Lance Hunter

"Join S.H.I.E.L.D. Travel to exotic, distant lands; meet exciting, unusual people - and kill them."

- Lance Hunter

Lance Hunter is a former British soldier and mercenary that joined the second incarnation of S.H.I.E.L.D. based on the recommendations of Isabelle Hartley and his ex-wife, Bobbi Morse. He participated in many field missions for S.H.I.E.L.D. and he stayed loyal to Director Phil Coulson during the brief war against the S.H.I.E.L.D. faction led by Robert Gonzales. He later saved his ex-wife Bobbi Morse after she was kidnapped by Grant Ward and Kara Palamas. As a result, Hunter became focused on killing Ward in revenge, but his mission to kill him failed.

Early Life and Career
"Sierra Leone, three years ago. Ring a bell? How about Basra, '08? Operation Panther's claw? Come on, lieutenant. Tell me the stories are true!" "I'm not a lieutenant anymore, sir."

- Glenn Talbot and Lance Hunter

Lance Hunter was a lieutenant in the (SAS) of the British Armed Forces. In 2008, he participated in an operation in Basra, Iraq and another in Sierra Leone in 2011 before becoming a mercenary for hire. During this time Hunter worked undercover with a low level HYDRA operative named Spud, whom he considered to be a psychopath due to witnessing him bite a man's nose off in a fight. During their time together, Hunter often mocked Spud for his depression after being dumped by his fiancé.

Hunter went on a mission to Dubai where he met the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents Bobbi Morse and Alphonso Mackenzie; the three became close friends during the mission, but Hunter was not given all pertinent information because he was not an agent. Eventually, Hunter married Morse, but their relationship was unsteady due to trust issues and the two divorced. He was introduced to Jane and Isabelle Hartley through his ex-wife. After leaving the SAS and becoming a mercenary, he joined Hartley's team.

S.H.I.E.L.D. Mercenary
"Look, you both have your S.H.I.E.L.D. traditions and all that nonsense, and personal reasons for being dedicated to the cause, but you've known me a long time, Izzy. And what gets me out of bed in the morning..."

- Lance Hunter to Isabelle Hartley and Phil Coulson

Later Hartley's team was approached by Phil Coulson, the new Director of S.H.I.E.L.D, to work for him. Hunter agreed to work for payment. Unbeknownst to him, his team was built to gain intelligence on Coulson's S.H.I.E.L.D. Lance Hunter, Isabelle Hartley, and Idaho went undercover to meet with Roger Browning, an ex-S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who had acquired a file on an 0-8-4 and its location. During negotiations, the meeting was interrupted by a HYDRA assassin who killed Browning and stole the file. Hunter, Hartley and Idaho fired their guns at the assassin, with seemingly no effect; he then leaped from a twenty-five foot high window and escaped while Hunter and his team regrouped with S.H.I.E.L.D.. When the team arrived back at the Playground, a secret S.H.I.E.L.D. base, they were informed by Sam Koenig that they were due for a debrief meeting with Director Phil Coulson. Before they had the meeting, Hunter joked to Idaho that he should not look Coulson in the eye, trying to make his friend nervous; Hartley ordered them not to be themselves in the meeting. When Coulson saw Hunter and the others, they debriefed him on what happened in Alexandria. Hunter constantly drank his beer and reminded Coulson that he was working for the money. Melinda May arrived and confirmed that their attacker was Index member Carl Creel, who had the power to absorb any substance and transform his body into that substance, which explained how he was able to absorb the bullets and protect himself. When S.H.I.E.L.D. learned that Carl Creel was planning on attacking Brigadier General Glenn Talbot for HYDRA, they set about protecting him and his family while also attempting to kidnap and question him. Hunter assisted by taking the name of US soldier Tyler alongside Isabelle Hartley. While Melinda May and Skye protected Talbot from Creel by fighting him and allowing him to be arrested by Talbot's soldiers, Hunter and Hartley assisted in the kidnapping of Talbot by tricking him into following them into a S.H.I.E.L.D. SUV where he was taken onto the Bus to be questioned by Phil Coulson about the location of the 0-8-4.

Death of Isabelle Hartley
"Cut it off." "What? No! We'll get you to a hospital, they'll fix this." "This thing is killing me; I can feel it. I need you to cut it off, or I won't make it to the hospital."

- Isabelle Hartley to Lance Hunter

After Coulson questioned Talbot for a while, he let him go free and dropped him off in the middle of nowhere; when Talbot called for assistance, S.H.I.E.L.D. was able to trace the call to learn the exact location of both Carl Creel and the 0-8-4. Hunter was sent with May, Skye, Antoine Triplett, Idaho, and Hartley to obtain the artifact. Hartley found it, but she was discovered by Carl Creel. As she tried to defend herself against Creel, she touched the Obelisk bare-handed; it began to turn her arm into stone. Hunter was able to shoot at Creel causing him to flee; as the Obelisk began to kill Hartley, Skye called Phil Coulson for orders. The military soon arrived. While Skye called Coulson for orders on whether to seek medical care for Hartley or to continue the mission, effectively sentencing Hartley to death, Hunter chose to disobey Coulson's orders to get her medical attention. Inside the SUV driven by Idaho, Hartley felt the Obelisk was killing her and they would not get medical attention soon enough, so she handed Hunter her knife and ordered him to cut off her arm. Hunter initially refused but Hartley insisted. Hunter amputated Hartley's hand to save her; he was successful and removed her arm, saving her life. However, when Idaho looked back to see if Hartley had survived, he looked back to the road to see Carl Creel in the middle of it. Creel transformed into concrete and caused a major car crash. Hartley and Idaho were killed due to severe head injuries, but Hunter survived. Seeing Creel approach, Hunter then pretended to be dead as Creel took the Obelisk and left. Hunter called out to Idaho to see if he was alive, but his friend did not answer. May managed to find Hunter and he reported of Hartley and Idaho's deaths. Hunter ordered May to escape, after May gave him a Mouse Hole to escape the S.H.I.E.L.D. SUV, Hunter was captured by the United States Armed Forces.

Offer from Talbot
"Look Hunter we're pretty like minded guys so let's not waste each other's time, you know what I'm after." "I'm guessing it's not Carl Creel." "Creels small time, think big fish."

- Glenn Talbot and Lance Hunter

The soldiers dropped Hunter in a field where he was confronted by General Glenn Talbot, who offered him a lift via helicopter. In the helicopter, Talbot informed Hunter that he had an ally in the senate who was willing to offer Hunter a large sum of money, he then attempted to convince Hunter to give up the location of Phil Coulson. Hunter seemingly agreed in exchange for two million dollars and a proper burial for Hartley, claiming her family deserved to know what happened to her. After arriving at the Playground and being checked by Antoine Triplett, Hunter was called for a meeting with Director Coulson. Hunter demanded to know why the other agents were not out searching for Creel and why Coulson did not abort the mission when Hartley's life became endangered. Coulson asked what Talbot offered him to sell him out. Hunter was honest, telling him it was two million dollars and a proper burial for Hartley. Hunter demanded Coulson give him the money he was owed, and the money he owed Idaho and Hartley, intending to give it to their families, Coulson agreed to the deal.

Hunting down Creel
"I'm not gonna sugar coat it pal, this is really gonna hurt."

- Carl Creel to Lance Hunter

Hunter talked to Skye and shared stories about his time with Isabelle Hartley. He told her to remember that S.H.I.E.L.D. was not a life, just a job. When the team finally tracked Carl Creel down, Coulson ordered Hunter to stay at the base. However, Hunter begged Coulson to let him go into the field again, promising to follow orders. He gave a boy scouts salute to show his seriousness. Knowing how important Hartley and Idaho were to Hunter, Coulson agreed. As the team prepared to initiate the plan, Hunter knocked Melinda May, Skye, and Triplett unconscious with an I.C.E.R., unwilling to let Creel go or take him down non-lethally after Creel killed Isabelle Hartley and Idaho. He found Triplett and shot him with an I.C.E.R. as well. He then took Triplett's rifle and ran to the plaza where Creel was preparing to make an exchange with his HYDRA contact, who managed to calm Creel down enough to stop the growth of the Obelisk's material over Creel's body. Hunter attempted to kill Creel, but was spotted at the last second and Creel successfully transformed and deflected the lethal bullet. Creel chased Hunter and almost killed him, revealing that he could push a small amount of the Obelisk through his palm to petrify whomever he wanted with a touch. Hunter was saved when Coulson snuck up behind Creel and neutralized him with the Overkill Device, turning Creel to stone.

