“Marvel’s Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.” Season 2 revealed that Bobbi (Adrianne Palicki) might not be on the right side of S.H.I.E.L.D. She and Mack (Henry Simmons) showed that they were working for the “real S.H.I.E.L.D.,” the secondary organization that is working against Coulson (Clark Gregg) because they believe he is too secretive. While Bobbi a.k.a. Mockingbird isn’t evil, it certainly raises questions about her loyalty to her boss, but executive producer Jeff Bell stressed that this isn’t that simple.

“One of the things I find interesting about her is she seems to be more of an ideologue—she’s loyal to an idea,” Bell told Entertainment Weekly. “And sometimes, the short term of what appears to be betrayal or short term conflict is often because of what she views as the greater good.”

What does she think is the “greater good”? Gonzales (Edward James Olmos) claimed that his S.H.I.E.L.D.’s mission was to be completely transparent. “A leadership should operate with transparency and not from the shadows,” Gonzales said in episode 14. While that isn’t bad generally, it isn’t good news for Coulson, who gets more secretive every episode. He will likely feel betrayed when he discovers Mockingbird’s new alliance. Bell explained that Coulson and Bobbi think about things very differently, and that’ll cause conflict.

“[Bobbi is] an interesting character to have in a world where Coulson is much more ‘we need to protect or save that person,’” Bell explained. “Are you loyal to a person? Are you loyal to the guy in the bunker next to you? Or are you loyal to the larger concept of what we’re fighting for?”

The agent believes that Coulson has been compromised, but she’ll head back to Coulson’s S.H.I.E.L.D. in episode 15. As previously reported, Bobbi will cause some trouble as a “war comes to Coulson’s doorstop,” according to the synopsis, but it might not be all fight scenes and dramatic betrayals. She also could have a chance to better explain herself to audiences. It seems it wasn’t simply a choice between Coulson’s and Gonzales’ leadership. She has a bigger plan.

Palicki warned fans earlier this month that her character’s situation wasn’t black and white. “Whatever they're doing, they think is the right thing,” Palicki told E! Online. “So it's not necessarily malicious, but you have to keep an open mind.”

Fans will have to stay in that open minded state while Bobbi faces off with Coulson’s S.H.I.E.L.D. in the next episode. “I think in 15, you’ll get the clearest sense of this is who she is—this is what she believes in, this is why she does the things she does. And Gonzales is a piece of it, but she comes in with a very clear singular vision of what things are,” Bell said. “And there’s a moment in 15 that really defines the direction of her and Gonzales and Mack and a lot of people, that pivots off of her. So I think more than anything, you’ll get a sense of who she is at her core, which I think people will like.”

Fans wouldn’t be thrilled if Bobbi was just working to take down Coulson, so it seems she has a greater plan up her sleeve. We’ll just have to tune in to find out what that strategy includes.

“Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” Season 2, episode 15 airs Tuesday at 9 p.m. EDT on ABC. What do you think Bobbi is up to? Will she actually help Coulson? Sound off in the comments section below!

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