Agents of SHIELD: Phil Coulson Is A Marvel Super Hero

Coulson doesn't wear a cape but he's our hero nonetheless

            SHIELD Agent Phil Coulson feels like a dark horse. I didn't expect to like him so much. First time we saw him I believe it was the first Iron Man film where he played an unassuming spook. Nothing special about him really but there were occasions where he made us laugh. Though being occasional comic relief doesn't seem to tell the whole story of Phil Coulson. When he died in the first Avengers movie I probably felt the loss as much as the Avengers. We saw a bit more of Coulson's character in this film despite his brief scenes that made us all choke a little when he died heroically but in the world of super heroes, no one really stays dead...

Ok kids safety's off

        If you're going to have a TV show set in the Marvel Universe and about SHIELD, who do you pick to be in it? Of course we need some familiar faces. Phil Coulson seemed the only logical choice. In his short appearances on the big screen we got that Phil Coulson was a spook with a sense of humor, a gentle yet firm hand. He was just full of light and the world seemed dim without him. So we became more enamored of his character as his story progressed.

We lost the battle but there's always tomorrow.
Ice cream?

         We learned of Coulson's virtues not just as a SHIELD agent but as a general human being. Compassionate, idealistic, protective, supportive of his team who became like family, selfless, and optimistic even when it's a bad idea and everything's bleak. Coulson always put tremendous faith in the people he worked with and even though they betrayed his trust, Coulson remains positive that not everyone is bad despite his past experiences that suggest otherwise. He can be surprisingly forgiving though in Ward's case he was relentless in making him pay (which we'll talk about later). He just gives off a "dad" vibe if you think about it. That's definitely the case where Skye is concerned. They have a surrogate Father-Daughter thing going. But like all heroes Phil Coulson has his flaws...

Who touched Lola?

      
        Coulson is by all accounts a spy so he has a habit of keeping the truth from others especially ones close to him. He claims that it's for their protection but there are times where you question that motive. Coulson can also be devious and evasive. As I've said: Spy! And in my opinion there was a time where Coulson crossed the line. Giving Ward back to his abuser? That's cold. Yes Ward did horrible things and almost killed Fitz giving him permanent brain damage but he was a great asset. Coulson didn't have to forgive Ward but handing him over to Christian, the manipulative, cruel, and abusive brother that tortured Grant his entire childhood? Yeah I wouldn't do that to my worst enemy. I'm not sure if Coulson believed Christian's story about the screw driver though it felt like he did... 

Sure, her you forgive, Coulson.

          But that didn't matter to Coulson. I question his motive handing over Ward. It could have been for SHIELD's safety but Coulson could have probably found a way out of it. Ward wanted redemption but Coulson denied him that. Did Ward have a darkness inside him? Absolutely. Did Ward burn bridges? Of course! But when someone wants to change it's up to the other party to at least try to bridge the gap. Forgiveness isn't for the benefit of your enemy it's for the sake of your own emotional health. Coulson was too late to offer Ward the carrot. That will definitely bite him in the ass.

That's a big wrench you got there. Axe was taken.

         Phil Coulson may not wear a costume or a cape or have any super power but he's got the heart and like our heroes still as flawed as any human. We still love and cheer for him because Coulson's motivation for taking risks in saving the world is this: the regular human just trying to make it everyday. He looks out for the little man and wants to keep the world spinning so that the ordinary people can live their normal lives as best they can, to find happiness, and to live full lives. How can you not like a guy like that?