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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 tradi ...
al
character Character or Characters may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Literature * ''Character'' (novel), a 1936 Dutch novel by Ferdinand Bordewijk * ''Characters'' (Theophrastus), a classical Greek set of character sketches attributed to The ...
portrayed and voiced by
Clark Gregg Robert Clark Gregg Jr. (born April 2, 1962) is an American actor, director, and screenwriter. He is best known for playing Agent Phil Coulson in the Marvel Cinematic Universe films ''Iron Man'' (2008), '' Iron Man 2'' (2010), ''Thor'' (2011), ' ...
in the
Marvel Cinematic Universe The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on a series of superhero films produced by Marvel Studios. The films are based on characters that appear in American comic books published ...
(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 ...
. Coulson is depicted as a high-ranking member of the espionage agency
S.H.I.E.L.D. S.H.I.E.L.D. is a fictional espionage, special law enforcement, and counter-terrorism agency appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in ''Strange Tales'' #135 (August 1965), it often ...
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 ...
and the Avengers form to avenge him, Fury has Coulson resurrected with
Kree The Kree, briefly known as the Ruul, are a fictional scientifically and technologically advanced militaristic alien race appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. They are native to the planet Hala in the Large Magellanic Cl ...
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, 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 (communication), media such as comics, video ...
to briefly become
Ghost Rider Ghost Rider is the name of multiple antiheroes and superheroes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Marvel had previously used the name for a Western character whose name was later changed to Phantom Rider. The first s ...
, stripping him of the blood keeping him alive, Coulson retires to
Tahiti Tahiti (; Tahitian ; ; previously also known as Otaheite) is the largest island of the Windward group of the Society Islands in French Polynesia. It is located in the central part of the Pacific Ocean and the nearest major landmass is Austra ...
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 A Life Model Decoy (frequently known by the abbreviation LMD) is a fictional android appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. LMDs duplicate all outward aspects of a real living person with such authenticity that they can easi ...
(L.M.D.) of Coulson is made from a copy of his consciousness saved to a
virtual reality Virtual reality (VR) is a simulated experience that employs pose tracking and 3D near-eye displays to give the user an immersive feel of a virtual world. Applications of virtual reality include entertainment (particularly video games), edu ...
, and Sarge's and May's genetic memories, resurrecting him again. After preventing an alternate timeline from being conquered by
Chronicoms This is a list of alien races that appear in Marvel Comics. Overview There are countless different extraterrestrial races in Marvel Comics universe. The vast majority are humanoid in structure. Galactic Council The Galactic Council is the assem ...
, 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 Marvel One-Shots are a series of direct-to-video short films produced by Marvel Studios, set within or inspired by the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Initially released from 2011 to 2014, they were included as special features on the MCU ...
, most notably in '' The Avengers'' (2012) and ''
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. ''Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'' is an American television series created by Joss Whedon, Jed Whedon, and Maurissa Tancharoen for ABC, based on the Marvel Comics organization S.H.I.E.L.D. (Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, an ...
'' (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 dif ...
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, initially modelled after Gregg and depicted as a
S.H.I.E.L.D. S.H.I.E.L.D. is a fictional espionage, special law enforcement, and counter-terrorism agency appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in ''Strange Tales'' #135 (August 1965), it often ...
agent and supporting character of
Deadpool Deadpool is an antihero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Fabian Nicieza and artist/writer Rob Liefeld, the character first appeared in ''New Mutants'' #98 (cover-dated Feb. 1991). Initially, Deadpo ...
, 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 of ...
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), ''Mephisto'' (1981 film), a German- ...
and commander of the Squadron Supreme of America 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 Iron Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer and editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby. The charac ...
on his captivity in
Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is borde ...
. He is also one of several agents who accompany
Pepper Potts Virginia "Pepper" Potts is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. She serves as a supporting character to Iron Man and sometimes a romantic interest of Tony Stark. Created by writers Stan Lee and ...
in an attempt to arrest
Obadiah Stane Iron Monger is an alias used by multiple fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The first character to use the alias is Obadiah Stane, who first appeared in ''Iron Man'' #163 (Oct. 1982). The Iron Mong ...
