| For the Framework version of Daniel Whitehall, see Daniel Whitehall |
- "Discovery requires experimentation."
- ―Daniel Whitehall[src]
Werner Reinhardt, later known as Daniel Whitehall, was one of the most prominent leaders of HYDRA. Originally a high ranking officer of the Nazi Schutzstaffel, during World War II he led many expeditions to recover mysterious artifacts for HYDRA, working under the command of the infamous Red Skull. Despite his capture by the Strategic Scientific Reserve in 1945, Reinhardt continued to have influence in HYDRA, once offering advice to Gideon Malick, until he was finally freed in 1989 by undercover members of HYDRA within S.H.I.E.L.D.. Back in his old base, he used organs and DNA from an Inhuman named Jiaying to de-age himself and have a middle-aged appearance into the 21st century.
With his freedom and new identity, Whitehall reclaimed his position in HYDRA, while becoming a mentor to several notable HYDRA operatives, including Baron Wolfgang von Strucker and Hale. He eventually started the quest to recover the object of his lifelong obsession, the mysterious Obelisk. During his campaign Whitehall worked alongside an expert on the Obelisk, Calvin Zabo; however, before Whitehall could learn the true power of his obsession, he was shot and killed by Phil Coulson during a S.H.I.E.L.D. attack.
Biography
Early Life
Serving HYDRA
- "Dr. Whitehall is a disciple of Red Skull, HYDRA's founder, shared his vision."
- ―Sunil Bakshi[src]
Werner Reinhardt was born in Arnsberg, Germany on October 9th, 1904. Following the end of World War I, Reinhardt joined the Nazis and became an officer of the Schutzstaffel. He rose through the ranks until he became an Obergruppenführer, eventually joining HYDRA, the special science division led by Johann Schmidt.[6] He was married for some time but his wife died, leaving him a widower.[2]
Original Experiments
Experiments on the Obelisk
- "Not everything we dug out of the ground was an antique, my friend. Some of it was quite advanced."
"Is this the reason these men..."
"Hmm? Ja. The Red Skull said it may hold the answer. The answer to death itself." - ―Werner Reinhardt and HYDRA Officer[src]
When World War II broke out, Reinhardt actively participated in German conquest of Europe, earning several high military decorations, including the Panzer Badge, the Close Combat Clasp, and the Iron Cross First Class. As an officer of HYDRA, he was sent to search for mysterious artifacts. On one occasion, his team discovered the corpse of a blue-skinned humanoid organism.[6] As well as Johann Schmidt, Reinhardt knew about and searched for the Darkhold, a book that was said to contain infinite knowledge, but he never managed to find it.[7]
Among the various myths, HYDRA researched, to Reinhardt the most intriguing one was the story about an Obelisk with the power to turn the living into stone. Reinhardt became especially obsessed with the Obelisk, and came to learn of the myth behind it, an old story from the East about the "stars that fell from the heavens". Being an intelligent man, Reinhardt realized the "stars" were actually extraterrestrials who came to Earth thousands of years earlier; Reinhardt was led to believe that the aliens intended to conquer Earth, but failed.[2]
Monstrous Experiments
Reinhardt runs an experiment with the Obelisk
- "Herr Doktor Reinhardt, Red Skull has fallen. He's dead. The Allies approach."
"The world has lost a great mind. Put her in a cage. We'll unravel this mystery later, yes? Discovery requires experimentation, and this experiment will take time." - ―HYDRA Fortress Officer and Werner Reinhardt[src]
By 1945, Reinhardt had become the commanding officer of a HYDRA Fortress in Austria.[2] Here he discovered a mysterious item, which he knew as the Obelisk in Chaves, Portugal.[8] Reinhardt soon learned that the Obelisk had the power to kill anyone who came into contact with it and in order to learn more, Reinhardt then ordered his teams to capture a group of people from China who knew of the Obelisk, questioning each of them about what they believed that it was.[2]
Reinhardt allows prisoners to turn into stone
Reinhardt presented their Obelisk to Red Skull, and was told that the Obelisk may hold the answer to death itself and must be understood so it could be used against the United States Army.[6] Reinhardt and a HYDRA Scientist continually tested the Obelisk's power on various prisoners in order to find the reasons behind these lethal effects, and why these effects differed from person to person, questioning if race, gender or age affected how the victim died but seemingly finding not one factor that had changed its deadly effects. Presenting this Oblisk to one Prisoner, Reinhardt commented on the object's beauty.
Reinhardt discusses the results of his testing
When the prisoner claimed to have heard all the same stories about what the Obelisk could do, Reinhardt had noted how they had both served for a long time for something that they did not understand, as he offered the prisoner a chance to hold the Obelisk. Reinhardt then watched, as the prisoner was instantly turned to stone by the effects of the Obelisk, as he noted that it had seemingly worked quicker on this man, compared to all the others, with Reinhardt commented on their continued lack of a conclusion about the link of how the Obelisk was killing it's victims. Reinhardt then ordered his men to remove the corpse and bring in their next subject for his experimentation.
Following the demises of several other men and women, Reinhardt had then welcomed Jiaying into the room, as he immediately told her not to be afraid and had invited her to pick up the Obelisk. However, Jiaying noticed the severed finger from the previous prisoner, forcing Reinhardt's soldiers to force her down, as Reinhardt had noted that discovery would require his experimentation. However, as Jiaying's face was pushed onto the Oblisk, Reinhardt was amazed to discover that it did not kill her, as strange symbols had instead appeared onto the Obelisk. Still in awe of this, Reinhardt had questioned what made Jiaying so special that she could survive the Obelisk's effects.
Reinhardt being informed of Red Skull's death
However, while Reinhardt was ordering his men to prepare Jiaying for her surgery so that he could learn exactly how she had survived the Obelisk, he was interrupted by one of his Officers, who informed him that Red Skull had been killed, during his final battle against Captain America, while noting that the Allies were currently approaching their location. Reinhardt then commented on Red Skull's death by saying that HYDRA had lost a great mind, Reinhardt ordered his soldiers to put Jiaying into a cage, so that they could continue their experiments with her after they had managed to escape from their enemies.[2]
Captured by the Allies
Reinhardt oversees the movement of HYDRA
- "I don't think I need to remind you that the clock is ticking."
"We are almost finished loading. Herr Reinhardt, I... I fear Schmidt–"
"There's no reason left to fear the Red Skull. He's dead. However, his vision is not. The work HYDRA has done will live on." - ―HYDRA Officer and Werner Reinhardt[src]
Fearing that the United States Army would be capable of finding and capturing him, now that HYDRA's strength had become considerable more weakened in the aftermath of the death of Red Skull, Reinhardt and all his men had then moved towards a more secure location, a HYDRA Research Facility within Austria. The facility housed dozens of artifacts collected by HYDRA over the years, many of them held in boxes marked with the logo of the Deutsches Afrikakorps, where Reinhardt had attempted to continue with his experiments.
