SHIELD is back in a big way now teaming up with the Ghost Rider and Quake. They are closing in on the mystery of the ghosts virus, so what can go wrong? A nosy senator, that’s what. So much happened in this episode!
This episode begins with a flashback of Lucy (Lilli Birdsell) and Joseph Bower (Kerr Smith) looking for the Darkhold. When they find it buried in a basement, they also find that the book is magic. Both of the are reading the book in different languages and are immediately entranced by the book.
Back to present day, Coulson (Clark Gregg) and Mack (Henry Simmons) are doing their best to get answers from Joseph Bower. Bower is infected by the ghost virus. He lasts long enough to tell them that he put the Darkhold back where he found it.
Lucy has found the Darkhold; however, since she is a ghost, she cannot read the invisible text.
On the Zephyr, Coulson and Mack are telling May (Ming-Na Wen) about the Darkhold and their need to get it before Lucy does. They need to speak to Eli (Jose Zuniga) again to find out where the book is. Robbie (Gabriel Luna) tells Mack that Eli won’t talk to them. Coulson suggests using Eli as a SHIELD asset to get him released from prison. Robbie tells Coulson he’s going with them, but they tell him no.
Daisy (Chloe Bennett) is also on the plane, but she is hiding from everyone. Robbie is angry because he can’t get the answers he wants in the way he wants. He says he has never been caught until Daisy showed up. Daisy tells Robbie that he needs to trust SHIELD to get the answers he wants. He observes that Daisy doesn’t even trust them; that’s why she’s hiding from them. She tells him that keeping her distance is what’s best.
Fitz (Iain De Caestecker) has been working on a cure for the ghost virus. He tries to talk to Simmons (Elizabeth Henstridge) about it and other things that they are keeping from the Director. Simmons makes him stop talking and tells him that she is mad at him for keeping things from her. He says he did it so she wouldn’t have to lie to the director. Simmons tells him to go help Coulson and she will be ok at her next test.
Coulson and May arrive at the prison to have Eli released. Coulson wants to know more about May’s death experience because he can’t remember his own. May won’t tell him. She notices that the guards are looking at them strangely. The warden pulls a gun on them calling them demons. When his gun sticks, May retaliates and they are able to close the door to avoid any more gunfire.
Lucy is at the prison looking for Eli. She has infected most of the staff. Coulson calls for backup. Mack prepares his team and tells Daisy to be careful. Simmons told her that if she quakes, she could shatter every bone in her body. Mack doesn’t want Robbie to go with them until Daisy tells him that Robbie is the only person who can stop the ghosts.
Fitz arrives with the cure and instructs the team how to inject it into the base of the skull. Mack’s team land in the prison yard and there are no guards.
Simmons goes through her lie detector test. They ask her if she has ever obtains sensitive information that she has not disclosed to the director. The lie detector show stress coming from Simmons, but before she can fully answer, Director Mace (Jason O’Mara) stops the test and asks Simmons to go to his office.
Fitz is watching for the ghosts from the Quinjet as the team looks for Eli.
Robbie stops to talk to a member of the Fifth Street Locos until Mack reminds him to stay focused. Robbie assures Mack that he maintain control because he doesn’t want his uncle to know what he is.
Daisy frees Coulson and May from the office they were hiding in. They give the cure to the prison guards. Daisy is obviously uncomfortable working with Coulson again. Fitz leads Coulson, May, and Daisy to a cell block full of Watchdogs. Lucy shows up and releases the Watchdog prisoners. Fitz opens the doors in the cell block so the agents and Daisy can escape, but he has to open ALL of the prison doors.
Director Mace asks Simmons to help him prepare for a televised debate with Senator Nadeer (Parminder Nagra). He needs scientific facts to back up his answers. He gives her a microphone and he wears an earpiece so Simmons can give him those facts during the debate.
Mack and Robbie are discussing Robbie’s control of the Ghost Rider when a ghost appears trying to get to Robbie. Another appears and Robbie burns him with the Chain of Fire. “Ghost busted” (hahahaha!) Another ghost appears, taunting Mack. Robbie burns him, but the ghost touched Mack infecting him. He has to inject himself with the cure.
At the debate, Senator Nadeer goes on the defensive asking questions about SHIELD’s protection of Inhumans and the blackout. Director Mace is quick to answer her questions with the scientific backing that Simmons feeds to him. Senator Nadeer throws him off by asking why has shield compromised a prison? ( How did she know about that??? ) Director Mace is so cool! He assures everyone that SHIELD has the situation under control.
