Sunil Bakshi

"I know what Whitehall is... question remains, what kind of a man are you?" "A loyal one."

- Bobbi Morse and Sunil Bakshi

Sunil Bakshi was a member of HYDRA and the right hand man of Daniel Whitehall. He loyally served in Whitehall's campaign to destroy S.H.I.E.L.D. and retrieve the myterious Obelisk. He was eventually captured by S.H.I.E.L.D. and imprisoned in the Playground facility. S.H.I.E.L.D. then organized a fake escape which they used to force HYDRA into killing several of its own leaders. Bakshi was then handed over to the U.S. Air Force, but he was kidnapped from Brigadier General Glenn Talbot's base by Agent 33 and Grant Ward and brainwashed into serving them. He was later killed by Agent Jemma Simmons when he tried to save Ward from her assassination attempt.

Youth
"Mr. Bakshi, I trust you to do what needs to be done."

- Daniel Whitehall

According to the research of Bobbi Morse, Sunil Bakshi grew up on the streets of London, probably the district, and refined his accent. He joined the military but was let go when they found something off about him. He then became a private contractor.

Sunil Bakshi joined HYDRA and eventually became a confidant and the right hand man of Daniel Whitehall, one of HYDRA's leaders. Bakshi met John Garrett, who spoke highly of Grant Ward.

Retrieving the Obelisk
"You don't know what it's doing to me. I can't keep it off." "Once we have the Obelisk, you will be taken care of the way HYDRA has always taken care of you. Please proceed to the secondary drop site, and I shall meet you at the appropriate time."

- Carl Creel and Sunil Bakshi

Sunil Bakshi acted as HYDRA's contact for their enhanced assassin named Carl Creel. After Creel successfully killed Roger Browning and stole a file containing the location of a dangerous weapon known as the Obelisk which Daniel Whitehall desired, Bakshi called him for an updated and awarded him with a rare, near-flawless musgravite that Creel took pleasure absorbing. Shortly afterwards, Carl Creel was able to locate and steal the Obelisk from the United States Armed Forces, where it was being protected by Brigadier General Glenn Talbot, and killed two S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents in the progress. Bakshi reported to Daniel Whitehall that Creel had successfully procured the Obelisk and had escaped, noting that he was being particularly discreet with this operation as he knew how long Whitehall had been seeking the Obelisk, Whitehall however told him that Bakshi had no idea just how long he had been searching for it. Bakshi did not show for his meeting with Creel at the Halfway House Cafe, causing Creel to request a new meeting site. They decided upon a plaza. At the plaza, the Absorbing Man complained about how the Obelisk was causing him to lose control of his powers. Bakshi reminded Creel of his training and that his "compliance would be rewarded." This catch-phrase calmed Creel enough for him to regain control. However, before Bakshi could retrieve the briefcase containing the artifact, Lance Hunter attacked Creel and, in the ensuing confusion, Raina stole it and Bakshi was unable to catch her.

The Moroccan Mission
"There's a scientist in our downstairs lab. I believe her talents are being wasted. I'd like authorization to bring her up here." "So, you trust her?" "I do now. But if I'm wrong we'll make her comply."

- Sunil Bakshi and Daniel Whitehall Using intel provided to HYDRA by Bobbi Morse, Bakshi found and kidnapped Agent 33 from a S.H.I.E.L.D. Safe House in Europe and presented her to Whitehall. Bakshi was present and took notes as Daniel Whitehall began working on brainwashing Agent 33 to turn her into a loyal assassin for HYDRA. Jemma Simmons came to his attention when he saw a newsletter from the S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy with her, Leo Fitz, and Donnie Gill on the cover from when Fitz and Simmons visited the Academy. Bakshi called her for a meeting, and demanded to know why she did not inform them of her relationship with Gill; Simmons explained that she had been unaware that HYDRA were looking for Gill until earlier that day. Bakshi asked her where her loyalties lied. She assured him that she was loyal to HYDRA; he told her that loyalties could be tested. Bakshi ordered Simmons to accompany him and a retrieval team of HYDRA agents to Morocco to recapture Donnie Gill. On a HYDRA freighter in Morocco, Bakshi gave Simmons an earpiece and told her to repeat to Gill what he told her to say. During her conversation with Blizzard, Bakshi gave Simmons the necessary catchphrases to reactivate Gill's brainwashing. When Gill resisted and tried to freeze Simmons, she ran to Bakshi who finished the speech. With Gill back under HYDRA control, Bakshi and Simmons walked towards his helicopter. Simmons noticed Skye in sniper position and pushed Bakshi from harm's way and escaped. At HYDRA Laboratories, Bakshi informed Whitehall of their failed attempt to recruit Donnie Gill and that Simmons deserved a promotion. Their meeting was interrupted by the now compliant Agent 33, who served Whitehall and delivered him some paperwork and informed him she was happy to comply and was loyal to HYDRA. Once Agent 33 had left, Whitehall asked Bakshi about Jemma Simmons' loyalty to HYDRA, telling him that she could be reprogrammed if they deemed it necessary.

