6 October 2013

Coulson Lives, but how?

With the first two episodes of Agents of Shield aired, speculation still surrounds Coulsons ressurection. Many theories surround this surprise turn of events and a lot of them are so far fetched they're not even worth mentioning but here are a few that are:-

#4. He actually died and was brought back to life. This could be easily explained by the perfection of Extremis after the events of Iron Man 3. As we know, at the end of Iron Man 3 Tony has the Arc Reactor removed and in turn the shrapnel taken out after being injected with the perfected Extremis formula. What about the time gap? What if Coulson was frozen and then brought back when Extremis was finished. This would explain the reason he keeps mentioning Tahiti, as this would have been a memory implanted to explain the time gap.

The first flaw in this is if Extremis was used to heal the original injury would not still be apparent in the show. The other flaw is they mention that he must never find out what happened, if he died and was brought back what reason would they have to keep it from him.

#3. He's a super soldier like Captain America. One of the most memorable moments in the Avengers movie is that Coulson is Cap's "biggest fan" and that he had collected the Captain America cards that he had kept vintage and in mint condition. What if they were mint because he had collected them from when he was a young boy during WWII? Coulson certainly fits Dr. Erskine's description of the perfect soldier. Maybe Coulson recieved a later version of the serum. 

Here's a fun fact: The kid in Captain America: The First Avenger who sports the painted garbage can Cap shield is named Phil. The serum explains the slower aging.

If he was a super soldier at the time he was stabbed he would of had the strong super human abilities and agility to dodge or take on Loki and again why would they being trying to keep a secret from him?

#2. The Scarlet Witch Ressurection. In the Avengers film Tony Stark makes a reference to Coulson dating someone. If Joss Whedon wanted to introduce a new character for the next Avengers film, what better way than to have Coulson's mystery lady to be the Scarlet Witch. She has magical powers so it would make sense that she would use those powers to  bring her lover back from the dead, plus Coulson references Tahiti as a "magical" place. Could Coulson have been reanimated by the Scarlet Witch? It would explain why the other agents seem to be hiding something from Coulson. Are they trying to keep him from freaking out over the fact that he died and his girlfriend has magical powers that brought him back from the dead? 

If this is true then Whedon is giving us an early insight to the magical side of the Marvel universe and with that a lot of diverse explanations of how events can be changed. With it being the magical side it is hard to find any flaws, if you  can find any please leave your comments below.

And Finally,

#1. Coulson is The Vision. After Coulson "dies" Tony Stark is surprising very upset. What if after this he invents an A.I and implants Coulsons memories, there fore creating The Vision and this is who we see in Agents of Shield. This would explain Coulsons calm demenor and robotic approach to situations. If Coulson was to be the Vision this would strongly tie in with the Scarlet Witch and the next Avengers film, as we know that The Vision and Scarlet Witch have history.

So after all this speculation and hype we'd like your thoughts and views, please comment below.

89 comments:

  1. Or...the show is a prequel...starting before the Avengers, Iron Man, Thor, etc. How is that not the first thing you think of? The show even states that SHIELD is coming into being it is not the fully funded and established group that we know of and see in Avengers....seriously how are you paid to write an article like this without even having the most basic presumption of a prequel? Sure those other idea's CAN be valid but they are certainly not what you should be thinking of first. I mean the Vision? Really? I don't mean to sound like an ass but even as cool as it would be for Coulson to be the Vision or even if he were a super soldier don't you think that the premise of the show being a prequel to be a tad more believable?


    Even if I were wrong and the show has not clearly stated that it is a prequel it simply makes more sense. You can tell that they aren't as well funded, that they aren't known by the public, and the fact that they still operate in small teams doesn't necessarily mean that it is a prequel but it certainly makes a better case.

    Either way this was a fun read I just think that number 1 would be that this is a prequel.

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    1. I haven't seen the show but again this is just my two cents -shrug-

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    2. They reference what happens in The Avengers in the show.

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    3. Anonymous - since you haven't seen the show, you wouldn't know that the first episode places this explicitly AFTER the Battle of New York from the Avengers. They even mention the fact multiple times in the first two episodes that Coulson was stabbed through the heart and went to "Tahiti" to recover.

