Joseph Bauer was the leader of the Momentum Labs private think tank and the husband of Doctor Lucy Bauer. When he and his wife discovered the Darkhold, they experimented with the book, but technician Eli Morrow was tempted by the book. Morrow attempted to beat the information on its whereabouts from Joseph, putting him into a coma, and then attempted to kill Lucy and their colleagues with the machine, blaming their apparent deaths on an "explosion". Eventually, Bauer was awoken by his wife, who had become a ghostly figure seeking the book, who infected him with fear which eventually killed him.
Biography
Using the Book of Sins
Years ago, Lucy and Joseph Bauer found the Darkhold buried in the basement of an abandoned house, the family home of the person who had killed the book's previous owner. They excitedly opened the book, only to see that the pages were all blank. When words began to appear on the pages, they soon realized they were each seeing the words in their first language - Lucy in English and Joseph in German - as if the book was reading them.[1]
Together, they worked on a machine that defied the laws of physics. However, Eli Morrow was tempted by the Darkhold, prompting Joseph to approach the Fifth Street Locos and order a hit on him. This failed because Morrow's nephews Robbie and Gabe Reyes had "borrowed" his car, causing them to be attacked instead; as a result, Joseph hid the Darkhold. Eventually, Morrow beat Joseph into a coma and attempted to kill Lucy, Frederick, Hugo, and Vincent with the machine, but instead transformed them into ghostly apparitions.[2]
Reunion with Lucy and Death
Lucy eventually found Joseph in his hospital bed. She stuck her fingers into his head to wake him from his coma, demanding to know where the book was.[3]
Joseph's encounter with the ghost of his wife left him in the same paranoid condition as Melinda May and Chen. Before he died, Joseph told Phil Coulson that he had buried the book in the same place he found it and that it was too late for them to get it before Lucy.[1]
Abilities
- Multilingualism: Bauer could speak German and English very fluently.
Relationships
Family
- Lucy Bauer † - Wife and Killer
Allies
- Momentum Labs
- Fifth Street Locos - Employees
Enemies
- Eli Morrow † - Former Colleague turned Attempted Killer
Appearances
In chronological order:
- Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
- Season Four
- The Good Samaritan (flashbacks)
- Let Me Stand Next to Your Fire
- Lockup
- The Laws of Inferno Dynamics (mentioned)
- Season Four