FitzSimmons: Beside Each Other, the Whole Damn Time.

[HistoryGirl]

Consider this the ship thread.  Or at the very least, the friendship thread. ;-)

I was *this close* to dropping AOS and then F.Z.Z.T happened and well... I basically just got hooked on to a new ship. Now I can't give up this show, I'm too invested in the characters. 

So... what do we like/dislike about our favourite scientist team?

Discuss!  

[Danny Franks]

I like them as friends, utterly hate the idea of them as a romantic couple.

For one, they've known each other for years, and I would call BS on them suddenly realising they have deeper feelings, just in time for the show to being. Two, I think the fact that they spend all their professional time together, and are friends, already gives them too many scenes with one another and too few with the other characters. Stick them in a romance subplot, and that isolation from the rest would just be increased. And third, I really don't find anything at all interesting or engaging about the idea of them as a couple.

There's no real voyage of discovery or getting to know one another, there's not much conflict of personalities beyond what we've already seen, and so I think a romance between them would just end up being the same sort of cuddly, 'aw, ain't they cute?' stuff that their friendship scenes offer.

But I do think that romance is inevitable between them, just as it is between Ward and Skye. And neither couples will encourage me to watch the show at all.

[Cranberry]

I absolutely love them as friends, and don't want to see them as a couple, for all of the reasons Danny Franks mentioned, plus the fact that the actors themselves play them as sibling-like and don't want that to change. It's so rare to see close male/female friendships on TV -- I can only think of this, Joan and Sherlock on Elementary, and to a lesser extent, Emily and Nolan on Revenge -- and I'd hate to lose that.

But yeah, bickering/banter is catnip to me. I love watching these two interact, and it's obvious that they care deeply about each other.

[HistoryGirl]

Danny Franks, I couldn't disagree more.  I feel like they've been dropping anvils throughout the season about FitzSimmons being more than friends.  Post FZZT the direction for Fitz has been such that the camera is catching moments of jealousy and admiration where Simmons is concerned.  Do I think they're both snowed by it all?  Yes. But I feel like at the end of FZZT we caught a glimpse of a Fitz who, when faced with his friend's impending death, realized something about his feelings for her.

Since then there's been quite a few other examples (Fitz blabbering on about Simmons to Ward in Ossetia, look of jealousy when she was hot and bothered by Mike, etc...) Sure, they could be construed as character ticks, but I think they're setting us up for something more. 

[Sarahastro]

I am with Danny Franks and Cranberry. I adore their friendship, but I don't want to see them become a romantic couple. First of all, I'm not a big fan of the idea of there being romantic couples among the six team members because I'm afraid the show will degenerate into a soap opera (a la Grey's Anatomy). Second, I just don't see that any of the moments between them are charged with UST. This is an area that is highly subjective, but so far nothing Fitz and Simmons have done together has gone past what I would be comfortable doing with my male BFF. Hugging, bantering, arguing, offering emotional support, and making each other snacks are all things I would and have done for my friends. That's not to say that the show won't ever explore a romantic relationship with them, but so far I have not seen anything that indicates to me that they're heading that way. Plus I hate that TV and movies so often send this message that men and women can't be friends or that a relationship has to be romantic in order to be meaningful. I would love for FitzSimmons to buck the trend and just be adorable, platonic BFF.

[Carrie Ann]

I could see it going a Xander/Willow direction. You can sort of see Fitz in the Willow role right now--crushing on Simmons a bit, while she is oblivious. I could see that building on both sides until something happens. On paper, I find the idea of FitzSimmons and SkyeWard just too predictable and not interesting dramatically. But who knows? At this point, I find Fitz and Simmons the most appealing characters, so I'm not opposed to it, I guess.

Edited March 30, 2014 by Carrie Ann

[Danny Franks]

Danny Franks, I couldn't disagree more.  I feel like they've been dropping anvils throughout the season about FitzSimmons being more than friends.  Post FZZT the direction for Fitz has been such that the camera is catching moments of jealousy and admiration where Simmons is concerned.  Do I think they're both snowed by it all?  Yes. But I feel like at the end of FZZT we caught a glimpse of a Fitz who, when faced with his friend's impending death, realized something about his feelings for her.

