Patriot

"A team that trusts is a team that triumphs."

- Jeffrey Mace

Jeffrey Mace was the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.. Originally working as a journalist for , he survived Helmut Zemo's terrorist attack on the Vienna International Centre. After this, he was called upon by the government to partake an experiment that would give him super strength under Project Patriot. Now a hero in the eyes of the public, 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, under the guise of an Inhuman. As S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Director, Mace revealed the agency's continued existence to the world.

Despite conflicts of interest with Coulson, Mace proved himself a worthy Director by challenging the actions of Ghost Rider before assisting to prevent Eli Morrow city wide destruction plan and clearing Quake's name. After the deception regarding his alleged Inhumanity was exposed, he planned to resign, but Coulson, recognizing Mace's popularity with Inhumans, offered to take over as field director while he dealt with politics. While fighting the Watchdogs, Mace was kidnapped by the Superior, and was eventually replaced by a Life-Model Decoy created by Aida who trapped Mace's mind in a virtual reality known as the Framework.

With all his memories rewritten, Mace became a member of the S.H.I.E.L.D. led resistance that opposed HYDRA's rule over the virtual world. While attempting to save a group of children and his fellow agents from a collapsing building, Patriot sacrificed his life, dying both in the Framework and the real world.

Youth in Brooklyn
"I'm from Brooklyn, son of a plumber, played baseball in college and guitar, can't carry a tune. I say "soda," not "pop," and I like my barbecue sweet, not spicy. Never been married or had kids."

- Jeffrey Mace

Jeffrey Mace was born in Brooklyn in New York City, the son of a plumber. As a youth, Mace collected, and played both baseball and guitar in college, though was never able to sing.

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

Jeffrey Mace was attending 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 tried to reach a safe place, stumbled upon a fellow victim of the attack, then caught in camera as he was helping. He was believed to have helped free several survivors who were trapped under rubble, despite his attempts to scale down the episode, an attitude misinterpreted as humilty. Ultimately, he was considered a hero by both the public and the American government.

Project Patriot
"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 Sokovia Accords, the organization needed a new director to be the public face since the world still believed that Phil Coulson had been killed by Loki just before the Battle of New York. Coulson met with President Matthew Ellis and requested that his own successor be someone with superpowers who the general public could still consider to be trustworthy. Since Steve Rogers was currently on the run in Wakanda in the wake of the Avengers Civil War and without other suitable characters ready or willing to take up the position, as the "hero of Vienna" Mace was selected by Brigadier General Glenn Talbot for Project Patriot, which gave him super-strength through a serum derived by Calvin Zabo's Formula, although the fact that his powers were man made was kept secret. Mace would have been said to have had undergone his own Terrigenesis during the Inhuman Outbreak, in order to improve public acceptance of the new race that had entered the world.

Recruiting Yo-Yo Rodriguez
"First, I'm gonna need your John Hancock." "I don't know who that is." "It's the... It just means your signature."

- Jeffrey Mace and Yo-Yo Rodriguez

Not long after he had become S.H.I.E.L.D.'s director, Mace met Elena Rodriguez, a former member of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Secret Warriors team. He welcomed her in her native Spanish language but she said that she was fine with having a conversation in English. As they sat in his office, Mace gave her the electronic copy of the Sokovia Accords to sign. When she signed the document, Mace took her fingerprint and then a retinal scan which officially completed her compliance with the Accords. Rodriguez then asked Mace for help with arresting Victor Ramon, the man responsible for the death of her cousin Francisco Rodriguez. Mace told her that he appreciated her enthusiasm and that he was looking forward to working with her, but everything first had to go through the official channels, and that the United Nations would determine who should go after Ramon. He also warned her that if she decided to go after Ramon on her own, he would have to arrest her and turn her over to Secretary Thaddeus Ross who would not hesitate to lock her up inside the floating Raft prison. Mace then told her that bureaucracy, even though it was frustrating, always works in the long run. When Agent Cecilio informed them that Mace had a scheduled talk with the National Security Advisor, Mace asked him to take Rodriguez to the lab where Agents Leo Fitz and Jemma Simmons were waiting for her to complete her registration. Saying goodbye, Mace failed to notice Rodriguez using her super-speed to steal his keycard. Once Mace realized his keycard was missing he sent out an alert, until Melinda May found and returned it to him, without telling him who had actually taken it.

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

Mace sent Alphonso Mackenzie and Phil Coulson to recapture Daisy Johnson, now known as the vigilante Quake whose activities put her into conflict with S.H.I.E.L.D.. Mace appointed Jemma Simmons as Special Advisor to the Director in Science and Technology, being one of her most trusted advisors. As part of his moves to separate Coulson's inner circle, Mace assigned Melinda May the task of creating a specialist strike team. After Quake ran from Coulson once again, Mace pulled him and Mackenzie from the pursuit, convinced Coulson was allowing Quake escape. When Mace later learned Coulson and Mackenzie continued the chase, he asked to speak with Coulson once he returned 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

Having returned to the base, Phil Coulson and Melinda May were called to meet Mace following Coulson's own unauthorized attempt to retrieve Daisy Johnson despite being ordered not to do so. Once they had been let inside by Cecilio, surprisingly, however, Mace was not upset like the two had expected him to be despite them disobeying his orders. Instead he praised Coulson for his actions stating that loyalty was a good thing, noting he was impressed in Coulson's team's trust. Mace then went on to say that the rogue Quake was a still a major problem at the moment for them, because of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s upcoming re-legitimization in the public eye, and needing the public's trust in the wake of the HYDRA Uprising which had destroyed S.H.I.E.L.D.'s reputation. Mace asked May to leave him and Coulson to speak in private, noting how he felt May was an impossible character to work out, while Coulson wished him good luck with that. Mace 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
"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 for their new future missions, 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 including Peggy Carter's involvement in it's build. However while the tour was happening, Melinda May, who had been exposed to the touch of a "Ghost", desperately 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 as he cracked his own head open. When Mace offered to take the group to the Containment Module rooms, Coulson stated it might not be a good idea while Jemma Simmons informed him that there was "blood everywhere" and the group was instead taken to the Hanger to see the Quinjets. May, continuing to grow further distraught from her visions of horrific images, now began to get aggressive. She tore through lockers and attacked her own strike team in fear, subduing Piper and the other agents. Eventually Mace got involved and he used his "Inhuman" powers to apprehend her, taking several strikes to the head before lifting May high in the air and smashing her head against a wall. Once it was clear that May would be alright despite the blow to the head, Coulson stated that it was a shame Mace couldn't put his powers on tour to which Mace claimed that he couldn't, "not yet". Following a quick photo op with the members of congress who were still completely unaware of the incident involving Chen in the other room, Mace sent the representative's on their way saying that what they had seen was confidential until S.H.I.E.L.D. was then officially announced to be returning to the world. While the congressmen were then loaded into Zephyr One to be returned home, Mace took the time to speak to Coulson for a complete debrief about what had occurred involving May and Chen while the tour was happening, with Coulson demanding to know what had happened with May. Mace then told Coulson he was taking care of May's recovery, further questioning Coulson by asking if he was the Director he wanted, as he wanted a powered person people could trust. Coulson however made it clear that while he wanted one of the Inhumans in charge of S.H.I.E.L.D., he still was not sure that Mace was the man for the job, while Mace noted that since Steve Rogers had disappeared there was no one else Coulson would have approved for the position, while also vowing that he would quickly prove himself to be the best man for the job in the wake of both Nick Fury and Coulson.

Blackout Attack
"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 all across the United States of America which caused a helicopter crash as well as mass panic by the citizens, Mace assembled all of 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 have to shut off more cities after Miami hour by hour if the Sokovia Accords are not shut down immediately. Mace spoke with his team as Leo Fitz confirmed that it was unlikely to be a lone nut job responsible for the attack and the broadcast, when Mace questioned if an Inhuman could be to blame, Fitz noted only Lincoln Campbell had that kind of power and he had sacrificed his life to stop Hive, to which Mace acknowledge his own debt to Campbell. As tensions soon rose, Mace had to calm down Alphonso Mackenzie who was furious at Burrows' attitude towards the attack and it's impact on publicity for S.H.I.E.L.D., but Mace noted that they still needed to remain a team to not be completely defeated. Mace decided to send both Fitz and Mackenzie to Miami with Phil Coulson in order to assist Yo-Yo Rodriguez there, but Mackenzie noted that Coulson was still unhappy about his last orders. Mace entered the lab where he told Coulson that Melinda May was being treated since her encounter with Lucy Bauer. However, just as they were still speaking, Chen squirmed and died. Jemma Simmons said that it would happen to May as well if she did not get the treatment she needed, so Mace allowed her to take May to Holden Radcliffe to save her life while Coulson was still sent to Miami. While Simmons worked with Radcliffe to try and find a cure for May's sickness, the mission to find the source of the Blackouts went ahead as Coulson, Fitz and Mackenzie took Zephyr One to Miami and then drove to the centre of the attack. Mace called Coulson to inform him that even more cities all across America had gone dark including Los Angeles, and as a result violence and rioting was currently spreading through those cities, and President Matthew Ellis wanted results from him as quickly as possible. However their call was interrupted due to another Blackout in Miami as Coulson's team continued alone. Mace received a call from President Ellis again, who told him that if they did not get results as soon as possible, he would to forced to send troops into the cities to kill as many Inhumans as possible in an attempt to end the attack. Eventually, Coulson called Mace and said he had discovered the Watchdogs were behind the attack by using EMP devices throughout the city, having seemingly found a new leadership which was funding them and taking their mission of hate global. As a result Coulson's team also found a way to bring the light to the cities back and finally end all of the chaos.

