It is the episode after Captain America: Civil War. Recent memory suggests this means something big but just like last season after Age of Ultron, nothing really changes. The biggest change was after Winter Soldier, but it does not seem as though Agents of SHIELD is interested in exciting television anymore. The only real mention of Civil War is when Talbot arrives trying to register enhanced people. This never really amounts to anything.
Still in his cell, Lincoln knows that SkyeDaisy has the ability to break into SHIELD’s security. He asks to talk to her. She hacks into his TV so they can speak face to face – so to speak. Lincoln wants to be with her, but not brainwashed.
Talbot and Coulson pay Lincoln a visit. Lincoln agrees to register as enhanced so he can be let out of his cell. Talbot goes to see Lash, who they are keeping in a cell. After seeing how tame Lincoln is, Talbot is infuriated at the monstrosity that Andrew has become. Talbot wants to know where SkyeDaisy is and they tell him that she’s on assignment. However, he knew all along that she was on HiveWard’s team.
The terrorist organization known as the Watchdogs are after enhanced people who they view as a threat. James officially comes out as Hellfire, wielding a fiery chain. He and HiveWard take the Watchdogs prisoner. They become the first test subjects in Dr. Radcliffe’s trials to turn humans into Inhumans. He pumps smoke until a crate holding the Watchdogs. After they open the crate, they find that the Watchdogs have become horribly disfigured, their faces melted.
SkyeDaisy helps Lincoln break out of his cell. Fitz discovers she has been in the system and that Lincoln’s security feed is on a loop. Lincoln makes it to the Quinn Jet, after shocking Mack. HiveWard plans to put him under his sway, even though SkyeDaisy promised Lincoln that wouldn’t happen. While the Quinn Jet is on its way, HiveWard brings SkyeDaisy to see the disfigured Watchdogs. They have superstrength and can by controlled by HiveWard. He wants to make more
HiveWard goes to meet Lincoln in the Quinn Jet. But Lincoln isn’t in it. Lash is. Lincoln was working with SHIELD the entire time and sent Lash in his place. Is this really the best idea? Everyone knows that HiveWard can control all Inhumans. So now he has a very powerful Inhuman whose job is to destroy other Inhumans. Yes, he might take out HiveWard, but its more likely that HiveWard will control him. This is not the season finale, after all.
However, when Lash and HiveWard fight, it seems that their powers balance each other out. Neither can win. Lash speaks for the first time ever. He weakens HiveWard and gets SkyeDaisy into the Quinn Jet, saving her and taking away what was brainwashing her. He tells her that she’s free. Not quite sure how this is part of his skillset when in the past, all he’s done is kill. James comes up behind Lash and kills him. SkyeDaisy takes control of the Quinn Jet and flies back to SHIELD.
Lincoln surmised that it was Lash’s purpose to kill HiveWard, but he does not succeed. He was supposed to save SkyeDaisy. Evidently. Even though there was no evidence to suggest this in the past. Simmons does a brain scan on SkyeDaisy to verify that she is no longer under HiveWard’s sway. Unfortunately HiveWard stole a warhead from the ATCU and he plans to use it to spread the pathogen that will turn humans into melted versions of Inhumans.
Uh-oh.
This isn’t a great leap to make considering,SkyeDaisy’s vision had a cross in it, but Mack is going to die. He has already been on this show since season two and everyone knows how SHIELD can’t stand leaving not-white characters alive. Maya gives him her cross. He’s going to die.
Thanks, SHIELD. It’s been real.