Reinhardt getting his updates from his officer
However, the Allied advance into Austria moved faster than Reinhardt predicted, and he made his plan to escape and to continue HYDRA's work from somewhere safer. As his unit then transferred their various weapons and treasures into their jeeps and trucks, Reinhardt spoke to a HYDRA Officer and recommended that they move faster, noting that the clock was ticking down before they were discovered by their enemies. The officer expressed his fears of the Red Skull learning of them abandoning a HYDRA stronghold, but Reinhardt had reassured him that Schmidt was already dead, while HYDRA would live on.
Reinhardt commenting on the Obelisk's power
Reinhardt then asked about the Obelisk, while his officer assured him that it was being brought out, with Reinhardt also ensuring that their soldiers were being careful with it. Once the Obelisk was brought out, Reinhardt took it, as his officer expressed his confusion, noting that he had believed that they only held artifacts. Reinhardt explained that not everything that they had pulled out from the ground had been an antique, as this was quite advanced technology. Reinhardt explained that the Oblisk had caused the deaths of all the men around the area, noting that Red Skull had believed it held the key to death itself.
Reinhardt witnesses Peggy Carter's ambush
However, before Reinhardt and his men could escape from the base, the facility was attacked by a Strategic Scientific Reserve teams and the Howling Commandos and being led by Peggy Carter. Having all been taken completely off guard by the sudden attack, Reinhardt and all of his men were quickly captured and all of their experiments were locked away, including the Obelisk, as they had witnessed Dum Dum Dugan and Jim Morita making mocking comments about threatening to put a blasting caps onto their nuts if they moved, while discussing what the German words were to make these threats more effective.
Reinhardt and his men surrender to the SSR
Reinhardt had then been forced to surrender himself, as Carter then ordered him to put down the Oblisk with the threat of being gunned down if he did not simply comply. Carter explained to Reinhardt that his equipment would be taken away by the SSR and locked away, as would he, while Dugan put Reinhardt into handcuffs. Before he was taken away, Reinhardt warned Carter that if one of HYDRA's heads was cut off, two more would grow in its place, although Carter then assured him that the SSR would then continue cutting off the heads regardless. Reinhardt was then escorted out of the facility by Dugan while his experiments were found and captured by the soldiers.[6]
Peggy Carter's Interrogation
Reinhardt getting questioned by Peggy Carter
- "The U.S. government has recruited many German scientists."
"They'll send rockets into space. Maybe they can strap you to one of them."
"They'll show you parlor tricks. Giving me a second chance could save all of humanity." - ―Werner Reinhardt and Peggy Carter[src]
Following his capture, Reinhardt was taken to the Rat, the top-secret SSR facility. While imprisoned, Peggy Carter came to interrogate him, with Reinhardt noting that she had clearly tried to test him by leaving a pen for him to use, while he noted that Carter had clearly wanted to see what he would do with it while on his own, as he could use it to confess, or to commit homicide or suicide. Carter confessed that she did want to see what kind of a man Reinhardt was, and by him not using the pen at all, she had felt she had gotten her answer.
Reinhardt requests a deal from Peggy Carter
Reinhardt then noted that this pen could be used for a signature, as Carter deduced that he was hoping to make his deal, with Reinhardt noting how several former Nazi scientists had been recruited by the United States of America, and therefore he wished to be recruited as well, and use the pen to sign this deal. Reinhardt had suggested that the scientists that had already been recruited would only be able to show the SSR parlor tricks, as he considered himself to be far more valuable than any of them, while Reinhardt then also suggested that he could save all of humanity if he was given a second chance.
Reinhardt listens to his war crimes being listed
However, Carter then explained that she had already watched all the footage that Reinhardt had recorded of those experiments, as well as seeing the piles of corpses that he had left, and found Jiaying locked away in the cage under Reinhardt's orders. When Carter insisted that she would never give him his second chance, Reinhardt attempted to manipulate Carter by asking about her actual interest about all of his secrets he held for all of the various items which she and the Howling Commandos had recovered from the HYDRA Research Facility, while she asked if Reinhardt would tell her where they had been found.
Reinhardt explains the stories behind his work
Reinhardt told Carter of the story about the origins for these objects, claiming that they were from a star that had fallen from the heavens, and of the blue angels that came to the Earth with their gift that was supposed to save all of mankind, as Carter noted that Reinhardt did not seem like a religious man, although he insisted that he had built his entire life on these beliefs. Reinhardt told Carter more about these blue angels, and how their history had gotten the details about these events wrong, claiming that these blue angels had not actually come down to the Earth to save it, but had actually come to conquer it.[2]
Sentenced to Life
Reinhardt makes his final plea to Peggy Carter
- "Curiosity brings her back. Have you come to make a deal?"
"With the devil? I considered it, as you said the skies might open up one day, your work would be valuable. But if that day comes, I know who I'd want by my side, it isn't you."
"We could learn so much together."
"Instead we'll forget, forget you, forget your work." - ―Werner Reinhardt and Peggy Carter[src]
Eventually, Reinhardt was rejoined by Peggy Carter, as he assumed that her curiosity had caused her to finally agree to make a deal with him. However, Carter had then informed Reinhardt that, although she had considered the possibility that he may become a benefit to the world someday, she had decided that the risks were not worth it, as she would never be able to trust Reinhardt, while Reinhardt had attempted to remain calm, he became anxious at this revelation.
Reinhardt's deal gets denied by Peggy Carter
Reinhardt had then tried to convince Carter that they could still learn much from one another, only for Carter's disgust towards Reinhardt's actions proved stronger and she opted to let the man rot within the prison for the rest of his days as a punishment for all his uncountable crimes against humanity. Reinhardt was forced to listen on as Carter also promised that the world would forget about him and all his work, promising that nobody would ever come to aid him. When Carter had noted that he would be buried, Reinhardt calmly noted his belief that nothing would stay buried forever, before Carter bid him farewell.
Reinhardt getting locked away inside the Rat
Reinhardt was then charged with multiple war crimes, which included making conspiracy to wage aggressive war as well as crimes against humanity, due to his experiments with the Obelisk throughout World War II. Reinhardt was sentenced to life imprisonment, as he spent the next decades locked up inside a small cell inside a SSR prison called the Rat. Reinhardt had passed the time by reading as well as playing chess, although he remained loyal to HYDRA.[2] Reinhardt managed to keep all his connections to HYDRA alive during this imprisonment, learning about Wilfred Malick and all his continued ceremonies.[3]
Advising the Malicks
Reinhardt speaking with the Malick brothers
- "I'm a man of science, not religion. Your family's ancient traditions are nonsense."
"You don't know anything about us or our beliefs."
"No? A ceremony where grown men draw stones from a bag and one unlucky participant draws a white stone and is sacrificed to a liquid rock." - ―Werner Reinhardt and Gideon Malick[src]
By 1970, Reinhardt learned that HYDRA was rebuilt and gained some influence in it, even though he remained locked in the Rat. He also learned about the legends of HYDRA's origin and a Monolith that was supposedly used to send people to Maveth. Since he was a man of science, Reinhardt considered the belief in Hive to be nonsense. Reinhardt had also known that Wilfred Malick regularly cheated as he and other believers assembled to choose the next sacrifice to Hive, as Malick was afraid of being chosen.
