History Recap / AgentsOfSHIELDS4E8TheLawsOfInfernoDynamics

* ArcVillain: Eli, the main antagonist of the StoryArc running through the first eight episodes of this season, is DraggedOffToHell, leaving the door open for Aida to take over as the main threat.

* BadassBureaucrat: While Mace has demonstrated his superhuman power before when forced to subdue May, this time he goes into the field with the team and demonstrates he's a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield and then a minute later demonstrates himself to be a master of public relations by changing Daisy's reputation from accused domestic terrorist to heroic agent in a few sentences when she's accidentally seen by the media.

* DudeWheresMyRespect: Eli's reason for trying to become a god. He feels like he has been looked down at and belittled his entire life.

** In a meta example, this episode includes advertisements for [[ADayInTheLimelight Yo-Yo's new series]] ''Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Slingshot''.

* KillAndReplace: It's ambiguous if May is actually dead, but nevertheless Aida has swapped her for a Life Model Decoy.

* MetaphoricallyTrue: Mace's statement to the press that Daisy was undercover on behalf of S.H.I.E.L.D. in order to take down the Watch Dogs wasn't quite the outright lie it could be seen as; she was primarily out to take them down, and she and S.H.I.E.L.D. were sort of acting together. From a certain point of view.
* MotiveRant: Eli rants to Robbie about how nobody has never given him any respect for his genius and hard work, thus why he was so eager to grab godlike power.

** When Phil suggests that Daisy should have been the Inhuman who was the face of S.H.I.E.L.D. instead of Mace, she laughs off the idea and says maybe the comic book version of her. The comic version of Daisy Johnson/Quake was Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. for a time.
** Mace's combat suit is a two-for-one mixed with ContinuityNod: it's almost identical to the dark tactical suit worn by Captain America in ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier'', and has the S.H.I.E.L.D. eagle on the chest. In the comics, Mace replaced Steve Rogers as Captain America for a time and while known as the Patriot had a costume with an eagle (often drawn to look somewhat similar to the S.H.I.E.L.D. eagle) on the chest.
* NeckSnap: Agent Nathanson has his neck snapped by Aida when he discovers May.

** Both Jeffrey and Phil realize that they have been keeping secrets and making teamwork impossible for the supposed greater good.
* NotMeThisTime: Daisy has to keep stating that the minor earthquakes that are being detected are not being caused by her.
* OutrunTheFireball: Elena unwittingly springs a cesium trap in her reconnaissance of Eli's hideout and barely makes it out alive, fast enough to avoid getting incinerated but not fast enough to not catch on fire.

* PuttingTheBandBackTogether: For the first time since last season, all the living members of Team Coulson (except for Bobbie and Lance) are finally back together in the same place at the same time. [[WhamShot Sort of.]]

* VillainousBreakdown: Eli loses his cool when Coulson tells him that his powers are not godly and that he is essentially nothing more than a thief.
* WhamShot: Aida murders a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent sent to collect all the technical data for the LMD project. TheStinger reveals that Aida is also keeping May prisoner in the lab, which begs the question of who (or what) Coulson is drinking with at the same time.

** Coulson mentions (rather casually, at that) that the other Ghost Rider once [[NoodleIncident escaped]] [[RememberWhenYouBlewUpASun from Hell]].
** In a meta example, this episode includes advertisements for [[ADayInTheLimelight Yo-Yo's new series]] ''Agents of SHIELD: Slingshot''.

* TransformationIsAFreeAction: Averted. Robbie twice tries to transform into Ghost Rider, only for Eli to impale him and break his concentration. He gets away with it the third time, as the quakes and gunfight catch Eli off-guard.

* BadBoss: When one of his goons questions Eli and the fact that he hasn't payed them anything yet, Eli murders him on the spot by filling his lungs with the requested payment.

* DudeWhereIsMyRespect: Eli's reason for trying to become a god. He feels like he has been looked down at and belittled his entire life.

* HeroicSacrifice: Robbie/Ghost Rider stops trying to escape so that bomb he's trapped with can be transported out of the dimension and preventing a nuclear explosion in Los Angeles.

* ApologeticAttacker: Aida apologizes before snapping Agent Nathanson's neck.

