They knew for sure about the Cap 2 twist and planned the entire season toward that.
But yeah, as to Ward specifically, I think it's possible but I'm absolutely not sure. Some people over on tumblr posted more examples from early eps, two or so are pretty compelling, but it's still all up for interpretion (or overinterpretion, if it wasn't set up back then.)
eta: That said, even if it wasn't set up from the beginning, the double agent storyline works. Like, I think when you now rewatch previous eps (as I can't bring myself to do yet) you won't stumble over a bit of plot that completely negates it. It's up for interpretation but there is no clear evidence against it.
Which would mean they either got real lucky, or they did have it planned from the beginning after all.
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But yeah, as to Ward specifically, I think it's possible but I'm absolutely not sure. Some people over on tumblr posted more examples from early eps, two or so are pretty compelling, but it's still all up for interpretion (or overinterpretion, if it wasn't set up back then.)
eta: That said, even if it wasn't set up from the beginning, the double agent storyline works. Like, I think when you now rewatch previous eps (as I can't bring myself to do yet) you won't stumble over a bit of plot that completely negates it. It's up for interpretation but there is no clear evidence against it.
Which would mean they either got real lucky, or they did have it planned from the beginning after all.