“Marvel’s Agents Of SHIELD” Has Its New Director

Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD has cast its new SHIELD Director, and it’s who you would least expect.

In fact, it’s no one you would expect, because it’s a character we’ve never seen before. Never mind my fantastic ideas for bringing back Bobbi and Hunter or making it Tony Stark, Agents of SHIELD has gone the safer route and picked an outsider.

That’s right, in a not-so-shocking turn of events, we’re getting a brand new face as Director. It’s actor Jason O’Mara;  you may remember him from such shows as Terra Nova, Life on Mars, and the voice of Batman in multiple animated features, including the upcoming Justice League Dark. Below is the press release from Marvel:

"Coulson shocked fans in the Season 3 finale of “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” when he revealed the organization had a new director—and now we can tell you just who is taking over his former position.Jason O’Mara (“Complications,” “The Good Wife”) has joined the series stepping into the role as S.H.I.E.L.D’s new Director, playing a character whose Marvel roots go back to the 1940s.“Bringing Jason into the mix as the New Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. forces everyone, particularly Coulson, to reevaluate their role in the Agency,” said Executive Producer and Marvel’s Head of Television, Jeph Loeb. “Jason has both the physical presence and acting dynamics that will connect with and challenge even the most loyal agent.”"

It shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that the new Director of SHIELD is some unseen person, a new character to our screens. The two most obvious choices from our standard SHIELD crew would be either May or Mack, and it goes with their characters to say that they wouldn’t necessarily want that responsibility or that change of relationship to their coworkers. Likewise, anyone else on our team wouldn’t be qualified enough to run the organization.

That leaves either an Avenger or a new face, and Avengers are pretty costly for television.

So he’s a new face that has roots back to the 1940s. Are we talking maybe something like Bradley Whitford’s character’s son from the Agent Carter one-shot? Or someone else who could have worked with Peggy Carter? Anything that could give some sort of Hayley Atwell cameo a few episodes into the season.

In reading internet comments, I’ve also noticed another theory that could have some substance to it: O’Mara’s character is secretly a Skrull.

Don’t jump down my throat just yet—it came to light very recently that Fox only owns the rights to certain Skrull characters. Him being a sleeper agent for the Skrulls could lead straight into an invasion/war that would make this show even more cosmic and that might fit in with however Doctor Strange affects the rest of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Or, the even more fun rumor circling around that makes more sense: he is Jim Hammond, also known as the original android Human Torch. If that last scene of season three with Dr. Radcliffe was any indication of life model decoys coming soon, this would be the perfect tie-in. It would also explain how he has roots back to the 1940s (he did happen to be an easter egg in the first Captain America). Heck, maybe Peggy was involved in this, or maybe I just desperately want to see Agent Carter on my screen again.

Now, the big question is: Can Marvel actually use him in the television universe? I have no idea. Rest assured we’ll certainly find out as this Agents of SHIELD season progresses.