Well, after that episode, I’m really kicking myself for having the temerity to think that just because Fitz and Simmons had finally gotten married, their problems were over. How wrong I was!

I guess I should’ve realized things would get bad when this episode begins with Simmons and Fitz getting attacked by a Fear Dimension apparition in the form of an astronaut. That felt like a deliberate callback to the time Simmons spent on Hive’s planet with astronaut Will Daniels, which really threw a wrench in her relationship with Fitz. Simmons is able to shoot the apparition to death in short order, but unfortunately, some memories are harder to shake.

Coulson and his team need to know more about General Hale’s plan, so they decide to go straight to the source. To their own surprise, they’re able to hack and track Hale’s phone, so the Zephyr intercepts her car and they get her in custody.

Things start going bad when Deke tries to deliver this news to Fitz. For whatever reason, Fitz barely reacts to the news of Hale’s capture, so Deke (perhaps searching for some kind of approval or acknowledgment from his grandfather) gets closer — and is greeted with a wrench to the face. Fitz then takes off his work clothes, revealing the crisp suit his evil version wore in the Framework. The Doctor is back!

This must be another Fear Dimension apparition, right? It certainly seems like it, because the real Fitz is busy in the control room stressing out over his inability to come up with a solution to the Fear Dimension rift. Things just keep getting worse, as evidenced by two security cameras shorting out. When Daisy goes to check them out, Fitz suddenly finds himself face-to-face with the Doctor, who declares: “I’m here to do what you are unwilling to do.” That doesn’t sound good. It doesn’t look good either! Where Fitz has been struggling to come up with a solution to the Gravitonium problem, the Doctor has one, and it involves Daisy. He thinks Daisy’s powers are the missing key to controlling the Gravitonium, so he sends one of Hale’s robots to take her out. He also sends another robot at Mack and YoYo. Mack takes it out, but suffers an injury in the process, and decides to stay put to defend YoYo from any others. (Recap continues on next page.)

Meanwhile, Coulson’s interrogation of Hale doesn’t go well. Not only does she reveal that she intended for them to track her phone, she also reveals that her driver (who looked just like any other of her robots) was actually Carl Creel in disguise. On top of that, the Doctor isn’t the only figure returning from last season. Hale also has Anton Ivanov, the Superior, under her control. She now has the upper hand. Coulson strikes a deal with her, that he’ll go with her as a captive if she leaves the rest of his agents alone. She agrees. May is distraught once more at Coulson taking a suicidal risk, but can’t stop him from going through with it. Hale reports to her superiors that she has the missing piece needed to please this plan. Her shadowy bosses refer to themselves as “the Confederacy,” but still use that classic greeting: “Hail Hydra.”

The Doctor now has Daily on an operating table so he can remove her inhibitor chip, despite Fitz’s protests. While the two Fitz’s debate back and forth, Daisy wonders who “he” is talking to. Once Simmons bursts in, the truth is revealed. The Doctor is not a Fear Dimension apparition at all; he’s inside Fitz’s head. There’s only one Fitz here, and he has it all worked out. He even summons another guard to hold Simmons at bay while he finishes the plan. He rips out Daisy’s inhibitor chip. Good news: She has her powers back, and immediately puts them to work sealing the Gravitonium. Bad news: She has her powers back, which means she could still end up destroying the world. Once the plan is complete, Fitz stands down and surrenders, but the damage has been done.

Simmons tries to talk to Fitz, but he refuses to forgive himself, and admits he doesn’t know where they go from here. That leaves Simmons understandably distraught, so Deke decides to offer her some hope. He tells her (rightfully) that she knows Fitz better than he knows himself. He even decides to break his rule and reveal to her that he’s their grandson, meaning it must work out okay in the end. Simmons’ reaction to this news (and all the other crazy things in their lives) is to throw up. Hard to blame her!