‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’ Season 2 Adds ‘White Collar’s Tim DeKay, New Episode 3 Sneak Peeks

Last night's 'Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.' installment "Heavy is the Head" continued the solid season 2 run Marvel's 'Avengers'-adjacent drama has been on, but can they score the hat trick? The first photos and a brand-new clip from next week's Blizzard-y "Making Friends and Influencing People" have arrived, along with a new role for 'White Collar' star Tim DeKay that might just tie into Ward's mysterious past.

Per Marvel, DeKay will first appear in episode 6 "A Fractured House" as Senator Christian Ward, likely the same deep-pocketed senator we heard General Talbot (Adrian Pasdar) mention with an interest in capturing Coulson. For those of you following Ward's past, the character had previously referenced an antagonistic relationship with his older brother, one that culminated in Grant burning down the family home with Christian inside, and subsequently landing in juvenile hall and John Garrett's Hydra clutches.

As if that weren't enough Ward-y goodness for you, ABC has also released the first clip of next week's "Making Friends and Influencing People," which sees Skye attempting to extract further intelligence out of the incarcerated Ward, only to wind up sucked into more of his backstory.

Want more? Here's how Marvel describes Tuesday's "Making Friends and Influencing People," which looks to a include a Hydra Simmons and Dylan Minnette's returning Donnie Gill / Blizzard:

Coulson and his team race against HYDRA to get to Donnie Gill–a dangerous gifted with the ability to freeze objects–while Simmons is caught in the crossfire on Tuesday, October 7.

Guest starring are Henry Simmons as Alphonso “Mack” Mackenzie, Reed Diamond as Daniel Whitehall, Dylan Minnette as Donnie Gill, Simon Kassiandes as Sunil Bakshi, Adam Kulbersh, as Kenneth Turgeon, Maya Stojan as Agent 33, David Diaan as Elias, Jarrod Crawford as Lead Hydra Agent, Nicholas Roth as Second Hydra Agent, Mo Darwiche as Ship’s Captain, and Jesse D Goins as Theo.

We've included the full set of photos from next Tuesday's installment below, but in the meantime, what do you think? Will a peek at Ward's family history redeem the character to the team? What might Simmons be up to infiltrating Hydra, while poor Fitz remains with S.H.I.E.L.D. talking to himself? Give us your 'Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.' season 2 predictions in the comments!