"Laws of Nature" is the first episode of the third season of the American television series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Based on the Marvel Comics organization S.H.I.E.L.D., it follows Phil Coulson and his team of S.H.I.E.L.D.

The episode received a positive critical response, with praise going to the newly established status quo, including the elevated role of the Inhumans, and the introduction of new characters.

director Phil Coulson searches for the leader of the soldiers who have been taking new Inhumans, and discovers a woman who has worked for multiple government agencies around the world under different names.

Afterwards, President Matthew Ellis officially announces Price's organisation—the Advanced Threat Containment Unit (ATCU)—as a replacement for the now underground S.H.I.E.L.D., and they begin hunting their next target after Gutierrez: Campbell.

The episode is written by executive producers Jed Whedon and Maurissa Tancharoen, with Vincent Misiano directing,[3] and introduces a new title graphic for the series, replacing the one that appeared for the first two seasons.

[4] In May 2015, all principal cast members from the first and second seasons Clark Gregg as Phil Coulson, Ming-Na Wen as Melinda May, Brett Dalton as Grant Ward, Chloe Bennet as Daisy Johnson (no longer going by her previous name of "Skye"),[5] Iain De Caestecker as Leo Fitz, Elizabeth Henstridge as Jemma Simmons, Nick Blood as Lance Hunter, and Adrianne Palicki as Bobbi Morse were confirmed to return for the third.

[7][8] In July 2015, Andrew Howard and Constance Zimmer were cast as Luther Banks and Rosalind Price,[3][9][10] and in August 2015, Matt Willig and Juan Pablo Raba were announced as new Inhumans Lash and Joey Gutierrez.

[3][11] In September 2015, Marvel revealed that Zimmer, Willig, Raba, and Howard would all guest star in "Laws of Nature", along with Ido Mor as Yusef Hadad, Jude B. Lanston as soldier #1, Daniel Messier as heavy and Kate Hilliard as Tina.

[21] Brian Lowry of Variety was generally positive about the episode, stating, "Television obviously can't compete with the budgets and action found in summer blockbusters... but it has an advantage in being able to explore characters.

obviously possesses a core audience drawn to those attributes, and showrunners Jed Whedon and Maurissa Tancharoen have admirably kept the plot moving ahead — engaging in larger serialized narratives — while grappling with the logistics of those ancillary considerations, which include plans for an Inhumans movie," though concluded with "there's still not a whole lot that feels particularly super about it.

"[22] Kevin Fitzpatrick of ScreenCrush said, ""Laws of Nature" feels at once the show's most confident, ambitious swing yet, its action-packed opening minutes a clear mission statement with an even more specific focus than Season 2.

's mission, and hopefully the writers will use the themes of Civil War to explore the murky ethics of capturing and holding superpowered people against their will ... the transition into the age of Inhumanity may be a little rocky, but there's enough substance in this premiere to suggest a promising season ahead.