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"You don't know what those people mean to me. Don't say that they're nothing. Don't say that."
"No, no. They're a reflection of you. Who you truly are. One of the good ones. The real deal."
Phil Coulson and Mike Peterson

The Real Deal is the twelfth episode of the fifth season of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Synopsis[]

In the milestone 100th episode, Coulson finally reveals the mysterious deal he made with Ghost Rider, which will impact everyone on the team.

Plot[]

Deke Fake Kree

Deke Shaw is attacked by a Kree Warrior

Leo Fitz sends D.W.A.R.F.s in the storage room of the Lighthouse where the Kree Orb exploded and destroyed the three Monoliths, but the drones end up destroyed. Meanwhile, Daisy Johnson and Deke Shaw gather medical supplies for Yo-Yo Rodriguez, who tells Alphonso Mackenzie that she intends to remain and fight, despite the loss of her arms. Johnson and Shaw are attacked by a Kree Warrior who nearly kills Shaw before being shot by Johnson and vanishing in the air.

The Real Deal 2

S.H.I.E.L.D. discovers the Fear Dimension

Johnson and Shaw report the attack to their friends and Fitz hypothesizes that the destruction of the three Monoliths caused the creation of a space-time rift opening onto what Fitz calls the Fear Dimension, which taps in their minds to physically manifest their fears: the Kree Warrior, but also recreations of Lash and a subterranean forest which frightens Shaw. Fitz uses Shaw's Gravity Puck to create a Gravity Containment Device which can close the rift. However, the plan requires someone to be ready to sacrifice himself and Phil Coulson offers to be the one.

Coulson Distress

Phil Coulson faints due to his wounds

Johnson, Melinda May and Fitz oppose to the idea of sending Coulson, claiming that they all need him. While Fitz suggests to send Piper and Johnson offers to go herself, Coulson refuses both the propositions, assuming that S.H.I.E.L.D. needs Johnson. A furious argument erupts as Johnson states that S.H.I.E.L.D. no longer exists and that she is the only one who can do the mission. Coulson tries to reply, but he faints due to a sudden respiratory distress. As he regains consciousness, he gives instructions to Shaw who leaves the Lighthouse, and goes to find his friends. Upon getting out, Shaw spots the military as General Hale journeyed to River's End since Johnson was reported by Officer A. Kennedy.

Coulson Daisy Hug

Phil Coulson and Daisy Johnson share a hug

Coulson reveals the consequences of the deal he made with the Spirit of Vengeance to defeat Aida: the demonic being possession cancelled the effects of the GH.325 which had repaired Coulson's damaged tissue in the heart and lungs. As a result, the tissue went necrotic and the necrosis spreads, meaning Coulson is dying. Infuriated and overrun with grief, Johnson leaves the place while May blames Coulson for not having disclosed his condition earlier. Coulson goes to find Johnson and the two have an emotional moment with Johnson telling Coulson that he is everything she believes in. Both of them embrace as Johnson cries.

Rodriguez is attacked by another recreation in the form of an LMD of Simmons, which is destroyed by the real Simmons as it tried to smother Rodriguez with a pillow. Figuring out that the Fear Dimension is expanding and that they are running out of time, Coulson confirms his intent to do the mission after a talk with May. Fitz gives Coulson the Gravity Containment Device along with a gun, and Coulson has Fitz promising that whatever happens, Fitz and Simmons will marry as this will give hope and happiness to the others.

The Real Deal 28

The recreation of Mike Peterson generated by the rift

Coulson takes the elevator down to the deepest levels of the Lighthouse, where he encounters a recreation of Mike Peterson. Peterson assumes that he is not hostile and that he will not try anything to stop Coulson. However, Peterson also hints that Coulson is still on the operation table while being resurrected and that everything he thought had happened, from the creation of his team to the events in year 2091, is made up by Coulson's mind from his memories, his regrets and the surgeries performed on him.

Deathlok SHIELD Reinforcement

Deathlok and the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents gathered by Deke Shaw

Peterson seems to convince Coulson and begins taking him to the space-time rift. However, Coulson eventually stops and claims that he does not believe Peterson. The recreation gets angry and intends to force Coulson to cross the rift, but it is destroyed by the real Deathlok, who has been brought to the Lighthouse along with other S.H.I.E.L.D. agents gathered by Shaw.

Spacetime Rift Contained

The rift is contained by the Gravity Containment Device

Coulson and Deathlok fight several other recreations from the Fear Dimension: Lash, the Vrellnexians and Hive, all of which are destroyed by their combined efforts. In the end, Coulson activates the Gravity Containment Device, which successfully closes the space-time rift, enabling Coulson to return to his friends unscathed.

