“Fear and Loathing on the Planet of Kitson” is episode three of season six of Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
In the previous episode, “Window of Opportunity”, Fitz managed to acquire the ship he was on, after the controller tried spacing Fitz and the engineering crew – and discovered that Fitz had rewired the system so it blasted him and his guards out another airlock instead. If he’s played nice, he would have survived. Enoch told Fitz it would be difficult on Naro-Atsia, seeing as they had killed the controller. If they stayed, they might be charged with mutiny. The crew that Fitz saved could find employment on the Planet of Kitson. So, Fitz’s ship jumped out – seconds before the Zephyr arrived.
This episode opens with a man assembling a weapon. On a screen in front of him there are pictures of people flashing through, accompanied by unreadable writing. There is a slightly out of focus one of a green-skinned woman who looks suspiciously like Gamora, then the focus sharpens on the next one – which is Fitz and Enoch. The man picks up his weapon and throws a metal circle onto the floor. Which spins, enlarges and turns red. He steps inside the circle, rings rise to surround him, then collapse, and there is only a spinning ring left, which zips off.
The Zephyr is approaching a customs station in orbit around Naro-Atsia. Piper and Davis are really unhappy with Simmons setting the coordinates to there rather than Earth before they jumped at the end of “Missing Pieces”. Piper says that Simmons put the mission at risk. Simmons points out that Fitz is the mission. Daisy says that Simmons is right – Fitz is the mission – but Daisy is the mission leader and it’s her decision to make. They are going home. Hopefully they will be able to make it. Simmons states she is staying. Daisy tells her she isn’t and she will put Simmons in the cargo hold. Simmons would like to see her try.
At this point there is a jolt and a transmission comes from a customs officer on the station. They have docked and he wants permission to come aboard for inspection. Daisy says that it doesn’t matter, they are leaving. The customs officer says they still need inspecting. They are in the system, so there are forms to fill out. Before they leave, they have to be inspected. Them’s the rules. He doesn’t make them, just follows them. So, they are going to be inspected. Simmons says maybe they inspected Fitz’s ship. At a look, she says they can at least ask.
Kitson City, on the Planet of Kitson, and Fitz is selling the snails. When asked their plans, Enoch replies they are heading to Naro-Atsia, thence Jupiter. Where they will remain in orbit for a precise number of days. After they purchase a cryochamber. However, the two people they are selling the snails to are not going to pay. Fitz and Enoch are wanted people. Either they can get off the ship – it’s their ship now, thanks – or they will inform local enforcers. One does give Fitz a single casino chip. The Plater of Kitson has a reputation. Fortunes are lost here. And won.
Before entering a casino, Fitz and Enoch are warned that robots, droids, cyborgs, mechs and synths are not allowed. Violators will be executed. Fitz thinks Enoch should wait outside. But he walks straight through – not setting off an alarm. He is a Chronicom, not a robot, droid, cybog, mech or synth. He can mask his inorganic structure and pass as human. Enoch, it seems, thinks the journey they have been on is stimulating and informative. He is having a facsimile of fun. And Fitz is his best friend. First, Fitz says, they need to raise money to get off the planet. And they have one lousy chip. Enoch is well versed in over 10,000 games of chance. Unfortunately, he hasn’t played any on them.
On the Zephyr, Simmons, Piper and Daisy are being told to hand over their weapons. During the inspection, Simmons asks if they have seen this man. Leopold Fitz. The customs officer says she shouldn’t have said that name. Because he’s here, listening. And the man from the beginning comes in. He shoots Daisy but Davis manages to knock him out.
Fitz is trying to work out what game to play. Enoch decides to order drinks. Premium ones at that. For which they have no money. He says he will remedy the situation, places a chip and wins. He had calculated the probabilities. Fitz realises that Enoch is a computer and can win the money. Enoch points out the rules on synthetic humans. Fitz tells him that’s what best friends are for. Enoch is aware of many instances when best friends have conducted lawless acts together. Including murder. Fitz finds that last disturbing; they are going to stick to gambling.
On the Zephyr, the others are being told that Fitz is a wanted man for tampering with the universe. He was also scheduled to arrive on the next vessel. Fitz should not be there. Simmons says he should be back on Earth. Which is where, according to the man, he died over a year ago. The man says he is a hunter and repeats something he said earlier – Simmons and her friends are out of time. Perhaps he means that in the sense of they are in the wrong time. The team find out from the inspector that there was another ship that was supposed to arrive, but turned around and left for the Planet of Kitson. A place he doesn’t have a very high opinion of.
On the Planet of Kitson, Enoch is doing well. And playing a high stakes game. And, he thinks, making friends with the man next to him. Fitz realises that he isn’t. Enoch goes all in and loses everything. His newfound friend says that Enoch is great at cards but dumb as hell at people.
On Fitz’s old ship, the two who took it are talking about their plans. When Daisy blows the door in. Under encouragement, one of them says that Fitz will either be at the casino or the brothels.
Fitz and Enoch need a new way to make money. Fitz does not like Enoch’s first idea. Then there is another gambling game they can try. One in which Enoch neglects to tell Fitz the stakes until after he has entered.
Simmons and Daisy are looking for Fitz in the casino. If he isn’t there, Simmons says he’d better be dead. Rather than in the brothels. Unfortunately, they both ate something that Enoch warned Fitz away from. It has unusual effects.
This is, in many ways, a rather more light-hearted episode. For one thing, Daisy and Simmons lose track of a number of things, including why they have come to the casino. They decide they’ve come for ladies’ night.
Nothing from Earth until the post-logo screen, when Sarge appears to start whatever it is they had planned.