‘Agents Of SHIELD’ Season 4 Episode 1 Recap: Can We Watch Ghost Rider’s Transformation One More Time, Please?

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 4 is lit, quite literally. We’re all probably thinking of the same thing right now: the moment when Robbie Reyes’ head transformed into a flaming skull. Seriously impressive CGI. Let’s just see it one more time:

The premiere episode doesn't waste any time catching up with Quake and Ghost Rider, both ruthless vigilantes with their own agendas. Ghost Rider is after pedophiles and gang members, while Daisy is attacking the system -- bridges and banks. The two anti-heroes find a common enemy in the Watchdogs, a group set on eradicating inhumans.

May, who training a her new strike force, summons Agents Coulson and Mack back to S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters to tell them Quake has been spotted in LA at the same scene as Ghost Rider (unbenounced to them), another possible inhuman ravaging the streets. Mack and Coulson take off to Los Angeles.

Back at headquarters, Jemma has made nice with the new S.H.I.E.L.D. director, which is offputting to her friends, who have all been separated onto different teams differentiated by a variety of colored badge clearances. Later that night, Fitz heads over to Dr. Radcliffe's house to watch sports and around the corner of the living room comes AIDA, a naked Life Model Decoy. Radcliffe shows Fitz his new tech and the two decide not to tell Jemma, because she’s so close to the new (apparently strict) director and would be forced to lie about it. They decide AIDA has to be absolutely perfect before showing Jemma.

While in Los Angeles, Mack meets up with Yo Yo to check in and she relentlessly flirts with him. After their meeting, Yo Yo secretly finds Quake to fill her in about S.H.I.E.L.D.’s plans and give her some bone medication. Back at headquarters, Jemma quickly learns that May gave Coulson and Mack a heads up about Quake, and she’s pissed they broke protocol. She orders May and her strike team to go to Los Angeles and retrieve them.

Before May arrives, Coulson and Mack track mysterious cargo from the Chinese gangsters. When they open the trunk, a glowing mist emanates and a luminescent woman's face appears. The gangsters’ heads transform into dark, demonic faces and they attack each other. May bursts in just in time, but the ghost runs right through her body.

Continuing her search for Ghost Rider, Quake gets a tip that brings her to the salvage yard. She meets Robbie Reyes, who she doesn’t yet know is Ghost Rider. He walks behind her through the yard and tries to attack her. A battle ensues. They talk about their vigilante differences in true Daredevil-Punisher fashion -- while beating the shit out of each other. Ghost Rider explains he only kills people who deserve it and says he’s not the one who decides who lives or dies. That’s when he transforms into Ghost Rider right before our eyes.

Ghost Rider pushes a shelf on top of Quake; she’s able to stop it with her powers but it’s clearly painful for her since she’s so weak. Ghost Rider has every opportunity to kill Daisy, but he doesn’t, which means Ghost Rider (or should we say the demon inside him) doesn’t believe she deserves it.

In the final moments of the episode, Quake spies on Ghost Rider the next day and watches him lift his disabled brother out of a car into a wheelchair. Back in the Zephyr One, May is talking to Coulson and his head turns into a black demon.

Does May have the demon trapped inside her? Can Quake get Ghost Rider under control? Find out next week on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 4 episode 2, “Meet the Boss.”