What Future do the Inhumans face in Agents of SHIELD?

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I have to give a shoutout to @by7the7sea for the idea of writing this article. With my strong focus on the potential of the third season with  a new superhero team arising and building up a theme I almost forgot about one of the most essential elements of the second season, the introduction of the Inhumans. This was a substantial act by the show, as it brought in an element that was essential to the comic lore, but has not been truly explored up to this point. We got glimpses into how Inhumans act, their connections to the Kree and also how Terrigen crystals function in general. In a few years we will also see the Inhumans on the silver screen with their own movie that will explore a specific part of their lore, the Royal Family. Naturally with this film already having the special priviledge to use those specific characters the show had to be a bit more creative, and they certainly were. We were introduced to a small society that lived in a place called Afterlife, where Skye’s (Chloe Bennett) own mother was running the place. It was a great concept to not only allow for the first powered character to join the the original team while also laying groundwork for future stories featuring these characters. So let us take a look at what potential the Inhumans have in the third season.

Once again, here is a spoiler warning for those that have not seen most of Agents of SHIELD season 2, as I will explore elements from the season finale once again. If you have yet not seen or had the chance to watch the season finale then please keep that in mind while reading this article.

A Subtle Inhuman Spread
With that out of the way, the writers behind the show found quite an interesting alternative to avoid using an actual Terrigen bomb to increase the amount of superpowered characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. As they can’t truly affect the movies too much they tried to find a backdoor by having Terrigen crystals being dissolved in water and then being “eaten” in a way by fish that are subsequently turned into fish oil drops. This way there is a high potential of some characters receiving powers. This strongly influences my theory from an earlier article that that with more powered characters they would slowly create a Secret Avengers team. There was also a rumor going around that a new ABC show in production by John Ridley[1], the mind behind American Crime. Rumors have spread that this could potentially turn out to be a show focused on Khamala Khan, the new interpretation of Ms. Marvel, as the original, Carol Danvers, was going to automatically become Captain Marvel. As you can see this simple act allows them to extend the potential of the show and characters they can explore especially considering people complaining about the lack of gifted individuals.

Has Afterlife Died?
This is probably the biggest question mark left open from the end of finale. While Gordon (Jamie Harris) stated that everyone was brought back to their home, it seemed like the Inhuman sanctuary Afterlife was no more. Considering what drastic measures they went through to ensure their safety and future it makes one wonder if another leader will rise up the ranks and bring them all back together. Moreover, their desire for secrecy and safety seems to be a strong indicator that they are looking for a way back to this surrogate home. Will even SHIELD return to explore the origins of Inhumans and their connections to the Kree? It would be an interesting turn to find out more about their history and mythology. Maybe there are rumors and legends of a Royal Family that fought the Kree and saved Inhuman kind, but were lost to legends due to them never returning. Furthermore, think about the position of poor Jemma Simmons (Elizabeth Henstridge), who is trapped in a Kree monolith that seems to seek Inhumans. Could this town hold a solution or possibility to save her? Maybe Afterlife holds just as much meaning as its name hints at.

They Aren’t Evil, They are Misguided
Speaking of SHIELD and acting upon the existence of these so-called Inhumans, will we see Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg) try to register them as they hinted at with them restructuring the gifted index? After all the events that have occurred it would seem as if they had learned their lesson, but the “real” SHIELD is still around with some members still alive. Could the potentially turn on Coulson once more and splinter off into their own group, maybe the Marvel Cinematic Universe incarnation of HAMMER? A hunt for Inhumans with Coulson trying to prove to Skye that he has learned his lesson and wants to save them, especially considering that Civil War is slowly heading their way. One could easily realize that if they choose this route they might end up repeating storylines from the second season, but they are creative enough to give it a new and interesting spin.

There is always more to every story and especially if you consider the potential behind the fact that Inhumans even exist officially. I personally would love to see an exploration of their mythology, as the focus up until this point was on Skye’s personal connection to this group of gifted individuals, but now the doors are wide open to explore every possible nook and cranny. Will they follow up on it or let it rest for a little while? Only time can tell, but Agents of SHIELD has proven to be quite creative and the next season certainly has a lot elements it can continue build upon. All we can do now is rewatch the second season to get ready for the next one.

What are your thoughts on the matter? Any potential you see with the Inhumans? What do you explore about them and what characters would you love to see? Leave a comment below!

[1] Cf. Screenrant, 2015, http://screenrant.com/marvel-tv-series-shows-abc-john-ridley/, Dated: 28.05.2015.

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