Phillip J. Coulson

Mechelle Huber

Agent Phillip J. Coulson may be flawed, and may have made decisions that I disagreed with, but he continues to be my ‘hero’.

I was 15-years-old when I first experienced Coulson in Iron Man. To this day I can’t say what it was, but something about Coulson captivated me. Was it Clark Gregg’s natural charisma? I don’t know, but whatever that ‘something’ was, it excited me to see him in Iron Man 2 and Thor and then tear up at his death in Avengers and write the words #CoulsonLives.

I identify with Coulson. He isn’t the smartest person in the room nor is he the strongest fighter. It’s his skills of strategizing and connecting to people that make him a leader. He’s a nerd who does not like his stuff touched, has his unique interests, and isn’t liked or respected based on his popularity. But best of all, he cares. Not just about the safety of his team, but for he safety of the world. These qualities made him my hero.

As the show approaches its milestone 100th episode, I’ll admit that there have been occasions when I had to seriously question whether that was still the case. The most prominent of these moments was the period after “Maveth” in season three. I felt grief. Not because Ward was dead, but because Coulson killed him. It had felt like Coulson had betrayed me.

In the time since, I’ve decided that Coulson is still my hero. He felt remorse, took responsibility by stepping down, and made sure to not go down that path once more. His ability to do that showed me that he is more than worthy of being my hero and favorite character

For that reason, I hope more than before, that #CoulsonLives

Agent Phil Coulson display of intelligence, a dry sense of humor, and unflappable loyalty has created not just a modern-day hero, but the hope of the everyman. For anyone could potentially be Coulson. That image of a man in a world full of unbelievable potential, who walks among the powerful, still joining in the fight where he’s completely outmatched, is awe inspiring.

In The Avengers, Coulson showed what true power was as Loki asked, “Your heroes are scattered, your floating fortress falls from the sky… where is my disadvantage?” Coulson replied, “You lack conviction.” Coulson knows that conviction is everything. Being sure of the path we are on, and to know we will see it through no matter what it takes. Even while dying he continues to fight. Coulson is unwavering in the belief that he is a part of something greater, and that this fight is one that has to be continued on no matter the cost.

Coulson is so instrumental in the workings of S.H.I.E.L.D. that they brought him back to life. He doesn’t have powers, or riches, or phenomenal good looks; he’s just a regular guy. Coulson is in a way the true epitome of the American dream; the ordinary man who is unwilling to sit by while others suffer, and does all that is humanly possible to be a safeguard to protect the innocents against the evils of the world. It’s why we can’t help but notice this man amongst much more fantastical beings. My favorite quote by him is, “The world is full of evil and lies and pain and death, and you can’t hide from it—you can only face it. The question is, when you do, how do you respond? Who do you become?”- Coulson became a hero.

Brittany

I love everything about Agents of SHIELD, but that is because of one person: Phil “His first name is Agent” Coulson. The show would not exist without him, thus he is the absolute heart of it. Ever since he was first introduced in Iron Man, I was intrigued by this stranger in the brief scenes he had, and that includes discovering, for the first time, the awesome man that is Clark Gregg. Then he continued to pop up more often, which was great to see, and finally The Avengers came together on the big screen. Watching his death was heartbreaking as I had come to adore him and what he stood for. (Also, I loved his fanboy moments with Captain America, and his trading cards, so cute!) Once I found out about SHIELD coming to ABC, and Coulson mysteriously returning as well, I was excited to watch it. And it has been nothing but amazing and fun to see every week, but once they found a way to connect the show with the movies, my love for it went up 1000x. Although, the T.A.H.I.T.I. episode was difficult, yet profound, as everyone at home found out how Coulson came back to life. I certainly felt for him having to endure all of that information and how it was kept from him. But he rose above it all and is still kicking butt and taking names. Coulson is truly an admirable man, with one heck of a robotic hand, and an awesome flying car named L.O.L.A. (Just remember, you can’t touch her!) Joking aside, though, here’s to 100 incredible episodes of Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD, a show that has proven time and time again, it is much more than what it seems.

Belle Gaudreau

As a longtime Marvel fan, especially a long time Agents of SHIELD fan, I can say that I have many memories, moments, favorite characters, episodes, and more! I cannot believe that the show has been on for as long as it’s been and have 100 episodes!

I remember watching the season 1 premiere in 2013. It was an unbelievable moment for me, as a fan. I was psyched to find out that Agent Phil Coulson was alive and well and is leading a team. After the news broke out at San Diego Comic Con 2013, I became unstably excited and curious to see how Coulson was brought back to life. After meeting all these characters, seeing the crossover with the MCU films, I knew that SHIELD was the best way to go to start a Marvel TV universe.

Since 2013, I have seen all the episodes and seasons, caught up on all the news and behind the scenes, etc. It was because of Agents of SHIELD and Kid Coulson and Gavin’s Dad, that I discovered the world of cosplay. I’ve met Shawn and Gavin through one of the live twitter chats during an Agents of SHIELD episode. Without them, I would never have discovered the true meaning of cosplay.