Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. s03e16 Episode Script
Paradise Lost
Coulson: Previously on "Marvel's Agents of S.
H.
I.
E.
L.
D.
" Malick is supposed to be the last head of Hydra, but I can't shake this feeling that he's reporting to someone else.
Was that Ward? Unfortunately I think that's something else.
My ancestors were taught to believe that if we managed to return you from that godforsaken place that we would be rewarded.
Polly: It would happen any time Charles touched anyone.
He and that person would both see someone's death.
You're the head of my security, and you should be by my side at all times.
- No.
I'm right where I'm supposed to be.
- Is he all right? He sounded afraid.
3x16 - "Paradise Lost" [music.]
Gideon, your father was a true believer.
- He'll be sorely missed.
- Don't worry, sir.
Nathaniel and I will do everything we can to continue our father's work.
I'd expect nothing less from the Malick boys.
[music.]
Gideon, they're saying it's time.
I already told them no, Nate.
- We have to go see him.
- Like hell we do.
We can't just ignore Daniel Whitehall.
- He's an old man in a prison cell.
- Who is still very powerful.
- And if he wants us to show - I don't give a damn what he wants! Dad never believed in Whitehall's Hydra, and we're not gonna start now.
We're staying right here.
They're not asking, Gideon.
[music.]
Man: Sir? We're home.
- Hi.
- You've been holding out on me.
We need to talk.
You didn't tell me he was a looker.
I don't know what I expected, but tall and handsome were certainly not at the top of the list.
Wait.
Who Who Who are you talking about? - Our guest.
- A-Are you saying that he's here? - Why? - I thought you'd be happy.
- Just answer the question.
- He showed up earlier and asked me to gather the inner circle.
They're on their way now.
So they're coming here today.
Hive: Gideon.
So glad you could join us.
I'm honored that you would visit our home.
To what do we owe this pleasure? - I felt it was time.
- Time for what? To reveal my true self.
[music.]
[Sighs.]
- You said you killed him.
- I did.
Well, you didn't kill him hard enough.
Want to tell me what we're looking at? The lab is working on that question.
[sighs.]
I'm sorry about Andrew.
- If you need any - I don't want to talk about that any more than you want to talk about this.
You don't have a lot of kills like that under your belt.
- I've done my fair share.
- Not that you enjoyed.
[Sighs.]
I would've made the same choice.
- We do what we have to do.
- I know the company line.
Just feel like we're only fixing problems that we created.
Yeah.
Plus side maybe I'll get a chance to kill him, too.
[music.]
Mack: You got to be kidding me.
Ward? What a pain in the ass.
What? Leaving him for dead on another planet isn't enough to get rid of that guy? - You're looking better.
- Yeah? 'Cause you're not.
[Chuckles.]
Well, we don't think he's a guy anymore.
We think Ward's body was possessed, for lack of a better word, by It, the creature - From the other planet.
- And he burned them or something? - Honestly, right now - We have no idea.
When I was there, It knew everything that Will did, even after he was gone.
Which means whatever this thing is has Ward's memories, - so why hasn't It come after us? - Maybe It's not interested in us.
Can't believe I'm hearing this.
Well, we know It destroyed an entire civilization over there.
Who knows what It has planned here? Tremors, you saw the future, right? You see anything else? Anything that might help us out? Director Coulson would like to see you in his office all of you.
Malick has given new meaning to the term "hostile takeover.
" What he did at Transia Corp was brutal, even for him.
They must have something he needs.
If we can figure out what it is - It'll lead us to Ward.
- This is not Ward.
Sure is creepy like Ward.
Ward's dead.
I saw it happen.
[music.]
There's a lot of overlap between the two companies, but only Transia has a subsidiary dabbling in the agrochemical field.
GT Agrochemical.
Does what? GMOs, pesticides, ruining the global food supply.
Minutes after the takeover, a paramilitary force took control of that branch, - started moving equipment out.
- Zephyr is wheels up in 20.
- The Quinjet will peel off mid-flight.
- We're splitting up? Lincoln and Daisy have a stop to make in the Badlands.
There, uh There was this Inhuman in Afterlife.
He might have answers about whatever is possessing Ward.
It's a long story.
I'll explain on the way.
Coulson: We're in the dark, but right now, Ward and this thing they're not afraid to take what they want or kill who they want.
- So what's our advantage? - They're not afraid.
Dad, what's going on? I've seen something.
There was an Inhuman, and when I touched him, I saw a vision of the future.
Really? What did you see? My death.
[music.]
[Screams.]
Feel so much pain.
I was being torn apart from the inside.
[Screaming continues.]
You have to tell our guest.
- He can help save you.
- No, honey, no.
[Scoffs.]
I felt every cell in my body was being destroyed.
My killer it was him.
Malick: Why are we here? Our dad's body is barely cold.
I felt it was vital we spoke before you upcoming stone ceremony.
- Your first, yes? - There better be a point to this.
You boys are of age now.
It's time you choose a path forward in Hydra.
And with your father gone, I believe you should choose mine.
- And why would we do that, old man? - Gideon, don't.
I'm a man of science, not religion.
Your family's ancient traditions are nonsense.
You don't know anything about us or our beliefs.
No? A ceremony where grown men draw stones from a bag and one unlucky participant draws a white stone and is sacrificed to a liquid rock.
To be chosen as the Traveler is a great honor.
- An archaic blood sacrifice - You're a coward.
- He was 10 times the man you are.
- Make no mistake.
Your rituals are foolish.
But your father he was no fool.
Answer me this.
How do you suppose he survived all those ceremonies? From what I heard, he was quite gifted with a certain parlor trick.
Why leave to fate what you can decide for yourself? Nice try.
We're done here.
There's a book in your father's study "Paradise Lost.
" Take a look.
I believe you'll find it most illuminating.
Let's go.
Nathaniel, let's go.
[music.]
Stephanie: Dad.
Dad, are you listening to me? He's not going to hurt you.
[Inhales deeply.]
I felt it.
I think he's gonna do it tonight in front of the others.
