This week “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. ” makes its debut on ABC. Yep, on the heels of Iron Man 3 , and in the shadow of The Avengers , the greatest secret government agency ever finally gets its own show.
“Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.” features Agent Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg), whom we all thought died in The Avengers (something that I will cover in another list), as well as a bunch of young, hungry agents all looking to explore, investigate and identify the weird.
I’m sure as time goes on (and if the show is a big hit) the S.H.I.E.L.D. team will get visits from Thor, Iron Man, Hulk, etc., which is great. However, I’m thinking of characters it would be cool to see in either one-shot episodes, or in recurring roles. With that in mind I cobbled together this list along with some ideas about how the characters could work in the show itself.
So there you have it..I tried to use characters that are not the main focus of the Marvel Universe. Characters we love, but probably won’t get their own movie. Appearances by Marvel characters are going to be a must if “Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D”. is to succeed.
Who would you like to see on the show?
10 Marvel Characters We Want To See In ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’
Morbius The Living Vampire
A bizarre blood disease is killing people. The science is something nobody has ever seen, so S.H.I.E.L.D. is brought in to investigate. Unable to find answers, Coulson turns to the troubled, unpredictable and brilliant Dr. Michael Morbius.
Coming on board to help the agency, Morbius is infected by the disease. He doesn’t tell anyone, for fear his big comeback to the scientific mainstream will be jeopardized. As his transformation turns him into a killer, Coulson is forced to take drastic action to stop him.
Cable
Some will say this is a bad choice, but I disagree. Sure the X-Men rights are owned by a different studio than the one holding the Avengers, but why not show a little love on the small screen.
Cable appears in the S.H.I.E.L.D. labs, a man from the future that nobody is sure exists His message is one of a coming destruction, one that must be stopped. Coulson is skeptical on the story, until a visit from Professor X brings about the history of Cable. With S.H.I.E.L.D. at his back, Cable faces the menace from the future.
Skrulls
This one writes itself. Politicians, heroes, corporate CEOs, etc., begin doing weird and destructive things. Coulson and S.H.I.E.L.D. are brought in to investigate.
When a political leader murders a colleague, S.H.I.E.L.D. gives chase. Coulson shoots the suspect in self-defense and when he dies, the truth is revealed. The Earth has Skrull sleepers that are waking up. Who are these aliens? What do they want? This could be a subplot that runs through an entire season.
Deadpool
Who wouldn’t want an insane, psychopathic and hysterically twisted hired killer to be on S.H.I.E.L.D.? Caught and captured, Deadpool lends his services to S.H.I.E.L.D. in hopes of getting a reduced sentence. The word play between Deadpool and Coulson could be awesome, as could the bizarre style in which Deadpool captures S.H.I.E.L.D. targets. In the end Deadpool escapes, leading to constant appearances throughout the show, usually at the worst time possible.
Ghost Rider
The S.H.I.E.L.D. team are on assignment, looking to take down a mutant who is terrorizing a small, Midwest town. When Coulson and the agents arrive, they discover the Ghost Rider, a motorcycle rider with a flaming skull and the ability to unleash hell. At first S.H.I.E.L.D. attempts to stop Ghost Rider, until they realize he’s actually there to thwart a greater evil. In the end the two join forces to defeat their mutual nemesis.
The Punisher
A one-man army taking out bad guys. Coulson knows he must be stopped, but when the truth of the Punisher is uncovered, Coulson is torn.
If the show is looking to ratchet up Coulson’s “action” identity, a throw down fistfight with Punisher would be amazing. If not, let one of the younger agents go toe to toe with greatness. Punisher could save Coulson’s life during the show and then, at the end, the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent still captures the Punisher because that’s what he is sworn to do. The Punisher respects Coulson for it, and agrees to help when he can. This could lead to a type of Hannibal Lecter visit in prison for guidance role in the show.
Black Panther
T’Challa and his representatives come to America for a global meeting about Vibranium. Secretly, T’Challa is seeking revenge for an assassination in his country. Once here, he dons the identity of Black Panther and begins a hunt for the killer. His appearance in America draws the attention of S.H.I.E.L.D., who attempt to figure out why the legendary Black Panther is in New York.
Doctor Strange
A mystical battle is raging in New York City. For weeks, strange beasts, weird aberrations and spiritual unrest has plagued the city. S.H.I.E.L.D. is at a loss to deal with the mounting supernatural issues. Coulson plays a hunch, and goes to Chinatown to see if a legendary story is true. There he encounters Doctor Strange, master of the mystical arts. He informs Coulson that this is the work of Dormammu. Strange agrees to help S.H.I.E.L.D. fight the demonic enemy.
Luke Cage
Coulson is none too happy with the Heroes For Hire. The group, lead by Luke Cage, always seem to show up at the same crime scenes as S.H.I.E.L.D.. Lead by Luke Cage, a man with unbreakable skin, The Heroes For Hire are a superhero team that can be paid to use their powers. Coulson doesn’t like the idea of heroes being paid to be heroic. Ultimately, S.H.I.E.L.D. calls upon Luke Cage to help them with a particularly harsh case.
Nick Fury
Nick Fury’s back, but now he’s black. Samuel L Jackson is a necessary guest star on “Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.” especially in the long run. He can appear when other big name heroes, e.g. Thor, Captain America, etc., are on the show.
Fury can also be part of his own story arc. He keeps secrets from Coulson, keeping even S.H.I.E.L.D. in the dark about his actions. Finally fed up, Coulson decides to investigate his boss.