Words of Creation
"So that's Agent May. I guess the file wasn't overselling her. If Coulson sent her, it would seem he doesn't fully trust General Talbot." "So what now? We have Dr. Whitehall's mission to complete." "We need to send in someone Agent Coulson does trust."

- Sunil Bakshi and Agent 33 Daniel Whitehall sent Agent 33 and Bakshi to Miami, Florida to retrieve a painting that had the Words of Creation inscribed on its back. Using the Photostatic Veil, Bakshi impersonated Glenn Talbot and seized the painting. Later that evening, still wearing Talbot's face, Bakshi went to the fundraising gala held for Santa Maria de las Flores. There he was approached by Phil Coulson who asked him not to interfere with his mission. Bakshi feigned drunkenness to hide his ignorance of Coulson. Melinda May followed the disguised Bakshi to his hotel room to see if "Talbot" was setting a trap for her and Coulson. While there she found and fought Agent 33; Bakshi acting as Talbot distracted May enough for Agent 33 to render her unconscious. When May awakened, Bakshi threatened her with torture to learn S.H.I.E.L.D.'s secrets. However, he went to investigate the commotion outside his room, allowing May to attack him and escape.

Fleeing with the painting with Coulson chasing him, Bakshi called for a HYDRA extraction team, but Coulson shot him with an I.C.E.R. and took the antique before they could arrive.

The Mole
"I specialize in finding them; Bakshi here...Well, he makes them suffer."

- Bobbi Morse

After an experiment was done at the wedding of Pete and Mariah Leitner, the wait staff, who were HYDRA agents, reported to Bakshi that it was only a partial success. He told them to report to Daniel Whitehall personally.

Afterwards, Bakshi ordered Jemma Simmons and Kenneth Turgeon to attend a meeting Whitehall was having with his top scientists including Dr. Lingenfelter. He gave them paperwork on the experiment to replicate the power of the Obelisk based on the skin cell samples of a waitress. He and Bobbi Morse searched for a mole within HYDRA. Eventually, Simmons was discovered and Bakshi pursued her. Simmons was saved though by Morse, who was revealed to also be an undercover Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., and Antoine Triplett in a cloaked Quinjet.

While discussing the evacuation of HYDRA Laboratories, Bakshi and Whitehall were approached by an unnamed man. Bakshi ordered two guards to remove him, but the mysterious man killed them both. When Bakshi went for his weapon, Whitehall stopped him to listen to the Doctor's offer. The Doctor revealed that he had brought the Obelisk with him. The Doctor promised to teach Whitehall how to use it, as long as Whitehall helped him kill Phil Coulson.

Capture
"Since Strucker is overseas, I assume you report to someone else." "That's correct." "I want a meeting." "Though we do appreciate your talents and your loyalty, Mr. Whitehall is a very busy man." "Will his schedule open up if I can get you face-to-face with Coulson? Close enough to put a bullet in his head."

- Grant Ward and Sunil Bakshi

Later on, Bakshi received a call from Grant Ward, who requested a meeting. Bakshi, along with two guards met Ward in a bar, run by a member of HYDRA. During the meeting, Ward asked Bakshi to whom he answered, to which Bakshi replied that he answered to Daniel Whitehall. Ward also asked if he could meet Whitehall, as Strucker was overseas. Initially, Bakshi told Ward that Whitehall was busy, but after Ward told him that he could get them close to Coulson, Bakshi seemed intrigued.

However, Ward killed Bakshi's guards and the bartender, and tied Bakshi to a chair, to be found by a S.H.I.E.L.D. team, led by Melinda May. Bakshi was placed in Vault D. As Skye was hacking Bakshi's phone for information, it rang; Ward called and greeted her. He told her that he will continue to give presents like Bakshi, until he can regain her trust.

