Patriot

"I try to live by a simple rule: a team that trusts is a team that triumphs."

- Jeffrey Mace

Jeffrey Mace is an Inhuman and the Director of the espionage and law-enforcement agency S.H.I.E.L.D.. Originally working as a journalist for , he survived Helmut Zemo's terrorist attack on the Vienna International Centre. Now a hero in the eyes of the public, and being an Inhuman, he was considered by both Phil Coulson and President Matthew Ellis a perfect person to lead S.H.I.E.L.D. when the organization was to be legitimized again. As S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Director, Mace revealed the agency's continued existence to the world as well as his own true nature as an Inhuman.

Surviving Vienna
"And of course, our next guest needs little introduction. He is a patriot, a public servant known all over the world. He put his life on the line to save others during the U.N. bombing in Vienna."

- George Stephanopoulos

Considered a hero by both the public and the American government, Jeffrey Mace was invited to attend at a ceremony in Vienna, Austria following the signing of the Sokovia Accords. As King T'Chaka of Wakanda opened the proceedings with the keynote address, a bomb detonated and decimated the building, resulting in the deaths of King T'Chaka and twelve other people. Immediately following the explosion, Mace helped free several survivors who were trapped under rubble.

Appointment
"You said we needed a new face, and now that Steve Rogers went AWOL, you wanted a hero." "I said the new director should be a powered person the public could trust, and they came up with you." "And now you're stuck with me."

- Jeffrey Mace and Phil Coulson

With S.H.I.E.L.D. having been legitimized following the Destruction of HYDRA and the ratification of the Accords, the organization needed a new director to be the public face since the world believed Phil Coulson was dead.

Coulson met with President Matthew Ellis and requested that his successor be someone with superpowers who the general public could consider trustworthy. Since Steve Rogers was currently on the run, Mace was selected as he had undergone Terrigenesis during the Inhuman Outbreak and was now an Inhuman.

First Orders
"You were pulled off Daisy's case." "The Director thinks she slipped through our fingers too many times." "The Director thinks you let her."

- Melinda May and Phil Coulson

Director Mace sent Agents Alphonso Mackenzie and Phil Coulson to capture the resigned agent Daisy Johnson now known as the vigilante Quake whose activities as a vigilante put her into conflict with her old friends in S.H.I.E.L.D.

During the first months in his new role, Mace also appointed Jemma Simmons as Special Advisor to the Director in Science and Technology, being one of her most trusted advisors. Also, as part of his moves to separate Coulson's former inner circle, Mace assigned Agent Melinda May the task of creating, training and leading a specialist strike team. After Quake ran from Coulson once again, Mace pulled him and Mackenzie from the pursuit, convinced that Coulson was letting Quake escape. Later, when Mace learned that Coulson and Mackenzie continued to chase Quake, he asked to speak with Coulson once he returns to the Playground.

Meeting with Coulson
"Look, I get you're disappointed there was a mission to find Agent Johnson without your authorization, but we had intel that suggested..." "Phil, it's okay. She was your friend. Loyalty's a good thing."

- Phil Coulson and Jeffrey Mace

Phil Coulson and Melinda May were called to meet Mace following Coulson's own unauthorized attempt to retrieve Daisy Johnson. Surprisingly, however, Mace was not upset like the two had expected him to be. Instead he praised Coulson for his actions stating that loyalty was a good thing, also saying he was impressed in his team's trust. Mace went on to say that Johnson was a problem at the moment, because of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s upcoming re-legitimization, and needing the public's trust. He then gave Coulson the assignment of giving a tour of the Playground to a group of government representatives from Congress.

S.H.I.E.L.D. Tour
"Look, you're the expert on all things S.H.I.E.L.D., not me. And we both know why I have this job. But what I don't have is the anonymous, unlimited funding you seemed to have before. To build billion-dollar airplanes? No. Our budget hinges on the U.N. and the Sokovia Accords and on impressing the House Appropriations Committee. I can't do that myself."

- Jeffrey Mace to Phil Coulson

In desperate need for increased funding, Mace and Phil Coulson led a group of government representatives through the Playground with Mace relying on Coulson to give a more historical backstory to the tour. Melinda May, who had been exposed to the touch of a "Ghost", went to Chen who was experiencing the same terrifying illusions. Upon questioning, the man began to bash his head on the window of a containment room creating a horror show. When Mace offered to take the group to the Containment Rooms, Coulson stated it might not be a good idea. Jemma Simmons informed him that there was "blood everywhere" and the group was instead taken to the Hanger. May, continuing to grow further distraught from her visions, began to get aggressive. She tore through lockers and attacked her strike team in fear. Eventually Mace got involved and he used his Inhuman powers to apprehend her. Coulson stated that it was a shame he couldn't put his powers on tour. Following a quick photo op, Mace sent the representative's on their way saying that what they had seen was confidential. Mace then told Coulson he was taking care of May, further questioning Coulson by asking if he was the Director he wanted, as he wanted a powered person people could trust.

