Agents of SHIELD: Mack & Yo-Yo’s Big Sacrifice Explained

SPOILER WARNING: This article contains major spoilers for “Together or Not At All,” the latest episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

The Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. have split up. In “Together or Not At All,” the latest episode, Mack elected to stay behind with Flint while Coulson and the rest of the team commandeered the trawler to get to the Earth’s surface. Following his announcement, Yo-Yo decided to stick by his side.

Mack’s earlier promise to Flint inspired him to stay in the Lighthouse while the others looked for May. After Flint discovered that Tess had died for his sake, Mack went to comfort him. “I’m not here to tell you anything you don’t already know. I’m just here, if you need me,” he offered. When Flint suggested that he might turn himself in to stop the Kree from killing others, Mack added, “You have a gift now. You can help people, protect them.”

Flint took Mack’s word to heart. As Coulson and the team prepared to take off, Flint announced that he intended to stay, which alarmed Mack. “What do you mean, you’re not leaving with us?” Mack demanded to know. “You have to. This whole station will kill you on sight!”

When Flint revealed that he wanted to help people with his powers, like Mack had suggested, Mack decided to make good on his promise. “Well, I guess we’re going to have to come up with a plan, then, aren’t we?” he said. “Yeah, ‘we.’ Remember what I told you? I’m here if you need me. I got you.”

“Me too,” Yo-Yo added.

Coulson was taken aback by Mack’s decision, but Mack stood firm. “We’ll handle things here,” he explained. “You get to the surface and figure out what the hell all this is about. I’ll see you soon.”

“Soon” might not mean next week’s episode. However, the synopsis for “Best Laid Plans,” the episode airing January 26, promises to resolve Mack and Yo-Yo’s storyline: “Mack, Yo-Yo and Flint fight to keep everyone alive by starting a revolution against the Kree.” For now, though, they’ll have to survive in a station where everyone is gunning to kill them.

Airing Fridays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on ABC, Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 5 stars Clark Gregg, Ming-Na Wen, Chloe Bennet, Henry Simmons, Ian De Caestecker, Natalia Cordova-Buckley, Elizabeth Henstridge, Nick Blood, Jeff Ward, Eve Harlow, Pruitt Taylor Vince and Coy Stewart.