Agents of SHIELD

There’s no April Fools’ about it, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is going to be a very different show when Season 4 picks up next Tuesday with “What If … ” See for yourself, as Brett Dalton’s Ward returns in the first official clip, cluing Skye in on a Hydra twist to their new reality.

It remains an open question whether the Marvel movie and TV universes will ever reconcile, but Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. will add a new wrinkle with its April 4 return. Catch a glimmer of the “What If” Hydra universe with first photos and a new synopsis for the final Season 4 “pod.”

Even as Marvel’s Iron Fist finally completed the sequence of Netflix heroes that will bring us The Defenders team-up, certain fans will never give up hope that the four could join the larger collective of cinematic Avengers. Sadly, The Falcon is none-too-keen on such a crossover, as Anthony Mackie dismisses Marvel’s TV heroes as “different universes, different worlds.”

Among the myriad losses created by actor Bill Paxton’s sudden passing, few might recall TV credits like the Twister star’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 1 stint as Hydra villain John Garrett. The character seemed thoroughly retired, though Season 4's recent introduction of a “What If” reality opened a door for Paxton to return, something producers have stepped up to clarify is not the case.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. threw a major curveball for the final Season 4 “pod,” sending the team into a Matrix-like “Framework” that doubles as a “What If” story for Hydra’s rise. We’ll have to wait until April for answers, including what became of John Hannah’s Daniel Radcliffe, though bosses have officially debunked one fan prediction with regard to Fitz.

Marvel’s ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’ loses “Self Control” bringing Season 4’s ‘LMD’ arc to an insane, action-packed climax, but can the third, ‘Matrix’-inspired pod keep the same streak? And is THAT fallen foe really coming back? Find out in our full review of ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s latest!

Marvel’s ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’ brings Season 4’s ‘LMD’ program to a peak with “The Man Behind the Shield,” but can the series handle another four (!) evil robots in its midst? And are we getting ready to leave the series on a high note? Find out in our full review of ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s latest!

Marvel’s ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’ gives Season 4’s ‘LMD’ program a surprising “BOOM” with the revelation of Radcliffe’s true endgame, but are we about to lose a fairly obvious member of the team? And is the series sipping from the same virtual reality Kool-Aid as its Marvel TV counterparts? Find out in our full review of ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s latest!

Marvel’s ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’ encounters a glitch in Season 4’s ‘LMD’ program with “Wake Up,” but does the series have an actual plan for dueling Mays? And exactly how far can we take these Sokovia Accords stories beyond the films? Find out in our full review of ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s latest!

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. has literally dropped the Ghost Rider from Season 4 to focus on its LMD arc, but even if Gabriel Luna’s Robbie Reyes returns, it’s worth wondering what became of the other figure we met, suspected to be Johnny Blaze. Sadly, producers clarify we won’t be seeing him again, as the Rider only takes one host at a time.