One of the things I was struck with this week on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is how different Simmons and Daisy are as characters and as people. While the Agent Formerly Known As Skye is an open emotional book and was more than willing to share her theories about Lash being a kind of Inhuman werewolf who could transform into anyone, Jemma is less forthcoming and tries to put on a brave face. What happened to Simmons on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. when she was on that blue planet? Does she have powers now, or not? We are finally, finally getting close to some answers.
In Tuesday's episode, Dr. Andrew Garner worked with Simmons, looking for signs to PTSD. However, she denied both trauma and Inhuman abilities, instead focusing on changes in taste and other senses. She also admitted that she had lost hope, and cooly told Andrew that everything was not, in fact, over. It was a beautifully acted scene, and makes me wonder even more about why Jemma needs to keep this chapter of her life open if it caused her to momentarily give up. She said she wanted to look forward, not back, but what does that mean?
Later, Bobbi Morse, who was taking Simmons' place in the lab (to both of their dismays), kindly suggested that Simmons at least tell Fitz that she desired to return to the planet, because he was worried about her. Turns out she didn't have to, because Fitz was already suspicious and confronted her about her research in the tag of the episode. Simmons finally admitted to her friend that she wanted to go back and needed his help to do so. "Something happened to me, Fitz, on the other side. It's time I tell you the truth about everything," she said.
Wait, what does she mean by the "other side"? Is Simmons dead? Everybody hold up. What is going on here? Maybe she's just talking about a sort of transformation, or the "other side" of the galaxy. The promo for next week's episode, in which we finally see more of what happened to Simmons on the blue planet, looks basically just like The Martian with fewer resources for science and a more breathable atmosphere. We know so little about what went down there and I can't wait to find out more on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. this season.
Image: Kurt Iswarienkio/ABC
