Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Episode 2.17 Melinda

Seven years ago, Agent Melinda May was in talks with her then-husband, Andrew, about starting a family. However, she tells Coulson that she's staying in the field. Their current mission involves Eva Belyakov, who is believed to possess enhanced strength. S.H.I.E.L.D. wants this woman as an asset. If Belyakov doesn't comply, it'll be time to call in the cavalry.

In Bahrain, an attempt to reason with Belyakov goes south fast. One person is shot. Several agents and a young girl are kidnapped. A rescue effort ends with Coulson and May being left all alone. May convinces Coulson to send her in to save the day. This is a violation of a direct order. May gets advice from Andrew on how to approach the kidnapped girl. Then she springs into action. May takes down a couple bad guys, but soon realizes that everyone else is being controlled by Belyakov.

In the present day, May tells the S.H.I.E.L.D. team she's currently hanging with that she has no idea about the "Theta Protocol" Coulson has initiated. She wants to try to talk him in peacefully. She lets a surprised Simmons know that she's been working on Deathlok technology which is contrary to what Coulson had told her.

May wants to get to the truth. She knows Coulson doesn't go off the reservation unless there's a good reason. Evidence suggests that Coulson is building a base for super-powered people. He may also be recruiting Andrew to help on the psychological front. This has May ordering Simmons to open the toolbox.

In Afterlife, Jaiying encourages Skye to embrace her powers to amplify the frequency of a nearby mountain. Moments later, snow drifts fall in the form of a harmless avalanche. Skye is amazed. She literally just moved a mountain. Skye's memories of foster care creep up after another exercise. She finds it hard to believe that what's happening to her now isn't going to end well. A tearful Jaiying lets Skye know that she won't be abandoned here. She reveals that she is, in fact, her mother.

Jaiying tells Skye of how people have died when the process for selection and training is ignored. She speaks of a woman who didn't trust her judgment. Her name was Eva Belyakov. Everything she did was for her daughter, Katia. This is the same little girl May desperately tried to save in Bahrain. Katia was too young. She went insane leaching off the emotions of others with one touch. May had no choice but to stop her in a lethal way.

This tragic incident serves as the main reason no one can know Jaiying and Skye's true relationship. Mother convinces daughter to join her father for one dinner. Cal is grateful for this. He tells Skye all about the day she was born. She's caught off guard by the realization that she's 26 years old.

Back in Bahrain, May was dubbed the cavalry after having taken out all the bad guys. She saved many agents that day, but was devastated by the one little girl she lost. This all served as the beginning of the end of her marriage and hopes of having children.

In the present day, Gordon tries to assure Raina that she's not a monster. Lincoln doesn't want her to give up on them just yet after hearing all about her recent dream. Raina eventually agrees to let Gordon guide her. As for Lincoln, he gazes in at Skye's dinner with her parents. The scene is identical to the one Raina described in her dream. Of course, now there's a chance that it wasn't a dream at all.

Fitz manages to open Fury's toolbox. He makes contact with Coulson and Hunter. He knows that he's being followed. A quick lesson on how to shake a tail is needed. Once Hunter sees that Fitz is hiding in a restroom equipped with an electric hand dryer, he knows just what to do. Coulson can't help but let out a slight smile.