<P> In September 2015, Tancharoen stated the overall theme for the season explored with each character was them "trying to get back in touch with their humanity in a world where Inhumans are popping up," with Whedon adding that the nature of couples--some having broken up in previous episodes, some getting back together, and potential for new ones--would be explored . Later that month, Bell talked about some of the new character pairings in the season, saying "Putting Mack and Daisy together; putting Hunter and May together; putting Bobbi and Fitz together--suddenly you have all these different dynamics, all these different stories that you didn't have before ." Tancharoen later highlighted the number of characters in the season compared to previous, stating that "There's more scale and scope, but at the same time, I think we're diving into each character's internal struggle a little bit more ." </P> <P> The second part of the season, which begins with episode 11, takes place three months after the events of episode 10 . On the structure of the season and shifting the focus between the two parts, Bell stated it was the intent to follow the format from season two, by tying "a whole bunch of (interesting threads) but not all of them off by the midseason . And then we launch something exciting for the back half...the promise of more to come ." Whedon added that "though we do break the season up, we feel that the season as a whole is one arc" and so the series would explore the same themes in the second half, "themes of what it means to be human and Inhuman . What does it mean to all these people when they have to live with their actions? Are they capable of the things their enemies are capable of?...What is the true nature of a person? Is everybody capable of everything if put in a terrible position? Or is there true good and a true evil?" The second half of the season sees the introduction of the comics' right - wing hate group the Watchdogs, depicted as radicals wishing to "eliminate the Inhumans", as well as a "cure" that can prevent terrigenisis in yet - to - transition Inhumans . </P> <P> "Bouncing Back" opens with "a mysterious flash - forward to three months in the future, showing an unidentified S.H.I.E.L.D. agent seemingly dead in space ." Tancharoen called it "the promise of something fairly ominous to come", and stated, "We will be uncovering things from the midseason opener all the way to the finale . We will slowly be discovering what that image is ." She added that any "clues" would likely play out during present day sequences rather than further flash - forwards, such as when Johnson receives a vision of the flash - forward in "Spacetime", an episode where she learns that "she cannot change the outcome of these visions and the future is the future ." Whedon discussed this idea, and that of the "theory behind the Inhumans that each one of them serves a purpose", saying, Inhumans "are made, they're not random . There's a lack of something that needs filling and an Inhuman will be created that fills that niche . It's an interesting concept we like playing with, and that plays into the idea of fate, which with our future visions, we're hitting pretty hard ." On choosing Lincoln to be the one to die, which the executive producers knew going into the season when forming the arcs for Lincoln, Daisy, and Ward, Bell said he "earned it" adding that Lincoln comes to a point where he realizes what his purpose is, with Whedon noting that he understands that Daisy has a different purpose . Whedon continued that the decision was based on the fact that the series did not "want to be a body count show, but it is a real world with real stakes . What we had not done is the heroic death and the full - sacrifice death . This was a conscious decision . We also think that there's a poetry in the fact that the person doing it doesn't consider himself a hero . That's the beauty of the moment--it's not just for (Daisy), but it is, and it's not just for him, but it is ." </P> <P> Discussing the season finale, Tancharoen stated, "This season, we've explored a lot of different themes: There's the notion of purpose . We also introduced an Inhuman who has a strong sense of faith . We talk a lot about destiny and all these things intertwine ." Bennet likened the end of the season to "the end of the first book of S.H.I.E.L.D. This finale feels like the end of something bigger and the beginning of a whole new tone for the show ." Whedon added, "We wanted to put a close to (Hive's) story . We knew going into this season what our plan was for both Ward and Hive . Our goal was to make it not just feel like victory--we like to get a victory and also a loss at the same time ." On whether the Inhumans storyline would also be ending with the season, Whedon said, "We think of it as never closed . We like that we were able to open up that world and make Inhumans a permanent part of the universe . Now, we have a quick - fire way of introducing people with powers . It gives us a lot of leeway in our world, and it lets us explode the metaphors of what it is like to be different . We will never close that chapter ." On making a six - month time jump at the end of "Ascension", Bell said that despite each character completing their arcs this season, "we still have a lot of plot . Emotionally, their arcs are done . What the jump lets you do is to do a reset...It allows us to put down a lot of old plot and pick up a lot of new ." Whedon added, "We've done it each season, so we just wanted to do it a little early...we would've done (the time jump) in episode 1 next year but what we wanted to do was tease" things to come at the end of this season . </P>

Index of marvel's agents of shield season 3