In this week’s Agent Carter we get the origin story of both Peggy Carter and Whitney Frost.

The Origins of Agent Peggy Carter

The episode opens with a young Peggy Carter playing knights and dragons with her older brother Michael. Mrs. Carter admonishes Peggy for acting non-lady like. Fast forward to 1940 and we see Peggy as part of the Bletchely Circle of World War II code breakers and celebrating her engagement to Fred. Peggy is called into her boss’ office to let her know that she’s been recruited as a field agent as part of the SOE, a war initiative by Winston Churchill. Peggy doesn’t think she will make a good field agent but we know better. Peggy tells her boss that she will discuss this offer with her fiancee.

At her engagement party, Peggy is overjoyed that her brother Michael (Beauty and the Beast’s Max Brown) and fiancee Fred finally get to meet. Michael learns that Peggy turned down the SOE job offer. After Fred leaves to get them drinks, Michael wonders why Peggy would turn down a job that he recommended her for. Peggy doesn’t want to fight with her brother but Michael tells her that she is meant to be out there fighting and begs her not to stay at home and pretend to be something she is not.

When trying on her wedding dress, Peggy sees her parents receive the news that Michael was killed in action. Peggy then decides to break off her engagement and leaves to take the SOE job and hence Agent Peggy Carter will soon be born.

The Origins of Whitney Frost

We are in Oklahoma 1920, we see a young Agnes Culley fixing her mom’s radio but she rather have Agnes get ready for a visit from “Uncle” Bud who is obviously mom’s boyfriend and helping them live. Agnes doesn’t like Bud and makes no bones about it despite him trying to get her to smile. 8 years later, the relationship between her mom and Bud is over and he kicks them out of their home. Agnes’ mom blames her for driving Bud away because she wasn’t nice to him. Agnes believes she can leave behind this life they have but her mom says that her brains will get her no where. Her mom shows her a rejection letter from a university and the only thing that will get her anywhere is her beauty.

We flash forward to 1934 and Agnes is in front of a movie theatre (the one we learn from Sousa is where she got discovered). A box office worker takes pity on Agnes and gives her a free ticket for the film. Just as Agnes is about to go in a talent agent is outside and offers her card and asks her to smile. Agnes obliges and the talent agent says he can make her a model or actress and hits on her. Agnes says that will be nice and learns she will have to change her name.

Finding a Solution

While working on finding a solution for Jason’s problem, he shows her drawings of a neutron reactor that Whitney Frost patented. Jason tells Peggy that Whitney is one step above genius. Later on, Jarvis is helping Jason write down some formulas. Jason realizes that he is getting no where but all of a sudden he starts to see the Zero Matter calling to him through the blackboard. Jason later tells Peggy that he feels that the something is calling to him and she says that they will work together to fight it.

Zero Matter Experiment

Whitney has ordered a whole bunch of white lab rats so she can experiment on what is happening to her. Eventually, Whitney as absorbed all the lab rats as she did her director (who has been reported missing) and after each absorption we see the Zero Matter cut on her forehead grow.

The Hunt is On

While spying on Chadwick, Peggy and Jarvis see that his driver is the one that came after her. They learn that his name is Hunt and he is head of security at the Arena Club. The two decide to kidnap him and interrogate him. It takes a while but the finally are able to tranquilize him and put him in the trunk. Unfortunately, Jarvis also gets tranquilized and it is hilarious.

Sousa comes over to Stark’s and once he finds out what Peggy has done is livid but eventually comes on board with the interrogation. Unfortunately, Hunt is not cooperative with Sousa questions him. When it is Peggy’s turn she injects Hunt with quick acting malaria (in reality it just a really bad cold). Hunt, at first, won’t break and not name names but as he thinks he is near death, Hunt spills everything especially where to find evidence to incriminate the Council of Nine.

So the SSR prepare a raid but Vernon Masters and the War Department come in to audit all of the SSR’s cases effectively cancelling their raid. Masters talks to Peggy and wants to know who is her informant but she doesn’t give him up.

So Sousa and Peggy decide to visit Hunt again. Sousa unties Hunt and pretends that his gun didn’t go off, which allows Hunt to punch him and take off.

This was all part of Peggy’s plan as a bug was planted on Hunt. Hunt goes to Chadwick’s and Whitney’s.

When Chadwick comes home, he admits that he spilled the beans on everything to Peggy. Hunt and Chadwick each try to blackmail each other but Whitney literally takes everything into own hands and absorbs Hunt. All the while Peggy, Sousa, Jarvis and Jason are listening and not understand what happened when they lose the audio.

Chadwick is horrified and we see the Zero Matter cut on Whitney’s forehead now extends down the right side of her face. Chadwick asks Whitney what she is and she replies she is anything that she wants.

I thought this was a pretty solid episode and really enjoyed seeing the back stories of both Peggy and Whitney. Next week even looks more action packed!