been too much for me. But I also don't fully understand why they decided to break up the band in the end other than because Enoch and Fitz told them they would. Even though they're still in each other's lives at the end, after 7 seasons of watching them become a family it hurts to see that they're all separated. It's just not the same.

During the last 10 minutes of the episode all the remaining self-control I had went out the window. The waterworks were flowing. Especially when Daisy was the last one left in the room, it really felt like we were watching the character as much as we were watching Chloe herself get hit with the realization that it's over. That broke me. Also, I don't buy for a second that they only do the futuristic Zoom thing once a year. Sure, maybe not all together, but Daisy and Jemma definitely talk like three times a week and they all 100% have a group chat going on that consists mostly of cute videos of Alya and Daisy sending memes (May never says anything but she reads every single message and Coulson uses the wrong emojis all the time). This is what I choose to believe. And none of it contradicts what's been said in canon, so I'm sticking by it. But aside from that minor gripe about the frequency of their communication, I really liked the ending. FitzSimmons are happy with their daughter, May is teaching (which oddly suits her) at a new SHIELD academy named after Coulson and Flint is one of her students, Daisy is in space with Sousa and Kora, Mack and YoYo are still in the field, Coulson and Lola are reunited (the real OTP of this show), even Davis is back! All my babies are okay! That’s all I wanted!

Well, not true. All I wanted was for this show to never end. But it did, as all good things must. And it did so on its own terms, despite everything working against it.

Now comes the truly sappy part.

7 seasons. 136 episodes. And it all ends here.

In October 2014, I was a 16-year-old casual Marvel fan who stumbled upon this show by chance one Saturday afternoon and pressed play on the pilot episode without thinking too much of it. It’s been nearly 6 years since that fateful day and out of all my shows I’ve been watching this one the longest and the most consistently by far. It’s been such a steady presence in my life that I still can’t fully comprehend that there’s not going to be any more episodes to look forward to. Agents of SHIELD has taken root in my heart and ingrained itself in me more deeply than any other piece of media has ever done, which makes this goodbye all the more difficult for me.

Now, I am not going to claim that this show was perfect. But at its best, Agents of SHIELD was an absolute non-stop thrill ride filled with awe-inspiring CGI (especially for a network show!) and exciting fight scenes, jaw-dropping plot twists and well-crafted intrigues, laugh-out-loud humor and heart-wrenching angst, brilliant acting and skillful writing. And most importantly, it had a group of amazing characters at its center, characters who got under my skin and never left, whose adventures I followed with bated breath, whose joy and laughter and pain and tears I felt and shared time and time again. For those characters, for everything I got to experience with them and through them, for all the ways they have enriched my life, I am truly, deeply grateful. I can only say, from the bottom of my heart: thank you.

Thank you for Phil Coulson, the dad to outdad all dads, who gave his life to the cause more than once; whose unwavering belief in his team and everything they stood for was a foundation that the entire show rested on; and whose cheesy one-liners never failed to get a smile from me.

Thank you for Melinda May, our Cavalry, whose many demons never managed to consume her heart; who fashioned her jagged edges into a weapon to protect the people she cared about; who went through hell and unspeakable trauma and came out the other side fighting, always fighting the good fight.

Thank you for Leo Fitz, the man who loved a woman so much that he jumped through a hole in the universe to find her; whose brilliant mind saved the day too many times to count; who suffered so much but always stood for what he believed in, no matter the cost.

Thank you for Jemma Simmons, the girl with two PhDs and a million questions who looked to the stars and yearned for an adventure; who survived being stranded on an alien planet and traveled farther than she ever could’ve imagined; who never backed down, never gave up, never surrendered, even in the face of the most insurmountable odds.

Thank you for my darling Daisy Johnson, a lonely girl without a home or a name who dreamt of a family and built herself one; who went from a hacktivist living in a van to an earth-quaking superhero; who carried the weight of the world on her shoulders but refused to let it break her; who had a blazing fire burning within that nothing, no matter how painful or horrible, could ever snuff out.

Thank you for Mack, YoYo and Deke, who joined the team a little further down the line and became invaluable members of SHIELD. Thank you for Bobbi, Hunter and Lincoln, who I was sad to say goodbye to. Thank you for Ward, who all of us loved to hate. Thank you for every single character, whether main, recurring or guest, for every hero and villain, ally and enemy, everyone who contributed to making Agents of SHIELD what it was.

To my favorite cast, especially my OGs Clark, Ming, Chloe, Lil and Iain, who brought these characters to life and blessed us with their talent every week, and to everyone who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to make the best show possible: you guys absolutely rock. I wish all of you the best of luck and many, many more successful projects in the future.

Goodbye, my favorite team. I’ll miss you like hell.

If you’re still reading this, thank you for sticking by me while I went through 5 stages of grief in roughly 1,200 words. I feel like I need to stare at the ceiling for a while until the void that this show left inside of me feels a little less cold and overwhelming.