Skye and May fight to escape the clutches of HYDRA and link up with the resistance which is still reeling from a key death. Fitz’s dedication to his cause is redoubled, as AIDA’s end game finally starts to become clear.

The theme for this week’s episode might as well be ‘stepping up’. Daisy is now empowered as she was in the real world (though don’t even get me started on how Terrigen not only works but does so in exactly the same way within the confines of the Framework) and she swiftly puts that power to good effect. May, newly disillusioned with her HYDRA employers, gets to kick ass in the usual Melinda May way, and it’s a joy to see the two of them fighting alongside one another again.

Meanwhile, Coulson the schoolteacher is starting to take charge of the resistance, still somewhat directionless in the wake of Mace’s heroic sacrifice. This is the real genius in this current storyline: though the main players are all in completely different versions of themselves thanks to the butterfly effect of whatever single event in their lives the Framework has reshaped, their core essences remain the same – Coulson may be a bookish schoolteacher in this reality, but Coulson the natural leader of men, issuer of guidance and all-round badass is still very much in there. Watching him and Ward be on the same side is weird, but also oddly satisfying, this being the Ward that could have been. Again it’s obvious to see the qualities that made Ward such an imposing villain make for an excellent hero, emphasising the fine line that exists between both in the SHIELD line of work.

Unfortunately for the gang, this works both ways – Fitz too is pushed to new limits in this episode and the results are not pretty. Madame HYDRA, aka AIDA, has him in the palm of her hand, and not even his natural deference to his abusive father can stop him in his quest to fulfil whatever design she sets before him. Fitz is stepping up, or down depending on your point of view, but whichever way you view it, it’s terrifying to behold.

Another familiar face appears in this episode, maybe less welcome than others, it has to be said. The biggest stepping up of all though, comes from Daisy and Gemma, who come to realise that perhaps there are more ways than one to skin a cat, or defeat an AI. The only question is whether they have time to do what needs to be done to defeat AIDA and rescue their friends (and the world) once and for all.

As has become the norm, we also get another not so subtle dig at real world politics in this episode – if the parallels of the Framework world aren’t stark enough for you, look out for a very on the nose reference delivered towards the end.

The sting just makes everything that little more urgent…

Verdict: With the way that the series has been going these past few weeks, it’s clear that we are dealing with real stakes here. Whoever’s going to be left standing when the smoke clears and the end credits roll on this fourth season is, at this point, anyone’s guess. 9/10

Greg D. Smith