Robert Gonzales

"We founded S.H.I.E.L.D. ... the real S.H.I.E.L.D. ... on the belief that leadership should operate with transparency and not from the shadows." "Nick Fury simply kept too many secrets."

- Robert Gonzales and Anne Weaver

Robert Gonzales is a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. After the S.H.I.E.L.D. Civil War he assembled what was left of S.H.I.E.L.D. and reorganized it, eventually becoming one of its leaders, until another faction led by Phil Coulson emerged.

S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent
"I know Coulson; he was a good agent."

- Robert Gonzales

Robert Gonzales joined S.H.I.E.L.D. when he was young. When his wife died he left the active duty but eventually returned. Three years later, he became the Commander of the Iliad, a S.H.I.E.L.D. aircraft carrier. He eventually became one of the best commanders S.H.I.E.L.D. ever had.

S.H.I.E.L.D. Civil War
"It may come as a surprise to you, but I was very close to Isabelle Hartley. You see, she saved my life in this very facility. HYDRA had me dead to rights."

- Robert Gonzales to Lance Hunter

At the beginning of the S.H.I.E.L.D. Civil War, Gonzales was in command of the Iliad, which was carrying a dangerous cargo. A group of HYDRA Agents attempted to assassinate him but he killed them all, though he was heavily injured by a hit to the knee with an axe. He was found by a team of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents led by Bobbi Morse. After the team cared for his damaged leg, Morse revealed that she had been given a secret mission by Nick Fury to detonate all the weapons on the ship, ensuring HYDRA could never get their hands on the ship's cargo, despite the fact that she would undoubtedly be killed herself. Gonzales however refused to allow the team to waste time saving him, so he gave her new orders to allow him to join her so she could have as much help as possible to destroy the ship. When they reached the command center, Agent Alphonso Mackenzie talked them into taking the ship back from HYDRA. Gonzales argued strongly as he was still the commander of the ship. However it was agreed that with S.H.I.E.L.D. now destroyed, it was time to take control and not allow innocent Agents drown. They fought back against the HYDRA agents and completed their mission successfully.

Gonzales' S.H.I.E.L.D.
After HYDRA was pushed back, Gonzales formed a new S.H.I.E.L.D. whose values opposed Nick Fury's about secrets and lies; he recruited Bobbi Morse, Anne Weaver and Alphonso Mackenzie, among others, to his cause. Gonzales did not trust Phil Coulson's leadership, as he felt Coulson's ideas of running S.H.I.E.L.D. were too similar to Fury's, so he dispatched Hartley, Morse and Mackenzie to join Coulson's S.H.I.E.L.D. to gather intel.

Meeting Lance Hunter
"You must be Lance Hunter." "And you must be crazy." "I assure you, none of us wanted this."

- Robert Gonzales and Lance Hunter

Mackenzie reported that Lance Hunter, a mercenary who had joined Coulson's team, had grown suspicious of Mackenzie and Morse, so he had been captured and brought to meet Gonzales. As Hunter was a good friend of Mackenzie, the ex-husband of Morse, and had previously gone to great lengths in a failed attempt to save Hartley's life, Gonzales greeted him kindly. Gonzales explained to Hunter the origins and mentality of his S.H.I.E.L.D.; he debated with him about the strength of Coulson's leadership. Gonzales reminded Hunter of how Coulson had seemingly gone insane due to the alien DNA now in his blood and how he was responsible for Isabelle Hartley's death due to his relentless search for the Obelisk, something which killed Agent Antoine Triplett and caused mutations for Raina and Agent Skye. While Hunter remained loyal to Coulson, he was able to agree with Gonzales about many of the risks involved with following Coulson. Later, Gonzales learnt that Hunter had escaped from the base, with little resistance from Bobbi Morse. He called an emergency meeting with his council; they discussed how much time they would have to apprehend Hunter, who was undoubtedly heading back to inform Phil Coulson of their plans. Gonzales sent Morse and Mackenzie back to the Playground to continue their mission, retrieve Fury's Toolbox and gain Gonzales and his team entry into the base so Gonzales could finally confront Coulson.

Conversation with Phil Coulson
"I wish you were the man you were even two years ago. But by all accounts, you're not." "You didn't know me then, and you don't know me now." "I know that Fury brought you back from the dead." "Right. I didn't ask for that."

- Robert Gonzales and Phil Coulson

When Agent Morse successfully hacked into the Playground's computer systems and allowed Gonzales to locate the Playground, Gonzales and his team attacked, blowing a hole in the side of the base and using their soldiers to capture Coulson's team. Once inside Gonzales found Alphonso Mackenzie, who had been injured in the explosion while trying to save Leo Fitz. Gonzales ensured Mackenzie got immediate medical attention. Once the base was captured and all of Coulson's team were apprehended with the exception of Melinda May, Gonzales called for Coulson to be brought to him. In Coulson's office Gonzales greeted Coulson and they exchanged pleasantries for a short period. Coulson then revealed that he knew exactly who Gonzales was and his history with working for S.H.I.E.L.D., even revealing that he had intended for Gonzales to join his team. Gonzales explained his own knowledge of Coulson, expressing his concerns over Coulson's recovery with the help of alien blood and Skye's new powers. Gonzales revealed that he needed Coulson to show him how to open the Toolbox, but Coulson refused to help.

Gonzales expressed his hatred for the way Nick Fury ran S.H.I.E.L.D., reminding Coulson that Project Insight was Fury's idea, and how he had made Coulson his heir. Seeing Coulson would not cooperate Gonzales handed the Toolbox over to a guard and ordered him to deliver it to Anne Weaver and Jemma Simmons. Before Gonzales could react, Melinda May stormed into the office and took over Gonzales' soldiers before shooting him with an I.C.E.R.. When he awoke he learned that May had helped Coulson escape before being captured herself.

Family

 * Wife †

Allies

 * S.H.I.E.L.D. (First Incarnation) (Former Relationships)
 * Nick Fury - Director
 * Maria Hill - Deputy Director
 * Phil Coulson - Colleague
 * Isabelle Hartley † - Colleague
 * Alphonso Mackenzie - Colleague
 * Bobbi Morse - Colleague
 * S.H.I.E.L.D. (Second Incarnation)
 * Anne Weaver - Subordinate
 * Alphonso Mackenzie - Subordinate
 * Bobbi Morse - Subordinate
 * Tomas Calderon - Subordinate
 * Oliver - Subordinate
 * Isabelle Hartley † - Subordinate

Enemies

 * HYDRA

Appearances
In chronological order:
 * Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
 * Season Two
 * One Door Closes (flashbacks)
 * Love in the Time of HYDRA
 * One Door Closes
 * Afterlife