You brought him back.
You more than anyone are the reason why he's even here at all.
Look, I know, and I'm as shocked as you are.
But he sent Giyera away, and now he's gathering the inner circle behind my back.
He must have a good reason.
Oh, he thinks he no longer needs me.
And it makes sense for him to kill me as a show of power to the others.
Dad, you've always been a faithful follower.
Why would he ever hurt you? When Mom died, I wouldn't get out of bed for a week.
Remember? - And you told me to man up.
- Stephanie Malicks don't wait around.
They roll up their sleeves, and they get the job done.
Whatever this is you can fix it.
You remind him how important you are.
[music.]
I'll have a Scotch waiting when you're done.
[Chuckles.]
[music.]
[Alarm blaring.]
Daisy? - Where'd you go? - Trying to understand how we've been searching the globe for months and you never bothered to mention another Afterlife Inhuman.
Potential Inhuman.
He was never given powers.
And until we saw Ward's corpse walking around, I was pretty sure he was crazy town.
I wasn't trying to keep anything from you.
So don't.
He's in South Dakota? Off the grid.
His name's James.
He's a demolitions expert.
Australian.
Former mercenary.
Few weeks after I got there, Jiaying caught him breaking into her private archives and banished him.
- What was he doing in there? - Stealing, mostly.
He made a big scene, ranting about the second coming of some ancient Inhuman who could raise the dead.
Huh.
Well, something tells me he won't be jumping at the chance to help us.
He was pretty bitter, not getting powers.
We'll need to be careful and keep our eyes open.
[music.]
Coulson: You're saying these organisms ate these people? Fitz: Well, most of them.
- In a remarkably short space of time.
- Will believed that one of the other astronauts was burned alive.
Maybe it was actually this.
There was a graveyard of bones on that planet, right? And It controls these organisms? That's one theory.
We do know that they eat living flesh.
What if It also uses them to reanimate dead flesh? [music.]
Sorry.
It's just I still can't believe this thing is here on Earth.
[music.]
Sir, we're nearing the agrochem facility, and you were right to head there first.
Some of the boxes weren't carried out.
- They floated.
- Giyera.
[music.]
I always loved this place.
My brother and I used to play here as kids.
Gideon, your daughter impresses me.
She's a true believer.
Well, [Chuckles.]
I tried to raise her right, - same as my dad raised me.
- She'll play a key role in this.
Well, I'm happy to hear it.
How fortunate it was for all of us that I was able to find you and bring you home.
Trivial thing, daylight till you spend a few centuries in the dark.
[music.]
How much do you remember of those years, of your many hosts? [music.]
Do their memories live on in you? Why? Is there something you'd like to ask them? [music.]
It'll all be made clear tonight.
[splash.]
[music.]
Coulson: Giyera is Malick's right hand.
He's a trained killer.
And torturer, don't forget.
Which is why we need to make sure he doesn't get away.
Simmons: It won't be easy.
He can control anything in his line of sight.
Fitz: Non-biological objects.
Yes, non-biological objects and the like, but he can't make you hurt yourself.
Though he did turn poor Mr.
Banks' gun on him.
So I built handprint locks into the grips.
The firing pin won't engage without the designated - hand on the trigger.
- Mack: Great.
So instead of shooting us, he'll just bludgeon us to death.
Before the ATCU, Giyera spent years in special ops.
He's dangerous without powers.
May: Here.
Tell me about this room.
[Monitor beeps.]
[music.]
I hope you know how to deal with this guy, because I'm thinking crazy town was a pretty spot-on assessment.
We'll be okay, but we shouldn't use our powers.
He's cranky enough as it is.
James: [Australian accent.]
Lincoln, you S.
O.
B.
Take your little boy-band hipster scruff and piss off.
What a sweetheart.
Same as he ever was.
Come on.
[gate rattles.]
Fair warning, pretty boy.
You take one more step you're gonna regret it.
James, we only want to talk.
[Click.]
What is that? [music.]
- Don't move.
- Wha - You're standing on a land mine.
- I did say "one more step.
" Seriously? What kind of lunatic puts land mines in their front yard?! James! We're not here to fight.
Oh, that's rich, coming from you.
I've been waiting a long time for this day, for Jiaying to send out one of her little lapdogs to come after me.
To be honest, I thought it'd be that no-eyed boot licker, Gordon.
Kind of shocked that she trusted you [Chuckles.]
with anything, really.
Wow.
You really undersold Mr.
Personality.
[Sighs.]
- Can you hold it down? - Or I'll blow off my leg.
Okay.
[Rumbling.]
[Gasps.]
Ah, ah, ah.
What are you doing? [Land mine rattling.]
[whirring.]
[Land mine explodes.]
Ah.
Whoo-hoo-hoo-hoo! Look at you.
Girl power.
Nice move.
Well, I hope you got the message.
- Okay.
- Daisy, wait.
[Grunts.]
[Rumbling.]
Whoa.
Hey now.
Damn it.
Damn it.
Damn it, damn it, damn it.
[Electricity crackles.]
[Sighs.]
[music.]
I can't sleep, either.
I'm trying not to be nervous about the ceremony tomorrow, but - I had to know.
- What are you talking about? "Paradise Lost.
" - Whitehall was right.
- Whitehall's a blowhard.
He was trying to mess with us.
Dad he would swap in this stone during the ceremonies and feel for the notch to make sure he never drew it from the bag.
- He would never do that.
- But he did! It's all right here, Gideon.
Dad was afraid to be the Traveler.
[music.]
He was a coward and a cheater.
Everything he said to us was a lie.
Maybe Dad wasn't who we thought he was, but our family has upheld this faith for centuries.
And that is not gonna end with us.
- We'll be better men.
- How? [music.]
We do the ceremony the right way and let fate decide.
Together to the end.
[music.]
[Grunts.]
Together to the end.
[music.]
Dad, you okay? The others are anxious to know why they're here, and I don't know if I can keep the secret much longer.
Once we begin, there's no turning back.
