Jason Wilkes

"Do you want to be thunder struck?"

- Jason Wilkes

Jason Wilkes is a scientist working at Isodyne Energy. When a series of murders were connected to Isodyne, Wilkes began assisting the Strategic Scientific Reserve in their investigation, while at the same time becoming close to Agent Peggy Carter.

Early Life
"I applied to sixteen companies when I got home. Isodyne was the only one that was willing to put one of…my kind in a lab."

- Jason Wilkes

Growing up on an orange grove in southern California, Jason Wilkes desired to have more and be more than an orange picker like others in his family. He got a janitorial job at the Griffith Observatory, scrubbing floors at night, until he saved enough money to get a degree from college. When World War II occurred, Wilkes became a United States Navy engineer and eventually worked in weapons propulsion. Upon returning home, Wilkes applied to sixteen different companies for employment, but being an African-American made things difficult; Isodyne Energy accepted Wilkes' application and he worked in the containment research department.

Isodyne Energy
Working in the containment research department, Wilkes was in charge of keeping the Zero Matter contained. He heard rumors that the physicist Jane Scott was having an affair with company founder Calvin Chadwick, but he did not participate in the conversation.

Assisting the SSR
Wilkes worked in the containment research department, but he would grow bored and dabbled in chemistry. One day, while using chemistry to manipulate the taste of wine, a woman was walking the halls of Isodyne Energy Headquarters; since Wilkes needed a taste tester, he asked her inside his laboratory. After tasting his concoction and calling him a genius, the woman introduced herself as Agent Peggy Carter of the Strategic Scientific Reserve; she wanted help in the case of the death of Jane Scott, another scientist who worked for Isodyne Energy with the Particle Accelerator. Wilkes told Carter what little he knew about her, especially the rumor that she was sleeping with Calvin Chadwick, the company's founder. Suddenly, the Receptionist entered with a frown.

Outside the building, Wilkes gave Carter his business card and home phone number; however, when he began flirting and asked for her number, she hesitantly refused and left.

Kidnapped
"What is it you expect me to do?" "You're gonna fix me. Go."

- Jason Wilkes and Andrew Henry

Wilkes was called to the Los Angeles County Coroner Building after the frozen body of Medical Examiner Meltzer shattered on the floor. Peggy Carter and Daniel Sousa wanted to know if he could identify the substance that caused him to freeze. As Wilkes walked past Andrew Henry, who was in the hallway trying to get a drink of water, Henry grabbed Wilkes and, at gunpoint, demanded that he accompany him. Outside the building, Wilkes warned Edwin Jarvis to prepare himself before Henry broke his nose and stole his car.

Providing Intel
The next morning, Wilkes went to work at Isodyne Energy Headquarters when a team of lawyers cornered him and reminded him that he was privy to classified information, threatening that he would be charged with treason and sent to prison, if not hung, if he revealed anything sensitive.

Later, that afternoon, Wilkes saw Peggy Carter and Daniel Sousa talking to the Receptionist; Carter approached Wilkes and asked him why the building was closed and if the containment leak story was true. Looking toward the Receptionist, Wilkes hesitantly confirmed her story. While speaking, Wilkes wrote a note to Carter to meet him at the Dunbar Hotel for the truth; Carter warned him not to get entangled with the schemes of Isodyne Energy. Wilkes proceeded into the laboratory and stole a film reel; he did not know he was being watched. That evening, Wilkes met with Carter at the Dunbar Hotel, an African-American nightclub; she came alone, as his note specified. Sitting at the bar with Carter, Wilkes ordered her a drink but she refused. Wilkes offered small talk, but Carter reminded him that she was there for information, not a date; Wilkes told her that he was risking his life talking to her and he needed to be able to trust her because he was not going to the Strategic Scientific Reserve for protection. Carter then ordered a shot of whiskey. The Singer sang Wilkes' favorite song and he and Carter began to slow dance; Wilkes decided that he could trust Carter and the two left for Griffith Observatory.

At the Observatory, Wilkes told Carter his backstory and why he was hesitant with betraying Isodyne Energy. Wilkes then showed Carter the film he had stolen and the origin of the Zero Matter that the organization possessed. Carter convinced Wilkes to steal the substance and give it to the SSR for study.

On the Run
Suddenly, the man who was watching Wilkes, Rufus Hunt, led a team of men to kill Wilkes; Wilkes and Peggy Carter found another way to leave the Griffith Observatory. Outside, they found the car's tires flattened; Carter activated a summoning beacon hidden inside. Carter, questioning if Wilkes could fire a gun, then handed him a gun from her garter; he reminded her that he was in the United States Navy, before he started firing back at Hunt and his men, while Carter hot-wired another car to escape.

Wilkes and Carter were forced to stop when the car died. They walked until they found a pay phone, but neither had change to make a call. The two entered a convenience store, but the cashier seeing an African-American following a White woman at night questioned her safety and acted rudely to Wilkes. Wilkes was accustomed to the behavior and thought little of it, but Carter was offended; the cashier said he would not give change unless the pair made a purchase.

While eating the purchased pastry, Wilkes saw Carter try to use the broken pay phone. When a car approached, Carter grabbed him to hide him; the two shared a passionate kiss. Carter decided to steal another car to continue with their plan to steal the Zero Matter, leaving Wilkes frustrated.

Infiltration of Isodyne Energy Headquarters
"Miss Frost you have no idea what this stuff is capable of." "Oh on the contrary, I am the only person who knows what it's capable of. Now hand it over!"

- Jason Wilkes and Whitney Frost

Wilkes and Peggy Carter entered Isodyne Energy Headquarters, then split up with Carter to fight Rufus Hunt while Wilkes went to get the Zero Matter. After placing the black substance in a containment vessel, Wilkes was surprised by Whitney Frost, who ordered him at gunpoint to relinquish the vessel to her. Wilkes surmised that she would not shoot him as he held the container. Wilkes and Frost then struggled for the vessel when it was dropped; a devastating black explosion occurred. Carter was not able to find Wilkes afterwards.

Affected by Darkforce
To be added

Personality
"I wasn't talking to you, boy. I was talking to the lady."

- Restaurant Owner to Jason Wilkes

Jason Wilkes was ambitious and did not allow hindrances to stop his progress. As an African-American who stuttered in the 1940's, Wilkes knew discrimination and difficulty but he would not allow his desire to be more to be quelled. Wilkes learned not to be offended by disparaging remarks such as "boy" or "janitor", or allowed racial threats of "being hung" stop him from doing what was right. Ultimately, he went from an orange picker to a corporate scientist by working two jobs and filling out many applications.

This ambition extended into his personal life as well by manipulating a way to have a date with Peggy Carter, though she initially refused to go out with him.

Abilities

 * Expert Scientist:

Allies

 * Isodyne Energy
 * Calvin Chadwick - Employer
 * Jane Scott † - Colleague
 * Receptionist - Colleague
 * Strategic Scientific Reserve
 * Peggy Carter - Love Interest
 * Daniel Sousa
 * Edwin Jarvis

Enemies

 * Andrew Henry † - Kidnapper
 * Rufus Hunt
 * Whitney Frost

Appearances
In chronological order:
 * Agent Carter
 * Season Two
 * The Lady in the Lake
 * A View in the Dark
 * Better Angels
 * Smoke & Mirrors

Trivia

 * In the comics, Jason Wilkes is a brilliant but greedy scientist who is paid by the agent of a communist country to developed an invisibility weapon, but ended up getting himself permanently invisible and intangible.