Agent Phillip J. Coulson ( ) is a
fiction
Fiction is any creative work, chiefly any narrative work, portraying individuals, events, or places that are imaginary, or in ways that are imaginary. Fictional portrayals are thus inconsistent with history, fact, or plausibility. In a traditi ...
al
character portrayed and voiced by
Clark Gregg in the
Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)
media franchise
A media franchise, also known as a multimedia franchise, is a collection of related media in which several derivative works have been produced from an original creative work of fiction, such as a film, a work of literature, a television program or ...
. Coulson is depicted as a high-ranking member of the espionage agency
S.H.I.E.L.D. and longtime partner of
Nick Fury
Colonel Nicholas Joseph "Nick" Fury Sr. is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer/artist Jack Kirby and writer Stan Lee, he first appeared in ''Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos ...
.
After being killed by
Loki
Loki is a god in Norse mythology. According to some sources, Loki is the son of Fárbauti (a jötunn) and Laufey (mentioned as a goddess), and the brother of Helblindi and Býleistr. Loki is married to Sigyn and they have two sons, Narfi or Na ...
and the
Avengers
Avenger, Avengers, The Avenger, or The Avengers may refer to:
Arts and entertainment In the Marvel Comics universe
* Avengers (comics), a team of superheroes
**Avengers (Marvel Cinematic Universe), a central team of protagonist superheroes of ...
form to avenge him, Fury has Coulson resurrected with
Kree blood to continue serving S.H.I.E.L.D., putting together a small team of agents supervised by
Melinda May and coming to view one agent,
Daisy Johnson, as a surrogate daughter. After rebuilding S.H.I.E.L.D. following its infiltration and destruction by
Hydra
Hydra generally refers to:
* Lernaean Hydra, a many-headed serpent in Greek mythology
* ''Hydra'' (genus), a genus of simple freshwater animals belonging to the phylum Cnidaria
Hydra or The Hydra may also refer to:
Astronomy
* Hydra (constel ...
, saving the planet, and making a deal with a
demon
A demon is a malevolent supernatural entity. Historically, belief in demons, or stories about demons, occurs in religion, occultism, literature, fiction, mythology, and folklore; as well as in media such as comics, video games, movies, ani ...
to briefly become
Ghost Rider, stripping him of the blood keeping him alive, Coulson retires to
Tahiti with May, where he dies once again.
Following the destruction of Sarge, a biological duplicate of Coulson created by a monolith and inhabited by the Aztec god
Pachakutiq, a
Life Model Decoy (L.M.D.) of Coulson is made from a copy of his consciousness saved to a
virtual reality, and Sarge's and May's genetic memories, resurrecting him again. After preventing an alternate timeline from being conquered by
Chronicoms, Coulson decides to travel the world in his
flying car, Lola.
Coulson was a central figure in the "
Infinity Saga", appearing in five films, two television series, one digital series, and two
Marvel One-Shots, most notably in ''
The Avengers
Avenger, Avengers, The Avenger, or The Avengers may refer to:
Arts and entertainment In the Marvel Comics universe
* Avengers (comics), a team of superheroes
** Avengers (Marvel Cinematic Universe), a central team of protagonist superheroes o ...
'' (2012) and ''
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'' (2013–2020). Several
versions
Version may refer to:
Computing
* Software version, a set of numbers that identify a unique evolution of a computer program
* VERSION (CONFIG.SYS directive), a configuration directive in FreeDOS
Music
* Cover version
* Dub version
* Remix
* ''Ve ...
of Coulson from within the MCU
multiverse
The multiverse is a hypothetical group of multiple universes. Together, these universes comprise everything that exists: the entirety of space, time, matter, energy, information, and the physical laws and constants that describe them. The di ...
also appear, notably in the live-action series ''Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'' and the animated series ''
What If...?'' (2021), with Gregg reprising the role.
Coulson has additionally appeared in several forms of non-MCU media, being integrated into the
mainstream Marvel Universe
The Marvel Universe is a fictional shared universe where the stories in most American comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Comics take place. Super-teams such as the Avengers, the X-Men, the Fantastic Four, the Guardians of th ...
