'Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 4, episode 16 spoilers: What will happen in "What If..."?

It has been nearly two months since the last original episode of Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. But after weeks of anticipation, the wait is nearly over. When Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. returns Tuesday night, we will see a world unlike any we have seen in Marvel shows or films to date: one where reality is controlled by Hydra. 

In the the last episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Fitz and Simmons get stuck in the base with a bunch of Life Model Decoys of the rest of their team. Unfortunately for Simmons, she quickly learns that Fitz is also an LMD, and in emotional fashion has to mortally wound a machine that happens to look identical to her best friend and boyfriend. 

Still, Simmons was not alone after all, as it turned out that Daisy had also not been replaced with an LMD. After fighting their way through the robotic versions of their friends and teammates, the pair decide that the only way to save Coulson, May, Mack and Fitz is to hack into the Framework. Once inside, they will realize that the world that Radcliffe and Aida created is drastically different from reality. 

In the final tag to episode 15 of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Daisy wakes up in a world controlled by Hydra — and she is not alone. In the Framework, Daisy is in a relationship with none other than Grant Ward, the former S.H.I.E.L.D.-turned-Hydra agent, who died in season three. As for Simmons, she is apparently dead in the Framework, so it will certainly be interesting to see where she wakes up — if she ever does. 

Hail Hydra!

In episode 16 of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., fans will get to see what a world controlled by Hydra looks like. While there may be no Red Skull or Baron Strucker to lead up the evil organization, there will be another familiar name from the comics: Madame Hydra. 

In the Framework, Madame Hydra, who is also known as Viper in the comics, will be played by Mallory Jansen, the same actress who plays Aida in the real world (of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.). Entertainment Weekly recently spoke with executive producers Jed Whedon and Maurissa Tancharoen, who explained the reasoning behind introducing Madame Hydra. 

"Since we're bringing back Hydra in the Framework, we thought we'd bring it back with a force to be reckoned with," the producers explained. "Madame Hydra is a villain with the perfect combo of strength, sexy and scary. We've thrown many challenges Mallory's way and she's always up for the task. We're excited for fans to see how she makes Madame Hydra come to life."

You can see for yourself what Madame Hydra will look like in the below tweet from Entertainment Weekly's senior writer, Natalie Abrams:

Season four, episode 16 synopsis and promo

While that all sounds exciting enough, there is a lot more to look forward to in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s returning hour, including seeing what roles other members of S.H.I.E.L.D. — namely Coulson, Mack and Mace — play in the Framework. As for Agent May, we know from last episode's tag that she is also working with Hydra. 

To hold you over until episode 16, here is the official synopsis for "What If...": 

Hail the New World Order! Daisy and Simmons uncover secrets and lies in a world gone mad. With Hydra in control, they are our only hope to save everyone.

Not enough Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. scoop for you? Check out this sneak peek for episode 16 below:

Mic has ongoing coverage of Marvel. Please follow our main Marvel hub here.