“Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD” Season 4 Episode 1 Recap – “The Ghost”

Agents of SHIELD starts its fourth season with a fiery bang

Welcome back to our weekly recaps of Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD! It’s good to be back in action, though I’m not looking forward to the hour-later start time. Let’s dive right in!

Not-So-Short Summary

We start season four chasing after an old Ford F150, something with a Deluminator, and Daisy kicking some serious butt. It looks like she’s after the four guys in the truck–but it’s really Ghost Rider. They fire a rocket launcher at his car, but it only ignites the thing. It crashes into them and creates a ring of fire around the so called bad guys where Daisy can’t get to them.

We get a faraway glimpse through fire of the infamous Ghost Rider flaming skull. With cops looming, Daisy takes off into the sky, which is still pretty sweet.

Image Courtesy of Marvel Studios

We join our SHIELD compatriots Mack and Coulson playing board games and trying to stay awake as they cross time zones. But they get called back to HQ where they are briefed on that opening scene. The only survivor mentioned he saw the “girl from the news.” And all Coulson wants is to find Daisy.

So where are our SHIELD friends? May is training an elite task force. FitzSimmons are working on VR with Radcliffe (Simmons is assistant to the Director in science). They’ve created an exploding pen for Mack and a new, upgraded hand for Coulson.

On Mack and Coulson’s way to find Daisy, they pick up Yo-Yo, aka Elena Rodriguez (who signed the Accords from Captain America: Civil War). You know, for backup. But Elena reaches out to Daisy to give her a heads up about SHIELD.

On the Ghost Rider-side of things, he has the last survivor from the F150 tied up in a warehouse. When Ghost Rider tries to get information from him, it turns out to be false. The spirit takes over and he kills the dude with his car. You know, vengeance. Or something. More explanation to follow in subsequent episodes.

Image Courtesy of Marvel Studios

Daisy tries to track down Ghost Rider via his car (which is a good move) while Mack and Coulson try to track her down and Simmons sends May and her task force after Mack and Coulson. Crazy.

Turns out it’s a mysterious box everyone is after. Said box seems like some sort of Kree or Terrigen Mist kind of thing. May and her task force arrive on the scene and take everyone out.

Daisy finds where Ghost Rider is, he introduces himself as Robbie. Daisy hears him flipping his keys and knows its him. She earthquakes him back (can I use that as a verb?) and they start an epic battle that involves flaming bats.

While fighting, Agents of SHIELD gives us our first glimpse at flaming skull head! I really, really thought they would wait until a few episodes in! I will say… the effect doesn’t look as horribly cheesy as I thought. Ghost Rider happens to spare her life, apparently Daisy doesn’t deserve to die.

The next day, we see Robbie Reyes, not Ghost Rider, helping his wheelchair-bound brother. Daisy watches from afar.

Post-Credits Stinger

May and Coulson are playing games where he and Mack were at the start of the game. May warns him the Director will want words with him when they get back to HQ. Good news, they got the mystery box to study! …As May has a vision of Coulson’s face rotting away (that’s the best way I can describe it).

Best One-Liner

“Well you do have a higher clearance than me,” May mutters to Simmons.
“Only in most cases…” Simmons replies.

Badass Moment of the Week

Coulson’s upgraded hand. He has x-ray vision in this thing! How cool is that?!

Image Courtesy of Marvel Studios

The big side-plot I didn’t mention involves Fitz. Fitz heads to Radcliffe’s house to watch football, but discovers AIDA, the latest and greatest (well… first) life model decoy. What’s she designed for? To save the lives of future agents by putting LMDs in their places. She even says “decoy!” They keep it a secret from Simmons until AIDA is perfected.

A couple takeaways: When did Daisy cut her hair? What happened to the long hair in that flash forward? Is this another case of Leslie Knope’s bangs? Simmons also comes across as kind of annoying, even after she explains why she took the position close to the Director.

I’m not a fan of the Watch Dogs, I wasn’t last season either, but I suppose it makes sense with all the Inhumans running around.

Also one quote I enjoyed from one of the F150 victims regarding Ghost Rider. He says, “They say when the rider burns you, he burns your soul.” I mean, he is out for vengeance. I suppose soul burning is part of that…

Next week’s Agents of SHIELD looks like daisy will be trying to bring Ghost Rider to the good side while Ghost Rider needs to get rid of her. Secret identities are important, guys.