Lash

"We had him. But I didn't know he'd change into that thing."

- Werner von Strucker

Andrew Garner is a Neurologist and Forensic Psychologist who specialized in working with gifted individuals from the Index. During his career within S.H.I.E.L.D., he met and married Agent Melinda May, though they eventually divorced. When the Terrigen Mist was accidentally released at the bottom of the ocean, Garner's Inhuman genes were activated, and he became the monstrous Lash. Garner eventually learned how to control his transformations and managed to hide his true nature from everyone. During the Inhuman Outbreak, Garner began following and killing the other Inhumans.

Early Life
"You're up early." "Hey, we got a family to make, and there's only one way to do that."

- Melinda May and Andrew Garner

Doctor Andrew Garner met S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Melinda May and they soon decided to elope and begin a life together. A few years into their happy marriage, they discussed beginning a family, and planned to start after the completion of May's mission in Bahrain. After enjoying a hot shower and breakfast with his beloved wife, Garner greeted Phil Coulson when he arrived to collect May and offered him a cup of coffee before he said goodbye as she and Coulson left for the mission. While relaxing at home that evening, Garner received a phone call from May in Bahrain, giving details of her mission: to infiltrate a building in an attempt to free agents and a little girl who had been kidnapped by enhanced terrorists. While May made her fears about the likelihood of completing the mission successfully clear to her husband, Garner spoke to her calmly and gave her tips on how to approach the girl safely and told her to be careful, May said goodbye and went on the mission, which although successful, left her traumatised and unwilling to discuss the details to anyone, even Garner and Coulson. After the mission, May came home cold and mentally scarred from the experience, finding it difficult to even make skin contact with her husband. The effects of the mission caused her to leave field work and begin working in an office at S.H.I.E.L.D.. Eventually, Garner and May separated due to the change in May's personality. May tended to avoid speaking about her marriage to Garner, as evidenced by her short answer when asked about the subject during her "orientation" by Eric Koenig.

Dinner with Lian
Garner was called by Lian May and was invited to dinner; she had taken Melinda from Canada to Washington, D.C. Garner learned from his ex mother-in-law that Melinda was alive despite the HYDRA Uprising, making him feel relief since Melinda was not returning his calls.

Clandestine Meetings
"I went to him for counseling, he was the only therapist I could talk to about my alien writing impulses."

- Phil Coulson

Garner and Phil Coulson had secret meetings after the HYDRA Uprising, as Coulson was suffering from a mental breakdown in which he would carve alien symbols onto walls; no one was informed, not even Melinda May. Coulson felt that he had no one else with whom he could discuss his writings due to their top secret nature; so he went to Garner who he knew he could trust and who would understand.

Reunion with Melinda May
"What do I think? I think, what the hell Melinda. You show up asking for a favour but when I call you after S.H.I.E.L.D. collapsed to check if you were alright, not a word." "It was a busy time."

- Andrew Garner and Melinda May

While at work at Culver University, Garner was speaking to a student when he spotted his ex-wife Melinda May waiting for him. She explained that Phil Coulson was now running S.H.I.E.L.D. and they required his help with a newly powered individual. They also discussed why May did not return his calls during the HYDRA Uprising; she said it was a busy time, to which he frowned, citing that Lian May kept him informed. Garner asked May if she had returned to field work; Garner disapproved when she said she had. Garner made it clear that his responsibility would be to the subject, not to her, not to S.H.I.E.L.D.

Working with Skye
"Sarcasm, same strategy, avoidance." "What am I avoiding exactly?" "The truth."

- Andrew Garner and Skye

Garner agreed to travel to the Playground where he was greeted by Coulson; May agreed to allow him to use personal information about their previous relationship to appease the subject, Agent Skye, who had developed the power to create earthquakes. Agent Jemma Simmons gave Garner a breakdown of Skye's medical situation, but Garner decided he would rather meet Skye to learn the information. Garner found Skye a fairly difficult patient to reach as she would often skirt around questions, often using humor to ignore the situation. Garner continued to get through to her all the same. After their first session, Garner took a break and spent time with Melinda May. They joked about May's poor cooking skills and discussed whether or not she was in a relationship, with May asking about the photographs she had seen on Garner's desk. As they were talking they were interrupted by a sudden earthquake. They ran to the Bus and found Skye asleep, with bad dreams causing the quake; they were able to wake her and stop the shaking. Jemma Simmons recommended that Skye take a sedative, but Garner advised not to give her drugs. Despite Skye's constant attempts to avoid giving real answers to Garner's questions by using sarcasm and humour, he eventually made her accept that she was avoiding the truth that she was different since her transformation, she confessed to struggling with the thought of going from a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent to being on the Index, having nightmares of agents aiming their guns at her. He then decided to speak to her about her levels of control. Skye insisted that due to May's training she could keep it controlled. During the session, the plane began to shake again. Garner tried to calm Skye down but they quickly learned that the shaking was not due to her. Garner learned that Melinda May had taken off in the plane to assist Agent Phil Coulson in a mission. Garner stormed into the cock-pit where May argued that she would have explained as soon as she put the plane on auto-pilot but Garner remained furious, but May explained that there was not enough time to get them off the Bus and she did not want to interrupt him during his session.