At the prison, Daisy breaks away from Coulson and May to face the Watchdogs, locking them out of the cafeteria. She’s doing a good job fighting them off, but she needs help. Coulson asks Fitz to find a way to open the cafeteria doors.
Robbie finds Eli and they break him out. He tells Eli that Lucy Bower is there and she’s after him. Mack tells Eli that Lucy may have the Darkhold. Eli agrees to leave with them.
Director Mace debunks everything that Senator Nadeer’s comments. She tells Director Mace that he’s not the man for the job. Simmons starts to give him an appropriate answer, but he turns off his earpiece. He shares his background as a hero, mentioning a bombing in Vienna. He assures everyone that he is the perfect person for the job because he is more than just a man, he’s an Inhuman. And people like him who are different should not be hunted down.
Fitz leads Coulson and May to the trash bin tunnels that lead to the cafeteria. Coulson asks May what she saw when she died. May reveals that she saw Coulson.
When they get into the cafeteria, the Watchdogs have almost beat Daisy. May saves her from being choked to death and they contain the Watchdog problem.
Fitz tells Coulson that they have Eli, as Lucy finds an empty cell. Robbie is having a hard time controlling the Ghost Rider’s vengeance for the Fifth Street Locos gang member. He tells Eli to meet SHIELD outside. He has to take care of one last thing.
Robbie knows that the Fifth Street Locos are responsible for an attack on the Reyes’ brothers that left Gabe crippled. They were involved in a ordered drive-by hit. The prisoner doesn’t know who ordered the hit. He tells Robbie that all of his gang members are dead, except one. Robbie transforms into Ghost Rider, killing the Locos member. As the Ghost Rider leaves the cell block, all of the prisoners return to their cells and close the doors.
The police arrive at the prison to contain the riot. The agents meet up outside, minus Robbie and Eli. Robbie arrives to find that Eli is missing. Lucy has taken Eli hostage in an ambulance.
After revealing that he is an Inhuman, Director Mace’s approval rating are up. He sends Simmons back to finish her polygraph test. Simmons tells Mace that she knows he lied about his part in the bombing in Vienna. Director Mace no longer requires Simmons to go through testing.
May talks to Daisy about her reckless behavior, telling her that Coulson won’t give up on her. Daisy says she doesn’t want that. May tells her she doesn’t get to chose who cares about her. She says Lincoln wouldn’t want Daisy to kill herself over what happened. Daisy tells May that she is still leaving after the operation is over.
Coulson is watching surveillance of Lucy taking Eli. Lucy took Eli back to the lab and makes him read the book. The book will fix her and they will finish what they started. Eli opens the book…immediately taken in by the power of the book.
Director Mace gets into a car with Senator Nadeer. She shows Mace pictures of Coulson and May working with Quake and footage of Robbie as Ghost Rider leaving the prison. She threatens to send everything to the news stations. Knowing that the evidence would destroy his credibility and the newly found trust in SHIELD, Director Mace asks Senator Nadeer, “what do you want?”
WOW!
I am really happy with how quickly the show is moving along. They are giving quick answers and have connected the show well with the upcoming Dr. Strange movie.
Robbie/Ghost Rider has been an excellent addition to the show. I mean, he fits right in with the team of stubborn, bad-ass, anti-heroes. I wonder if he’ll stick around for a while….probably not.
I’m very curious about Director Mace. #1 – What is his Inhuman power? #2 – What exactly did he lie about when he mentioned Vienna? He’s almost too perfect for the job as Director of SHIELD. I hope to see more of his true self in the coming weeks.
BTW…I love how strong willed Simmons has become! She’s so sweet that people underestimate her strength. And when she really needs to, she shows them just how strong she can be.
Ok, I get why Daisy is being distant with the team. She feels guilty about Lincoln and she doesn’t want anyone else to get hurt. The sooner she realizes she is better with SHIELD, the sooner they can actually make a difference. That and the fact that SHIELD can help her from shattering herself when she uses her abilities.
We’re getting closer to finding out what the Darkhold can do. Most people will probably have to go see Doctor Strange to find out more. I love how the movies and this show are connected, but can stand alone if need be.
I’m even more excited to see Ghost Rider’s origin story next week!!
Tell me what you thought about the lastest episode or what you predict will happen next.
Until next week…
News Editor, Senior Contributor, and Press Editor. Coordinate breaking news, trailers and press releases. I also contribute reviews, recaps and interviews. Creator of the Indigenerd Wire, a column dedicated to the Indigenous creatives in pop culture.
GGA's resident Indigenerd, a little bit rez, a little bit classy...with a love for all things Star Wars, zombies, science fiction, and Indigenous. My ultimate goal is to start my own podcast.
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