ABCBeing one of the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is beginning to take its toll. Not that it's ever been easy, but after last week's heart-wrenching spy's goodbye to the disavowed Bobbi (Adrianne Palicki) and Hunter (Nick Blood), the realities of the job are becoming crystal clear—none more so than for Mack (Henry Simmons).
Not only did we watch as the agent with the heart of gold behind all those muscles struggled to fight back tears when saying goodbye to his two closest friends last week, but tonight's episode of the ABC series will shine a light on how the job puts stresses on family life.
"I'll say this, there is the opportunity where they explore how lives are affected, families are affected, by if someone is S.H.I.E.L.D. and they aren't allowed to tell, ‘Hey, I'm in S.H.I.E.L.D.,'" Simmons told reporters during a visit to set. "They're not allowed to talk about that, and just how relationships are delicate and strained when you're in S.H.I.E.L.D. and you can't really tell anyone what you're doing. It's difficult."
In tonight's episode, a radical group called The Watchdogs comes out of the woodwork with plans to eliminate all Inhumans, putting Mack and is brother (played by Gaius Charles) right in the crossfire. Something tells us Mack's baby bro doesn't know a thing about his siblings allegiances.
With the Inhumans in danger, and Mack's seemingly softened stance on these powered people since working closely with Daisy (Chloe Bennet) and meeting Yo-Yo (Natalia Cordova-Buckley), is the agent stepping up to protect those deemed "good"? "Right now, it's more to protect Daisy," Simmons admitted. "There's a relationship that's happened, there's a bond that's happened that's deepened with each episode, which I love. I love working with Chloe. It's like a sister, and I wouldn't say it's all Inhumans — I still think he's wary of them to some degree — but with her, I think he'd protect her at any cost."
Let's just hope it doesn't cost him too much.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on ABC