Character Study: Phil Coulson 

It’s always the quiet ones. Even more so if they’re also the little guy. This is most certainly the case if that quiet little guy is one Phil Coulson.

Coulson isn’t exactly a character one would initially expect to have a loyal following, much less receive a spin-off tv series. Played flawlessly by the charming and handsome Clark Gregg, when Coulson first debuted in

, he made it a point to be as quiet and non-assuming as humanly possible.

While most people would take Coulson at face value, a few of us immediately recognized that when it came to our Secret Agent Man, there was more to him than meets the eye.

Jasper Sitwell said it best, when he told Coulson, “For a quiet guy, you make a lot of noise.”

Coulson is in many respects the “Anti-Stark.“ Whereas Stark is the cocky, larger than life billionaire playboy whose charisma might exceed his wealth, Coulson has a much more subdued style. 

He has what can best be described as “Grown Folks\' Swag.” Whether standing next to gods or irradiated monsters, he’s a man who’s comfortable in his own skin and is confident in who he is. He doesn\'t have to be the life of the party. He\'s more than content to hover in a corner.

Though he only shows it in glimpses, Coulson is a multifaceted individual who appreciates the classic and the cultured. This is a man who listens to jazz, was romantically involved with a cellist, and his transportation of choice is a flying red 1962 Chevrolet Corvette. This also the man who collected the vintage Captain America trading cards. With the exception of the Super Soldier himself, Coulson is many respects a man out of time and a throwback to a more idealistic era of yore.

Whereas Nick Fury was at times ruthless and morally dubious as a necessity to successfully perform his job as Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., Director Coulson is one of the most compassionate characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. We’ve seen him go above and beyond for Michael Peterson and his son and he’s taken on a paternal role for Skye.

This is an Avenger who values life, wholeheartedly believes in the principles S.H.I.E.L.D. was intended to stand for. In a time when S.H.I.E.L.D. needs to be reborn free of Hydra’s corruption, Fury couldn’t have selected a better successor to lead the way. But compassion doesn’t mean weak and Son of Coul certainly has an edge. After all, when you can hold your own in a snarkfest with Samuel L. Jackson, you’re on another level of cool.

One thing is obvious, our secret agent man is still by in large a a mystery and his story is far from over. But we wouldn\'t expect anything less from the quiet one.

To say Agent Melinda May is a beloved fan favorite of ABC’s hit series Marvel\'s Agents of [...]

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• Clark Gregg • Phil Coulson •

Phil is what you get when you blend James Bond, Cary Grant & Bob Newhart.

The first time I realized what kind of character Coulson really is was when I watched the Marvel one shots. The one in the gas station was just magnificent and the other when he\'s talking to Sitwell in the diner. Qoutes like "Yeah, your patsy is legendary, infact when I think of the word patsy.", followed by Sitwell\'s reaction and then when he references Tony in the most subtle ways. Magnificent.

"People tend to confuse the words new and improved"-These were the words spoken by Agent Coulson on the very first Pilot episode of Agents of shield and this sums up the classic quality of the character........

We love Coulson because he\'s us. He\'s a geeky fanboy who has the best job ever! Being the one who\'s overlooked and who looks like a normal, average guy -- but then turns out to be able to take down bad guys with a bag of flour? That makes us love him.

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