With the shocking twist that ended season four of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., fans will have plenty to occupy their minds while they wait for the new season. Thanks to the premiere of Inhumans this fall, season 5 of SHIELD won’t debut until January of 2018. When it does, it will be picking up after its most well-received and consequential season so far. With the expansion of science-magic and the lore of Ghost Rider, the show is more connected than ever to the likes of Doctor Strange, and the exploration of space opens up even more avenues for the show - including potential ties to Avengers: Infinity War.
While SHIELD has almost always referenced the films and other shows in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it’s mostly been a one way street. With the very idea of the Inhumans not only introduced on SHIELD but factoring into the bulk of the series so far, it seems nearly impossible for the two shows not to connect. The jury is still out on whether that will happen, but the new direction teased in the tag of SHIELD’s finale hints at some possibilities. Even more exciting, but it may just set up Coulson’s return to the film side of the MCU and tie SHIELD to Avengers: Infinity War. Until each property premieres, we can’t be certain what the future holds. There are, however, a number of hints about how Agents of SHIELD could connect to Inhumans and Infinity War.
Inhumanity
Following the events of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, SHIELD received a narrative shot in the arm that pushed it past a light tie-in and made it essential viewing for superhero fans and those invested in the MCU. In the years since, it’s introduced a number of major concepts from the comics, including a few that have ramifications for the MCU as a whole. Back in season two, the seeds were sown for the introduction of the Kree and their creations the Inhumans. Despite the Inhumans that was on the horizon at the time, the ABC series nevertheless introduced the concept into the MCU with a number of prominent characters. In the years since, they’ve never really pulled back, and the movie soon morphed into another TV show on ABC.
The narrative so far has pointed towards all involved in both shows interested in connecting threads, but no one has confirmed when or if that will happen. It seems as though the first season of Inhumans will be a self-contained story, but it’s hard to imagine it existing on entirely its own. For one thing, there’s no way the Inhuman Royal Family won’t be familiar with the rash of NuHumans that have gone through Terrigenesis across the globe in the past few years. Furthermore, they’re likely well aware of the villainous Hive, a centuries old tool of the Kree. There have also been a few set photos which have shown the mysterious writing that popped up in season 2 of SHIELD and led to the discovery of the Terrigen Crystals and the awakening of Daisy as an Inhuman. As if all of that weren’t enough, Coulson’s appearance in space may just provide us with our biggest connection so far.
Aside from the celestial origin of the Inhumans as experiments by the Kree, the comics have seen them spend considerable time in Earth’s orbit and on the moon. While it’s unclear where their city of Attilan will be based in the new show, it’s not hard to imagine they have some affiliation with space. Then there’s the mystery of Ellen Woglom’s character.
Out of all the core cast, her character has yet to be revealed. It stands to reason, however, she’ll be playing a human, likely a liaison between her people and the Inhumans. There have also been rumors that she’ll in fact be Abigail Brand, the leader of S.W.O.R.D. (aka SHIELD in space). While the rights to Brand and SWORD are in question, there’s a strong case to be made that the intergalactic cop will be very aware of the Inhumans and the Kree.
If Brand does appear on Inhumans, it further lends credence to the idea that Coulson is now working for SWORD. It also provides a strong connection between SHIELD and Inhumans. The first season of the latter show may indeed stand on its own, but there’s no way season five of SHIELD won’t address the fallout of whatever happens on its sister show. With that in mind, we could see hints of a connection this fall, before 2018 fully ties the shows together on season five of SHIELD and a potential second season of Inhumans.
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Infinity War and Beyond
SHIELD has always done a great job reacting to the larger events from the films, from the Hydra takeover in Winter Soldier to the clash of colleagues in Civil War. Along the way, fans have been eager to see the favor returned. After all, both SHIELD and Coulson debuted in the movies and the temporary death of the latter essentially ignited the Avengers as a team. Since that time, rumors have swirled that movies like Age of Ultron and Civil War would find a way to bring back Coulson and include some of his team. And while both films had clear openings for such a move, they chose to ignore the continuity of the show. Even the presence of the Inhumans has been ignored, calling into question how truly connected the two sides of the MCU are to each other.
With Infinity War, the scale seems too monumental to ignore. We’ve seen various actors from the films report for training and shooting, but so far there’s been no word if any of the TV shows will connect. While it makes sense that the Netflix series might stay in New York, Infinity War will have to go out of its way to ignore SHIELD.
Aside from the fact that even the President of the U.S. is aware of Coulson, SHIELD, and the Inhumans, the team’s continual intervention seems like it would have been noticed by Tony and Steve. Regardless, the many attacks on Earth that have already been hinted at for Infinity War mean it will be hard to justify SHIELD sitting out of the action. With Infinity War set to introduce new characters from the comics, the least the film could do is rope in some existing heroes from TV. And now that Coulson is in space, it almost seems as if the show is daring the movie not to include them.
While that notion is enjoyable, it’s a safe bet that Kevin Feige knows exactly what the show is planning and that the move to space was given the OK. What’s less clear is how the Avengers will be able to ignore some sort of space station floating around when they go to war with Thanos. If the Inhumans and SWORD are also involved, it’s hard to imagine ABC’s shows not factoring into Infinity War in some way. Given that both Inhumans and SHIELD spun out of the film division, it’s easy to see them factoring into a movie that’s set to be the culmination of the entire MCU so far.
With the monumental impact of Coulson’s death in The Avengers, it would be a truly special moment to see him ride in to help his former teammates once again as they battle the biggest threat they’ve ever faced. Whether the assist comes from Earth or space, Coulson and his team of agents and Inhumans have proven to be just as skilled, intelligent, and super-powered as the Avengers. When it comes time to face Thanos and his minions, both Earth’s Mightiest Heroes and Marvel Studios would be wise to include Coulson, Quake, and the agents of SHIELD.
Over the next year, we’ll be learning a lot more about Infinity War, Inhumans, and season five of Agents of SHIELD. The timetable would certainly allow each project to connect with the others, so the ball is in Kevin Feige’s court. While the writers of the movie and each show may not be aware of the nitty gritty of each story, SHIELD has more than earned a place of prominence in the MCU. From kickstarting the Avengers to introducing the Inhumans, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D has held up its end of the promise that the MCU is all connected. Now, it’s time for the favor to be returned.