Jemma Simmons: Analytically Minded and Pretty As a Peach

[benteen]

Way to destroy a woman's agency AoS. Even Simmons herself said she would not have survived except for Will. Embarassing, clichéd and ultimately, stupid. They developed an episode where EH could shine and warped it into - that's right, a love triangle. 

 

Simmons survived on her own for weeks with next to nothing before Will rescued her.  Actually, Will didn't rescue her as first...he TRAPPED her.  I have no issue with her getting help to survive, a lot of which was emotional support.  One of the reasons Will managed to survive is because he came with a group and set up a shelter before everything went to hell. 

 

Simmons is tough and resourceful but she's not a survivalist.  That's not a knock on her.  May and Bobbi I would think would surive longer but without supplies, they too would probably need help to survive.  Same things with Coulson and/or Hunter.

 

There seems to be a fixation by some over the fact that Simmons slept with Will, the only other person on the planet.  A LOT of people would have done that and given the circumstances, it's understandable.  I don't think she "threw herself" at Will...I found the build-up to that moment to be logical.

 

In regards to Fitz, yes, I do think he needs to move on in terms of viewing Simmons as a potential romantic partner .  Simmons didn't realize Fitz's attraction till the end of Season 1 and I agree she could have handled things better in Season 2.  Though Fitz didn't have to act like a jealous asshole when she started talking to Tripp in Season 1.  His hissy fits were unprofessional and embarrassing.  I think Simmons was starting to think of him in a more romantic context at the end of Season 2 and then the Monolith happened.

 

Fitz didn't give up on Simmons and that's to his credit.  But Fitz wasn't stranded on a hellish world with only one other person and no hope for rescue.

 

The whole Simmons PTSD thing...yeah, that was a screw-up by the writers.  Don't know how to explain that one.

Edited October 30, 2015 by benteen

[Chaos Theory]

I maybe reading things wrong, but it seems to me that, while everyone acknowledges that it's up to Simmons whether she decides to take things to the next level with Fitz, some are saying that her other option is to take her vows. Otherwise, she's considered a promiscuous bitch. I find that highly offensive. Hell, while she didn't just jump into bed with Good-Looking Astronaut (it was months before that happened), she could have done so and that would be her choice. Hell, even if she decided to fuck the guy in the elevator after being stuck for two hours w/ Fitz trying to pry the doors open with his bare hands, to me that still is her choice and doesn't make her a slut or a bitch or any other derogatory term.

Can I give you a double Amen?

I am really getting offended by the sudden Simmons hate. What are we saying: if she doesn't fall madly deeply in love with Fitz ( who is admittingly a great guy and deserves to be happy) she is a manipulative cold hearted bitch?

Also it was dinner and again when does dinner cone with strings? I do think Gemma should have told everyone sooner but I understand why she has not. part PTSD part guilt for leaving someone she cares for behind. She feels slot of things for Will...one of them might even be love.

Again that does not make her a bitch.

Edited October 30, 2015 by Chaos Theory

[Jack Kerouac]

I maybe reading things wrong, but it seems to me that, while everyone acknowledges that it's up to Simmons whether she decides to take things to the next level with Fitz, some are saying that her other option is to take her vows. Otherwise, she's considered a promiscuous bitch. I find that highly offensive. Hell, while she didn't just jump into bed with Good-Looking Astronaut (it was months before that happened), she could have done so and that would be her choice. Hell, even if she decided to fuck the guy in the elevator after being stuck for two hours w/ Fitz trying to pry the doors open with his bare hands, to me that still is her choice and doesn't make her a slut or a bitch or any other derogatory term.

 

No one is saying that she is a 'promiscuous bitch.' Who is saying that?

 

If I was going to say something 'mean' about her, it would be that it's twice now she's given up on Fitz. Twice. For Fitz, that should be a serious red flag right there.

 

And while yes, if she banged some dude in an elevator (it was a joke, BTW) while Fitz and her had nothing going on, sure go crazy. If she did it while they were going out, then yeah, that makes her a bitch. But she didn't so she isn't.

 

As to whether she has legitimate feelings for Fitz, Elizabeth Henstridge says:

 

 

 

“At the end, when they’re going to see the sunrise and it’s a romantic time for them, as soon as she sees that flare, she’s right back to Fitz. She knows it’s him. She’s so deeply entrenched in everything about him that she can be in love with Will, but she belongs with Fitz. When she comes back, it’s just so complicated. She’s never experienced feelings like this. It’s messy and it’s human. As an actor, it’s great to play, but for her, I feel bad for her and I feel bad for Fitz and Will. It’s not a fun set of emotions for any of them.”

