Is one scene of Fitz and Simmons cuddling going to be the only glimpse of their happiness that we ever get? Fitz's new boss has involved him some shady, though scientifically tantalizing, business that is already pushing him away from Jemma. Can Dr. Radcliffe be trusted on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. ? His robotic companion is going to cause all kinds of trouble, I can feel it.
In the Season 4 premiere, Fitz had an awkward encounter with the series' first life model decoy, Aida. We first met this character as AIDA, Radcliffe's OS assistant, at the end of Season 3. Now she has a body — a body which stumbled in on Fitz while totally naked. Red flag! Red flag! I don't think S.H.I.E.L.D. would consider that appropriate for the work place.
Fitz asked his mentor several times what the purpose of putting AIDA into a human body. According to Radcliffe via Aida, life model decoys are not designed to kill, but to die in place of humans. Like a shield, get it? That's shady logic already. You're going to send out robotic civilians to take bullets? Sure, but if that's all that they're for, why did Aida need to be anatomically correct? Like, come on, Fitz. She's clearly a sex robot. You know it. Radcliffe knows it. Aida knows it. We all know it. I don't trust any man who builds lady androids. I've seen Ex Machina. I've seen Buffy The Vampire Slayer. I've seen Smart House.
Though Dr. Radcliffe exists that Aida is not artificial intelligence like Ultron, Fitz is still skeptical and asks that they don't tell Simmons about the life model decoy program until it's "perfect" — which, again, creepy when you're essentially talking about a naked woman. Still, the more important thing is that Fitz now has to lie to Simmons. I say "has to" because I understand his thinking. Simmons has higher clearance and daily lie detector tests. She can't know information that isn't ready for the director. I think that she would agree that it's best to keep her in the dark until the opportune moment. That doesn't mean it doesn't suck. I can see the FitzSimmons cracks forming already, and in ways that go beyond a simple "pretty robot girl" trope.
No matter what, I don't like the sound of this LMD program. In the comics, Holden Radcliffe creates android soldiers. So I'm not exactly willing to take his word for it when it comes to this new technology. Plus, Aida can cause plenty of damage just be mimicking behavior. This season of Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. is certain to explore that — especially when pitted against the mysticism and magic surrounding the show's other new shady character, Ghost Rider.
Images: Kelsey McNeal/ABC; Giphy