- Whatever happens - If you were me, I know exactly what you'd say right now.
[music.]
"It's time to man up.
" My friends, it's time to begin.
I know you're wondering why we're here.
It's been a long time, but today, we're not here for a ceremony, but a celebration.
[Inhales deeply.]
We've devoted our lives to bringing the Hydra God back from exile, and I know some in this room have doubted that he'd ever return.
- You doubted me.
Well - Hive: They were wrong.
My exile's over.
[music.]
What is this? [music.]
- You're Grant Ward.
- Yes, I am.
But this body is only a vessel, one of many who gave their life so that I could survive.
As promised, all of the Travelers, the brave men who sacrificed for me, have finally returned.
Thanks to the Malick family.
[music.]
You'll all get what you deserve.
[music.]
And for those of you still having doubts see and believe.
[music.]
[Grunts.]
Mack: The area's clear, Director.
Scanning the building for Giyera.
Most of the lab equipment's been taken away.
Files, too.
What hasn't been taken away has been destroyed.
Nope.
Nothing sinister about that.
[Gasps.]
No quick moves, tough guy.
Hand it over, unless you want to wrestle for it.
I can see you're not afraid of a little scrape.
We only need information about that ancient Inhuman you used to talk about and anything you stole before - being thrown out of Af - [Laughing.]
I'm sorry.
I just can't get over the irony of this whole situation.
Jiaying elected to give you powers? Oh, Lincoln.
Man, you're a mess.
You don't know what you're talking Makes me wonder what you've been giving her, huh? Something a little extra on the side after hours? What? Well, the woman's crazy, but she's not bad for a senior citizen.
We're not here on her behalf.
We're with S.
H.
I.
E.
L.
D.
S.
H.
I.
E.
L.
D.
? [Sniffles.]
Even I know the band broke up, brother.
Why don't you leave me out of whatever little plan you and Jiaying Jiaying's dead, and Afterlife is a pile of ashes.
Well hallelujah! You see? We're on the same side.
So why don't you tell us what you found? Why? [Chuckles.]
I don't really do things out of the kindness of my own heart.
Haven't really understood that behavior, to be honest.
[Scoffs.]
Yeah, that's why I brought a little incentive.
[music.]
I know all you've ever wanted is to be like us, so I thought I'd put that offer on the table.
[click.]
You should've opened with that.
Looks like the data was uploaded off-site before it was wiped.
Work with Fitz.
See if you can trace where it was sent.
And gather what's left of these experiments for Simmons.
Maybe she can figure out what the hell they were working on here.
Man: Sir, Giyera's coming your way.
Copy that.
[music.]
Not so fun when we take away your toys, is it? [music.]
[music.]
[Grunting.]
[Spits.]
So we're doing this the hard way? I don't usually like getting my hands dirty, - but for you, I'll make an exception.
- Don't bother.
[Grunts.]
Giyera uploaded his data to a set of servers in Schoonebeek.
It's on the Dutch-German border.
It's an abandoned oil field.
So Hydra's in the oil business now? It's like they're not even trying to avoid the bad-guy clichés.
Get the coordinates to the cockpit.
Damn it.
Get out of there right now! Go, go, go, go, go! - We'll get him to talk.
- Maybe.
If not, let's hope Daisy and Lincoln come back with something useful.
James: Well, most of what I stole was junk but this was interesting.
I give you the alien thingumajig and you give me the crystal.
That's Kree.
Looks like you're the muscles and the brains, huh? - He's just the haircut.
- What does it do? Well, if I could figure that out, I would be doing that instead of this.
But from what I can gather, it was snatched up by this ancient that you're badgering me about after the Kree were killed or driven out or whatever.
When the Inhumans revolted against them.
That was your man that led the charge.
They called him Alveus.
It was Latin or something.
One of the first Inhumans.
Original blend.
Powerful.
Designed by the Kree to command the Inhuman army for them.
[Chuckles.]
That idea really bit him in the ass, didn't it? - Powerful how? - I'm not sure, but the archive said the Inhumans started to fear him, and they had to band together with regular humans to banish him.
Look, those records they say that all of us at Afterlife descended from the first group of Inhumans.
That was our history.
She had no right to keep it from us.
She was probably scared someone would try to bring him back.
Maybe.
Wait.
You guys aren't trying to bring him back, are ya? - Of course not.
- Never.
Good.
Well, this priceless artifact is yours.
If you want it, just give me the damn crystal.
[sighs.]
[music.]
You lying son of a bitch.
See, Jiaying was right about some things.
- Not everyone deserves powers.
- And you do? Now that you got electricity running through your veins, you might actually kill someone.
[music.]
Let's get out of here.
Oh, boyfriend of the year didn't tell you how his last relationship ended.
He nearly murdered the poor girl.
But I can see by your face that you're familiar with that side of him.
Daisy, come on.
You may think you can change him, sweetheart, but you're wrong.
Men like him don't change! [clatter.]
Let me pour you that Scotch.
Neat, two fingers? [Chuckles.]
[Sighs.]
To you, for reminding me what it means to be a Malick.
I learned from the best.
[Sighs.]
What do you got there? Our guest seems to have taken a liking to me.
Got me a gift.
Token of appreciation for standing by his side.
- I told him it was my pleasure, but - Very thoughtful.
I know that look.
[Sighs.]
It's been a long day.
I may turn in.
You're not still questioning him.
No.
Not anymore.
[Clears throat.]
Goodnight, Dad.
Love you.
[Sighs.]
Love you, too.
See you in the morning.
[jet engines whooshing.]
The Sturnus vulgaris, or European Starling, one of America's scariest invasive species.
- They're just birds.
- Birds can be scary.
Imagine a flock of a million coming to peck your eyes out with their tiny, little beaks.
So they were studying birds and bugs? And all sorts of other invasive species.
Yeah, they were genetically engineering plants and animals to resist them.
This was their most cutting-edge division.
Why would It burn the evidence, then? Well, either he wanted to use it and was covering his tracks or he was afraid of it.
