Though Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is only four episodes old, its characters have already found their way into our hearts. Here’s why the show is so emotionally powerful – and why it’s only going to get better.
You may not have realized this, but Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is a show about a family.
Well, it’s also a show about explosions and futuristic technology and and superpowers and talking really fast. But at it’s core, the story that Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is telling the story of a group of disparate people who become a family.
Executive producer Joss Whedon is a great fan of what he calls “found families,” and the idea of disparate – even opposing – individuals coming together and forming powerful is an evident theme of his past work. From Buffy the Vampire Slayer, to Angel, to Firefly, bonds that are built between characters are almost always more powerful than bonds of blood. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is no exception.
What does make Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. different is how neatly its characters fit into the patterns of a nuclear family. That growing dynamic is incredibly powerful, and, we posit, is the real reason why the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s first television voyage is going to make its mark on a crowded small-screen landscape.
A lot of this appeal lies in the way the family structure contrasts with what we know of S.H.I.E.L.D. as an organization. S.H.I.E.L.D. is not a home for the warm-hearted; it functions in a military-like capacity with a strict hierarchy of power and controlled information. Operatives are referred to by status or last name (as Tony Stark said, Coulson’s first name is “Agent”) and while there does seem to be a camaraderie among various operatives, genuine closeness must be made difficult by the dangerous reality of their lives.
And that, of course, is why Coulson’s team is so unique, and so seemingly controversial among the upper brass at S.H.I.E.L.D. Coulson is not just building a team of agents; he is building a group of people who not only need to work together, but must live together for their objectives to be successful.
In other words, a family.
But the main reason why Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is so special is because of the people who are building this unlikely bond, and why their respective roles fit them so unexpectedly well.
It goes without saying that the father-figure in this “family of S.H.I.E.L.D.” is Phil Coulson. As the architect and primary authority figure of the team, Coulson is the only one who knows why and how each member came to be there.
His is the method ticking away behind the team’s madness. And though Coulson clearly isn’t above playing puppetmaster (see: truth serum?) he has already made sacrifices to ensure both the safety and empowerment of his team – as the best of fathers should.
In the mother slot, we naturally turn to the unshakeable Melinda May – but for more complicated reasons than just her status as the team’s senior female. In this position, Agent May illuminates the importance of recognizing women for the entirety of their experience. Though watchful, protective, and unyielding (and she even drives carpool) Agent May’s painful past is an intrinsic part of who she is. While her status in the group is vital, those unspecified events retain their importance because of May herself. Though we suspect that those issues will also affect her role in Coulson’s team at large, the darkness lurking in Melinda May’s mysterious past reminds us of her autonomy even as she accepts her new role.
Moving on to the younger set of agents, Grant Ward practically begs for the “rebellious eldest” slot in this construction. Capable, challenging, and permanently convinced of his own correctness, Ward is the un-child – the nearly grown son who doesn’t so much reject authority so much as resent its unforeseen applications. Ward’s position in the group is especially interesting given the hints about his family background; we learned in “The Asset” that his older brother was violent and dangerous, and that Ward took it upon himself to protect his younger brother from the other’s rage. In this light, Ward’s rejection of Coulson’s team model gains more depth. So far, Ward seems comfortable enough in bonding with Skye as her S.O. – but how will the big brother react when he realizes that his team – his all consuming job – has truly become his new family?
Next on the family tree come FitzSimmons, the precocious little siblings talking in their own language in the back seat of the Bus. Thanks to their age and emphatic unsuitability for combat, FitzSimmons are definitely the babies of the family, and – like all younger siblings – are simultaneously adorable and irritating. (They even complain about peeing on car trips; no extrapolation necessary here.) Used to spending long chunks of time in their own private world as “the grownups” take care of the bad guys, Jemma and Leo could easily remain stuck in the suspended animation of the twitchy scientist trope. But thanks to their inclusion in Agent Coulson’s new family, it probably won’t be long until the science kids find themselves growing up in ways they never expected.
And where does Skye fit into this cozy equation, you ask? Well, we aren’t quite sure yet. After learning about her background in foster care, it seems possible that Skye really does want to find a home at S.H.I.E.L.D. – she even refers to May and Coulson as “Mom and Dad.” Could she find a place as a sibling in Coulson’s family? Or, given her connection to the Rising Tide, is Skye is the family tragedy – the disaster waiting to strike at the heart of happiness? It’s impossible to say right now, but we can’t wait to see where Skye winds up making her mark in this new family.
So while we definitely enjoy all the explosions and superpowers that Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. offers us every week, we are most excited to follow the growth of this unusual new family. Born under bizarre circumstances and raised under fire, the family of S.H.I.E.L.D. is the true center of Marvel’s new television adventure. There is real heart beating beneath the kevlar and computer science, and it’s growing stronger every week.
Thanks to the gentlemen at Phantastic Geek for inspiring this article!