Hive (Marvel Cinematic Universe)

"Thousands of years ago, an Inhuman was born on this planet that was destined to rule it, so powerful, so fearsome that others were consumed with dread, and so they banished it from the Earth, sent it through the portal to a distant planet. HYDRA was founded with the sole purpose of engineering its return."

- Gideon Malick

"You'll believe... once I make a believer out of him."

- Hive, speaking his words.

"Their emancipation will be my gift to you."

- Hive,to Daisy Johnson Alveus, aka Hive, serves as the true main antagonist of the third season of the hit TV series, Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He is an immensely-powerful Inhuman born thousands of years prior to the main story who seeks to regain his lost power, and is believed to have been the inspiration for stories about evil and the Devil. Being considered the most-powerful of all Inhumans to date, Hive seeks to "change the world" by turning as many humans into Inhumans as can be done.

He was portrayed by Jason Glover in his original human form, and more notably by Dillon Casey and Brett Dalton (who previously portrayed Grant Ward up until his death in episode "Maveth"), having assumed the forms of their respective characters.

Origin
Thousands of years ago, Alveus was originally a hunter-gatherer human who happened to encounter Kree Reapers after a successful hunt. The Kree cornered and forcibly abducted him onto their ship, where they performed experiments on him using Kree blood that would transform him into one of the first Inhumans.

With the help of Kree blood, Alveus was transformed by Terrigenesis into an amalgamation of various parasitic microorganisms, capable of infesting the bodies of the dead and reanimating them into host bodies. He was specifically designed by the Kree with the power of influencing the minds of other Inhumans; the Kree hoped that with this ability, Alveus would be able to lead the Inhumans without fear of rebellion.

Ironically, Alveus was the one to rebel against the Kree, leading his army against them and managing to drive them from Earth. He also stole from the Kree an artifact. However, other Inhumans grew so fearful of Alveus that they and a few Humans banished him to another world through the use of a portal. Alveus' followers, believing it to be destined to rule the world, soon organized a society with the purpose to bring their leader back to Earth. Over the centuries the society evolved into HYDRA.

During World War II, they infiltrated the Nazi's and took the name HYDRA under the direction of its then leader, Red Skull. This group's sole intention was to bring back this dangerous Inhuman to Earth. For centuries, they had tried and failed.

The society eventually started using the Monolith to send other humans to Maveth, so that Hive could use them for host bodies and not be lost to time. One of these hosts was Nathaniel Malick, brother of current HYDRA leader Gideon Malick, who was betrayed by his brother. While on Maveth, Alveus came into contact with 9 different alien civilizations living in 9 different cities; he then watched idly-by while they killed each-other in a war for survival. It's been suggested that Alveus had a hand in the war, killing many of the aliens he encountered.

4,722 Hours
In 2001, a group of astronauts from NASA was sent in as a sacrifice to this thing as they had done to many others over the centuries under the guise that they were sent in to do scientific research. Hive made them go mad, killing each other, leaving their bodyguard, Will Daniels, alive. Will stood on that planet, eluding Hive for 14 years. Then in 2015, S.H.I.E.L.D. agent and biochemist, Jemma Simmons, was brought to that planet accidentally and, for months, Jemma, with the help of Will Daniels, survived long enough for her S.H.I.E.L.D. colleagues to bring her back, though Will was killed while he saved her before Hive possessed his body. The heads of HYDRA were trying to seek out S.H.I.E.L.D. to try to find out how to bring back this deadly Inhuman for Hive to take over Earth.

Maveth
Sometime later in December 2015 (Earth-time), a small team of HYDRA agents lead by Grant Ward at the request of HYDRA leader, Gideon Malick, traveled to Maveth to bring Hive back to Earth with S.H.I.E.L.D. scientist, Leo Fitz, as an unwilling sacrifice to the creature. They were followed by SHIELD director, Phil Coulson, who was on a mission to kill Grant Ward after he killed Phil's girlfriend, Rosalind Price, who was also the head of the Advanced Threat Containment Unit which allied themselves with S.H.I.E.L.D. Grant, Leo, and the HYDRA team encountered Hive within the body of Will Daniels. "Will" was made to be a guide.

