THE Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)
is set to bring back one of early TV’s biggest stars with Phil Coulson appearing in And if…?
Season 3, but it raises questions about where the rest are. While Marvel Studios has recently gotten into the swing of things when it comes to producing its own TV shows, Marvel TV shows were already being produced long before the MCU put its own official stamp on them. Netflix’s popular Marvel shows have built a dedicated fanbase, while shows like The fugitives and Inhumans disappeared into obscurity.
However, a show that purported to have specific crossovers and actually starred a former MCU star as its central hero ended up being snubbed by the larger cinematic universe. Agents of SHIELD was one of the most popular Marvel TV shows of the 2010s, featuring Clark Gregg, who plays Phil Coulson, uniting the two worlds as he takes over S.H.I.E.L.D. after being revived by Nick Fury to work on top-secret missions for the organization. And now, five years after the show ended in 2020, Coulson is returning to the MCU.
Agent Coulson returns (again) in What If…? Season 3
Phil Coulson gets a new mission in the MCU
Having first appeared in Iron Manand later appearing in Marvel special shorts, sequels, and 2012 films The Avengers, Coulson was an important part of the MCU in its first chapter. His death at the hands of Loki was the moment that led the Avengers to become Avengers, as they cared about their fallen friend and wanted to come together to honor him. This incredible mortal man was vital, but he hasn’t been officially seen in the MCU since 2012.
However, he continued to work alongside the shadow heroes as a member and eventually director of S.H.I.E.L.D. But more than a decade after his official departure from the MCU, Coulson will join the cast of And if…? season 3 in a special episode that appears to highlight the members of S.H.I.E.L.D. before the organization fell apart. So far, the only official details come from the brief trailer, which features a moment in which Coulson and Fury’s silhouettes can be seen together.
The rest of the SHIELD agents remain unrecognized
Where are the other agents and why the MCU snubbed them
Despite Coulson’s return, it appears the rest of the cast of Agents of SHIELD remain separate from the MCU and the Sacred Timeline. It has long been argued that the MCU has avoided bringing in the characters from this show, despite efforts to link the two in To the‘ side. There were guest appearances on the show from Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, and Cobie Smulders, who played agent Maria Hill. There were also several stories that revolved around important events in the MCU films.
However, after a while, the show recognized that it was not being considered by the broader cinematic side, and so it became more creative and flexible with the narrative, even having an alternative history with time travel, the Darkhold, and its exploration itself. of schedules. But, with the Multiverse Saga, the MCU has never had a better time to include these incredible heroes who became so beloved on the big screen show. Daisy, Melinda, Jemma and Leo deserve to have their incredible contributions recognized with some details that make them canonically involved in the MCU.
Marvel is bringing back TV characters… So why not Agents Of SHIELD?
It’s time to bring Marvel TV heroes to the MCU
Due to the incredible popularity of Reckless series starring Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio, the MCU saw fit to not only bring these actors back to play their respective roles like Daredevil and Kingpin, but also many of the other characters from that series. But even before that, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness reintroduced Anson Mount to play Black Bolt in an alternate universe. Mount originally starred in the Inhumans series, which did not make it past the first season.
The MCU has never had a better time to include these incredible heroes that have become so beloved in the series on the big screen.
About that, Agents of SHIELD reached an incredible run of seven seasons, proving the show’s popularity and success. It doesn’t make sense that these characters would be looked down upon before the Multiverse was shut down. Fortunately, there are some upcoming projects that could see them return, like Avengers: Judgment Day and Avengers: Secret Warsbut And if…? season three could be the perfect place to bridge the gap and bring them back before their live-action debut in the MCU.