Since then there's been quite a few other examples (Fitz blabbering on about Simmons to Ward in Ossetia, look of jealousy when she was hot and bothered by Mike, etc...) Sure, they could be construed as character ticks, but I think they're setting us up for something more. 

I didn't really get the read of romantic undertones in any of Fitz's behaviour in FZZZT, I have to say. It seemed to me that it was their friendship, and the threat of him losing someone so important to him, that struck home. Both in the scene where he said "you've been beside me the whole time", and was realising she might not be any more, and at the end, where he seemed merely contemplative to me, rather than experiencing a revelation of love.

The idea of Fitz crushing on Skye was far more interesting to me, just like (to borrow Carrie Ann's analogy) the idea of Xander and Cordelia was far more interesting than Xander and Willow. A clash of personalities and lifestyles and life experiences, while still being between two characters that had established an interesting rapport.

And I just keep coming back to, 'if Fitz and Simmons are work partners, BFFs and in a relationship, then when do they ever get to interact with anyone else?' To me, that's a character dead end for the pair of them.

[Cranberry]

Now that you mention it, I find it interesting that Fitz's crush on Skye (which I thought was pretty obvious back at the beginning, especially when he scoffed that he didn't care about Miles) has evaporated. He was a little flustered when she kissed his cheek on the train, but didn't give the impression that he's harboring secret feelings for her. He didn't seem more broken up about her getting shot than anyone else did (Simmons and Coulson were the worst there; if I didn't know better than to expect anything to ever happen, I'd say that Simmons is the one with feelings for Skye now). I wonder why the writers just abandoned that little thread. I don't think it was to set up FitzSimmons... probably to pave the way for SkyeWard, ugh. I guess I should be happy that they're not going for a Ward/Fitz competition over the same woman.

[HistoryGirl]

Now that you mention it, I find it interesting that Fitz's crush on Skye (which I thought was pretty obvious back at the beginning, especially when he scoffed that he didn't care about Miles) has evaporated. He was a little flustered when she kissed his cheek on the train, but didn't give the impression that he's harboring secret feelings for her. He didn't seem more broken up about her getting shot than anyone else did (Simmons and Coulson were the worst there; if I didn't know better than to expect anything to ever happen, I'd say that Simmons is the one with feelings for Skye now). I wonder why the writers just abandoned that little thread. I don't think it was to set up FitzSimmons... probably to pave the way for SkyeWard, ugh. I guess I should be happy that they're not going for a Ward/Fitz competition over the same woman.

Yes!  I noticed the same thing, hence my shipping. :)  At the start of FZZT, Fitz was all hot and bothered by Skye-- stuttering over himself as per usual. As soon as Simmons jumped out of the plane, so did that crush on Skye.  He stopped being weird and flustered around her and in T.R.A.C.K.S* he basically had a face of "ew gross!" when she kissed him. 

I also think that Skimmons is the possible alternative, which makes my FitzSimmons shipping heart cry.  And of course, I was a Willow/Xander shipper back in the day too. So the emotions are still raw. ;)

*WTH is with these weird acronym titles??! They're annoying to type. 

[Kromm]

Well this topic could get shot to hell if it Simmons DOES turn out to be secretly HYDRA (since there's no way both of them are).

There could be a neat fakeout with Fitz being HYDRA though.  Wouldn't that be a kick?  But if they did that, there's no way Simmons would also be.

[KirkB]

See, what I think would be really amusing is if Simmons (or Fitz) were secretly AIM. That way two members of Coulson's team would be infiltrators from completely different organizations.

Edited April 12, 2014 by KirkB

[Kromm]

See, what I think would be really amusing is if Simmons (or Fitz) were secretly AIM. That way two members of Coulson's team would be infiltrators from completely different organizations.

It would be great (although I think that would take quite a while to uncover, since it already took them THIS long to uncover HYDRA (although... I forget... have we seen the stupid beekeeper suits already in some form already in the Marvel Cinemaverse?  We may have, even if it was generic).

[KirkB]

Well, some people said the suits the guys were wearing when they grabbed Scorch looked kind of like the AIM suits.

[HistoryGirl]

So Fitz has only his mother and would choose Simmons as his one and only thing on a deserted island. Poor Fitzy.  Simmons is so damn clueless about your love for her.  I did enjoy Ward's advice to him, even though Ward is insane. 