"Will" would tell Leo about an older civilization that use to live on that planet. Leo was puzzled that he knew a great deal about them. Just as Leo was inspecting his limp leg, it showed Will's leg was rotting, indicating he was a rotting corpse and "Will" told Leo he was around when this alien civilization existed, thus telling him he was the Inhuman HYDRA was seeking. Leo and "Will" fought until Leo seemingly killed "Will" shortly before Phil killed Ward, HYDRA agent and traitor to S.H.I.E.L.D. Both Leo and Phil left Maveth shortly after, leaving behind Ward's dead body and Coulson's prosthetic hand, which he used to kill Ward.

Little did Leo and Phil knew, Hive left Will's heavily-damaged body and took possession of Grant Ward's body, then left Maveth for Earth, something it couldn't have done had Coulson not killed Ward and provided the necessary outlet. Hive intercepted Malick's car as it was speeding away from HYDRA castle. Malick was pleasantly surprised that the creature that HYDRA sought for centuries was finally on Earth, using Grant Ward's body as a new host. HYDRA succeeded in bringing back this evil being.

Bouncing Back
""They have advanced, but they haven't changed." "They?" "Humans. But you're not human anymore, are you? You don't believe I am what they say. Once I'm strong enough...you will.""

- Hive to Giyera

Hive is kept under supervision at Malick's HYDRA lair, where he sits in a room and catching up current events on Earth. 3 months after being found, sometime in March 2016, he asks Malick to feed him, so he is given large trays of food so that he can regain his strength. After HYDRA captures an Inhuman named Lucio, Malick's faith in Hive wavers, so he demonstrates his sincerity by turning into sand and sending it towards Malick and Giyera.

The Inside Man
Lucio is later brought before Hive, who is immune to the Inhuman's powers. Later, he requests that 4 humans are brought to him, alive and healthy. Shortly after, he is given 4 ordinary bodies to use, but he doesn't seek to possess them; instead, he absorbs their life force and their flesh, replenishing his (Ward's) body to normal, reducing the 4 people to blood-covered skeletons and covering Hive in a slimy substance.

Spacetime

 * "I know you've had people killed. You've even considered shooting someone. But to drain a man's life with your own hand, to feel the life go out inside him as Mr. Coulson did with me. That look in his eyes. A feeling so powerful, it scared him enough to leave that hand behind. But you don't fear anything, do you?"
 * ―Hive to Gideon Malick

His host body fixed, Hive dresses himself with a black cloak, then gets to eat dinner with Malick. Malick tells Hive that his family believed in him, and that if he were to be brought back to Earth, he would be rewarded; Hive takes note of Malick's net worth of $9.2 billion, then makes a suggestion regarding how to acquire more power, showing him Coulson's prosthetic hand, which he left behind after killing Ward back on Maveth. The suggestion comes up about buying the company that manufactured the hand, the Transia Corporation, in order to acquire his own technology with which to dominate over all. At the Transia Corporation building, Malick, Giyera and Hive speak to the board of directors about purchasing the entire company, but the chairman denies them; however, Hive then brings in an Inhuman named Charles Winton (who was captured previously in the day), who has the ability to show the future to people who touch him, and thus the chairman receives a horrifying vision of Hive absorbing life energy from everyone in the room, killing them all and reducing them to blood-covered skeletons. Horrified and fearful, the chairman hands over the company, but Hive kills everyone anyways.

A while later, Malick acquires a cybernetic suit built by the company before, and it is considered by him to be real power. Hive tempts him to kill the chairman by crushing his skull, which he does to illustrate his superiority. That night, when S.H.I.E.L.D. attacks the company, the crew hacks into security cameras, eventually catching a brief glimpse of Hive still inside Ward's body before the footage cuts out; discovering that Ward may have been resurrected somehow, Coulson and Inhuman Daisy Johnson split up, with Coulson saying that he's going to find Ward. Daisy makes it to the rooftop of the building, and fights off Malick in his cybernetic suit. After he escapes and the helicopter flees, Hive is seen with Giyera in Malick's hideout, as he tempts Giyera to betray Malick; he now works for Hive, who is about to continue his own agenda. Giyera betrays Malick and Hive expresses pleasure in hearing this.