Public Statement
"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

Having returned to the Playground having completed the mission to end the Blackout Attacks before any more chaos could unfold, Phil Coulson explained to Mace that the Watchdogs had caused all the blackouts around the world, and that they were funded and equipped well by their new leadership. Mace said to Coulson that the Watchdogs succeeded in frighting the public into fearing the Inhumans across the world. Seeking a way to reassure the public and turn them away from the Watchdogs' cause, Coulson advised Mace to announce publicly the relegalization of S.H.I.E.L.D.. In the next day, Mace revealed during a press conference on WHiH World News that S.H.I.E.L.D. had been responsible for ending the Blackout Attacks and that they had finally been reformed and it would serve Humans and Inhumans. The news of their return was quickly hit with both positive and many negative reactions, with Senator Ellen Nadeer leading the view that the idea of helping Inhumans was bad for the protection of the world.

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."

- Jeffrey Mace to Ellen Nadeer

In the wake of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s return being announced to the general public, Director Mace was soon called to take part in a debate on television with Senator Ellen Nadeer about what the public called "Inhumans' War on Humans". Seeking help, Mace interrupted Jemma Simmons' Lie Detector testing with agent Harlan and brought her to his office. Back in his office, Mace noted that while Simmons remained closely loyal to Phil Coulson, he was now the Director and asked if he could trust her, to which Simmons insisted that he could. Mace then explained that he had the interview with Nadeer starting soon, noting that Burrows did not like how it was being advertised. He then asked her to back him up with scientific facts via earpiece because the upcoming discussion would be a battle for hearts and minds of the general public and bring them onto their side rather than show support for the Watchdogs and Nadeer's point of view. At the beginning of the debate, which was being hosted by George Stephanopoulos, Mace was given a kind introduction in which he was called a hero, much to Nadeer's annoyance. As they began 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, noting it did not explained the Blackout Attacks 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 should not be hunted. With the debate now over, Burrows told to Mace in his office that his approval numbers were higher in the wake of the reveal. 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 when he survived the Bombing of the Vienna International Centre orchestrated by Helmut Zemo. Considering this threat, Mace said to Harlan that he exempted Simmons from any further testing. After she left, Mace thought of his secret being exposed. Mace later met with Senator Nadeer is secret inside her car, who congratulated him on his rising popularity since their debate. Mace responded that she left him no choice but to tell the truth about his apparent Inhuman nature. Changing the subject Nadeer showed him footage of Phil Coulson working with Quake and Ghost Rider during an operation inside South Ridge Penitentiary, during which Santino Noguera had been brutally burned to death. She threatened to send the footage of Noguera's death to the media, so Mace was forced to ask her what did she wanted in return for her silence.

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."

- 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, when she was in fact being sent to examine Vijay Nadeer, the brother of Ellen Nadeer who was trapped in his Terrigenesis cocoon. 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 own team of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents flew onboard a Quinjet towards Zephyr One with the mission to arrest both Quake and the Ghost Rider. Before landing, Mace talked to the whole crew onboard Zephyr One and warned them of their arrival. Once he had landed, Mace spoke with Phil Coulson who denied he had either Quake or Ghost Rider onboard, teasing Mace that he was wasting his valuable time and was currently on a wild goose hunt with no geese onboard. Not believing Coulson's excuses, Mace ordered his team to search the entire ship and find them as quickly as possible. Mace and Coulson argued about Coulson protracting a killer and he showed him pictured of Santino Noguera, Ghost Rider's victim during the South Ridge Penitentiary Riot. During their conversation, they ended up in a discussion related to in which Mace believed Coulson viewed S.H.I.E.L.D. as the evil Empire and his team as the rebels. As the search continued with no sign of their targets, Mace walked into the garage where Mace was pleased to hear that Coulson was honest with him about the fugitives not being inside the plane as his men had been unable to find them anywhere. 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 just ignored it. Reyes asked if they knew where his uncle was, but Mace responded that they would go to a trial once they landed. Both Coulson and Fitz tried to explain that thousands of lives were at risk because of Bauer, yet Mace had now had enough and ordered them to return to the Playground. While Mace and Coulson argued about what was the right thing to do, Reyes began furiously pounding at the door of the Containment Module in a desperate attempt to get free before Mace could have him arrested. As he lost control of his body and temper, Reyes transformed himself into Ghost Rider and tried to get out of the Containment Module by continuing to punch the door. Mace asked Coulson if he was an Inhuman, so Coulson said Reyes told him he had made a deal with the Devil. Seeing Ghost Rider's power, Mace asked Fitz if it was possible for him to escape, although Fitz insisted that this was simply impossible due to his own designs. To their complete horror however, Ghost Rider smashed the doors apart and got free. Once Ghost Rider got out, Mace pushed him to the other side of the room with strength from the Patriot Serum. As the two began fighting, Mace attempted to subdue his enemy but before long, Ghost Rider cornered him and began pounding Mace into submission as Coulson tried to stop him but failed. Close to killing Mace, it was Ghost Rider's brother who begged him to stop, causing Reyes to stop striking the director and return back to human form while Mace collapsed in the wake of their fight. 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, having already destroyed Frederick, Hugo and Vincent. At first, Mace refused, claiming Reyes was a terrorist and a murderer who they could not even contain, but eventually was convinced by Coulson who had located Bauer and Morrow at Roxxon Power Plant. Mace noted that Reyes would have to pay for everything he had done later, which Coulson accepted as they all then prepared for the new mission to finally stop all of Bauer's evil plans.

Losing Coulson and Fitz
"Look, my job is to keep people safe." "Mine, too. So, first we sharpen the axe, and then we chop the tree."

- Alphonso Mackenzie and Jeffrey Mace

Remaining onboard Zephyr One, Mace watched the footage of Phil Coulson, Leo Fitz and Robbie Reyes seemingly vanishing after a mysterious explosion caused by Eli Morrow. Horrified by what he had seen, Mace started to say it was a tragedy but Daisy Johnson then interrupted him and said they did not know what happened and there was a chance they were alive. Alphonso Mackenzie noted that their best case would be to end up like Lucy Bauer which seemed worse than death Despite Johnson's pleas for Gabe Reyes' sake, even Melinda May suggested that their friends were likely dead. Johnson suggested they should call Jemma Simmons and inform her about the incident. May and Mackenzie were confident the Chinatown Crew knew where Morrow was, although Mace said they must first call Simmons, so they could understand the Momentum Labs' boxes and to find a way to bring back the three missing. Mace then noted that Simmons could help them avenge the men Morrow killed with his new found power and possibly even save all of their friends. Mace asked Burrows to get for him Simmons, however her phone had been confiscated and it was Ellen Nadeer on the line. Mace said to her that he needed to speak with Simmons as there was a new emergency situation going on which she was needed for. Nadeer however refused to allow Simmons to leave her work helping with Vijay Nadeer's prolonged Terrigenesis and and hang up, much to Mace's great frustration. Mace asked Burrows to keep calling her men and questioned if they had put a tracker on Simmons, which Burrows said they had not thought they needed to. Mace then went to speak with Mackenzie and May, who told him the Chinatown Crew were working for Morrow, noting that Chen had been Morrow's cellmate in South Ridge Penitentiary. Mackenzie said he could go to their hideout and find Morrow, but Mace explained they would follow his lead after they understand the boxes, much to Mackenzie's great frustration. When Mace defended his decision, Mackenzie noted that he had his Shotgun-Axe which he intended to use against Morrow and the Chinatown Crew, but Mace noted they must first prepare their fallen agents to be taken back home. He told them Zephyr One was ready to take off to the Playground, with Mackenzie walking out in frustration. He then said to May they would use the Quinjet to bring the boxes to Holden Radcliffe so he could begin working to understand their true power and exactly how they worked. When May asked Mace if Simmons had approved Radcliffe working on the boxes without her being present, Mace lied to her by telling her that he had already spoken with Simmons and that she would return in a few hours, unwilling to reveal his deal with Nadeer to any other fellow agents as he walked away. Back at the base, Mace was furious to discover that Mackenzie had escaped having assulted Davis and Johnson had gone after him in the Hell Charger. In the lab, Mace thanked Radcliffe for coming to assist their mission. He and his assistant, Aida, explained to Mace the boxes harnessed energy from the Multiverse but they did not know how they worked. May showed them a book which according to her, had helped Joseph Bauer and his team of scientists to built the boxes. Mace left them with Nathanson in order to call the families of all the fallen agents who had been killed by Morrow's power. Having researched the Darkhold, Aida managed to bring Coulson and Fitz back to the real world having built an Inter-Dimensional Gate and saved them both from being dragged to Hell. While Mace was speaking with Anderson, Fitz furiously went straight towards the Director and demanded to know where Simmons was, demanding to know where she had been and noting that he had heard Mace on the phone, only to see her coming to him having just returned from her own mission. At that moment Director Mace watched as Fitz and Simmons embraced each other, delighted to be reunited.

