Extraordinary circumstances led to Grant Ward becoming Hive on "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.," but Jemma Simmons blames herself for initiating the events that led to the murderous creature hitching a ride back to Earth inside the former Hydra agent's body. If not for her unfortunate trip to the alien planet, would Hydra have ever found the portal to retrieve the beast that its organization is based upon?
Simmons (Elizabeth Henstridge) will seriously question her role in Hive's (Brett Dalton) destruction on Earth when S.H.I.E.L.D. becomes aware of its existence. So far, the creature has assumed Ward's physical makeup and consumed five living human beings, leaving behind only their bones. Hydra leader Gideon Malick (Powers Boothe) plans for Hive to lead an Inhuman army against S.H.I.E.L.D. and the world.
"She's going to feel so guilty, because it was her that aided that all to happen," Henstridge said. "If she hadn't of got sucked into the monolith, if she hadn't been on that planet, if Fitz [Iain De Caestecker] hadn't risked everything to save her, he would never be back here. She didn't think Ward could get any worse, but he did, and it's kind of her fault, in a way. She definitely feels guilt for that."
The S.H.I.E.L.D. scientist will also start training with Agent May (Ming-Na Wen) to better prepare herself in dangerous situations against enemy combatants like Hive, Hydra agents or Lash, the killer Inhuman formerly known as May's ex-husband, Andrew (Blair Underwood). No longer content with a male agent or friend coming to her rescue, Simmons wants to be able to defend herself.
"It's a recurring theme for her that she needs a man to save her. On the planet, she only got back because Will sacrificed himself for her," Henstridge said. "She let [Lash] out because she wanted to save herself, and she didn't know how she was going to do it. She knows she doesn't have the combat skills to be able to take on all those Hydra soldiers. Selfishly, in hindsight, she sacrificed all of those Inhuman lives to save her own. She's just done with not being able to look after herself in that way."
Simmons and May can certainly bond over not seeing the beast Andrew was becoming before their very eyes.
"Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." airs on Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on ABC.