Paradise Lost

 * "This needs to be made right, but I still need a Malick by my side."
 * ―Hive to Gideon Malick after killing his daughter Stephanie

Hive is in Gideon's estate, having summoned the rest of HYDRA's inner circle to there so that he can show them he's back on Earth. When Malick asks him about having the memories of every host body, he simply asks Malick who he wants to talk to. Later, when the inner circle is gathered up, Hive steps in; at first, everyone assumes that he's simply Grant Ward. However, he then transforms into a Medusa-like creature with tentacles, emphasizing that he's the real deal. Later on, Hive tells Malick's daughter Stephanie Malick about what her father did to his brother; he made him have to be sacrificed so that he wouldn't be. Stephanie, horrified at her father, looks at him with disgust, then tells Hive to "do what [he] has to"; much to Malick's surprise and horror, Hive kills Stephanie by transferring his parasitic cells into her. He says that now Malick knows what true sacrifice is, then leaves.

The Team
"Do it."''
 * ''"I have to get back to the base, they have something we need."
 *  ―Hive now controls Daisy Johnson

During an attack on the HYDRA base, Hive stands before Daisy, and transfers his cells into her, allowing him to mind-control her. She eventually returns to the S.H.I.E.L.D. base and, under Hive's influence, steals a Kree object and some Terrigen crystals, then kills the captured Gideon Malick, as Hive feared he would spill secrets about him. After this, she causes an earthquake inside the base, making rocks fall on top of Phil Coulson. With that accomplished, she heads for Hive, who informs Giyera that Malick is dead and they now have access to his massive fortune.

The Singularity

 * "After we're finished there will be no more war, no more pain, especially now that we're together. It's time we took back this planet, make it the home Inhumans have always deserved."
 * ―Hive to Daisy Johnson

Standing outside New York City with Daisy, Hive speaks to her about his intentions, and she seems to finally be taking a liking to the one who looks like Ward. Later on, they start preparing their new plans. Hive and Johnson first went to Alisha Whitley, whom they knew would be targeted by Coulson, and left her doubles to ambush Lincoln Campbell and the rest of the team sent to protect her. With Whitley by their side, Hive and Johnson then went to speak to James, who mocked Johnson and questioned if she had broken up with Campbell. Hive then revealed himself and demanded the rest of the Kree Orb; when James refused they dropped a Terrigen Crystal, which filled the room with Terrigen Mist and forced him to undergo Terrigenesis. After he finished this, he starts making objects explode by touching them, but Hive mind-controls him into stopping this. Daisy proceeds to cause an earthquake that allows the four to unearth a Kree weapon that the Kree Orb is connected to; when they ask what it is, Hive says that it's the only thing that can kill him. After taking it, they filled the room with explosives, anticipating that S.H.I.E.L.D. would be here soon due to looking out for Daisy using her powers. However, Coulson and May manage to save themselves from the explosives, much to the villain's dismay.

Seeking a new ally for their plans, Hive and his team decided to kidnap Holden Radcliffe, an expert in upgrading humans. With Daisy Johnson and Alisha Whitley attacked and captured Radcliffe, and James battled Alphonso Mackenzie upstairs, Hive found Jemma Simmons, who was being taken away by a security guard. Hive dissolved the guard with his powers and greeted Simmons. In an attempt to fool Simmons, Hive used the memories of Will Daniels to cause an emotional reaction from Simmons, reminding her of how much she loved Daniels while they were trapped on Maveth together. Hive told Simmons about how Daniels had died, using Daniels' speech patterns as he commented on Daniels' opinions of Leo Fitz and claimed he only wanted her to be safe. Simmons however told Hive that Daniels was dead before shooting him three times in the gut and running away.