Reinhardt and the Malick's discussing HYDRA
Upon hearing the news that Wilfred had died, Reinhardt sent for his two sons, Gideon and Nathaniel to meet with him at the Rat. As the Malick's got there, they immediately questioned why Reinhardt had brought them there, to which he explained that he had felt that it was vital that he spoke with them, before their upcoming stone ceremony. With Gideon clearly becoming more impatient with these questions, Reinhardt took a seat, commenting on their ages, as it was time for them to choose a path toward within HYDRA, noting that he believed that with their father gone, they should choose to follow his path.
Reinhardt making his threats to Gideon Malick
Reinhardt explained that he was a man of science, not religion, as he called the Malick family's ancient traditions nonsense, which greatly offended Gideon, as he claimed that Reinhardt knew nothing about his family or their beliefs, as Reinhardt had then mockingly explained everything he knew about their ceremony. As Nathaniel claimed that being chosen as the traveler was the great honor, Reinhardt insisted that it was simply a blood sacrifice. However, when Gideon accused him of being a coward, Reinhardt got up to his feet and insisted that their rituals were foolish, but claimed that Wilfred was no fool.
Reinhardt explaining how Wilfred Malick lied
Reinhardt then forced the Malick's to consider how their father had survived all the past ceremonies, suggesting that he had been skilled at a certain parlor trick, which always helped him, as Reinhardt then demonstrated the sleight of hand that he was referring to. However, Gideon refused to listen to Reinhardt's warnings, as he prepared to leave the Rat, only for Reinhardt to then suggest that their father kept a copy of Paradise Lost in the Malick Mansion, which he had claimed would answer all of those questions about their father. Despite these warnings, Gideon and Nathaniel then left Reinhardt in his cell.[3]
Return to HYDRA
Released from the Rat
Reinhardt gets freed after 44 years in prison
In 1989, now an old man who had lived almost his entire life locked up inside the Rat, Reinhardt was visited by two S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, who told him that he was finally being allowed to walk free from the prison, because Undersecretary Alexander Pierce gave him a medical parole, citing that Reinhardt had actually become an member of HYDRA under duress during World War II, though in fact, Pierce was a HYDRA agent.
As Rivera left the cell to bring the transport around to take Reinhardt out the prison, Hauer quietly whispered "Hail HYDRA", much to the amazement of Reinhardt, who had almost abandoned hope of being freed. When Reinhardt replied with the same salute and questioned why he was being freed after so many years locked away, Hauer had explained that HYDRA were finally been able to find Jiaying, in order for Reinhardt to continue his experiments. When Reinhardt had then expressed doubts that Jiaying could still be alive after their forty four years, Hauer said that Reinhardt would have to see himself.[2]
Becoming Young Again
Reinhardt returns inside the HYDRA Fortress
Reinhardt was quickly returned to his old HYDRA Fortress in Austria, where he expressed his sadness at the years of work he could have achieved having been lost due to Peggy Carter locking him away in the Rat, while he was told by Hauer that the Fortress had been under S.H.I.E.L.D.'s protection since World War II. Hauer and their other HYDRA agents then presented Reinhardt with the captured elders of the village where he had conducted his original experiments.
Reinhardt discovers that Jiaying is still young
As Reinhardt stood up from his wheelchair, he began looking through the group of terrified hostages, he was amazed to find Jiaying among them, who had looked exactly as she did when he had last looked at her during World War II. Reinhardt was both shocked and elated to discover that Jiaying was still alive and retaining her youth even after so many years while he had become an old man. Hauer asked how it was possible and Reinhardt claimed he did not know. Fascinated, he said that he would learn what made her so special by experimenting on her to learn exactly what had actually made Jiaying so special.
Reinhardt preparing to operate on Jiaying
Having her tied down onto a table, Reinhardt operated on Jiaying in an attempt to find the truth behind her immunity to the Obelisk, as well as her youthful appearance, cutting her open and removing all her organs to be studied, yet still finding little results as to the actual reasons behind her own gifts. To ensure that he got the best results from their experiment, Reinhardt still kept Jiaying alive for as long as possible. Eventually, Jiaying had died during those days of torturous operations; however, Reinhardt harvested her organs and kept them in jars for study and further experimentation into her true gifts.
Reinhardt regaining his youthful appearance
Despite the death of Jiaying during their experiments, Reinhardt was able to achieve his goal, as he had intended to use Jiaying's DNA to physically regress himself back to his middle-age and halt his aging. Reinhardt was then strapped down onto their operating table, where he was injected with the remains of Jiaying's DNA, which caused his older body to deage, allowing Reinhardt to regain his strength as well as his youth. When Hauer asked what Reinhardt took from Jiaying in these experiments, he had simply informed him that he had taken out everything that he possibly could, in order to achieve this result.
Reinhardt orders Jiaying's corpse be removed
Having concluded his experiment and gotten the result he intended, Reinhardt then ordered his soldiers to take away Jiaying's mutilated corpse and dump it outside, where it would eventually be discovered by Jiaying's devastated husband. Reinhardt then officially joined the ranks of the new modern-day HYDRA, and by the next year, he had permanently taken up the identity of "Doctor Daniel Whitehall," and becoming one of HYDRA's most prominent figureheads in their new world, as Whitehall focused on locating the Obelisk to understand its power, so it could be used to achieve HYDRA's dominance.[2]
HYDRA Preparatory Academy
Whitehall gives a speech to HYDRA students
- "Tomorrow you will leave these halls and venture out into society. And though you may be behind the scenes, there are many ways that you can help HYDRA dismantle the oppressive state. Since World War II and the success of Steve Rogers, there have been many failed attempts to create a super soldier. But after some ungainly setbacks, we're close."
- ―Daniel Whitehall[src]
With his youth restored, Whitehall took on the role of an instructor at the HYDRA Preparatory Academy, to the generations of HYDRA's young students who were being indoctrinated in their ways, becoming a legend among them due to the stories about how he successfully reversed the ageing process. A day before the student's graduation, Whitehall was invited by Professor Steger to give a lecture, who wanted Whitehall to give those students another potential opportunity within HYDRA once they graduated.
Whitehall discusses the projects from HYDRA
Having been greeted with their round of applause, Whitehall told the class that it was an honor to speak to the future of HYDRA, noting how they would graduate the next day and begin their lives, serving HYDRA from behind the scenes, while they would assist HYDRA to dismantle the oppressive state. Once Steger put on his presentation, Whitehall had noted how, following World War II, and the successful creation of Captain America, there had been many other attempts at recreating their Super Soldier Serum, which HYDRA had so far been unsuccessful at, although Whitehall insisted that they were close.
Whitehall speaks with Wolfgang von Strucker
Whitehall then insisted that HYDRA was closer to creating their most powerful man upon the Earth, before presenting them with blueprints from their Particle Infusion Chamber, as Whitehall had then explained could force the human body to take on the properties of another raw material, telling their class to imagine a man, who could soon absorb the density of lead, as well as the volatility from cesium, claiming that the possibilities could be endless. Whitehall then asked their class to suggest any other substances that could be used for the infusion, as almost the entire raised their hands with their own suggestions.
