Mike Peterson

Michael "Mike" Peterson is a fictional anti-hero and a recurring character on the ABC television series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.. Played by actor J. August Richards, he first appeared in the pilot episode of the series.

Biography
Mike Peterson was a factory worker in East L.A., who was married and had a young son named Ace. He was injured on the job, and the factory let him go. Mike volunteered for an experimental program called Centipede, which gave him enhanced strength and reflexes. The project was an evolution of the original work done in the 1940s for the Super Soldier Program, but also included elements of Gamma radiation as well as the Extremis enhancile developed by AIM.

Mike Peterson publicly exposed his abilities by leaping into a burning building to rescue a woman named Debbie who, coincidentally, turned out to Mike's benefactor at the Centipede program. A computer hacktivist named Skye witnessed Peterson's feats of strength and tried to establish a connection with him.

Soon after, Skye was recruited to work as a special consultant for S.H.I.E.L.D., and the group learned about Mike. By this point however, the Extremis elements in his bloodstream had made him both mentally and physically unstable, and he risked overloading with power and exploding. S.H.I.E.L.D succeeded in apprehending Peterson and stabilizing his condition.

Mike later began coordinating his actions with S.H.I.E.L.D, but members of Centipede wanted him back. The resulting conflict resulted in Mike being caught in an explosion, which caused him third degree burns over most of his body, and the loss of his right leg. He then underwent cybernetic conversion as part of a process known as Deathlok. Mike Peterson became the weapon of Centipede's leader, a mysterious figure who called himself the Clairvoyant. They maintained Mike's loyalty by brainwashing him, as well as kidnapping his son.

After several more conflicts between Deathlok and S.H.I.E.L.D, Skye managed to rescue Ace Peterson. When Mike heard of this, he was no longer tethered to his new masters and turned against them, ultimately proving that he truly was what he always wanted to be - a hero.