Hunting Eli Morrow
"Aida fooled everyone. She's quite amazing Doctor, totally lifelike." "Well, the LMD program was designed to save lives the lives of of of agents in the field, of the Director." "Oh, I understand the allure. An android like Aida could be used as a soldier, a spy, a decoy."

- Jeffrey Mace and Holden Radcliffe

Eventually S.H.I.E.L.D. had located Eli Morrow inside Chinatown Crew Headquarters in Los Angeles, so Mace sent his agents to the compound. While in the Playground, Mace answered the questions of Coleen Sullivan where he claimed to be assisting in the hunt for a fugitive, while Sullivan asked if it had to do with Quake or an Inhuman, but Mace said to her he could not answer. Mace sent Burrows out of the room and told Phil Coulson and Melinda May that they could not allow Quake or Ghost Rider to be seen by the press as they were seen as dangerous. Coulson replied that the two and Yo-Yo Rodriguez were their best options. Mace asked Coulson if Aida could assist them due to her great scientific mind, but to his surprise, Coulson revealed she was an Android. Mace was furious to discover that, noting it was against the Sokovia Accords to built an Artificial Intelligent in the wake of the recent Ultron disaster. Coulson advised to use Aida for the mission and he agreed, ordering May to go to Holden Radcliffe's home to bring the two, clarifying that they would dismantle Aida afterwards just to be safe which both Coulson and May agreed to. Radcliffe later came to Mace's office and tried to justify why he had gone against his orders and built Aida in the first place, with Mace then noting that while Radcliffe may not have been attempting to fool anybody, his work with the Life-Model Decoys had fooled everybody, telling him that Aida was quite amazing. They discussed the uses for Life-Model Decoys, with Mace suggesting that they could become soldiers as well as saving the lives of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents in the field. Eventually Radcliffe acknowledged his own reckless actions and then volunteered to hand over all his research over to Mace. Changing the subject, Mace then asked Radcliffe if the Darkhold had helped Aida build the Inter-Dimensional Gate, leading to Radcliffe explaining that the book could read minds and other great scientific breakthroughs, although warning that it was a powerful piece of technology which had saved Coulson and Leo Fitz from being lost in the Multiverse. Having briefly discussed if Aida intimidated Radcliffe, which he denied, Radcliffe asked Mace what he planned for Aida, so Mace answered it depended on how she handled her next mission along with Coulson's team going against Morrow.

Leadership in Question
"Can you imagine the press? "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. working with domestic terrorists and murderers."" "You were trying to protect S.H.I.E.L.D." "That's the job I was hired to do."

- Jeffrey Mace and Phil Coulson

Flying onboard a Quinjet Mace, along with Holden Radcliffe and Aida then boarded Zephyr One and were then greeted by Phil Coulson. Having heard Morrow had position of a material with the power to explode all of Los Angeles. While Aida took charge of her machinery for her Inter-Dimensional Gate, Mace said to Coulson and Melinda May that he wanted to take part in the action of the mission himself, noting that he felt it was time for the public to see the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. in action, noting he had a plan to deal with Morrow. Having explained the plan to the team, Mace was confronted by the furious Alphonso Mackenzie who did not believe it was a good move to put Yo-Yo Rodriguez back into the field in order to take the nuclear material by force. Mackenzie insisted that this was a bad plan, while Mace insisted it was the only move to save the day and Rodriguez claimed to be fit enough to be involved. When Mackenzie insulted Mace's leadership skills by suggesting he should leave the mission planning to experts, Coulson ordered him to be quiet and show some respect before asking for a private word with Mace. In a private conversation with Coulson, Mace argued with him about his action since Mace took over the role of being the Director when Coulson stepped down, including using criminals and murderers like Robbie Reyes and also keeping secrets about his activities for him. Coulson then demanded he would tell him what was the deal he had made with Senator Ellen Nadeer. As they were still speaking, Daisy Johnson entered the room and asked Mace if he knew that Nadeer had a captive Inhuman for research, why to cooperate with someone who out right hated Inhumans which disgusted Johnson. Explaining himself, Mace told Johnson Nadeer had footage of her and Reyes during the South Ridge Penitentiary Riot during which Reyes had brutally murdered Santino Noguera, so he had to do what would keep S.H.I.E.L.D. safe, noting that he wanted to know more about Nadeer's Inhuman captive so he sent in Jemma Simmons. Coulson asked why he had not come to him first, but Mace said they were not a team that trust. Coulson said to him they had to become a team in order to stop Eli Morrow from causing utter mayhem, with Johnson telling them Leo Fitz had discovered how to do it.

Battle at Chinatown Crew Headquarters
"Calm down. Quiet, please. Please. You're right, I lied to you. Quake was here the entire time. But she was not responsible for the danger here today. Agent Johnson saved us all."

- Jeffrey Mace

As part of Mace's plan to defeat Eli Morrow, he sent in agent Phil Coulson who then surrendered himself to him in order to explain to Morrow the nature of his power, telling him that he was not in fact creating matter, but was stealing it. Having stalled enough time, Coulson gave the signal that it was time to act. Mace, with Patriot Battle Suit, alongside Melinda May, Alphonso Mackenzie and Yo-Yo Rodriguez entered the hall and fought against the attacking Chinatown Crew members. Charging forward, Patriot punched one member of the Chinatown crew, and the strength he had gained from the Patriot Serum caused the man to be thrown to the other side of the room. As the skirmish continued, with Rodriguez using her super-speed to give them the advantage, Patriot used his own incredible strength and fighting skills to knock out several more. Patriot then watched as the Ghost Rider killed Morrow inside Quantum Battery by setting him on fire before Morrow and the Rider vanished to other dimension, leaving all the agents unsure of what had just happened to him. With the battle now over, Daisy Johnson escaped the scene but accidentally unleashed the shockwaves she had been absorbing to prevent an overload with Morrow's device, launching her in the air until she landed near to the press. While Quake was surrounded and questioned by the press as to why she was there, Patriot hurried to her side and lied to all that Johnson was a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, acting outside the law to take down the Watchdogs in a secret undercover mission. Quake was highly confused but Patriot told her to just play along as she would thank him later for this move. Having defeated Morrow's plans and gained a great victory, Johnson rejoined S.H.I.E.L.D. at last. While the other agents discussed and celebrated the mission, Mace had a private meeting with Doctor Holden Radcliffe inside the Playground about the work that Aida had done to save them during the mission, as her invention of the Inter-Dimensional Gate had been vital to their victory. Mace agreed and they both agreed that from now on his work on Life-Model Decoy would be under S.H.I.E.L.D. supervision, and Mace told him he sent in agent Nathanson to bring his items to their labs.

Making Peace with Quake
"The team trust has been eroded for both of us, but I'm hoping we can earn it back tackle problems together within the administrative structure and start..." "You want to tackle problems? The Watchdogs enemy number one."

