The Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. Character That Fans Compare To Coulson

In August 2020, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. ended after a seven-season run, following well-loved characters like Agent Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg), Daisy Johnson (Chloe Bennet), Melina May (Ming-Na Wen), and the whole crew as they battle Hydra and other out-of-this-world obstacles. It's clear that fans are going to miss the series now that it's over, though there's hope that the characters may be brought into the MCU and its expanded universe, whether it's through a Disney+ Marvel series, or in the future MCU films. No matter what happens, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. definitely made its mark on the Marvel fanbase. 

In the aftermath of the final season of ABC's Marvel television series, fans are memorializing their favorite moments and looking deeper at everything the characters go through over the course of the show. Whether it's the meaning behind the final scene, the role LMDs have in the show, or something else, audiences are eager to look deep into the rich Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. story. Analyzing the characters' full arcs over all seven seasons, one fan brought up an amazing comparison between Agent Coulson, the leader of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s team and arguably why the show exists, and another supporting character who grows in importance over the course of the series — Agent James Davis (Maximilian Osinski).

In a Reddit thread, user u/The-Pink-Panther pointed out that Davis' character development in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is the same as Coulson's in the MCU. They wrote that Coulson is "a background agent making minimal appearances until they subtly become a part of the main cast but then die a tragic death only to be brought back to life," and in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Davis is the same. While he may seem to simply appear in season 4, Davis is actually introduced much earlier on — in season 1, episode 9, "Repairs" — as a background S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. But once he returns in season 4, he slowly grows in importance until he's a main team member.

Of course, the similarities between Coulson and Davis don't stop there. On top of that, both face a devastating end — for Coulson, quite a few times actually — and are brought back to life. Coulson is initially resurrected during the transition from the MCU to Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. But later on, he dies once again. Both Coulson and Davis are then brought back to life as LMDs. The LMD technology is so advanced that they are exact replacements, including memories and emotions.

These significant character arcs prove that Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. knows how to create natural character development, and it pays off. Thankfully, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is able to tell the full story of the whole S.H.I.E.L.D. team, giving each of them fitting endings.