Keep looking.
Maybe we find a chink in his armor.
How close are you to figuring out what he is? Well, I have a theory, at least.
These experiments have me thinking.
The organisms we found on the bones I don't think he's controlling them.
[Monitor beeps.]
- I think he is them.
- He's a parasite.
A parasite that retains the memories of the body he took over.
Sounds even worse when you say it like that.
[music.]
[Bones crack.]
[Grunts.]
Fitz: Is there something wrong, sir? [music.]
[Breathing heavily.]
[music.]
You were there.
You saw.
"We do what we have to do.
" That's your words.
Yeah.
And that's what I've been telling myself.
And now you don't believe that that's true? It was true for you.
You were left no choice on that planet.
You did the right thing, but I crossed the line.
Ward deserved to be punished, but no one deserves - to have the life s - No, he did deserve it.
He did deserve to have his chest caved in no question.
That's not the point.
It was payback.
That's not what we do here.
Well, what was the alternative? I mean, letting him live, letting him win? Don't you see? When I killed him, he did.
[music.]
I knew it would come back to haunt me, I just didn't think it would actually come back to haunt me.
You're gonna tell us everything you know about Malick, about your plans, about that thing your brought back through the portal.
I should thank you.
Without S.
H.
I.
E.
L.
D.
, he never would've made it home.
[Chuckles.]
Wow.
You're really drinking the Kool-Aid, aren't you? Oh, this leader of yours must be a real charmer.
We don't have leaders.
We're walking towards a common goal.
That's what they tell you when you join a cult, but it's actually not true.
Eventually, you'll get it.
We see such great potential for humanity.
Those who are worthy will inherit a better world.
And those who aren't? [music.]
We're nearing Dutch air space.
Looks like we're gonna find out what you and Malick are hiding whether you help us or not.
[music.]
So, you kept it.
After all these years.
[music.]
[Clears throat.]
- Stephanie, give us a moment.
- Dad, what is going on? - There's no reason for her to see this.
- I invited her here.
She deserves to know the truth about her father.
You've had this notched stone since that day at the pond.
[Grunts.]
Together to the end.
[music.]
You knew you'd never be chosen.
[music.]
Tell me, Gideon was this a deliberate betrayal, or was it all just to save your own life? I loved Nathaniel.
So it was just fate that it came down to the two of us.
[music.]
Dad, what is he saying? Your father is not the brave man he claims to be.
[music.]
I thought we had a deal.
- I thought - Man: Let's go.
[Scoffs.]
I thought we had a deal.
Nate? What happened to "together to the end," brother? Oh, I meant every word of that.
I wanted you by my side, but I-I didn't have a choice.
Is that what you've been telling yourself? I never gave up on you, Nate.
I carried on the tradition.
I gave up everything so that you could return.
You were never willing to give up everything.
So all these years you just lied to my face? He was selfish.
He gets it from our father.
[music.]
They were both too afraid to make a true sacrifice.
Yeah, I'll die if I have to, but not as a coward.
Malick: Stephanie, I won't let you remember me the way I remember my father.
[Voice breaking.]
Do what you have to.
This needs to be made right.
[music.]
But I still need a Malick by my side.
[music.]
[Body thuds.]
[Voice breaking.]
Oh, God.
Now you understand sacrifice.
[music.]
He said you almost killed your girlfriend.
What the hell was he talking about? Who was she? Why haven't you said anything about this before? Because I never wanted you to see that side of me.
I don't really care what you want right now, Lincoln.
You can't You can't just show me Mr.
Perfect all the time and keep all the ugly parts hidden away.
That's not how this works.
I need the truth, or whatever we are ends now.
[Sighs.]
[music.]
Okay.
[music.]
[Sighs.]
You know how we've, um, talked about how most Inhumans have this feeling where nothing feels right, just empty? Yeah, like how I spent my entire life searching for my parents.
It's a classic attempt to fill the void.
Well, I tried to fill it with vodka, but I couldn't control it the drinking or my temper.
- You've told me this.
- Not this.
My girlfriend thought she could help me to be a better person.
[Chuckles.]
We fought about that a lot.
I don't even remember what we were arguing about that night, but the more I drank, the angrier I got.
I just wanted to get away, so I got in the car.
I don't know why the hell she got in with me, trying to talk me down.
We ended up wrapped around a telephone pole.
- Oh, my God.
- She was basically dead.
But then Gordon showed up said he'd been watching me.
They saved her and me.
Brought me to Afterlife.
And for the first time, I felt like that emptiness might be filled one day.
[music.]
Lincoln I want you to know that I would never hurt you.
I know.
Sorry I didn't tell you sooner, but I don't want any more secrets.
Yeah.
Um then, there's something I have to tell you.
I got another glimpse into the future.
And I don't know when but someone on our team is gonna die.
[music.]
That's not good.
[Grunts.]
[Button beeps.]
[Alarm blaring.]
- Giyera's escaped.
- Do not let him in here.
[Panting.]
[music.]
[Grunts.]
[music.]
[Grunts.]
[music.]
You can't stop us.
[Grunts.]
[music.]
You're not getting this plane without a fight.
We don't need to fight anymore.
[music.]
What the hell?! Thrusters at maximum! [Alarm blaring.]
- Pull up! - I c-can't! [music.]
Simmons? [Grunts.]
[Alarm blaring.]
Daisy, come in.
Giyera's taken control of the plane.
We need [Grunts.]
Daisy: May? May? [Monitor beeps.]
May? Line's dead.
Everyone from our team is on that plane.
Not everyone.
[music.]
You put together the Secret Warriors Initiative for a reason.
No, Lincoln, what what if You can't be afraid of that vision.
We both know we got to do something.
[Breathing heavily.]
[music.]
Let's call them in.
[music.]
Coulson: We'll return in a moment.
[music.]
Good news.
Giyera's captured a S.
H.
I.
E.
L.
D.
airship with several prisoners.
We should be on our way.
Sacrifice is never easy, but we have balanced the scales today.
You have nothing else to fear.
