Recap: Avengers EMH (Micro-Episode 9) "Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D."

Instead of Iron Man, like in Micro-Episodes 1, 4, and 6, the perspective for this episode has been passed on to Nick Fury. Who is an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. In case you didn't know.

Was I clear enough on that?

We open on a S.H.I.E.L.D. aircraft transporting prisoners to the Vault, which is a subterranean prison connected to a high up aircraft-docking tower. The only way to escape is either on a S.H.I.E.L.D. aircraft, or falling to your death.

The craft lands, and the HYDRA goon drop off is overseen by Nick Fury, which doesn’t go unnoticed by the agent who asks him why he’s here.

Nick Fury: “Thought I’d check in on our ‘mutual friend,” see what he knows.”

As he and Hill enter the elevator, he tells Hill to explain some important background information to the audience. I mean, tell him what she knows about the Vault.

Hill: “The Vault is the first of the supervillain prisons, specifically built to hold tech-based criminals and their gear. Designed by Tony Stark, until he decided to stop working on S.H.I.E.L.D. projects. Current high-profile occupant include Crimson Dynamo, Technovore, MODOK, and…”
Nick Fury: “And HYDRA’s boss. Baron Wolfgang vonStrucker.”

As he says this, they’ve arrived at his cylindrical glass cell where the one-armed geezer sits, reading a book.

vonStrucker: “Herr Direktor….”

"'He pulls at my binding, checking it’s secure. I’m not going anywhere. I’m tied, literally, to my bed, and I’m so aroused. He slides off m...' Scheiße, don't you knock, Fury?"

Meanwhile, all the HYDRA goons are getting scanned by security. Everything goes fine, until the creepy guy who shot his buddy goes through.

Agent: “Look at his arm; he’s got an implant!”
Agent Woo: “Cyborg! Down on the ground now!”
???: “No need to panic, everyone. I’ve got a note from my doctor.”

A scythe pops out of his right arm, which should immediately inform you (assuming you’re a Marvel fan, or you saw that Redesign I did) that this is secretly the Grim Reaper! …the villain, not the actual grim reaper.

Though he ends up doing a good impression.

He makes quick work of the agents before grabbing a strange metal gauntlet that was beign examined by security. Back with Fury, he’s finished asking his questions, which vonStrucker has declined to answer. Fury walks away with Hill.

Hill: “Did you really think he was gonna tell you anything?”
Nick Fury: “Got a lot to learn, Maria. He told me plenty. Something’s going down, and soon. The question is: what?”

Suddenly, the red alert goes off. That soon enough for you, Nick?

The elevator descends, and Grim Reaper gets out. Nick Fury figures out that the UN attack was just a setup, and HYDRA’s real goal was to get a disguised Grim Reaper into the Vault to break out Baron vonStrucker. The two fight, gun against scythe, and the scythe manages to crush Fury under some ceiling. Reaper breaks further in and gives vonStrucker back his metal hand, which youthifies him a small bit.

Grim Reaper: “Hail HYDRA.”

Yes, yes, I know that’s apparently a meme of sorts since the Captain America sequel came out. Please bear with me, I haven’t seen it yet as of this writing. PLEASE NO SPOILERS. (Yeah, like that didn’t immediately date this Recap.)

Anyway, they begin their escape, with vonStrucker draining the youth of agents along the way with his metal hand. They enter an aircar and begin to fly away, but Fury jumps on the hood, only to get a faceful of youth-drain. He manages to knock vonStrucker out of the vehicle, where he gets re-apprehended by S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. He then blows up the vehicle with Grim Reaper still inside, while he glide-suits down to safety. Later, Nick Fury (now with the comic Fury’s signature grey hair on the sides and back) looks over the imprisoned Grim Reaper. He smugly walks away with Hill after taunting Reaper a bit, but she’s worried.

Hill: “Director Fury… this place. The Cube. The Big House. Are all the supervillain prisons like this?”
Nick Fury: “No. All four are different.”
Hill: “Four? I thought there were only three….”

Welcome to Level Five.

Way to stare at his hair, Hill.

And this particular plot thread is brought to an end... for now.

See you next time!