This week’s episode of Agent Carter built on the premier’s strong foundation. Peggy continued her investigation into Isodyne and Zero Matter all with the help of Howard Stark. Stark always brings a breath of fresh air when he shows up on Agent Carter, both for his comic relief and scientific genius. “Better Angels” furthered this season’s story and revealed that Peggy’s greatest nemesis this season may not be a man, but another strong woman.
Whitney Frost
This season Peggy isn’t the only strong woman making waves on Agent Carter. Whitney Frost is a Hollywood star, but also one of the most brilliant scientists on the planet. She is the brain behind Isodyne and the face of a major movie studio. Along with her looks and her smarts, though, she also knows how to get exactly what she wants. By convincing her husband to have Peggy killed, Frost showed that she’s the one in control. I’m glad that Agent Carter has filled its corner of the MCU with strong women; it’s nice to know that Peggy has some female villains with whom she contends.
Lone Wolf
Peggy may not be the only strong female character in Agent Carter, but she still lives and works like a lone wolf. I imagine living and working in a society that immediately discounts her would lead Peggy to build some substantial walls. Combined with losing Steve Rogers, it’s probably easy for Peggy to live her life very much within herself. Even her closest friends are kept at a distance and Peggy uses wanting to keep them safe as an excuse for her solitary lifestyle. With the (kind of) return of Wilkes, though, it appears as if Peggy might start bringing her wall down and live life less as a lone wolf.
Thompson
It’s easy to see why Peggy would want to be a lone wolf when men like Agent Thompson are always undervaluing and demeaning her. However, Peggy may have crossed a line when she told Thompson that he was following his pattern of “burying an ugly truth and hoping someone will pin a medal on you.” That’s a reference to Thompson’s confession that he was honored for killing a group of Japanese soldiers who had intended to surrender. He buried the flag, fabricated a story and became a hero. It’s easy not to like Thompson, but Peggy shouldn’t have thrown his confession back in his face. No matter how much people upset us, we can’t resort to those kinds of biting comments.
Agent Carter continues to be one of my favorite parts of the MCU. It manages to be fun, while still instilling a sense of excitement and concern for our heroes. I can’t wait to learn more about the secret society and find out what’s in store for Whitney Frost and her burgeoning powers.
What did you think of “Better Angels?”
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