Sandman

I think you're right that Diane's awkwardness was genuine, and I think Alicia understood that, and as I think about it more, it does seem like one of those situations where the apology itself only increased the awkwardness of the situation. There are a few aspects of Alicia's life that could be filed under "Your feelings about or relationship with X, which we never acknowledge and I would never want to, except I now have to, and it's awkward."

This is a good observation.

This didn't really line up for me, once we learned that Mama May is also part of an "Agency." If she's also in the trade, she would know without asking (wouldn't she?) that May called her precisely because there's no one else to trust. Mind you, I think Mama's "Agency" is probably the International Order of the Tiger Mother, but what do I know?

I thought Skye must have hidden a message there somehow, as well.

I don't care if you have the most sensitive, hair-trigger, multi-modal (not for nothing, show, but biofeedback is based on galvanic skin response) lie detecting thingamajig in the history of Stark industries; if you warn the subject that you're suspicious by pulling your gun, and don't follow through, you just have a death wish HYDRA will be only too happy to accommodate. Level Six my eye! I thought Agent Koenig seemed much warier about Skye than about Ward. At least Koenig seemed less enthralled with Skye than the other Earthlings.

Is it just me, or is there something a little ungracious about Diane's pointing out that in Alicia's case it might not be metaphor? As in, Oh, I'm sorry; I didn't mean to imply you were a slut. You slut.

Can we keep Mama May? She's so badass, the Cavalry calls her.

Truth. I loved that "You're not the enemy. ... You're the Devil" conversation (read: vodka-cular smackdown) she had with Canning. I like the comment upthread about "Loose Cannon." It never occurred to me until now, but can we assume Canning's name was based on that kind of pun? Eli's confession of his unworthiness before Peter would have been a lot more amusing if it weren't so demonstrably true. Eli's handled the whole ballot-stuffing situation (and much else recently) amateurishly.