Hive used Malick's money to buy an entire village to be used in their experiments. As Hive and his followers walked through the village with the captured Radcliffe, James decided to rename himself "Hellfire". Hive explained to Radcliffe that his work had reached a level with matched the Kree's when they first began creating Inhumans, but Radcliffe was unsure he agreed, but Hive assured him that with his help they would recreate the same experiment done by the Kree in order to redefine humanity permanently.

Failed Experiments
With mercenary forces and controlled Inhumans covering every inch of Hive's purchased town, they would all be likely safe from any S.H.I.E.L.D. attack. Hive explains the story of how he became an Inhuman to three former HYDRA leaders, descended from original worshipers of his, and also reveals his plan to them; turn humans into Inhumans. Radcliffe uses a device he built with help from Hive, and used some of Hive's blood to run the experiment. However, instead of turning the HYDRA members into Inhumans as intended, they are horrifically-melted into skeletons; according to Radcliffe, they are in need of actual blood from an actual Kree alien, giving Hive an idea. Using the Kree Orb, he summons forth two Kree Reapers, alien hunters who have been in stasis for thousands of years. Their ship crashes directly into a building in the middle of the night, by which point a S.H.I.E.L.D. team has arrived ready to kill Hive. One of the Reapers is killed by Daisy, and drained of its blood, but S.H.I.E.L.D. agent "Mack" uses a Splinter Bomb to turn the alien corpse into dust. The other Reaper goes into a church and finds Hive there, and they proceed to fight. The Reaper insisted that Hive was a failed experiment, but this didn't stop Hive from killing the alien using his parasite-like skin cells, eating away at the alien's flesh until there was only a skeleton left. S.H.I.E.L.D. agents shot at Hive right after this, with one even using an RPG on him, but these attacks are fruitless, forcing them to run away from the all-powerful Inhuman. Hive then chases the agents, and is unable to stop them from escaping, and tends to the injured Daisy. Later, Hive carves out the Kree Reaper's blue, human-like heart and shows it to Radcliffe, hoping to use it to make the experiment work; however, Daisy reminds Hive that she was brought back to life using Kree blood during the time that Ward wasn't pretending to be a good guy. Hive, remembering this using Ward's memories, is talked into draining Daisy's blood for the experiment.

Emancipation
"Are you serious? These Primitives are an Abomination of science and a very poor reflection of my talents." "They are not abominations, they're part of me and the Inhuman race. I want you to make more"''
 * ''"These will do just fine."
 *  ―Hive and Holden Radcliffe

Hive found Daisy Johnson watching the video feed of Lincoln Campbell locked away in the Playground while her blood was slowly being drained. While Hive and Johnson discussed Campbell, the feed was broken when Leo Fitz managed to override her hack, leading to Hive noting how S.H.I.E.L.D. was wasting their time by constantly finding them. Holden Radcliffe then arrived to check on Johnson's progress with her blood donation. Radcliffe confirmed that they were ready for the next test for the experiment and led Hive to his lab while leaving Johnson to recover. Hive questioned if the test would work this time after the last failure which had killed Kirk Vogel, but Radcliffe promised that it would, as he was confident that they now had all the right ingredients with the Kree blood that Johnson had supplied. When Radcliffe noted that all they needed now was some volunteers, Hive informed him that he had some in mind, some who he considered to be a gift to Johnson.

Hive gave the Watchdogs a call, claiming to be from the ATCU, telling them of a known Inhuman. The Watchdogs then followed Hive's directions and followed Hellfire into a alleyway, where they were quickly disarmed as Hellfire attacked them with a burning chain. As they attempted to run, Hive corned them and informed them that he was the one who had called them, although he was not a part of the ATCU. He then told them he wanted them to become the very thing that they hated most in this world. The Watchdogs were taken to Hive's secret base where Radcliffe was mortified to see that the volunteers were in fact prisoners. Hive had Hellfire lock the men in a shipment container while telling Johnson that the men would find peace with them as he felt all humans deserved to find peace. Once they confirmed that Radcliffe was at least fairly certain that the experiment would begin, Hive watched as the container was filled with Terrigen Mist which caused the men to undergo a painful Terrigenesis as they screamed in agony.