Joining S.H.I.E.L.D.
"I need you because I can't be you, not any more."

- Phil Coulson to Hunter

Hunter went to watch Isabelle Hartley's funeral, keeping his distance. He left Hartley's pendant in her sister Jane's car. As he was leaving the funeral, Phil Coulson appeared, offering him a job at S.H.I.E.L.D., saying that he needed someone who would do the wrong thing for the right reasons. After some consideration, and despite the loss of the two million dollars and the warning that May would "savor" a grudge after Hunter had shot her, Hunter accepted the offer and officially joined Coulson's team.

The Moroccan Mission
"Agent May shot me." "Repeat?" "May shot me." "Man, I wanted to be the one."

- Lance Hunter, Phil Coulson and Antoine Triplett

While working at the Playground, Hunter made a bet with Alphonso Mackenzie that Skye had attended S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy; however, when they asked Skye, she revealed that she had not, meaning Hunter lost his bet and as a result was forced to do inventory work for Mackenzie, much to his annoyance. Before he went, he asked Skye if she had ever killed anyone, she told him that she had not. Later, he, Skye and May were sent to Morocco to apprehend Donnie Gill on a HYDRA freighter. During the assignment, Director Coulson learned from Leo Fitz that Gill was brainwashed by HYDRA and ordered Hunter not to allow Gill to communicate with any of its agents. Hunter found Gill talking to Jemma Simmons, Coulson's mole in HYDRA whom Hunter had never met. Before he could fire on her, May shot Hunter with a bullet. He survived because of his bullet proof vest. This alerted Gill and Simmons to their presence and they ran. Gill then trapped Hunter and May within the freighter by freezing the door. When everyone on the Bus and on their way back to the Playground, Hunter approached May and informed her that he was feeling alright despite a large painful bruise on his shoulder. He asked if because she had shot him in the back they were now even from when he shot her with an I.C.E.R. previously. Looking at Antoine Triplett, she said that she was even with a smile on her face, indicating that Triplet still intended to shoot him as well. As Triplett and May laughed, Hunter walked away frustrated and nervous about working with the team he had annoyed so much already.

Double Trouble
"Guys, drop everything!" "No. This is worth a fortune; I'm not going to drop it." "Just put it down."

- Lance Hunter and Leo Fitz

Hunter was given an undercover mission to seduce Bridget, the executive assistant of Gabriel Soto, so he could pick her purse and steal a ticket that Skye needed to duplicate to give access to a fund raiser organized by Soto. The fund raiser was dedicated to the Santa Maria de las Flores church that once housed a 500 year old painting with the Words of Creation inscribed on its back;  Phil Coulson and Melinda May wanted to infiltrate the fund raiser in order to retrieve the painting. When he returned to the Bus, he bored the others with stories of his ex-wife. Agent 33, managed to sneak onboard the Bus while disguised as Melinda May; once there she planted a virus in the Bus' systems that would have cause it to explode in a matter of minutes. When this was discovered Leo Fitz took Hunter with him into the control room, Fitz explained that he needed Hunter's hands to rewire the plane because Fitz's were too unsteady. Despite a few near misses which almost destroyed the Bus, they were successful in stopping the cascade effect and restoring power. To celebrate a successful mission of defeating HYDRA and saving the Bus, Hunter brought beer for the others to drink, although Fitz hesitated, Hunted insisted that he had saved the team and reserved to enjoy a beer with the rest of them. Before they could begin drinking, Leo Fitz told a story about telling a girl that he loved her only to find out she did not return his feelings before she left him alone. Seeing that the nervous and unsure Fitz was finally talking about his past and expressing himself, Alphonso Mackenzie and Hunter raised a toast with him about "moving on."

Meeting the Ex-Wife
"Anyone want to tell me what the bloody hell she's doing here?" "Bobbi's one of our best Agents." "Oh that's rich, mind telling me what I'm doing here?!" "That's easy, I vouched for you."

- Lance Hunter, Phil Coulson and Bobbi Morse

Later, the team was contacted by Raina who wanted to meet up with Coulson. Coulson met Raina at La Comtesse Furieuse while Hunter, May, and Skye watched from other positions within the restaurant. During the conversation, Raina admitted she knew Skye's Father and threatened to blow Jemma Simmons cover unless she was given Skye. Coulson, already having a back-up plan, refused the deal. Turning the tables on Raina, Coulson got her to admit where Skye's father was and had her agree to draw out Daniel Whitehall in exchange for protection. Hunter tagged her, so she could be found when needed. Back at the Playground, Hunter was horrified to met his ex-wife again, Bobbi Morse, who had just returned from an undercover mission where she had saved Agent Jemma Simmons from HYDRA. Shocked and surprised to see her and not liking her new dyed hair, he furiously asked Coulson what she was doing there, to which he responded that she was there because she was one of their best agents. Coulson told Hunter to "play nice." He also learnt that the reason he was there was because Morse had recommended him to Coulson.

Playing Nice
"I'm a merc, mate, like you lot. And if you're looking to take out a few S.H.I.E.L.D. agents higher up the food chain, I happen to know a couple. They just need about - 90 seconds to get in position."

- Lance Hunter to Marcus Scarlotti

Phil Coulson told Hunter that he can leave S.H.I.E.L.D. if working with Bobbi Morse would be a problem for him. He assigned the pair to go to Okinawa, Japan with Melinda May to learn the involvement of Toshiro Mori in the design and build of the Splinter Bombs used by Marcus Scarlotti in an Attack on the United Nations designed to discredit S.H.I.E.L.D.. During the flight to Japan, Morse and Hunter continued to argue, while May piloted the Quinjet and ignored them. Hunter vouched for Morse's skills in espionage when they decided to use her undercover identity as a HYDRA Laboratories' head of security to get the information, risking Mori's security discovering her betrayal. When Morse went into Mori's house and spoke him, Hunter and May watched on the monitor, when Mori kissed Morse, May teased him for allowing her to go solo. He intercepted a file transfer that Mori received, showing Morse betraying HYDRA, and helped save her from assassination. As he shot and killed Mori, he reminded Morse that he saved her life twice. Phil Coulson learned that Julien Beckers had been working for HYDRA all along and had led Marcus Scarlotti to the S.H.I.E.L.D. Safe House to assassinate the agents there. The trio went to Bruges and Hunter acted as distraction to Scarlotti and his mercenaries as the women crashed through the windows of the safe house and engaged them in a battle. During the fight, Melinda May fought Scarlotti while Hunter saved Morse again when he saw a mercenary attempting to kill her with a Splinter Bomb. Before long, all of Scarlotti's mercenaries were captured or killed, including Scarlotti himself who was beaten by Melinda May in a one-on-one fight. General Glenn Talbot arrived and took Scarlotti and his mercenaries into custody while Hunter started to gather his things to leave. Hunter noted that being an Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. was always Morse's job and never his. Bobbi Morse spoke to him and used reverse psychology to convince him to stay with S.H.I.E.L.D. despite his better judgement

Chase of Grant Ward
Hunter called on to hunt down Grant Ward after he escaped federal custody and went on the run. Hunter was stationed in a bus to Boston that Grant Ward boarded in Atlanta, when Ward saw through Bobbi Morse's disguise on the first bus he boarded, he moved onto the bus Hunter was riding on, Hunter reported this to Phil Coulson as he hid his identity under a large cowboy hat. Once they arrived in Boston, Hunter then watched Ward enter Goldbrix Tavern and reported this to field commander Melinda May. Later, he saw Sunil Bakshi, with two other HYDRA agents enter the establishment. As May prepared her field agents to raid the tavern, Hunter teased and bickered with Bobbi Morse on how her cover was blown in Atlanta while his cover, despite his wearing a large and over the top cowboy hat, was not. Hunter then joined May, Morse and Antoine Triplett in the raiding party as they entered Goldbrix Tavern and searched for Ward. When they entered they discovered that Ward had murdered all the HYDRA agents inside and escaped, as Hunter and the team continued to search they discovered Sunil Bakshi, unconscious and tied to a chair, left as pick-up for Phil Coulson by Ward. At the Playground, Hunter was among the senior agents assembled as Phil Coulson gave the new mission: find the city that matched the City Blueprints before HYDRA does.