      The show makes no secret that something happened to Coulson and he is now alive. But it's a mystery that will be resolved over the course of the show. That's why the author doesn't bring up the possibility that it's a prequel. The first two episodes make it VERY clear that it isn't.

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    4. Except that it's very explicitly not a prequel.

      1. The references to aliens in New York.
      2. The fact that Coulson died and was brought back..

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    5. They reference the events of Avengers several times...and no...just no...

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    6. You should maybe watch the show first, because it is definitely not a prequel. In the show they reference him dying and then healing, as well as several references to the big battle in New York... Not a prequel.

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    7. And that's why you're blatantly wrong, the first 5 minutes of the show clearly state it's not a prequel, so don't be ignorant.

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    8. Watch the show dumbass

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    9. Dude, why do you post a rambling message about something you clearly have not clue about? And calling out the author for actually watching the show, and knowing what he's writing about. Maybe you don't mean to be an ass, but you definitely are.

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    10. http://www.buzzfeed.com/tomphillips/the-12-types-of-people-you-find-in-news-webite-comments

      read number 3

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    11. obvious troll is being slightly too obvious again

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    12. lol they also mention extremis which is a reference to iron man 3 in the first episode

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    13. The battle of New York (which happens in the 'Avengers') is referenced in the first show. So, this is clearly not a prequel.

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    14. I take it you didn't see the show. The events in the Avengers movie are referenced... It is blatantly NOT a prequel.

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    15. Straight up troll and you all fell for it. Nobody could actually be THAT stupid unless it was on purpose. What's next? "I don't get it, is chicken of the sea chicken or tuna?" He was obviously playing on the fact that comic book nerd+internet=perfect recipe for troll/flame war.

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    16. i think he's right, i think its a prequel

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    17. There are too many references to the battle of New York, and to Coulson dying. In the first episode he mentions being dead for 8 seconds and Agent Hill says "it gets longer every time you tell it", she also at one point says to one of the other agents "Coulson can never know". This would point to either him being some sort of Cyborg/android or a serum (aka Extremis) that "fixed" him.
      But also remember how "agile" he was in the short "a funny thing happened on the way to Thor's hammer", that would point to him being an android.
      Either way, it is DEFINITELY NOT a prequel to the other movies.

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    18. Successfull troll is successfull

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    19. moron, they mention the battle of New York like 100 times...and in episode two they even mention finding Thor's hammer last time they had an 8-0-4

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  2. It's based on the events after The Avengers movie, that's why he didn't consider it

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  3. It's clearly not a prequel. Coulson mentions the hammer from Thor in an episode and he also mentions the battle at New York

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    1. Also, the first episode has references to Iron man 3 (trying not to spoil! ) which is after too.

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  4. The problem with your prequel theory is that the events in NY (plot of Avengers) have been mentioned or brought up several times in the past tense. So they've already occurred.

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  5. Yyyeeahhh. Literally right off the bat they talk about how the world is a different place after the battle of new york. So that is why it being a prequel isn't the first thing on this list. Because it just straight up isn't a prequel

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  6. If you'd seen the show you would know that a prequel does not fit the timing given in the show. Not being an ass just letting you know

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  7. Or he was resurrected in Asgard. Hence Tahiti being a magical place...

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    1. the show states how the avengers don't even know that he's alive since they only have level 6 clearance so it ruins the theory

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    2. Or resurrected by the yet unseen Dr. Strange. Would be the perfect way to introduce a new character and cement him for Avengers 3 and a new franchise

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  8. Thor brought him to Asgard where Odin ressed him. Tahiti is Asgard.

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  9. Yeah, the Asgard theory was my guess, as Coulson keeps referring to Tahiti as a "magical place".

    Obviously, there are conditions and/or special circumstances to his resurrection, as nobody wants to tell him what really happened. I'm sure this will become fodder for future episodes. They'll draw this out for as long as they can.

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    1. no mortal may enter asgard

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    2. In the comics, many mortals have gone to Asgard like the X-Men, and in the movies, Jane Foster goes in Thor: The Dark World

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    3. > no mortal may enter asgard

      Ah, but may a mortal EXIT Asgard? Is a dead guy considered mortal? If he was resurrected by Odin in Asgard, those questions may come into play.