, initially modelled after Gregg and depicted as a
S.H.I.E.L.D. agent and supporting character of
Deadpool, before being redeveloped as a
supervillain
A supervillain or supercriminal is a variant of the villainous stock character that is commonly found in American comic books, usually possessing superhuman abilities. A supervillain is the antithesis of a superhero.
Supervillains are oft ...
servant of the demon
Mephisto
Mephisto or Mephistopheles is one of the chief demons of German literary tradition.
Mephisto or Mephistopheles may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' Méphisto'', a 1931 French film
* ''Mephisto'' (1981 film), a German-Hungarian film based ...
and commander of the
Squadron Supreme of America
The Squadron Supreme is a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, of which there are several notable alternate versions. The original team was created by Roy Thomas and John Buscema, derived from the previous ...
following his death and resurrection, and the main antagonist of "
Heroes Reborn".
Marvel Cinematic Universe
Feature films
Partnering with Nick Fury
''Captain Marvel'', which is set in the 1990s, depicts Coulson as a rookie agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. who works closely with fellow agent
Nick Fury
Colonel Nicholas Joseph "Nick" Fury Sr. is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer/artist Jack Kirby and writer Stan Lee, he first appeared in ''Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos ...
.
Supervising Tony Stark
Agent Coulson was introduced in the film ''Iron Man'', in which he attempts to debrief
Tony Stark on his captivity in
Afghanistan. He is also one of several agents who accompany
Pepper Potts in an attempt to arrest
Obadiah Stane once his criminal activities are revealed. In ''Iron Man 2'', Coulson is assigned to supervise Stark for a time before being reassigned to investigate a crisis in New Mexico.
Meeting Thor
In both ''Iron Man 2''s
post-credits scene and ''Thor'', Coulson's assignment is revealed to revolve around the discovery of
Thor's
hammer
A hammer is a tool, most often a hand tool, consisting of a weighted "head" fixed to a long handle that is swung to deliver an impact to a small area of an object. This can be, for example, to drive nails into wood, to shape metal (as w ...
in the New Mexico desert. Coulson is able to form an alliance between S.H.I.E.L.D. and Thor, who mistakenly addresses Coulson as "Son of Coul."
Death
In ''The Avengers'', Coulson is fatally wounded by
Loki
Loki is a god in Norse mythology. According to some sources, Loki is the son of Fárbauti (a jötunn) and Laufey (mentioned as a goddess), and the brother of Helblindi and Býleistr. Loki is married to Sigyn and they have two sons, Narfi or Na ...
, which now-S.H.I.E.L.D. Director
Nick Fury
Colonel Nicholas Joseph "Nick" Fury Sr. is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer/artist Jack Kirby and writer Stan Lee, he first appeared in ''Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos ...
uses to motivate the
Avengers
Avenger, Avengers, The Avenger, or The Avengers may refer to:
Arts and entertainment In the Marvel Comics universe
* Avengers (comics), a team of superheroes
**Avengers (Marvel Cinematic Universe), a central team of protagonist superheroes of ...
.
Tie-in comics
Coulson appears throughout the MCU tie-in comics in supporting roles, acting in the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent capacity that he does in the films.
Short films
The Marvel One-Shot ''
The Consultant'', which takes place after ''
The Incredible Hulk'', sees Coulson and fellow agent
Jasper Sitwell
Jasper Sitwell is a fictional character, an espionage agent appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
The character was portrayed by Maximiliano Hernández in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Publication history
Created by wr ...
preventing
Emil Blonsky
The Abomination is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The original and best known iteration is Emil Blonsky, who first appeared in ''Tales to Astonish'' #90 (April 1967) and was created by write ...
from being added to the Avengers roster. ''
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Thor's Hammer'' depicts Coulson getting into a scuffle on his way from Stark's lab in ''Iron Man 2'' to Thor's hammer in ''Thor''.