“FitzSimmons will be working very closely and that’s going to kick up a whole host of issues surrounding their relationship. There’s a huge elephant in the room, and it’s going to get called out a few times, and it’s going to be painful."

 

Right now, Simmons is in a very unenviable position. She is in love with two people. I've been there and it is NOT FUN. This situation could be played for interesting dramatic effect, but I don't have that kind of faith in the writers.

 

And while I'm on the topic, in semi-rant mode, while it is perfectly fine for Simmons to feel the way she does (we don't control the way we feel), it is ALSO perfectly okay for Fitz to be pissed off about it. He's entitled to his feelings too. He can be mad at her for giving up on him for a second time, for sure. He's allowed to be pissed at her. He's allowed to snark. What's important is that his first reaction was to help even though it's probably tearing him up inside. And Simmons knows it.

 

So Simmons loves Harlequin Romance Space Boyfriend and she loves Fitz. The shame and guilt of giving up on Fitz and having to ask him to help retrieve Harlequin Romance Space Boyfriend would be eating her up inside. And I think EH is a good enough actress to pull it off.

 

Still, it doesn't change the fact that if Fitz wasn't so in love with her, he would know enough to run, run away as fast as his science-enhanced legs could carry him. Simmons is bad news to him, regardless of the whys and wherefores. Mostly what she has done during the last season or so is hurt the poor guy. Once again, not casting blame, just stating facts.

 

But here is what is going to happen in the next season or so:

 

1. They will manage to rescue Harlequin Romance Space Boyfriend from Blue Filter Planet during sweeps. He will have been turned by the 'evil' on the planet.

    

2. Simmons won't believe it, but Fitz will see the evil. Simmons will write it off as jealousy.

    

3. Simmons and/or Fitz will have to kill him.

    

4. Wracked with guilt and/or anger (depending on 2 and 3), Simmon and Fitz will be kept apart.

    

5. Sometime later, Fitz will hook up with There For Three Episodes Random Hot Girl just as Simmons gets over her guilt or anger and wants to be with him.

    

6. I shoot myself in the forehead.

 

How, do you ask, do I know this? Because I thought of the stupidest, most clichéd thing I could think of and went with it. It's how I knew Harlequin Romance Space Boyfriend was coming long before this episode aired.

 

Sigh.

Edited October 30, 2015 by Jack Kerouac

[Chaos Theory]

Ultimately I think Fitz and Simmons are endgame but the problem is how quickly to get them together. Too soon and the relationship gets stale....to long and the audience stops caring. The fact of the matter is I like the last episode because up until this point Simmons wasn't ready to be with Fitz but once she rescues Will she....uh will be.

I also think Fitz needs a story that doesn't revolve around Simmons for awhile. Maybe his own romance that will make Fitz and Simmons FitzSimmons again.

Edited October 30, 2015 by Chaos Theory

[Dandesun]

I don't think Simmons is either convent fodder or a promiscuous bitch. I do think that timing and unexpected factors have gotten in the way of things and that's no one's fault. If Simmons wants to be with Will after they rescue him that's her prerogative although I will question the wisdom of it. I also don't think she should jump into any relationship with Fitz right now, period. Six months of separation happened and neither one were in stasis... changes were going to occur. At this point, they either work their way back to each other naturally or they don't.

 

Truthfully, I don't think Jemma should be with Will when they rescue him, either. Being stranded together on a planet is very very different from being back in regular society... especially when he's been gone for 14 years. Bringing Will back is the right thing to do but him and Jemma carrying on an actual relationship is probably the worst thing either of them could do to or with each other. What a dysfunctional mess that's likely to turn into.

 

As for Fitz, I do think he should close the door on any romantic involvement with Jemma for the foreseeable future. Not because she's a promiscuous anything but because she's been through hell and romance should be the last thing she needs. He's her friend and he should be able to see that she needs to focus on rescuing Will before she can move forward at all. Let them be friends even if there is distance there. Even better, let him engage in a romantic subplot with someone else. It would probably be very good for him to focus on someone else, who can and will be able to be a legitimate romance for him. I do think Fitz does deserve someone who is into him. That can't be Jemma right now even if Will weren't part of the issue... she's been through something major and 6 months is a decent stretch of time. She needs time to even approach normal again or figure out what her new normal is.