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 A post-credits scene (commonly referred to as a stinger or credit cookie) or mid-credits scene is a short clip that appears after all or some of the closing credits have rolled and sometimes after a production logo of a film, TV series, or video g ...
and ''Thor'', Coulson's assignment is revealed to revolve around the discovery of
Thor Thor (; from non, Þórr ) is a prominent god in Germanic paganism. In Norse mythology, he is a hammer-wielding god associated with lightning, thunder, storms, sacred groves and trees, strength, the protection of humankind, hallowing, ...
'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 wi ...
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 ...
, 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.


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 The Hulk is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in the debut issue of '' The Incredible Hulk'' (May 1962). In his comic book a ...
'', 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 writ ...
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 The Kree, briefly known as the Ruul, are a fictional scientifically and technologically advanced militaristic alien race appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. They are native to the planet Hala in the Large Magellanic Cl ...
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 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 The Inhumans are a fictional superhuman race of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The comic book series has usually focused more specifically on the adventures of the Inhuman Royal Family, and many peop ...
, 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, 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 ''Aida'' (or ''Aïda'', ) is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni. Set in the Old Kingdom of Egypt, it was commissioned by Cairo's Khedivial Opera House and had its première there on 24 Decemb ...
attempts to take over the world, Coulson allows himself to briefly become a
Ghost Rider Ghost Rider is the name of multiple antiheroes and superheroes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Marvel had previously used the name for a Western character whose name was later changed to Phantom Rider. The first s ...
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 This is a list of alien races that appear in Marvel Comics. Overview There are countless different extraterrestrial races in Marvel Comics universe. The vast majority are humanoid in structure. Galactic Council The Galactic Council is the assem ...
. To combat them, S.H.I.E.L.D. scientists
Leo Fitz Leopold James Fitz is a fictional character that originated in the Marvel Cinematic Universe before appearing in Marvel Comics. The character, created by Joss Whedon, Jed Whedon and Maurissa Tancharoen, first appeared in the pilot episode of '' ...
and Jemma Simmons make an enhanced
Life Model Decoy A Life Model Decoy (frequently known by the abbreviation LMD) is a fictional android appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. LMDs duplicate all outward aspects of a real living person with such authenticity that they can easi ...
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 The comic book stories published by Marvel Comics since the 1940s have featured several noteworthy concepts besides its fictional characters, such as unique places and artifacts. There follows a list of those features. Places Certain places fe ...
'',
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 Age ...
and
Aida ''Aida'' (or ''Aïda'', ) is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni. Set in the Old Kingdom of Egypt, it was commissioned by Cairo's Khedivial Opera House and had its première there on 24 Decemb ...
builds a
Life Model Decoy A Life Model Decoy (frequently known by the abbreviation LMD) is a fictional android appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. LMDs duplicate all outward aspects of a real living person with such authenticity that they can easi ...
s 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 The comic book stories published by Marvel Comics since the 1940s have featured several noteworthy concepts besides its fictional characters, such as unique places and artifacts. There follows a list of those features. Places Certain places fe ...
''-infused Framework
virtual reality Virtual reality (VR) is a simulated experience that employs pose tracking and 3D near-eye displays to give the user an immersive feel of a virtual world. Applications of virtual reality include entertainment (particularly video games), edu ...
at the end of "
Self Control Self-control, an aspect of inhibitory control, is the ability to regulate one's emotions, thoughts, and behavior in the face of temptations and impulses. As an executive function, it is a cognitive process that is necessary for regulating one' ...
", 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 o ...
in
Christopher Yost Christopher Lee Yost (born February 21, 1973) is an American film, television, animation, and comic book writer best known for his work for Marvel Studios' Marvel Cinematic Universe with '' Thor: The Dark World'' (2013) and '' Thor: Ragnarok'' ( ...
,
Matt Fraction Matt Fritchman (born December 1, 1975), better known by the pen name Matt Fraction, is an Eisner Award-winning American comic book writer, known for his work as the writer of '' The Invincible Iron Man'', '' The Immortal Iron Fist'', ''Uncanny X ...
and
Cullen Bunn Cullen Bunn is an American comics writer, novelist, and short story writer, best known for his work on comic books such as ''Uncanny X-Men'', '' X-Men: Blue'', '' Magneto'' and various ''Deadpool'' miniseries for Marvel Comics, and his creator-own ...