The Real Deal 21

Leo Fitz and Jemma Simmons get married

Following this success, all the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, including the reinforcements found by Shaw, meet at the underground forest created out of Shaw's mind. Coulson and Shaw accompany Fitz to his wedding with Simmons. Fitz and Simmons exchange their wedding vows in which they express their eternal love and their happiness of having found each other and they are finally married with their friends cheering after all the ordeals their relationship had to overcome. During the ceremony, Shaw informs Deathlok that the ring Simmons is wearing looks exactly like the one his mother used to wear and which came from his grandmother, unaware that Fitz and Simmons actually are his grandparents. At the same time, Hale discovers that Shaw's DNA matches with Fitz's and Simmons'.

Cast[]

Main Cast:

Guest Stars:

Appearances[]

Locations[]

Events[]

Items[]

Vehicles[]

Sentient Species[]

Creatures[]

Organizations[]

Mentioned[]

Trivia[]

  • When Mike Peterson's recreation is talking to Phil Coulson, he uses several phrases that Coulson himself used when talking to the real Mike Peterson during the two's confrontation at the end of the first episode, Pilot: namely, "It matters who you are" and "The good ones, the real deal". Mike also tells Coulson that, above all, he wants "a chance to be a hero"; Pilot ends with Mike being incapacitated after telling Coulson "I could, you know? Be a hero."
    • "The real deal" is not only the episode's title, but also eludes to Mike attempting to convince Coulson that his life since he was killed was a dream, and therefore not "the real deal".
  • The recreation of Mike Peterson suggests to Phil Coulson that everything he has experienced over the course of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is a falsehood his mind has created on his deathbed. Joss Whedon jokingly made a similar suggestion in an interview with IGN in 2015 while promoting Avengers: Age of Ultron.[1] Although Coulson could not know it, it is actually impossible for his resurrection and all subsequent events to have been a fabrication, because Coulson on his deathbed would have no knowledge of any event taking place after 2012 (such as the existence of Ultron or HYDRA's continued survival and uprising).
  • The title sequence of the episode is made from several other title sequences, including the one which was used from Season One, the ones used for the three pods Ghost Rider, LMD and Agents of HYDRA from Season Four and the Season Five opening sequences featuring Earth as pieces and a whole.

References[]

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External Links[]

Season One Pilot0-8-4The AssetEye-SpyGirl in the Flower DressFZZTThe HubThe WellRepairsThe BridgeThe Magical PlaceSeedsT.R.A.C.K.S.T.A.H.I.T.I.Yes MenEnd of the BeginningTurn, Turn, TurnProvidenceThe Only Light in the DarknessNothing PersonalRagtagBeginning of the End
Season Two ShadowsHeavy is the HeadMaking Friends and Influencing PeopleFace My EnemyA Hen in the Wolf HouseA Fractured HouseThe Writing on the WallThe Things We Bury...Ye Who Enter HereWhat They BecomeAftershocksWho You Really AreOne of UsLove in the Time of HYDRAOne Door ClosesAfterlifeMelindaThe Frenemy of My EnemyThe Dirty Half Dozen ScarsS.O.S. Part OneS.O.S. Part Two
Season Three Laws of NaturePurpose in the MachineA Wanted (Inhu)manDevils You Know4,722 HoursAmong Us Hide...Chaos TheoryMany Heads, One TaleClosureMavethBouncing BackThe Inside ManParting ShotWatchdogsSpacetimeParadise LostThe TeamThe SingularityFailed ExperimentsEmancipationAbsolutionAscension
Season Four The GhostMeet the New BossUprisingLet Me Stand Next to Your FireLockupThe Good SamaritanDeals With Our DevilsThe Laws of Inferno DynamicsBroken PromisesThe PatriotWake UpHot Potato SoupBOOMThe Man Behind the ShieldSelf ControlWhat If...Identity and ChangeNo RegretsAll the Madame's MenFarewell, Cruel World!The ReturnWorld's End
Season Five Orientation Part OneOrientation Part TwoA Life SpentA Life EarnedRewindFun & GamesTogether or Not at AllThe Last DayBest Laid PlansPast LifeAll the Comforts of HomeThe Real DealPrincipiaThe Devil ComplexRise and ShineInside VoicesThe HoneymoonAll Roads Lead...Option TwoThe One Who Will Save Us AllThe Force of GravityThe End
Season Six Missing PiecesWindow of OpportunityFear and Loathing on the Planet of KitsonCode YellowThe Other ThingInescapableToldjaCollision Course Part OneCollision Course Part TwoLeapFrom the AshesThe SignNew Life
Season Seven The New DealKnow Your OnionsAlien Commies from the Future!Out of the PastA Trout in the MilkAdapt or DieThe Totally Excellent Adventures of Mack and the DAfter, BeforeAs I Have Always BeenStolenBrand New DayThe End is at HandWhat We're Fighting For
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