Whitehall complimenting Hale on her concepts
Whitehall first turned to Wolfgang von Strucker, who suggested that they use the Tesseract, since Red Skull had always believed that to be the greatest power source that HYDRA ever possessed. Although Whitehall suggested that this idea of looking to HYDRA's history for inspiration was intriguing, Hale claimed that this was a waste of time, while insisting that there was no possible way they could take it away from S.H.I.E.L.D. without blowing their cover. Hale then suggested that they look to where the Tesseract came from, outer space, while Whitehall had complimented Hale for her forward thinking.[5]
Project Destroyer of Worlds
Whitehall having a private meeting with Hale
- "You're the only candidate left with the other... necessary qualifications."
"You want me to be..."
"Artificially inseminated. It's quite exciting, yes? You should be honored. You will give birth to our new leader." - ―Daniel Whitehall and Hale[src]
The following day, Whitehall sent Professor Steger into the dining hall to tell Hale to join him in the classroom. Once she arrived, Whitehall noted that Hale had made quite an impression, commenting on how she was one of the few female students at the HYDRA Preparatory Academy to make it to the commencements. Whitehall questioned if she had completed her final test, to which Hale presented him with the collar from her dog, that she had just been forced to kill.
Whitehall tells Hale that he has plans for her
Whitehall complimented Hale on this, calling it a rite of passage, to eliminate any weakness, questioning if Hale had struggled to sleep the previous night, to which Hale claimed that the only difficulty was due to the boys sobbing, which Whitehall smiled at. Whitehall then told Hale that HYDRA's leadership had expected nothing less from her, claiming that they saw their future for HYDRA in her, explaining that he had personally selected Hale for his program. However, as Hale began to express her excitement over working with the Particle Infusion Chamber with him, Whitehall stopped her mid-sentence.
Whitehall making his true plans for Hale clear
Whitehall explained that Wolfgang von Strucker would be the one to work on the Chamber, to which Hale questioned if this was because she had gotten into a fight with Strucker, which Whitehall confirmed was one of the deciding factors. Whitehall told Hale that HYDRA was impressed with her strength, and they had come to believe that Hale would be ideal for producing the perfect specimen for the Chamber. When Hale noted that she was not a biologist, Whitehall claimed that Hale was the only candidate left with the necessary qualifications, as Hale realized that Whitehall was referring to her being a woman.
Whitehall reveals to Hale what her purpose is
Ignoring Hale's clear horror at this, Whitehall confirmed that HYDRA had intended for her to be artificially inseminated, calling it an honor as she would give birth to HYDRA's next leader, noting once again how they saw the future of HYDRA within her. When Hale questioned what would become of her own future, Whitehall confirmed that she would get the career that she wanted, getting placed undercover at the United States Air Force, where she could get a chance to live out her dream of becoming an astronaut, but insisted that, once HYDRA perfected their seed, they expected her to serve their cause.
Whitehall gives Hale a final chance to comply
However, Hale had then told Whitehall that, while she was flattered by the offer to serve HYDRA in this way, she wanted to know if there were any options for her to utilize her other talents elsewhere within HYDRA, to which Whitehall told her that she would always have her choice about whether she intended to comply, making a clear threat of using Faustus against her in order to force her into complying with his expectations from her. Knowing what Whitehall had meant by this comment, Hale expressed her loyalty to HYDRA, which Whitehall had then smiled at, before he allowed Hale to leave the classroom.[5]
Quest for the Obelisk
Leading the new HYDRA
Whitehall watches the updates from HYDRA
- "Creel has escaped and did indeed make off with the Obelisk. He should contact us shortly. I would have him come in, but I'm being overly discreet with this operation. I know how long you have been searching for this, Doctor Whitehall."
"You have no idea." - ―Sunil Bakshi and Daniel Whitehall[src]
In 2014, following the downfall of S.H.I.E.L.D., Whitehall had become the leader of the HYDRA forces within United States of America, and was a regular attendee at the biannual meetings of the terrorist organization,[9] as he had resumed his search for the Obelisk. Having potentially tracked down the Obelisk's location, Whitehall had his second in command, Sunil Bakshi, hire Carl Creel to reclaim the Obelisk from the United States Armed Forces, who had taken it away.
Whitehall getting an update from Sunil Bakshi
At first, Creel's mission was successful, since he was able to get the Obelisk out of the Government Storage Warehouse and attempted to bring it to Bakshi, who would then give it to Whitehall. Following this, Bakshi met with Whitehall and gave him this update, noting how long Whitehall had been searching for the Obelisk.[6] However, the Obelisk was stolen from Bakshi by Raina, moments before Bakshi could get his hands on it, and Creel was captured by S.H.I.E.L.D. before being turned over to Brigadier General Glenn Talbot. This had then resulted in Whitehall focusing his efforts on finding and threatening Raina.[10]
Brainwashing Agent 33
Whitehall comments on the value of patience
- "Surrender, and you will find meaning. Surrender, and you will find release. Take a deep breath. Calm your mind. You know what's best. What's best is you comply... Compliance will be rewarded. Are you ready to comply, Agent 33?"
"I will never work for HYDRA!"
"I expected it would be a long night." - ―Daniel Whitehall and Agent 33[src]
Having been provided with intel from Bobbi Morse on the location of a S.H.I.E.L.D. Safe House, Whitehall's soldiers managed to capture former S.H.I.E.L.D. operative Agent 33, who was brought before Whitehall. Intending to make her into a loyal agent, Whitehall decided to personally oversee Agent 33's brainwashing, as he had her eyes forced open and made her stare into his screen, which would soon begin to break her mind. Before he began his method, Whitehall poured himself a glass of extremely rare wine.
Whitehall begins his brainwashing of Agent 33
Whitehall explained to Agent 33 that he had first bought this wine just before enlisting in the German army during World War II, commenting on how it had been bland when he first tasted it, but he had a hunch about it's potential and instead bought an entire case. Taking a drink, Whitehall commented on how his patience with the wine had clearly improved it's quality and price, explaining to her that he always liked to enjoy the finer parts of life. Whitehall then told Agent 33 about how he believed in second chances, and how he wanted her to become a valued member of HYDRA, telling her to surrender to find meaning.
Whitehall telling Agent 33 to surrender to him
As Whitehall continued to advise Agent 33 to surrender, and comply with his commands, she furiously insisted that she would never work for HYDRA, to which Whitehall noted that he had expected this to be a long night, which was why he decided to treat himself to that wine. Whitehall had told Sunil Bakshi to restart, noting that the start would be the beginning, comparing this to song lyrics. Whitehall and Bakshi acknowledged that the Faustus method would take time, and he had plenty of time, before Whitehall plugged his ears and watched on, as Agent 33 had been forced to endure more from his mental torture.