Television series
T.A.H.I.T.I. and resurrection
In ''Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'', Fury brought Coulson back to life using the T.A.H.I.T.I. project, which was meant to bring a dead Avenger back to life using GH-325, a drug derived from an ancient
Kree corpse that S.H.I.E.L.D. had recovered in the past. However, test patients developed psychosis and
hypergraphia, so Coulson had the project shut down and Fury had Coulson's memories replaced so he could live a healthy life.
Following his resurrection, Coulson puts together a team of agents to travel the world and deal with strange new cases. During this time,
Hydra
Hydra generally refers to:
* Lernaean Hydra, a many-headed serpent in Greek mythology
* ''Hydra'' (genus), a genus of simple freshwater animals belonging to the phylum Cnidaria
Hydra or The Hydra may also refer to:
Astronomy
* Hydra (constel ...
is revealed to have infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D., leading to the latter's demise. Fury makes Coulson the new director of S.H.I.E.L.D. and tasks him with rebuilding the agency "the right way".
Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Coulson's involvement with alien materials leads to a faction of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents led by Robert Gonzalez, who distrust secrets and superhumans attempting to take over the fledgling organization, but Coulson convinces them to let him stay on as director after helping
save hundreds of civilians. Together, they defeat a faction of
Inhumans, though Coulson loses a hand in the process.
Romancing Rosalind Price
Coulson later becomes romantically involved with Rosalind Price, the leader of an anti-Inhuman government task-force called the Advanced Threat Containment Unit (ATCU), until her death at the hands of
Grant Ward
Grant Anthony Ward (born 5 December 1994) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Bristol Rovers. He has previously played for Tottenham Hotspur, Chicago Fire, Coventry City, Rotherham United, Ipswich Town and Blac ...
, a Hydra agent who formerly worked with Coulson. Coulson gets revenge by crushing Ward's chest with his prosthetic hand.
Demotion and deal with demon
Following
the signing of the
Sokovia Accords
Discrimination against superheroes is a common theme and plot element comic books and superhero fiction, usually as a way to explore the issue of superheroes operating in society or as commentary on other social concerns. Often in response to th ...
, S.H.I.E.L.D. is re-legitimized, with the still officially dead Coulson replaced as director by
Jeffrey Mace, though he is eventually able to retake command of operations while Mace serves as the public face of S.H.I.E.L.D. After the artificial intelligence
AIDA attempts to take over the world, Coulson allows himself to briefly become a
Ghost Rider to defeat her.
Travelling through time
Coulson and his teammates are later abducted and sent to the future, to prevent the extinction of humanity. After their return, his team discover the Ghost Rider burned through the GH-325 that kept Coulson alive, causing him to slowly die ever since. Despite the team's best efforts to save him, Coulson ultimately chooses to leave S.H.I.E.L.D. and live the remainder of his life in Tahiti with
Melinda May, with whom he developed a romantic relationship.
Second death and resurrection
As the team, especially May and new Director
Mack, mourn Coulson, they are perturbed by the arrival of the cold-blooded
Sarge, an alien who is physically and genetically identical to Coulson. They later learn Sarge's body was created in an accident involving three reality-altering Monoliths, and was inhabited by the entity
Pachakutiq thousands of years ago, losing both its and Coulson's memories before becoming Sarge. Mack and Daisy kill Pachakutiq to avert the end of the world, but the team is forced to escape an attack by the cybernetic alien
Chronicoms. To combat them, S.H.I.E.L.D. scientists
Leo Fitz and
Jemma Simmons make an enhanced
Life Model Decoy of Coulson to guide them in a journey through S.H.I.E.L.D.'s past, beginning in the 1930s.
Life as an L.M.D.
The L.M.D. Coulson helps the team stop the
Chronicoms from changing history while coping with his existence as a non-human entity. A year after the Chronicoms' defeat, Coulson takes a sabbatical to travel the world in a reconstruction of his red 1962 Chevrolet Corvette, Lola.
Alternate versions
= Radcliffe LMDs
=
After being corrupted by the power of the ''
Darkhold'',
Holden Radcliffe
Holden Radcliffe is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is an enemy of Machine Teen.
