For the most part, the entire episode was set up. The whole episode reintroduced us to most of the characters, set up the brave new terrifying world that Aida has created. It’s interesting to see that most of this world was created through getting rid of May’s pain. If she never killed the girl in Bahrain, then that girl – with her unstable powers – would go on to kill hundreds of people in what they called the Cambridge Incident.
From that incident, a world where Hydra rules was created. As we later learn in Coulson’s classroom — he’s a teacher now, don’t you know — Hydra put state interests over the interests of the individual, classifying Inhumans as terrorists and putting the world at ease with their iron grip.
The opening of the episode also gave us back an old enemy. Daisy, now Skye once more, had been programmed to shack up with Ward. I was initially against this idea. How many times do we need to bring back Grant Ward before he’s gone for good? He died midway through season three, came back as Hive, and is now back as product of the angry Matrix. I know he isn’t actually “real” this time around, and that’s one of the reason why I’m okay with his return. Once they escape from the Framework, that should be the end of things.
I did like the twist on Ward though. Instead of being a Hydra agent through and through, turns out he’s actually a Hydra mole, working for the resistance. I enjoyed Simmons comments on that fact, that even though he’s a good guy, he’s still a mole and double agent. Always the double crosser.
Simmons had some great standout moments as well. Her talk with Coulson, getting him to try to remember Tahiti and everything that had happened to him. The scene where she battled the two Hydra agents and handled them with ease. Simmons was full of awesome moments this week.
The only issue is that her very existence in the Framework is what’s causing all the problems. She’s supposed to be dead in the Framework, so her coming back from the dead is a major problem for her and Daisy. It put up a red flag in Aida’s mind and she was able to block their escape. So now one has to wonder how they’ll be able to get out of the hell they put themselves into.
There is hope though, as by the very end of the episode, Coulson was beginning to come around. As someone who had his memories rewritten in the past, his brain knows the telltale signs of a fake life, and is working hard to bring him back to reality. With Coulson on their side, things might be a bit easier.
The only question remains is where the rest of the cast wound up. We got no scenes of Mack or Director Mace. I have to wonder what fate awaits them in Aida’s vast creation.
Written by Peter Freeman, TV & Animation Beat Writer -- Click to read Peter's posts
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