Questioning of Sunil Bakshi
"Bobbi can pretend to like anything."

- Lance Hunter

As the others researched Daniel Whitehall and what possible connection he had to the Red Skull, Hunter helped Bobbi Morse with her interrogation of Sunil Bakshi, providing her with updates on the latest discoveries about Whitehall and HYDRA based on Bakshi's comments. However, when the interrogation became more intense, Bakshi threatened to expose a truth about Morse's actions while working undercover at HYDRA before he attempted to commit suicide with a cyanide pill embedded in his cheekbone. Hunter ran for assistance and they managed to save his life. While Bakshi was getting medical treatment from Jemma Simmons, Hunter questioned if Morse wanted the HYDRA operative dead, because he might reveal some secret about her time working for HYDRA. Morse assured Hunter that she does not keep secrets from him, especially when they have started to grow closer. When their argument became heated, the two went to a S.H.I.E.L.D. SUV to have sex. Afterwards, Hunter and Morse laughed and smiled as Alphonso Mackenzie watched.

Protecting Raina
"Don't die out there, ok?" "It's Canada."

- Bobbi Morse and Lance Hunter

Hunter was part of Melinda May's team that was sent to Vancouver to extract Raina from a S.H.I.E.L.D. Safe House as HYDRA pursued her. Hunter spotted an assassin following Sam Koenig; Hunter snuck out on the assassin and knocked him out, calling to the pedestrians claiming the man had passed out. As he and Koenig walked away together, Hunter mistakenly called Sam Billy; Sam claimed that his brother was shorter than he was. When Hunter arrived at the safe house, he found Skye being attacked by an assassin. He helped Skye finish her battle and knocked out the assassin. When he saw her disfigured face that looked exactly like Melinda May, he was horrified; Skye explained that she was formerly Agent 33. He and Skye moved Raina outside to the extraction point; Hunter located Agent May. When Raina tried to surrender to HYDRA, they drove the SUV into the side of the HYDRA Agents and made their escape with Raina. Aboard the Bus, they were attacked by HYDRA Quinjets; Hunter was one of the agents who tried to protect the other agents. They surrounded the arriving HYDRA operative, who turned out to be former S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent, Grant Ward. Hunter and the other Agents aimed their guns at Ward. Ward explained they had traced the tracker in Raina to find her. Ward ordered Skye and Raina to leave with him; Hunter and the others had no choice but to allow it to prevent a fire fight, as the plane was surrounded by four HYDRA Quinjets.

Battle for the Kree City
Hunter and the others survived the Quinjets' attack through the combined piloting skills of Melinda May and Antoine Triplett. The Bus then went to Puerto Rico to meet with Phil Coulson's team; Hunter found Bobbi Morse in the garage of Alphonso Mackenzie. As he talked to her, Morse tried desperately to hide the flash drive she obtained; Hunter told her that, as long as it was not about them, he did not care about it. Diego then called to meet with her and he followed. In San Juan, Hunter and Morse avoided HYDRA long enough for Diego to relay to them that the terrorists were stationed in Ponce de León Theater. Hunter, May, Morse, and Coulson then prepared for the Battle for the Kree City. When Hunter and Morse got to the bottom of the theater, they found May outside the hole created by the Plasma Drill. She told them to flee because there were explosives set to destroy the Kree City beneath them. As they ran, they felt an earthquake. Once the quake had stopped they regrouped with the rest of the team and learnt that Antoine Triplett had been killed in action while attempting to save Skye.

Assassination of HYDRA Leaders
Upon return from the Kree City, Phil Coulson had a late night meeting with his senior agents on what to do with Sunil Bakshi. During the meeting, Hunter showed hesitation to following Coulson's plan. Ultimately, an argument began when Alphonso Mackenzie challenged Coulson's orders as unsound. When Melinda May told Mackenzie to respect the Director's rank, Hunter joined the squabble, disbelieving that May invoked such a position. Coulson ended the argument by telling everyone that the newly deceased Antoine Triplett would have just followed orders. The next morning, Hunter pretended to be a mercenary hired by HYDRA to free Bakshi from S.H.I.E.L.D. custody. After a false firefight where Bakshi and Hunter escaped in a S.H.I.E.L.D. SUV, Hunter allowed him to contact one of the heads of HYDRA, Octavian Bloom. Once contact had been made, Hunter lied to him that he was to be terminated by Hunter's employer, allowing Bakshi to beg for his life and offer a large sum of money and a high position in HYDRA in exchange for letting him live. As a result Bakshi believed that the HYDRA leaders were attempting to keep him from his rightful position as Daniel Whitehall's successor as one of the new heads of HYDRA. Bakshi took Hunter to the estate of Octavian Bloom, but told him to wait for the proper signal before entering. While he was waiting, Bobbi Morse who followed on the S.H.I.E.L.D. Motorcycle joined him in the SUV. Hunter asked her, wondering if they were allies in some scheme, why she was trying to keep Mackenzie quiet during the squabble; Morse told him that she and Mackenzie were in a support group for those emotionally scarred by the betrayal that happened in the HYDRA Uprising. Hunter laughed, but found it pleasing that she was getting professional help. The SUV was then surrounded by gunmen, firing multiple rounds. Hunter activated the vehicle's offense systems and killed them, before crashing the gate and entering the mansion. Inside, Hunter killed Bloom with a single gunshot to the forehead as Morse arrested Bakshi. Bakshi was told by Hunter that he would be dead had he not been promised to Glenn Talbot. Bakshi then realized that Hunter's lie caused him to have three leaders of HYDRA killed. Later, Hunter was at the vigil the senior agents had for Antoine Triplett, sharing memories and silently withholding tears.

Possible Position
Hunter was called into Phil Coulson's office. He believed that Coulson was going to reprimand him for having a sexual relationship with Bobbi Morse; however, Coulson asked Hunter to permanently join S.H.I.E.L.D. since there was one less senior agent after Antoine Triplett's death. Hunter told Morse about the incident after a romantic interlude and decided that it would be good for him and their relationship, citing that now they can be together, since Morse constantly used being an agent to stay distant. Hunter then went to Portugal with the other senior agents to investigate who was battling Sif on a beach there. He told Leo Fitz and Alphonso Mackenzie that he was a permanent member as he enthusiastically helped in the investigation. However, Mackenzie was not enthusiastic about Hunter's decision and when Morse asked if he could join in their mission, Mackenzie sternly refused. He told Morse to become distant from her lover. Consequently, when Hunter approached Morse about a sexual break from her work, Morse was aloof and only wanted to continue her research into the Truncheon. Hunter in anger left her alone. Later, Hunter stormed onto the Bus and confronted Alphonso Mackenzie, wanting full disclosure on his mission with Bobbi Morse. He said that he knows that he and Morse had been lying all along, there is no support group, that Morse had a flash drive, and that the two of them have been conspiring against Phil Coulson. Mackenzie tried to calm his friend down, then panicked, placed Hunter in a choke hold, putting him to sleep. With no other options, Mackenzie put Hunter into the boot of his car and drove him away from the Playground.

Learning of the Other S.H.I.E.L.D.
"Bobbi and I work for an organization, an outlier that came out of the wreckage from what Fury left." "What organization, Mack? Who the hell are you working for?" "S.H.I.E.L.D. The real S.H.I.E.L.D."

- Alphonso Mackenzie and Lance Hunter

Hunter awoke to find himself locked in a bathroom in a S.H.I.E.L.D. Safe House; when he heard Alphonso Mackenzie speaking to Bobbi Morse on the phone, he yelled out how furious he was. Mackenzie later bought Hunter a Hawaiian pizza and beer. Hunter demanded to know what Mackenzie and Morse were involved in; Mackenzie assured him that he would find out soon enough. Meanwhile, Phil Coulson asked Morse why Hunter was not at work. Coulson revealed that he knew that the two were sleeping together. Morse lied that Hunter ran off when she ended the relationship and Mackenzie went to find him. A little while later, Hunter was blindfolded and taken to a mysterious base. Hunter demanded to know what Mackenzie and Morse had been doing and who they were working for, Mackenzie the revealed that he and Morse had been working for another branch of S.H.I.E.L.D. which he called the real S.H.I.E.L.D..