The character made his live action debut on the Marvel Cinematic Universe TV series '' Marvel's A ...
and
Aida builds a
Life Model Decoys of Coulson and other S.H.I.E.L.D. agents programmed to impersonate him while his human self is imprisoned in the Framework, in order to allow them to steal the Darkhold for themselves. After being betrayed by the L.M.D. May, Radcliffe's Coulson L.M.D. is destroyed when the L.M.D. May blows up the empty S.H.I.E.L.D. base to allow its remaining human agents to escape.
= History teacher
=
After revealed to be trapped in the ''
Darkhold''-infused Framework
virtual reality at the end of "
Self Control", Coulson experiences a parallel lifetime in which he never joined S.H.I.E.L.D. and became a history teacher and conspiracy theorist who believes Hydra is using mind control soap to enslave the population of Earth. After being made aware of his alternate life as a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent by
Daisy Johnson, Coulson assists her ensuring his escape from the Framework; upon awakening in the real world, the real Coulson is surprised that he remembers the life of his Framework self.
= Destruction of Earth
=
In an alternate 2018, after failing to stop a gravitonium-infused
Glenn Talbot from accidentally destroying the Earth, Coulson and his team rescue a fraction of the Earth's population aboard their Lighthouse base, built to withstand the Earth's destruction, before eventually dying as a result of his deal with Ghost Rider.
Animated series
Alternate versions of Coulson appears in the animated series ''What If...?'', with Gregg reprising his role.
In an alternate 2011, Coulson witnesses the murders of five candidates of the Avengers Initiative, and investigates the mastermind behind their deaths with Nick Fury. In another alternate 2011, Coulson assists
Maria Hill, acting director of S.H.I.E.L.D., in attempting to stop an out-of-control party hosted by Thor.
Digital series
After stepping down as director of S.H.I.E.L.D. following ''Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.''
season three, Coulson appears in ''Slingshot'' to offer advice to S.H.I.E.L.D. asset
Elena "Yo-Yo" Rodriguez.
Marvel Comics
''Battle Scars''
Phil Coulson first appeared in the mainstream
Marvel Universe
The Marvel Universe is a fictional shared universe where the stories in most American comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Comics take place. Super-teams such as the Avengers, the X-Men, the Fantastic Four, the Guardians of ...
in
Christopher Yost,
Matt Fraction and
Cullen Bunn's ''
Battle Scars'' #6 (April 2012) as
Nick Fury Jr.’s
Ranger teammate nicknamed "Cheese". He is later revealed to be Coulson after he follows Fury in joining S.H.I.E.L.D.
Coulson has gone on to appear in other comics set in the mainstream MU, including in the 2013 ''
Secret Avengers'' series by
Nick Spencer and
Luke Ross,
and in ''
Thor: God of Thunder'' in 2014.
''S.H.I.E.L.D.'' vol. 3
In July 2014 at San Diego Comic-Con International, Marvel Comics announced an ongoing series titled ''S.H.I.E.L.D.'', to be set in the mainstream Marvel Universe, and written by
Mark Waid
Mark Waid (; born March 21, 1962) is an American comic book writer best known for his work on DC Comics titles ''The Flash'', '' Kingdom Come'' and '' Superman: Birthright'' as well as his work on ''Captain America'', ''Fantastic Four'' and '' Dar ...
, beginning December 2014. The series is led by Coulson, and sees the canonical introduction of characters that originated from ''Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D'', to which Waid said, "This is our chance to introduce a lot of the other characters into the Marvel Universe, and give them the Marvel Universe spin." Waid described the series as "done-in-one. Coulson and his team have a mission, and if we need someone for a mission, everyone in the Marvel Universe is available as a potential Agent."
In this series, Coulson is the Supreme Commander of Special Operations for S.H.I.E.L.D. under Director Maria Hill.
[
]
''Deadpool'' vol. 6
He has appeared in '' Deadpool'', assisting S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Preston and paying Deadpool for his earlier services to S.H.I.E.L.D. During the " Secret Empire" event, Coulson learns that Steve Rogers was involved in attracting the Chitauri to invade Earth, and is subsequently shot from the sky and killed by Deadpool, under the order of Rogers.