Bakshi was then interrogated by Agent Morse, although Bakshi tried to keep himself from revealing any information about HYDRA, he did reveal that Whitehall had been trained by the Red Skull himself, leading S.H.I.E.L.D. to get some information about who Whitehall really was and his origins. As the interrogation became more intense, Bakshi, demonstrating his loyalty to HYDRA, attempted to commit suicide with a Cyanide Pill embedded in his cheekbone. However, Simmons was able to stop his suicide attempt.

When Grant Ward boarded the Bus to retrieve Raina and capture Skye, Skye noted that Ward captured Bakshi for S.H.I.E.L.D., but was capturing Raina for HYDRA and told him to pick a side. He told her he had.

Trade
"If you can protect me and see me safely to Bloom, not only will you be financially set for life, but you will also solidify your standing with the true heads of HYDRA. The money will be there! I swear it! I-If not, I'll pull the trigger myself."

- Sunil Bakshi to Lance Hunter

Bakshi recovered from his suicide attempted and was put back in his cell. One morning he was awakened by Phil Coulson and Melinda May when they entered his cell; they had Glenn Talbot on the line and wanted to trade Bakshi to the United States Government for Talbot's continued assistance in destroying remaining HYDRA cells. Talbot told Coulson that Bakshi was found connected to the Naval wedding massacre, the attack on the United Nations, and impersonating an officer. During the ride to become a prisoner of the military, Bakshi remained silent, only looking up when he overheard that Daniel Whitehall was dead. Soon afterwards, the car was hit by a truck. Bakshi watched a shootout occur between Phil Coulson and Melinda May and a set of mercenaries from inside the truck. Melinda May shot most of the attackers but one more appeared who shot both Coulson and May, seemingly killing them. This mercenary claimed that he was hired by HYDRA and sent to retrieve him. The pair left the carnage in the car. The mercenary allowed Bakshi to call Octavian Bloom and set up a meeting, but as soon as Bakshi hung up the phone the man held Bakshi at gunpoint, telling him that he was hired to free him from S.H.I.E.L.D. but then kill him. Bakshi offered the man money which the merc refused claiming he had multiple people paying him, leading Bakshi to believe that many of the heads of HYDRA were responsible for the assassination attempt. Bakshi then offered him a higher position within HYDRA if he escorted him to his meeting. The merc agreed. Upon arriving at Bloom's mansion, Bakshi told Bloom what the mercenary told him: he had a kill-order to eliminate him from leadership contention. Bakshi and Bloom then sent kill-orders for the other leaders of HYDRA as they believed that the kill order must have been sent by them. Suddenly, Bobbi Morse and the mercenary entered the mansion and killed Bloom. Lance Hunter told Bakshi that had he not been promised to Glenn Talbot, he would be dead too. Bakshi realized that he had been deceived to kill the leaders of HYDRA for S.H.I.E.L.D.

Agent 33's Revenge
"Bakshi was the one who dragged me from my safehouse, prepped me for Whitehall."

- Agent 33

Bakshi was taken to Talbot's base and locked in a prison cell there. After a few days he had a visitor, Agent 33, who had broken into the facility. Bakshi was initially delighted as he believed Agent 33 was still loyal to HYDRA, however he was horrified and confused when Grant Ward also arrived. Realizing that Agent 33 was working off her own orders now, Bakshi attempted to say the catchphrase to reactivate Agent 33's brainwashing; he was stopped when she hit him, knocking him out. He was taken out of the base in a wheelchair. Ward and Agent 33 took the captured Bakshi back to their hotel room; once there he was tied to a chair and forced to undergo the Faustus method himself, his eyes forced open to staring into a screen. As Bakshi tried desperately to resist the brainwashing, which he had forced upon so many others, Agent 33 and Ward spoke to each other, sharing an intimate moment as 33 allowed herself to look upon her own face for the first time since Bakshi had ordered her to put on the Photostatic Veil. Bakshi asked Agent 33 if his compliance would be rewarded, she told him cruelly it would not and it should not be his main concern at this time.

Return to HYDRA
"You think I poisoned the Baroness, killed Bloom?" "Someone put a bullet in his head." "I assumed it was you, or Strucker, well you had the most to gain and look, here you sit, alive and well with more money and man power than ever."