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  11. How come no one has mentioned the possibility that Coulson is a Life Model Decoy (LMD). In the Marvel universe LMD's are incredibly life like androids that are so like the original as to be indistinguishable from the person they are created to represented. Shield was run by an LMD of Fury for a considerable length of time in the comics. LMD's are mentioned in the Avengers movie when Coulson is coming to meet Stark and over rides Tony's cell phone. Tony says "You have reached the Life Model Decoy of Tony Stark" just before the elevator opens revealing Coulson.

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    1. That's pretty much interchangeable with the Vision theory.

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    2. So this Vision Theory doesn't work without the Human Torch, who would be a useless character to put in because he'd already be dead.

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  12. Coulson is the clone of the real Agent Coulson

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    1. This makes more sense to me. That's why he can never know.

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    2. Maybe one of many with backups in storage for when/if he gets killed (like Hank and Dean on The Venture Brothers)?

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    3. I think the robo-Colson is a better option because of his Matrix-like dodge in ep1. Either that or he leveled up and got a feat in Tahiti

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  13. Obviously Coulson's perception of what happened is a cover story, and since he doesn't know the truth, it would seem to be an implanted memory. The Asgard theory is interesting, but the question is how does he travel to and from? And why would he not be allowed to know he was in Asgard? I think the key question to be asking is why he can't know the truth. Any theory that doesn't explain that is probably not correct. Which is why The Vision theory seems like the best so far.

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  14. "Would have" not "would of"

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  15. The vision theory is stupid for two obvious reasons.

    - In episode 2 he gets hit and spits out blood. Vision is an android, not an cyborg.
    - Secondly, no it would not explain it, because he already had a cool demeanor.

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    1. After-life crisis was just a witty comment because he died for a few moments as mentioned earlier in the show, and as for the blood etc vision could cry feel and had many human like features. Maybe he has a human outer shell.

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  16. Uhm. Coulson is already aware that he IS dead.
    Marvel explained it already, he's actually one of the double-robots. If you listen carefully when he really hits someone in the show you can hear metal.

    He described his current duties "its actually more of an afterlife crisis" when she accused him of having a mid-life crisis.

    People without comprehension should be banned from posting.

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    1. Except they stated that he can't know "what really happened to him." It's been explicitly stated that he thinks he just was in critical condition and went to Tahiti to recover. The "afterlife crisis" line is him being a wiseass because (according to the story he was told), he died on the table for 8 seconds.

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  17. I'm not sure if this is true or not, but for option #2 I remember hearing that they were having issues using mutants in the sense of the marvel universe, since 20th Century Fox had the rights to the Xmen. I'm not sure if the Scarlet Witch counts, but I believe that's why mutants were never mention in the Avengers.

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    1. Scarlet Witch can be used as she is also an Avenger that Marvel have the rights to, and also Scarlet Witch will be in the next Avengers film.

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  18. The vision was created by Ultron so option one is out. I think scarlet with, could do it it or they are going to make it so he is a clone.

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    1. Ultron was created by hank yet in avengers 2 tony is going to be his creator so not everything needs to follow perfectly

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  19. Ok why is this even a question. Just watched the pilot and in the first episode it says that Fury had Coulson fake is death. He stopped breathing for 8 seconds and was brought back. Then he vacationed in Tahiti. What is so complicated about that to understand?

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    1. The reason that it is a question is the exchange between Maria Hill and the doctor that Ron Glass played. I don't remember the exact dialogue, but it was something along the lines of:

      RG: "He still doesn't know, does he?"
      MH: "He can never know."

      That exchange puts the events that Coulson repeatedly states into question. We won't know until it is made explicit.

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    2. It was made explicitly clear by Hill and the doctor in the first episode that Coulson never went to Tahiti. He only thinks he did. They also said that he can never find out what actually happened.

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  20. The most obvious explanation is: Coulson and Fury realised that the putative Avengers needed united. Too fractious to coalesce and fight. The obvious thing to do, when the opportunity arose, was for Fury to 'fake' Agent C's demise. Coulson was fully on-board with this, and loaned his Cap cards- strategically dipped in some blood for the shock factor- for Fury to use as a shock-tactic.

    Simple.

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  21. Three words: Life Model Decoy.

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  22. Who gives a F?! This comic BS all sucks anyway. If you love comics and comic con you should realize you've all been had. This is profiteering. They don't care about the story. As long as you keep watching the crap they pump out.