[millahnna]

I think I liked the advice more because Ward is insane.  If I can ever articulate that thought better I'll meet you over in the Ward thread about it. 

[Izzyboy]

I'm firmly in the camp preferring FitzSimmons as friends or a brother/sister type relationship rather than as a couple. I was hoping they'd play Fitz's jealousy over Triplet as more of a "no one is good enough for my sister!" type reaction but it does look like they're going with the easy route of him having feelings for her.  I'd rather have them reveal that he's secretly Hydra than go down that road to tell the truth...

[millahnna]

I don't mind him having feelings for her I'm just not keen on them actually getting together.  I can work with some unrequited stuff, though.

[KirkB]

I'm still trying to decide if seeing Simmons with Trip is making Fitz realize his feelings for her or if he just resents Trip taking her attention from him. It's always been him and her and now this new guy (who is both good looking and obviously smart and well educated) has caught her eye. I lean toward the latter. I think Fitz is annoyed by the fact Trip is breaking up the band. He had a similar reaction with Ward early on but that worked out okay when it became fairly apparent to him Ward wasn't interested in Simmons.

[John Potts]

Personally, I'd prefer it if they do remain just friends. Not every couple needs to consummate their relationship.

 

KirkB See, what I think would be really amusing is if Simmons (or Fitz) were secretly AIM.

 

 

That would be fun, though you could imagine it would leave Coulson feeling like Chakotay in Voyager - "He [Tuvok] was working for you, she [seska] was working for the Cardassians - was anyone on that ship working for me!?" Though it's not as if Fury is doing any better!

Edited April 26, 2014 by John Potts

[HistoryGirl]

I'm afraid for FitzSimmons. I think that scene at the pool was foreshadowing. I don't think Simmons is Hydra, but one of them is not getting out of the finale alive.

 

 

What if Simmons works for someone.  Not Hydra, but someone.  What if she's been "assigned" to Fitz to monitor him?  We know he doesn't have a dad, so maybe there's something to that.  I suspect that maybe our cliffhanger will be Simmons receiving some call from an unknown source (audience is led to think it's Hydra) asking after Fitz (perhaps he has a brush with death).  We see that she's been monitoring him, keeping tabs on him, befriending him all along for this particular person.  I do think that Simmons genuinely likes Fitz and maybe is even falling for him, but I think it's possible their friendship was manufactured by someone else.  

 

Either that or I've been watching too much Orphan Black. lol 

[Kromm]

To me that scene almost seemed more about the possibility of FITZ being HYDRA than Simmons.  He's the one who went over the top about Ward.  He's the one who asked the question--which would be natural misdirection.

 

The big flaw in any theory like that would be to wonder why Ward coming back to get Skye was so important to HYDRA if they had another asset in place already. There'd be no real explaining that.

[HistoryGirl]

To me that scene almost seemed more about the possibility of FITZ being HYDRA than Simmons.  He's the one who went over the top about Ward.  He's the one who asked the question--which would be natural misdirection.

 

Then how would Fitz have been able to pass the lie detector? I think his panic attack was more symptomatic of someone who had lost a person he'd put a lot of trust into. So to me that's a character trait of a person who'd been abandoned or had his trust really, devastatingly broken before. He knows that if Simmons broke his trust he wouldn't be able to recover. I think that's where that pool-side conversation came from.

Simmons all along has seemed too well adjusted to everything. Fitz is acting and responding much more realistic considering their characters. Simmons is just being shady now. Lol. Adding to this mystery is her inability to define why she's even still hanging around.

[KirkB]

I think I mentioned this on TWoP but I can't remember if I've brought it up here or not, so forgive me if I'm repeating myself.

 

While it would strain credulity a little, since May helped create the team and Hill approved the agents, but I think it would be amusing if Fitz or Simmons turned out to be an infiltrator, just not from Hydra. Either of them could pass the lie detector because Koenig was questioning whether they were Hydra, when in fact whichever of them it was is actually from someplace like AIM.

[ohjoy]

The idea of one of them being an infiltrator from another agency makes sense and seems likely, but I've gotten to the point with this show that I don't want anything to come between FitzSimmons. It doesn't matter permutation they take -- unrequited love on either side, totally happy shippy couple, BFFs against the world, evil BFFs against the world -- I don't even care, as long as don't quit being FitzSimmons. If that makes me a sap, so be it.

