For the first time, this week’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. episode had two missions, one involving big trouble at one of the agency’s academies, and a mysterious mission by Coulson and May. They both center on two young people who will take big steps towards their futures. As usual, SPOILERS BELOW…

This week’s episode, “Seeds,” starts with some kids at a high school breaking into the swimming pool for a secret dip while another student looks on. Suddenly, the water freezes, and one of the students gets caught. Apparently someone at S.H.I.E.L.D’s Science and Technology academy has some fancy hardware that’s also dangerous. It was also designed from discoveries made by Fitz and Simmons.

At the Bus, Coulson is still reeling from some of the evidence of what was done to resurrect him. May tells him “it’s the truth.” He responds, “who says?” This is the start of his belief that some secrets should be revealed, including one he didn’t see coming.

Fitz, Simmons, Ward and Skye head to the academy to investigate what happened. Fitz and Simmons are honored to speak to the cadets, until one of them suddenly freezes. He’s Donnie Gill (Dylan Minnette), a tech genius who hasn’t been making friends. He does have some big ideas, and he makes fast friends with Fitz. However, it turns out Donnie and Seth (Daniel Zovatto), another student, have been putting together a weather machine that will create a blizzard faster than Queen Elsa of Arrendale (ask your kids). Not only that, they’ve been getting financial backing from Ian Quinn (David Conrad) from “The Asset,” and part of the plan was to get Leo to the academy to “help” Donnie with his dangerous science project. Seth easily convinced Donnie to do this because Donnie needed a friend.

Meanwhile, Coulson and May are looking for missing agent Richard Lumley (Boyd Kester), last seen in Mexico City. He was partnered with an agent named Avery in a mission in China 24 years ago to find an object of unknown origin. Avery was killed while Lumley disappeared. This is important because Skye is connected somehow.

Seeing May and Coulson stake out Lumley is a great scene, especially when he notes she’s talking much more than usual, and is actually concerned about Skye. He, meanwhile says “(I’m) tired of secrets, so I’m glad we’re here. We need to root out all the secrets.” She chooses that moment to confess she and Ward had sex, just as they see Lumley.

When Lumley is cornered he’s actually glad to see them. He confesses the “object” he was supposed to investigate was a baby girl who was very special. And yes, it’s Skye. Some evil force wanted her and would kill to get her, including S.H.I.E.L.D. agents like Avery. That’s why she was hidden, too. Coulson and May decide to keep Lumley hidden, but he warns them “Stay the Hell away from that girl, ’cause wherever she goes, death follows.” My guess: the Clairvoyant is Skye’s dad. Still, what powers does Skye have, and when and how do they emerge? May says Coulson shouldn’t tell Skye about this, but it’s obvious what he’ll do.

The whole crew soon reunites to figure out what to do. Coulson thinks the real issue is Donnie trusted the wrong friend, and they have to stop them somehow. While Donnie tries to turn off the machine, they create a big storm that features big hail. The agents try to get to them by flying into the eye of the storm. They get there, but a flash of lightning kills Seth. Donnie will be sent to the Sandbox, but as a prisoner.

Coulson tells Skye the whole story. She is shaken, but her final response surprises everyone. As Coulson recounts it to May, “Her story started here. Her whole life, she thought she wasn’t wanted, that she didn’t belong, that every family that took her in didn’t want her to stay, didn’t care.”

As Skye looks for the name of the agent that protected her on the Wall of Valor, which includes the name of “Bucky” Barnes (since he’ll be part of the next Captain America movie), Coulson continued, “But all that time, it was SHIELD protecting her, looking after her. That’s what she took away from the story, not the family she’ll never have, but the one she’s always had. Here I am, telling her something that could destroy her faith in humanity, and somehow she manages to repair a little piece of mine. The world is filled with evil and lies, and pain and death, and you can’t hide from it. You can only face it. The question is when you do, how do you respond? Who do you become?” Great speech, Mr. Coulson. That would apply to you as much as Skye or those S.H.I.E.L.D. cadets.

Oh, and about May having a relationship with Ward, he just says he hopes May knows what she’s doing
As for Donnie, he’s in the back of a car, and he seems to have an icy touch. Is this the origin of Blizzard? Maybe.

The episode ends with Quinn finding out he’s on S.H.I..E.L.D’s radar, but he’s not worried. He just tells Coulson “the Clairvoyant says hello.”

The last two episodes are generating a lot of possibilities for the rest of the season. However, viewers will have to wait three weeks for the next episode. It will feature a special appareance by Stan Lee, though.

What did you think about tonight’s episdode? Let us know in the comments.