Secrets Abound at S.H.I.E.L.D’s PaleyFest Debut

For freshmen show Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. their PaleyFest debut was much like the agency for which they are members: filled with unnamed secrets. While the audience was privy to the April 1st return of the ABC drama, everyone was sworn to keep all the spoilers tight-lipped and off the internet.

Given that that episode is so secretive, much of the future of the show was also left unanswered – though Executive Producer Jeph Loeb was clear to say that the April 1st return of the show connects into Captain America: The Winter Soldier, which also links back into the April 8th episode of the show. Which is to say, everyone needs to pay attention and stay along for the ride.

However, moderator Felicia Day was able to eek out a few details that made the panel well worth the secrets. Before casting, Ming-Na Wen’s Melinda May was originally Melinda Rice, but clearly the creative team changed that (thankfully!). Agent Ward could sleep with more women on the show, and no one might actually mind, including Dalton himself. Chloe Bennet and Elizabeth Henstridge are both fans of Skimmons (and don’t complain when they love the fanart everyone) either. Both Fitz and Simmons are becoming more interested in field work, as De Caestecker noted when Day asked him about Fitz’s work bringing him more into the field than before.

In a different vein, Bennet is still wondering what exactly Skye is and constantly asks that question around set, going so far as to dig through Marvel wikis and background information from the comics looking for that answer. No one’s confirmed any of her guesses so far.

When a fan asked what other Marvel characters the cast would like to spend time with, Henstridge answered that she’d like to have a cuppa with Loki, before Bennet added that she’d watch that (and whatever else might happen when someone in the audience’s mind went there). Wen had previously said that she wished Skye was a lovechild between she and Thor, and so it was clear that she’d like more with with Chris Hemsworth.

Also during fan questions, Clarke Gregg continued to be an amazing man. He came down to a fan who made felt art gifts for the cast and gave her a huge hug and then later went down to meet a woman with Downs Syndrome who was very glad that Coulson had not died at the end of The Avengers.

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. returns to ABC on 1 April and finishes the season without repeats or week’s off until the finale in May.