7 times Marvel TV shows crossed over with Marvel movies
If you've decided to rewatch every single installment of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in preparation for Avengers: Infinity War's release on April 27th, we've got something to tell you – you're almost definitely doing it wrong.
Because the key events of the MCU don't just take place in the movies – Marvel's TV shows often link so closely with the films that they're an essential part of the build to Infinity War and what happens beyond it.
Here are seven times Marvel's Agents of SHIELD and Agent Carter crossed over with the MCU.
When the movies crossed over with Agents Of SHIELD
1. Peggy Carter was in Captain America: The First Avenger
You'll recognise Peggy Carter from Captain America: The First Avenger, where she played Steve Rogers' (lost) love interest. Since then, she's appeared in the MCU several times – in the 'Agent Carter' DVD short film, in a deleted scene in from The Avengers, in a flashback in Ant-Man and even when she was referenced to in Avengers: Age of Ultron. (Plus The Winter Soldier – more on that later.)
2. Samuel L. Jackson made cameos in both SHIELD and Iron Man
Obviously SHIELD is a huge part of the MCU – the government agency has been a part of the connective thread of the films since the very first Iron Man. So it makes sense that the show would closely tie in with the movies' massive universe of characters.
In Iron Man, Samuel L. Jackson pops up to tell Tony Stark about The Avengers initiative. Coincidently (or not), he's also appeared in various episodes of Marvel's Agents of SHIELD, as has Cobie Smulders.
3. Captain America: The Winter Soldier gave SHIELD a reboot
Captain America: The Winter Soldier changed SHIELD forever, and that shift was reflected on the show. Episodes 'End of the Beginning' and 'Turn, Turn, Turn' both revolve around the events of The Winter Soldier and basically completely rebooted the series, giving it an entirely new mission statement.
4. Peggy Carter died in Captain America: The Winter Soldier
As you'll no doubt remember, we saw Peggy's death in Captain America: The Winter Soldier – but just because she's passed, it doesn't mean she's gone forever; we're sure future films will pay tribute to the MCU legend.
When Agents Of SHIELD crossed over with the movies
5. Marvel's Agents of SHIELD examined Life Model Decoys
SHIELD has found time to explore some of the concepts mentioned in Marvel movies by looking at them in more depth. For example, the fourth season's examination of Life Model Decoys (LMDs) was a concept first referenced in the original Avengers movie.
6. Marvel's Agents of SHIELD built up to The Avengers and was affected by Captain America...
SHIELD episodes 'The Frenemy of My Enemy' and 'The Dirty Half Dozen' build towards the opening sequence of Avengers: Age of Ultron, while 'Scars' deals with what happened immediately after that film.
The next big shift within SHIELD (and The Avengers themselves) came in Captain America: Civil War, and again, it had a major impact on the show, with Phil Coulson forced to comply with that movie's Sokovia Accords in season three. This then allowed for a more in-depth exploration of some of the themes of power and responsibility that Civil War touched on. The season also reveals key details about Steve Rogers adventures post-Civil War that'll definitely be relevant to Infinity War.
7. ...Oh, and Guardians of the Galaxy
The tie-ins aren't limited to the adventures of The Avengers, either. SHIELD episode 'TAHITI' introduces the Kree alien race to the MCU, who play a significant role in Guardians of the Galaxy and who are rumoured to be a very important part of the next phase of the MCU, launching after Infinity War 2.
They're potentially the next big bads of the movies series and are apparently a big part of Captain Marvel (which makes sense as that movie's hero, Carol Danvers, is part-Kree).
So, if you're only watching the MCU movies, you're missing half of the story – Marvel's brilliantly big playground just got much bigger.