Eventually the container was unlocked, revealing that the Watchdogs had transformed into hideous Primitives, disgusting Radcliffe. Hive however was impressed by their transformation, especially after seeing that their strength had greatly increased and they were now completely loyal to him. Hive ordered the Primitives to bring Radcliffe to him on his knees as Radcliffe begged for his life. Hive however told him that the Primitives would do just find, noting that they were a part of him and ordered Radcliffe to make more. Hive then visited Daisy Johnson who had successfully helped Lincoln Campbell escape from the Playground and was now flying a Quinjet to their location. Once Hive confirmed that Campbell was on his way, he explained that he would be there to greet him, noting that although Johnson felt guilty for lying to him, Campbell would understand his reasons as soon as Hive took control over his mind. Hive then took Johnson to see the Primitives and explained that he would need to drain her of all her Kree blood to create more like them.

Eventually, the Quinjet arrives at the base, and Hive stands alone to welcome him; however, much to his surprise, Lash, a brute Inhuman put on-board to kill him, stepped off the Quinjet and fought Hive and the Primitives. He manages to kill some of the Primitives and injure Hive badly. He put Daisy's unconscious body onto the Quinjet as it took off back to the S.H.I.E.L.D. base; however, Hellfire then throws a fire-covered chain into Lash's back, making it protrude out his chest, killing him. The Quinjet took off back to the heroes' base, where they find out what Hive is planning; he's going to transform a huge portion of the world's population into Primitives using Radcliffe's experimental gas. Hive plans to disperse it by using a warhead stolen from the ATCU facility in Indiana, which will be fired into the atmosphere and spread the gas.

Absolution
Edits begin May 17th, 2016

Ascension
Edits begin May 17th, 2016

Powers and Abilities
After exposure to the Terrigen Mist, Hive became an incredibly-powerful Inhuman that was worshiped by many. His power was only equaled by his leadership of a rebellion against the Kree.
 * Possession: Hive is capable of possessing a human body, taking their physical appearance. This power has allowed him to survive on Maveth for thousands of years, as HYDRA used the Monolith to send people (called "Travellers") to Maveth so that Hive could kill them, then possess their bodies. When he takes a host body, he gets all the memories of the person, as well as (to a lesser degree) their personality. However, he has stated that to Giyera that in order to possess a body, the body has to be dead, meaning he can't possess a body that still lives and breathes. As shown when he possessed Will Daniels and Grant Ward, their skin color changed to white-gray, a tip-off to the fact that he has taken their form.
 * Longevity: As stated above, HYDRA has sent people through the Monolith to Maveth for thousands of years, allowing Hive to kill them and possess their bodies. This allowed him to live for thousands of years on Maveth.
 * Transformation: In "Paradise Lost", Hive transformed his Ward body's head into that of a tentacle-covered creature with greenish-grey skin, which is it's true form.
 * Body Manipulation/Regeneration: To kill his victims, Hive sends sand-like skin cells from his host-body hurtling towards a potential victims. In "Bouncing Back", when he used this power, one could notice his skeletal hand as his skin came off like sand in the wind. This "sand" is like a parasite, managing to eat away at potential victims within seconds; in "The Inside Man", he used this "sand" to absorb the "life-force" of 4 ordinary humans. After he did this, the 4 humans had been reduced to blood-covered skeletons and Hive's host-body (Ward) had been restored to full health. In "Spacetime", he used his powers to kill the entire Transia Corporation board of directors, as they screamed horrifically while the "sand" ate away at them. In "Failed Experiments", he used this power to kill a Kree Reaper, turning its face into a skull, later ripping out its heart and holding it in his hand.
 * Mind Control: Killing people isn't the only use that Hive's cells have; it was later discovered that he is capable of mind-controlling Inhumans by transferring his cells into their brains, which Malick describes as "join[ing] the hive". In "The Team", he appeared behind Daisy and mind-controlled her into stealing the Kree Orb and several Terrigen Crystals from S.H.I.E.L.D., which she normally wouldn't do. In "The Singularity", he also mind-controlled Alisha Whistley and James, getting to James only after he became an Inhuman. It is unknown if he can mind-control humans, but it's suggested by Malick that he took control of HYDRA through this power.
 * Atmokinesis: Hive can use the weather to his advantage against potential foes. While on Maveth, he could cause severe sandstorms to confuse and isolate his victims.
 * Terrakinesis: Hive is capable of manipulating the terrain around him however he wishes. On Maveth, when Jemma Simmons and Will Daniels were about to reach a wormhole, Hive widened a canyon with his powers.
 * Hand-to-Hand Combat: Presumably using the memories of other people whom he killed and possessed, Hive was able to hold his own without using his powers, showing that he doesn't really need them to be terrifying. In "Failed Experiments", he was able to hold his own against a Kree Reaper, a brute-like Inhuman hunter, and didn't use his powers on him until he had decided he had enough.