''Avengers'' vol. 8
Phil Coulson later turned up alive and appears as a member of the Power Elite
In political and sociological theory, the elite (french: élite, from la, eligere, to select or to sort out) are a small group of powerful people who hold a disproportionate amount of wealth, privilege, political power, or skill in a group. D ...
where he meets with Thunderbolt Ross to talk about the Avengers going global. Coulson states to Ross that he has put together the Squadron Supreme of America
The Squadron Supreme is a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, of which there are several notable alternate versions. The original team was created by Roy Thomas and John Buscema, derived from the previous ...
to be the sanctioned superheroes of the United States, now expressing an intense hatred for "heroes" such as Captain America and Deadpool.
The Squadron Supreme of America are revealed to be simulacrums created by Mephisto
Mephisto or Mephistopheles is one of the chief demons of German literary tradition.
Mephisto or Mephistopheles may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' Méphisto'', a 1931 French film
* ''Mephisto'' (1981 film), a German-Hungarian film based ...
and programmed by the Power Elite so that Phil Coulson can have them be a United States-sponsored superhero team, Coulson having gone to Hell
In religion and folklore, hell is a location in the afterlife in which evil souls are subjected to punitive suffering, most often through torture, as eternal punishment after death. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hell ...
after his death for unspecified war crimes, and made a deal with Mephisto to be restored to life. During the '' War of the Realms'' storyline, Coulson summons the Squadron Supreme of America to fight the invading Frost Giants. After the Squadron Supreme of America caused the Frost Giants to retreat, Phil Coulson sends them to Ohio which has become a battleground.
At The Pentagon, Phil Coulson is briefed about an intruder on Sublevel 7 by a Nick Fury L.M.D. when it turns out to be Black Panther. After noting that the Squadron Supreme herded the Frost Giants into Canada, Black Panther asks Coulson if the Squadron Supreme of America knows that he is a murderer, Coulson quotes "Why don't you ask them yourself?" The Squadron Supreme are summoned to confront Black Panther. Hyperion states that the Squadron Supreme are the United States' sanctioned superhero team in light of the Avengers becoming an anti-American team. As Nighthawk states to Blur that Black Panther will not run as he is under arrest, Black Panther states to them that he does not know how they got their powers and that they are not the Squadron Supreme, as he even asked if they trust Phil Coulson. Before they can grab him, Black Panther contacts Broo to teleport him away. As he disappears, the Black Panther states that Phil Coulson will not answer their questions and that the Avengers are not their enemies unless they force them to be.
''Heroes Reborn''
In " Heroes Reborn", Coulson uses the Pandemonium Cube to rewrite reality in Mephisto's name, erasing the Avengers from existence and making himself the President of the United States, watching the fight between Hyperion and Doctor Juggernaut. After his role in the reality change is discovered, Coulson faces Captain America in hand-to-hand combat, deriding his influence on American politics. After being defeated, and reality restored, Coulson is imprisoned in the Pandemonium Cube by Mephisto as punishment and brought before the Council of Red, a collection of Mephisto's counterparts from 615 other universes.
Concept and creation
Agent Phil Coulson was created by Mark Fergus, Hawk Ostby, Art Marcum and Matt Holloway for ''Iron Man'', the first feature film in the MCU. Coulson was the first S.H.I.E.L.D. agent introduced in the MCU, and was portrayed by Clark Gregg, who was offered a three-picture deal. Gregg initially balked at this due to the character initially only being known as "Agent" and having few lines, but recognized Marvel's plan for an interconnected universe; the character was ultimately given the surname "Coulson" after Danny Coulson, whose book ''No Heroes: Inside the FBI's Secret Counter-Terror Force'' was used as a dialogue reference for ''Iron Man''. Gregg went on to play the character in '' Iron Man 2'', '' Thor'', and ''The Avengers
Avenger, Avengers, The Avenger, or The Avengers may refer to:
Arts and entertainment In the Marvel Comics universe
* Avengers (comics), a team of superheroes
** Avengers (Marvel Cinematic Universe), a central team of protagonist superheroes o ...
'', the latter film in which he was provided the first name "Phil".
