Test results are back, and Daisy is the only one infected by Hive. May is still working on fortifying HQ. Coulson, despite a broken leg (a cover for a real-life injury) is prepping the zephyr for takeoff. He alerts the team that Daisy is still “one of us.” This is a capture mission; not kill. May pilots the zephyr out of the hangar – sideways. Fitz believes that Hive’s infection is more like an addiction, releasing serious levels of dopamine. There is a Dr. Radcliffe who, in layman terms, is seeking a way to use science and technology to become immortal. Coulson assigns FitzSimmons to run point on Radcliffe, with Mack as their backup. As they are prepping for their mission, Fitz awkwardly brings up that kiss with Simmons. They are interrupted by May, who hands Simmons a gun. Just in case.
They find Radcliffe in Bucharest. He runs a secret, swanky club that is the premiere black market for science goodies, especially bionics. The pair go in as scientists (not a stretch) looking to sell a modified version of Deathlok’s eyes. Mack will monitor them from a hotel room. According to the multi spectral screening that Mack has on the room, these scientists are not what they seem. Sounds like they are all loaded with bionics and biometrics.
Daisy meets with Ward, and is surprised to find that Hive has Ward’s memories. When she is around Hive, the emptiness is gone. He calls her Skye, until she corrects him – that was the name Ward knew her as. She spills about her parents, then stops. “I can’t believe I am telling you all this.” “You are telling me this because of our connection. We are one organism,” Ward assures her. He also tells her that there is no need for war if everyone has a common goal. “It’s time to take back this planet.”
Even though she is in hiding, Coulson thinks Daisy will go after Alisha. Lincoln wants to join Coulson and May on the mission to retrieve her. May says no, but Coulson says yes – if he wears an explosive vest that can be set off if Hive infects him. Lincoln is furious at this, but eventually agrees. He gives the detonator to May. As they approach the safe house where Alisha is staying, May is worried that Daisy won’t come willingly. Coulson states specifically not to shoot her, which confuses May. He has no problem blowing up Lincoln at the slightest hint of trouble. “I will do your dirty work, but don’t you dare pretend your hands are clean.”
Lincoln approaches Alisha in a parking garage. She swears she hasn’t seen Daisy. He fills her in on what is going on with Ward, and one of Alisha’s clones appears and starts shooting. Lincoln fights back, then hides. Alisha has been infected, and she wants Lincoln to become infected, telling him there is no reason to stay loyal to humans. May joins in the fight, and they each take a clone. Lincoln threatens to painfully kill the clone he is battling. Alisha won’t tell him where Daisy is; Hive won’t let her. She shoots her clone to relieve it of its pain, then turns on May, who is unconscious behind her. Coulson shoots Alisha dead.
The original Alisha is with Ward and in pain, knowing her clones are dead. Ward calms her while they wait for Daisy. They have stopped in to visit James, figuring that he should get the chance to meet the ancient Inhuman James told her about. Ward wants the companion piece to the Kree artifact Daisy took on her first visit to James. He swears he doesn’t know what he is talking about. Daisy breaks a terrigen crystal on the ground and goes to wait outside with Alisha and Ward. She warns them that James is being very aggressive as he breaks out of his “husk.” There is an explosion and James comes outside, his hands glowing with his flaming power running through them. Ward infects him, and without being prompted, James reveals he buried the artifact. Daisy uses her powers to open the earth and find the artifact, buried beneath James’ house. It is large and nondescript, but Ward says it is the only thing that can destroy Hive.
This seismic activity brings Coulson and May to South Dakota (after Coulson apologizes to May for taking advantage of her) and evidence of a fight. They enter the house and see the hole in the floor. The cabin is rigged to blow, and May and Coulson have no time to escape. Coulson drags May into the hole and shields her from the blast with his body – oh, and with the cool projection shield that pops out of his bionic hand. Talbot calls and the “party” is over. They head back to HQ.