Ambush at Manitowoc
"My fathers involved and for better or worse I matter to him and we can use that." "I'm with May, this is an emotional powercake you shouldn't be anywhere near."

- Skye and Andrew Garner

They traveled to a high school in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, where a team of villains, led by Skye's father, Calvin Zabo, had challenged Phil Coulson to a fight. When Skye offered to help in the battle, Garner felt that Skye was not emotionally ready for such a confrontation; he acquiesced when Skye convinced him and May that her relationship with Zabo could be used to their advantage. May arrived and pretended to use Skye as a bargaining tool, aiming a gun at her neck. Before Zabo could be stopped by S.H.I.E.L.D. however, he was teleported away from the scene by a mysterious eyeless man. A fight broke out between the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents and the rest of the team of villains. Garner took Skye to a safe place; however she began to cause another earthquake. Skye absorbed the quake into her arms, causing them to bruise and her to faint; Garner ran to her aid.

Leaving S.H.I.E.L.D.
"Would you consider consulting for us." "No, I can suggest someone but it can't be me. S.H.I.E.L.D. hasn't changed, none of it's changed. There was a reason I moved on back then, and I have another reason now. Those photos on my desk. Goodbye, Melinda."

- Melinda May and Andrew Garner

With Skye safely on the Bus once again, Garner witnessed Skye wake up with her bruised arms bandaged up. He decided to return to the university; May tried to convince him to stay at S.H.I.E.L.D., but he politely refused and left, claiming that his reasons had something to do with the pictures on his desk. Ultimately, Garner recommended that Skye be relieved of field assignments.

May's Phonecall
"Andrew, there's a lot I didn't say that I wish I did." "Me too. Do good Melinda, and get home safe."

- Melinda May and Andrew Garner

A few days later, Garner received a phone call from a distressed Melinda May, who claimed to simply want to hear his voice. Garner noted that he had not had a call like this from May since the mission in Bahrain, meaning that she was in a mission that would not end well. May told him there were many things she never said to him that she wished she had; Garner told her he did too and told her get home safely.

Working with Coulson
"So, May asked off some time for the first time in the history of ever. Does that have anything to do with you being around these last few days?" "Now, you know I can't discuss personal matters with patients."

- Phil Coulson and Andrew Garner

Melinda May survived her ordeal and reconnected with Garner, spending more time together and even arranging holidays and drinking together. Garner was also called by Phil Coulson to assist him in evaluating his team and assessing if Skye was ready to lead a new team of powered people to assist S.H.I.E.L.D. Although Garner pressed, Coulson claimed he did not wish to speak about the fact that he had lost an arm during his last mission. Garner gave Coulson his folder on his recommendations for Coulson's new program before joining May on their holiday.

Vacation with May
Garner took Melinda May to Maui in hopes of rekindling their relationship. Things did not go well, as she was uncomfortable, thinking of her duties to S.H.I.E.L.D., Grant Ward, and the possibility of Ward hurting her family. When May got word that her father was involved in a car accident, she left Garner behind and went to Sun City, Arizona to watch over and care for him.

Garner was It is assumable during this time Garner was exposed to the Terrigenesis process that activated his Inhuman genes and mutated him into a beastlike creature with enhanced durability and energy manipulating abilities. He learned how to control his transformations and managed to hide his true nature from everyone.

Garner eventually returned to Culver University to begin teaching the next semester of Psychology 101.

Hunting Down Inhumans
"Tell me where to find the Inhuman!"

- Lash

In the aftermath of the worldwide Terrigen Mist outbreak conceived in the wake of the War against the Inhumans, in his Lash persona, Garner began hunting down and executing other Inhumans. Using intel gathered from Dwight Frye, a fellow Inhuman who reacted whenever others were nearby, Lash was able to track down the Inhumans he killed.