Throughout the films, Coulson is generally depicted as a supporting character of the protagonists and used to represent S.H.I.E.L.D.'s presence, to the point that Gregg has described Coulson as "''the'' S.H.I.E.L.D. agent". However, for the Marvel One-Shot short films '' The Consultant'' and '' A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Thor's Hammer'', Coulson is given "a chance to stand in his own spotlight for once". This was a "natural" move for co-producer Brad Winderbaum, who wanted to "paint a picture of S.H.I.E.L.D. pulling the strings and being responsible for some of the events we've seen in the films. What better character to represent this idea than Agent Coulson, the first S.H.I.E.L.D. agent we were introduced to?"
At the 2012 New York Comic Con, Joss Whedon
Joseph Hill Whedon (; born June 23, 1964) is an American filmmaker, composer, and comic book writer. He is the founder of Mutant Enemy Productions, co-founder of Bellwether Pictures, and is best known as the creator of several television series: ...
and Kevin Feige
Kevin Feige ( ; born June 2, 1973) is an American film and television producer who has been the president of Marvel Studios and the primary producer of the Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise since 2007. The films he has produced have a combin ...
announced that Gregg would be starring as Coulson in '' Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'', despite the character dying in ''The Avengers'', with Whedon saying "He's headlining the S.H.I.E.L.D. show and always was." Gregg said of Whedon's explanation for Coulson's resurrection, "I found it so fascinating and so true to the world of the comics and mythology in general as I understand them that I was immediately in." Regarding the amount of creative input he has over the character in the series, Gregg said, "I have meetings with he showrunners">showrunner.html" ;"title="he showrunner">he showrunnersonce or twice a year and talk about what the big ideas are ... They're really responsive to the fact that I've been involved with this person four, five years longer than them, but ... I have no complaints with what they're doing."
''Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'' costume designer Ann Foley described Coulson as a "company man", wearing suits in "the S.H.I.E.L.D. palette—grey, black and navy with a distinct but subtle pattern." Foley did note "subtle changes" in Coulson's costuming in the series from the films, such as streamlined suits and "more slick" ties, "now that [he] is back after being 'killed' by Loki". After Coulson's hand is cut off in the second-season finale, which was realized by having a mechanical axe cut through a "faux arm made of tripe wrapped around a chicken thigh", Gregg described it as "heavy ... one of those things where you’re having the practical difficulty your character does. People were handing me stuff, like files, and I couldn’t really open them without using my nose." This practicality issue continued with the prosthetic hand Coulson subsequently has to use, with Gregg saying "the reality informs the thing. It’s really hard to figure out how to use this prosthetic, and that’s what Phil Coulson’s going through ... I’m hoping it evolves at some point." Gregg also noted that in the third season Coulson would be wearing more casual clothes, partly because "he can’t even seem to tie a tie" with his new hand. The prosthetic hand evolves throughout the season, with a later iteration projecting an energy shield, inspired by a similar one used in the comics by Captain America
Captain America is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by cartoonists Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, the character First appearance, first appeared in ''#Golden Age, Captain America Comics'' #1 (cover ...
. The energy shield was created by Cosa, one of the series' visual effects vendors.
There had been considerations for Coulson to return in '' Iron Man 3'' and '' Thor: The Dark World'', but the character was not slated to appear in any more films. Whedon asserts, "As far as the fiction of the movies, Coulson is dead", elaborating that "generally e feels
E, or e, is the fifth Letter (alphabet), letter and the second vowel#Written vowels, vowel letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the English alphabet, modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worl ...
like the ''S.H.I.E.L.D.'' audience and ''The Avengers'' audiences are not actually the same group, necessarily," and so the films would have to explain Coulson's resurrection again for the film-only audience if he were to be reintroduced. Gregg reprises the role once again in '' Captain Marvel'' (2019), as the film is set in the 1990s. Gregg is digitally de-aged by 25 years, along with co-star Samuel L. Jackson, the first time Marvel has done this for an entire film. In regards to the character's resurrection within the MCU canon, however, ''Loki
Loki is a god in Norse mythology. According to some sources, Loki is the son of Fárbauti (a jötunn) and Laufey (mentioned as a goddess), and the brother of Helblindi and Býleistr. Loki is married to Sigyn and they have two sons, Narfi or Na ...