 

Actually, I take that back (slightly). If Fitz dies, I will be able to deal, if only because (a) Simmons is my absolute favorite on this show, despite any potential underhandedness, and (b) I called it two episodes ago, so I will at least have seen it coming.

[KirkB]

I agree. I mean, I like Fitz, but if one of them had to die I could much more easily deal with it being him. Like you, Simmons has become my favorite. Fitzsimmons is probably the best part of the show and I would hate to see anything break them up, but I have a feeling that if Fitz died it could turn Simmons into someone who would be kind of scary-cool. Brilliant people with a vendetta can be a lot of fun to watch.

[jah1986]

I think I could take Fitz dying more than Simmons. I love how during his meltdown last week Simmons knew just how to help him and the rest of the team kind of backed off. It also seems like Tripp kind of stopped flirting with Simmons once he saw Fitz's state of mind and probably knew he couldn't take one more thing. BTW, I love the idea of Tripp and Simmons as a couple (is that allowed here?).

[HistoryGirl]

From the looks of it on the other threads, I'm in the minority.  I don't think that Fitz got friendzoned in those last few minutes.  I genuinely believe that Simmons realized in the last few seconds there what he really meant to her and that's why she screamed when he pressed the defib button.  I'm of the thought that she wanted more time to process it all.  

 

Maybe I'm alone in this? lol

Edited May 15, 2014 by HistoryGirl

[ohjoy]

You're not alone. The writers may punk out on us when the next season rolls around, but I think that was the least stoic Simmons has been about anything. Just because she didn't kiss him on the lips doesn't mean her feelings don't go all the way to that depth. (Why yes, I have been watching the Arrow season finale, why do you ask?)

[Cranberry]

I just don't see it. She's never shown any romantic interest in him, and of course she's not going to be stoic when her best friend is seconds away from giving his own life to save hers. Mostly I'm just annoyed that, after months of talking about how Fitz and Simmons have wonderful sibling-like chemistry, the writers had to ruin it by making Fitz's feelings romantic. Even the actors have said multiple times that they didn't want the relationship to turn romantic and that they were deliberately not playing it that way.

 

I guess I wouldn't be shocked if they eventually end up in a relationship, because I suspect the writers want to please the audience, and there are quite a few Fitzsimmons shippers out there. I just wouldn't like it.

[Lawgiver]

It would have been more interesting if they had both been pining for Ward, as Gemma seemed to have been for a while. (Pre-HYDRA reveal, of course!)

Edited May 16, 2014 by Lawgiver

[KirkB]

It would have been more interesting if they had both been pining for Ward, as Gemma seemed to have been for a while. (Pre-HYDRA reveal, of course!)

 

 

   That would have been hilarious, though I imagine Disney would like to pretend gays don't exist, at least on their shows.

[Cranberry]

I would easily have believed that they were both interested in Skye, to be honest. 

[Jack Kerouac]

   That would have been hilarious, though I imagine Disney would like to pretend gays don't exist, at least on their shows.

 

Disney Channel introduces first ever openly gay characters in a series

 

Just saying.

 

I think it would be surprising if Fitz and Simmons don't eventually get together. They are very similar and intellectual equals. I guess it depends on if Simmons can think of Fitz in that way. We'll see.

 

Maybe Fitz and Skye? That would be an interesting combination, if nothing else. Two distinctly opposite personalities might throw some sparks.

[KirkB]

Really? I don't watch the Disney Channel so I didn't know that. I retract my earlier comment then.

 

Honestly, I thought they were going to have Ward and Fitz competing for Skye. Well, maybe not competing. It felt to me like Fitz gave up trying after Ward jumped out of the plane to save her.

 

The idea of Skimmons came along later and took me by surprise.

Edited May 16, 2014 by KirkB

[ohjoy]

The more I think about it, the more I'm sure it won't be as simple as them immediately being together or not when the new season rolls around. I can see they left it open for them to move forward, but also to pull back from. I don't think they've even decided how much Fitz will be Fitz next season, much less whether he and Simmons are going to couple up. But I can see them being a couple, if they move forward in that direction.

Honestly, whether they do or don't, as long as FitzSimmons are still awesome together, I won't mind. I just don't one getting the idea that for whatever reason he/she can't be around the other one. There will be some serious bloodletting if that happens.