Attack on Lincoln Campbell
Lash's brutal murder spree soon attracted the attention of both S.H.I.E.L.D. and the newly formed Advanced Threat Containment Unit; both of whom believed each other to have been responsible for Lash's killings. During his hunt, Lash tracked down fellow Inhuman Lincoln Campbell at a hospital where he was working in an attempt to build a normal and peaceful life for himself; once he arrived at the hospital, Lash tortured and killed a security guard to learn Campbell's location, using his powers to lift him in the air and blast a hole in his chest. Lash discovered Campbell alongside another Inhuman, Daisy Johnson, and S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Alphonso Mackenzie. Upon finding them, Lash immediately attacked but Campbell and Johnson defended themselves. While Campbell attempted to hold Lash back, Johnson fired a powerful shockwave which pushed him back and Mackenzie shot him multiple times. The combined might of the Inhumans' powers and Mackenzie's gun proved too much and Lash escaped by ripping a hole through a wall. While the group searched the hospital's corridors for him, Lash was able to sneak behind them by silently disintegrating a wall and knocked Mackenzie back with a hard strike to the chest. Campbell and Johnson combined their attacks to slow him down, blasting him with both a shockwave and bolts of electricity. Lash was able to absorb the attacks and began to walk towards them, but before he could kill the pair, Johnson destroyed the floor below him, causing him to fall before he was forced to retreat upon the arrival of the ATCU looking to investigate the battle.

Assessing the Secret Warriors
"Let me guess, Joey Gutierrez is unfit for action physically, psychologically and emotionally?" "The man can't open a doorknob without melting it."

- Daisy Johnson and Andrew Garner

Back in his normal form, Garner answered Phil Coulson's request to assess for the Caterpillars program Joey Gutierrez, an Inhuman who had gone through Terrigenesis and gained the ability to melt metal when he was nervous. A Quinjet was sent to transport Garner to the Playground for the evaluation; though Garner was impressed to have a private jet carry him, he found the seats uncomfortable which he complained about to Johnson and Mackenzie. When Garner arrived, he was greeted warmly by Daisy Johnson and Alphonso Mackenzie; Johnson offered him food and drink, but Garner told her that her bribes would not make his work any faster. Johnson jokingly told him that she did not want to be analyzed and that she only wanted Joey Gutierrez assessed. Garner went to do his interview as Johnson asked him about Melinda May; he retorted that she should ask May herself but soon learned that May had still not returned to S.H.I.E.L.D. since their vacation. Later, Johnson had an attitude, guessing that Gutierrez had failed. Garner told her that he lacked control and was not ready for field work in S.H.I.E.L.D. Johnson told him that there were new impending threats, like the Advanced Threat Containment Unit and Lash; Garner replied that there will always be threats, but the safety of everyone was his concern. Hearing Johnson's reasoning, Garner assessed that Johnson was trying to build a halfway house for Inhumans; Johnson dismissed the idea, citing that Jiaying had already done that with Afterlife and it failed. Johnson wanted Inhumans to feel that they belonged, unlike the way she felt when she transformed. Garner gave an assessment of Phil Coulson, citing that Coulson was being reckless risking all for one person and allowing Lance Hunter to seek revenge on Grant Ward. Garner wanted Johnson to be more careful as he saw her as a leader; Johnson laughed because Garner had analyzed her anyway. Garner then told her that Bobbi Morse was trying to over-compensate for the injury she sustained during her kidnapping instead of accepting her new limitations. Johnson and Mackenzie were called away to England where they assisted Leo Fitz in a successful mission to bring Jemma Simmons back to Earth through the Monolith. Garner called Melinda May and let her know that her team had pulled off a miracle and Simmons was alive and had been rescued, much to May's clear relief. Garner suggested that she come back to the Playground to see her, but May simply said she was happy Simmons was back before hanging up the phone. Afterwards Garner decided to return to Culver University to continue his work.

New Student
"You know why most people take Psych, right? They're trying to figure out families." "You got me there; you wouldn't believe how messed up mine is."

- Andrew Garner and Werner von Strucker

With the new fall semester, Garner taught Psychology 101 at Culver University. As he was finishing a class, a new student approached him, asking permission to join. Garner told him that he would have to get caught up with his previous lessons; Garner then signed the permission slip. Noting that students join psych 101 to gain insight on their family issues, Garner asked the student why he was joining; Alexander Braun said that he had family issues.

Garner was called to do a psychological assessment on Jemma Simmons; Phil Coulson wanted to know about her mental health even though she passed the physical tests given to her.

Assassination of Shane and Lori Henson
"He's here, he's here to kill us, and you can't stop him."