'' head writer Michael Waldron suggested that, as that show's series premiere " Glorious Purpose" implies, Coulson actually died in ''The Avengers'' and the events of ''Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'' take place in a parallel timeline.
Characterization
Gregg has stated, "I think of Agent Coulson, after all these years, as a guy with a full life. I think every day he's somewhere doing something for S.H.I.E.L.D., and yet I don't always know what that is... There's always a different twist. In this one he gets to show more of his wisecracking wit, and in this one he's a little bit more of a badass." Despite Coulson being called "the most recognizable face in the Marvel Comics movie universe", he is depicted as an " everyman" in a universe full of superheroes—"the glue that binds" the characters together. Gregg explained his portrayal of the character as "just a guy grumbling about his job ... he's tasked with handling these kind of diva superheroes, you know? 'Oh, really, Asgard? Dude, just get in the car.'"
On whether the resurrected Coulson would be the same as before he died, Gregg said "I don’t know how you could not change going through what he went through. I think if he hadn’t gone through some kind of change, it wouldn’t be any good. That said, I don’t know if he understands how much he’s changed." Later exploring some of those changes, Gregg stated "In some ways, he kinda finds himself not nearly as cold or ruthless as he would like to be, or as he has been. And at the same time, putting together this team, he feels driven by motives inside of himself that he can't quite always make sense of and that feels very new to him."
After Coulson was promoted to Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., Gregg said "He kind of got his dream job that I don’t even think he would have ever dreamed he would be given ... he’s got a little bit more of an idealistic, big hearted side of him han Nick Fury does
Han may refer to:
Ethnic groups
* Han Chinese, or Han People (): the name for the largest ethnic group in China, which also constitutes the world's largest ethnic group.
** Han Taiwanese (): the name for the ethnic group of the Taiwanese ...
some of which is going to be extinguished by the hard decisions he has to make." Speaking about the evolving nature of Coulson's relationship with his team, Gregg said "There’s a way he can afford an intimacy with all of them when they’re part of a small, elite squad on the Bus. It’s different than what’s possible for him as Director of S.H.I.E.L.D." Discussing Coulson's character progression through three seasons in relation to him killing Ward on the alien planet, executive producer Jeffrey Bell said, "First season Coulson would have beat Ward up and then thrown him over his shoulder and brought him back to Earth and locked him away. Season two Coulson would have defeated him and left him there on the other planet to fend for himself," while season three Coulson paused while the portal to Earth was already closing to take the time to kill Ward.
For the fourth season, Coulson is demoted back to field agent status. Gregg said that the reasoning for this "makes sense given that S.H.I.E.L.D. is coming out of the shadows. There are people that will want their person in charge." He felt that Coulson would actually prefer this, saying, "I always felt like Coulson was happiest in the field. Neither I nor Coulson loved playing and listening while his agents went into dangerous situations. And there are more dramatic possibilities when you have a boss that you have to deal with."
Alternate forms
Sarge / Pachakutiq
Sarge (portrayed by Clark Gregg) is an alien who occupies a clone body of Coulson which was created by the powers of the Di'Allas and sent hundred years into the past on his and Izel's home planet.
Phil Coulson (Chronicom L.M.D.)
Following the deaths of Izel and Sarge, Enoch and the Chronicoms on his side create a Life Model Decoy of Phil Coulson (portrayed by Clark Gregg) with all of Coulson's memories and modified with Chronicom technology.
