Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 4, Episode 1, "The Ghost" EXPECTATIONS

Image Courtesy en.wikipedia.org

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. returns tonight with “The Ghost” (4x01) at 10:00 PM Eastern/Pacific.  What do we expect from tonight's episode?

What happened last season?

The short version is that Coulson and the team stopped Hive (Ward) from detonating a Terrigen Bomb that would turn everyone on the planet into Alpha Primitives.  However, that cost Lincoln his life, causing Daisy to go off on her own as a freelance vigilante.

Episode Synopsis for “The Ghost”:

In the aftermath of their journey to another planet, Director Phil Coulson and the rest of the team were driven more than ever to put an end to the Hydra organization. Little did they know that they were up against the deadliest threat they’ve ever faced – an extremely powerful Inhuman, Hive, who was transported back from Maveth in the body of their worst enemy, Grant Ward. The team was able to thwart and kill Hive and take down Hydra, but they are all still mourning the death of fellow agent and Inhuman Lincoln Campbell.

In light of the Sokovia Accords, and with Hydra obliterated, S.H.I.E.L.D. has been legitimatized again and no longer needs to operate in the shadows. Since the world presumes that Coulson is dead, the organization needed a new Director to be the face of the organization. Coulson finds himself back in the role as an agent and teamed with Mack, and together they are tasked with tracking down and confirming the presence of Enhanced people, aka Inhumans. Agent May is tasked with training specialist strike teams, and Fitz and Simmons have taken a big step forward in their relationship.

Continuing plot points:

• Coulson is not Director anymore; he and Mack have a “buddy cop” routine going
• Who is the new Director as a person?  Where do his loyalties lie?  Is he a puppet (with Coulson more or less in control behind-the-scenes, as with him and Talbot last season)?  Is he another Nick Fury?  Is he working for someone else?
• Daisy off on her own; the team is trying to bring her in
• May training new recruits—including Inhumans?
• Life-Model Decoys—what do they mean for S.H.I.E.L.D.?
• Who is Robbie Reyes?
• The aftermath of the Sokovia Accords/Superhuman Civil War
• Magic and the MCU

What I am looking for tonight:

• A kick-ass introduction to Robbie Reyes as Ghost Rider
• Good explanations for everything we saw in the flash-forward
• An introduction to the new Director which lets us know a name, but not necessarily the correct name
• A lot of awesome action sequences between Daisy and Ghost Rider—enough to practically blow a season’s-worth of effects budget in 15 minutes!  After all, that is typically what happens with a season premiere:  pull out all the big guns to get people hooked.

What would be awesome but probably won’t happen:

An Avenger cameo, like maybe Tony Stark showing up and saying that the new Director is one of his guys

So what are you looking for in tonight’s episode?  What is there that you really want to see but may not see at all?

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