Agents of SHIELD: Slingshot Review: Yo-Yo's Day in the Limelight

Agents of SHIELD: Slingshot

Okay, this is different. During the winter break, Agents of SHIELD released 'Slingshot', which is a little side-story starring one of the less-utilized Inhuman characters in Agents of SHIELD, Elena "Yo-Yo" Rodriguez, also known as Slingshot. Elena has been a very underutilized character in her parent show, and while there is no way that she's getting her own spinoff show (Ghost Rider or the tag-team of Bobbi and Hunter are far likelier, and we haven't heard any news for those yet) it's still nice to see her get some spotlight. This little mini-series is told as a series of 3 to 5 minute videos released in the internet, with a total running time that's kind of equivalent to almost an entire episode of Agents of SHIELD. It's kind of like 'Vixen' in the DC-CW series, but it's live-action.

Basically the premise is Yo-Yo meeting Quake a bit as she settles into being a SHIELD agent again (putting this sequence as happening after S04E08) to an incident they shared in the past... which happens shortly after the transition from Coulson to Mace, taking place between seasons 3 and 4.

It's a pretty standard plot, I think, and we don't really learn anything groundbreaking about Yo-Yo which we don't already know from Agents of SHIELD. She's sweet on Mack, she bonds with Skye over their similar Inhuman-ness, she's slightly anti-authority and she snarks a bit. There's nothing really new that's brought up here, and main villain Victor Ramon isn't memorable at all -- he's one of the corrupt policemen that killed Yo-Yo's cousin back in season three or whenever, and he's slightly involved in a weapons deal with the Watchdogs. 

The only real point of interest is Yo-Yo signing the Sokovia Accords as Mace tries to play nice and friendly, but not even Mace's energy can hide the fact that the Sokovia Accords is pretty much chaining her down as a soldier. Yo-Yo still signs it, but her desire to unleash justice on Ramon causes her to try and sneak around Mace and the adorably house-hunting Fitz-Simmons, before being called out on her shitty spying by May... who still encourages her to go ahead anyway. She meets Quake and we get to see their little Inhuman alliance thing going on, and there's a nice moment with Coulson at the beginning, but it's nothing that's overtly groundbreaking or character-changing. I really feel like this is meant for more of a trial run for side-stories for other Marvel characters.

It's a nice enough and harmless little bonus, I guess, but hardly necessary for watchers of Agents of SHIELD. There's little tie-in to the series, and anything that's shown here (Quake and Yo-Yo's alliance, Yo-Yo and Mack's romance, Mace telling her to sign the Sokovia Accords) are all easily surmised from actually watching season four. So... yeah. Nice, but unnecessary.

Marvel Easter Eggs Corner:

• Victor Ramon and his killing of Elena's cousin happened in Elena's debut episode, "Bouncing Back", which is S03E11.
• Fitz and Simmons searching for apartments with a breakfast nook is referencing Simmons looking for exactly that apartment early in season four. Quake and Yo-Yo's alliance, hidden from the rest of SHIELD, is also a major part of early season four.
• Peggy Carter is mentioned, though I don't think we ever see her with that SHIELD ring.
• We get a Stan Lee cameo as his photo is seen in Coulson's box when he takes out Peggy's ring.