Agent Coulson the Unsung Hero?

*SPOILER ALERT* (If you have not watched The Avengers and don’t want to know what happens please stop reading 🙂 Although everyone has probably seen it by now haha!)

Watching The Avengers again last night I was contemplating why Agent Phil Coulson is really an un-sung hero. I was so shocked and upset when he dies, I couldn’t believe it! I should have guessed really, that is Joss Whedon’s thing, he likes to pull at our heart-strings and kill off well loved characters, but come on!!! Agent Coulson (played by Clark Gregg) is Nick Fury’s right hand man in S.H.E.I.L.D, and even coins the term. In Iron Man he introduces himself as an agent of ‘Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement and Logistics’ so many times he eventually shortens it for us. He is a character that has been consistent throughout our journey with the Marvel films. First making an appearance in Iron Man (2008), again in Iron Man 2 (2010), then in Thor (2011) and finally taking his last breath in The Avengers (2012). We love his quirks and his positive attitude, and has been described as ‘every man’ among a world of Super Heroes! Allowing us to imagine a normal persons perspective in the crazy Universe of Heroes and Villains.

Here are some reasons why I love Agent Coulson!

• He has a mild manner no matter who he is dealing with, be it a billionaire or a demi-god, BUT he wont take shit from any of them! For instance threatening to tase Stark and leave him drooling watching Supernanny if he doesn’t co-operate in the second Iron Man movie. Also giving Thor a pep talk in The Avengers!
• He gives a real face to SHEILD, lets face it, Nick Fury does look like a cartoon character even in the live action films.
• He always gets stuck in to the action even if he is just a man at the end of the day, he barely survives a run in with Obadiah Stane in the first Iron Man, and dares to take on Loci alone in The Avengers!
• He is a stern faced Agent-man most of the time but he has a sense of humour, and is really a big kid at heart. We see this especially when Agent Coulson meets Captain America who he has idolised since he was a boy, and still has a vintage collection of Captain America trading cards.
• After trying to take down Loci, and getting shot in the process he still has fighting talk, and a sense of humour. He shoots Loci with a crazy huge gun while his guard is down and says “Oh that’s what it does” in his wheezy death voice.
• Most importantly, he dies a noble death, saying “This never would have worked if they had nothing to…” and dies, leaving us with the knowledge he believes the Super-Heroes will fight for him. How sweet, obviously they want to save the world too, but you know, mainly they want to avenge Phil!

So Agent Coulson leaves his legacy with the Marvel films (or did he? Actually there is no definite proof that he dies, maybe Nick Fury used the opportunity to get the Avengers all riled up?!), Clark Gregg must have been annoyed about that! BUT never fear, because I have heard an awesome rumour that the very same will be playing a major role as Agent Coulson in the new TV Series S.H.E.I.L.D! And Joss Whedon is making it so I have my fingers crossed it will be good! This is not news to many of you I am sure, but I have only just read this while Googling Agent Coulson. YAY! AND I have read about a couple of short films that came out around the time of Iron Man 2 and Thor which are centred around Agent Coulson, ‘The Consultant’ and ‘A Funny Thing Happened on the way to Thor’s Hammer’. I will be checking these out ASAP!

So that’s it, just a little post to express my love for an unsung hero of the Marvel epics. Any more love for this man from you guys??

Tagged: agent coulson, blog, blogger, clark gregg, critic, film, joss whedon, marvel, movie, nick fury, review, SHEILD, the avengers