- Alisha

Intel from Dwight Frye led Garner to two Inhumans named Shane and Lori Henson, who had been members of the Afterlife community and were living happily with their powers for several years. After transforming into Lash, he found the pair at their apartment where they were talking to another Afterlife Inhuman named Alisha, who had come to warn them. Lash broke down the door and immediately overpowered and killed the pair with a massive blast of energy. When Alisha attempted to attack Lash in revenge for the murder of her friends, he quickly overpowered her and used his incredible strength to pin her down before killing her with a blast of energy, ripping her chest open. However, it had only been a duplicate, as the real Alisha was at a safer distance directing the clone's activities. Moments later, S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Advanced Threat Containment Unit were called to the scene by one of the Hensons' neighbors and Lash was forced to flee once again.

Simmons' Mentality
"Shock? Rage? Depression?" "I know you're looking for signs of PTSD but I assure you I'm fine." "You've been through something pretty extreme, there will be after effects and that's okay, it's okay to struggle. To feel uncomfortable in your own skin."

- Andrew Garner and Jemma Simmons

Back in his normal form, Garner dealt with the emotional breakdown and shock Alisha had suffered after experiencing the death of one of her clones from his alter ego Lash. Garner watched over her as she tried and failed to sleep, lying in bed and clutching her stomach where Garner had killed her just hours earlier. Garner tried to get information from Simmons about her experiences since travelling through the Monolith, but she remained very evasive. When Garner attempted to relate to her by saying that survivor stories fascinated him because they do not give up hope, Simmons revealed to Garner that she did give up at one point. Simmons then self-diagnosed, telling Garner that he was searching for symptoms of ; she reluctantly revealed that she did not feel safe though among friends.

Reunion with May
"I had a great time." "So did I, until you fell off the face of the Earth. No calls, no texts." "That had nothing to do with you."

- Andrew Garner and Melinda May

Garner discussed his session with Jemma Simmons to Phil Coulson; he also berated Coulson for sending Alisha into the field without discussing with him, desiring to know more about the Inhumans that Coulson was keeping from him. As they talked, Garner was shocked to see Melinda May arriving at the Playground, although she barely acknowledged Garner and spoke to COulson. Desiring to talk to May, Garner waited outside Coulson's office while she had a meeting with him. When she finally did appear she expressed her surprise that he was still there and made it clear that she did not want to talk to him. While chasing her to get a conversation, Garner explained that it was his fault that things did not go well in Hawaii, but May insisted he just didn't love her. Garner asked her to meet him later so they could talk, but May refused and left.

Attack on Dwight Frye
"I only told them the truth, that you're being merciful." "I'm not merciful, I'm necessary."

- Dwight Frye and Lash

After his departure from the Providence, Garner transformed into Lash again. When S.H.I.E.L.D. and the ATCU found and arrested Dwight Frye, Lash tracked the van carrying them, intending to stop Frye from giving them information about him. When they came into sight, Lash jumped on the roof of the van and ripped it open before fighting the agents inside, easily overpowering all of them including Alphonso Mackenzie, who attempted to punch Lash in the face. In an attempt to stop him, Daisy Johnson fired a shockwave towards Lash which caused the van to crash and roll onto its side. With the agents inside defeated, Lash dragged Frye out onto the street where he begged for his life; Frye attempted to convince Lash that he had only told the agents the truth, that Lash was being merciful in his killings of the Inhumans. Lash assured Frye that his actions were not out of mercy, but necessity, before executing him. As Lash walked away from the scene, he spotted Daisy Johnson lying inside the van but chose not to kill her, instead transforming into human form and walking away.

Surrounded
"Hey professor, where you been? You know you're a tough guy to track down." "What's going on here Alex?"

- Werner von Strucker and Andrew Garner

Garner went to Aaron's Market where he saw a man using his cell phone to record his actions. When he approached the man to ask him what he was doing, Alexander Braun, carrying a cigarette lighter, entered the store and told Garner that he was hard to track. Garner saw a third man enter, carrying gasoline containers, and lock the door as the convenience store cashier ran. A secret S.H.I.E.L.D. bodyguard assigned by Phil Coulson then intervened, killing one HYDRA operative, before he was killed himself. As Werner von Strucker attempted to hide from the gunfire, Garner transformed into Lash, roaring in pain as his body changed size and shape, much to the horror of his would be assassins. Lash proceeded to knock von Strucker aside before easily killing the other HYDRA operatives in seconds by blasting holes in their chests, while von Strucker managed to escape from the store.

