EXCLUSIVE: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Ming-Na Wen Talks The Cavalry's Inhumans Connection And More

Yesterday, we spoke to Ming-Na Wen, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Agent May, about what it was like finally revealing May's history and how she got the nickname "The Cavalry."

 Now that the episode, titled "Melinda," has aired, we're happy to present the second part of our interview, where Wen goes in-depth on what last night's revelation means for the character going forward, how the connection Skye's family effects Skye and May's relationship, and what we should expect from May now that she's in command of the S.H.I.E.L.D. base.

You said you didn't know the full story behind "The Cavalry" nickname until you read the script for "Melinda." What was your initial reaction and thoughts when you did see the script, given that it's such a big part of her backstory?

Well it's a very serious dilemma that she found herself in. For me, the idea that she had to put a young girl down – a child, really – I know I would be devastated, especially being a mother. And then for me, because she and Andrew were contemplating starting a family, it all played into her emotions and the inability to then really have faith in herself to be a mother. So I think that's why she just completely shut down from Andrew, and from S.H.I.E.L.D., and just ended up having a desk job and getting out of the field altogether, because the memory of having to make that choice was quite traumatic and devastating for her, and there's so much guilt wrapped up into it. She knew she had to do it for the greater good, but it certainly wasn't without its consequences.

Did you have any idea, previously, about the connection between Bahrain and Skye's family?

No, no. I'm telling you, everything the audience sees is pretty much how we react to it, week-by-week. The producers, the writers, they really don't tell us very much. They'll give us just enough that we can play a scene in a particular direction, but they really withhold a lot of information. And on the one hand, it's exciting when we do get the script because we're like kids in a candy store, we can't wait, or kids at Christmas who can't wait to open up the package. On the other hand, as an actor, you are at a loss as to whether you are playing the scene as well as you can. It's a very strange dynamic to be on a show like this. [laughs]

Now that Skye knows about this connection, how do you think it will influence her and May's relationship going forward?

Well, what's really interesting – going back to what happened to Agent May in Bahrain – when Coulson pulled her out of her desk job, shuffling papers, what was really surprising in the later episodes is to find out that May had already answered to an order by Fury. So she had always been the soldier that followed her orders, and was able to compartmentalize her own pain in order to do her job as a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. Ultimately, her maternal instinct does come out, even though she doesn't show it. Her instincts to take care of people, and protect them – and I guess that's why she's called the Cavalry – it's very much part of who she is. So, besides trying to protect and watch over Coulson, she became Skye's S.O., and they developed sort of the mentor-pupil relationship, and in many ways, a lot of people call her "Momma May," because she's teaching Skye how to be a great S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. It's kind of fun to allow that part of her, the nurturing part of her, to come through, through her duties as a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent.

Back in the present day, May has command of the base. Can we expect to see a different side of her as she takes on this role in Coulson's absence?

No, in fact, with the situation becoming so much more dark – because, you know, first there was the demise of S.H.I.E.L.D., and now there's two S.H.I.E.L.D.'s, and May not really fully trusting Coulson anymore, because she's discovering Coulson has kept so many secrets from her, as much as she had kept secrets from him. For the longest time, Coulson was her rock. Of everyone, she truly trusted that he would never keep anything from her that involved their team. Now, if anything, I think it's going to make her retreat even more, and she has to kind of follow her own judgement, and her own opinions on who to trust and what her next move is going to be.

Mack suggested that the mysterious Project Theta may be a new S.H.I.E.L.D. base designed to house powered people. Assuming this ends up being true, do you think this is a version of S.H.I.E.L.D. May could still sign up for, or could she start leaning more towards Robert Gonzales' point of view?

I'm sure that May would probably want to play a part in figuring all that out. Ultimately, she is trying to figure out if they can even fight these powers, because they're just human beings with special skills. They don't have people who can make the mountains move, and can teleport themselves from one location to another. How do you fight that unless they're on your side? I think for May, it's definitely going to be a challenge to figure out where these people belong or whether they need to be put down, as in Bahrain. That was the choice she made. I think, if she has to make those choices again, it might just completely destroy her, especially if it's somebody that she care about.

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

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