No one can say that Coulson isn’t awesome. However…
I think that most people will agree that superheroes have become the new form of mythology that we have all grown accustomed to in recent years. Personally, I have been a fan of the television, gaming, and film exploits of Marvel and DC Comics for as long as I can remember, ranging from the Batman cartoons of the mid-90s to the Marvel Cinematic Universe that we all know today. Many of the stories that have been adapted from both studios are a lot of fun to watch or play, but there is one thing that has always nagged at me ever since I became a fan. Why can’t characters that have been killed off stay dead?
1. It Cheapens The Story.
Believe in badassery, I guess.
One of my favorite actresses in recent years has been Caity Lotz, who did such a good job as the Black Canary on Arrow that it pushed me to check her other work. That being said, I am still questioning the idea that she is going to be coming back to the current DC Television franchise as the White Canary.
Why, you ask?
While I understand that comic books have their own mythology that is loaded with resets and reboots here and there, the loss of Sara Lance in the early portion of Season 3 of Arrow was a twist that propelled the rest of the plot. I was impressed that the creative team were able to pull it off, especially with the revelation of who caused her to take that plunge off of a Starling City rooftop and how it gave her sister a much needed push to take up her identity. With the return of the White Canary, all of the emotional turmoil and the personal investment that was put into these characters over several episodes is thrown into jeopardy, especially since the main heroes of that universe know that she’s alive.
2. Why Should I Fear For The Heroes?
It’s a magical place… until it’s not.
Why do people end up worrying about the heroes of any story? Well, one reason is the fact that the villains might end up not only accomplishing their goals, but could kill the main characters in the process. With resurrection technology or magic, any sort of disturbance that might have come about in a story makes you wonder why they can’t just bring the character back to life, which completely wipes away any emotional stakes that the story might have had and the impact of a character’s sacrifice to the audience.
One such instance where this can be found is with Phil Coulson in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Agent (now Director) Coulson died during the events of The Avengers after Loki stabbed him with his scepter. After his heroic sacrifice propelled the heroes to war, we suddenly learn that he has returned in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. under mysterious circumstances. While the creative team did a good job at explaining what had happened to him, it brought about one other issue that damages the progression of the characters in any meaningful way.
3. There Are No Consequences.
No. Stop. This was already a natural part of her arc.
With the resurrection of a character, it is often explained in a comic book story that there are a set of serious consequences to how we might perceive the character that would reverberate throughout the story. In modern adaptations, this is a common thread regardless of whether it is Marvel or DC that is telling the tale. Unfortunately, that almost never seems to be the case because the fact that the character was dead is often completely forgotten about.
Going back to Arrow, the resurrection of Thea Queen is a prime example of this because of her subsequent dip into the Lazarus Pit. The Pit was described by the characters (especially Malcolm Merlyn) as a way to bring people back, but not in the way that some might hope because it supposedly rewrites their personality. While it did cause Thea to turn almost animalistic for a brief while, this side effect quickly receded and she became her normal self again.
That makes one wonder why the writers would even put that dialogue in if it was not going to happen.
Going back to Coulson’s death and resurrection in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., it was also explained that Melinda May and the rest of the team was worried about the side effects that might come about from the usage of Project T.A.H.I.T.I. on the man. The other test subjects were exhibiting symptoms of insanity, which included writing in symbols, and had to have their memories wiped in order to live a normal life. It got to the point where it was suggested even by Coulson himself that they kill him if he steps out of line. And then…
That’s it?!
Nothing materialized.
Coulson remained his likable old self and was only affected with the symbol writing issue until it led to the discovery of an underground alien city underneath San Juan, Puerto Rico. After that, nothing else happened, which makes you wonder whether or not Director Coulson has been imbued with Level 25 plot armor as well.
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