Robert Gonzales' S.H.I.E.L.D.
"You must be Lance Hunter." "And you must be crazy." "I assure you, none of us wanted this."

- Robert Gonzales and Lance Hunter

Hunter was introduced to the leader of this second S.H.I.E.L.D., Robert Gonzales, who greeted Hunter with a smile and an attempted hand shake, which Hunter refused due to his distain at the current situation. Gonzales explained that he once knew Isabelle Hartley, and she had saved his life during the HYDRA uprising. He further explained that he had formed this new S.H.I.E.L.D. as he did not believe in the way Nick Fury and Phil Coulson ran it, and he planned to ensure Coulson was no longer in charge. Hunter and Gonzales debated Coulson's leadership. Gonzales reminded Hunter of how Coulson was responsible for the deaths of Hartley and Antoine Triplett and caused the mutations of Raina and Skye, all because of his relentless pursuit of the Obelisk; although Hunter remained loyal to Coulson, he found it difficult to disagree. Hunter learned that both Mackenzie and Morse were loyal to Gonzales and had been tasked with gathering intel on Coulson.

Escape
"What's the plan boss?"

- Lance Hunter

Later, Hunter was visited by Bobbi Morse, and they discussed their own history together and whether Gonzales was right in his mission to stop Coulson's leadership. Hunter attacked the guards and attempted to escape; although Morse did not attempt to stop him, she followed him with the S.H.I.E.L.D. guards. Hunter made his way through the corridors leading him outside. Once outside Hunter learned that the base was in fact a S.H.I.E.L.D. Aircraft Carrier. Hunter was able to run to an escape pod and escaped. When the escape pod finally came ashore, Hunter found Phil Coulson waiting for him at a beach bar. Hunter joined him and ordered a drink with extra umbrellas. As he waited for his drink, Hunter signed a napkin and handed it to Coulson; he told him that the napkin represented his full-time contract and he had accepted his new position as a permanent member of S.H.I.E.L.D. and would help Coulson retake S.H.I.E.L.D. from Robert Gonzales, who had attacked and taken over the Playground while Hunter was gone.

Keeping Warm
"Well, maybe we should forget all this, head down to Mexico. We can lay low, enjoy the quiet life." "That's not an option. The problem is, there are no good options." "Well, maybe it's time for the bad ones."

- Lance Hunter and Phil Coulson

Stealing a car from Honest Eddie's Car Dealership, Hunter and Phil Coulson went to the Retreat to find Skye, only to find a field of devastation. Finding a bloodied piece of wood, Hunter wondered whether Gonzales' agents harmed Skye or the other way around. The two men then reviewed the surveillance footage, revealing that Skye used her powers in self-defense before being abducted by a mysterious, eyeless teleporter; Hunter assumed she was abducted by aliens. They then decided to rest at the cabin for the night while they considered their course of action. During that time, Hunter offered the Director alcohol, Coulson declined the offer, wanting to stay clear-headed before lamenting the loss of both S.H.I.E.L.D. and Skye in a day. Hunter assured the Director that he was not at fault, blaming Morse, Mackenzie and Gonzales for deceiving them. Though Coulson reasoned that Gonzales' people believed they were doing the right thing, Hunter was unsympathetic. He then suggested that they flee to Mexico, but Coulson refused, before admitting he could not think of a good option. Hunter offhandedly suggested he try a bad option. The following day Robert Gonzales' S.H.I.E.L.D. forces attacked, deliberately alerted by Coulson, who decided to take Hunter's advice, as he wanted to steal one of their Quinjets. During the altercation, Hunter repeatedly voiced his displeasure with the plan, even though Coulson assured him backup would be coming shortly. Both men managed to escape the cabin thanks to a diversion involving Holographic Cards from a "21st century Howling Commando Gear". When their luck seemingly ran out right after, with them being held at gunpoint and taken prisoner aboard a Quinjet, Hunter stated that he doubted Coulson ever called for anyone to help them, only to be proven wrong when Deathlok, their backup, came to free them and help them take over the Quinjet. With the Quinjet now under their control and being flown by Deathlok, Hunter asked Coulson why he neglected to mention that their backup was a super-powered cyborg, with a smile Coulson said he just couldn't resist seeing Hunter's reaction. Coulson went on to tell Hunter that Deathlok, whose real name was Michael Peterson, had been hunting down the HYDRA scientist Doctor List. They discussed their next step, which would be to track down and recruit their old enemy Grant Ward.

After settling in at a safehouse, Hunter was surprised to find Leo Fitz appearing on Coulson's personal tablet. Coulson then realized that Fitz managed to open Nick Fury's Toolbox to have contacted them. Fitz then informed them that he had escaped from S.H.I.E.L.D. but Robert Gonzales' agents were tailing him in the hopes of leading them to Coulson. Hunter then proceeded to advise Fitz on how to shake his tail with the use of a hand dryer, setting up a plan to collect him and bring him into their mission.

Working with Grant Ward
"We're infiltrating HYDRA, our options are limited. Ward is a psychopath but for now he's our psychopath, so we use him to stay one step ahead."

- Lance Hunter to Leo Fitz

After Hunter, Coulson and Peterson used the Quinjet to help Leo Fitz escape from Gonzales' agents, they informed him of their plan to use Grant Ward to gain access to HYDRA and question Wolfgang von Strucker and Dr. List about the teleporter who took Skye. While Coulson and Peterson tracked down Ward and Agent 33, Hunter stayed onboard the Quinjet with Fitz. Fitz expressed his uncertainty of the plan, Hunter tried to comfort him by reminding him that it was part of the job to form questionable alliances. Coulson later arrived back on the Quinjet with Ward, Agent 33 and Sunil Bakshi, who was now working for Ward and had set up a meeting with Dr. List. Hunter noticed Fitz was keeping his hand on his gun and comforted him, later when Fitz lost his temper and tried to attack Ward, Hunter held him back.

Despite the tensions in the group, the plan went ahead and Sunil Bakshi was sent in for a meeting with List with Mike Peterson acting as his bodyguard. Coulson, Ward, Hunter, Fitz and 33 watched the mission unfold from Peterson's video feed in his cybernetic eye. When Bakshi announced that he would be trading Peterson for List's experiments in exchange for a meeting with Wolfgang von Strucker, Hunter called Ward a traitor and a standoff ensued, with Hunter aiming his gun at Ward's head. Eventually the situation was calmed down and Fitz was able to order Peterson not to fight back and go along with the plan.

When List became aware of the location of some enhanced individuals, he turned the plane around to track them down. Hunter joined Coulson, Ward and Agent 33 in searching for the enhanced as they learned that Skye was present. They engaged in a firefight against the HYDRA soldiers and before long Hunter was shot in the shoulder, he was saved by Agent 33 and they regrouped with the rest of the team. With Mike Peterson now captured with another Enhanced and knowing that both HYDRA and S.H.I.E.L.D. were incoming, Coulson ordered the team to escape while he surrendered to S.H.I.E.L.D. in order to convince Robert Gonzales to work with them.

Return to S.H.I.E.L.D.
While Coulson was being questioned by Robert Gonzales, Hunter remained on the Quinjet with the rest of the team, caring to his injured shoulder. He and Leo Fitz discussed how Grant Ward and Agent 33 appeared to be genuinely in love with each other; Fitz jokingly told him to concentrate on his bleeding shoulder as it would be less unnerving. Eventually they were contacted by Phil Coulson who had made a deal with Gonzales to work together to bring down HYDRA and they flew the Quinjet back to the Playground. Hunter later reunited with Alphonso Mackenzie, who was working on a television screen so the other Agents could watch the mission to rescue the enhanced individuals from the HYDRA base unfold. Hunter asked if he needed any help and Mackenzie took the opportunity to apologize for the recent events. After hearing what he had to say Hunter told him that he forgave him for his actions. Mackenzie promised to buy Hunter a round of drinks to make up for what he had done, but Hunter assured him that it would take more than just one round of drinks to make up for being handcuffed to the floor of a bathroom.