- Jeffrey Mace and Daisy Johnson

In the wake of the Battle at Chinatown Crew Headquarters, Mace assembled his core team and ordered them to safely dispose of the Darkhold, giving Phil Coulson the floor to inform them that the book would be handed over to Billy Koenig to be hidden away in the Labyrinth. Mace then ordered Holden Radcliffe to erase Aida's memories due to the risks since she had read the Darkhold. Although Radcliffe expressed his own reluctance, he eventually agreed and Mace then reminded him that this was not a request but an order. Mace sent Burrows to collect Daisy Johnson and bring her to his office for a private meeting. Mace showed Johnson the newspaper headline showing himself and Quake having saved Los Angeles from Eli Morrow's attack, noting that they made a good pair. Mace and Johnson debated if he had actually saved her or turned the situation into a publicity stunt, although Mace argued that Johnson become known for criminal acts, noting that she herself was a weapon. As their conversation became an argument, Mace calmed down and started again, noting he had hoped they could get along. Pointing out that they were both Inhumans, Mace told Johnson that he approved her written statement and joked about her just starting at S.H.I.E.L.D.. They then discussed Mace's actions during Helmut Zemo's recent Bombing of the Vienna International Centre before deciding to work together as a super-powered team, as Johnson insisted they target the Watchdogs and try and find out who exactly their current leader was. Mace argued that he did not want to chase down conspiracy theories and instead told Johnson they would go after Senator Ellen Nadeer to learn what she was hiding.

Saving Vijay Nadeer
"I'm sure you understand my wariness to have S.H.I.E.L.D. agents show up uninvited to my private property, especially if they wish me harm." "I can assure you we want no such thing. But I do have reason to believe that your brother's being held here against his will."

- Ellen Nadeer and Jeffrey Mace

While onboard the Quinjet, Mace expressed his optimism for their mission while Jemma Simmons noted that she blamed herself for losing control of Aida, as Mace noted that Simmons had kept it secret from him as she did not trust him. Mace told them that Phil Coulson would deal with Aida while he apologised for his own actions. Mace then explained that he wanted to keep the mission fairly quiet and asked for their suggestions on how they should proceed. Simmons then left Mace and Daisy Johnson onboard the Quinjet while she went undercover to try and get a meeting with Ellen Nadeer, being greeted by her secretary Zach Bynum. Mace spoke with Johnson about Simmons, who noted how being kidnapped and left on Maveth had left her much stronger than she seemed, with Mace surprised that Simmons had been trapped on another planet. Although Simmons' cover was blown and she was attacked, she quickly managed to subdue Bynum with a Taser Pin and stole his phone in order to locate Nadeer and confront her. Mace, Johnson and Simmons then went to the Nadeer Residence where they were greeted by Senator Nadeer and her team of armed guards. Nadeer noted that Mace was with Quake, who she called a terrorist until Mace corrected her and Johnson noted that Nadeer's guards were likely the Watchdogs based on their weapons. Mace explained they were there to find Vijay Nadeer but Nadeer refused to let them look around, threatening to contact General Glenn Talbot about them violating the Sokovia Accords if they did not leave her home at once, which they all then reluctantly did. However, just as they were leaving, Mace and the others over heard a gun shot inside and went to investigate, finding Vijay using his new found Inhuman powers to fight against Tucker Shockley and all the other Watchdogs trying to kill him. Mace and Simmons tried to convince Vijay to come with them into S.H.I.E.L.D. while his sister Ellen tried to convince him to come with her, claiming S.H.I.E.L.D. would make him into a weapon. In the end, Vijay sided with his sister and left, with Mace telling Simmons that they had done everything they could to try and convince him to do otherwise.

Attack on Jeffrey Mace
"The assassination attempt, this crash. It's not a coincidence." "No. Whoever came after us anticipated the protocols, knew we'd fly to safety."

- Jeffrey Mace and Phil Coulson

In the wake of the statement he had made to the press during the aftermath of the Battle at Chinatown Crew Headquarters, Mace then publicly named Quake an undercover agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. who had been protecting the world with her actions. While Mace was giving a press conference for Quake in one of the towns she was in during her months as a fugitive pursuing the Watchdogs network, Mace thanked her for her role in saving hundreds of lives and led the crowd in giving a huge round of applause before handing the floor to Michelle Caldwell, one of the people saved by Quake during an earlier rescue mission. However, just as Caldwell was giving her speech, Johnson called out a sniper and told everyone to get down. Director Mace blocked the sniper fire with the speech podium, but the Judas Bullet whirled, forcing Mace to use his strength to throw it high in the air before it then exploded. Director Mace was evacuated to the Quinjet by Phil Coulson and Alphonso Mackenzie for safety while the assassin, was captured by Brigadier General Glenn Talbot who took him back to the Playground where he would then be interrogated about the reasons for the assassination attempt against Mace and Quake. When in the air, Mace spoke with agents Coulson and Mackenzie about the attack, with Mackenzie noting that such an attempt so incredibly foolish as it stood almost no chance of succeeding, while they questioned if Ellen Nadeer was behind the attempt. As they were speaking, it was noted that the Quinjet comms had failed, and as Burrows got up to make a call to see if Mace's actions had been trending, the door for the jet was blasted open sucking him out and falling to his death, with the Patriot Serum being sucked out too, much to Mace's horror as they lost complete control. The whole Quinjet failed and crashed into a forest leaving the pilot, McCafferty, dead as a tree branch had impaled him through the chest. Attempting to contact the Playground using his Prosthetic Hand, Coulson soon realized that they had no signal and no way of contacting their allies to tell them the situation. Fully aware that this would all be a part of the Watchdogs' plan to assassinate him and a second attack would be incoming, Mace ordered Coulson and Mackenzie to find Burrows and the case he was carrying as their primary priority, much to Coulson and Mackenzie's reluctance.

Admitting the Truth
"We've got two choices here, either I crush this case down to the size of a baseball, and nobody gets what they want, or..." "Or we could kill you, and take it." "Try if you want. I'm ready to go toe-to-toe all day."

- Patriot and Viktor Orlov

As they explored the area, Phil Coulson questioned Mace's need to find Burrows' body, which Mace claiming that he was only doing it because it was the right thing to do, while Coulson still questioned if Mace really needed the briefcase. Upon finding Burrows' body, they discovered that the Watchdogs were indeed behind the attack and had both Burrow's body and the case, with Mace still refusing to reveal it's contents. Upon assaulting the Watchdogs, with both Coulson and Alphonso Mackenzie using their I.C.E.R.s to take down the majority of the Watchdogs, Mace used the chaos to run forward and grabbed the case before attempting to escape. Mace was pursued by a long Watchdog who chased him down before knocking him to the ground in an attempt to capture him. Mace, afraid and in a panic, opened the case only for the Watchdog to destroy all the Patriot Serum vials inside, horrifying the now completely defenceless Mace, who was then shot through the leg as he yelled out in complete agony. With the Watchdog then being taken out with an I.C.E.R. shot, Coulson pieced together that Mace was not and had never been an Inhuman, but a Super Soldier attempt with temporary bursts of power to recreate a new Captain America. Mace explained as the new S.H.I.E.L.D. needed a trustable & capable powered leader, General Glenn Talbot had him enhanced so as to fit that criteria, a powered individual who is loyal to the government, while still a trustworthy hero to the people and had therefore created Project Patriot to do just that and grant Mace power. Just as they took position inside a building, the next batch of Watchdogs arrived, forcing them to take cover. Looking outside, Coulson noted that the Watchdogs' transmitter truck was parked outside so they had a chance to disable it but only if they could get through the squad of Watchdogs who were currently guarding it. While he continued to bandage up his damaged leg, Mace was convinced by Coulson to bluff the Watchdogs, noting that they were unaware that Mace did not actually have an superpowers and that would be their own advantage against the Watchdogs. Stepping outside, Mace, who was now wearing his Patriot Uniform, greeted the leader of the Watchdogs, Viktor Orlov and informed him he and his men had been hired by Senator Ellen Nadeer for their mission to assassinate him. Patriot then claimed that Nadeer in fact wanted the suitcase as it contained a cure for Inhumans, threatening to crush it if they did not allow them to go free. When Orlov then suggested that they could just kill him and take the case, Patriot confidently suggested they try, not revealing his own secret of being powerless while Orlov and his men all seemed to fall for. As Patriot continued to speak to all of the Watchdogs, Mackenzie activated an explosive and destroyed the transmitter truck, causing Orlov's men to shoot. Patriot was saved as Coulson charged in and used his Energy Shield to block the bullets and they returned into the building and fired back on the attackers, taking machine guns and waiting for them to breach the door, with Patriot noting that he had not fired a gun since basic training as he did not think he would need it. Eventually Quake and Melinda May arrived on scene to rescue them, soon defeating all of the remaining Watchdogs. Back at the Playground, while Brigadier General Glenn Talbot argued the merit in making Mace a partial Captain America, the Director asked for privacy between him and Coulson. Mace explained that during the Bombing of the Vienna International Centre the smoke had obscured his vision so bad he tripped and fell on top of a woman as a picture was taken. When the reporters and rescue teams came in, he was dubbed a hero despite his pleas and everyone brushing it off as "he's being modest". Mace acknowledged he was a coward and did not feel he deserved Coulson's friendship or fielty. Feeling he had no other choice, Mace then made the decision to resign as the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. and allow Coulson to retake the position. However Coulson stopped him there and explained that S.H.I.E.L.D. still required a face and Mace was still the best man for that job, having proven himself as an expert liar about his secret. Coulson then made it clear that while Mace would still work with all the public relations and general ops, which Coulson hated, he would be in charge of the covert ops and dangerous missions that he led S.H.I.E.L.D. through in the past when he was director.

