Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. New Episode Review: 'Afterlife' Enlightens Skye

Season 2 of Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. continued Tuesday night with a new episode entitled "Afterlife" that helped Skye further understand her new powers but also raised some new questions.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. has been juggling a lot of balls in the air in Season 2, including but not limited to Skye's new powers, Coulson's alien scribblings, Grant Ward's outlaw status, Skye's father, Hydra, and "Real S.H.I.E.L.D." Fortunately, the show has more often than not found a way to give appropriate time and weight to each storyline.

But it's been clear for a while now that Skye and her powers have been and will continue to be a focal point of the season, and the arrival of Luke Mitchell as a fellow Inhuman named Lincoln helped push this storyline forward. Skye's transformation has been largely a mystery thus far. Sure, we knew that she developed earthquake powers as a result of the mist in the Kree city, but beyond that we, and Skye, knew almost nothing.

Lincoln helped change all that by exposing Skye to plenty of information about her powers and opening up her world. He made her realize that there are others out there like her and that she need not be afraid of her abilities like everyone told her to be. He demonstrated his own electrical powers and even made Skye float to show her that things can get better for her even though the transformation is irreversible.

It was all optimism and electricity until Skye realized that Raina was on the "Afterlife" grounds and went after her in a rage. But it seems that the two will have to coexist for now, as the leader of the place showed up and told Skye that Raina isn't going anywhere. But more interestingly, that seem leader then teleported (with the help of Gideon) over to Cal and informed him that their daughter is safe and nearby.

Elsewhere, Coulson and Hunter made it to Skye's cabin but were too late to reunite with her. Instead, Coulson used the opportunity to draw the "Real S.H.I.E.L.D." out into the open and steal their Quinjet. Just when it looked like things were going south, we got a surprise return from Deathlok (welcome back J. August Richards), who helped the Director take down the agents and get the bird in the air.

But while Coulson is in control, Robert Gonzales is busy trying to recruit the rest of Coulson's loyalists to his side. And that includes May, who now seems poised to take a seat at the table, even if its all a ploy. And throughout the entire episode, Simmons seemingly signed up for "Real S.H.I.E.L.D." and tried to help them open up Coulson's mystery cube. This drove a wedge between her and Fitz again and sent him with bags packed right out the door. Of course, it was all a ruse, and Fitz now has the real box in his possession while Bobbi, Mack, and the rest seemingly have a useless hunk of metal.

The momentum continues to build in this latest batch of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. episodes, and it doesn't look like it's slowing down anytime soon.

Notes:

- "Maybe next time you could tell me that your backup is a cyborg."

- It was kind of obvious that Simmons and Fitz were working together, but it played out well in the post-credits tag. That was also a nice throwback with the prosciutto sandwich.

- I forgot how much I missed Deathlok.

- So Coulson now plans to recruit Ward. No way that ends badly.

What did you think of "Afterlife"? Let us know in the comments section.