7 Reasons Why I Love Phil Coulson

In the movie Thor, moviegoers worldwide were introduced to a newcomer to the Marvel universe: Agent Phil Coulson.

He charmed us all with his witty one-liners, his awesome agent-ness, and his love for Captain America.

While Phil’s stint in the MCU has come to a halt currently, Coulson got a big break and is now headlining the TV show Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. He’s been through a lot in the past few years and with season 3 of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., the things Coulson has to deal with don’t seem to be going away anytime soon. Suffice it to say, Coulson is pretty incredible--here’s why.

 
1.) He keeps a level head.

Coulson has had a lot happen to him the past few years--death and running S.H.I.E.L.D., for example. Throughout it all, Coulson stays calm, which honestly floors me. He takes new challenges and adapts to them. His patience and rational thinking have saved his team many a time.

(P.S. He also kicks butt on a regular basis.)

2.) He’s fatherly.

Coulson and Skye have developed a father-daughter relationship. Even with the appearance of Skye’s real father in season 2, Coulson and Skye’s bond has remained strong, and they truly help each other and love each other.

It isn’t just Skye, though. One of my favorite scenes is early in season 2, when Coulson shows up at Jemma’s apartment. He makes sure she’s eating well and is there to check in on her. It’s awesome to see their relationship.

Coulson's parental instincts do carry over a bit to Fitz as well. But with May, Coulson is her equal. And I'm firmly of the opinion that they are the parents of the S.H.I.E.L.D. team. (I used to think Coulson and May were Skye’s secret parents. Can it still happen? No, but I can dream.)

3.) He’s loyal.

Coulson’s duty is first and foremost to his team. He has put S.H.I.E.L.D. before everything else, even at the cost of personal relationships (see: the cellist). While this could be seen as a bad thing at times, Coulson’s loyalty is a great asset to S.H.I.E.L.D. To me, it’s obvious why Nick Fury chose him as director--his loyalty is only one of the many reasons why, but it's a big one.

4.) He motivates others.

Whenever any of his teammembers are down, Coulson will have a word of advice, even when things are at their worst. In particular, this is one of my favorite Coulson moments:

"We are not agents of nothing, we are agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and that still carries weight! It has to carry weight; after everything we’ve been through, that carries weight!"

Even Coulson himself doesn't give up, and constantly keeps himself motivated and determined.

5.) He brings people together.

Whether it’s his death that motivates six superheroes to defend New York or his creation of his S.H.I.E.L.D. team, Coulson has forged bonds, sometimes unintentionally. Think about it: without Coulson, would we have May and Skye’s relationship? Would we have Skye at all? We would have Fitzsimmons, but it wouldn’t be nearly as awesome. Just saying.

6.) He's funny.

Below are only a couple examples.

7.) He cares deeply.

I’ve seen Coulson typed as an INFP (according to Izzy in particular), and that makes me really happy. I too am an INFP, and Coulson’s sensitivity is inspiring. I love the way he balances hard decisions with his emotional side. Whatever he does, he is out for the good of the team. Season 2 has especially proved this.

I can’t wait to see where Agent Phil Coulson goes in season 3… with Lola and his team at his side.

What about you? Why do you love (Agent) Phil Coulson?

Thanks to this post for several of the images I used.