When Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. incorporated Agent Carter’s Daniel Sousa into its seventh season, the character became part of an elite group of individuals in the MCU. He joined Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes as fellow World War II veterans who are from Brooklyn, worked with the S.S.R., knew Peggy Carter, and became men out of time living in the 21st century. It makes for a fun tidbit.
But it doesn’t do justice to the character, growth, and experiences that have made him a fan favorite whose story is a standout for Marvel Television.
Agent Carter season 1 creates a great foundation for Daniel Sousa
The men in Agent Carter are, generally, all the same: sexist and toxically masculine. They are very much products of their time in the post-World War II 1940s US. That’s partially why Sousa stands out from the get-go.
He is the only man at the S.S.R. who, from the start, sees Peggy as a fellow agent, not as a woman who should be nothing more than a secretary but has somehow worked her way into a man’s world. Being an amputee with a prosthetic leg who uses a crutch, Sousa is also seen by his colleagues as “lesser.” He may be one of the guys, but his coworkers don’t always take him seriously and don’t view him as an equal because he’s disabled.
Agent Carter season 1, episode 4, “The Blitzkrieg Button” provides solid insight into who Sousa is — both as an agent and a person. After recovering Howard Stark’s stolen technology, Sousa goes back to the boatyard for clues and intel. He brings a homeless war veteran named Frank to the office for questioning, convinced the man saw something. During the interrogation, Sousa uses empathy and compassion to appeal to Frank. He hopes their common ground will establish trust and convince Frank to be honest. But it doesn’t.
Frank only admits what he saw in exchange for free alcohol, courtesy of acting-S.S.R. chief, Jack Thompson. When Thompson explains to Sousa why his approach didn’t work, he says, “Not everybody came back from the war wanting a hug.” Though it's not necessarily meant that way, there’s an underlying harshness to the line, a reminder of how Sousa's more emotionally in touch approach has made him an outlier. It's also a stark way to highlight the troubling ways that veterans deal with grief and trauma from the war and the world they've returned to.
Sousa isn’t necessarily upfront about his feelings, but he also doesn’t shy away from his humanity. He’s a raw character who feels real and relatable, which makes him easy to like and root for.
As an agent, finding Frank for intel is just a glimpse at his competence and capabilities. He doesn’t just follow orders and do as he’s told, because that’s not what makes a successful agent. He has great detective skills, thinking critically and approaching things analytically. It's how he figures out Peggy is a double agent while most everyone else ignores her. It’s how he tricks Johann Fenhoff and goes unaffected by his hypnosis.
Daniel Sousa has a newfound confidence, growth, and a love life in Agent Carter season 2
The second season of Agent Carter gives Sousa well-deserved growth. He moves to the West Coast to be chief of the S.S.R.’s Los Angeles branch. He’s also different from the man the show introduces us to — in a good way. In season 1, Sousa is characterized by his soft, kindhearted, underdog demeanor. In season 2, Sousa is more confident, experienced, and a natural leader. He goes about his work and his life knowing who he is and what he has to offer, unconcerned with how he could be perceived.
Even with the differences, Sousa still feels true to himself. His growth feels natural, a sensible progression for his narrative. He’s still learning and growing, especially with a new role in a new place. But after seeing how his hard work and dedication pay off in the first season, it’s nice that he’s doing well in LA.
Regardless of ship preferences, it’s also heartwarming to learn that Sousa is in a romantic relationship. He’d been left with the impression that his disability makes him less worthy of romance, so you want to root for him to find love even more. He initially finds that with Violet, but their relationship doesn’t end well. It does, however, humanize him further and show he has flaws. It’s something he has to go through to realize he’s been hiding from his feelings for Peggy.
He and Peggy finally kiss in the season 2 finale, and it’s implied they start a romantic relationship. Because of the show’s cancellation, what exactly happens between Sousa and Peggy from there is unclear. The only thing known about their relationship is that it doesn’t last, because Peggy ends up with Steve.
