10 Things Agents Of SHIELD Did Way Before The MCU

Summary

Agents of SHIELD introduced the Darkhold before it appeared in WandaVision, showcasing its connection to the larger MCU.
The show prioritized diversity in casting early on, featuring actors of diverse backgrounds in key roles.
Agents of SHIELD explored time travel and the multiverse before these concepts were fully explored in the MCU, setting the stage for future storylines.

Marvel Television's Agents of SHIELD's timeline became an entity in and of itself, exploring storylines completely separated from the MCU, some of which the larger franchise would adapt later on.

At its core, Agents of SHIELD focused on Phil Coulson's team of SHIELD agents dealing with all manner of superhuman and otherworldly threats following his revival after being killed by Loki in The Avengers. Over the course of Agents of SHIELD's seven seasons, new species were introduced, supernatural threats were eliminated, and key periods of history and the future were investigated before the series came to a satisfying conclusion in 2020. By veering away from the mainline MCU in season 2, Agents of SHIELD's canon status was thrown into uncertainty, but the series did have the opportunity to examine many huge storylines long before the MCU had a chance to.

10 The Darkhold Debuted In Agents Of SHIELD First

Darkhold in Marvel Television's Agents of SHIELD

Five years before Marvel Studios introduced the MCU's Darkhold, the Book of the Damned, in 2021's WandaVision, the book was mentioned in Agents of SHIELD season 4, episode 2, "Meet the New Boss," before making its first appearance in episode 5, "Lockup." Agents of SHIELD's Darkhold took the form of a more normal book than the MCU's version, which was doused in mystical energy, and was used by the staff at Momentum Labs to create the Quantum Particle Generator. The Darkhold would later be acquired by SHIELD, and used by the LMD AIDA to create the Framework, before being taken into Hell by Robbie Reyes, a.k.a. Ghost Rider.

9 Agents Of SHIELD's Diversity Was Far Ahead Of The MCU

Phil Coulson, Melinda May, and Daisy Johnson in Agents of SHIELD

While Marvel Studios has put much more attention on stressing diversity in the MCU's more recent roster of heroes, one of the biggest criticisms the franchise faced early on was the lack of diverse casting. Characters like Nick Fury, War Machine, and Black Widow were in the minority for quite some time, though this has changed in recent years with the debuts of a range of new heroes. Agents of SHIELD focused on this issue from the beginning, featuring Chinese-American actors Ming-Na Wen and Chloe Bennet, and several Black and Hispanic performers in key roles throughout the series.

8 Superhero Fan Became The Hero In Agents Of SHIELD First

Chloe Bennet as Daisy Johnson's Quake in Agents of SHIELD

It's an old trope to have a superhero fan become a hero themselves, and it's something that both the MCU and Agents of SHIELD managed to pull off effectively. While Marvel Studios saw the likes of Kamala Khan and Kate Bishop become superheroes after obsessing over Captain Marvel and Hawkeye, respectively, Agents of SHIELD did this first. Daisy Johnson (formerly Skye) had a vested interest in superheroes in Agents of SHIELD's early days, and was eventually revealed to be an Inhuman, leading her to become Quake. Not only this, but Phil Coulson was perhaps the biggest superhero fan, and has since been heralded as one of Marvel's most significant heroes.

7 Enoch Was Agents Of SHIELD's Version Of The Watcher

Joel Stoffer as Enoch in Agents of SHIELD

While 2017's Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 debuted the Watchers in the MCU, a race of all-powerful cosmic beings who watch over the multiverse without interfering - though they have done on several occasions - it wasn't until Phase 4's What If...? that this species was truly explored. Agents of SHIELD didn't include the Watchers, but season 5 did introduce the Chronicoms, who are also meant to only be observers. Even so, Joel Stoffer's Enoch assumed the role of Jeffrey Wright's Uatu from What If...?, interfering in human affairs several times and even helping to battle his own species, just as Uatu brings together the Guardians of the Multiverse.