 

I don't want Fitz to find someone else out of spite or anything like that. Just... allow him a nice romance to experience rather than the un-requited stuff he's had from jump. And then we can talk about Jemma and Fitz after a bit of time. 

[Jack Kerouac]

As for Fitz, I do think he should close the door on any romantic involvement with Jemma for the foreseeable future. Not because she's a promiscuous anything but because she's been through hell and romance should be the last thing she needs. He's her friend and he should be able to see that she needs to focus on rescuing Will before she can move forward at all. Let them be friends even if there is distance there. Even better, let him engage in a romantic subplot with someone else. It would probably be very good for him to focus on someone else, who can and will be able to be a legitimate romance for him. I do think Fitz does deserve someone who is into him. That can't be Jemma right now even if Will weren't part of the issue... she's been through something major and 6 months is a decent stretch of time. She needs time to even approach normal again or figure out what her new normal is.

 

I don't want Fitz to find someone else out of spite or anything like that. Just... allow him a nice romance to experience rather than the un-requited stuff he's had from jump. And then we can talk about Jemma and Fitz after a bit of time. 

 

Sounds good to me too. As it stands now, any relationship they had would just blow up and in an ugly way. She's been through too much and he has to be dealing with anger and betrayal issues (not for the hookup, but because she gave up on him and he never gave up on her).

 

Get Fitz a relationship with someone who can show him a good time. Someone like Daisy, perhaps? They have got to be better than that tedious crapfest Daisy is currently having with Lincoln. 

[Loandbehold]

 

And while I'm on the topic, in semi-rant mode, while it is perfectly fine for Simmons to feel the way she does (we don't control the way we feel), it is ALSO perfectly okay for Fitz to be pissed off about it. He's entitled to his feelings too. He can be mad at her for giving up on him for a second time, for sure. He's allowed to be pissed at her. He's allowed to snark. What's important is that his first reaction was to help even though it's probably tearing him up inside. And Simmons knows it.

I never said that Fitz wasn't entitled to his own feelings. 

 

I do believe, however, that their respective situations were vastly different. To try to equate his actions and hers ignores what actually was the case. Simmons didn't abandon Fitz. She lost hope when what she reasonably believed was her last chance to get off the planet failed  because Fitz would never get the letter explaining how the monolith worked. After all, Fitz, with all his brains and all the equipment that he has at Nu!Sheild HQ, hadn't figured out how to rescue her and she thought that was because he didn't know how the portal worked with the planet (EGO?). That's not an excuse for losing hope. That's a reason. There's a difference. 

[jhlipton]

Ultimately I think Fitz and Simmons are endgame but the problem is how quickly to get them together. Too soon and the relationship gets stale....

 

This, in my opinion, is pure BS.  How long was McMillan and Wife on? 6 seasons!  It's not the "coupling" that's the problem, it's that the writers feel like they always have to jam up the coupling.  

[ChelseaNH]

Ye olde relationship drama.  A show like this should have ample sources of drama without fishing in those very tired waters.

[Raja]

Jemma is full on nerd. First a TARDIS reference and now upon the flashback of Fitzsimmons being recruited by Coulson for his team she uses the Buffy/Angel "the powers that be" terminology.

[Raja]

I have been amazed by the season 1 to season 2 transformation. From the lab rat to the agent undercover at Hydra. And then playing Bobbi who was being portrayed as May with a more rounded set of skills. I'm not sure how to take the eradicate all alien influences to working against the Real S.H.I.E.L.D when Skye turned out to be a walking alien influence on earth 

[BaggythePanther]

4 hours ago, Raja said:

I'm not sure how to take the eradicate all alien influences to working against the Real S.H.I.E.L.D when Skye turned out to be a walking alien influence on earth 

That’s human nature isn’t it? It’s easy to have strong feelings about “the other” in the abstract, but once it turned out her friend was “one of them” she took a more nuanced view and switched sides. Also, everyone on Coulson’s team always sticks together (except for Daisy who occasionally runs away). It’s like a cult.

Edited September 25, 2020 by BaggythePanther

[swanpride]

Plus, Jemma was initially grieving over Trip and needed something to take her anger out on. Once Fitz set her straight, she calmed down somewhat.