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  23. 3 words. Life. Model. Decoy.

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  24. All wrong all wrong three words. Life Model Decoy or LMD for short. They can be imprinted with false memories because the Marvel Universe have storylines of Captain America dated a LMD of Diamondback. Look it up

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  25. I feel like the clone theory seem most viable. It would make sense that nothing would seem to have changed for him and why he doesn't have any of the super-human qualities of an LMD. Knowing that you're a clone would, obviously, be very traumatic, thus it needs to be kept from Coulson for his own good.

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  26. umm the first episode he comes out of the shadows and the guys like I thought you were dead

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  27. He is obviously a clone

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  28. Doesn't this show take place before IM3? We saw Iron man flying around on some of the background screens in the premier.. and according to the end of IM3, () there aren't any suits left. So wouldn't that invalidate the perfected extremis stuff?

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    1. We don't know that it comes before Iron Man 3, that could have just been for the opening sequences.. I'm sure Iron Man will get another suit.

      All we know for sure is it comes after the Avengers.. my hunch is it has to be after Iron Man 3 otherwise Shield wouldn't even know about extremis yet..

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  29. The guy that was cleared for level 6 then cleared for 7 new the secret to coulson as well so it must not have to do with his "resurrection"

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  30. How about they just have REALLY advanced medical technology and they never actually showed him dying, just EMT's arriving.

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  31. He is an LMD. A life model decoy. Google it. It's a thing. S.H.E.L.D. uses them to duplicate people. Thor himself was an LMD for a while in the comic books. It would explain everything and fit the continuity of the Marvel universe.

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    1. Not really .. LMDs are controlled by another person, Coulson seems to remember everything that happened to him.. Not only that but as androids they possess super human strength, speed, stamina and agility ..

      1. Who would be controlling this LMD? not Fury obviously.
      2. We saw Coulson bleeding from his fight in the 2nd episode, and unable to get out of his restraints.. doesn't seem like superhuman strength or ability..

      They'd have to break the continuity of the marvel universe for that to be convincing.. not saying they didn't .. Nick had a lot of LMDs ..

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  32. He's not a clone, nor has he been resurrected. He is an android- he just doesn't know it. Tahiti must be an implanted memory.

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    1. Then who's controlling him? in every comic I've read, an LDM is controlled by another person.. since we saw him arguing with Nick Fury in the last epsisode you can surmise that if he is an LMD, Nick doesn't know it and Nick isn't controlling him.

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  33. Can't believe this article didn't reference the life model decoy. I had no idea what it was until this show started. lol, article brings up Coulson is possibly Vision of all things, but no mention of the life model decoy.

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  34. Hulk-blood like She-Hulk?

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  35. clark gregg said he was in awe when whedon told him the plot. i prefer the super soldier theory. or that he's captain mar-vell. no other explanation for this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGrIAf1LUSg

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  36. Three words......

    Life Model Decoy

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  37. Life Model Replicas. This is a well known SHIELD robot, also used by Doctor Doom.

    In the Avengers when calling "Tony Stark he even answers the phone as You have reached the Life Model Replica of Tony Stark." foreshadowing the fact that Life Model Replicas do exist because he is aware of them and specifically references it.

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  38. How could LMR not be mentioned in this post?! They were a staple of Nick Fury: Agent of Shield. Also, episode one has characters making mention that Could on could "never know" the truth.

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  39. He was resurected on Asgard, and as a form penance for his crimes, Loki was forced to impart some of his own life essence to the resurection effort. This makes Loke and Coulson sort of like blood brothers, which is why Coulson can never know, it'd freak him out. Although the Vision theory, or the clone theory are pretty strong.

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  40. This is, by far, one of the best arguments I've had with myself!

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  41. I was thinking the robot theory too, but that he would turn into Ultron. Since they said the original of Ultron in the next Avengers movie will be changed.

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  42. SO the little kid with the painted garbage lid isn't named Phil. That was an internet gif going around with the caption "phil, time to come in" or something like that. Nothing was said in the movie to him as it was part of a montage with music going at the end of the movie.

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  43. Good idea's. I am going with the idea that he a Skrull, that SHIELD convinced or perhaps wants to be helpful for the human race. Or....

    Lots of other ideas.

    I second the idea of the clone though.

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