Reception
In his review for ''Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.''s first season, Evan Valentine at Collider named Clark Gregg as one of the high points of the series, noting that the actor was "one positive I consistently point out in each and every episode". Valentine stated that "What made us fall in love with the character from the first ''Iron Man'' to his death in ''The Avengers'' is still alive and kicking. Coulson was able to throw out quips like none other, while also turning on a dime, and expressing serious rage in moments ... Gregg raises the S.H.I.E.L.D. banner high". Reviewing the episode "The Writing on the Wall
"The writing on the wall" is an idiomatic expression that suggests a portent of doom or misfortune, based on the story of Belshazzar's feast in the book of Daniel.
The Writing on the Wall, The Writing's on the Wall or similar titles may also refer ...
", which concluded the majority of Coulson's storyline in the series up to that point, Kevin Fitzpatrick of Screen Crush praised how Coulson had become "unglued" throughout the series, which had "pushed the newly-minted director into some dark places". Eric Goldman, reviewing for IGN, was also positive of the "unhinged version of Coulson", as well as the more serious leadership role the character took on for the second season, with Goldman finding Coulson's decision in " Making Friends and Influencing People" that Donnie Gill "either went with them or had to be taken out" to be especially notable.
Other appearances
Animation
* Coulson makes a by-name cameo appearance in the '' Iron Man: Armored Adventures'' episode "Extremis" as one of the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents encountering and being attacked by the recently mutated renegade agent, Mallen.
* At the 2011 San Diego Comic-Con International, it was announced that Gregg would return to voice Phil Coulson in the cartoon series '' Ultimate Spider-Man'', where he appears as a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent and Peter Parker's school principal. He appears in seasons one and two.
* Coulson makes a brief cameo in the first episode of the anime '' Marvel Disk Wars: The Avengers'', wherein he shows S.H.I.E.L.D. facilities, including a supervillain prison.
Comic books
''The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes''
The comic book continuation of '' The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes'' animated television series is told from the perspective of Coulson, despite not appearing as a character in the original show.
Ultimate Marvel
In 2014, the ''Ultimate
Ultimate or Ultimates may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Music Albums
* ''Ultimate'' (Jolin Tsai album)
* ''Ultimate'' (Pet Shop Boys album)
*''Ultimate!'', an album by The Yardbirds
*''The Ultimate (Bryan Adams Album)'', a compilatio ...
'' version of Phil Coulson debuted in the '' Ultimate FF'' series as an ex-Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. turned Director of the Future Foundation.
''Marvel 1602''
In November 2015, a 17th-century version of Coulson appeared in the series '' 1602: Witch Hunter Angela''.
''Spidey''
Phil Coulson appears in the '' Spidey'' comic book.
Video games
* Phil Coulson appears as a playable character in '' Marvel Super Hero Squad Online'', voiced by Tom Kenny.
* Phil Coulson appears as a non-player character
A non-player character (NPC), or non-playable character, is any character in a game that is not controlled by a player. The term originated in traditional tabletop role-playing games where it applies to characters controlled by the gamemaster o ...
in '' Marvel Heroes'', with Clark Gregg reprising his role.
* Phil Coulson appears as a non-player character in '' Marvel: Avengers Alliance'', ''Alliance 2'', and ''Alliance Tactics''.
* Phil Coulson appears in '' Lego Marvel Super Heroes'', with Clark Gregg reprising his role. His character becomes playable after completing a side mission involving him overseeing Doctor Octopus' community service by fixing the '' Daily Bugle''s offices. His attack is the "Destroyer Gun", which he used against Loki in ''The Avengers''.
* Phil Coulson appears as a playable character in '' Marvel: Future Fight''.
* Phil Coulson appears in '' Lego Marvel's Avengers'', voiced again by Clark Gregg.
* Phil Coulson appears as a playable character in '' Marvel Avengers Academy'', voiced by Billy Kametz.
* Phil Coulson appears as a playable character in the match-three mobile game ''Marvel Puzzle Quest''.
* Phil Coulson appears as a playable character in ''Marvel Strike Force''.
See also
* Characters of the Marvel Cinematic Universe
References
External links
Phil Coulson
at the Marvel Cinematic Universe Wiki
*
Phil Coulson
on Marvel.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Coulson, Phil
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