Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Postmortem on Lash's identity from showrunners

Warning: This story contains major spoilers from Tuesday’s episode of Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Read at your own risk!

The man behind Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s scary Inhuman-hunting Inhuman Lash was revealed during Tuesday’s episode — and it was definitely not who you were expecting.

Because Lash seemed to be tracking them, Daisy (Chloe Bennet) theorized that the monstrous villain is actually a member of the ATCU, specifically Price’s (Constance Zimmer) No. 2, Banks (Andrew Howard), but a blood test proved that wrong.

Meanwhile, May (Ming-Na Wen) enlisted the help of Bobbi (Adrianne Palicki) to track down Werner Von Strucker (Spencer Treat Clark). Werner sought refuge from Gideon Malick, the character Powers Boothe played in The Avengers, who promptly sold him out to Ward (Brett Dalton). Hail Hydra!

Bobbi and May came to Werner’s rescue just in time to watch him die, but not before he revealed to May that Andrew (Blair Underwood) is actually Lash. Dun. Dun. Duuuuuunnnn!

“We were happy to give Blair, an actor we deeply respect, some work to really sink his teeth into. And [it] will transform his character… literally,” executive producers Jed Whedon, Maurissa Tancharoen and Jeffrey Bell told EW via email.

The real question is why Andrew, who has seemed like standup guy until the Lash reveal, is targeting Inhumans. Is an unquenchable need to take down his kin one of the side effects from his transformation? “We will definitely learn his motivations,” the EPs promise. “We hope to explore some gray areas morally, as we are wont to do. You will eventually come to understand what drives him and possibly sympathize with his position.”

Fortunately, Andrew hasn’t targeted Daisy just yet, though that could be because she’s his only connection to Lincoln (Luke Mitchell). “She could be in grave danger, or there could be some other agenda at play,” the EPs say. “No one knows. Well… we know. And the actors mostly. The crew too I guess. Okay, a BUNCH of people know, but the audience will have to wait and see.”

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET on ABC.