EXCLUSIVE: Shane West on "Rocky" Road Ahead for Michael and Nikita

The game has changed on Nikita. That much is made clear by the season premiere title and photos.

What will this "flip flop," as star Shane West described it as to me in a phone call this week, mean for Michael and Nikita? The pair drove into a storm cloud instead of a sunset on the May finale, he says, warning viewers of what's to come:

"It's gonna be bumpy, it's gonna be rocky. There will be many developments between Michael and Nikita, as each is used to being in control. That will make the relationship difficult."

Overall, West sees season two as a focus on "extraordinary people in extraordinary circumstances." Those circumstances include a character who is "still protective of Division," the actor previews. "It's his past. He has to believe he was doing some right."

Look for Oversight, which now runs Divisions, to be heavily involved this fall, while Devon Sawa also reprises his role as Owen on the September 30 episode.

"Owen and Michael get a little more friendly this time around," West says. "There will be the question of how they work as a team because I'm never gonna trust Owen. He's quite mental... but I've never seen Michael as being jealous of Owen. The lines are more clearly drawn when he returns."

Why is he back? What major spoilers can West reveal? None, of course, but he offers praise to the writing staff along with the following season two set-up:

"The writers always connect everything very well. There will be a reason, any time a character is around or any time a character comes back, there has to be a reason for it, whether that's to influence or affect another character somehow. It always comes together."

And we'll be watching every step of the way. Nikita kicks off season two on September 23.

** What about Amanda? I also talked to Melinda Clarke about her character's journey on season two. Read through that exclusive interview now.

Matt Richenthal is the Editor in Chief of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter and on Google+.