‘Agents Of SHIELD’ Season 3 Spoilers: Is Coulson Evil? Clark Gregg Teases How Ward’s Death Will Affect The Director

“Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D” has always loved a good deception plotline. When viewers were sure Ward (Brett Dalton) was a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, he turned out to be Hydra. When Rosalind (Constance Zimmer) was working with Hydra, the ABC drama was revealed that she didn’t know she was helping the bad guys. However, the next character to surprise viewers with their intentions in Season 3 just might be Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg).

The actor teased that Coulson’s return from Maveth after killing Ward will change him, potentially in the worst way possible. “I don't think he comes back with any easy answer. I think in the moment, it felt like the only course of action possible to him,” Gregg told TV Guide. “I don't think he's going to know for some time if this was a terrible mistake that changes him and maybe turns him into a super-villain – it becomes, really, a show about a team run by a supervillain – or not.”

Watch a trailer for the “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” midseason premiere:

Gregg, who started playing Phil Coulson in 2008’s “Iron Man,” previously hinted that his character would struggle to accept that he killed Ward. He had an opportunity to just abandon Ward on Maveth once the portal was opened. However, Coulson decided he couldn’t let the double agent live. He’ll be dealing with the ramifications of that choice for months to come.

“At a certain point, I think he crosses over into a place that he’s never been to before,” he told Mashable in February. “And I think the repercussions of that, and how that’s changed him, will be playing out for quite some time.”

Once Coulson learns that Ward is Hive, his guilt will likely worsen and there’s no telling how that will affect him. However, viewers may get a glimpse of Coulson’s future soon. TVLine reports “Tuesday’s midseason premiere opens with an out-of-this-world flash-forward,” but it probably won’t give away too many answers. The scene will apparently leave fans shocked and confused.

“Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” Season 3 returns Tuesday at 9 p.m. EST on ABC.