The Best Alexander Pierce Quotes

Alexander: See, I took a seat on the Council not because I wanted to, but because Nick asked me to, because we were both realists. We knew, that despite all diplomacy and the handshaking and the rhetoric, to build a better world sometimes means having to tear the old one down. And that makes enemies.

Nick: Why make me head of SHIELD?
Alexander: Because you're the best. And the most ruthless person I ever met.
Nick: I did what I did to protect people.
Alexander: Our enemies are your enemies, Nick. Disorder, war. It's just a matter of time before a dirty bomb goes off in Moscow, or an EMP fries Chicago. Diplomacy? Holding action, a band-aid. And you know where I learned that; Bogota. You didn't ask, you just did what had to be done. I can bring order to the lives of seven billion people by sacrificing twenty million. It's the next step, Nick, if you have the courage to take it.
Nick: No, I have the courage not to.
[Moves to the retinal scanner]
Alexander: You don't you think we wiped your clearance from the system?
Nick: I know you erased my password. Probably deleted my retinal scan. But if you want to stay ahead of me, Mr. Secretary...
[removes his eye patch]
Nick: ... you need to keep both eyes open.