I really do feel bad for Raina on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. The show returned and the anti-heroine had not only lost the looks that were so important to her and a ton of self-confidence, but was also in constant physical pain. For someone who put so much stake in the divine Inhuman terregenesis process, that's a tough break. According to the official ABC press releases for the next three upcoming episodes, Ruth Negga will not appear. I suppose the show has other concerns, like what the heck are Mack and Bobbi up to, and who's gonna fill that empty seat at the Round Conference Table Of Hydra. So we'll have to wait to find out what happened to Raina or what she is now.
I don't think it was fair to jump to the conclusion that she is covered in thorns. I'm just not buying that this is the connection to the flowers she always donned. At least call her a cactus. Multiple users on Tumblr have compared Raina on S.H.I.E.L.D. to a porcupine, and I have to say I agree. Especially with the way her head is now shaped, her protrusions look more like quills. That got me thinking, and I started snooping around for Marvel characters with "quills" instead of "thorns" or "spikes" or "face claws."
Not only is this a much more pleasant-sounding condition to be in (just trying to lighten the mood, Raina), but there are multiple Marvel characters who have had this power and "look," if you will. No, I'm not talking about Peter Quill, sometimes known as Star-Lord and member of the Guardians of the Galaxy. Most of these characters are minor mutants, who I think are for the most part able to be co-opted by Marvel Studios and rebooted as Inhumans. Even if Raina isn't a direct adaptation of any of the "Quills," this could be the inspiration for her powers and help us predict what will happen to her next.
This is Maxwell Jordan, the most recent mutant called "Quill," who appeared in X-Men: The Last Stand in that rough and tumble gang of mutants that Magneto recruits. Doesn't his makeup and "hair" design look an awful lot like The Girl In The Flower Dress? Max Jordan was also trained as a thief by Gambit, like Raina was trained by Zabo. These characters all have similar physical characteristics to Raina, and are also able to shoot quills out of their body as weapons. That's handy to have. Do you ever get worried that Hawkeye, Katniss, and Legolas are going to run out of arrows? Is that just me? There is one female Quills, who appeared in a type of mutant fight club. Another is not exactly a mutant but a "warpie," who was transformed by a madman and taken by the government. The last was decidedly a rebel and was ultimately arrested and de-powered.
There is a silver lining to every cloud, and last week Raina was rescued from her own despair by divine intervention in the form of Gordon, the eyeless man, and his teleportation powers. He called her beautiful. He wore a trenchcoat. He was super slick and literally swept her off her feet. Anybody 'shipping these two already? This is also good news for Raina's condition. When Gordon was a youth, he too experience pain after his transformation. He was helped by Skye's mother, who we now know is named Jiayang, and mirrored her words back to Raina. There is hope!
Images: ABC; Fox Studios; queensmaker/Tumblr
