Joss Whedon and Marvel have played things pretty close to the vest so far in regards to their upcoming S.H.I.E.L.D. pilot, but new details are finally beginning to emerge. A list featuring five character names and descriptions has been revealed.
The list from TV Line is as follows:
SKYE | This late-20s woman sounds like a dream: fun, smart, caring and confident – with an ability to get the upper hand by using her wit and charm.
AGENT GRANT WARD | Quite the physical specimen and “cool under fire,” he sometimes botches interpersonal relations. He’s a quiet one with a bit of a temper, but he’s the kind of guy that grows on you.
AGENT ALTHEA RICE | Also known as “The Calvary,” this hard-core soldier has crazy skills when it comes to weapons and being a pilot. But her experiences have left her very quiet and a little damaged.
AGENT LEO FITZ and AGENT JEMMA SIMMONS | These two came through training together and still choose to spend most of their time in each other’s company. Their sibling-like relationship is reinforced by their shared nerd tendencies – she deals with biology and chemistry, he’s a whiz at the technical side of weaponry.
It’s interesting to note that Skye is the only character without the title of “Agent”. This could mean she isn’t directly working for S.H.I.E.L.D., perhaps serving as an outside consultant akin to characters who work with the police on shows like; Castle, Psych, and The Mentalist. On the other hand she could be a recruit who hasn’t earned the title of “Agent” yet, or maybe even something else altogether.
We can pretty safely rule out her being a superhero; Joss Whedon previously implied that none of the main characters would have powers. Another safe assumption is that Skye will be the primary character, the latest in a long line of female protagonists from Wheaton that started with Buffy.
While the character descriptions aren’t much to go on, one could say that Agent Grant Ward bears certain similarities to the character of Angel, Buffy’s original love interest. Could we see a similar romance develop between Skye and Ward? Rounding out the list are; Agent Rice, who seems to be another of those damaged badass girls Joss loves so much, and Fitz and Simmons, a pair that could very likely be the show’s comic relief.