Nevertheless, that final scene between Sousa and Peggy is important. Even if Violet is proof he’s romantically desirable, that’s a relationship Sousa settles for. He still thinks he’s not good enough for Peggy, this no-nonsense fighter of a woman who served in the war and helped Captain America. So for them to at least kiss and express mutual romantic interest eases his insecurities.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. turns Daniel Sousa into a legend
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 7 is full of excitement, but adding Sousa to the mix makes it even better. He first shows up in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 7, episode 3: “Alien Commies From the Future!” It’s 1955, and Sousa has done well for himself in the near decade since Agent Carter ended. Visiting Area 51 (a S.H.I.E.L.D. base) as the West Coast Security Chief of S.H.I.E.L.D., he has run-ins with Phil Coulson’s team. It makes for a fun episode featuring memorable interactions that shouldn’t have happened but are possible due to time travel.
Sousa’s appearance feels like nothing more than a cool cameo that pays homage to the past. It would’ve been satisfactory as just that, especially because he never got a proper ending to his story. But the show does justice to this original character by elevating his story in a way Agent Carter didn’t have the chance to.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 7, episode 4, “Out of the Past” reveals that Sousa is the first fallen agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. His death is a major event in S.H.I.E.L.D. history that’s featured in the organization’s history book. It makes him a famous figure in the S.H.I.E.L.D. community for decades to come. Though sad, once the full story unfolds, it lines up with who he is.
Sousa finds out that Hydra had infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D., so Hydra takes him out before he can expose it. Having him discover Hydra decades before the reveal actually happens is a clever way to tie the narrative back to S.H.I.E.L.D.’s history. It takes Sousa’s story to the next level and suits the progression his character could have experienced, too. Agent Carter proved his elite detective work and ability to solve tough cases. With the experience he has and the access he gains with time and his position, it makes sense that he’s smart enough to uncover the Hydra infiltration before anyone else.
It’s awesome that Sousa is seen as a S.H.I.E.L.D. legend and inspiring figure, but it’s also bittersweet because of his death. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., however, turns the unfortunate event into a blessing in disguise.
Daniel Sousa, man out of time
The more the present-day S.H.I.E.L.D. team learns about Sousa, the more difficult it is for the agents to accept his impending death. Learning that Hydra plays a role in it only makes it tougher. So the decision to save him and keep the timeline intact, including his death, leads to an intriguing narrative.
When the team fakes his death and takes him from his time to save him, Sousa gets to live but also loses everything he has ever known. It’s a lot to take in at once, so he’s understandably uneasy about his new situation. But he eventually comes around to accept his new life and the team. Once he does, there’s a noticeable shift in his body language and demeanor. He’s more cooperative, open with the team, and no longer carries an underlying tension.
Sousa is integrated into the narrative in a way that respects the original character created for Agent Carter while giving him room to evolve and sensibly fit Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s storytelling.
A lot of time has passed since his last appearance in Agent Carter, so this Sousa isn’t the same. He’s also going to be an odd one out at times as a man from the 1950s on a team from 2019. But the foundation of his character remains intact. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 7 episode 9, “As I Have Always Been” does a nice job of reiterating this. Throughout the episode, Sousa shows his critical thinking skills, supportive nature, fearlessness, and respect for Peggy (even though they didn’t work out).
Sousa experiences the craziness of time travel and what S.H.I.E.L.D. deals with in the future. He survives a time storm that he can’t remember because of all the time loops. He goes to space and helps take out alien robots. He travels through different decades and ends up in a different timeline’s 21st century, reaching a time he was never supposed to know. He even finds love of his own with a superhero. He ends the show in a romantic relationship with Daisy Johnson, whom he’s with on Zephyr 3 for a space mission.
Second chances aren’t exactly rare in Marvel. After all, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. began as a way to revive Coulson after his death in The Avengers. But getting closure for characters from canceled shows is uncommon in TV in general. But, thanks to Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Sousa’s story goes from an inconclusive narrative with potential to an unexpected but fulfilling and exciting adventure.