[Sarahastro]

The one reason I am a little unsure about Fitz and Simmons having a romantic relationship is that they already almost only interact with each other. As much as I love them together, I've also liked seeing them branch out and interact with the rest of the team more. I worry that if they get together, the writers will stop having them hang out with Skye and Trip as much, and they'll be back to only interacting with each other.

[SnoGirl]

I'm sort of hoping that Fitz and Simmons are end game, but I'm totally fine with Simmons not quite being there yet like Fitz is. I can totally see why Fitz's feelings evolved. Fitz has been on this run-away train since he choose to follow Simmons into the field. Even though Skye was supposed to be "our" view into SHIELD, I think Fitz and Simmons sort of took that role too. I think if anyone was faced with what Fitz had been faced this season, they might want to share their true feelings with someone because they know they could possibly not walk away alive. Don't get me wrong, I know Simmons has faces things this season too but not as much as Fitz.

With that being said, I really hope the writers don't punk out with Fitz. I really want there to be consequences for Ward's weakness and I hope we get to see him react to whatever happens to Fitz. And I really hope the consequence is not amnesia.

[caseylane]

I actually thought Fitz had a bit of a crush on Ward so I was kind of surpised (yet not really) by his declaration to Simmons. The normal TV thing would be to pair them up, still I thought his mission with Ward set up the crush and his desperate need to believe Ward was good just seemed to make it official. Guess I should never doubt the heteronormative viewpoint of prime time television.

[quarks]

One of the major characters on ABC's Scandal is gay; a minor character on ABC's Once Upon a Time is gay; a major character on ABC's Revenge is bisexual and has dated men and women on the show, and that's just the shows I know about. I don't think ABC/Disney cares that much about the sexuality of their characters as long as the show makes money.

 

I don't think Simmons really knew how to process the combined "great, my best friend is in love with me and we could both be dead in 45 minutes."  That's a lot. And she obviously and understandably wasn't happy at the idea of her best friend dying to keep her alive. 

[Jack Kerouac]

I actually thought Fitz had a bit of a crush on Ward so I was kind of surpised (yet not really) by his declaration to Simmons. The normal TV thing would be to pair them up, still I thought his mission with Ward set up the crush and his desperate need to believe Ward was good just seemed to make it official. Guess I should never doubt the heteronormative viewpoint of prime time television.

 

... or that maybe you just read it wrong or perhaps saw it through your own lens?

[HistoryGirl]

I'm sort of hoping that Fitz and Simmons are end game, but I'm totally fine with Simmons not quite being there yet like Fitz is. I can totally see why Fitz's feelings evolved. Fitz has been on this run-away train since he choose to follow Simmons into the field. Even though Skye was supposed to be "our" view into SHIELD, I think Fitz and Simmons sort of took that role too. I think if anyone was faced with what Fitz had been faced this season, they might want to share their true feelings with someone because they know they could possibly not walk away alive. Don't get me wrong, I know Simmons has faces things this season too but not as much as Fitz.

With that being said, I really hope the writers don't punk out with Fitz. I really want there to be consequences for Ward's weakness and I hope we get to see him react to whatever happens to Fitz. And I really hope the consequence is not amnesia.

Glad to see I'm not alone!  I couldn't agree anymore with this post. It's exactly my thoughts on it. 

 

A coworker mentioned that she thinks that Fitz will have superpowers or something-- and all that hint from the writers/producer in that EW article suggest that maybe Simmons will use the GH325 on him.  It seems that the actors think that Fitz has lost his memory at least, which saddens me.  I'd be curious as to how far back his memory loss goes... 

[KirkB]

Knowing Joss (and presumably his brother does) if Fitz is going to have memory loss, he won't remember confessing his feelings to Jemma and will, in fact, be back to crushing on Skye, leaving Simmons to try and figure things out on her own.

[millahnna]

That's kind of my assumption right now.  I mean I hope I'm wrong because it's a bit cliche but it's not something I hate if well written and acted.  The cast is solid so I just hope the writing is up to it.

[caseylane]

 

... or that maybe you just read it wrong or perhaps saw it through your own lens?

 

Oh no doubt. But that doesn't remove the idea that almost all TV is heteronormative and that can't be gotten around.