Inhuman Threat
"Hate to break it to you but S.H.I.E.L.D. will also fall apart if a dozen angry enhanced blokes rain terror on us all."

- Lance Hunter to Phil Coulson

While on board the Iliad, Hunter chanced upon Raina and the eyeless teleporter exploring the ship. Hunter ordered them to stop, but they teleported away and Hunter set off the alarm. After the pair were found trying to steal the Monolith that was being kept in the cargo hold, Gonzales called for a meeting to discuss the next step, Hunter tried to learn more about the stone but received no answers. As the mission to travel to the Inhumans' home to speak to their leader Jiaying went underway, Hunter and Leo Fitz spoke to Phil Coulson in his office. Hunter expressed his concern at the fact that Robert Gonzales had been selected as the one to speak to Jiaying rather than Coulson. Coulson defended the council's decision as he had not always made the smartest call when it came to Skye and they needed to put their faith in the council or S.H.I.E.L.D. would fall apart all over again. When Hunter casually claimed that S.H.I.E.L.D. would fall apart if angry enhanced individuals destroy them, while putting his feet on Coulson's desk, Coulson noted that maybe the three of them had been spending too much time together. Hunter was present with Coulson when they were informed that the Inhumans had handed over Calvin Zabo to S.H.I.E.L.D.'s custody.

Saving Bobbi Morse
"There's a piece Ward doesn't understand yet. When I find him I'm going to kill him." "Glad we're on the same page."

- Melinda May and Lance Hunter

Coulson received a video call from Melinda May from Afterlife, asking what had happened to Bobbi Morse as she was no longer answering communications. Knowing that something was wrong, Hunter ran out the room to investigate. Hunter tried calling Morse and had Leo Fitz to track her Quinjet. Hunter suggested that they look at the footage from before Morse left the Playground to see if they could find any answers there. They eventually learned that Morse had left the base with Melinda May; however, that was impossible as the real Melinda May left the base a few minutes afterwards. They came to the conclusion that Morse had been kidnapped by Agent 33. Hunter and Fitz informed Phil Coulson and the rest of the team of their discovery, just after Coulson had learned that Jiaying was responsible for killing Robert Gonzales. With no doubt that Grant Ward was behind the kidnapping, Coulson approved of Hunter's request to save her. Hunter requested a pilot to join him on his rescue mission and Melinda May volunteered. Once they had suited up and gotten their weapons, they were sent out on their mission to rescue Bobbi Morse and kill Agent 33 and Grant Ward, something both Hunter and May expressed pleasure about. Hunter and May eventually found Bobbi Morse's Quinjet abandoned in Spain and searched the interior for clues. Although the Quinjet was empty, they found a series of bullet holes which revealed that Morse had put up a fight before being kidnapped. Hunter questioned what Grant Ward would want with Morse, and May assured him that Morse would be able to handle herself against him. Back on the Quinjet, Hunter found Morse's phone had activated again, allowing them to trace her location. Although they knew it was very likely a trap, Hunter demanded they go in nonetheless; May did not argue as she wanted the chance to kill Grant Ward. Hunter and May arrived at Morse's location and with a team of agents, began searching the rooms for her. Eventually Hunter came across a door covered in blood; believing this to be the one where Bobbi Morse was being held, he began to open the door. The moment he opened it however, he found Morse throwing herself in the path of a rifle which had been rigged to fire at anyone entering. Morse took the bullet to her shoulder and Hunter ran to her aid, begging her to stay with him as he untied her.

Morse's Recovery
"You look better, stupid but better, taking a bullet for me was stupid." "Walking into a trap when you know it's a trap is stupid."

- Lance Hunter and Bobbi Morse

When Melinda May arrived, they managed to escape and get Morse to safety. They flew back to the Playground where Jemma Simmons immediately took Morse into surgery to save her life while Hunter could only look on helplessly. Once the surgery was completed and Morse's heart rate was stable, Hunter stayed by her side and held her hand while waiting for her to wake. Eventually, Morse awoke from her surgeries and Hunter was there to greet her, mocking her about foolishly taking a bullet for him. She then told him she did not feel she could work for S.H.I.E.L.D. anymore.

Avoiding Morse
"We'll be right there with you. It's not like this day can get any crazier, right?" "Right..."

- Lance Hunter and Joey Gutierrez

Hunter, Daisy Johnson, and Alphonso Mackenzie went to Seattle, Washington to rescue a new Inhuman named Joey Gutierrez, who was struggling to control his powers. When the team arrived, the Advanced Threat Containment Unit had beaten them there; however, Johnson was able to use her powers to keep them at bay. Once Johnson had convinced Gutierrez they were on his side, Hunter signaled for a Containment Module from the Zephyr One to their location to transport the newly-powered Inhuman to the S.H.I.E.L.D. aircraft. At the Playground, Hunter, Mackenzie, and Phil Coulson researched Rosalind Price, leader of the Advanced Threat Containment Unit. While overlooking her extensive work history where she worked for many various intelligence organisations under different alias, Hunter noted that she worked for MI6 at one time. When Coulson asked him to convey to Bobbi Morse technology he obtained from the ATCU, Hunter refused, citing that he wanted no contact with her. Coulson relented and agreed to take the technology to Morse himself despite being annoyed by the inconvenience.

Ambush on the Train
"Sir I have trouble counting it out using my fingers but I think there's more of them than us." "Roger that, thanks Hunter."

- Lance Hunter and Phil Coulson

Later, Hunter and Coulson boarded a subway train in Washington, D.C., hoping to take Rosalind Price by surprise and talk to her without her entourage; instead, they were surrounded by ATCU soldiers at gunpoint, as Price and her soldier Luther Banks had set a trap. Hunter listened as the leaders of the two organizations exchanged quips and eventually information about the deaths of newly-transformed Inhumans. When a soldier inspected Hunter's bookbag, he accidentally activated the Containment Module; a transporter came and Hunter and Coulson escaped. At the Playground, Hunter and Morse saw each other in the locker room; he was upset that Morse refused his marriage proposal. They admitted their love for one another, but Morse convinced him that marriage again was not wise at that moment, especially with him actively hunting Grant Ward. Morse asked him to wait until she was healed enough to assist him; Hunter listened, but decided that, first chance he got, he was getting his revenge. Mackenzie then arrived and alerted them that the President of the United States was having a press conference.

Assassination Mission
"Don't die out there." "And Hunter, make sure he does."

- Bobbi Morse and Phil Coulson to Lance Hunter

Hunter and Bobbi Morse ran past Alphonso Mackenzie and Daisy Johnson, alerting them that Leo Fitz had opened the container holding the Monolith. The four quickly pulled Fitz out the container and slammed it shut before it turned to its liquid state. Hunter watched as Phil Coulson entered and berated Fitz for his emotional carelessness, while Morse wiped a speck of sand from his cheek. Fitz then ran from the containment room. Hunter attended the meeting where Fitz explained that the sand predated Earth by a billion years, proving that Jemma Simmons was transported by the Monolith. When Coulson gave out assignments to his senior agents, Hunter was told that he was to continue his pre-discussed mission. Morse accompanied Hunter as he left the Playground. She wished to be with him as he hunted Grant Ward; Hunter reminded her that she already worked as a spy in HYDRA and her face was too recognizable, noting that her body looked good as well. They kissed farewell; Morse warned him not to get killed. Coulson turned to Hunter and told him to assure that Ward does.

Recruiting May
"What's your way in?" "From below, climb the ranks, Hail HYDRA and all that." "He sees your face, you're made." "If he's close enough to see my face then I'm close enough to put a bullet in his."

