During the midseason finale of ABC’sAgents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,Brett Dalton’s Grant Ward returned to Earth, but many fans saw that he isn’t the same person. The series is back from itsmidseasonhiatus on Tuesday, March 8 at 9 PM ET, afterAgent Carterfinishes itsSeason 2run. Today, Nerdist received confirmation from executive producers Jed Whedon andMaurissa Tancharoenthat Ward has transformed into a well-known comic book villain. There will be SPOILERS below, so read on at your own risk, if you aren’t caught up with the series thus far.
Grant Ward has transformed into the villainous Hive, a character who was featured in the Secret Warriorscomic bookstory line that the show is partially based on. For fans familiar with this character, the show has taken quite a different approach to Hive, since the character was created in a Hydra lab. Some fans notice that, when Ward returned to Earth through the alien portal, a tentacle was spotted on his body. Take a look at Jed Whedon andMaurissa Tancharoen’s joint statement below.
“As we saw in the midseason finale episode, Ward is back on Earth, but he’s definitely not the same Ward who went through the portal to the alien world….Our version of Hive is going to have its own unique twist and be very different from what fans have seen so far. We will see similarities that pay homage to the original character, but fans will see that Hive is taking an exciting new direction in the world ofMarvel’sAgents of S.H.IE.L.D.. Grant Ward has been one of the most compelling characters and captivating villains to write for andBrett Daltonhas taken on every challenge with ease and a presence that is unmatched. Ward has evolved in every season of S.H.I.E.L.D. and we are so excited for fans to see our take (and Brett’s take!) on this well-known character.”
Nerdist also has the first photo that teasesBrett Dalton’s Hive transformation. When we last saw Ward, he was consumed by anInhumancreature and went on to terrorize the distant planet Maveth. The synopsis for the midseason premiere,Bouncing Back, teases that the S.H.I.E.L.D. team’s enemy has “evolved” and their greatest threat has returned, as they attempt to unite the secret warriors.
In the comics, Hive was a a tentacled mass of parasites that can take over and control a human host, which is Ward in this case. However, given that there will be a new “twist” regarding this character, we’ll have to wait and see how Hive changes and evolves from its comic book origins. Are you excited to see whatBrett Daltoncan do as the evil Hive? Check out the new photo, and stay tuned for more on Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., before it returns to kick off the back half of this season next week.
