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Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Leaned Into Horror Elements
The Show Introduced The Inhumans
The Team Traveled Through Time
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is in need of constant expansion and reinvention. Marvel Studios is always looking to beat the fatigue allegations, as critics suggest that audiences have grown tired of the same kind of superhero storytelling. Across a variety of mediums, the MCU has continued to take risks, drawing from the source material and inventing original narratives that audiences have taken great interest in watching unfold. In recent years, the MCU has even refocused its efforts on the small screen. While it might have become a cinematic juggernaut with the likes of Avengers: Endgame breaking records across the globe, it needed to shift its focus in the realms of television. These days, Marvel has a whole division dedicated to MCU-adjacent TV development, but before this plan, series like Cloak & Dagger, Runaways, Daredevil, Hellstrom and Legion demonstrated that different networks and studios could help expand the Marvel brand in their own right. One series stood out from the rest, and 11 years on, it is still a much-loved show that perhaps didn't receive enough credit from the MCU during the time of its release.
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Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. started as a small-scale idea which was elevated to become must-watch TV. In its conception, the series was supposed to follow the titular agents, dealing with the aftermath of some of the MCU's most dramatic moments. It featured a villain-of-the-week structure, which quickly became formulaic, especially when the series wasn't able to deviate too much from the boundaries that had been established. And yet, once S.H.I.E.L.D. collapsed in the MCU, with Hydra emerging from the shadows, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. took on a very different identity. It evolved and took on new narratives that departed further from what the main MCU had been trying to set up. In doing so, it broke new ground, introducing characters like Mr. Hyde that may never even be seen on the big screen, and adapted storylines fans thought they would never see in this format. It is currently unclear as to what the canon status of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is, especially since none of the characters have really appeared since that initial run. However, with Easter eggs galore confirming the show's existence in the mainline MCU, it is time to honor what it achieved because it set the stage for its big-screen counterpart in ways fans couldn't possibly imagine.
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Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Leaned Into Horror Elements
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Firstly, it seems appropriate to start with a genre choice that the show made about a quarter of the way through its run. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. had already been experimenting with alternative storytelling styles. The use of the Asgardians demonstrated the series wasn't afraid to stray into the fantastical, and the arrival of the Kree resulted in some science fiction arcs that tied into Captain Marvel perfectly. Those genre shifts would continue into the future, but Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. also experimented with Marvel's horror roots and some of its spookiest storytelling components.
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Just as the Marvel Cinematic Universe appears to be building toward the Midnight Suns and a team consisting of Halloween-esque characters like Werewolf by Night and Agatha Harkness, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. got there first with its own line-up of sinister individuals. One of the standouts was, of course, Ghost Rider, with Robbie Reyes entering the scene in an attempt to move away from what Johnny Blaze had previously done on screen. The lore of this hellish protagonist was introduced perfectly, with other characters also briefly taking on the mantle.
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Ghost Rider's mythology in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. was rich and detailed, also confirming that the underworld exists within the MCU. Not only did his imagery tap into the likes of Doctor Strange, but it opened conversations up about the debut of Mephisto and other such hell-based figures. Ghost Rider's portrayal was a smash hit, and fans are still waiting for his return to the MCU proper, especially with such an enigmatic portrayal. But it wasn't just this iconic comic book character that embraced the horror origins of some of Marvel's biggest series.
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Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. strayed into darker territory, even introducing the magical text known as The Darkhold. The book corrupted a couple of key characters and helped to reshape the universe with an ominous twist. MCU fans will be well aware that the book will eventually land in the hands of Agatha Harkness and The Scarlet Witch with a nod and a wink to the artifact's small screen past. The show set up the concept perfectly and has not been overhauled or retconned in any way, demonstrating how Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. actually moved forward with this major plot point first.
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Now, the MCU is now entering its horror era, and it's hard to imagine Werewolf by Night, Agatha All Along, Moon Knight or perhaps even Blade, going into production in the ways that they are without the predecessors that set the stage. The Darkhold is such a vital piece of that puzzle, for instance, and has reappeared on screen with a magical redesign. And while credit should also go to the Blades and Ghost Riders of the past, the streamlined way in which Ghost Rider so effortlessly fit into this modern Marvel world in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. demonstrated that it was possible to push the spooky boundaries in other areas of the franchise.
The Show Introduced The Inhumans
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The Inhumans made their live-action debut in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and attempted to establish a major Marvel team of its own. When Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. first started, it wasn't allowed to be very ambitious, nor could it completely morph the continuity of the MCU as a whole. However, with a carefully curated storyline, which first introduced the concept of being an Inhuman, before creating a catalyst for transformations all over the world, the show suddenly welcomed these powerful beings into existence, much to its benefit.