A Dangerous Blackout
"You're the best agent I have to deal with the Inhumans. If this blackout is legitimate and there are more to come, we could have a huge international problem on our hands. It's the call you'd make if you were in my shoes."

- Jeffrey Mace to Phil Coulson

When several wide blackouts happened across the USA, Mace assembled his staff in the Playground base to explain to him what was going on. He watched the screen, as an unidentified "Inhuman" said they would shut off more cities after Miami hour by hour if the Sokovia Accords are not shut down. Counseling with Leo Fitz and Alphonso Mackenzie, Mace sent the two and Phil Coulson to Miami to assist Yo-Yo Rodriguez there. Mace entered the lab where he told Coulson that Melinda May was being treated, when suddenly, Chen squirmed and died. Jemma Simmons said that it would happen to May as well, so Mace allowed her to take May to somewhere else to save her.

Mace called Coulson to inform him that more cities had gone dark, violence were spreading and President Matthew Ellis wanted results, but the call was interrupted due to another EMP in Miami. Mace received a call from Ellis again, who told him that he would send troops into the cities to kill as many Inhumans as possible. Eventually, Coulson called Mace and said he had found a way to bring the light to the cities back.

Out of the Shadows
"So, let's set the record straight one more time. We're back, and we're here to protect you all of you, human and Inhuman alike. When others try to tear us apart, it only brings us together. We're all on the same team, because a team that trusts is a team that-"

- Jeffrey Mace

Phil Coulson told Mace that the Watchdogs had caused the blackouts around the world, and that they were funded and equipped well. Mace said to Coulson that the Watchdogs succeeded in frighting the public. Coulson advised him to announce publicly the relegalization of S.H.I.E.L.D.. In the next day, Mace revealed during a press conference that S.H.I.E.L.D. had been reformed and it would serve Humans and Inhumans.

Debating with a Senator
"So, you don't think I'm the man for the job. Well, I became the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. because I believe in their mission. Protecting and integrating Inhumans is part of that. Senator, I promise you that I am the man for the job, because I'm not just a man. I'm an Inhuman."

- Jeffery Mace to Ellen Nadeer

When he was called to debate on television with Senator Ellen Nadeer about what the public called "Inhuman War on Humans", Mace interrupted Jemma Simmons' Lie Detector testing and brought her to his office. He asked her to back him up with scientific facts via earpiece because the upcoming discussion would be a battle for hearts and minds.

At the beginning of the debate, Nadeer asked him why S.H.I.E.L.D.'s priority was not to defend Humans from the Inhumans. Simmons and then Mace said that the human and Inhuman genome were almost identical. Nadeer was not convinced, and said that it did not explained the blackouts that had occurred. Simmons said to Mace and then he spoke, that more Inhumans had been killed during the blackouts. Nadeer asked him that if it was true that S.H.I.E.L.D. was attacking a prison right now in Los Angeles. Since neither Mace or Simmons knew about such operation, Mace explained that he could not report about their missions, but that the situation was under control. Nadeer continued with her questions, and criticized the number of fatalities under S.H.I.E.L.D.'s watch. Simmons gave Mace the datum that number of fatalities have decreased since the signing of the Sokovia Accords. Nadeer said that Inhumans defined themselves illustrated that they did not share the same values of humans. Mace said they should talk about the Inhumans with respect, but Nadeer said he did not talk about the subject in honesty, so how people would trust him. She also countered him that he was not the man for this job. Mace cut off the connection with Simmons and said to Nadeer that he had become the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. since he wanted to protect and integrate Inhumans, and that he was the man for the job because he was an Inhuman, therefore revealing to the world his secret. He explained that Inhumans' situation was personal for him and those who are different like him should not be hunted. After the debate, Burrows told to Mace in his office that his approval numbers were higher. Simmons entered the office and he thanked her for her help, but asked her to do again the Lie Detector test, since she had received alarming results. Simmons threatened Mace to expose his lie about his story in Vienna. Mace said to Harlan that he exempted Simmons from her testing. After she left, Mace thought of his secret.

Mace later met with Nadeer, who congratulated him on his rising popularity. Mace responded that she left him no choice but to tell the truth. Nadeer showed him footage of Phil Coulson working with Quake and Ghost Rider during an operation in prison. She threatened to send it to the media. Mace asked her what did she want.

Fighting Ghost Rider
"Jeffrey, I'd argue that Daisy and Robbie are already secure. We should listen to..." "It's Director Mace, and I'd be more amenable to your suggestions if you'd been honest with me from the start. But by wasting my time, you've wasted my goodwill. Now turn the plane around and return to H.Q."

