- "I believe this base may have been infiltrated."
"No, imagine that. An infiltrator, right under our noses." - ―Jemma Simmons and Daniel Sousa[src]
The Infiltration into Area 51 was an operation, perpetrated by S.H.I.E.L.D. in order to sneak inside Area 51 and stop Chronicom Hunters from using Project Helius against S.H.I.E.L.D.
Background[]
- "It's 1955. We're in Area 51, and we're trying to stop the Chronicoms from stealing a space weapon."
- ―Alphonso Mackenzie to Melinda May[src]
As part of their attempts to prevent S.H.I.E.L.D. from existing, Chronicom Hunters time-traveled to 1955 near Area 51. They planned to use Helius, a weapon created by S.H.I.E.L.D. during a namesake project, to kill the brain trust of S.H.I.E.L.D.
S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, led by Alphonso Mackenzie followed Chronicoms to 1955 and figured out the Chronicoms' intentions. Mackenzie, Yo-Yo Rodriguez, Phil Coulson, and Daisy Johnson kidnapped Gerald Sharpe, and Coulson took his identification badge and left with Jemma Simmons, disguised as Peggy Carter, while Mackenzie, Rodriguez, May, and Deke Shaw interrogated Sharpe about Area 51.[2]
Infiltration[]
Questioning Scientists[]
- "If the Chronicoms have infiltrated, they would all look and act exactly like this."
- ―Jemma Simmons[src]
Jemma Simmons presenting her I.D. badge as Peggy Carter
When Phil Coulson and Jemma Simmons arrived at Area 51, they presented their I.D. badges, under the guise of Gerald Sharpe and Peggy Carter, respectively. When Carpenter questioned Simmons' presence, she presented her fake I.D. badge, causing Carpenter to allow them to enter.
Phil Coulson and Jemma Simmons infiltrate Area 51
Simmons and Coulson were then given a tour by Pascal Vega, who showed them various devices S.H.I.E.L.D. was working on in Area 51, including a Walkie-Talkie Wristwatch and an EMP Generator. He then showed them a scaled model of Helius, the result of Project Helius and the target of the Chronicoms. They saw the real Helius through a video screen on the testing field, and Simmons and Coulson asked to question the science team, hoping to find the Chronicom Hunters. Coulson sent a picture of Vega to Zephyr One.
Jemma Simmons and Phil Coulson interviewing the scientists
Simmons and Coulson discussed the difficulties in testing if a scientist was a Chronicom Hunter, but they instead decided to test if they were human. They questioned each scientist, each producing an emotional response, confirming that they were human. Vega later told them that a group of new arrivals had arrived, and Coulson left to test them while Simmons continued to work on the scientists.[2]
Arrival of Daniel Sousa[]
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Daniel Sousa arriving at Area 51
- "I'm sure they would love to learn how two moles walked into this base on your watch. Let me guess. They rolled in with flawless ID cards, made a beeline for the scientists... for some routine questioning?"
- ―Daisy Johnson to Daniel Sousa[src]
Daniel Sousa then arrived at Area 51, and was told that Gerald Sharpe and Peggy Carter had arrived and were already questioning the science team. On Zephyr One, Daisy Johnson and Deke Shaw realized that Sousa was on the base, as he prepared to see Carter. He instead found Jemma Simmons, who continued to pretend to be Carter until Sousa revealed his identity and arrested Simmons and Phil Coulson, who was continuing to question the new arrivals.
Daisy Johnson meeting Daniel Sousa
Johnson left the Zephyr and arrived at Area 51, where Sousa wanted to find out how they got out. Sousa entered his office to find Johnson, under the guise of a CIA agent. Sousa asked if her presence was due to a report he submitted, regarding his suspicions of sleeper agents having infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D.[2]
Activating Helius[]
Helius being activated
- "A Chronicom that's willing to die plus an ion fusion reactor will equal a bomb with a blast radius for miles. If that thing goes off, it could take out..."
"The entire brain trust of S.H.I.E.L.D." - ―Deke Shaw and Alphonso Mackenzie[src]
Meanwhile, Deke Shaw learned that Helius was not functional and unable to be powered up, and realized that a Chronicom could power the weapon and take down S.H.I.E.L.D.'s entire brain trust.
Melinda May and Yo-Yo Rodriguez searching for the Chronicom Hunter
While Pascal Vega gave a tour of Area 51, a Chronicom Hunter began powering the weapon. While Daniel Sousa prepared to release Jemma Simmons and Phil Coulson to Daisy Johnson, Melinda May and Yo-Yo Rodriguez used a gas bomb in the science lab to find the Hunter, setting off the alarms at Area 51. Coulson and Simmons locked Sousa in a cell, while May and Rodriguez looked for the Hunter. They eventually found her, but froze and were unable to catch them. They left before the gas could affect May, and rushed after the Hunter while Helius powered up.
Jemma Simmons fixing the EMP Generator
Coulson, Simmons, and Johnson found Vega, who told them that Helius had powered up. While Vega evacuated the base, Rodriguez and May chased after the Chronicom, who killed to soldiers and plugged herself into Helius and fought May and Rodriguez. While Simmons and Johnson worked to make the EMP Generator operational, they were attacked by another Hunter, who Coulson began fighting.
Phil Coulson fighting a Chronicom Hunter
Sousa found Coulson and the Hunter and used his cane to attack the Hunter, but was surprised when it was ineffective. The Hunter began suffocating Sousa, while the Hunter near Helius began choking Rodriguez. However, Simmons and Johnson finished the EMP, causing Helius, the two Hunters, and Coulson to be shut down. The two Hunters then self-destructed, having failed their mission.[2]
Aftermath[]
- "The base was infiltrated, my test was sabotaged. And my contact... the scientist... he's dead. Niles Lindmore turned out to be a hostile."
- ―Daniel Sousa[src]
Daniel Sousa ordered a medic for Phil Coulson, unaware that he was a Life-Model Decoy. He said that the Chronicom Coulson had been fighting would need one too, but then expressed confusion about his status. Coulson's eye began to flicker from color to black and white before a medic could reach him.[2] The incident led to Sousa questioning Coulson, with the latter recognizing that in his home timeline, it was the date that Sousa was meant to die after delivering a package to Howard Stark, which the man the Chronicom had replaced had helped with. Coulson and the rest of the S.H.I.E.L.D. team from the future decided to save Sousa, stopping him from getting killed and recruiting him to join their time-traveling mission to stop the Chronicoms.[1]