Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 4, Episode 21, "The Return" EXPECTATIONS

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Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. continues tonight with “The Return” (4x21) at 10:00 PM Eastern/Pacific.  What do we expect from tonight's episode?

What happened in the last episode, “Farewell, Cruel World!”?

The team (except Mack) found Radcliffe’s back door and escaped the Framework.  Fitz “forced” Radcliffe to lead him to the back door to hunt down Simmons, but at the last minute Radcliffe actually threw Fitz into the back door, saying for Fitz not to blame himself for everything that happened in the Framework.  When they return to the real world, Daisy and Simmons find that the Zephyr is under attack from Ivanov’s forces.  The rest of the team discovers that AIDA was able to manufacture herself a body, complete with Darkhold abilities which she uses to take Fitz and escape.

Episode Synopsis for “The Return”:

“In the exciting penultimate episode leading into next week’s season finale, Coulson and the team’s victory in the Framework is short-lived, as an even deadlier enemy looms against them all”

Continuing plot points:

• How will the characters’ experiences within the Framework affect them outside the Framework?
• How can they defeat AIDA when she has all-but-unlimited power?
• Mack is still inside the Framework—even though he knows it to be false

What I am looking for tonight:

• Just to get it out of the way up front:  I do not expect a tie-in with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, even though there is 1 possible avenue for a direct tie-in.  However, if you have not seen the movie yet and are worried about spoilers, record it to watch later.  When I review the episode I will explain at the beginning whether or not there are spoilers.
• I expect Mack to escape the Framework, but a part of me wants him to stay just because trying again to get him out feels like too much of a detour.  Also, I really hope this isn’t just an attempt to raise the stakes a little higher.
• Fighting Ivanov will be really interesting for Coulson and May, considering that they still have their disorientation from the Framework to worry about
• I don’t expect Ivanov to be a major villain in this episode, however
• I’m not sure who the “even deadlier villain” will be, but it could actually be a way of acknowledging that AIDA is more deadly now due to her human body (free will) and Darkhold powers.

What would be awesome but probably won’t happen:

Mack uses Project Looking Glass to build a body in the real world for Hope and then escapes through the back door.

So what are you looking for in tonight’s episode?  What is there that you really want to see but may not see at all?

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