Whitehall compares HYDRA's intent to flowers
With Bakshi being on the mission on recapture Donnie Gill, Whitehall then continued to twist and corrupt Agent 33's mind, as he began to question why she would still continue to hold onto these principles of S.H.I.E.L.D., mocking those concepts of freedom, equality, individual rights, as he suggested that these principles would make mankind a plague upon the Earth. Whitehall suggested that Agent 33 consider a forest that dried up and could burn down from a single spark, noting that mankind would fight the fire, believing every plant was perfect in it's own way, but Whitehall insisted that only the fire was perfect.
Whitehall continues breaking Agent 33's mind
At that moment, Whitehall saw that Agent 33 had been able to break free from one of her restraints, as he calmly stepped over to her and grabbed her arm, preventing her escape. Whitehall then continued to explain how a plant such as the Giant Sequoia had needed the heat of the plant to crack open their seeds and be born, claiming that this helped them to rise up from the ashes and live for a thousand years. Whitehall then wiped a tear away from Agent 33's face, as he told her that she did not need to continue burning, as he instead told her that she could finally rise and be reborn as their new agent of HYDRA.
Whitehall orders Agent 33 to comply with him
At that moment, Whitehall's interrogation was then interrupted by the return of Bakshi, who had apologized for stepping in and asked if he would have his approval to evaluate Jemma Simmons, as part of his investigation into Gill, as he questioned if Whitehall would allow him to act with authority. In response, Whitehall told Bakshi that he would expect him to do what needed to be done, as Bakshi then left him to continue with his torture of Agent 33. Looking into her eyes, Whitehall asked Agent 33 if she was finally ready to comply, as she desperately attempted to maintain control, as Whitehall restarted the torture.[11]
Updated by Sunil Bakshi
Whitehall getting an update from Sunil Bakshi
- "Donnie's programming proved to be unstable."
"Ultimately it held."
"One last thing, 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?" - ―Sunil Bakshi and Daniel Whitehall[src]
Eventually, in spite of her valiant battles for her own sanity, Whitehall had succeeded in using the Faustus Method to break Agent 33, following those many hours of work, as he had allowed her to be free and begin serving HYDRA during Whitehall's ongoing campaign to remake the world into HYDRA's own twisted images for perfection. When Sunil Bakshi returned from Morocco, he informed Whitehall that he had been unsuccessful in returning Donnie Gill to HYDRA's control, as Gill had seemingly been killed.
Whitehall speaks to the brainwashed Agent 33
Having been told that S.H.I.E.L.D. had been the cause of them losing Gill, Whitehall then noted that they were becoming a problem, as he questioned if they knew who was in charge, which he did not. During their conversation, the brainwashed Agent 33 walked into Whitehall's office and gave him paperwork that needed his signatures, informing him that she was now happy to comply. Once Agent 33 had then left them, Whitehall and Bakshi had discussed Jemma Simmons and her loyalties to HYDRA, as Whitehall told Bakshi that she would become reprogrammed with Faustus if they ever deemed it necessary.[11]
Meeting with Raina
Whitehall giving Sunil Bakshi his next orders
- "I had once operated on a woman, on and off, for a full week. The struggle really was keeping the patient awake. The pain at certain levels has the tendency to cause us to blackout, and that can be incredibly frustrating. But I'm confident that I can do better now. I can find you wherever you are. Bring me the Obelisk. Forty-eight hours. The clock starts, now."
- ―Daniel Whitehall to Raina[src]
Having learned of a painting with the Words of Creation craved into the back, Whitehall sent in Sunil Bakshi to collect it, while disguised as Glenn Talbot. During the mission, Bakshi reported that he had collected the painting but S.H.I.E.L.D. was also there, when Bakshi then asked if he should come in, Whitehall ordered him and Agent 33 to attack and destroy the Bus, using the Photostatic Veil to quietly get past Phil Coulson's team and to secretly plant the Hijacker bomb inside of the Bus without them noticing.
Whitehall calmly introducing himself to Raina
Having discovered that it was Raina who had managed to steal away the Obelisk from him, Whitehall was able to locate her just before she was intending to make her escape towards Miami. Whitehall and his men then cornered Raina inside her car, as he introduced himself and then explained that she had recently stolen something from him, with Raina even acknowledging that she actually knew what Whitehall had been referring to. However, while Raina was attempting to promise to assist Whitehall with getting the Obelisk back, one of Whitehall's men placed the Control Device on Raina's hand, which he then activated.
Whitehall telling Raina about his punishments
With Raina now incapable of moving, Whitehall had then claimed that he was not like most of the people that she interacted with, insisting that he was not easily confused by her mind games. Whitehall then explained that he had lived too long not to lose sight of what actually belonged to him, while also noting that he did not usually do his own dirty work, but believed that they should aspire to do only what they enjoyed, promising to make an exception in Raina's case. Whitehall then told Raina that he would give her just forty eight hours to return the Obelisk back to him, as Raina remained unable to escape.
Leaning in closer towards Raina, Whitehall had then told her about a time he had operated on Jiaying for an entire week, as he noted his struggle was keeping her away during that time, as she would often blackout due to the pain, but promised that he believed that his skills had improved since then. Whitehall had then promised Raina that he would be able to find her, regardless of where she had attempted to escape to, as he once again instructed her to bring back the Obelisk to him, within forty eight hours. With that, Whitehall then deactivated Raina's Control Device, as he calmly walked away from the car.[1]
Duplicating the Obelisk
Whitehall and Lingenfelter discussing the tests
Using the research he had gathered on the Obelisk, Whitehall and his scientists attempted to recreate the Obelisk's powers. Whitehall had then demonstrated the new Obelisk based weaponry, at the wedding of Pete and Mariah Leitner, which had resulted with a few dead civilians and United States Navy officers, as they had drunk champaign laced with the Obelisk metal, but that was not the result Whitehall hoped to achieve, since it had proved less effective then he was intending, as Whitehall met with Lingenfelter to discuss these results.
Whitehall giving his lecture for his scientists
Whitehall and Sunil Bakshi arranged the meeting with HYDRA's team of scientists to discuss their results, as he and Lingenfelter explained that they would need assistance, as Lingenfelter then explained how they had also used the tissue samples, recovered from the corpse of the Waitress who was killed by the Obelisk to create this new poison. Although Lingenfelter attempted to claim that many of those victims had been enemies of HYDRA, Whitehall then made it extremely clear that he remained highly disappointed by their results, insisting that he had loftier aspirations, than to simply cause this small massacre.
Whitehall commenting on Red Skull's legacy
Whitehall had then commented on how Red Skull had once used the power of the Tesseract, while he had waited his entire life to re-gain possession of the Obelisk, and to then harness it's power. During his lecture, Whitehall noticed that Jemma Simmons was still reading the paper work, as he called to her and noted how Bakshi had told him that Simmons had a passion for their technology. Whitehall had then asked Simmons to give her opinion on where Lingenfelter had failed with her research, to which Simmons then claimed that she may not have failed, as Whitehall had asked her to clarify her opinions.