* MotiveRant: Eli's rant to Robbie about why he went evil.

** Mace's combat suit is a two-for-one: it's almost identical to the dark tactical suit worn by Captain America in ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier'', and has the S.H.I.E.L.D. eagle on the chest. In the comics, Mace replaced Steve Rogers as Captain America for a time and while known as the Patriot had a costume with an eagle (often drawn to look somewhat similar to the S.H.I.E.L.D. eagle) on the chest.

SHIELD brings in some of their strongest assets to take the offensive against Eli Morrow and whatever he is planning to use his new powers and knowledge for.

** When Phil suggests that Daisy should have been the Inhuman who was the face of S.H.I.E.L.D. instead of Mace, she laughs off the idea and says maybe the comic book version of her. The comic version of Daisy Johnson/Quake was director for a time.
** Mace's combat suit is a two-for one: it's almost identical to the dark tactical suit worn by Captain America in ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier'', and has the S.H.I.E.L.D. eagle on the chest. In the comics, Mace replaced Steve Rogers as Captain America for a time and while known as the Patriot had a costume with an eagle (often drawn to look somewhat similar to the S.H.I.E.L.D. eagle) on the chest.

* NeverFoundTheBody: Ghost Rider is drawn into another dimension, but Coulson isn't so sure that he's actually dead, implying that S.H.I.E.L.D. has records of a previous Rider surviving something similar.

* NeckSnap: The agent sent to gather Radcliffe's research has his neck snapped by Aida when he discovers May.

* WhatTheHellHero: Coulson and Director Mace throw this at each other over behavior that the other found suspicious. It ends with them admitting that they don't trust each other and that they need to be able to do so in order to make an effective team.

* CurbStompBattle: Once Coulson gives the signal, he, Mack, Elena, Replacement!May and Mace proceed to wipe the floor with Eli's mooks.

** Mace's combat suit is a two-for one: it's almost identical to the dark tactical suit worn by Captain America in ''CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier'', and has the S.H.I.E.L.D. eagle on the chest. In the comics, Mace replaced Steve Rogers as Captain America for a time and while known as the Patriot had a costume with an eagle (often drawn to look somewhat similar to the S.H.I.E.L.D. eagle) on the chest.

* MetaphoricallyTrue: Mace's statement to the press that Daisy was undercover on behalf of S.H.I.E.L.D. in order to take down the Watch Dogs wasn't quite the outright lie it could be seen as; she was primarily out to take them down, and she and S.H.I.E.L.D. were somewhat acting together. From a certain point of view.

** Mace's combat suit is a two-for one: it's almost identical to the dark tactical suit worn by Captain America in ''CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier'', and has the S.H.I.E.L.D. eagle on the chest. In the comics, Mace was Captain America for a time and while known as the Patriot had a costume with an eagle (often drawn to look somewhat similar to the S.H.I.E.L.D. eagle) on the chest.

* ProperlyParanoid: Everyone was absolutely right to worry abour Aida.
* PuttingTheBandBackTogether: For the first time since last season, all the living members of Team Coulson (except for Bobbie and Lance) are finally back together in the same place at the same time.

* WhamShot: Aida murders a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent sent to collect all the technical data for the LMD project. TheStinger reveals that Aida is also keeping May prisoner in the lab, which begs the question of who (or what) Coulson is drinking with in the same scene.

* MythologyGag: When Phil suggests that Daisy should have been the Inhuman who was the face of S.H.I.E.L.D. instead of Mace, she laughs off the idea and says maybe the comic book version of her. The comic version of Daisy Johnson/Quake was director for a time.

* WhamShot: Ada murders a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent sent to collect all the technical data for the LMD project. TheStinger reveals that Ada is also keeping May prisoner in the lab, which begs the question of who (or what) Coulson is drinking with in the same scene.

* WhamShot: Ada murders a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent sent to collect all the technical data for the LMD project. TheStinger reveals that Ada is also keeping May prisoner in the lab, which begs the question of who (or what) Coulson is drinking with.

* WhamShot: Ada murders a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent sent to collect all the technical data for the LMD project.

* NotMeThisTime: Daisy has to keep stating that the minor earthquakes that are being detected are not being caused by her.

*