[SPOILERS for those not caught up on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. ahead.]

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Throughout the first eight episodes of the fourth season of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., the focus was largely on the newest anti-hero Ghost Rider (Gabriel Luna). When the spotlight was not shined on Ghost Rider or introducing new director Jeffrey Mace (Jason O'Mara), the series took the time to introduce a third prominent new cast member with the first Life Model Decoy, named Aida (Mallory Jansen). After taking the backseat throughout the first half of the season, Adia is now going to be front and center as the story shifts to what she has planned.

While this decision was made in part because of the cost heavy effects of Ghost Rider, it also allows the show to make a fresh turn into a new story that focuses on a villain that viewers have already met. With the midseason premiere only two weeks away, the first photos and synopsis for the episode keep the focus on Aida and her plan.

ABC (via ScreenCrush) has debuted the first look at episode nine, titled "Broken Promises." All of the photos appears to be from a single scene, or at the very least the same setting, which brings Dr. Radcliffe (John Hannah) and Fitz (Iain de Caestecker) face to face with their evil turned creation. The episode synopsis is as follows:

Though Coulson and May are growing closer, Coulson remains unaware of the dark secret May is hiding beneath the surface. Meanwhile, Aida is unrelenting in her search for the Darkhold, on “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,” TUESDAY, JANUARY 10 (10:00-11:00 p.m. EST), on the ABC Television Network.

[vn_gallery name="Agents of SHIELD Broken Promises Images" id="868677"]

It will be interesting to see how long the show keeps Coulson and the rest of the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents in the dark about Aida swapping out the real May with a LMD version. Viewers were made aware of this change in the closing moments of the midseason finale, so hopefully they will not drag out the reveal for too long - and get the real May back for good.

Either way, it is still unclear what exactly Aida is planning but somehow it includes her potentially trying to create a real brain, proving how seamless LMDs can take over with the artificial version of May, and wanting to read more of the Darkhold. Aida could potentially try to tap into the same power that Eli did, but instead of creating matter to build weapons, she would do so to create her brain. This bridging of dimensions could be the gateway needed by not only Ghost Rider, but also the show, to bring him back later in the season.

These questions should start to be answered when Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D season 4 continues on Tuesday, January 10, 2017 with 'Broken Promises' at 10pm on ABC.

Source: ABC [via ScreenCrush]