Whitehall being advised by Jemma Simmons
Whitehall had then listened closely as Simmons noted that they were dealing with alien technology, which would interact with the body on a cellular level and that it would be impossible to replicate without an actual sample. Whitehall questioned if they would actually be able to weaponize the effects of the Obelisk, if they were able to get it back into their possession, which Simmons had confirmed would likely be possible, much to Whitehall's considerable pleasure. Whitehall then told the team to be prepared, as he intended to get the Obelisk back into his possession, before he and Lingenfelter left the meeting.[4]
Introduced to Calvin Zabo
Whitehall orders his laboratory be evacuated
- "Can you tell me how to use it?"
"Better yet, I'll teach you how to survive it."
"And why would you do that?"
"We share a common enemy. Guy named Phil Coulson. I thought maybe together, you and I could kill him along with, you know, everyone else." - ―Daniel Whitehall and Calvin Zabo[src]
Before he could continue all his experiments, Whitehall was informed that Jemma Simmons and Bobbi Morse were S.H.I.E.L.D. agents and had been sent undercover to learn what Whitehall was planning. As a result of this, Whitehall was forced to order the complete evacuation from the HYDRA Laboratories, due to their covers being blown following Simmons and Morse's escape. However, while Whitehall and Sunil Bakshi were discussing the evacuation from the laboratory, they were interrupted by Calvin Zabo's arrival, while he had also apologised for interrupting during the move.
Whitehall witnesses the arrival of Calvin Zabo
Although Bakshi attempted to have their soldiers remove Zabo from the building, Zabo advised all of them to remain calm, they had then witnessed him brutally murdering two of their HYDRA soldiers, while they had tried to grab him, with Zabo then wiping the blood off from Whitehall's desk, as he apologised for his actions. Intrigued with this, Whitehall ordered Bakshi not to draw his gun, as he allowed Zabo to place his suit-case onto his desk, with Zabo then noting that he had heard that Whitehall had been searching for this, before he presented him with the Obelisk, much to Whitehall's complete astonishment.
Whitehall and Calvin Zabo discuss the Obelisk
Zabo had then informed Whitehall that the Obelisk's true name, was the Diviner, while he claimed that it was just one of many details that he knew about it. As Whitehall questioned if Zabo could tell him how to use it, Zabo promised that he would also teach him how to survive it's power. When Whitehall had questioned why Zabo would be doing this, Zabo explained that he and Whitehall shared a common enemy with Phil Coulson and noting that he hoped that together they could kill Coulson and destroy S.H.I.E.L.D., while noting that he was willing to kill anyone to achieve their goal, which Whitehall accepted.[4]
Testing the Obelisk
Whitehall continues to study the Obelisk
- "Can you tell me how to use it?"
"Better yet, I'll teach you how to survive it."
"And why would you do that?"
"We share a common enemy. A guy named Phil Coulson. I thought maybe together, you and I could kill him. Along with, you know, everyone else." - ―Daniel Whitehall and Calvin Zabo[src]
This new alliance quickly proved to be very fruitful for Whitehall's continued research into the Diviner. Whitehall and Zabo sent schematics based on the work of Vincent Beckers and adapted with the power of the Diviner to Toshiro Mori to create the deadly new weapon known as the Splinter Bomb. Also during this time, Sunil Bakshi mysteriously vanished, having seemingly been betrayed by someone and handed over into S.H.I.E.L.D. custody, leaving Whitehall's men on the edge and quick to the trigger.
Whitehall questions Calvin Zabo's information
Whitehall, however, remained frustrated by the lack of results his own researchers were having with the Diviner so he called in Calvin Zabo to explain it further, with his guards present to protect him. Zabo insulted Whitehall's efforts, calling them insane for just poking at the Diviner when he already had the answers, telling Whitehall to explain all that he currently knew of it for him to expand upon. When Whitehall claimed the Diviner was a weapon, Zabo corrected him by claiming that it was, in fact, a key that needed to be taken to a special place where it would do something much cooler than killing.
Whitehall threatens to kill Calvin Zabo
Whitehall explained the story about the blue angels who had come to conquer the Earth, but Zabo claimed that they had come to end mankind and replace them with a chosen few, who the Diviner chose to be worthy. When Zabo claimed he could get Whitehall into the secret city, Whitehall questioned this, vowing not to give him men and money on the off chance he would find it as he suspected Zabo would steal the power for himself. Zabo, however, insisted that he was not worthy to claim this power and promised that he would give it to HYDRA, leading to Whitehall asking about his motivations.
Whitehall and Calvin Zabo discuss the Obelisk
Zabo claimed he had lost everything and wanted to kill those who took it from him so he could be reunited with his family in the Afterlife. Later, on Whitehall's orders, Marcus Scarlotti led a team disguised as S.H.I.E.L.D. to attack the United Nations Headquarters, creating more outrage against S.H.I.E.L.D. Meanwhile, Julien Beckers declared Belgium a safe haven for all S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. The trap was not as successful as Whitehall had predicted. Only six S.H.I.E.L.D. agents were killed while Beckers, Scarlotti and his team were captured by General Glenn Talbot and his United States Air Force soldiers.[12]
Recruiting Grant Ward
Whitehall showing Grant Ward the news
- "Everyone deserves a second chance, but few are willing to do what it takes to earn one."
"I completely understand. I think my skills could be of use to you. I know sacrifice, what it takes to move forward in life."
"I have no doubt that's true." - ―Daniel Whitehall and Grant Ward[src]
Whitehall had a meeting with Grant Ward, who found him without the help of Sunil Bakshi. Whitehall spoke to Ward about second chances and allowed him to rejoin HYDRA before he showed him news footage of the alleged murder-suicide of his brother Christian Ward and his parents, which Whitehall was aware was a murder committed by Grant Ward to destroy his brother's legacy and get revenge for the years of torment he had suffered.
During their meeting, Calvin Zabo returned from his encounter with Phil Coulson and introductions were made. Whitehall stated that he believed that together, with their combined knowledge of S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Diviner, there was much that they could achieve. Ward asked about Zabo's encounter with Coulson, explaining that he was a former member of Coulson's Team. Zabo claimed it had not been wasted as it was always good to look your enemy right in the eye, before making eye-contact with Whitehall. Whitehall soon learned that Jiaying was Zabo's wife and that Zabo was there seeking revenge.[2]
Search for the Kree City
Whitehall speaks to Agent 33 on the phone
Learning that Raina was one of those who survived touching the Obelisk, Whitehall sent a few agents to find her. Led by Agent 33, they found her in Vancouver, but when they tried to kidnap her, she was saved by a group of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents and taken onboard the Bus. Whitehall was called by Agent 33, who informed him about the failure of the operation. When Agent 33 said that Raina had a Tracker on her, Whitehall replied that he would send his best man to take care of the situation.
Whitehall listens to Agent 33's report
When Whitehall met with Agent 33, she informed him that Grant Ward successfully captured Raina, but that he had also obtained Agent Skye from the Bus, promising that the four HYDRA Quinjets surrounding the plane would not fire if she came willingly. Whitehall told her that Ward did not have the authority to give such a promise and ordered her to authorize the destruction of the S.H.I.E.L.D. plane. Sometime later, Whitehall was informed about the location of the Kree City, that it was buried under the city of San Juan in Puerto Rico. Whitehall then also learned that Skye was Calvin Zabo's daughter.[13]
Taking Charge
- "It's a pity that you won't get to fulfill that destiny, or that after all these years, you won't get your vengeance for what I did to your wife. Secure him. Remain alert around Agent Ward. He's a trained killer, one of the best. I have a feeling that, in time, I can make you comply."