Looking over the wreakage of the store and the dead bodies that littered it, Garner transformed back into his normal form. Knowing that S.H.I.E.L.D. would be aware of he was the target and wishing to keep his Inhuman identity a secret, Garner picked up and threw the lit lighter into contact with the spilt gasoline, which blew up the store, knocking him back and making him appear as a victim of the attack, covering how the agents died.

Hiding in Plain Sight
"I'm lucky, can't see how anyone would have survived that. I know Alex was troubled but I'm not sorry he's gone. Ward would have made him finish the job."

- Andrew Garner

Garner was soon found by Phil Coulson and his team who brought him back to the Playground for treatment. As Coulson and Melinda May gathered around him, they asked what had happened; Garner relayed the story of how he had been surrounded by Werner von Strucker and his HYDRA agents, but he claimed that the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent had saved his life, not telling them about his own transformation. Garner told them he was not sorry that von Strucker was gone as Grant Ward would have made him finish the assassination.

Getting bored of remaining bed-ridden, Garner took some time to walk through the Playground until he was approached by Daisy Johnson. As they talked, Johnson asked him about Lash, unaware of Garner's true identity; Johnson questioned why he would leave her alive after he had killed other Inhumans like Dwight Frye, but Garner told her that all Inhumans were different. She told him that she had witnessed Lash transform into a normal human being; Garner asked if she had seen whom he transformed into but she assured him she had not. As Garner tried to learn the location of Lincoln Campbell, Johnson was called away by Alphonso Mackenzie.

Still supposedly recovering, Garner sat down with Jemma Simmons who used the same psychological terms on him to prove a point, telling him that going through something as extreme as a near death experience would have aftereffects. Garner confessed that he found it strange to be the patient in the case, learning how it was an experience like being talked down to which only made him feel weaker. As they were speaking, Simmons got a call from Daisy Johnson asking her to run a test of Luther Banks' blood so they could learn if he was Lash.

Garner later found Daisy Johnson hiding around a corner on the phone to Lincoln Campbell, who was still on the run. Pretending to be concerned, Garner asked if Campbell had called with any information about Lash but Johnson told him that he had not. Garner then warmly told her that they would figure it out soon enough. Still seeking to find and kill Campbell, Garner asked if he had told her where he was, claiming they should bring him back to the Playground for his own protection.

Personality
To be added

Powers
Andrew Garner is an Inhuman who achieved his genetic potential after undergoing Terrigenesis during the Inhuman Outbreak and gained superhuman powers. The transformation changed him physically, turning him into a terrifying beast nicknamed Lash with a long mane growing from his scalp down to his upper back.
 * Superhuman Durability: As Lash, Garner is able to withstand various forms of attack, such as Daisy Johnson's vibration blasts, or Lincoln Campbell's energy currents, without suffering serious wounds. He can easily withstand multiple gunshots; bullets penetrate his skin, but they do not seem to slow him down.
 * Energy Blasts: Lash is able to emit powerful energy blasts, strong enough to kill the average Inhuman and cause structural damage to buildings.
 * Transformation: Garner has the power to transform into Lash anytime he wants.

Family

 * Lian May - Former Mother-in-Law
 * William May - Former Father-in-Law

Allies

 * S.H.I.E.L.D. (First Incarnation)
 * Nick Fury - Director
 * Maria Hill - Deputy Director
 * S.H.I.E.L.D. (Second Incarnation)
 * Phil Coulson - Patient and Friend
 * Melinda May - Ex-Wife
 * Jemma Simmons
 * Leo Fitz
 * Daisy Johnson - Former Patient
 * Alphonso Mackenzie
 * Joey Gutierrez - Patient

Enemies

 * Slicing Talons
 * Calvin Zabo
 * Karla Faye Gideon
 * David Angar
 * Francis Noche
 * Wendell Levi
 * HYDRA
 * Alexander Braun - Student turned Enemy
 * Inhumans
 * Lincoln Campbell - Target
 * Dwight Frye † - Ally turned Victim
 * Lori Henson † - Victim
 * Shane Henson † - Victim
 * Alisha - Patient and Victim
 * Advanced Threat Containment Unit
 * Luther Banks

Trivia

 * In the comics, Lash was a rogue Inhuman from the hidden city of Orollan, who sought to judge if Inhumans were worthy of their powers, and hunted down and executed those he deemed unworthy.

Behind the Scenes

 * Garner is the second Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. character to be portrayed by more than one actor. Blair Underwood portrays Garner and Matthew Willig portrays Garner's alter ego Lash. The first one was Kara Palamas.