As we continue our countdown to Agents of SHIELD’s season four premiere, the speculation is running high for stories and ideas. Speculation is fun, but talking about specific characters can get a little draining. We’d like to focus on character types that we’d like to see make an appearance on the show.
MORE DISGRUNTLED SHIELD AGENTS
While Grant Ward’s portrayal was personal, it’s also a story line that SHIELD in the comics is familiar with. SHIELD agents frequently turn to the dark side, turn back, break off and become vigilantes/avengers, or break off and become villains. While we’ve fallen in love with Coulson’s team of loveable misfits, they work for the Marvel Universe version of the CIA. The focus on superheroes is important, but SHIELD is a spy agency. By nature they recruit a very specific kind of person.
While staying away from a betrayal as personal as Ward’s is probably best, a rogue SHIELD agent hunt offers a lot of storytelling opportunities. Some of the strongest characters in the MU have been former SHIELD agents, both on the good and bad side of the law. It’s been proven to be a tough story line to tackle, but painting some of them as heroes and villains could create a rogues gallery for Coulson since Ward was killed mid-season 3 and Hive is dead.
Having a collection of agents in the vein of Ran Shen the Iron Nail, Scorpion, Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, and others as well as new characters could create an incredible rogues gallery that they could square off again over the course of many future seasons. Having such a personal betrayal again is probably a bad idea, but other comic based shows have a rogue’s gallery. Hopefully Ghost Rider represents the first potential ally/villain, but having some disgruntled SHIELD agents would be in keeping with the MCU tradition.
NEW MONSTROUS INHUMANS
The physical mutations of the Inhumans offer some of the most fascinating story developments. Raina coping with her transformation offers another layer to the character. Seeing more physically interesting inhumans and how SHIELD copes with their transformations for bad or good can lead to the creation of new allies, new team members, and new enemies.
If the X-Men can work with Beast, Archangel, and Nightcrawler, it seems only fair that the inhumans have similar heroes for fans to look up to. With some of the additions to the comic universe (Mosaic, and anyone on this list spring to mind right away) The world of Agents of SHIELD would benefit from an X-men like cast, or even a brotherhood of inhumans fighting for their rights.
Marvel has quite a growing list of inhumans that could potentially be added with several favorites including Mosaic, Ulysses (perhaps, one day), Naja, and others. They’d be fun and fine allies for the Agents of SHIELD In their fight to protect our world from the much weirder one around us.
REFERENCES TO THE PAST AND FUTURE
While the future of Agent Carter remains uncertain, we know that Marvel embraces the property. There are a lot of opportunities on Agents of SHIELD to discuss the past, present, and future of SHIELD and the MCU. Season 2 benefited from Peggy Carter making multiple appearances on the show, and this next season could benefit from cameos by Hayley Atwell as well.
References to her past or the smaller more minute details of the Avengers in the form of characters like red room operatives, stark employees, or even a return from the Howling commandos could be just what the show needs to keep it’s status as the lynch pin of the MCU, part of the DNA that ties it all together intact.
The addition of magic to the MCU also opens quite a few opportunities for ghosts of the past if you will to return. The addition of life model decoys also mean effectively that while Phil Coulson was the first person to return from the dead, writing (and actor’s schedules pending) he won’t be the last.
REFERENCES TO OTHER TELEVISION SHOWS
Between Netflix’s lineup and the announcements of Cloak and Dagger as well as Runaways, there’s an entire united universe that could be drawn from for material. The DCTV is planning crossovers and line ups and it’s past time that Marvel do the same. The easiest answer, crossing characters over with Netflix – is to start there. Bring Iron Fist onto Agents of SHIELD so that Clark Gregg can act with his favorite character. Or vice versa. It’s time to move beyond subtle hints and have the same earth shaking moment that Agents of SHIELD Had when they brought Sam Jackson into the MCU.
Marvel’s commitment to develop a diverse universe would benefit from bringing it all together and making #ItsAllConnected into as close a reality as they can.
AVENGERS AND THEIR COMPATRIOTS
Sometimes it feels like there has been and always will be rumors of any one of the Avengers appearing on Agents of SHIELD. While we can dream (and while we’re realistic.) An Avenger should make an appearance on the show to tie it all together.
From Hawkeye to Black Widow there are plenty of actors who could make a one off appearance in the finale to lend credence to the show. As Hawkeye and Black Widow were both SHIELD agents at one point, having them appear and settle Coulson’s affairs could put one of the great internet issues to rest at last, but having Iron Man would make the most sense given the agency’s compliance with the Sokovia Accords. Fly down, shoot a quick scene and return to the starlit life. We like the way that sounds don’t you Robert Downey Jr?
Whoever or whatever appears on Agents of SHIELD season 4 we’re more then ready for them. The show has delivered on an intriguing exciting plotline on a regular basis. They deserve to be included in the MCU at large and be acknowledged. There are hundreds of characters that could appear, but these types fit the right mold.
What do you think true believers? Agree? Disagree? Tired of disgruntled SHIELD agents? Anxious to see more “monster” inhumans? Want to talk which Avenger you’d like to see? Hit the comments and tell us who you think would make sense.
Season four of Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD premieres September 20th at 10pm on ABC.