Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. returns from Winter break March 8 with Season 3 Episode 11, “Bouncing Back.” The midseason Winter finale episode, “Maveth,” wasn’t short of game-changing surprises, which are now SPOILERS. Since we know ex-SHIELD Agent Grant Ward is now a supervillain monster named Hive , what’s in store for Phil Coulson’s inhuman superhero crew? We know Skye (also known as Daisy Johnson, and Quake) is recruiting a team of Secret Warriors, not only to combat S.H.I.E.L.D.’s growing list of inhuman, and human, enemies, but also to protect the inhumans from Hydra’s evil plans. Phil Coulson is on a mission to take down Hydra’s leader, Gideon Malick.
In the latest teaser, Coulson tells Fitz to set up the mind-reading machine because he needs to “get in his head” for intel on Malick. Who is this ‘he’ Coulson wants to question? It’s not clear. The clip also reveals Yo-Yo Rodriguez, codenamed Slingshot. Rodriguez possesses super speed that allows her to “slingshot” back to the place she started running from, giving off the illusion of invisibility or teleportation.
Malick tortured Agents Fitz and Simmons in order to gain access to the Maveth portal. Malick gave Grant Ward the job of leading Fitz and a Hydra team to the alien world. However, Agent Coulson made it to Maveth in time to kill Ward with his bionic arm. The alien planet’s ‘It’ monster took over Ward’s body and soul, and now the once double agent has become a huge genetically engineered parasite.
S.H.I.E.L.D. is going to need some help to defeat Hive, especially since the creature has access to Ward’s memory, as well as the knowledge of any person he decides to morph into. That’s why Skye’s Secret Warriors team will be more important moving forward.
"We were starting to find the Secret Warriors and bring together a team to deal with this outbreak of enhanced people, and that had to almost go on the backburner. There is some exciting stuff coming with Secret Warriors. Hopefully it will be exciting enough that we'll have a fighting chance against what's coming to find us," Clark Gregg (Phil Coulson) told TV Guide.
Fitz had to kill Simmons’ love interest, Astronaut Will, because the ‘It’ took over his body on Maveth. If Simmons finds out about what Fitz did, that could be the end of their recovering romance. Mack will likely continue to lead the S.H.I.E.L.D. team in the field, but it's unclear what will happen to Lance Hunter and Bobbi Morse, whose characters will be shifted to a new spinoff series called Marvel’s Most Wanted. The two are seen joking with Mack in the “Bouncing Back” trailer. However, the just-released synopsis for Season 3 Episode 13, “Plotting Shot” may set up the couple’s departure from the S.H.I.E.L.D. storyline:
Bobbi and Hunter become ensnared in an assassination plot after tracking Malick to Russia. As S.H.I.E.L.D. races to save the lives on the line, the team is changed forever.
In the midseason finale, Agent May saved her ex-husband and former S.H.I.E.L.D. psychiatrist Andrew, who is now outed as the Hulk-like inhuman, Lash. Seeing he has killed multiple inhumans, S.H.I.E.L.D. will either lock him away or help him control his powers. Could he become part of the Secret Warriors? So far, Daisy’s Secret Warriors team includes Joey Gutierrez, a metalmorpher. The second team member, Lincoln Campbell, can manipulate electric currents, which allows him to control metal, stop electromagnetic pulses and power-up inanimate objects.
What other inhumans will Daisy ask to join the Secret Warriors? Find out March 8 on ABC at 9:00 p.m.
“Bouncing Back” Synopsis:
In the aftermath of his trip to Maveth, Coulson is more determined than ever to get to Gideon Malick and put an end to Hydra once and for all. Daisy and the team encounter more Inhumans who have powers like they’ve never seen before, but will they be friends or enemies of S.H.I.E.L.D.?