- ―Daniel Whitehall[src]
Scanning the city through the ground, Whitehall's men discovered the temple inside the city was located exactly a couple of hundred feet beneath the Ponce de León Theater. They quietly occupied the theater and started drilling right through the volcanic rock in order to finally discover what the Diviner could really do. When Whitehall arrived to San Juan, he came to the theater where he ordered a sudden meeting.
Whitehall threatens to control Grant Ward
With Calvin Zabo, Raina, Grant Ward, and Ward's new hostage Skye assembled, Whitehall expressed his gratitude for Zabo's work, but then asked Ward why he did not order the destruction of the Bus from which Raina and Skye were taken. When Agent 33 brought in the Diviner, Whitehall ordered Skye to pick it up. When she did that and the symbols appeared, she attacked one agent with it while Zabo also killed another, and Ward drew his gun. The mutiny was short-lived and once all the mutineers were disarmed, Whitehall told Skye that he hoped she was special like her mother had been.[14]
Battle for the Kree City
Whitehall calmly tortures Calvin Zabo
- "Discovery requires experimentation. I killed your wife and before I kill you, I want you to watch what I do to your daughter."
- ―Daniel Whitehall to Calvin Zabo[src]
Later, in another section of the theater where Grant Ward and Skye had been restrained and were being guarded by the HYDRA operatives, Whitehall came in to gloat over Calvin Zabo, who had just awoken after being knocked out by Whitehall's soldier. As Zabo attempted to charge at Whitehall and rip him apart with his bare hands, Whitehall calmly shocked him with the remotely controlled miniature Control Device implanted on his neck, causing Zabo to fall on the floor in complete agony as Whitehall calmly kicked him aside to speak instead to Skye.
As Zabo fell down, Whitehall asked if Skye knew what her mother's special gift was. When Skye claimed that she did not, Whitehall told her about her mother's apparent immortality, he expressed his hopes that that was Skye's special ability too or if they would find another special gift within her, vowing to discover the truth through his usual horrific experimentation. But just as he told Zabo that he wanted him to watch as he butchered his daughter, Phil Coulson and a team of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents attacked the theater. Whitehall and Agent 33 then left the room to deal with the intruders with violence.
Whitehall is confronted by Calvin Zabo
In the main corridor, Whitehall gave orders to his men to search the theater floor by floor and kill any of the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents who they encountered, putting Agent 33 in charge the hunt for the attackers. Immediately after he was left alone, Zabo suddenly appeared, having escaped from his torturous Control Device and intending to finally kill Whitehall for murdering his wife years before. Instead of being threatened by the man who desired nothing more than to tear him apart with his bare hands, Whitehall turned and faced Zabo, with a smile on his face as Zabo began walking towards him.
Whitehall is shot and killed by Phil Coulson
Unthreatened by the bloodthirsty Zabo, Whitehall calmly aimed his pistol at the enraged doctor and prepared to execute him. However, just as Whitehall was about to shoot Zabo, Coulson snuck up behind him and shot him twice in the back. Whitehall looked down at his chest as he began to bleed from his fatal wounds before falling down onto his back dead. Zabo became outraged for not being able to exact his revenge and kill Whitehall himself and vowed to get his revenge against Coulson for taking that away from him. While Zabo attacked Coulson, Agent 33 discovered Whitehall's corpse.[14]
Legacy
HYDRA's Fallout
- "Doctor Whitehall believed discovery requires experimentation."
"I do miss him."
"As do I. But the world moves on, and we form new allegiances." - ―Sunil Bakshi and List[src]
Whitehall's death left a void in HYDRA's leadership ranks that S.H.I.E.L.D. believed had raised Sunil Bakshi's value as List sought to replace him.[9] Without any leadership now that Whitehall was dead, Agent 33 joined forces with Grant Ward, saving his life after he was shot by Skye. Over the next few weeks, Ward helped Agent 33 overcome the damage Whitehall had done to her mind and the pair formed a relationship as a result. In get their final revenge, Ward and Agent 33 kidnapped Bakshi and forced him to undergo the same treatment that he and Whitehall had previously done to her and many others, turning him into their own personal slave.[15]
Calvin Zabo's Rage
- "Let’s welcome Phil Coulson to the field. Here is a fun fact: He killed the man I had been plotting to kill for two and a half decades! Disappointment! Come out, come out, wherever you are."
- ―Calvin Zabo[src]
Losing his chance at killing Whitehall himself caused Calvin Zabo to vow his revenge against Phil Coulson for denying him his revenge against the man who took away his family. To get his revenge against Coulson and S.H.I.E.L.D., Zabo brought together a team called the Slicing Talons and attempted to destroy Coulson; however, this plan failed.[16] Despite finding some peace while at Afterlife, Zabo once again attempted to kill Coulson by injecting himself with his formula and thus turning himself into a beast.[17] However, the desire of saving his own family, something started by Whitehall destroying his life years earlier, caused him to change sides.[18]
Jiaying's Revenge
- "Whitehall cut me to pieces. He ripped out my organs and stuffed them in jars! I will never let that happen to my daughter to any of my people!"
- ―Jiaying to Robert Gonzales[src]
The damage Whitehall had done to Jiaying was felt for decades after he had tortured and brutalized her in order to get to her DNA and gain his long life. The disgust at how the Inhumans had been treated by HYDRA caused Jiaying to wage a War against Humanity, who was planning on using poisoned Terrigen Crystals to wipe out the humans. The sore wound of Whitehall's actions was felt when Robert Gonzales inadvertently insulted her by comparing his own scars to hers, to which Jiaying furiously killed him with Terrigen Mist and explained how Whitehall had torn her body to pieces, which she refused to allow to happen to Skye or any other Inhumans.[19]
Destroyer of Worlds
Whitehall's death also meant the abrupt end of Project Destroyer of Worlds. The Particle Infusion Chamber remained hidden from everyone, including Whitehall's fellow HYDRA members like Hale and Ruby Hale who were originally intended to participate in the project.[5] The location of the facility where the chamber was hidden was eventually given to S.H.I.E.L.D. agents by Gideon Malick. Following the Destruction of HYDRA the facility and its surrounding area was declared off-limits by Brigadier General Glenn Talbot of the US Air Force.[20]
Alternative Timeline
Advising Nathaniel Malick
To be added
Personality
- "I'm not like most people with whom you interact. I'm not easily confused. I've been around too long to lose sight of what's mine. I generally don't do my own dirty work anymore. We should all aspire to do only that which we enjoy. Don't you agree? But in your case, I will make an exception."
- ―Daniel Whitehall to Raina[src]
Daniel Whitehall was completely amoral and capable of committing any crime that could help his or HYDRA's goals which were, in his mind, to answer the keys to death itself. Confident and arrogant in his capacities, he took seemingly all situations presented to him with calm indifference if not sadistic humor. He had no problems with killing dozens of people in horrifically cruel ways to test the Obelisk's power with no remorse. He did not care about any of his lower henchmen, because he had hundreds of them ready at his disposal.
