Grant Ward's villain identity in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. revealed (SPOILERS)

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. villain Grant Ward (played by Brett Dalton) has been a thorn in the side of Marvel's elite fighting force for some time now, but when the show returns for its mid-season premiere, expect him to become an even bigger threat. Nerdist was given a first look at the character's evolution for season three, as well as a name that Marvel fans might recognize.

Warning: Spoilers ahead

The name in question is "Hive." In the comics, Hive was a Hydra science experiment that, for once, actually went right. The nefarious organization set out to create a bio-weapon that embodied its ideals of a faceless, nameless horde that acted with singular purpose. What Hydra created functioned as a colony of hostile parasites which would infect a host body and warp it into a grotesque, tentacle-laden monstrosity.

The events of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. suggest a more alien origin for the villain though, and Nerdist's exclusive image of Ward shows a more subtle transformation. Likewise, producers Jed Whedon and Maurissa Tancharoen said that this version of the character "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."

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Images: Marvel

Sam Prell

Sam is a former News Editor here at GamesRadar. His expert words have appeared on many of the web's well-known gaming sites, including Joystiq, Penny Arcade, Destructoid, and G4 Media, among others. Sam has a serious soft spot for MOBAs, MMOs, and emo music. Forever a farm boy, forever a '90s kid.