Agent Carter‘s second season has kept the character development wrapped tightly the central idea of exploring Peggy Carter and Whitney Frost as reflections of one another – sharing perhaps as many key traits that define them as set them apart. This continues brilliantly in “Monsters” as the team finds themselves in over their heads and Whitney continues to wade into her darkest depths.
This season, and particularly in “Smoke & Mirrors,” we’ve been exploring how different upbringings pushed Peggy and Whitney in opposing directions. Bringing Dottie into the mix complicates this equation.
We’ve got Whitney, this season’s big bad, whose devastating vulnerability feeds directly into her diabolical evil is the obvious monster here. The there’s Peggy, the leader, the hero who knows that by virtue of being who she is, the work that she does – the people she loves are made vulnerable. She understands, but maybe doesn’t always consider now that she’s recruited civilians onto her team who don’t understand the way she does, just how devastating these consequences can be.
Now there’s Dottie, a product victim of the Black Widow program and the villain of Season 1 turned accomplice of sorts. In “Monsters” we’re looking at a turning point for Dottie. She is as tough as they come but hardly a match for Ms. Frost’s otherworldly powers. She is genuinely terrified, and as Whitney taunts Dottie, telling her that Agent Carter will never come to rescue someone like her – I think she realizes what being part of a team actually means, and that sparks something in her.
Dottie didn’t have to help Carter with her fundraiser zero-matter-blood-heist and she didn’t have to tip Team Carter off that Ana and Dr. Wilkes were in trouble. It’s incredibly unlikely that Dottie will ever be one of the good guys. Her delight in casual murder is probably just one of the many roadblocks. But she’s a product of her environment just like Whitney, and just like Peggy. And when the environment around her changes … well, I’d love to see more of Peggy and Dottie tied up in that tried and true trope, reluctantly teaming up to fight crimes and barely disguising their secret love that can never be.
Speaking of people who are better for having been graced with the privilege of working with Peggy Carter, Chief Sousa is becoming stronger than he was. I’m not crazy about the romantic interest between Sousa and Pegs (#TeamWilkes), but OF COURSE Sousa is in love with her. Who isn’t? I absolutely buy that he’s still in love with the idea of her, and is inspired by her to be better, and keep getting back up when pressed by Vernon, Thompson, and the corruption all around him.
Now before I get too carried away with Peggy’s actual magic …
We’re basically here for one thing and that’s Ana Jarvis. With getting wrapped up in Jarvis adorably running around with sun umbrellas and recreational ties, Ana is hand wringing at home waiting for her husband to return safely, generously, patiently understanding that he needs this and he loves this, and she loves him. While someone like Peggy is always aware the people close to them may be in danger — it becomes abundantly clear at the end of this hour that as quickly as Jarvis rushed into this life, pushing into the world of spycraft – he never stopped to consider that his beloved wife Ana would ever be a casualty of this world.
Shall we all hold our breath together then ’til the next episode?
Photo Courtesy of ABC
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