Quake's Signing
"If you enter every room thinking you got to do a song and dance, eventually everything becomes a performance. And believe me, I know how it feels putting on an act full-time. Anyway, I know it's not an act with you. Coulson's been saying since day one that you're the real deal, and I've learned to trust his read on people."

- Jeffrey Mace to Daisy Johnson

Having agreed that the best course of action would be to have Daisy Johnson sign the Sokovia Accords, Mace called a meeting with his key staff to discuss this. When Jemma Simmons then noted that this action seemed out of character for Phil Coulson, he confessed that they had in fact decided to use the chance to bug Ellen Nadeer's office during the meeting, much to Glenn Talbot's horror as he claimed that this move was far too dangerous. Coulson however compared this mission to Talbot giving the Patriot Serum to Mace, which Mace did not argue with. Rejoining Coulson, Mace and Talbot were informed that Alphonso Mackenzie would not be joining them on the mission while Talbot argued that they not undertake their secret mission. Although Mace tried to get between the arguing pair as they debating discovering Nadeer's connection to the Watchdogs, Mace found that he was now being ignored. While Talbot suggested moving S.H.I.E.L.D. assets, Mace then argued that Nadeer had tried to assassinate him and needed to be stopped, but Talbot noted that Mace had to agree with Coulson's decisions since Coulson had taken back control. Arriving at Washington, D.C., Mace joined Johnson before a hearing committee to discuss her decent vigilante actions as Quake. Mace and Johnson discussed if she was nervous or not, before she made a comment to him about all his lies about Project Patriot. Mace and Johnson then began to discuss her own painful past without either her Mother and Father, noting that she had been playing the strong woman for years, comparing this to his own performance as a hero. They were joined by Nadeer who expressed her surprise at seeing Mace at the meeting before confidently taking her seat. As the meeting began, Mace listened as Johnson was questioned by Chairman Gene Williams and Senator Maria Nunez until it was Nadeer's turn to speak. Nadeer questioned Johnson's focus on protecting Inhumans over normal Humans, accusing Inhumans of being the cause of trouble although Johnson insisted they were often the victims, making a subtle reference to Vijay Nadeer. Nadeer questioned what Johnson had done with all of the stolen money and accused her of working against the government, which Johnson struggled to defend, which caused Mace to worry. Mace listened as Nadeer accused S.H.I.E.L.D. of still engaging in illegal activities, which General Talbot denied until Nadeer revealed that her men had discovered Coulson and Yo-Yo Rodriguez breaking into her office to install listening devices and had arrested them both. Nadeer made a point that Rodriguez had also signed the Sokovia Accords but had taken part without the approval from the United Nations which went against what the Sokovia Accords stood for. While Mace watched the situation in horror, Nadeer then accused S.H.I.E.L.D. of being a criminal organization like HYDRA was. Mace was called into a meeting with Talbot, Nadeer and Williams in which it was decided that a full investigation into S.H.I.E.L.D. was required, something Mace tried to downplay while Talbot expressed his fury. This led to an arguement in which Coulson accused Talbot of lying not just about Mace's Inhuman powers and Project Patriot but also a previous mission in Taiwan during which Gideon Malick had kidnapped Talbot's son. Talbot claimed Mace was made Director because of Coulson's baggage, to which Coulson accused him of before Nadeer's spy, causing Talbot to walk away.

Losing his Powers
"I need my strength. We're already a man down." "We are all doing everything to find Agent May." "I'm a team player. I'm willing to play any position that gets us the win. But I already went from head coach to quarterback, and now you're telling me I'm gonna be on the bench for the season?"

- Jeffrey Mace and Jemma Simmons

In order to become stronger without his powers, Mace began fight training with Piper, quickly being pinned to the ground. During testing with Jemma Simmons, Mace ran on a treadmill until Simmons then informed him that the Patriot Serum was in fact killing him and one more injection could cause him to have a heart attack. She then confirmed that despite what Mace and Glenn Talbot hoped, he would not be the new Captain America, which disappointed Mace. They were interrupted by the arrival of Leo Fitz who had come with the newly upgraded Patriot Suit which he proudly showed off before realizing that Mace's tests had not gone well and therefore these upgrades would not be needed. Fitz stopped talking when he learned that Mace could no longer be a part of Project Patriot while Mace looked on with great disappointment. Much to Mace's relief, Cecilio stepped into the lab and informed him he had to stay on schedule, so Mace swiftly left Fitz and Simmons to return to his office and get back to work and try and forget this harsh reality. Back in his suit, Mace found Daisy Johnson was already waiting for him and had been organising the relocation of Inhumans, noting that the leader of the Watchdogs now had the Darkhold and would be targeting them and therefore they had to ensure that they were hidden safe from harm. Mace noted that Senator Ellen Nadeer would undoubtedly fight them on this as the Sokovia Accords allowed her access to the locations of all the Inhumans, so Johnson left him to make all the necessary phonecalls to congress in order to keep this from happening, much to Mace's great frustration. Mace then spoke to Phil Coulson who was tracking down Agnes Kitsworth, the model design for Aida, in the hope she would lead them to both Holden Radcliffe and Melinda May secret location. Mace expressed his desire to get onto the field and assist them, but Coulson reassured him that he was being more than helpful already. Coulson then explained to Mace that he had experienced the same emotions while working with the Avengers and he had helped form them when he was killed by Loki, recommending that Mace does not do the same, which he very much agreed with.

Bombing Investigation
"This is why I need to be at full strength at all times. If I'd been powered up, none of this would've happened." "It's okay. We got him out. I mean, it wasn't pretty, but no one died. Except for maybe Shockley, but I'm fine with that."

- Jeffrey Mace and Quake

In the wake of a massive explosion in Ellen Nadeer's office, Mace watched the news report and discussed if one of the Inhumans could be responsible, which Daisy Johnson denied as they had all been accounted for. Despite Johnson insisting that this was a publicity stunt by Nadeer to draw hatred towards the Inhumans, it was confirmed Nadeer had been killed in the blast so Mace called the agents into action. Having arrived in Washington, D.C., Mace and the agents were shown to Nadeer's bombed office by FBI agent Jurmain. Finding the press were already there and demanding answers about what had happened, Mace sent Leo Fitz and Jemma Simmons to investigate the office and try and find answers while Johnson recommended that Mace use his charm to speak with the press. Frustrated that he still could not get involved with the true mission, Mace commented that he was basically the team mascot before making a statement to all the press about how the Inhumans were not to blame. Over the course of the investigation, Quake successfully captured Tucker Shockley and his band of Watchdogs, as Shockley had been seen entering Nadeer's office just before the explosion. While they were still onboard Zephyr One, Shockley insisted on only speaking with Mace and Quake in person, which Mace allowed as he believed he could use the power of persuasion to get the information out of Shockley about Anton Ivanov, the suspected current leader of the Watchdogs. Shockley was brought to Mace and Quake, noting they were both the world's most famous Inhumans. To their surprise however, Shockley apologised to his men before beginning to yell out in pain. Fitz and Simmons then charged into the room and explained that Shockley was the bomb so Quake knocked him back from Davis and Prince with a shockwave. Shockley then attempted to detonate himself once again so Mace attacked him, but without his Patriot Serum found himself struggling to get the upper hand in the fight. Eventually both Mace and Fitz pushed Shockley into the Containment Module which was then dropped out of the plane seconds before Shockley exploded once again. Furious at his near failure, Mace argued with Quake that he needed to be put back on Project Patriot as not being at full strength put his agents at risk. Rejoining Fitz and Simmons, Mace listened as they explained exactly how Shockley's new Inhuman power worked, noting that he was able to rebuild himself after an explosion and therefore he was likely still alive. Fitz and Simmons noted that they could use the Quake Gauntlets to counteract his explosions so Mace ordered them to get to work, noting that Shockley had now become a walking bomb who they had to stop immediately.

Showdown with the Watchdogs
"Those aren't ours." "Who, then?" "The Russians. This is a trap. Shockley's the bait."

