Agents of SHIELD Season 4 Episode 17: Identity and Change Review

Keith NoakesApril 12, 201746410 min

If you would like to read my review of the last episode, click here.

Synopsis: As Daisy and Simmons struggle to discover an escape route to the real world, the identity of the Inhuman leader of the Resistance is revealed. (IMDB)

Writer:  George Kitson

Director: Garry A. Brown

Rating: TV-PG

Running Time: 45mins

Last week introduced us to most of the framework versions of our characters and this episode brought us the rest of them. We also got some good news in Coulson remembering Skye/Daisy. He was a special case since he had previous experience having his mind worked on after the T.A.H.I.T.I. project. He was relieved to learn that he wasn’t crazy and he told us what he really felt about Hydra but he did take it a little too far with mind control soap. With Hydra on their way to get him, Coulson tagged along.

The last time we saw Mack, he was in the framework spending time with his daughter Hope. They were very close and had similar interests. She was working on a drone and decided to use parts from a fallen Hydra drone. Mack was upset as it could put them on their radar. This version of Mack liked to keep his head down and stay out of the way and live his life but he was willing to protect his daughter if necessary. They had a close call but they made it through.

Coulson was in awe of everything as if he was seeing it for the first time. All this secret agent business was cool to him. If they had any hope to escape the framework, they would need Radcliffe’s help but he’d apparently been missing for awhile. Daisy and Ward went back to triskelion but split up when May pulled her away. Meanwhile, Simmons and Coulson were brought to secret resistance base and met their leader, Mace.

They were mostly just the remnants of SHIELD running out of the old base that was blown up at the end of Self Control. They primarily protect inhumans and their family members by sheltering them until they could find them someplace safe. Ward arrived to inform them about what happened to Skye. He gave them Radcliffe’s coordinates and he, Simmons, and Coulson took their only quinjet to go get him. Simmons just had to get over her own trust issues with Ward since she could only see him as the Ward who betrayed them in the past.

Fitz still wanted to know about this submissive that Aida (Ophelia in the framework) was looking for. She claimed to be handling it but she still looked worried. Ophelia showed him a picture of Simmons. He still seemed committed to the cause in vowing to eliminate the threat as he would do anything for her. The reason May wanted Skye was that Madame Hydra chose her specifically for a mission against Simmons. For some reason, they took a team to Mac’s house to take him and Hope. They didn’t know anything but Mack was used as a pawn to have Skye admit to who she really was. She was then taken captive with the episode ending with her beat up in her cell.

Fitz also learned the truth from Ophelia about Simmons and the people from the other side. She told him about her time on the other side (as Aida), how she was a less than human slave. Everything she’s done was for them to be together.

Once they arrived at Radcliffe’s island, he told them about the trials and tribulations he’s endured. He told them there was no escape. He told them what he did to Agnes and how Aida killed him. He had to stay on the island so he and Agnes would be safe. Ward and Coulson were confused since they did not fully know what was going on.

Because she was watching them, Ophelia and Fitz arrived on the island along with some soldiers. Radcliffe was upset with her for what she did but she just did what he asked. She refused to be called Aida and she told him how degrading it was to be kept in a closet, to be used, to be treated as a thing. She no longer wanted to be his tool. Agnes was confused seeing Ophelia and Ophelia tried to pin Fitz against Radcliffe.

Fitz put a gun to Agnes. Ward had a shot on Fitz but Simmons was pleading for him to not shoot. She promised to tell him everything if she didn’t shoot because he wouldn’t hurt an innocent woman. Radcliffe pleaded for him to not shoot and to remember their past, that this wasn’t him. Fitz thought Radcliffe was wrong and shot Agnes.

Back at the base, Mack was picked up and because he felt bad about helping Hydra, he offered to help SHIELD.

Overall, this was another great episode where learned more about the framework and Aida/Ophelia’s motivations in keeping everyone there. She wanted her revenge and thanks to Mallory Jansen’s amazing performance, she has solidified Aida as one of the best villains this show has ever had. What will be the ramifications for Fitz after shooting Agnes, if will definitely have an impact on him and his relationship with Simmons. Kudos to Iain De Caestecker and his performance as well as evil Fitz.

Score: 9.5/10

If you liked this, please read my other reviews here and don’t forget to follow me on Twitter, follow me on Instagram, and also like me on Facebook.

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