| “ | Alright, I did it. I did, I know. I wanted him dead! I'm sorry, I wanted him dead! Thomas was the only one mother didn't torture and dad always let her do it. She loved him so much, it had to end. I wanted her to feel our pain, but I didn't have the courage to do it myself. I'm sorry, Grant, I'm so sorry, I'm sorry. | „ |
| ~ Christian confessing to Grant about trying to kill Thomas. |
Christian Ward is a supporting antagonist in the TV series Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
He was a Republican United States Senator. As a child he often abused his younger brothers, Grant Ward and Thomas Ward, which emotionally scarred the former for life. He was therefore mostly responsible for Grant's actions as an adult.
He was portrayed by Tim DeKay.
His Evil Ranking[]
His Villainous Deeds[]
In General/Background[]
- Though he and Grant were abused by their parents and Thomas, being the youngest and their mother's favourite, Christian was still very abusive to his brothers, frequently beating both of them. In particular, he showed resentment to Thomas by making Grant beat him up frequently for him.
- Wanting to hurt his mother with the loss of her favorite son, he threw Thomas into a well to drown and sought to prevent Grant from rescuing him. He also threatened to throw Grant in his well if he tried to help Thomas, though Grant does it without him knowing.
- His abuse of Grant and Thomas was traumatic for the former. Even if this doesn't justify anything Grant did, he is partly responsible for his younger brother becoming a villain, whereas Thomas became a better person and distanced himself from Grant.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D[]
Season 2[]
- Ran a campaign to become a member of the United States Senate, as a Republican Senator from his native state, Massachusetts. Ward backed Glenn Talbot in his campaign against S.H.I.E.L.D. because Ward wanted Phil Coulson arrested.
- After HYDRA asassin Marcus Scarlotti, claiming to be with S.H.I.E.L.D., tried to kill him with a Splinter Bomb during Talbot's speech in the United Nations. Ward berated the General for allowing S.H.I.E.L.D. to attack him as he bragged about taking down the organization. In response, Talbot told him that he did not believe he was attacked by S.H.I.E.L.D. and that he had not revealed the senator's connection to Grant Ward.
- Later, in a television interview, he called S.H.I.E.L.D. a terrorist organization and arranged for a multinational police force to target and prosecute organizations affiliated with or connected to them.
- After the television interview, he attempted to call security when Coulson showed up uninvited and revealed that he had cut the phone lines before stating that Hydra, led by Daniel Whitehall, was responsible for the U.N. attack. Ward cunningly deduced that the Director didn't come to "clear the air," but to ask him to go on record defending S.H.I.E.L.D. and condemning Hydra, and assumed that Coulson had nothing to offer him in return. He insisted that the American people wanted a simple enemy to make themselves feel safe.
- Once Coulson revealed that he had Grant locked in his basement and Christian was shocked by this, which shocked Christian, the two discussed the family history and eventually Christian took Grant into his custody. He then did a speech where he tells everyone that S.H.I.E.L.D is not the enemy and that Hydra is, also mentioning that Grant Ward is his brother and vows to ensure he will be punished for his crimes.
- After Grant escaped federal custody and, to allow S.H.I.E.L.D. to search for him without interference, Christian covered up his escape to the press, allowing them to believe that Grant was now in prison and awaiting his trial and sentencing.
- Although he did allow S.H.I.E.L.D. teams to go across the country searching for his brother, ultimately, Christian decided to put his own men on finding Grant as well because he felt that working with S.H.I.E.L.D. was "political suicide" to do the organization's strong connection to the Hydra Uprising and its collapse as a result.
- Developed an affair with a woman and visited his family's summer house to meet with her, after lying to his wife Anna by saying that he had to go to strategy meetings, showing he doesn't really care about her. Outside the house, Christian was attacked by Grant who had tracked him down and killed his security detail. Grant threw Ward out of the car before smugly greeting him.
- Begged Grant to let him go and tried to find out why Grant was in HYDRA. They stopped and Grant forced Christian to dig up the well from their childhood and forced him to admit what he did to him as a child, at first Christian denies it.
- When he is finished digging, he hits his brother and attempts to run, but Grant catches him and drags him over the surface of the well.
- Though he tearfully confesses his and tells Grant how he wanted Thomas dead as he was the only one mother didn't torture, claiming he had wanted their mother to feel the same pain she had inflicted on them by killing her favorite child. While he does confess, it is out of cowardice as Grant forces him to do so and would've have thrown him into the well if he didn't.
- While it initially seems he and Grant made amends, it's revealed that Grant led Christian back to his parents house and burnt them alive, making it look like a murder-suicide, leaving the recording of Christian's confession. Therefore, his death is played for satisfaction than for sympathy and it led to Grant being accepted by Whitehall, after the latter watched the video
- His alliances with Coulson and Talbot are professional, and he likely doesn't care about his security team either.
- Despite Grant, Whitehall, Bakshi and Agent 33 doing far worse in the season, they have more screentime, resources or higher kill counts.
Why He Doesn't Stand Out?[]
- His political influence and personal villainy towards his younger brothers and SHIELD allow him to pass the baseline, but he fails the heinous standards of the MCU to John Garrett and Alexander Pierce. Garrett abused Ward for years after releasing him from prison with his methods of training being extremely brutal, such as remorselessly beating him up for no reason, and leaving him vulnerable in the woods for 6 months. He even made Ward kill his dog Buddy to prove his loyalty to HYDRA and ability to cut off all attachments, which emotionally scarred him. Pierce has a higher attempted kill count and more resources due to his command over the STRIKE team and access to three SHIELD Helicarriers which he planned to use to kill 20 million people who posed a threat to HYDRA.
- He is tragic, as he and Grant were abused by parents growing up. While he admitted to wanting Thomas dead, he wanted their mother to feel the same pain as them but didn't have the courage to do it himself.
- He has standards, as he considers HYDRA to be a genuine enemy and is appalled at Grant blaming other people for his choices instead of owning up to them.
External Links[]
- Christian Ward on the MCU Wiki
- Christian Ward on the Villains Wiki
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