At the box office, 2012 was most definitely the year of The Avengers. The Marvel blockbuster not only outperformed other notable hits like The Dark Knight Rises and The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2, it provided a launching pad for Marvel's second round of films and an upcoming S.H.I.E.L.D. series from Avengers writer/director Joss Whedon.

With an expected premiere in fall 2013, the project is coming together at a very steady pace. Clark Gregg is already onboard to resurrect fan favorite character Agent Phil Coulson, and the four actors who will take on the previously-announced new characters have already been cast. Now we can add one more performer to that ever-growing list.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Chloe Bennet is joining the cast of S.H.I.E.L.D. as Skye, described as "a confident woman who is slightly obsessed with superhero culture and the shadow organizations that exist within it." Bennet currently has a recurring role on ABC's Nashville, but she will take on a regular role on S.H.I.E.L.D., completing the show's initial main cast.

From a storytelling perspective, it makes perfect sense for the series to include a character outside the S.H.I.E.L.D. organization itself, to serve as a proxy for fans. Plus, one can only imagine that Skye will be gifted much of the comic-relief, pop culture-heavy dialogue as past Whedon creations like Buffy the Vampire Slayer's Xander and Dollhouse's Topher.

Considering that Marvel has thus far opted for a lighter shade of adventure than the dark, gritty approach that DC is taking with its properties, the addition of a character like Skye sounds like a good way to keep that spirit alive. The question is whether or not – especially with the dry humor of Gregg's Coulson already part of the formula – the show will overdo the comic element of the series and end up becoming a parody of itself.

Do you think the character of Skye will be a fun addition to S.H.I.E.L.D.? Or would you rather the show's focus remain solely on the agents themselves? Let us know in the comments.

As previously mentioned, S.H.I.E.L.D. is expected to premiere on ABC in fall 2013.

Source: THR