- Jeffrey Mace and Leo Fitz

While Quake continued to try and figure out a way to stop all his explosions, Mace tracked down Tucker Shockley when he used his powers to destroy a small diner in the middle of the desert. Mace quickly put on the Patriot Suit and informed the others of the update, telling them that bomb squad would meet them on the ground in order to defeat Shockley, although Quake remained unsure that she could use her Quake Gauntlets to stop him but agreed to go regardless. While facing off against Shockley, Quake used her Quake Gauntlets to cause Shockley to explode again and again, hoping to tire him out. Once the Patriot had discussed this with Jemma Simmons, he and Leo Fitz prepared to attack Shockley and capture him, however just as they prepared to move they heard incoming trucks coming over the hill towards them at considerable speed. Realizing that the trucks were not S.H.I.E.L.D., Patriot came to the realization that they were in fact the Watchdogs and the fight against Shockley was their trap to capture them, and they had walked straight into it. Once Fitz and Simmons were safe in the car and ready to drive away, the Patriot informed them that he intended to stay behind and keep them safe, calling himself the blocker. Having ensured his team was safe and having injected himself with the Patriot Serum, Mace fell to the ground in pain before getting back onto his feet and preparing for the final showdown. The Patriot charged forward and used all of his superhuman strength to push back against the oncoming truck to keep them from his S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, yelling out in adrenalin as he successfully stopped all the trucks in their path. However the Patriot then found himself completely surrounded and without much remaining strength, he was then challenged by the Superior, who noted that while the Patriot was clearly strong he may not be bulletproof. The Superior then ordered his men to ignore Quake and Shockley, leaving them to kill each other, and instead capture the Patriot as he was seen to be more valuable. Although the Patriot attempted to fight off his attackers, with weakened strength he was soon subdued with Taser Rods and taken to the Watchdogs' secret base while the Superior watched on.

The Superior's Torture
"You're the one they take orders from?" "Da." "Then I'm placing you under arrest in the name of S.H.I.E.L.D." "With what power? Surely, you have used the last of yours."

- Jeffrey Mace and the Superior

Having been taken away and his Patriot Suit being removed and used to keep his allies searching in the wrong direction, Mace was locked inside a cell without a shirt on to await his torture. Using the last bit of Project Patriot strength, Mace managed to rip off the chains holding him back, and found that the door to his cell had been left open with almost nobody guarding it so he made his hasty bid for freedom. Having taken out one of the Watchdogs who was on lookout, Mace continued attempting to make his way towards the exit. However before Mace could get away from the base he was soon found and confronted by the Superior and all his armed guards. Mace stood against his captors and claimed that he would be placing him under arrest in the name of S.H.I.E.L.D., to which the Superior merely scoffed and noted that Mace clearly did not have any power left to stop him, to which Mace confidently suggested that he try and find out for himself, a challenge the Superior gladly took. Mace stepped forward and attempted to strike the Superior, hoping to have enough Patriot Serum strength remaining to knock him backwards with force, however he quickly discovered that all his strength had been used up as his punch barely moved the Superior. Mace was forced to rely on his own human strength and fighting skills, but quickly found himself to be outmatched by his enemy, who blocked his attacks and subdued him with a hard punch to the head. Bending down by the now unconscious Mace, the Superior mocked Mace before ordered his men to take him back to his cell. Mace eventually awoke to find Aida and the Superior waiting in his cell, as the Superior began telling him about his father and how he had seen his father kiss the boots of a man who had inherited his fortune from his own father. The Superior then expressed his hatred for those who did not work for their money or power, but noted that he despised those who desired the same kind of power. The Superior mocked Mace allowing Glenn Talbot to fill his vein with the modified version of Calvin Zabo's Formula in order to try and pass himself of for one of the Inhumans and be paraded around by S.H.I.E.L.D. as a symbol of peace between the Humans and Inhumans. While Mace stayed strong against his captor, the Superior drew his knife and proceeded to slowly push the blade into his chest, driving it across his skin and drawing blood. Despite the pain, Mace promised that Phil Coulson and the rest of S.H.I.E.L.D. would soon come to his aid and rescue him, however the Superior confidently claimed that this was his own plan ever since kidnapping Mace. The Superior then ripped the blade out of Mace's chest and walked out of the room, with Aida following closely behind him while Mace was left inside the room alone to await whatever the Superior had planned.

Left to Die
"For all its imperfections, it strives to do the right thing to protect people. You claim to fight for others, for humanity. I think you lost yours a long time ago. And to answer your question, I do have one regret. That I don't have any superpowers of my own that I could use... to kick... your... ass!"

- Jeffrey Mace to the Superior

Mace was forced to listen as the Superior spoke with Phil Coulson on the phone, threatening to get his revenge for all the members of his SVR unit who he blamed Coulson for killing. As the Superior claimed Coulson had stood behind Nick Fury and Tony Stark to pursue his own agenda. Unimpressed, Mace called the Superior a conspiracy theorist who had created the Watchdogs in order to kill the Inhumans on the back of one of these conspiracies. With the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents coming to rescue him, the Superior gave Mace a final chance to disown the actions of the organization and express any regrets that he might have. Remaining strong however, Mace claimed that he believed in both Coulson and S.H.I.E.L.D. as they did the right thing to protect people. Insulting the Superior's humanity, he claimed that his one regret was that he did not have any more Project Patriot strength to kick the Superior's ass himself. To which the Superior smirked and claimed to admire his convictions, despite believing them all to be highly misguided. Mace was forced to watch as the Superior then drew his blade and stepped behind him, as Mace braced himself for what could be his final moments while the Superior expressed his regret that he and Mace could not be allies in this battle. To his surprise, Mace found that the Superior cut his ties and freed him, rather than cutting his throat, before knocking him out of his chair. Despite claiming that he could forgive him, the Superior then brought in all of his Watchdogs allies to beat him to death. While Mace attempted to defend himself, he soon found Aida watching him getting beaten down. Rather than being killed however, Mace was then replaced by a Life-Model Decoy of himself who infiltrated the Playground with versions of Coulson, Leo Fitz and Alphonso Mackenzie. Mace was taken back to the Ivanov Oil Platform where he was locked into the Framework. While Mace was locked into the Framework, he was given the new backstory of being the Inhuman leader of S.H.I.E.L.D. who was now locked inside a battle against HYDRA where he dedicated himself to protecting and relocating Inhumans who had become targets of the new world order, a battle that the Patriot was already losing.

Protecting the Inhumans
"I'm Jeffrey Mace. Welcome to S.H.I.E.L.D.. Sorry about the hoods, but trust is a luxury these days. That being said, Ward vouched for you, so I'm happy to provide you sanctuary."

- Patriot to Phil Coulson

While in the Framework, the Patriot kept himself hidden within the Playground, which he recalled being given to him by Billy Koenig before Koenig was killed. Mace was later asked by Grant Ward to protect two individuals who were on HYDRAs' radar as potential targets; Phil Coulson and Jemma Simmons. The Patriot allowed them both access to their base and introduced himself, noting that they were only there because Ward requested it and he did not fully trust them yet. While Simmons introduced herself, Coulson admired the Patriot Suit, even explaining how he had often thought about what the design would look like in reality. While Coulson continued admiring him, noting how he was the legendary Inhuman leader of the resistance, the Patriot requested that they use his real name, as he was not such a fan of the Patriot name as it was a bit much for his taste. While Coulson compared them to the, The Patriot explained the history of the base since World War II, explaining that many good agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. had died fighting for their cause. The Patriot then showed them a wall which displayed the names of those fallen agents. They were interrupted by the arrival of agent Burrows who informed them that their mission was getting harder and that they had lost Cooke during the fighting, to which the Patriot vowed to honor his memory by continuing their fight. While the Patriot showed Coulson and Simmons the potential Inhumans they were protecting, they were interrupted by the arrival of Ward who greeted the Patriot, noting it had been too long, before he then explained that Skye had just been captured by HYDRA.

Jemma Simmons' Secrets
"Someone had better explain what the hell happened out there, pronto! Ward tells me he had a shot on The Doctor, but you stopped him. And that you're in love with that psychopath!"