[music.]
Together to the end.
[Breathing shakily.]
H.
I.
E.
L.
D.
" Malick is supposed to be the last head of Hydra, but I can't shake this feeling that he's reporting to someone else.
Was that Ward? Unfortunately I think that's something else.
My ancestors were taught to believe that if we managed to return you from that godforsaken place that we would be rewarded.
Polly: It would happen any time Charles touched anyone.
He and that person would both see someone's death.
You're the head of my security, and you should be by my side at all times.
- No.
I'm right where I'm supposed to be.
- Is he all right? He sounded afraid.
3x16 - "Paradise Lost" [music.]
Gideon, your father was a true believer.
- He'll be sorely missed.
- Don't worry, sir.
Nathaniel and I will do everything we can to continue our father's work.
I'd expect nothing less from the Malick boys.
[music.]
Gideon, they're saying it's time.
I already told them no, Nate.
- We have to go see him.
- Like hell we do.
We can't just ignore Daniel Whitehall.
- He's an old man in a prison cell.
- Who is still very powerful.
- And if he wants us to show - I don't give a damn what he wants! Dad never believed in Whitehall's Hydra, and we're not gonna start now.
We're staying right here.
They're not asking, Gideon.
[music.]
Man: Sir? We're home.
- Hi.
- You've been holding out on me.
We need to talk.
You didn't tell me he was a looker.
I don't know what I expected, but tall and handsome were certainly not at the top of the list.
Wait.
Who Who Who are you talking about? - Our guest.
- A-Are you saying that he's here? - Why? - I thought you'd be happy.
- Just answer the question.
- He showed up earlier and asked me to gather the inner circle.
They're on their way now.
So they're coming here today.
Hive: Gideon.
So glad you could join us.
I'm honored that you would visit our home.
To what do we owe this pleasure? - I felt it was time.
- Time for what? To reveal my true self.
[music.]
[Sighs.]
- You said you killed him.
- I did.
Well, you didn't kill him hard enough.
Want to tell me what we're looking at? The lab is working on that question.
[sighs.]
I'm sorry about Andrew.
- If you need any - I don't want to talk about that any more than you want to talk about this.
You don't have a lot of kills like that under your belt.
- I've done my fair share.
- Not that you enjoyed.
[Sighs.]
I would've made the same choice.
- We do what we have to do.
- I know the company line.
Just feel like we're only fixing problems that we created.
Yeah.
Plus side maybe I'll get a chance to kill him, too.
[music.]
Mack: You got to be kidding me.
Ward? What a pain in the ass.
What? Leaving him for dead on another planet isn't enough to get rid of that guy? - You're looking better.
- Yeah? 'Cause you're not.
[Chuckles.]
Well, we don't think he's a guy anymore.
We think Ward's body was possessed, for lack of a better word, by It, the creature - From the other planet.
- And he burned them or something? - Honestly, right now - We have no idea.
When I was there, It knew everything that Will did, even after he was gone.
Which means whatever this thing is has Ward's memories, - so why hasn't It come after us? - Maybe It's not interested in us.
Can't believe I'm hearing this.
Well, we know It destroyed an entire civilization over there.
Who knows what It has planned here? Tremors, you saw the future, right? You see anything else? Anything that might help us out? Director Coulson would like to see you in his office all of you.
Malick has given new meaning to the term "hostile takeover.
" What he did at Transia Corp was brutal, even for him.
They must have something he needs.
If we can figure out what it is - It'll lead us to Ward.
- This is not Ward.
Sure is creepy like Ward.
Ward's dead.
I saw it happen.
[music.]
There's a lot of overlap between the two companies, but only Transia has a subsidiary dabbling in the agrochemical field.
GT Agrochemical.
Does what? GMOs, pesticides, ruining the global food supply.
Minutes after the takeover, a paramilitary force took control of that branch, - started moving equipment out.
- Zephyr is wheels up in 20.
- The Quinjet will peel off mid-flight.
- We're splitting up? Lincoln and Daisy have a stop to make in the Badlands.
There, uh There was this Inhuman in Afterlife.
He might have answers about whatever is possessing Ward.
It's a long story.
I'll explain on the way.
Coulson: We're in the dark, but right now, Ward and this thing they're not afraid to take what they want or kill who they want.
- So what's our advantage? - They're not afraid.
Dad, what's going on? I've seen something.
There was an Inhuman, and when I touched him, I saw a vision of the future.
Really? What did you see? My death.
[music.]
[Screams.]
Feel so much pain.
I was being torn apart from the inside.
[Screaming continues.]
You have to tell our guest.
- He can help save you.
- No, honey, no.
[Scoffs.]
I felt every cell in my body was being destroyed.
My killer it was him.
Malick: Why are we here? Our dad's body is barely cold.
I felt it was vital we spoke before you upcoming stone ceremony.
- Your first, yes? - There better be a point to this.
You boys are of age now.
It's time you choose a path forward in Hydra.
And with your father gone, I believe you should choose mine.
- And why would we do that, old man? - Gideon, don't.
I'm a man of science, not religion.
Your family's ancient traditions are nonsense.
You don't know anything about us or our beliefs.
No? A ceremony where grown men draw stones from a bag and one unlucky participant draws a white stone and is sacrificed to a liquid rock.
To be chosen as the Traveler is a great honor.
- An archaic blood sacrifice - You're a coward.
- He was 10 times the man you are.
- Make no mistake.
Your rituals are foolish.
But your father he was no fool.
Answer me this.
How do you suppose he survived all those ceremonies? From what I heard, he was quite gifted with a certain parlor trick.
Why leave to fate what you can decide for yourself? Nice try.
We're done here.
There's a book in your father's study "Paradise Lost.
" Take a look.
I believe you'll find it most illuminating.
Let's go.
Nathaniel, let's go.
[music.]
Stephanie: Dad.
Dad, are you listening to me? He's not going to hurt you.
[Inhales deeply.]
I felt it.
I think he's gonna do it tonight in front of the others.
You brought him back.
