Ep 1. Now is Not the End

In "Marvel's Agent Carter" season 1 episode 1, titled "Now is Not the End," the audience is introduced to Peggy Carter, a former operative of the Strategic Scientific Reserve (SSR) during WWII and a member of the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division (SHIELD) in present-day Marvel Universe. Peggy now works for the SSR as a secretary, marginalized and discriminated against by her male colleagues. This episode sets the stage for the character and introduces the audience to her world.

Despite being a talented and driven agent during the war, Peggy's skillset and expertise are maligned by her peers. Her valor and strategic thinking abilities during the war are never acknowledged by her colleagues who only recognize her as a secretary responsible for preparing tea, typing memos, and sending telegrams. Peggy's predicament is analogous to many women of her time and highlights the gender bias in the workplace, particularly in the male-dominated spheres of governance and command.

Peggy's life takes a turn when Howard Stark, billionaire inventor and Tony Stark's father, is accused of dealing in deadly weapons technology and asks her assistance to prove his innocence. Peggie is willing to help Stark, but her loyalty is tested when she finds out that Stark is not interested in clearing his name and has ulterior motives. Stark reveals that he has discovered that some of his inventions have been stolen by Leviathan, a secretive organization from the Soviet Union. As a result, he approaches Peggy to locate and recover his stolen technology.

Peggy is hesitant to provide Stark with help, given the treason charges against him, but she recognizes the importance of preventing harmful technology from falling into the wrong hands. Despite having reservations about Stark's true intentions, Peggy agrees to help him in his mission to recover the stolen technology and clear his name in exchange for protection from the SSR.

Peggy's search for the stolen technology leads her to the Blitz Krieg Button, a powerful device that emits a pulse capable of causing significant destruction. The device has fallen into the hands of Leviathan, who plans to detonate it in New York City. Peggy, working in secret, assembles her own team of operatives to retrieve the weapon from a heavily fortified Soviet base in Belarus.

The mission is not without risks. Peggy is forced to confront her sexist coworkers who dismiss her capabilities as an operative, believing she's only good for typing or running errands. Peggy has to find her way through the labyrinthine corridors and gun turrets of the Soviet fortress, hidden deep within the woods. She also has to navigate her relationship with her fellow SSR agent, Daniel Sousa, who suspects her involvement in the Howard Stark case.

In this action-packed episode, the audience gets an overview of Peggy's relationships with Howard Stark, Sousa, and the SSR, as well as her skills as an operative.

In conclusion, "Now Is Not The End" sets the stage for this thrilling and powerful series following the daring exploits of Peggy Carter. With its mix of espionage, drama, and action, it introduces a unique and complex character, who defies the stereotypes women faced in the post-WWII era. This episode showcases the struggles that young women faced as they tried to break through gender stereotypes and the various challenges they had to overcome to achieve their goals. "Marvel's Agent Carter" resonates even today as a high-quality series, showcasing a strong and relatable character, a challenging plot, and excellent action set-pieces.