- "We would like you to touch base with the Clairvoyant."
"The Clairvoyant doesn't like to be touched."
"We all have to do things that make us uncomfortable, if we are ever to get our toy soldiers off the shelf." - ―Raina and Edison Po[src]
Edison Po was a former Marine and member of the Centipede Project. He was the Group's contact with the mysterious Clairvoyant. After the group succeeded in capturing S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Phil Coulson, he was killed by the Clairvoyant who believed his usefulness had ended.
Biography
Early Life
Contact with the Clairvoyant
- "Will you tell me what he's like?"
"Never. The last person who tried to learn such things got a knife for it. I don't want to have to do that again, Raina. You have such pretty eyes."
"I understand. You can't even whisper to me about him."
"No, I can't." - ―Raina and Edison Po, speaking about the Clairvoyant.[src]
Edison Po was a former marine and an expert in tactics and rapid response. Po fell off the grid in 2008, but turned up in 2012 at a diner in Boston, Massachusetts. He was contacted and recruited by a man calling himself a Clairvoyant, who offered Po the chance to work with his Centipede Project to create super-soldiers. He was arrested after stabbing out the eyes of an acquaintance with a steak knife who made the mistake of asking him too much about The Clairvoyant. After stabbing the man, he sat back down and finished his meal.[1]
Incarceration
Po speaks to Raina while locked up in prison
Po was imprisoned at the Havenworth Federal Penitentiary. There he was visited by a Centipede Project representative named Raina, who informed him that the project initiated by their mutual employer had entered "Stage Two", and that "The Doctor" was dead because of intervention from Phil Coulson's team. Raina also relayed the request that he contact a mysterious individual known only as "The Clairvoyant" for any insights he might have as to "Stage Three" of the project, to which Po responded that the Clairvoyant did not like to be touched.[2]
Freed by the Clairvoyant
Rescued by Deathlok Soldiers
Po is freed from prison by Brian Hayward
- "It's time to go."
"Sir."
"Excuse me?"
"It's time to go, sir." - ―Brian Hayward and Edison Po[src]
While Po was eating his dinner in the prison, he refused to give up his seat to another inmate Tiny as he claimed the seat was taken. Moments later, the facility was broken into by a squad of Centipede Soldiers attempting to free Po. When one of the soldiers, Brian Hayward, attempted to get him to leave, Po refused until Hayward had shown him the proper respect by calling him sir.
Po continues his work alongside Raina
Po was taken to the Centipede facility in Oakland and served a steak dinner. Once there he was reunited with Raina and consulted with the Clairvoyant, who seemed to have trouble finding the man who would be the key to "Stage Three" of the Centipede Project. Raina informed Po that a S.H.I.E.L.D. Team had been taking down their bases of operation, forcing them to relocate every few days for safety. As they observed their Centipede Soldiers, who were exhausted after their mission to rescue Po and were having new injections of the Centipede Serum, Po suggested that they stop running and bring the fight to S.H.I.E.L.D.
Po and Raina discuss Phase Three
It was only after he arranged an ambush for the S.H.I.E.L.D. team that had been investigating Centipede that the key to "Stage Three" became clear to him: S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Phil Coulson, who had seemingly returned to life after being killed by Loki before the Battle of New York. Po executed their soldier Brian Hayward before he could be captured and questioned by S.H.I.E.L.D.; seeing Coulson and their previous soldier Mike Peterson through the video feed in his eyepiece, Raina noted that Peterson had not been injected with the Serum in some time yet had somehow maintained his powers.
Po refuses to discuss the Clairvoyant
Po again consulted with the Clairvoyant, and told Raina that all would be revealed at the right time. Raina continued to ask questions about the Clairvoyant, but Po refused to give up any information about him, reminding Raina that the last person who asked too many questions about the Clairvoyant ended up with a knife in his eye. However he did tell her that he had told the Clairvoyant about Raina's many virtues to their organisation.
After kidnapping the son of S.H.I.E.L.D. asset Michael Peterson, Po and Raina set a trap for Coulson. After capturing Coulson, it was revealed to him what Centipede needed to proceed with "Stage Three" was the secret of Coulson's mysterious "resurrection" after the Battle of New York.[1]
Torturing Phil Coulson
Po tortures the captured Phil Coulson
- "Agent Coulson, we're going to turn the machine back on and open your mind. It's time to stop fighting it, if you don't you won't survive the process."
- ―Edison Po to Phil Coulson[src]
Po took Phil Coulson to a secret facility in the Mojave Desert where he attempted to use a machine to examine Coulson's memories, however Coulson did nothing but joke and mock Po. Frustrated by the lack of results, Po informed Coulson that if he continued fighting, he would not survive the process. Po attempted to convince Coulson of the power of the Clairvoyant but telling him that he knew how Coulson had lost his father at a young age, although he explained that the Clairvoyant was unable to see how Coulson had returned to life. When Coulson refused to answer, Po had him tortured.
Po finds and threatens Phil Coulson
Phil Coulson attempted to escape the facility after managing to break out of his handcuffs and knock out a guard. When he burst outside to look for a way out, Po was waiting for him. Po explained that there was nothing but desert for hundreds of miles, so Coulson's attempts to escape would prove fatal and fruitless. As Po explained why he enjoyed spending time in such a quiet and deserted place, Coulson made an attempt for Po's life but was stopped by one of his Centipede Soldiers before being put back into the machine for more questioning and torture.[3]
Killed by the Clairvoyant
Po is assassinated by the Clairvoyant
- "Mr. Po gave me that other name. A bit dramatic for my taste."
- ―John Garrett (masquerading as Thomas Nash)[src]
Po's interrogation methods proved ineffective and he resisted changing methods, which eventually displeased The Clairvoyant. When Raina arrived she tried to convince him to use her methods instead, however Po insisted that his were the methods demanded by the Clairvoyant. Po immediately received a phone call from the Clairvoyant, who promptly ordered Raina to continue the interrogation herself before executing Po through the phone.[3]
When Thomas Nash was asked by Agent John Garrett whether he was the Clairvoyant or not, Nash mentioned that the name "Clairvoyant" was created by Edison Po and that he considered it a bit "dramatic."[4]
Relationships
Allies
- HYDRA
- Centipede Project
- John Garrett/The Clairvoyant † - Leader and Killer
- Raina †
- Debbie †
- Centipede Soldiers
- Brian Hayward † - Liberator
- Centipede Project
- Tiny - Fellow Inmate
Enemies
Appearances
- Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
- Season One
- Girl in the Flower Dress
- The Bridge
- The Magical Place
- T.R.A.C.K.S. (mentioned)
- End of the Beginning (mentioned)
- Season One
Trivia
- The method the Clairvoyant used to kill Edison Po is similar to the Sonic Taser used by Obadiah Stane in Iron Man.