- Patriot to Jemma Simmons

The Patriot was told by Grant Ward how Skye had been captured by Melinda May, although the Patriot insisted that she was strong enough to handle herself. Jemma Simmons questioned if Skye had been able to get the location of Holden Radcliffe, at which point Ward and the Patriot questioned Simmons' true motives for being there. Simmons argued that she had taken a bullet for S.H.I.E.L.D. and crawled out of a mass grave, so the Patriot apologized to her and gave her Radcliffe's current location in Ogygia before questioning exactly who Radcliffe was to her and why he was important. When Simmons and Ward explained that they believed Radcliffe had a way to defeat HYDRA, so Simmons insisted that they find him as quickly as possible. Although the Patriot insisted that he could not send a team of agents to go after Radcliffe due to everything that was happening, Phil Coulson suggested that he instead sent just them. Unsure, the Patriot noted that Coulson was merely a teacher at Alexander Pierce High School and not a field agent, but Ward backed up the idea as he noted that S.H.I.E.L.D. could use all the help they could get during their war against HYDRA's forces. Having agreed to let them go on the mission, the Patriot and Ward showed Coulson and Simmons the Playground's main hanger, where the Patriot proudly commented on his own desire to one day see a fleet of Helicarriers launch from there once S.H.I.E.L.D. had finally defeated HYDRA and brought peace back to the world. As they all prepared to depart for the mission to find and collect Radcliffe from the island to find out how he could help them, the Patriot allowed them to take one of the Quinjets before he shook Ward's hand and wished him and the others good luck before returning inside the base to continue his mission to protect Inhumans from HYDRA. However when the group return, the Patriot learned that Simmons had told Ward not to kill The Doctor because she was in love with him, resulting in the death of Agnes Kitsworth and Radcliffe being taken away by Madame Hydra. The Patriot brought the group into a room and demanded answers, being told that Simmons believed that The Doctor had been brainwashed which he struggled to believe. The stress of the situation soon caused Simmons to hint that this world of the Framework was not real and walk away, much to the Patriot's confusion as to what Simmons meant by this. Before they could talk to Simmons any more, Burrows entered the room and explained that they had just found someone sneaking around outside the base. The Patriot then watched as Alphonso Mackenzie was brought into the room by armed S.H.I.E.L.D. agents before Mackenzie explained that he had met Daisy Johnson who he had inadvertently handed over to HYDRA, noting that this meant he could not look his daughter in the eye anymore. When the Patriot asked what Mackenzie was doing there, he explained that he was there to help S.H.I.E.L.D. in whatever way he possibly could.

Bus Attack
"Just act natural. Just get them to stop the bus and open up." "Hopefully, Skye's on board." "Well, she might be if she's been assigned to reeducation at one of HYDRA's prison camps. But rescuing Skye is not the mission. There's another prisoner I want to find."

- Patriot and Phil Coulson

In an attempt to find Skye, the Patriot and Phil Coulson decided to create an ambush for a HYDRA bus where they believed she was being transported. Faking a car wreak, the Patriot added to the effect by using his own superhuman strength to overturn the car in the road. The pair then discussed their mission, with the Patriot offering Coulson his advice before noting that he also wanted to rescue Antoine Triplett from where HYDRA was holding him. The pair discussed Jemma Simmons and her true relationship with The Doctor, whom they had just witnessed murdering Agnes Kitsworth, with the Patriot noted that he wanted to know what else she was hiding from him. They then received word that the HYDRA truck was incoming so the Patriot took his position while Coulson stood in the middle of the road and convinced the driver to stop and help him. While Coulson distracted the guards, the Patriot jumped onto the roof and subdued them, with Coulson shooting any of the other guards before they could raise the alarm. During the chaos, the Patriot ran onto the bus and threw the driver out of his seat with incredible force. While Coulson joked about their successful fight, he then noticed the Patriot's stern expression and questioned if they had just found Skye or not, to which the Patriot noted that he hoped they had not. Coulson then discovered that instead of Skye, they discovered several body bags were being transported. Mace and Coulson then brought the remains back to Playground and allowed the civilians under S.H.I.E.L.D.'s protection to see if any of their loved ones were in the body bags. Back at the Playground, the Patriot showed all of the body bags to Alphonso Mackenzie and Grant Ward, noting that they had not found Skye among the dead. Changing the subject, the Patriot asked how Mackenzie's daughter was getting on in their care, with Ward noting that she would be safe with them. When Mackenzie once again insisted that he wanted to help, the Patriot ordered him to work on the bus to allow them to access a HYDRA Enlightenment Cultivation Center in order to go rescue Triplett. The Patriot then asked Ward about Simmons and if he had learned anything new.

Learning of the Framework
"In the last five years, I've buried seventeen of my closest friends and family. Some of them died right in my arms believing they were fighting for something real, stopping hate. And you're telling me it's meaningless?"

- Patriot to Jemma Simmons

The Patriot and Grant Ward later confronted Jemma Simmons about the information she was withholding from them. Simmons eventually revealed the truth about how the world they were in was not real but a virtual reality called the Framework, how the Patriot's own memories were fake and that Ward was only a computer program based off the real Grant Ward. While Ward went to get himself a drink, the Patriot noted that it seemed unlikely as Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. he would have the catchphrase a team that trusts is a team that triumphs. Unsure of the claims, the Patriot challenged Simmons claimed but asking her to tell him facts about his own life regarding his hobbies, where he came from and if he had a wife and children. When Simmons could not the Patriot became angry at the fact how easily she made it seem that all his friends who died fighting HYDRA and against Inhuman prejudice were not real and had died for nothing. While Ward confronted her about all her choices with The Doctor, the Patriot waited for her to go and ordered Ward to learn more about her theories and see if there was any true to them. As they all then prepared for their mission to break into the HYDRA Cultivation Centre in order to rescue Antoine Triplett from HYDRA, the Patriot gave his orders to Burrows and the other agents before getting an update from Alphonso Mackenzie about the bus which he had repaired as he already had a driver, with Mackenzie then even volunteering to drive them to the base which the Patriot refused. As they prepared to depart, the Patriot gave Phil Coulson his own false HYDRA I.D. card which Ward had made and ordered them to get moving, despite Coulson disapproving of the name.

Showdown with Melinda May
"Figured you couldn't beat them, so join them?" "You're a terrorist, a thug." "If I was, you'd be dead right now."

- Patriot and Melinda May

The Patriot was driven to the HYDRA Enlightenment Cultivation Center by Phil Coulson where the Patriot hid himself in one of the body bags. When a HYDRA agent got too close, the Patriot grabbed him by the throat and killed him. The Patriot and Coulson armed themselves and prepared to go in, with Coulson expressing his regret at teaching the lessons of HYDRA while he was still a teacher but the Patriot reassured him that he was on the side of good now and could help them. Once inside the facility, Coulson took out of of the guards before they discovered the prisoners were being kept in tiny cages as part of their rehabilitation. The Patriot ripped the locks off the prisoners cells until he finally was reunited with his undercover S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Antoine Triplett whom he introduced to Coulson. The Patriot then ordered everyone to get onto the bus in order to escape, but first Triplett insisted on finding his own boots which had the intel he had gathered on a Howling Commandos gadget hidden inside the boots which they would need if they wanted to defeat HYDRA. Once Triplett handed the Patriot the intel he had collected, he informed him that Coulson had disappeared in order to go rescue Chris Adler from HYDRA's hands, much to the Patriot's frustration. However before they could decide what to do, a HYDRA Quinjet arrived searching for them. With limited time, the Patriot ordered Burrows to take the intel back to the Playground while he and Triplett went to find Coulson, although Burrows tried to argue, the Patriot insisted that it was an order before he and Triplett ran back to regroup with Coulson and try to assist his mission. As they were discussing how many people were being held in the facility, the Patriot suddenly shoved Triplett out of the way when Melinda May charged forward and attacked them with incredible new strength. The Patriot ordered Triplett to find Coulson while he noted that May had clearly taken some kind of Strength-Serum or she was now an Inhuman like him, a comment which enraged May as she kicked the Patriot in the head before they continued their fight, with May using all of her new found rage and power to try and beat the Patriot to death while he still fought against her. The Patriot continued trying to fight off May but found that her own fighting skills outmatched his and she almost had the same amount of strength as he did. The Patriot began mocking May's choice to follow HYDRA which caused her to get even angrier and lose control. May attempted to use a large hammer to kill the Patriot but his own Patriot Suit was able to absorb the blow before he gained the upper hand and punched May into a wall. When the now weakened May accused him of being a terrorist and a thug, the Patriot noted that if he was he would have just killed her already.

Noble Sacrifice
"Get out. Aah! Coulson?" "I'm right here, Jeffrey. Hang on." "Go..."

- Patriot and Phil Coulson

As the Patriot then ran inside the HYDRA Enlightenment Cultivation Center, he soon witnessed the building being bombed by the Quinjet under the orders of both The Doctor and Madame Hydra. The Patriot regrouped with his allies just in time to witness all the children inside almost being crushed. While he was helping Phil Coulson get the children out of harms way, he realized Chris Adler was lying under falling rubble and dived down in order to use his own body to shield him from harm. As more of the building began falling down, the Patriot was briefly buried underneath until he used all the strength he had to lift up the pillar that was keeping the building standing. The Patriot ordered his allies to get Adler to safety while he kept the building standing, despite Melinda May charging in and trying to kill him. While the Patriot focused on keeping the building up, Coulson argued that he was trying to save a kid, with May noted that she had done the same. In the end they convinced May to help save Adler with the Patriot still trapped holding up the weight of the building. Despite Antoine Triplett and Grant Ward desperately searching for a solution to save him, the Patriot ordered them all to get out while they still could. With great reluctance, they got away while Jemma Simmons screamed out and the Patriot kept the building standing as long as he could, locking eyes with May before she ran out too. All of the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents and the teenagers survived, but the Patriot himself was tragically killed when the rubble of the building crushed him, which simultaneously caused Mace's death in the real world, and let him die as the hero he always wanted to be.

