Another comic villain comes through to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and a frequently mentioned but never seen character shows up on screen for the first time.

Cast and Crew Information

Clark Gregg as Phil Coulson
Ming-Na Wen as Melinda May
Brett Dalton as Grant Ward
Chloe Bennet as Skye
Iain De Caestecker as Leo Fitz
Elizabeth Henstridge as Jemma Simmons
BJ Britt as Agent Triplett
Patrick Brennan as Marcus Daniels / Blackout
Amy Acker as Audrey Nathan
Patton Oswalt as Eric Koenig

Written by Monica Owusu-Breen
Directed by Vincent Misiano

Premise

The team is divided, with Coulson’s group heading out to protect the Cellist from Marcus Daniels (the original Blackout from the first Nova series, not the second Blackout from Ghost Rider) and the rest staying in Providence try to pull the footage of the Fridge assault.

High Point

There is an incredible tension during the intercutting between the climaxes of the two story lines.

Low Point

Um… if those were gamma rays, they wouldn’t look like brighter white light…

The Review

The originality of this episode is good. It’s pulling threads together, but has progressed from action series to suspense/thriller. The next three episodes will finish the first season, and I honestly don’t know how this will play out. I suspect one addition to the team, but the rest is a blank. I like that. It doesn’t happen often. I give it 5 out of 6.

The effects were predominantly physical in this one, which was a perfect fit to the emotional emphasis of all threats. I give it 6 out of 6.

The story is very well structured, maintaining the comparable emotional beats of both stories right in parallel. The orientation sequence was very well written as well. I give it 6 out of 6.

The acting was the core of this episode. Every story thread in this episode depends more on the performance of the actors than on the writing, and this cast carried it. Chloe Bennet is particularly impressive this time out. I give it 6 out of 6.

The production is the typical rock solid Mutant Enemy production. I give it 6 out of 6.

The emotional response is great. This pulled it all together while leaving a lot of story threads open. I give it 6 out of 6.

Overall, this is another strong episode. Now that Captain America: Winter Soldier is out this can fire on all cylinders. I give it 5 out of 6.

In total, The Only Light in the Darkness receives 40 out of 42.