Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. has cast Craig Parker, of Legends of the Seeker fame, to play the part of a mysterious alien towards the tail-end of Season 5. The stars of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. are facing a crisis like no other. They've returned to their own time from a dystopian future in which the Earth had been shattered like an eggshell. Now, their impossible task is to somehow avert this timeline. Unfortunately, so far history seems to be running on track. A signal has been sent into the heavens, and a dimensional rift has been opened in the Lighthouse. The world's fate still seems to be written in stone.

Sooner or later, though, Season 5 will inevitably involve aliens again. Coulson is dying, and only Kree science can save him. In "Past Life," a future version of Yo-Yo warned that S.H.I.E.L.D.'s efforts to save Coulson's life would doom the planet. Meanwhile, there have been ominous hints that the Kree will arrive in force, and that Daisy will head out to an evacuated city in order to confront them. Not long later, the Earth will be torn asunder. But it seems S.H.I.E.L.D. will meet at least one other alien in the build-up to this fateful confrontation.

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TVLine is reporting that Craig Parker will be joining Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. as a new alien character. He's been given the name "Taryan," and TVLine describe him as "a formidable wheeler-dealer from another planet." They note that his character will debut "towards the end of Season 5," although they're unable to hint at Taryan's role.

It's quite possible that Taryan is an original character. Where past seasons have been replete with comic book Easter eggs, Season 5 has used a lot more original concepts. Dove Cameron's Ruby, for example, seems to be positioning herself to be the main antagonist and there's no obvious comic book precedent for that character. At first glance, the same appears to be true for Taryan. For all that's the case, though, it's worth remembering that Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. actually introduced the Inhuman superhero Quake under the guise of "Skye." Marvel Television isn't above playing guessing-games with their fans.

Whoever Taryan may be, the fact S.H.I.E.L.D. meet an alien "wheeler-dealer" suggests Season 5 won't evolve into a straightforward alien invasion. It seems certain that Kasius's father will ultimately attempt to claim Earth, and that S.H.I.E.L.D. will resist him, but the alien presence seems to involve more than just an invasion force. TVLine's description of Taryan suggests that some everyday civilians from alien worlds will make their way to Earth, too. It's even possible S.H.I.E.L.D. will attempt to bargain with this mysterious being in order to acquire Kree blood, in an attempt to save Coulson's life.

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Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. airs Fridays @ 9 pm on ABC.

Source: TVLine