Weakness

 * The memories in his head can be jumbled causing him to experience them all at once causing him to lose his identity and sanity as experience when Lincoln used the memory machine

Trivia

 * It is confirmed by Elizabeth Henstridge that it is actually the Marvel Cinematic Universe's adaption of The Hive, a parasitic being created by HYDRA to embody their ideals. Seeing as Hive is a parasitic Inhuman who seems to resemble a slug, or even an octopus, this seems highly likely to be the case.
 * In the comics, Hive is a parasitic entity created by HYDRA, composed of countless parasites merged around a host to form a single individual. Due to his intelligence, strength and dedication to the cause of HYDRA, Hive was appointed as one of HYDRA's heads by Wolfgang von Strucker.
 * Also in the comics, he was Caucasian and he had blonde hair. But to make it look ancient, he is a Mayan Hunter.
 * In "Paradise Lost", it was shown that Hive resembles Medusa, a creature from Greek mythology; the creature had snakes on her head, like Hive's tentacles, and if you looked at her, you would turn to stone.
 * It's theorized that Jiaying knew about Hive and feared it which is why she wanted the monolith, to prevent it from returning to Earth. Though in "Paradise Lost", it is stated that the Afterlife Inhumans were descendants of the Inhumans that he led against the Kree for an Orb-like weapon, leaving her speculated about whether or not she sought to free Hive.
 * Daniel Whitehall in the aforementioned episode, "Paradise Lost", also feared Hive which is why he never had any part in Gideon's plans.
 * Hive is similar to Apocalypse from the X-Men comic book series. They are both powerful, god-like beings, thousands of years old and believed to be the first of a super-powered sub-species of humans (Hive with Inhumans and Apocalypse with mutants) and they seek to weed out the weak from the strong. They are also both able to mind-control their brethren, as Apocalypse transforms some mutants into his followers, called the Horsemen of the Apocalypse.
 * In X-Men: Evolution, Apocalypse also sought to turn the world's population into mutants, similar to Hive's goal of turning the human population into Inhumans.
 * The name Alveus is Latin, translated as "reservoir", which means a supply or source of something; his power is to disperse tiny parasitic cells from his skin onto other people, eating whomever touches these cells. This likely means that he is a reservoir of these parasitic cells, or the name is perhaps tied-in with his plans.
 * Reservoir is also a word associated with water, and can be defined as "a large natural or artificial lake used as a source of water supply".
 * Another definition of "reservoir" is "a place where fluid collects, especially in rock strata or in the body".
 * Alveus also means "hollow vessel", referencing his body-possession power.
 * Yet another way to define Alveus is "beehive", a reference to how he can control the minds of Inhumans like how bees are hive-minded and obey their queen bee.
 * It's theorized that the Hive has Blue and Orange Morality, seeing its actions as being right and justified in its own mind while everybody could develop the misconception that it's evil.
 * Hive's Freudian Excuse is possibly that it was ostracized for being too powerful and intimidating and that's ultimately why it lashes out for being stranded on Maveth.
 * Hive seems rather similar to Pitch Black from Rise of the Guardians; they are both evil entities made of a sand-like substance and they both seek to "change" the world as we know it to be.