- Phil Coulson and Jeffrey Mace

In order to take her out of the Playground with no fight, Mace said to Jemma Simmons that she had been asked by the United States Government to help them with her study on the Inhumans. Simmons asked if he would come with her, so Mace said he had another mission and showed her the bag to cover her eyes. He tried to explain his action by saying his catch phrase, but Simmons interrupted and put on her the bag willingly. Mace and his team flew with a Quinjet to Zephyr One to arrest Quake and Ghost Rider. Before landing, Mace talked to Zephyr crew and warned them. After landing, Phil Coulson denied he had them on board, so Mace ordered his team to find them. Mace and Coulson argued about Coulson protracting a killer and he showed him pictured of Ghost Rider's victim during the South Ridge Penitentiary Riot. In the garage, Mace was pleased to hear from Coulson that he was honest with him about the powered people not being inside the plane. However, having noticed that the Containment Module was missing, he pulled it from under the plane, with Quake, Ghost Rider and his brother inside it. Leo Fitz entered and asked permission for classified documents. Mace said that it was not the time, but Fitz said it could lead them to Lucy Bauer and Eli Morrow. Coulson explained that it was their priority, but Mace ignored it. Reyes asked if they knew where his uncle was, but Mace responded that they would go to a trial once they landed. Coulson and Fitz tried to explain that thousands of lives were at risk because of Bauer, yet Mace had enough and ordered them to return to the Playground. Reyes transformed into Ghost Rider and tried to get out of the Containment Module. Mace asked Coulson if he was an Inhuman, so Coulson said Reyes told him he had made a deal with the Devil. Once Ghost Rider got out, Mace pushed him to the other side of the room. Ghost Rider cornered him and began pounding Mace. Coulson tried to stop him but failed. Close to his death, it was Ghost Rider brother who stopped him and Mace was safe.

Later, Coulson explained to Mace that Ghost Rider was needed in their operation to stop Bauer, since he was the only one who could kill her. At first, Mace refused, claiming Reyes was a terrorist, but then he was convinced, saying Reyes would have to pay for what he had done later.

Personality
Jeffery Mace is a straight minded individual. Once he sets his mind on something, it takes a great amount of effort to change his mind. He has great faith in Phil Coulson, placing great trust in him and making him his top agent.

Powers
"Senator, I promise you that I am the man for the job, because I'm not just a man. I'm an Inhuman."

- Jeffrey Mace

Jeffrey Mace is an Inhuman who achieved his genetic potential after undergoing Terrigenesis, gaining superhuman powers.
 * Superhuman Strength: Jeffery Mace was strong enough to easily subdue Melinda May, lift her by the neck off the ground with one arm, and walk her over to a wall to knock her head against it and render her unconscious without visible effort. He was able to engage Ghost Rider in a fight and toss him across the room with ease. However he was not as strong as Ghost Rider and was quickly overpowered.
 * Superhuman Durability: Mace was able to withstand Melinda May's attacks without even being moved. Once May resorted to hitting him with a barbell, he recoiled from the blow, but it caused no injury. He suffered repeated blows from Ghost Rider. However, while he had no visible injuries, he was wounded and fatigued.

Allies

 * Matthew Ellis - Commander in Chief
 * S.H.I.E.L.D.
 * Phil Coulson - Subordinate and Predecessor
 * Leo Fitz - Subordinate
 * Jemma Simmons - Subordinate and Confidant
 * Alphonso Mackenzie - Subordinate
 * Davis - Subordinate
 * Yo-Yo Rodriguez - Subordinate
 * Nathanson - Subordinate
 * Cecilio - Subordinate
 * Burrows - Subordinate
 * Harlan - Subordinate
 * Anderson - Subordinate
 * May's Team - Subordinates
 * Melinda May
 * Piper
 * Prince

Enemies

 * Helmut Zemo
 * Daisy Johnson/Quake
 * Watchdogs
 * Ellen Nadeer
 * Robbie Reyes/Ghost Rider - Attempted Killer

Appearances
In chronological order:
 * Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
 * Season Three
 * Ascension (mentioned)
 * Season Four
 * The Ghost (mentioned)
 * Meet the New Boss
 * Uprising
 * Let Me Stand Next to Your Fire (mentioned)
 * Lockup
 * The Good Samaritan
 * Deals With Our Devils

Trivia

 * In the comics, Jeffrey Mace was a journalist from the Daily Bugle that fought under the costumed identity of Patriot in World War II alongside Bucky Barnes. He also became the third individual to hold the identity of Captain America, before retiring in 1949 and later dying of cancer. Jeffrey Mace was also the uncle-by-marriage of Thaddeus Ross.
 * Jeffery Mace is the only known individual to have publically announced that he is an Inhuman.