's '' Battle Scars'' #6 (April 2012) as
Nick Fury Jr. Nicholas Joseph "Nick" Fury Jr. (Marcus Johnson) is a fictional comic book character appearing in books published by Marvel Comics. He is a son and successor of former U.S. Army hero/super-spy and the intelligence agency S.H.I.E.L.D. director Nic ...
’s
Ranger A Ranger is typically someone in a military/paramilitary or law enforcement role specializing in patrolling a given territory, called “ranging”. The term most often refers to: * Park ranger or forest ranger, a person charged with protecting and ...
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 ''Secret Avengers'' is an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics featuring a fictional black ops superhero team of the same name. The series started with Ed Brubaker on writing duties, depicting a black-ops sect of Marvel's premie ...
'' series by
Nick Spencer Nick Spencer is a comic book writer and former politician best known for his Image series '' Morning Glories'', his collaborations with artist Steve Lieber on the comedic series ''Superior Foes of Spider-Man'' and '' The Fix'', a three-year run o ...
and
Luke Ross Luke Ross (born Luciano Queiroz 18 July 1972) is a comic artist known for his work on books such as '' Gen13'', '' Spider-Man'', '' Green Lantern'', '' Indiana Jones'' and ''Captain America Captain America is a superhero appearing in Ame ...
, 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 ''Da ...
, 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 Deadpool is an antihero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Fabian Nicieza and artist/writer Rob Liefeld, the character first appeared in ''New Mutants'' #98 (cover-dated Feb. 1991). Initially, Deadpo ...
'', 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. ...
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 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
simulacrum A simulacrum ( plural: simulacra or simulacrums, from Latin '' simulacrum'', which means "likeness, semblance") is a representation or imitation of a person or thing. The word was first recorded in the English language in the late 16th century, ...
s 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), ''Mephisto'' (1981 film), a German- ...
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 "The War of the Realms" is a 2019 comic book storyline published by Marvel Comics. The storyline has been met with positive reviews, with critics praising the storyline and the art. Premise The story details the heroes banding together when Male ...
'' 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 The Pentagon is the headquarters building of the United States Department of Defense. It was constructed on an accelerated schedule during World War II. As a symbol of the U.S. military, the phrase ''The Pentagon'' is often used as a metony ...
, 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 The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the Federal government of the United States#Executive branch, executive branch of the Federal gove ...
, 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 Robert Clark Gregg Jr. (born April 2, 1962) is an American actor, director, and screenwriter. He is best known for playing Agent Phil Coulson in the Marvel Cinematic Universe films ''Iron Man'' (2008), '' Iron Man 2'' (2010), ''Thor'' (2011), ' ...
, 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 ''Iron Man 2'' is a 2010 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Iron Man. Produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Paramount Pictures, it is the sequel to '' Iron Man'' (2008) and the third film in the Marvel ...
'', ''
Thor Thor (; from non, Þórr ) is a prominent god in Germanic paganism. In Norse mythology, he is a hammer-wielding god associated with lightning, thunder, storms, sacred groves and trees, strength, the protection of humankind, hallowing, ...
'', and '' The Avengers'', 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 Marvel One-Shots are a series of direct-to-video short films produced by Marvel Studios, set within or inspired by the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Initially released from 2011 to 2014, they were included as special features on the MCU fil ...
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 The New York Comic Con is an annual New York City fan convention dedicated to Western comics, graphic novels, anime, manga, video games, cosplay, toys, movies, and television. It was first held in 2006. History The New York Comic Con is a ...
,
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 serie ...
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 combine ...
announced that Gregg would be starring as Coulson in ''
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. ''Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'' is an American television series created by Joss Whedon, Jed Whedon, and Maurissa Tancharoen for ABC, based on the Marvel Comics organization S.H.I.E.L.D. (Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, an ...