- Sunil Bakshi and Doctor List

After succumbing to the Faustus method and falling under Ward's control, Bakshi was stuffed into the back of Ward's car. He was released when Ward struck a deal with Phil Coulson to infiltrate HYDRA. They developed a plan in which Bakshi would have a meeting with Doctor List so they could learn the location of Baron Wolfgang von Strucker. Grant Ward and Agent 33 helped Bakshi infiltrate HYDRA and instructed him to act as he normally would. Bakshi sat quietly on the Bus waiting for orders from Ward, he witnessed Leo Fitz attempt to attack Ward and accuse him and Ward and planning to betray them. It was decided that Mike Peterson would go with him to act as his bodyguard, despite the fact List had ordered Bakshi to come alone, Ward assured Coulson however Bakshi could persuade List to ignore the detail as he could be highly persuasive. Bakshi, with Mike Peterson posing as his bodyguard, were able to meet Doctor List aboard his private plane. Bakshi was able to talk his way in and convinced List that he had nothing to do with the deaths of the other heads of HYDRA, claiming that he was captured by the US Goverenment and was only recently saved by the HYDRA war machine Deathlok. As per Ward's instructions, he then offered to give Deathlok to List for his experimentations. He then listened to how List had been tracking a teleporter who was transporting gifted people around the world and how they wished to capture him and learn what had given him his gifts.

Battle at Calvin Zabo's Building
"Fan out, if the teleporter is here we want him alive."

- Sunil Bakshi to his soldiers

While onroute to Wolfgang von Strucker, List's scientists intercepted a signal informing them of the teleporter's location, Bakshi travelled with List and his men to Milwaukee to capture him. Bakshi led the attack, ordering his men, including Deathlok to capture the teleporter alive. The team was attacked by Calvin Zabo and a team of Inhumans as well as Phil Coulson and his small unit of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. Though the teleporter was not present, Bakshi then seemingly double-crossed Coulson and Ward when he came across Peterson and an Inhuman named Lincoln Campbell fighting. Bakshi ordered his men to capture them both and take them to List.

Working with Doctor List
"Knowing the difference is not the same thing as re-creating it. And to that end, I hope to..." "To isolate the genetic component, yes. A comparison between the two could be invaluable. Doctor Whitehall believed discovery requires experimentation."

- Doctor List and Sunil Bakshi

Bakshi traveled with List to the Arctic HYDRA Research Facility, once there, he and List discussed the recently captured Deathlok and Lincoln Campbell, Bakshi explained Deathlok's history but admitted Campbell's DNA was something he did not understand. Bakshi quoted Daniel Whitehall's motto of discovery requires experimentation and he and List but expressed their sadness at Whitehall's death. Secretly, Bakshi gave Coulson's team information allowing them to infiltrate the base. When S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Bus was spotted on HYDRA's radar, Bakshi maintained his cover and recommended to Doctor List that HYDRA should shoot them out of the sky. List gave the order and the Bus was destroyed, however Bakshi was aware of Coulson's plans to survive the explosion using a Quinjet. Bakshi went to meet Phil Coulson, Grant Ward and the rest of the team but was followed by one of List's soldiers, Bakshi managed to overpower the guard and knocked him out before finding Ward who managed to calm Bakshi's mind. Bakshi revealed the location of Mike Peterson and Lincoln Campbell before requesting to work alongside Ward on the mission.

Death
During the mission, while Grant Ward stood defenceless with his back turned while continuing his part of the mission, Bakshi caught Agent Jemma Simmons sneaking up behind Ward and attempting to assassinate him with a Splinter Bomb. At the last second, Bakshi warned Ward and attacked Simmons in order to protect his master, forcing her to push the splinter bomb into his shoulder. Within seconds and with a scream of agony, Bakshi had completely disintegrated.

Allies

 * HYDRA
 * Daniel Whitehall † - Leader
 * Wolfgang von Strucker †
 * List †
 * Octavian Bloom †
 * Baroness †
 * Banker †
 * Sheikh †
 * John Garrett †
 * Carl Creel - Subordinate
 * Donnie Gill/Blizzard - Subordinate (under HYDRA coercion)
 * Grant Ward - Ally turned Captor turned Master (brainwashed)
 * Agent 33 † - Ally (under HYDRA coercion) turned Kidnapper turned Enthraller (brainwashed)

Enemies

 * S.H.I.E.L.D.
 * Phil Coulson
 * Melinda May
 * Jemma Simmons - Subordinate while undercover, Killer
 * Bobbi Morse - Colleague while undercover, now Enemy
 * Lance Hunter
 * Deathlok - Enemy, Former Subordinate (under HYDRA coercion)
 * Glenn Talbot - Disguise
 * Lincoln Campbell - Prisoner
 * Calvin Zabo - Ally turned Enemy