- Melinda May and Lance Hunter

Researching Melinda May's location through ill-reputed contacts, Hunter managed to trace May's last phone-call to a pay phone; Hunter went to Sun City, Arizona, where he had learned that there were only two Asian inhabitants, one of whom he assumed was May. Before he could knock on the door of William May, Melinda abruptly opened it and put a knife to his throat, before demanding to know why he was there. After updating her on the latest rumors about the reasons for her absence of S.H.I.E.L.D., Hunter told May about the others researching the whereabouts of Jemma Simmons. He then asked her to help him to find and kill Grant Ward, citing that she was staying with her father because she was unsure if Ward had anything to do with his recent car accident. May refused, stating that her father needed her; Hunter told her how to contact him if she changed her mind before leaving. Before long, May changed her mind due to a long conversation with her father and joined Hunter in preparing for their mission to find and kill Ward. While Hunter was doing mechanical work and preparing the guns he had gotten from gunrunners for their mission, May received a phone call from Andrew Garner; once she put the phone down, she told Hunter that Jemma Simmons had been found alive and was reunited with the others. Hunter screamed for joy, noting how smart Leo Fitz was and demanded that they get a beer to celebrate.

Criminal Reunion
"You have something to unload?" "Weapons. Next gen, high potential damage." "We need buyers with deep pockets and bad intentions."

- Spud, Melinda May and Lance Hunter

Hunter got in contact with a former colleague named Spud, who worked closely with HYDRA and arranged to meet him in a bar with Melinda May. Upon greeting Spud they exchanged hugs and Hunter, whom Spud called "Richy", introduced him to May, whom he called "Gina". Spud agreed to buy them all a round of drinks despite May's wish to discuss business, but Hunter insisted that first they drink they they talk about work. As Hunter and Spud continued to drink, they became harder to understand as they discussed their time working together and how Hunter had mocked Spud when his fiancee had left him. Eventually Melinda May managed to get their conversation back on track and told the drunk Spud that they had weapons they were looking to sell to HYDRA. Spud explained that HYDRA's new leader had major trust issues and a recommendation from him would not be enough, Spud explained that he would only meet with Hunter if he proved himself in a fight club by killing his opponent, which Hunter commented sounded like good fun and agreed. Back at their safe-house, Hunter spoke to Bobbi Morse on the phone while Melinda May checked their weapons. Morse updated Hunter on Jemma Simmons' mental and physical state and Hunter told her that he was having a very boring time hunting Grant Ward by chasing leads without much luck. Once he put the phone down, Hunter talked to May about lying to their partners before they turned the conversation to working with Spud, who Hunter described as a psychopath. May suggested that she fight in Hunter's place but he insisted it could not be her as Ward may hear of it. May then revealed that Hunter had lost his bet that she had dumped Andrew Garner while she was away.

Fight Club
"Are you not tired yet?! Cause that was sort of my strategy."

- Lance Hunter to Spud

Hunter and May arrived at the HYDRA organized fight club just in time to witness the end of the previous fight which resulted in a man's head being beaten to death. Upon seeing Spud, Hunter stepped into the ring ready to meet and fight his opponent, however he was shocked to discover that Spud was the man he would be fighting, as he wanted revenge for all the years of mockery he had endured from Hunter. As the fight went underway, Spud proved himself to be the superior fighter with more strength and endurance than Hunter. While he was getting beaten, Hunter questioned why it was happening as he had always believed that he and Spud were just joking around, but Spud made it clear that he was never joking and proceeded to throw Hunter across the ring while mercilessly beating him, even picking him up and slamming his body through a wooden table while the audience cheered. Before long Hunter was so badly beaten he could barely stand as he fell to the ground and Spud kicked him repeatedly. While Spud roared to the crowd, believing himself to be the victor, Hunter reached into his pocket and pulled out some knuckle-dusters. He then launched up and hit Spud hard in the face three times with such force that Spud fell down dead. Hunter was announced as the victor as he made eye contact with Melinda May, blood covering his body and face as the HYDRA spectators watched and cheered at the display of such brutal and bloody violence.

Joining HYDRA
"You certainly don't make it easy to get a meeting." "The boss doesn't want it to be easy. But he's always interested in meeting people who can prove themselves." "Sounds like an interesting bloke. I look forward to meeting him some day."

- Lance Hunter and Kebo

Still barely able to walk, Hunter was taken into the facility's backroom where he was greeted by Grant Ward's second in command, Kebo, who laughed at Hunter's bloodied state. Kebo explained that Ward did not want it to be easy for people to get into HYDRA, but was always interested in meeting those who could prove themselves to him in combat.

Closing In
"What if there are innocent lives at risk?" "There are always lives at risk! You were there when Bobbi was bleeding out in my arms, Ward did that. If I have a shot at finding him I'm taking it. I have to, before Bobbi gets back in the field."

- Melinda May and Lance Hunter

Having secured his place in HYDRA, Hunter began to await orders from Kebo about his first mission under their command. Hunter met with Melinda May who questioned him over his orders, getting annoyed at the knowledge that he was not being given any information beforehand, but Hunter insisted the chance of finding Grant Ward made it worthwhile, expressing his desire to kill him before Bobbi Morse was cleared for field work. May ordered him to call when he got his orders. Kebo eventually called and offered Hunter the chance to join them on a HYDRA mission. Hunter waited until Kebo and his men collected him and once again searched him, destroying his phone before putting him in the boot of their car, despite Hunter's protests due to the lack of trust and the bad smell coming from the inside of the car. Kebo drove Hunter to their base, which he noted was currently unnamed. They discussed whether or not Grant Ward had ever worked for S.H.I.E.L.D. before Hunter began to ask about their plans and questioned if they were planning a raid soon.

Attack on Grant Ward
"Turn around Richy." "Yeah, Richy. Why so shy?" "My name isn't Richy... Director."

- Kebo, Grant Ward and Lance Hunter

Much to Hunter's shock, Grant Ward appeared behind him, looking to be introduced to his new recruit. Hunter revealed his true identity before grabbing a gun and engaging in a firefight with Ward and his soldiers. Ward and Kebo managed to hide in his office as they exchanged insults, with Hunter reminding Ward that he accidentally killed his own girlfriend Kara Palamas. Ward claimed he would rather have Bobbi Morse be the one coming after him, as that would have been a better fight. As Ward's HYDRA soldiers began to surround Hunter, Melinda May arrived and killed them before joining Hunter. May contacted Phil Coulson, who revealed he was still twenty minutes away and ordered them to fall back, but Hunter insisted he would kill Ward with or without assistance. Although clearly afraid of May's arrival, Ward continued to mock the pair for their efforts, claiming he would use the guns Hunter had given him to cause mayhem. When May insisted that he was trapped, Ward revealed a video feed showing his men were stalking Andrew Garner ready to execute him; Ward informed them if they surrendered, they and Garner would go free. Although May clearly wanted to do what she could to save her ex-husband, Hunter refused and instead made his move towards Ward's position, firing his gun at him. By the time he made it to the office, Kebo had escaped through a window and Ward was close behind. Hunter fired several shots and managed to wound Ward in the shoulder, causing him to fall from the window and land hard on the ground. Kebo was able to get Ward into a truck and they managed to drive away while Hunter continued to fire. As Hunter watched Ward's escape, he turned back to see Melinda May looking mortified at the possible loss of Garner.

Keeping Busy
"I'll drive... I mean... Please..."

- Lance Hunter to Daisy Johnson and Alphonso Mackenzie

Returning to the Playground, Hunter discovered that Andrew Garner had barely survived his assassination attempt and was being treated by a team of medics. As Hunter attempted to see him, Melinda May stopped him and confronted him about putting Grant Ward's death over Garner's life. Hunter attempted to defend his actions but May believed he was blinded by a desire for revenge. Phil Coulson broke them up before a fight could break out and took Hunter off the mission, giving it to May. Before she left to track Ward, May recruited Bobbi Morse, believing she was combat-ready. Hunter stopped the pair outside Zephyr One and asked to speak to his ex-wife, which May reluctantly allowed. Although Hunter tried to convince her to allow him to tag along, Morse made it clear that she agreed with May that his anger issues had put Garner at risk needlessly. Hunter questioned if Morse was really ready to go back into the field and she assured him she was; as he left, Hunter told her to do better at killing Ward than he had done. With nothing to keep himself busy, Hunter went into the lab and joined Leo Fitz, who was making fake I.Ds for May and Morse. Hunter noted that Fitz's monitors were also working on recreating the Monolith's portal so he could rescue Will Daniels, who had saved Jemma Simmons' life on the planet where she was lost. Hunter commented that he felt it was a bad idea to bring Simmons' lover back to Earth, but Fitz argued that Daniels had saved Simmons' life so he owed him. Fitz then asked Hunter why he was hanging around the lab and asked him to leave. As he continued to roam around the Playground looking for something to keep him busy, Hunter overheard a conversation between Alphonso Mackenzie and Daisy Johnson where they theorised that Luther Banks could be the Inhuman Lash who had been hunting down and killing other Inhumans. When Mackenzie informed her that they had a van ready to track Banks, Hunter appeared in the doorway and awkwardly asked if he could please drive the van for them.

