When an art medium combines with another art medium, or two properties with a medium combine in some way, this is referred to as a “crossover”. It’s something that is often seen in comic books (i.e. the DC/Marvel amalgam run in the mid-late 90’s) and sometimes in television (the Pretender/Profiler universe, episodes between various NCIS, CSI, and Law and Order shows, and the Arrow/Flash crossover in season two of Arrow in preparation for the airing of the Flash pilot later in 2014). It’s very rare however to see movies and television do this, that is until the advent of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and it’s weekly television extension Agent of SHIELD. Earlier this season, audiences saw two “crossover” episodes where aspects of Asgard and the events and characters of Thor: The Dark World played a role in the show. Nevertheless, in recent weeks, the show has tired something slightly different. While tempted to call them “additional crossover” episodes linked to the events of the most recent Marvel Studios silver screen release, I’ve chosen to call the something different: “fallout episodes”.
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