'', 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.html" ;"title="showrunner.html" ;"title="he showrunner">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 ''Iron Man 3'' (titled onscreen as ''Iron Man Three'') is a 2013 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Iron Man, produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. It is the sequel to ''Ir ...
'' 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 feelslike 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 ...
'' 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 The everyman is a stock character of fiction. An ordinary and humble character, the everyman is generally a protagonist whose benign conduct fosters the audience's identification with them. Origin The term ''everyman'' was used as early as ...
" 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 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 Jeffrey Jackson Bell is an American writer and producer best known for his work on television. He began his career writing for '' The X-Files'', where he stayed for three seasons, then became a writer/director/producer on '' Angel'', becoming it ...
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", 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 Blizzard is the name of different fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is usually depicted as a member of Iron Man's rogues gallery. The Donnie Gill incarnation has had the most appeara ...
"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 San Diego Comic-Con International is a comic book convention and nonprofit multi-genre entertainment event held annually in San Diego, California since 1970. The name, as given on its website, is Comic-Con International: San Diego; but it is c ...
, it was announced that Gregg would return to voice Phil Coulson in the
cartoon series An animated series is a set of animated works with a common series title, usually related to one another. These episodes should typically share the same main characters, some different secondary characters and a basic theme. Series can have either ...
''
Ultimate Spider-Man ''Ultimate Spider-Man'' is a superhero comic book series that was published by Marvel Comics from 2000 to 2011. The series is a modernized re-imagining of Marvel's long-running Spider-Man comic book franchise as part of the company's Ultimate ...
'', where he appears as a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent and
Peter Parker Spider-Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, he first appearance, first appeared in the anthology comic book ''Amazing Fantasy'' #15 (August ...
's school principal. He appears in seasons one and two. * Coulson makes a brief cameo in the first episode of the
anime is Traditional animation, hand-drawn and computer animation, computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside of Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, in Japan and in Japane ...
'' 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 compilat ...
'' 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 Thomas James Kenny (born July 13, 1962) is an American actor and comedian. He is known for voicing the titular character in ''SpongeBob SquarePants'' and associated media. Kenny has voiced many other characters, including Heffer Wolfe in '' ...
. * 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 ...
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 Doctor Octopus (Dr. Otto Gunther Octavius), also known as Doc Ock for short, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko and first appeared in ''Th ...
' community service by fixing the ''
Daily Bugle The ''Daily Bugle'' (at one time ''The DB'') is a fictional New York City Tabloid (newspaper format), tabloid newspaper appearing as a plot element in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The ''Daily Bugle'' is a regular fixture i ...
''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 ''Lego Marvel's Avengers'' is a Lego-themed action-adventure video game developed by Traveller's Tales and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, for the Nintendo 3DS, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Wii U, Windows ...
'', voiced again by Clark Gregg. * Phil Coulson appears as a playable character in '' Marvel Avengers Academy'', voiced by
Billy Kametz Billy P. Kametz (March 22, 1987 – June 9, 2022) was an American voice actor. He was best known for his work dubbing anime and video games. Born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Kametz began his voice acting career in 2016 when he moved to Los A ...
. * Phil Coulson appears as a playable character in the match-three mobile game ''
Marvel Puzzle Quest ''Marvel Puzzle Quest'' is a video game released by D3 Publisher and Marvel Entertainment on October 3, 2013, and developed by Demiurge Studios. The fourth installment in the ''Puzzle Quest'' series, it is a free-to-play, match-three ''Bejeweled ...
''. * 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 Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Avengers (comics) characters Characters created by Christopher Yost Characters created by Matt Fraction Comics characters introduced in 2012 Fictional American secret agents Fictional Iraq War veterans Fictional United States Army Rangers personnel Fictional amputees Fictional characters from Wisconsin Fictional characters who have made pacts with devils Fictional characters with post-traumatic stress disorder Fictional military strategists Fictional murdered people Fictional presidents of the United States Fictional principals and headteachers Fictional shield fighters Fictional spymasters Film characters introduced in 2008 Male characters in film Male characters in television Marvel Cinematic Universe original characters Marvel Comics cyborgs Marvel Comics male supervillains Marvel Comics television characters S.H.I.E.L.D. agents Squadron Supreme