Kidnapping Luther Banks
"Lash is an Inhuman. Inhumans have markers in their DNA, if we test Banks' blood for markers we'll know if he's Inhuman or not." "That's actually kinda smart."

- Lance Hunter and Daisy Johnson

Hunter joined Johnson and Mackenzie as they waited for Luther Banks to get in his car; Hunter continued to comment on how Banks had not arrived yet, much to the annoyance of the others. As they discussed Banks' past, Hunter asked if they planned to torture Banks once they had captured him, leading to a discussion on Hunter's professionalism and how he had nearly gotten Andrew Garner killed. Before the argument could continue, Banks arrived and they followed him in his car. As Banks spoke on the phone outside his house, Johnson and Mackenzie discussed what their next move would be, as they could not follow him into his home. Looking to get the mission completed quickly, Hunter walked out with a bandana over his face and shot Banks with an I.C.E.R. Hunter then dragged Banks onto the van where he was confronted by the furious Johnson and Mackenzie. Hunter told them that the best way to test if Banks was Lash would be to test his blood for Inhuman DNA, which he gained by punching him in the face. While they waited for Jemma Simmons to analyse Banks' blood back at the Playground, the team went through Banks' belongings and Hunter tested his phone, noting that Banks never took photographs of himself. When his phone went off, Hunter denied responsibility; Mackenzie looked at it and discovered a text message for Banks informing him that a subject was being moved to a lab. They researched and traced the lab and decided to investigate, leaving Banks in his car to wake up shortly. The three of them travelled to the base where Banks was due and used a new model of the D.W.A.R.F.s which Leo Fitz had upgraded to search the facility. As they did they got a call from Jemma Simmons who confirmed that Banks was not an Inhuman; Hunter claimed that regardless, Banks was still not to be trusted. They watched on the camera as an ATCU van arrived at the Endotex Labs carrying an Inhuman in a coma and in a cage to be locked away; they also spotted Phil Coulson watching this unfold with Rosalind Price.

Worrying about Morse
"I don't want either of us to go after Ward." "You're joking right? Since when? Whatever it is lay it on me." "I think you've been reckless and stupid." "Can I take back what I just said?"

- Bobbi Morse and Lance Hunter

Hunter caught up with Bobbi Morse back at the Playground after she had completed a mission which had resulted in Kebo's death. Hunter spoke to her in her changing room where he teased her about not wearing a shirt before commenting on how he was glad Kebo was dead. Hunter once again pushed the idea of him joining the hunt for Grant Ward but Morse insisted that it was a bad idea. Hunter defended his actions again, noting that Andrew Garner had survived the attack on his life, but Morse explained that she did not want either of them to go after Ward, much to Hunter's shock. Morse told him he had been reckless and stupid and asked what he had done it for, but Hunter insisted that he had done it to protect her from Ward because he loved her. Morse told Hunter that she needed him alive and did not want to lose him, noting that they should stop before they become monsters like Ward. While sending time in Leo Fitz's lab, Hunter and Bobbi Morse overheard him making a breakthrough in his investigation into the Monolith. Fitz showed a picture of Will Daniels and Jemma Simmons, with Hunter noting that he thought Daniels had a "hog face". Fitz however noted that the logo on Daniels' uniform was very similar to the symbols he and Morse had seen in the castle in England. Fitz claimed that the group who had experimented with the Monolith in the 1800's could be the same group that had sent Daniels through it; Hunter remained skeptical.

Revealing Secrets
Hunter and Bobbi Morse joined the rest of S.H.I.E.L.D. to hear a speech from Phil Coulson, where he announced that they would be launching Operation Spotlight so they could study and observe the ATCU and discover their hidden secrets. Coulson noted that what had happened with Andrew Garner was tragic but it allowed them to use his Containment Module to hack into the ATCU security systems. When Coulson handed the team missions out, he ordered Hunter and Morse to infiltrate Endotex Labs. Once Daisy Johnson had caused a glitch in their systems, the ATCU tried to call the FBI but instead were sent Hunter and Morse, posing as a computer hacker and an FBI agent, respectively. As they were being shown around by Steve Wilson, Hunter mocked their computer systems while Johnson told him what to say via a radio link. They managed to convince Wilson that their systems had indeed been hacked, forcing him to call Rosalind Price to confirm they could log onto their computers.

Wilson was left with no choice but to allow Hunter to log into their systems, although he remained highly reluctant. Johnson continued to feed Hunter the correct terminology so he could fool Wilson into trusting him. As Hunter began to log into the system his lack of computer skills quickly began to show as Johnson mocked him over the radio. In the end Hunter did log on, giving Zephyr One remote access over their computer systems while Hunter just had to stay beside the computer as long as possible while Morse explored the base. Hunter managed to annoy Wilson so much he left to get a drink of coffee; while he was gone, Hunter spotted that Luther Banks had arrived at the base. Hunter informed his team of this and recommended that they finish their work as quickly as possible. When Wilson and Banks returned to Hunter's computer, he was left with no choice but to admit that Wilson was right and he knew nothing about computers. He then revealed himself and knocked Wilson's coffee into his face before grabbing Morse's bag and running from Banks.

Fighting an Inhuman
"Aliens, I pine for the days when we didn't have to fight bloody aliens. It's just not a fair fight."

- Lance Hunter

Hunter eventually caught up with Bobbi Morse, who had already taken down two guards, and they joked about their height difference. They were interrupted by the arrival of Giyera; when Hunter went to grab the guns on the floor, Giyera revealed his Inhuman powers and levitated the guns, using them to shoot at Hunter and Morse, forcing them to dive for cover. Morse opened her bag and revealed that it contained her batons, much to Hunter's disappointment, but she was able to use them to knock out the guards and guns. Morse then engaged Giyera in a one-on-one battle where the Inhuman used his powers to gain the upper hand. When he was able to disarm Morse, Hunter snuck up behind him and knocked him out. Suddenly the door burst open and Luther Banks appeared, promising to help them escape, noting that they had no choice but to trust him. Banks led them to a secret entrance under the North West parking lot where a Quinjet piloted by Melinda May and Lincoln Campbell arrived and rescued the three.

Once the agents had returned to the Playground, they gathered together and Rosalind Price revealed how she had met Gideon Malick in 2001 and that he had advised her in many key issues, starting when she was working for NASA. Having done further research into the subject, Jemma Simmons and Leo Fitz revealed that they had discovered that a division of NASA, known as Project Distant Star Return was connected to an ancient HYDRA order obsessed with studying the Monolith for unknown reasons.

Kidnapping Thomas Ward
"We got no heroes here today, mate."

