How Agents of SHIELD saved Daniel Sousa and changed Marvel history

In the latest episode of Agents of SHIELD’s seventh season, Agent Carter character Daniel Sousa returned and is here to stay.

This past week’s episode of Agents of SHIELD, “Out of the Past,” saw the sparing of the life of Agent Daniel Sousa, a supporting character from Agent Carter, and his recruitment to the team with Phil Coulson, Daisy Johnson, and Director Alphonso “Mack” Mackenzie.

A new wrinkle in the already convoluted and highly retconned Marvel TV continuity (via CBR), it complicates things even further, as – per the rules of time travel established by Avengers: Endgame – a new timeline was created by the actions of Coulson and the team. That and another man besides Steve Rogers was rendered outside time.

Agent Sousa, a Bureau Chief, was killed by a fatal shot on the night of July 22, 1955, (a favored year for time travelers). He became a martyr and SHIELD’s first fallen operative. Sousa was also an inspiration to new and aspiring recruits, Coulson noted.

The murder was set into motion by his superior officer Wilfred “Freddy” Malick and Hydra, a group where Malick is one of the top men. Hip as Sousa got to be of Hydra’s infiltration of SHIELD, Malick couldn’t have that, but Mack, Coulson, and the others weren’t about to sit idly by.

Realizing they needed Sousa’s expertise, Mack came to the decision to save him and keep him from the place he gets killed, thus changing history (kind of). Coulson disguised himself as Sousa and took the bullet knowing it won’t stop his new, improved Life Model Decoy (LMD) self.

“Iced” hours before, Sousa woke aboard the Zephyr in the 1970s where Coulson had to bring him up to speed. “We weren’t sure how to handle your situation,” said Coulson. “You’re dead.”

One protestation later, Coulson clarified:

"“Well, history says you are. You were shot after delivering that gadget. I can show you the files. You’re a hero. So congrats, and condolences.”"

Coulson explained further:

"“We didn’t change history. We just took you out of it. Faked your death. You’re alive literally, but to anyone not on this plane, you were killed at that hotel. I’m sorry. Welcome to life after death. I’ll tell you all about it.”"

Phil Coulson knows a lot about coming back from the dead. Sousa has a good teacher and he’ll need one to guide him through his new life. Like Captain America before him, Agent Sousa was Peggy Carter’s chance at love and turned into a man for whom Marvel’s past becomes his future.