“The Laws of Inferno Dynamics” is episode eight of season four of Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
In the previous episode, “Deals with Our Devils”, Simmons had managed to get Senator Nadeer’s brother (not that she knew who he was; this was all part of the deal the senator made with Directory Mace at the end of “Lockup”), but was carted off just as he was breaking free. Fitz, Coulson and Robbie had been returned to reality using a device built by Aida after she read the Darkhold. Her reading the book may have had an unintended side effect; in the post logo scene she was assembling what looked very like a brain made of light in the same manner that she had assembled the interdimensional gateway used to rescue Fitz and Coulson (Robbie himself returned after making another deal with the Ghost Rider).
This episode opens with some of Eli’s gangster and criminal allies approaching him as he is building something. Their spokesmen says that the building is surrounded by the LAPD and S.H.I.E.L.D. The leader says that they are unwilling to fight these forces, especially as they haven’t been paid. So Eli fills his lungs with diamonds in payment.
Daisy and Robbie are with S.H.I.E.L.D. but they are hiding from the press, as Mace doesn’t want either of them seen – Daisy is the notorious terrorist Quake and Robbie a vigilante killer. Mace also wants Aida present, given how helpful she was, at which point Coulson tells him that she is an android. The Director is not happy, mentioning both Ultron and the Sokovia Accords. He wants to dismantle Aida, after the current operation, but first has Dr Radcliffe brought to him. Mace has video of the Darkhold and wants to know about. Coulson had mentioned Aida because he wants to know what Mace is doing conspiring with Senator Nadeer – none of them know that this was done to protect S.H.I.E.L.D.
Fitz and Simmons are discussing Eli’s ability to apparently create carbon from nothing, which they do not believe is possible. Simmons suggests magic and Fitz says that he hates magic. And clown. Scary clowns with knives in the dark. Later in the episode he does manage to figure out what Eli is doing.
Robbie, Daisy and Yoyo are going inside the building that Eli is using. Eli, meanwhile, has been learning to create new elements, and has trapped the building. He has also built a nuke in it. The press think Daisy is on the scene, because there have been earthquakes; Daisy keeps telling everyone it isn’t her. And it isn’t; it’s connected to Eli.
Director Mace has decided to take to the field to show the world what the new Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. is capable of. This brings up the frustrations and distrust everyone has with each other; even Mace is not happy with things. Still, this will probably be beneficial in the long run. Mack and Yoyo finally have to acknowledge their feelings – or, rather, he does.
What Aida was doing isn’t revealed until the very end and the post logo scene. It seems that having her read the Darkhold has definitely triggered unintended consequences.