6 Agents Of SHIELD Did Secret Invasion's Storyline With The LMDs

Mallory Jansen as Madame Hydra in Agents of SHIELD

2023's Secret Invasion released on Disney+ to a mixed reception, with many considering it to be a poor adaptation of the iconic Marvel Comics' crossover event. Focused on a villainous faction of shape-shifting Skrulls replacing key figures in human society, Secret Invasion faltered in delivering an effective espionage storyline, whereas Agents of SHIELD succeeded to high praise back in 2017's season 4. Instead of using Skrulls, Agents of SHIELD adapted this storyline using Life Model Decoys (LMDs), led by AIDA, and featured several of the SHIELD team being replaced, with their consciousnesses being ed to a sinister virtual world. Many consider Agents of SHIELD's Secret Invasion-inspired storyline much stronger.

5 The Multiverse Was Explored In Agents Of SHIELD First

Deke in a new timeline in Agents of SHIELD

After the Sacred Timeline was unleashed in Phase 4's Loki season 1, Marvel Studios began to explore the multiverse of the MCU, introducing variants of popular characters such as Spider-Man, and having Doctor Strange journey to several alternate realities. The multiverse was also a hot topic of conversation in Agents of SHIELD, particularly after the team journey back from the future in season 5 and change the timeline, creating an entirely new history. Agents of SHIELD's final season also saw several new timelines created thanks to the team's time travel antics. The MCU is currently deep within the Multiverse Saga, but Agents of SHIELD beat Marvel Studios to the punch.

4 Avengers: Endgame Did Time Travel After Agents Of SHIELD

Time travel in Agents of SHIELD's final season

Tony Stark's discovery of time travel was crucial to the Avengers embarking on the Time Heist and saving the universe in Avengers: Endgame, and though Agents of SHIELD's final season, which focused on the team traveling through time several times, released in 2020, the series actually sent them through time back in 2017. Agents of SHIELD season 4's finale ended with Coulson waking up on a space station in the future, with the first half of season 5 taking place in the year 2091 before the team returned to the present day. Later on, Agents of SHIELD would explore 1931, 1955, 1973, 1976, and 1982, during the team's final mission.

3 Agents Of SHIELD Debuted The Champion Of HYDRA Long Before What If...?

Hive is the Champion of HYDRA in Agents of SHIELD

Although they weren't specifically stated to be the same creature, Agents of SHIELD's Hive and What If...?'s "Champion of HYDRA" bear too many striking similarities to not be based on the same being. In What If...?, the Champion of HYDRA was seen twice: once when its power was absorbed by Strange Supreme, and once when it was released by the Red Skull and defeated by Captain Carter. Hive, however, debuted in Agents of SHIELD season 3 as an ancient Inhuman who harbored the ability to mind-control other Inhumans. Both creatures' tentacled appearance suggests they are perhaps one-and-the-same, though it's unclear whether this will ever be addressed.

2 Agents Of SHIELD Included Some Great Themed Title Sequences

In recent years, Marvel Studios has begun to theme its opening logo intro attached to every project, most notably in projects such as Captain Marvel, Avengers: Endgame, WandaVision, Loki, Ms. Marvel, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, and the MCU's animated projects. While this has become a more regular occurrence, Agents of SHIELD opening every episode with a themed title card dependent on the theme of each particular season. This became even more prominent in Agents of SHIELD's final season, with the title cards changing with each episode to reflect the time period the team found themselves in, which was an excellent touch.

1 Inhumans Didn't Debut In The MCU Until Phase 4

Ruth Negga as Inhuman Raina in Agents of SHIELD

First introduced in Agents of SHIELD season 2, Inhumans were initially introduced to set up the MCU's Inhumans film, though this never came to fruition, meaning their debut marked one of Agents of SHIELD's biggest shifts away from the mainline MCU. While Inhumans became common knowledge in Agents of SHIELD, the superhuman race hasn't been mentioned in the MCU, with only Black Bolt, the Inhuman King, being seen on Earth-838 in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. This is one of the key arguments against Agents of SHIELD being canon to the MCU, though it remains to be seen if Marvel Studios will debut Inhumans in the MCU proper.