Back at the swanky scientist club, FitzSimmons can’t find Radcliffe anywhere. They make their move to a door guarded by two big goons, and are cut off by a woman named Anon, Radcliffe’s assistant. They want to meet with him. She checks Radcliffe’s schedule (on her arm) and tells them to wait while she checks with the doctor.
While they wait, Fitz feigns a feedback problem on their communicators so they can “reboot” and get some privacy. Fitz discusses his relationship with Simmons in scientific terms, then compares sleeping with her to crossing the event horizon. This is probably the sweetest, most romantic speech I have ever heard. (That’s not sarcasm!) They snuggle up, but Anon comes to take them back into the secret room. The comms go back on, and they are taken through a secret door, into a secret elevator, down a secret hall, and into a secret operating room. A man on the table is prepped for eye surgery. Since they are there to sell eye technology, Anon instructs them to implant it into a live specimen. Then and only then will Radcliffe know they are legit and meet with them. FitzSimmons confer briefly, worried about the ethics, but agree.
Simmons needs to anesthetize the area… and stabs the patient with a huge needle, right in the center of his eyeball. Fitz flinches, and Simmons explains that it was a prosthetic, an avian/human hybrid eye. Radcliffe reveals that he is the patient and immediately accuses them of being Hydra. They insist they are with SHIELD and try to explain, but Anon calls for reinforcements, breaks Fitz’s surveillance glasses, and separates FitzSimmons.
Fitz tries desperately to explain what they need him for, and why he would be well-served, helping him out, but Daisy blows into the room. She beats up Anon, and passes off Radcliffe to Alisha, who takes him out of there. Then Daisy turns her attention to Fitz. “We need to talk.” She wants Fitz to stop trying to save her. She finally has a family in Hive. She tells him of her vision, that someone in SHIELD is going to die, and advises that if he loves her (Daisy, I assume), he will leave “us” alone (Hive, I assume). “We don’t want to hurt you, but we will. This is your last warning.” Daisy drops Fitz and leaves.
Simmons is in the hall with her goon, but suddenly her goon is evaporated. Ward is there and destroys him. He summons up Will, speaks to her as Will, and says that he is glad she made it back to Fitz. “Will” promises he wouldn’t trick her, doesn’t want Simmons to end up dead like he is. He advances on her, just to stroke her hair. “It’s time to let me go.” “Just because you stole Will’s memories doesn’t give you the right to be him. Will is dead,” Simmons says flatly, before pumping a whole lot of bullets into Ward’s belly. She runs.
Mack and Simmons meet back in the room, the rendezvous point. She is worried that Fitz isn’t there yet, and Mack convinces her to sit and wait for him to return. He coyly asks how long they have been an item, and Simmons tries to deny it. “Do you know how many times Bobbi and Hunter pulled the ‘broken communicators’ trick?” He asks, and Simmons gives in, admitting it is new. “No, it isn’t,” Mack tells her. By the time Fitz makes it back to the room, Mack has started loading the equipment onto the plane, and Simmons is beside herself with worry, waiting for him. He was looking for her. They start kissing, undressing, and fall into bed together. Hallelujah, they finally had sex!
HQ has finally been fortified. Nothing is getting in. Coulson finally knows what Talbot has been up to this whole time. He is about to take down Hydra’s infrastructure. All of Malick’s intel was correct. The two watch on the video screen as Talbot starts a worldwide strike. And just like that, it’s over. Hydra has been eliminated. “This should have been a great day,” Coulson says sadly. Of course, you know that Hydra is not eliminated. That was too easy, too boring, and Hydra always comes back.
Ward has his new team, which consists of James, Alisha, Daisy, and Radcliffe. Radcliffe is still technically a prisoner, but he seems fascinated by Ward. He could only dream of making one like him. Ward wants Radcliffe to recreate the same Kree experiment that created Hive.
You can watch a preview for the next episode, titled “Failed Experiments,” in the player below.