You more than anyone are the reason why he's even here at all.
Look, I know, and I'm as shocked as you are.
But he sent Giyera away, and now he's gathering the inner circle behind my back.
He must have a good reason.
Oh, he thinks he no longer needs me.
And it makes sense for him to kill me as a show of power to the others.
Dad, you've always been a faithful follower.
Why would he ever hurt you? When Mom died, I wouldn't get out of bed for a week.
Remember? - And you told me to man up.
- Stephanie Malicks don't wait around.
They roll up their sleeves, and they get the job done.
Whatever this is you can fix it.
You remind him how important you are.
[music.]
I'll have a Scotch waiting when you're done.
[Chuckles.]
[music.]
[Alarm blaring.]
Daisy? - Where'd you go? - Trying to understand how we've been searching the globe for months and you never bothered to mention another Afterlife Inhuman.
Potential Inhuman.
He was never given powers.
And until we saw Ward's corpse walking around, I was pretty sure he was crazy town.
I wasn't trying to keep anything from you.
So don't.
He's in South Dakota? Off the grid.
His name's James.
He's a demolitions expert.
Australian.
Former mercenary.
Few weeks after I got there, Jiaying caught him breaking into her private archives and banished him.
- What was he doing in there? - Stealing, mostly.
He made a big scene, ranting about the second coming of some ancient Inhuman who could raise the dead.
Huh.
Well, something tells me he won't be jumping at the chance to help us.
He was pretty bitter, not getting powers.
We'll need to be careful and keep our eyes open.
[music.]
Coulson: You're saying these organisms ate these people? Fitz: Well, most of them.
- In a remarkably short space of time.
- Will believed that one of the other astronauts was burned alive.
Maybe it was actually this.
There was a graveyard of bones on that planet, right? And It controls these organisms? That's one theory.
We do know that they eat living flesh.
What if It also uses them to reanimate dead flesh? [music.]
Sorry.
It's just I still can't believe this thing is here on Earth.
[music.]
Sir, we're nearing the agrochem facility, and you were right to head there first.
Some of the boxes weren't carried out.
- They floated.
- Giyera.
[music.]
I always loved this place.
My brother and I used to play here as kids.
Gideon, your daughter impresses me.
She's a true believer.
Well, [Chuckles.]
I tried to raise her right, - same as my dad raised me.
- She'll play a key role in this.
Well, I'm happy to hear it.
How fortunate it was for all of us that I was able to find you and bring you home.
Trivial thing, daylight till you spend a few centuries in the dark.
[music.]
How much do you remember of those years, of your many hosts? [music.]
Do their memories live on in you? Why? Is there something you'd like to ask them? [music.]
It'll all be made clear tonight.
[splash.]
[music.]
Coulson: Giyera is Malick's right hand.
He's a trained killer.
And torturer, don't forget.
Which is why we need to make sure he doesn't get away.
Simmons: It won't be easy.
He can control anything in his line of sight.
Fitz: Non-biological objects.
Yes, non-biological objects and the like, but he can't make you hurt yourself.
Though he did turn poor Mr.
Banks' gun on him.
So I built handprint locks into the grips.
The firing pin won't engage without the designated - hand on the trigger.
- Mack: Great.
So instead of shooting us, he'll just bludgeon us to death.
Before the ATCU, Giyera spent years in special ops.
He's dangerous without powers.
May: Here.
Tell me about this room.
[Monitor beeps.]
[music.]
I hope you know how to deal with this guy, because I'm thinking crazy town was a pretty spot-on assessment.
We'll be okay, but we shouldn't use our powers.
He's cranky enough as it is.
James: [Australian accent.]
Lincoln, you S.
O.
B.
Take your little boy-band hipster scruff and piss off.
What a sweetheart.
Same as he ever was.
Come on.
[gate rattles.]
Fair warning, pretty boy.
You take one more step you're gonna regret it.
James, we only want to talk.
[Click.]
What is that? [music.]
- Don't move.
- Wha - You're standing on a land mine.
- I did say "one more step.
" Seriously? What kind of lunatic puts land mines in their front yard?! James! We're not here to fight.
Oh, that's rich, coming from you.
I've been waiting a long time for this day, for Jiaying to send out one of her little lapdogs to come after me.
To be honest, I thought it'd be that no-eyed boot licker, Gordon.
Kind of shocked that she trusted you [Chuckles.]
with anything, really.
Wow.
You really undersold Mr.
Personality.
[Sighs.]
- Can you hold it down? - Or I'll blow off my leg.
Okay.
[Rumbling.]
[Gasps.]
Ah, ah, ah.
What are you doing? [Land mine rattling.]
[whirring.]
[Land mine explodes.]
Ah.
Whoo-hoo-hoo-hoo! Look at you.
Girl power.
Nice move.
Well, I hope you got the message.
- Okay.
- Daisy, wait.
[Grunts.]
[Rumbling.]
Whoa.
Hey now.
Damn it.
Damn it.
Damn it, damn it, damn it.
[Electricity crackles.]
[Sighs.]
[music.]
I can't sleep, either.
I'm trying not to be nervous about the ceremony tomorrow, but - I had to know.
- What are you talking about? "Paradise Lost.
" - Whitehall was right.
- Whitehall's a blowhard.
He was trying to mess with us.
Dad he would swap in this stone during the ceremonies and feel for the notch to make sure he never drew it from the bag.
- He would never do that.
- But he did! It's all right here, Gideon.
Dad was afraid to be the Traveler.
[music.]
He was a coward and a cheater.
Everything he said to us was a lie.
Maybe Dad wasn't who we thought he was, but our family has upheld this faith for centuries.
And that is not gonna end with us.
- We'll be better men.
- How? [music.]
We do the ceremony the right way and let fate decide.
Together to the end.
[music.]
[Grunts.]
Together to the end.
[music.]
Dad, you okay? The others are anxious to know why they're here, and I don't know if I can keep the secret much longer.
Once we begin, there's no turning back.
- Whatever happens - If you were me, I know exactly what you'd say right now.