S.H.I.E.L.D. Fallout
"It's essential, unless you can explain to me in 50 words or less why I found Jeffrey Mace's body washed up on a beach with his bones quaked apart, days after I found this base in flames!"

- Glenn Talbot to Phil Coulson

Mace's sacrifice inspired Melinda May to defect to S.H.I.E.L.D., which caused her to save Skye instead, ironically accomplishing the mission Mace was intending to achieve. As Mace died in the Framework as an Inhuman hero, he was able to spend his last moments being what he always wanted to be, something he could only pretend to be in the real world. Mace was honored as a hero by S.H.I.E.L.D. due to his sacrifice, which had the lasting impact of returning May to her place in S.H.I.E.L.D., which would later go on to fight and win many battles and save countless lives. The footage of Mace's sacrifice would later be used in broadcast by Phil Coulson exposing HYDRA's true nature and in doing so led to a complete uprising against HYDRA's world order. Mace's death traumatized Leo Fitz when he returned to the real world, feeling as he was responsible for it, but Phil Coulson assured him that it was not his fault. Mace was honored posthumously as a true Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. thanks to his actions in the Framework and the real world.

Unfortunately, Mace's corpse in the real world was used as a tool by Aida and Anton Ivanov to further their goals, by setting it up to seem as though he had been murdered by Quake, via adjusting his remains so that it looked as though he had been killed by her Inhuman power. S.H.I.E.L.D. once again became the target of international suspicion, with General Glenn Talbot especially attempting to understand what had happened. A leaked autopsy report revealed the fact Mace was not an Inhuman to the public, causing suspicions about S.H.I.E.L.D. to balloon further. This led to a meeting that Ivanov and Aida used to frame Quake for an attempted assassination of Talbot, leading to the organization's disbandment.

Personality
"I'm a team player, I'm willing to play any position that gets us the win."

- Jeffrey Mace

Jeffrey 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. Mace has a very typically superhero-like personality, in the sense he is well-suited for the battlefield and people-saving acts. Yet it is this contextual displacement from battlefield to government that makes him who is. He is headstrong, and usually knows what is the right thing to do in the trickier situations, as he puts his emotions and personal values aside. This is the exact reason Coulson stepped from Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. himself and appointed Mace in his position, as even Coulson can recognize that these bold characteristics are key to leading such an important organization.

Mace held a strong belief that Inhumans deserved to be as equal as all Americans. He believed that becoming the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. he could end Inhuman prejudice. After Mace was revealed not be Inhuman and that he needs daily injection of the Patriot Serum to become as strong as he is, he started to have a more shy like personality. When Glenn Talbot and Coulson were arguing about the mission to infiltrate Ellen Nadeer's office, he tried to get them to stop with little success and effort.

Since Mace was revealed to not be Inhuman, he has tried to prove himself on the team. Even willingly to use the Patriot Serum when it could kill him and sacrificing himself to save Daisy, Fitz and Simmons.

In the framework Mace had a much different personality; he was far more cynical, suspicious and battle hardened from fighting against HYDRA. Mace also held the memories of those he lost in his alternate life in high regard due to the fact they died fighting for not just freedom but to fight against the hate Inhumans suffered, it was for these reasons Mace continued fighting and leading S.H.I.E.L.D. against an enemy with far greater resources and power despite how hopeless it seemed.

Powers
"They told me it would make me strong, and it did."

- Jeffrey Mace

Originally, Jeffrey Mace pretended to be an Inhuman who achieved his genetic potential after undergoing Terrigenesis, gaining superhuman powers, while in reality he obtained his abilities by using a regular dose of an altered version of Calvin Zabo's Formula through Project Patriot.
 * 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. Mace is strong enough to send a man flying by pushing him with one hand. Glenn Talbot claimed Mace could lift a car. He has shown that he is capable of stopping a fast moving car.
 * 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. He was also unable to withstand multiple Watchdogs attacking him with taser rods, and was soon rendered unconscious.

Abilities

 * Combatant: Incorporating his strength into his fighting style, Mace was able to defeat multiple members of the Chinatown Crew. In the Framework, Mace proved to be an very skilled expert in hand to hand combat being able to fight on par a temporarily enhanced Melinda May who was already a master martial artist.
 * Multilingualism: Mace is fluent in English and has some proficiency in Spanish (though with a thick American English accent).

Uniform
"I dreamed about what your suit would look like. I made a few sketches, but this is actually way cooler."

- Phil Coulson to Patriot


 * Armored Uniform: While in combat, Mace uses an armored vest with the S.H.I.E.L.D. insignia on the front. An updated version of the uniform designed by Leo Fitz also includes a heart monitor, a GPS tracker as well as a serum delivery mechanism to ensure he can easily get to full strength. While in the Framework, Mace had an identical Patriot Suit which he wore at all times.

Weapons

 * Machine Gun: During the showdown against the Watchdogs, the powerless Mace took this gun and attempted to defend himself, although Quake arrived before he had the chance to fire.

Other Equipment

 * Retinal Scanner: Mace used this device to scan Yo-Yo Rodriguez's retina when she signed the Sokovia Accords.

Family

 * Father † (Framework)

Allies

 * Matthew Ellis - Commander in Chief
 * Thaddeus Ross
 * Glenn Talbot
 * S.H.I.E.L.D. - Subordinates
 * Phil Coulson - Predecessor and Friend
 * Leo Fitz - Killer
 * Jemma Simmons - Confidant
 * Alphonso Mackenzie
 * Daisy Johnson/Quake - Former Enemy and Friend
 * Burrows †
 * Yo-Yo Rodriguez
 * Billy Koenig
 * Sam Koenig
 * Nathanson †
 * Cecilio
 * Harlan
 * Anderson
 * Elizabeth Albee
 * Navarro
 * Flynn
 * McCafferty †
 * Crawford
 * Morales
 * Fisher †
 * May's Team
 * Melinda May
 * Piper
 * Prince †
 * Davis †
 * Robbie Reyes/Ghost Rider - Attempted Killer turned Situational Ally
 * Michelle Caldwell
 * Gene Williams
 * Maria Nunez
 * Jessica Oppenheim
 * FBI
 * Jurmain
 * S.H.I.E.L.D. (Framework) - Subordinates
 * Billy Koenig †
 * Grant Ward † - Friend
 * Burrows † - Friend
 * Cooke †
 * Phil Coulson
 * Jemma Simmons
 * Alphonso Mackenzie
 * Antoine Triplett † - Friend
 * Melinda May (Framework) - Enemy turned Situational Ally
 * Chris Adler † (Framework)

Enemies

 * Helmut Zemo
 * Watchdogs
 * Anton Ivanov
 * Ellen Nadeer † - Situational Ally
 * Chinatown Crew
 * Yuri Zaikin - Attempted Killer
 * Viktor Orlov
 * Tucker Shockley
 * Chinatown Crew
 * Chen †
 * Lucy Bauer †
 * Eli Morrow †
 * Holden Radcliffe † - Former Subordinate turned Enemy
 * Aida † - Ally turned Enemy, Killer
 * Melinda May (Life-Model Decoy) †
 * HYDRA (Framework)
 * Madame Hydra †
 * The Doctor - Killer

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.
 * Mace's history of lies around his power is similar to another character who had the "Patriot" aliases, Eli Bradley. In the comics, Bradley joined the Young Avengers, claming he inherited superpowers from his enhanced grandfather Isaiah Bradley, when he was actually using illegal Mutant Growth Hormone to fabricate himself superhuman abilities.
 * Mace's uniform features the S.H.I.E.L.D. logo on the chest and one silver star on each gauntlet. In the comics, Patriot's costume includes both of these features on the same places (with an eagle instead of the S.H.I.E.L.D. logo).
 * Jeffrey Mace is the only known individual to have publically announced that he is an Inhuman, but this was revealed to be a lie.
 * Jeffrey Mace is the only person to die in real life due to events inside the Framework. While Holden Radcliffe and Agnes Kitsworth were also killed within the simulation, their physical bodies had already perished in the real world due to unrelated events.