Marvel’s Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. has been taking a break for much of November, but the last time we saw Coulson (Clark Gregg) and the gang, tensions were brewing between the series’ protagonists and new S.H.I.E.L.D. director Jeffrey Mace (Jason O’Mara) over the treatment of Inhuman vigilante Quake (Chloe Bennet) and dangerous unknown quantity Robbie Reyes (Gabriel Luna). And if that wasn’t causing poor Phil enough of a headache, Reyes’ Uncle Eli (José Zúñiga) has used the mysterious teachings of the Darkhold to give himself God-like powers of matter creation.

With plenty of questions left unanswered, the show’s hiatus has left many viewers wondering where Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. will head next, particularly as Eli Morrow’s transformation left the fates of the nearby Coulson, Fitz and Reyes somewhat uncertain as they seemingly disappeared during the process. Luckily, ABC have provided both a synopsis and a host of screenshots in anticipation of the show’s next episode, titled ‘Deals With Our Devils’, to tide fans over until the show returns on November 29th.

The short synopsis reads:

“With the loss of half the team, the remaining members search for answers as the clock counts down for Ghost Rider, on Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”

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Although the synopsis suggests that the episode will see May, Mack and Daisy on the hunt for their missing colleagues, the pictures indicate that all six characters are actually in the same building – perhaps Eli’s transformation has had some kind of quantum-entanglement-parallel-dimension-science-stuff effect that means although the groups are in the same building, they are physically very far apart indeed. Certainly, it looks as if all the characters are gearing up for a scrap, hinting that the recently-powered Eli will be on the warpath to eliminate the meddlesome S.H.I.E.L.D. contingent.

Perhaps the most intriguing part of the synopsis is the final remark, “the clock counts down for Ghost Rider“, suggesting that whatever spot of trouble he, Coulson and Fitz are currently in, the mechanic turned vigilante is getting the worst of it. Fans will no doubt be hoping that whatever predicament Ghost Rider finds himself in when Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. returns, he’ll come out of the other side unscathed as the character, a new addition to the series’ fourth season, has been particularly well received and talks of a Ghost Rider spin-off project have been confirmed by the actor himself.

Despite this, the long-term future of Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. is somewhat up in the air thanks to Marvel’s recent announcement of an Inhumans TV series. The Inhumans have been an integral part of A.O.S.’s narrative for the majority of its run and the introduction of a new show dedicated to these characters begs the question as to whether S.H.I.E.L.D. – a show which has never quite been the ratings juggernaut you might expect from the television branch of the Marvel Cinematic Universe – has run its course.

Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. season four resumes November 29th on ABC. The Inhumans will premiere its first two episodes in IMAX in September 2017 before debuting on ABC.