This season, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is taking up the issue of fearing those who are different, and how it can be destructive. In our world, it’s Muslims and immigrants. In the MCU, it’s Inhumans. They’re getting the blame for blackouts, but it’s soon revealed someone wants them gone, and for personal reasons.

It also almost killed off one of SHIELD’s most important agents.

SPOILERS BELOW

Much of the episode centers on sudden blackouts happening in cities where Inhumans live, including Miami, where Elena Rodriguez aka Yo-Yo (Natalie Cordova-Buckley) is at a batchelorette party. They’re caused by EMP’s, and whoever’s doing this says Inhumans shouldn’t be registered anymore. It stops, or there will be more blackouts and chaos.

New SHIELD boss Jeffrey Mace (Jason O’Mara) is really worried, because it’s upsetting his plans to re-introduce SHIELD to society gradually. He sends Coulson, Mack and Fitz to Miami, while Simmons is sent to New York so that she and Radcliffe (John Hannah) can somehow cure May of her sudden paranoia caused by her contact with the “ghost” from the premiere.

In Miami, some Watchdogs are looking for Inhumans, and nearly kill a sleight-of-hand guy (Derek Hughes) who they think is one of them. This forces Yo-Yo to reveal herself. She saves the guy, but it costs her a friend. This is what fear does. When the SHIELD guys arrive, they soon find out the Watchdogs may have been causing the blackouts to hunt Inhumans and frame them for the violence. Thanks to wine corks and needles, Fitz is able to find the EMP, and clear Yo-Yo. They also take down the Watchdogs behind it in very impressive fashion. Not only is Fitz becoming much better as a field agent, Yo-Yo’s speed may remind people of the X-Men version of Quicksilver. Imagine seeing her in slow motion while Gloria Estefan is singing.
Despite this, there’s still tension between Yo-Yo and Mack because she knew where Daisy was all this time and stole the drugs she needs to heal her bones. She says Daisy doesn’t want to be found now, but her condition is getting worse. Something has to happen to convince Daisy she needs SHIELD again. It sure does, and will certainly work with her and her issues.

Simmons and Radcliffe, meanwhile, discover May’s paranoia stems from parts of her brain being affected. They have to come up with a cure, or she dies in a few hours. The cure is very risky: they kill her, then revive her as a way to reboot her brain. Just as they’re about to use a defibrillator on her, the power goes out, thanks to the Watchdogs.

It really looks like May is a goner, as Simmons desperately tries to revive her. Radcliffe, though, uses a special battery from his secret project, Aida the Life Model Decoy (Mallory Jansen), and that works. May is back to her old self. No way this show would exist without her.

Meanwhile, Daisy is trying to find out more about Robbie Reyes (Gabriel Luna), the Ghost Rider. She finds out his uncle, who raised him and his little brother Gabe (played by Lorenzo James Henrie from Fear The Walking Dead), had worked at Momentum Labs where those “ghosts” came from. Robbie also says he thought settling scores would get the demon inside him to leave, but it hasn’t. The blackouts spread to L.A., which means he and Daisy face off against some looters trying to get his car.

Gabe notices what happened, and tells Daisy to stay away from Robbie. He doesn’t trust Inhumans, but also doesn’t know Robbie’s deep, dark secret, either. This forces Daisy to be on her own, because she still thinks SHIELD is better off without her. Once again, fear is keeping people apart. It’s likely, though, she’ll still cross paths with Robbie.

The blackouts, and proof the Inhumans didn’t do it, does have one benefit. It causes Mace to defend them, and bring back SHIELD in society. He can also thank Coulson for this, because it’s his idea. If Mace can get away from PR flacks and slogans, and get his hands dirty, he and SHIELD will get a lot of respect.

Not everyone is happy, though. There’s a senator named Rota Nadir (Parminder Nagra) who thinks Inhumans can’t be trusted. She may also be responsible for giving the Watchdogs help in causing the blackouts. She seems to be pleased 17 Inhumans were killed, and apparently wants them all gone. At least we know why. She’s shown talking to someone who’s encased in a terrigenesis crust.

It’s actually her brother in there. The body is intact, which means he’s not dead…maybe. It’s still her proof  Inhumans ruined her life, and now she wants to ruin theirs. The thing is, Mace said he’s an Inhuman. What will he do about Nadir  when he finds out?

After three episodes, the main story lines are settling in. SHIELD is trying to get the trust of the people, a senator wants to wipe out Inhumans (no matter if they’re good or evil), Radcliffe has an invention that has saved a life yet is not ready for the public, and there’s a guy who claims he sold his soul to the Devil. Then again, his condition may be due to someone else doing that.

Next week, SHIELD finally captures the Ghost Rider, but can they keep him?

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. airs Tuesdays at 10 PM on ABC.