- "We're in the eye of the storm."
"A storm? But crystalline nucleation should only create ice around the..."
"It did... up there. We seeded the clouds. In the most effective way in history, Seth." - ―Donnie Gill and Seth Dormer[src]
The Freezing Storm Attacks were a series of attacks planned by S.H.I.E.L.D. cadets Donnie Gill and Seth Dormer staged to lure agent Leo Fitz and make him inadvertedly help them with the design of an Atmospheric Moisture Freezing Device.
Background[]
- "You weren't supposed to see this."
- ―Donnie Gill[src]
Donnie Gill, who was a freshman at the S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy of Science and Technology, was struggling to fit in. Seth Dormer saw his intelligence and befriended him in order to manipulate him. Dormer came in contact with Ian Quinn who offered him a lot of money if he could develop a machine that could change the weather. Gill started to develop the machine and they tested them.[1]
Attacks[]
- "Oh, god. Oh, god! What is this?! Hey, what's happening to me?! Help me! Help me! Get it off! Make it stop! Help me get it off! No! Make it stop!"
- ―Donnie Gill[src]
At S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy of Science and Technology, three students including Seth Dormer and Callie Hannigan swam in the pool after hours. Suddenly, Hannigan told the two others to get out as she noticed something. The pool started freezing up. Dormer tried to get out, but the ice got to his leg. Donnie Gill, who was sitting on the side, took a skimmer and broke the ice, allowing Dormer to break free.
Donnie Gill is frozen
Later, Coulson's Team was called in. Leo Fitz and Jemma Simmons planned to give a speech while Skye and Grant Ward planned to assess the situation. During Fitz-Simmons speech, Gill stood up and started yelling for help. He was then engulfed in ice. Fitz broke through the ice while Simmons grabbed a serum to counter it. Ward and Skye found the device and smashed it.
Dormer pushed Gill to get it working even better so that they could present it to Ian Quinn. Gill was worried as their tests had already caused suspicion. Fitz then walked in to check on Gill. Fitz saw the device and realized the truth, forcing Dormer to knock him out.
The team flying out of the eye
Dormer called Quinn to inform him that he could get it working. The two students went to a parking lot and started it up. The Atmospheric Moisture Freezing Device was working so well that it created a super storm. Huge pieces of ice started falling on the duo as they took cover. The team flew above the clouds to get through the eye of the storm and to their rescue. Suddenly, Dormer was struck by some ice. The team arrived and brought them in. Simmons worked to save Dormer, but it was too late, and he died.[1]
Aftermath[]
Ian Quinn called Seth Dormer later to congratulate him on his work. However, Phil Coulson was on the other line and said he was onto Quinn. The latter than told Coulson that the Clairvoyant wanted to see him.
Donnie Gill freezing a HYDRA member
Donnie Gill was transported to the Sandbox where he realized he could manipulate ice. HYDRA, which had infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D. from the inside, took notice of this and trained him to control his powers along with brainwashing him to follow their orders. Gill was able to escape and killed a few agents. HYDRA sent Sunil Bakshi and the then undercover S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Jemma Simmons to retrieve him. On the other end, S.H.I.E.L.D. was also attempting to save him. Gill froze the Maribel del Mar, which had some agents on it. Skye set herself up at the top of the boat with a sniper, and as Gill prepared to kill Simmons and Bakshi, Skye shot him. Gill fell off the boat and into the ocean where he started freezing up. Skye then shot next to Bakshi so that Simmons could push him out of the way and make it appear as if she saved his life, keeping her cover.[1]