- Hunter intimidating customers at a jewelry store

While on a date, Phil Coulson witnessed Rosalind Price being assassinated by Grant Ward. Once back at the Playground, Hunter tried to offer his condolences but Coulson grabbed him by the throat and confronted him for failing to kill Ward when he had the chance. When Hunter said he would do anything to get the chance to kill Ward again, Coulson recruited him and Bobbi Morse in a new mission to track down their greatest enemy. Onboard the Quinjet, Coulson informed Hunter and Morse that their target was Ward's younger brother Thomas Ward. Hunter pitched a plan to kidnap Thomas by robbing the jewelry shop he worked at. As they travelled, Coulson got a call from Alphonso Mackenzie informing him that HYDRA had kidnapped Leo Fitz and Jemma Simmons. Fueled by rage, Coulson followed Hunter as they successfully robbed the jewelry store while armed with shotguns and wearing balaclavas, taking Thomas Ward into custody. Once back on the Quinjet, Hunter revealed to Thomas that his brother was unaware of his location, but they would soon tell him. While Coulson spoke to Ward on the phone, he showed him a video feed of his brother, whom Hunter threatened to kill. When Coulson hung up the phone suddenly, Hunter questioned if that was the right move while Morse gave Thomas a drink of water. Hunter explained that they were hunting down Ward and needed Thomas' help to do that, Thomas then explained his past growing up with his family, telling them that they would have to kill Ward as soon as they got the chance. Coulson had Morse track Ward through his phone as he allowed Thomas to speak to him; once they had the location, Coulson warned Ward that they were coming and severed the call. Once over the HYDRA base, Coulson began putting on a parachute. Hunter was called upon by Morse to talk him out of whatever his plan was; Hunter kissed Morse and apologized for having the same plan. As Hunter moved to join Coulson, Coulson jumped out of the Quinjet and fell towards the castle. Hunter could not reach him as Morse flew the Quinjet out of the reach of HYDRA before Hunter could jump.

Personality
Initially, Lance Hunter was only perceived as a common mercenary, only caring about being paid by Coulson for the job and possesses a sarcastic sense of humor. However, he does care for his comrades as he chose to save Hartley against orders to try and save her life. After his friends' deaths, he became extremely vengeful against Carl Creel and knocked out Skye, Melinda May and Antoine Triplett in a failed attempt to kill him. He also went to similar lengths to infiltrate HYDRA to retaliate against Grant Ward, to retaliate for an incident in which Hunter's ex-wife Bobbi Morse was abducted and nearly killed. He has a sense of honor as he chose to join S.H.I.E.L.D. because of Isabelle Hartley, despite the loss of two million dollars from Glenn Talbot.

Since joining, Hunter showed remorse for his actions, repeatedly apologizing to May; however his apologies were only considered when she shot him to protect Jemma Simmons. He shares a complicated romantic history with Bobbi Morse as they were both married at one point and separated for unknown reasons. Initially, he was reluctant about working with her, but he stayed anyway and they even reignited their relationship.

Over time, Hunter has come to be truly loyal to S.H.I.E.L.D., and especially to Phil Coulson. His new-found loyalty is strong enough for him to help Coulson take back S.H.I.E.L.D. from Robert Gonzales. Hunter's decision to become a permanent agent surprised many people who knew him for a long time, including Bobbi.

Abilities
"Drop the accent. It makes you sound like a douche bag."
 * Expert Marksman: Hunter is very proficient with many different weapons and is extremely accurate with all of them. He favors the use of assault rifles and sub-machine guns when acting as member of a tactical team, and usually carries a handgun as his sidearm. Hunter killed Octavian Bloom with a single shot to the forehead.

- Bobbi Morse


 * Expert Spy: Hunter maintained a convincing cover and quickly created a romantic relationship with Bridget, in order to pickpocket a ticket for fundraiser event from her. Hunter was able to trick Sunil Bakshi into exposing the leadership of HYDRA. He was able to spot the flash-drive that Bobbi Morse, a professional spy had been hiding from him, and was able to tell her excuse, that she and Alphonso Mackenzie were in a support group for people scarred by the HYDRA infiltration of S.H.I.E.L.D. was a lie.
 * Expert Martial Artist: Hunter is an expert martial artist and has taken down many trained HYDRA mercenaries at the same time, and he also handled himself against the super-powered Carl Creel.

Weapons
As a former soldier and experienced mercenary, Lance Hunter is proficient with a wide range of firearms.
 * : The Smith & Wesson M&P pistol is the standard sidearm carried by S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, and, as such, Hunter used it to threaten or shoot most of his enemies, such as Carl Creel during his mission to obtain a file from Roger Browning, Grant Ward when he kidnapped Skye on the Bus, or Gordon and Raina when they briefly infiltrated the Iliad looking for the Monolith.
 * : Lance Hunter used the Beretta 92FS, one of the standard sidearms of the United States Armed Forces, when posing as a soldier to kidnap Glenn Talbot while saving him from Carl Creel.
 * : The standard side-arm used by HYDRA security officers. Hunter used one of these guns when posing as a mercenary hired by HYDRA to rescue Sunil Bakshi.
 * : Hunter used a version of a Heckler & Koch MP5A3 with a railed foregrip installed, in addition to a suppressor, taclight and an EOTech sight, as part of a three-men tactical unit deployed in Casablanca to either recruit or stop Donnie Gill. He used it to aim at undercover S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Jemma Simmons, unaware of her true allegiance, but he was stopped by Melinda May before being able to shoot at her.
 * : Hunter prepared this assault rifle in order to defend his position inside the Retreat from tactical S.H.I.E.L.D. agents sent by Robert Gonzales. However, Phil Coulson ordered him to use only I.C.E.R.s in order to deal with them.
 * : The IWI Tavor TAR-21 was the standard weapon carried by tactical agents of the S.H.I.E.L.D. faction led by Robert Gonzales, and it became the main weapon of all tactical agents when that faction reunited with the one led by Phil Coulson. Hunter took one of these weapons when he dressed as the tactical agents that were sent by Gonzales to trap him and Phil Coulson at the Retreat. He argued with Coulson that they should have used them instead in order to escape, not knowing that Coulson had another plan in mind. He also took one of them as his main weapon went he traveled to rescue Bobbi Morse from Grant Ward and Kara Palamas.
 * : Hunter took this rifle from Antoine Triplett in order to avenge his friend Isabelle Hartley by killing Carl Creel during an exchange with his HYDRA contact. However, Creel noticed Hunter aiming at him, and he transformed into to deflect the bullet.
 * : Hunter used a Milkor MGL Grenade Launcher loaded with an Electric Net Grenade designed by Jemma Simmons' Science Division to capture Vin-Tak.
 * I.C.E.R.: Hunter used an I.C.E.R. against Skye, Melinda May and Antoine Triplett when he wanted revenge against Carl Creel.
 * : Hunter employed the use of brass knuckles to fight and kill Spud.

Other Equipment

 * Mouse Hole: Hunter was handed a Mouse Hole by Melinda May in order to get out from the car where he suffered an accident that killed Idaho and Isabelle Hartley. However, his escape was unsuccessful, given he was apprehended by members of the United States Armed Forces.

Allies

 * S.H.I.E.L.D. (Second Incarnation)
 * Phil Coulson - Director
 * Isabelle Hartley † - Colleague and Friend
 * Idaho † - Colleague and Friend
 * Melinda May - Colleague
 * Daisy Johnson - Colleague and Friend
 * Antoine Triplett † - Colleague
 * Alphonso Mackenzie - Colleague and Friend
 * Bobbi Morse - Lover, Ex-Wife and Colleague
 * Leo Fitz - Colleague and Friend
 * Jemma Simmons - Colleague
 * Billy Koenig - Colleague
 * Sam Koenig - Colleague
 * Michael Peterson - Colleague
 * Robert Gonzales † - Enemy turned Ally
 * Anne Weaver - Enemy turned Ally
 * Oliver † - Enemy turned Ally
 * Secret Warriors
 * Lincoln Campbell - Colleagues
 * Joey Gutierrez
 * Glenn Talbot - Situational Ally
 * Sif
 * Advanced Threat Containment Unit - Situational Allies
 * Rosalind Price †
 * Luther Banks †

Enemies

 * HYDRA
 * Carl Creel/Absorbing Man
 * Marcus Scarlotti
 * Sunil Bakshi †
 * Octavian Bloom † - Victim
 * Toshiro Mori † - Victim
 * Grant Ward †
 * Spud † - Former Colleague turned Victim
 * Kebo †
 * Giyera
 * Afterlife Inhumans
 * Raina †
 * Gordon †
 * Vin-Tak
 * Agent 33 †
 * Tomas Calderon
 * Honest Eddie

Trivia

 * In the comics, Lance Hunter is the director of STRIKE, the British equivalent of S.H.I.E.L.D.. Hunter was not Bobbi Morse's ex-husband, as Hawkeye was the one that filled that role, but since Lance Hunter's introduction into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Hunter has been adapted as a younger man and Morse's new romantic interest.
 * According to Alphonso Mackenzie, Hunter's favorite type of pizza is Hawaiian.