Whitehall constantly calculated and sought a person's motive before applying an action. When confronted by Calvin Zabo in his office, he stopped Sunil Bakshi from acting to learn why Zabo was there, despite witnessing Zabo kill two of his operatives moments earlier. Before he acted on Grant Ward's disobedience for not attacking the Bus, Whitehall met with him and asked his reasons. Whitehall was dedicated to understanding and discovery. As a scientist, he was observant as well as fascinated by new situations and will experiment endlessly to find solutions to his questions. He developed a mantra of discovery requiring experimentation in order to justify his amoral experiments.
Whitehall is also psychopathic, and downright callous, able to commit horrible and sadistic crimes and actions without remorse. He has no empathy for his victims and even seems to enjoy torturing them. He also believes deeply in HYDRA’s Nazi ideology, specifically their misogynistic viewpoint as he discarded Hale to be artificially inseminated to continue their Destroyer of Worlds Project rather than a S.H.I.E.L.D. sleeper agent despite her skills and ideas being superior to her male colleagues.
Powers and Abilities
Powers
- "It's like he stopped the clock."
"Or turned it back." - ―Jemma Simmons and Melinda May[src]
- Longevity: While originally an elderly man from World War II, Whitehall was able to reverse the aging process by transplanting Jiaying's blood and organs to himself. This restored the former appearance of his prime, along with its matching health and vitality. Until his death, his aging was slowed down so much that he showed no noticeable signs of aging between 1989 and 2014.
Abilities
- Master Tactician: Whitehall possessed military knowledge and skills of a World War II general, improved with years of study while imprisoned at the Rat. Once he re-joined HYDRA following his liberation, he assumed a leadership role within the organization, harvesting resources for HYDRA while developing a long-term strategy to gain access to the Obelisk that was taken from him by the Strategic Scientific Reserve.
- Master Scientist: Whitehall was one of the top scientists in HYDRA during World War II, focusing on the study of an ancient eastern myth that led to the discovery of the Obelisk, and once found, he sought to weaponize its effects, even killing countless human subjects to analyze its properties.
- Expert Physician: Whitehall had advanced medical skills and knowledge, being able to vivisect Jiaying in order to analyze and harvest her blood and organs, later ordering to transplant her organs on himself.
- Bilingualism: Whitehall spoke fluent German and English. He could speak English with a perfect American accent.
Equipment
Weapons
- Luger P08: Whitehall was armed with the standard Luger P08 pistol used by members of the armed forces of Nazi Germany.
Whitehall prepares to execute Calvin Zabo
- FN Five-seveN: The standard side-arm used by many HYDRA security officers. Whitehall personally carried one of these handguns, and he grabbed it during S.H.I.E.L.D.'s attack on the Ponce de León Theater. He attempted to kill Calvin Zabo with the gun but was unable to fire as he was killed by Phil Coulson.
Other Equipment
- Control Device: A small device used by Whitehall to control his enemies, attaching it to their skin and then using it to inflict a considerable amount of pain. He used it on Raina to make her retrieve the Obelisk that she stole from one of his subordinates, and then to incapacitate Calvin Zabo as he attempted to bring the Obelisk to the Kree City under Puerto Rico.
- Uniform: During World War II, Whitehall wore a modified black SS uniform, wearing the rank insignia of Obergruppenführer (Lieutenant general). The SS runes on the right side of the collar were replaced with the HYDRA badge. The cuff title on his uniform's left sleeve read HYDRA. His officer cap also had the HYDRA badge instead of the SS Totenkopf badge, and he wore the HYDRA membership stickpin.[6] He wore four military decorations on the left side of the uniform.
- The Panzer Badge - In recognition of a tank commanders' achievements during armored assaults.
- The Close Combat Clasp - For taking part in 25 battles of close combat.
- The Wound Badge - For being wounded three or four times.
- The Iron Cross First Class - In recognition for bravery in battle or military contributions in a battlefield environment.
- Particle Infusion Chamber: While he gave his lecture at the HYDRA Preparatory Academy, Whitehall had presented the students with the designs for the Particle Infusion Chamber, which HYDRA intended to use for Project Destroyer of Worlds. While Whitehall suggested that the machine could be used to give a man the ability to absorb any substance, he opened the discussion up to the other students on how it could be used, with Wolfgang von Strucker suggesting that they use Tesseract technology to enhance it, while Hale suggested that they look to outer space for power sources.
Facilities
| This section requires expansion |
- "So much lost time."
"It's been under S.H.I.E.L.D. protection since the war." - ―Werner Reinhardt and Hauer[src]
- HYDRA Fortress: To be added
- HYDRA Research Facility Number 4: To be added
- HYDRA Preparatory Academy: To be added
- "The lab should be dismantled within the hour."
"And the rest of the facility?"
"Not long after." - ―Sunil Bakshi and Daniel Whitehall[src]
- HYDRA Laboratories: To be added
- Ponce de León Theater: To be added
Prisons
- "Nothing stays buried forever."
"For as long as I have a say, you will." - ―Werner Reinhardt and Peggy Carter[src]
- Rat: To be added
Relationships
Family
Allies
|
Enemies
|
Appearances
Trivia
- In the comics, Daniel Whitehall is a legendary member of HYDRA known as the Kraken. Originally a British intelligence agent, he joined HYDRA in the 1960s, leading it alongside Wolfgang von Strucker and serving as a mentor to Ophelia Sarkissian. He was eventually killed and secretly replaced by Nick Fury's brother Jacob Fury.
- According to SSR files, Whitehall was a hypertensive.[2]
Behind the Scenes
- Paradise Lost creates a continuity error by having Gideon and Nathaniel Malick refer to Reinhardt as "Whitehall" while he was still imprisoned in the Rat in 1970, despite the fact that The Things We Bury established that he did not take on the name Daniel Whitehall until 1990, after he was smuggled out of the prison in 1989.
- In A Trout in the Milk, Reinhardt was once again referred as Whitehall in 1976.
- Kanin Howell was a stunt double for Reed Diamond in the role of Daniel Whitehall.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: 2.04: Face My Enemy
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: 2.08: The Things We Bury
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. 3.16: Paradise Lost
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: 2.05: A Hen in the Wolf House
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: 5.15: Rise and Shine
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: 2.01: Shadows
- ↑ Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: 4.04: Let Me Stand Next To Your Fire
- ↑ Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: 2.12: Who You Really Are
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: 2.11: Aftershocks
- ↑ Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: 2.02: Heavy is the Head
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: 2.03: Making Friends and Influencing People
- ↑ Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: 2.06: A Fractured House
- ↑ Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: 2.09: ...Ye Who Enter Here
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: 2.10: What They Become
- ↑ Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: 2.14: Love in the Time of HYDRA
- ↑ Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: 2.13: One of Us
- ↑ Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: 2.21: S.O.S. Part One
- ↑ Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: 2.22: S.O.S. Part Two
- ↑ Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: 2.20: Scars
- ↑ Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: 5.17: The Honeymoon
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