[music.]
"It's time to man up.
" My friends, it's time to begin.
I know you're wondering why we're here.
It's been a long time, but today, we're not here for a ceremony, but a celebration.
[Inhales deeply.]
We've devoted our lives to bringing the Hydra God back from exile, and I know some in this room have doubted that he'd ever return.
- You doubted me.
Well - Hive: They were wrong.
My exile's over.
[music.]
What is this? [music.]
- You're Grant Ward.
- Yes, I am.
But this body is only a vessel, one of many who gave their life so that I could survive.
As promised, all of the Travelers, the brave men who sacrificed for me, have finally returned.
Thanks to the Malick family.
[music.]
You'll all get what you deserve.
[music.]
And for those of you still having doubts see and believe.
[music.]
[Grunts.]
Mack: The area's clear, Director.
Scanning the building for Giyera.
Most of the lab equipment's been taken away.
Files, too.
What hasn't been taken away has been destroyed.
Nope.
Nothing sinister about that.
[Gasps.]
No quick moves, tough guy.
Hand it over, unless you want to wrestle for it.
I can see you're not afraid of a little scrape.
We only need information about that ancient Inhuman you used to talk about and anything you stole before - being thrown out of Af - [Laughing.]
I'm sorry.
I just can't get over the irony of this whole situation.
Jiaying elected to give you powers? Oh, Lincoln.
Man, you're a mess.
You don't know what you're talking Makes me wonder what you've been giving her, huh? Something a little extra on the side after hours? What? Well, the woman's crazy, but she's not bad for a senior citizen.
We're not here on her behalf.
We're with S.
H.
I.
E.
L.
D.
S.
H.
I.
E.
L.
D.
? [Sniffles.]
Even I know the band broke up, brother.
Why don't you leave me out of whatever little plan you and Jiaying Jiaying's dead, and Afterlife is a pile of ashes.
Well hallelujah! You see? We're on the same side.
So why don't you tell us what you found? Why? [Chuckles.]
I don't really do things out of the kindness of my own heart.
Haven't really understood that behavior, to be honest.
[Scoffs.]
Yeah, that's why I brought a little incentive.
[music.]
I know all you've ever wanted is to be like us, so I thought I'd put that offer on the table.
[click.]
You should've opened with that.
Looks like the data was uploaded off-site before it was wiped.
Work with Fitz.
See if you can trace where it was sent.
And gather what's left of these experiments for Simmons.
Maybe she can figure out what the hell they were working on here.
Man: Sir, Giyera's coming your way.
Copy that.
[music.]
Not so fun when we take away your toys, is it? [music.]
[music.]
[Grunting.]
[Spits.]
So we're doing this the hard way? I don't usually like getting my hands dirty, - but for you, I'll make an exception.
- Don't bother.
[Grunts.]
Giyera uploaded his data to a set of servers in Schoonebeek.
It's on the Dutch-German border.
It's an abandoned oil field.
So Hydra's in the oil business now? It's like they're not even trying to avoid the bad-guy clichés.
Get the coordinates to the cockpit.
Damn it.
Get out of there right now! Go, go, go, go, go! - We'll get him to talk.
- Maybe.
If not, let's hope Daisy and Lincoln come back with something useful.
James: Well, most of what I stole was junk but this was interesting.
I give you the alien thingumajig and you give me the crystal.
That's Kree.
Looks like you're the muscles and the brains, huh? - He's just the haircut.
- What does it do? Well, if I could figure that out, I would be doing that instead of this.
But from what I can gather, it was snatched up by this ancient that you're badgering me about after the Kree were killed or driven out or whatever.
When the Inhumans revolted against them.
That was your man that led the charge.
They called him Alveus.
It was Latin or something.
One of the first Inhumans.
Original blend.
Powerful.
Designed by the Kree to command the Inhuman army for them.
[Chuckles.]
That idea really bit him in the ass, didn't it? - Powerful how? - I'm not sure, but the archive said the Inhumans started to fear him, and they had to band together with regular humans to banish him.
Look, those records they say that all of us at Afterlife descended from the first group of Inhumans.
That was our history.
She had no right to keep it from us.
She was probably scared someone would try to bring him back.
Maybe.
Wait.
You guys aren't trying to bring him back, are ya? - Of course not.
- Never.
Good.
Well, this priceless artifact is yours.
If you want it, just give me the damn crystal.
[sighs.]
[music.]
You lying son of a bitch.
See, Jiaying was right about some things.
- Not everyone deserves powers.
- And you do? Now that you got electricity running through your veins, you might actually kill someone.
[music.]
Let's get out of here.
Oh, boyfriend of the year didn't tell you how his last relationship ended.
He nearly murdered the poor girl.
But I can see by your face that you're familiar with that side of him.
Daisy, come on.
You may think you can change him, sweetheart, but you're wrong.
Men like him don't change! [clatter.]
Let me pour you that Scotch.
Neat, two fingers? [Chuckles.]
[Sighs.]
To you, for reminding me what it means to be a Malick.
I learned from the best.
[Sighs.]
What do you got there? Our guest seems to have taken a liking to me.
Got me a gift.
Token of appreciation for standing by his side.
- I told him it was my pleasure, but - Very thoughtful.
I know that look.
[Sighs.]
It's been a long day.
I may turn in.
You're not still questioning him.
No.
Not anymore.
[Clears throat.]
Goodnight, Dad.
Love you.
[Sighs.]
Love you, too.
See you in the morning.
[jet engines whooshing.]
The Sturnus vulgaris, or European Starling, one of America's scariest invasive species.
- They're just birds.
- Birds can be scary.
Imagine a flock of a million coming to peck your eyes out with their tiny, little beaks.
So they were studying birds and bugs? And all sorts of other invasive species.
Yeah, they were genetically engineering plants and animals to resist them.
This was their most cutting-edge division.
Why would It burn the evidence, then? Well, either he wanted to use it and was covering his tracks or he was afraid of it.
Keep looking.
Maybe we find a chink in his armor.
