Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. S2E16 - "Afterlife" Recap

Coulson and Hunter steal a car with which they'll travel to "The Retreat" to try to find Skye. Skye however is where Gordon teleported her and wakes two days after her accident to find she's having some sort of healing acupuncture. She's in a mountain hideaway called Afterlife, where gifted people are brought to be kept safe and prepare for their transformations. She also meets her transitioner, Lincoln Campbell, who tells her that she is unique because she was transformed without being chosen or prepared like the rest of the people at Afterlife. Skye was instead changed in a Kree temple with a Diviner and not in a controlled environment and under the instruction of the elders. Skye wants to get away and help the rest of her team who is in danger, but Lincoln reminds her that she herself is in danger as she is being hunted.

Calderon was badly injured during the confrontation with Skye. Bobbi is defending her to Gonzales, who thinks she's too dangerous. He also thinks that Coulson may be gathering an army of gifted people but to confirm this theory, he'll need to get into Fury's toolbox, which he'll need Fitz to do. But Fitz doesn't want to help him, as he is still loyal to Coulson. Fitz and Simmons are informed that they'll be free to go just as soon as they've been debriefed.

Coulson and Hunter arrive at The Retreat and find the surveillance footage of Skye's showdown with Bobbi and Calderon, as well as Gordon arriving to teleport her away.

Skye is bonding with Lincoln, who shows her outside. It's quite beautiful up in the mountains, but no one except for Gordon knows where they are, as he is the only way in and out. Lincoln also says that the rest of the people there are largely folks waiting to be changed because they hold the gene but need to be selected to make the change. Skye is attracting a lot of attention because her change taking place in a temple is something that hasn't happened for thousands of years. Skye enquires about Reina's whereabouts and Lincoln says that no one at Afterlife will harm her. Skye is further upset when Lincoln informs her that her transition is irreversible. Skye had only asked for Gordon's help because she thought that they'd be able to take her abilities away.

Bobbi convinces Simmons that opening the toolbox is the only way of uncovering any dangerous secrets so that SHIELD can be safeguarded. Then things can return to normal. So Simmons decides to work on opening the box herself. When Fitz learns of Simmons' betrayal, the two have an argument in which Fitz tells Simmons she has all but packed his bags for him herself. He then leaves SHIELD.

Lincoln teaches Skye that she can control her abilities, just like he learned to do. Now, he can electrically charge anything. When he first arrived at Afterlife, he almost burned it down but now the "Skye" is the limit. He even makes Skye levitate using his gift.

Coulson triggers the alarm at "The Retreat" to lure the other SHIELD there. He and Hunter attempt to steal the attack team's quinjet but despite some initial success, end up captured due to being outnumbered. But just when it seems that all is lost, Mike Peterson/Deathlok shows up and takes out the rest of the "real" SHIELD agents. He's more than ready to help Coulson and Hunter out.

Skye asks Gordon to get a message to her SHIELD team members to let them know that she is okay but he says that as much as he'd like to help, he can't do that without permission from the elders. Gordon then visits Cal, who is being imprisoned by the Afterlife. They get into a fight after Cal determines that they've gotten a hold of Skye and demands to see her, which Gordon refuses to let Cal do. Gordon chides Cal for being too unpredictable and lacking in control.

Lincoln is telling Skye about how if she sticks around, she'll be assigned a guide to instruct her through the mastering of her abilities. He also accidnetally lets it slip about "another one" that is at Afterlife, tipping Skye off to the fact that Reina is there. Lincoln is insistent that Reina is one of them and takes off in search of her. Skye finds Reina, who is drastically changed both physically and in her demeanour. Skye tries to kill Reina and Reina is more than willing to be killed and put out of her misery. But Skye is stopped by Jiaying, having no idea that she is meeting her mother. Skye doesn't want to stay if Reina is still here but Jiaying offers to be Skye's guide and asks to be given a few days to try things out, after which she can leave and never see them again.

Next, Jiaying is brought by Gordon to visit Cal and stresses to him that he cannot see Skye/Daisy because he is too dangerous.

Gonzales, upon learning that Deathlok is helping Coulson, decides that Coulson is too dangerous. He wants to take him down but offers May a position on the board so Coulson will be fairly represented when he is brought in.

Coulson tells Hunter that Mike Peterson has been tracking Dr. List on behalf of SHIELD, and has learned that he has an interest in super-powered people like Skye and has been experimenting on them. Now if they want to find Skye, they'll need to work with Grant Ward.

Finally, Simmons tells Bobbi and Mack that she can't open the toolbox without Coulson, but in reality, she has given the box to Fitz, with whom she had schemed the entire time. She even gives him his favourite sandwich along with it.

Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. airs on Tuesdays on ABC at 9PM.