 

I mean I wasn't out reading fanfic on the pairing, I just thought it was a possibility/probability due to Fitz's actions around Ward and his difficulty in facing the fact that Ward was actually evil. I actually kind of liked the May/Ward pairing with the understanding that she is probably actually in love with Phil.

[SnoGirl]

Glad to see I'm not alone! I couldn't agree anymore with this post. It's exactly my thoughts on it.

A coworker mentioned that she thinks that Fitz will have superpowers or something-- and all that hint from the writers/producer in that EW article suggest that maybe Simmons will use the GH325 on him. It seems that the actors think that Fitz has lost his memory at least, which saddens me. I'd be curious as to how far back his memory loss goes...

Thanks HistoryGirl! I have really come to love Fitz and Simmons together, and although I totally get why people don't want them together (interacting with just each other), I don't really see that happening. They've both showed signs of being social outside of each other-Jemma and Skye going on adventures way back earlier this season and then Fitz and Ward's friendship. I'm really hoping that Trip and Fitz become fast friends, or at least I was until Fitz was so hurt.

I sort of hope that they don't use GH325 on Fitz, or at least not until Simmons has separated the crazy out of the serum. I need to find that EW article, I thought I had read most of them but I think I missed that one. I really hope Fitz doesn't have memory loss, it's just so cliché...imagine if he didn't. He's have to come to terms that Ward tried to kill him and Simmons and almost succeeded. He's probably have issues with Water or smaller spaces because of being trapped, not to mention going out into the field. Maybe, who knows, we might get surprised.

Edited May 18, 2014 by SnoGirl

[Cranberry]

Hmm (mild spoilers for various shows on that page):

 

Fitz told Simmons he loves her! Does that mean they'll get together next season on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.? — ​Priya

 

Not so fast! Did you notice that when Simmons kissed Fitz, she smooched him everywhere but on ​his actual mouth? "Clearly, any time one person says something and a person doesn't reciprocate, it changes things," executive producer Jeffrey Bell tells me. "It's safe to say there will be consequences." Further complicating matters: Producers want to keep Agent Triplett around.

 

I'm glad that Fitz and Simmons likely won't be together, but ugh, Triplett. I just don't find that character interesting or consider the actor to be very strong. I'm not interested in a Simmons/Triplett pairing.

[Loandbehold]

 

I'm not interested in a Simmons/Triplett pairing.

How would you feel about Fitzlett?

 

I thought Simmons and Triplett had some nice chemistry, but EH also has it with every other character/actor on the show.

[HistoryGirl]

Someone on tumblr noticed that on the IMDB page for Guardians of the Galaxy there's a Dr. Fitz listed.  It's not Iain DeCaesteker, so perhaps it's the missing Daddy Fitz? 

[SnoGirl]

I, for one, just had to state how relieved I was to see Iain De Caestecker in group shots and mentioned on Instagram during this weekend's Comic Con. I know that this thread died during the Summer Hiatus, but I'm relieved that it seems that Fitz's fate was not similar to the thread's (I was worried that maybe they would write him out, dying off scene).

Has anyone seen the new poster for Agents of Shield from Comic Con? I think it's interesting that Fitz is looking off but Jemma is looking right at Fitz. I wonder if that has anything to do with the new season or if it was just an Artist's choice...

[HistoryGirl]

Something is happening between fitzsimmons that's huge, there's too many side glances between Iain & Elizabeth. Excessive fangirling has proven to me that Iain is terrible at lying/answering questions about Fitz (note him squirming at paleyfest) while Elizabeth is a smooth operator in deflecting. I've been obsessively watching interviews with them and Iain has been carefully answering and he always looks to Elizabeth as if he'll need saving any second. And when he's digging himself in, she always jumps in.

That being said, the impression I'm getting from those videos is that Jemma will confess as well. There was one where Elizabeth was teasing about fitz's confession mucking up their friendship and Iain looked like he was biting his tongue and had this look of "oh it's just Fitz, is it..?"

I dunno, maybe (probably) I'm reading too much into it. But after paleyfest and Iain literally squirming in his seat when asked about the "friendship" sort of taught me to pay closer attention to him in interviews.

Considering Trip is not a regular cast member... There are possibilities afoot!

I do think the poster was extremely telling. For them to be so similarly positioned but their heads are different? Suspicious!

Edited July 30, 2014 by HistoryGirl