How close are you to figuring out what he is? Well, I have a theory, at least.
These experiments have me thinking.
The organisms we found on the bones I don't think he's controlling them.
[Monitor beeps.]
- I think he is them.
- He's a parasite.
A parasite that retains the memories of the body he took over.
Sounds even worse when you say it like that.
[music.]
[Bones crack.]
[Grunts.]
Fitz: Is there something wrong, sir? [music.]
[Breathing heavily.]
[music.]
You were there.
You saw.
"We do what we have to do.
" That's your words.
Yeah.
And that's what I've been telling myself.
And now you don't believe that that's true? It was true for you.
You were left no choice on that planet.
You did the right thing, but I crossed the line.
Ward deserved to be punished, but no one deserves - to have the life s - No, he did deserve it.
He did deserve to have his chest caved in no question.
That's not the point.
It was payback.
That's not what we do here.
Well, what was the alternative? I mean, letting him live, letting him win? Don't you see? When I killed him, he did.
[music.]
I knew it would come back to haunt me, I just didn't think it would actually come back to haunt me.
You're gonna tell us everything you know about Malick, about your plans, about that thing your brought back through the portal.
I should thank you.
Without S.
H.
I.
E.
L.
D.
, he never would've made it home.
[Chuckles.]
Wow.
You're really drinking the Kool-Aid, aren't you? Oh, this leader of yours must be a real charmer.
We don't have leaders.
We're walking towards a common goal.
That's what they tell you when you join a cult, but it's actually not true.
Eventually, you'll get it.
We see such great potential for humanity.
Those who are worthy will inherit a better world.
And those who aren't? [music.]
We're nearing Dutch air space.
Looks like we're gonna find out what you and Malick are hiding whether you help us or not.
[music.]
So, you kept it.
After all these years.
[music.]
[Clears throat.]
- Stephanie, give us a moment.
- Dad, what is going on? - There's no reason for her to see this.
- I invited her here.
She deserves to know the truth about her father.
You've had this notched stone since that day at the pond.
[Grunts.]
Together to the end.
[music.]
You knew you'd never be chosen.
[music.]
Tell me, Gideon was this a deliberate betrayal, or was it all just to save your own life? I loved Nathaniel.
So it was just fate that it came down to the two of us.
[music.]
Dad, what is he saying? Your father is not the brave man he claims to be.
[music.]
I thought we had a deal.
- I thought - Man: Let's go.
[Scoffs.]
I thought we had a deal.
Nate? What happened to "together to the end," brother? Oh, I meant every word of that.
I wanted you by my side, but I-I didn't have a choice.
Is that what you've been telling yourself? I never gave up on you, Nate.
I carried on the tradition.
I gave up everything so that you could return.
You were never willing to give up everything.
So all these years you just lied to my face? He was selfish.
He gets it from our father.
[music.]
They were both too afraid to make a true sacrifice.
Yeah, I'll die if I have to, but not as a coward.
Malick: Stephanie, I won't let you remember me the way I remember my father.
[Voice breaking.]
Do what you have to.
This needs to be made right.
[music.]
But I still need a Malick by my side.
[music.]
[Body thuds.]
[Voice breaking.]
Oh, God.
Now you understand sacrifice.
[music.]
He said you almost killed your girlfriend.
What the hell was he talking about? Who was she? Why haven't you said anything about this before? Because I never wanted you to see that side of me.
I don't really care what you want right now, Lincoln.
You can't You can't just show me Mr.
Perfect all the time and keep all the ugly parts hidden away.
That's not how this works.
I need the truth, or whatever we are ends now.
[Sighs.]
[music.]
Okay.
[music.]
[Sighs.]
You know how we've, um, talked about how most Inhumans have this feeling where nothing feels right, just empty? Yeah, like how I spent my entire life searching for my parents.
It's a classic attempt to fill the void.
Well, I tried to fill it with vodka, but I couldn't control it the drinking or my temper.
- You've told me this.
- Not this.
My girlfriend thought she could help me to be a better person.
[Chuckles.]
We fought about that a lot.
I don't even remember what we were arguing about that night, but the more I drank, the angrier I got.
I just wanted to get away, so I got in the car.
I don't know why the hell she got in with me, trying to talk me down.
We ended up wrapped around a telephone pole.
- Oh, my God.
- She was basically dead.
But then Gordon showed up said he'd been watching me.
They saved her and me.
Brought me to Afterlife.
And for the first time, I felt like that emptiness might be filled one day.
[music.]
Lincoln I want you to know that I would never hurt you.
I know.
Sorry I didn't tell you sooner, but I don't want any more secrets.
Yeah.
Um then, there's something I have to tell you.
I got another glimpse into the future.
And I don't know when but someone on our team is gonna die.
[music.]
That's not good.
[Grunts.]
[Button beeps.]
[Alarm blaring.]
- Giyera's escaped.
- Do not let him in here.
[Panting.]
[music.]
[Grunts.]
[music.]
[Grunts.]
[music.]
You can't stop us.
[Grunts.]
[music.]
You're not getting this plane without a fight.
We don't need to fight anymore.
[music.]
What the hell?! Thrusters at maximum! [Alarm blaring.]
- Pull up! - I c-can't! [music.]
Simmons? [Grunts.]
[Alarm blaring.]
Daisy, come in.
Giyera's taken control of the plane.
We need [Grunts.]
Daisy: May? May? [Monitor beeps.]
May? Line's dead.
Everyone from our team is on that plane.
Not everyone.
[music.]
You put together the Secret Warriors Initiative for a reason.
No, Lincoln, what what if You can't be afraid of that vision.
We both know we got to do something.
[Breathing heavily.]
[music.]
Let's call them in.
[music.]
Coulson: We'll return in a moment.
[music.]
Good news.
Giyera's captured a S.
H.
I.
E.
L.
D.
airship with several prisoners.
We should be on our way.
Sacrifice is never easy, but we have balanced the scales today.
You have nothing else to fear.
[music.]
Together to the end.
[Breathing shakily.]