Premiering on January 6th, “Agent Carter” is a long-awaited, highly-anticipated female-led TV series inspired by the Marvel One Shot of the same name. The Marvel One Shot is a follow up and spin-off of the 2011 feature film “Captain America: The First Avenger”, featuring Hayley Atwell as the recurring role, Agent Peggy Carter.
Just like the short film, the “Agent Carter” TV series takes place after the presumed death of the love of Carter’s life – Steve Rogers/Captain America during World War II.
While dealing with the emotional fallout of losing Rogers, she is called upon by old acquaintance Howard Stark (played by Dominic Cooper) to carry out a mission – a mission to clear his name after being falsely accused for the dispose of the deadliest weapons. Together with Howard Stark’s butler, Edwin Jarvis (played by James D’Arcy), Agent Carter now leads a double life as she does administrative work during the days but taking down the bad guys at night.
Since the premiere date of the series is drawing closer, we’ve compiled a list of reasons of why you should watch this show. Check out the list below:
Learn more about the relationship, or rather the partnership between Howard Stark & Peggy Carter
After being framed for selling his military-grade weapons on the black market, Tony Stark’s father Howard Stark seeks for help from Peggy Carter as he stated in the preview that she is the only person he trusted with his life. The 2 first met each other in the first “Captain America” film and both of them have helped Captain Rogers to get to the secret HYDRA base in Austria.
The series will allow Marvel’s fans to learn more about the relationship between Carter and Stark, who will eventually transform SSR into the peacekeeping organisation, S.H.I.E.L.D.
Watch how Agent Carter kicks ass
As the first Marvel heroine to get her own TV series, Agent Carter has surely paved the way for other kickass heroines such as Black Widow to get their own TV series. Although there are struggles against the society she’s seeking to protect, Agent Carter proves to us that she is not one to fool around with because even the world’s first billionaire-genius playboy ends up asking for Carter’s help.
We’ve already seen how she was depicted in the film and the short film: Carter is a heroic agent who is capable of taking down several bad guys by her own hands, even without superpowers. While navigating her life as a single woman, Carter goes undercover to go on various secret missions for Stark. Clearly, she is the superhero we’ve been wanting to see on screen for the longest time!
Fighting crime while fighting sexism
The post World War II era is the time where women struggled the most as they were forced out of work by the men after the war ended. So, what happens to Agent Carter during the post World War II era? Well, as seen in Marvel One Shot, she finds herself repeatedly passed over for work at the covert Strategic Scientific Reserve (SSR) while trying to navigate her life as a single woman in America in 1946. Her abilities weren’t recognised by her male counterparts but a new mission finally sets her free from the dull office life.
Since the sexism issues in that era will be brought to light in the series, fans can expect to see how Agent Carter fights against the society’s portrayal on women and how her relationship with Jarvis will eliminate gender expectations. Plus, Carter uses more than just her good looks to take down the enemies.
Meet the original J.A.R.V.I.S.
Before Tony Stark created artificial intelligence J.A.R.V.I.S. in the “Iron Man” film series, there was Edwin Jarvis, the butler to Stark’s father. The original Jarvis will be introduced through the “Agent Carter” TV series as Carter’s assistant. Howard Stark empowers Edwin Jarvis to assist Peggy Carter in her mission, making sure that Carter will be able to navigate through the world of spies without getting caught.
Jarvis, who seems domesticated and a creature of habit, helps eliminate gender expectations especially when he’s asked to assist Agent Carter on some secret missions. Besides, Peggy Carter clearly shows her dominance over men despite the sexism issues in the 40s.
A new perspective at the MCU tie-ins by Agent Carter
Source: screenrant.com
A new perspective to the Marvel Cinematic Universe will be brought to us by Agent Carter through the TV series. As the series is considered a follow-up to Marvel’s “Captain America: The First Avenger”, the historical events that happen before the film’s sequel will be highlighted in great detail through the series.
Some of the major Marvel characters from the Marvel Cinematic Universe are expected to be appear in the series as well although the studio has not announced the characters yet. The studio will most probably tease the mysterious character appearances through their infamous Easter eggs in the series.
Carter VS one major villain
Since various Marvel characters will be introduced in the series, it has been revealed that Agent Carter will face against one major villain in the first season before taking down the HYDRA team. The studio has not revealed its name yet but the father of a familiar villain will appear in the series.
According to Hypable, “Agent Carter” has cast Russian actor Costa Ronin to play the inventor Anton Vanko. Marvel fans might recognise his name from “Iron Man 2″ as the main antagonist of the film. Ivan Vanko claimed that Tony Stark’s father has mistreated his father, Anton Vanko. Well, clearly, this is where we will be able to see why Ivan grew up hating on the Stark family as his father used to be Howard Stark’s business partner. This will also allow fans to know exactly what happened between Howard Stark and the villain’s father.
How S.H.I.E.L.D was established
Years before Agent Phil Coulson (played by Clark Gregg) led his S.H.I.E.L.D team in handling strange new cases, Agent Peggy Carter and Howard Stark were the ones who founded the peacemaking organisation, S.H.I.E.L.D. “Agent Carter” will mostly show us how the S.H.I.E.L.D team was formed and some parts of its origin stories. Without Carter and Stark, the agents duo Coulson and May as well as Fitz and Simmons will not even exist.
But here’s the thing…(read below)
S.H.I.E.L.D and HYDRA will not be featured prominently in the first season
Unfortunately, both S.H.I.E.L.D and the worldwide subversive organisation HYDRA will not be featured in the first season of “Agent Carter”, or at least not in any recognisable forms. As we’ve previously mentioned, Agent Carter will be the first major Marvel Comics villain in this series and the revelation of the villain will lead up to the revelation of HYDRA.
Executive Producer Louis D’Esposito told IGN that the beginning of S.H.I.E.L.D won’t happen in the first season as the series will focus on Carter’s works at the SRR.
A brief history on how HYDRA infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D
The first season will focus on Agent Carter’s secret missions for Howard Stark, but that’s not to say that we won’t be able to see how HYDRA infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D, or at least how HYDRA rises again. In “Captain America: The First Avenger”, HYDRA was dissolved after Red Skull’s death and its advanced technology was studied by Stark Industries.
But of course, Red Skull isn’t really dead. In the comic book series “Secret Warriors”, Red Skull was resurrected and the terrorist organisation slowly rose from its death bed as well. Hayley Atwell mentioned in an interview that the Sentinel of Liberty will be Peggy’s personal source of strength when she takes down the bad guys including “HYDRA, the spies, and her peers’ underestimations of her”.
A brief history of the first Avengers team
Through “Agent Carter”, we might be able to witness the formation of the first team of Avengers under S.H.I.E.L.D. But of course, this hasn’t been confirmed by the studio yet because the first season of the show only consist of 13 episodes. The first Avengers team will not be introduced until S.H.I.E.L.D is formed.
Now, are you excited about the series debut of Marvel’s “Agent Carter”? We just can’t wait to watch it!
For more information about “Agent Carter”, visit its official Facebook page and Twitter.
(Source: 1, 2 / Featured image)