Agents of SHIELD Ends on Exciting Deke and Mack Cliffhanger

“Adapt or Die” was the sixth episode of Agents of SHIELD‘s final season, and saw the team dealing with the aftermath of stopping Project Insight in 1976. Between trying to fix the Zephyr, saving Mack’s parents from The Lighthouse, and Malick’s attempt to steal Daisy’s powers, this was an especially intense episode. It also featured some big deaths, and the weight of some losses lead to a huge cliffhanger for Mack (Henry Simmons) and Deke (Jeff Ward).

After thinking he’d saved his parents from the Chronicoms, Mack is forced to face the truth that they’ve actually been replaced but the synthetic beings. May, Yo-Yo, and Mack fight the Chronicoms, who reveal that Mack’s real parents are long gone. They defeat the duplicates, but Mack is obviously struggling with the death of his parents, who were still alive in the present day before the team began to time travel, seemingly creating yet another wave in the timeline. Once the Zephyr jumps again and leaves the 1970s, Mack hops on a bike a drives off to go be alone. In the episode’s end tag, Deke leaves the Zephyr to check on Mack since he knows a thing or two about losing parents and the jarring effects of time travel. While walking to Mack, Deke gets a call from Jemma who tells him to hurry back, but it’s too late… the Zephyr jumps away and leaves them behind.

While this episode was full of intense drama, the teaser for next week’s episode, “The Totally Excellent Adventures of Mack and the D,” has us anticipating some big laughs. It looks like Deke and Mack are initially stranded in 1982, but based on Mack’s epic beard, they’re going to be there for a while. The two are camped out at The Lighthouse, which Deke (in all his ’80s Karate Kid-esque glory) seems to be using as a party playground while Mack gears up to face off with some robots. They even have a little help from Coulson, who they’re somehow getting on a TV signal. Based on the teaser, we’re willing to bet next week is going to be one of the funniest episodes of the series (although, “Fear and Loathing on the Planet Kitson” will be hard to top).

Are you excited for next week’s “totally excellent” episode? Tell us in the comments!

Agents of SHIELD airs Wednesday nights on ABC at 10 PM EST.