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Daisy Johnson, also known as Quake, was the star of the group, although Yo-Yo Rodriguez, or Slingshot, was also a shining member. S.H.I.E.L.D.'s mission suddenly changed, ensuring that the Inhuman community was protected from groups like the Watchdogs, but that humanity was defended by those who would use their powers for evil. A more complex narrative structure emerged, with Quake's mother attempting to do right by her own people by shunning humanity and, thus, her daughter in the process. Introducing the Inhumans allowed for more mature storytelling opportunities to emerge, with every choice leading to darker consequences.
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One of the unfortunate results of the use of the Inhumans here was the debut of the Inhumans TV show, which failed to capture the essence of what Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. had been trying to do. It was a far-cry from the nuance of the original series, demonstrating just how well-balanced that initial version really came to be. The Inhumans have since been represented in the MCU, with Black Bolt arriving in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, in a fun nod to that original TV show, albeit in a completely alternative reality. But the fact remains that with the use of the Kree arc that had already been designed with such care, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. managed to add the Inhumans to the MCU and ensure that audiences actually connected with them. It was an exciting time to be following the show, especially with further comic book characters emerging for the first time, like Lash. But, as is often the case with the series, the legacy of the Inhumans has been completely abandoned, with many of them seemingly going into hiding in the current MCU.
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The MCU did acknowledge the Inhumans with that Black Bolt cameo, although it has moved firmly away from what Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. had also done with those characters. Instead, the MCU is taking the blueprints but applying them to something else entirely. Instead of the Inhuman saga, fans will be receiving the Mutant saga. Just like Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., key characters are already revealed to be Mutants, with the likes of Namor and Ms. Marvel essentially filling in that Daisy Johnson slot. Maybe there is room for the Inhumans and X-Men to coexist, but the latter seems like much more of a priority, especially with figures like Professor X and Beast making an appearance.
The Team Traveled Through Time
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Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. didn't just stay in one reality either. They may have traveled to space and gotten caught up in conflicts on alien worlds, but they also meddled with time before the Avengers had even considered it as an option. Time travel actually became the central narrative driving force for a couple of seasons, and the show even concluded with the group going back to a past iteration of the team while attempting to hide from a group of alien hunters. The show paid great respect to the organization's history, allowing time travel to build up its lore, even introducing S.H.I.E.L.D.'s founder.
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The team traveled to the far future and had to attempt to prevent the destructive fate that awaited Earth from the confines of a ship run by the Kree. Indeed, in that version of reality, a bleak future was painted, with the Kree Empire taking control of what little remained of humankind. To the distant future and to the near past, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. ensured that fans got a great sense of the timeline the team operated on, but in doing so, new realities were created, which were likely purged by the TVA off-screen.
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Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. experimented further with alternative realities when Aida created a landscape where Hydra took over. There, taking up the guise of Madame Hydra, the team are transformed. Fitz became the villainous Doctor, for example, experimenting on those too weak to defend themselves. Coulson became a teacher and was forced to preach in favor of an empire he never wanted to serve. And then, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. switched up the rules again, creating other new timelines, one of which saw Coulson revived but acting as the antagonist of the show. Again and again, technology, the Darkhold, and then the results of time travel made fans question what reality was authentic and what wasn't. As the MCU would later show, all the universes that were portrayed would remain out there unless the TVA got their hands on them. Once again, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. was progressing with risky narrative arcs that seemed like a far cry from where the TV show had originally started. But nonetheless, they were effective and ever-so-fun to follow along with as the cast of familiar characters evolved.
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Since then, The Multiverse Saga has given new life to the idea of alternative realities and how it affects its heroes. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. established some of the rules of engagement, but shows like Loki expanded upon that with their own mythology. Amazingly, though, this storytelling gave Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. a way to coexist with the mainline MCU, with the characters potentially entering yet another universe before being able to return to the Sacred Timeline. The fact that Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. had to lay the foundations for such an arc at all when it became such a critical part of the MCU is ludicrous without the proper recognition. In each of these cases, Marvel Studios might have made alterations, but the core components remain what the ABC series first designed.
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Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Sci-Fi
Action
Adventure
Superhero
The missions of the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division.
Release Date September 24, 2013
Cast Ming-Na Wen , Brett Dalton , Chloe Bennet , Clark Gregg , Elizabeth Henstridge , Iain De Caestecker , Henry Simmons
Rating
Seasons 7
Creator
Producer
Production Company
Story By Jack Kirby
Writers Jed Whedon , Maurissa Tancharoen , Joss Whedon
Network ABC
Franchise(s) Marvel , Marvel Cinematic Universe
Directors Kevin Tancharoen , Jesse Bochco , Billy Gierhart , Vincent Misiano , Garry A. Brown
Showrunner Jed Whedon
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