Phillip Coulson

"Ms. Foster I'm agent Coulson with S.H.I.E.L.D."

- Phil Coulson

Agent Phillip "Phil" Coulson was an espionage agent working for S.H.I.E.L.D.. Coulson was an original creation who is not based on a character in the Marvel Comics universe, though a version of him has subsequently appeared in the mainstream Marvel continuity in 2012. First introduced in Iron Man and returning in Iron Man 2, Thor and The Avengers, Coulson is portrayed by Clark Gregg.

The Incredible Hulk: The Fury Files
After Nick Fury meet the Hulk, Coulson was going to suggest Fury to be more prepared next time when they meet the creature again, but Fury declares that everything else including Banner is secondary, General Ross is what they must deal with.

Iron Man
"This isn't my first rodeo, Mr. Stark."

- Phil Coulson

As an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., Coulson attempted to set up meetings with Tony Stark regarding his abduction and subsequent "rescue" in Afghanistan, but Stark refused, instead Coulson received information from Pepper Potts about Obadiah Stane's involvement in Tony's kidnapping and attempted homicide. Coulson and four other agents tried to arrest Stane, but their efforts were thwarted by the Iron Monger Armor. Coulson later derived a cover story for Stark, one which Stark refused to use.

Iron Man: Security Measures
Overseeign footage of the attack against Tony Stark in Afghanistan, Nick Fury asked Coulson who was behind the attack, Coulson tells him nobody have claimed responsability for it, but he told Fury that the Ten Rings were active in the area

Stane tells Coulson that Tony always have been a man who makes his own rules like his father he also told him that everyone thought Howard was crazy by leaving the company to a minor, but Stark surprised them all, Coulson tells him that they're talking about terrorist, but Stane points he wants to find out if Tony can tell them about their defenses, the awnser is not much as he likes the challenge of inventing things but from what done with them he simply leave it to others he trust like himself or Rhodes. he offers Coulson a drink, which he declines, Stane claims that if they wanred the Security codes to the playboy mansion then Tony would deliver it, if its for their surveillance satellites, not much, Stane then leaves as he prepares the company for the fact that Tony may not return.

When Coulson returns he tells Fury that it seems like Stark is focused on his own Work which still makes him far too dangerours, he ask permission to join the search, which Fury denies, he also tells him that the military is already searching for him, if they cant, then Tony is on his own.

After Stark escapes Coulson informs Fury that Stark plane lands in 3 hours he ask him if he wants a full debrief, Fury says if its possible, but tells him to not push him hard as he wants is a sense of what side Stark will be with without setting off alarm bells. then they watch some footage of the explosion that happened on the cave with a mysterious figure coming out of the flames, Coulson then is sent to the conference in where Stark states he wont produce weapons.

Later an S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent shows Fury and Coulson footage of Stark using the Mark II armor, after comparing the new armor with the human-like figure on the footage of the explosion in Afghanistan, Fury concludes that its Stark himself, the next day its confirmed that Stark is piloting the suit, Coulson tells him that when they tried to hack on his home computer system, Stark detected them and tracked the signal of the satellite they own through a shell corporation which he blew up, it also shows that he solved the icing problem on his Mark II armor, Fury concludes that this may be why Stark is no longer doing weapons cause he will use his re sources for the suits and he can see why, Fury sends Coulson to talk to Stark face to face at the Firefighters fund Gala.

When Coulson was unable to interview him, Fury states that the point was to let Stark know that their watching him, Fury ask Coulson how's Stark acting, Coulson simply replies "Like he's got somewhere to be".

After Stark defeated the Ten Ring members in Gulmira, Nick and Phil go to the Gulmira. where they see footage of Stark battle, which shows the Mark III Armor. when a S.H.I.E.L.D. agents tells him that Stark used the alloy from one of Howard files for the Project Rebirth project, Coulson asked what was the goal of the Project, Fury tells him that its classified, but for give him an idea of the importance of the project, what Stark had was just the Prototype of a rejected Shield, the final product was lost, but they're still looking for it. after watching footage of Stark engaging two F22-Raptors, Coulson ask if Tony is probably afraid of provoking the military, Fury tells him that he thinks they may gotten this wrong and that someone is playing with them, Fury tells Coulson that its strucks him that Stane have been extremely forthcoming with the information about Stark, so he sends Coulson at Stark Industries to take a look on what Stane is up to.

Later, Coulson informs Fury was right about Stane and that he's building his own armor, but according to files he havent finished it yet, but then Stane attacks them in his Iron Monger suit. after Stane death, Coulson and Pepper find Tony barely alive, but since Tony is alive, Pepper wonders if Stane survived, Coulson then thoses some Riot Foam to where Stane died, stating if he survived the Riot Foam will make sure he doesnt cause anymore troubles, he's more concerned for what happens the next day.

The Next Day, while reading the newspaper, Fury tells Coulson to trademark the name Iron Man, Coulson says he already did and all Web domains are secured too, Coulson ask Fury if Stark have a future with S.H.I.E.L.D., at first Fury seemed upset with the name S.H.I.E.L.D. as Coulson was about to say the full name again, Nick Fury tells him that he likes the new name for the organization, Fury ask why they never used that name before, Coulson tells him it was because he always used the full name and everyone thought he liked it, while watching the news of the Conference about the battle with Iron Man and Iron Monger, Stark reveals to the world that he's Iron Man, Coulson was shocked, but Fury told him that this is what he expected, cause they made the cover story so he could reject it and that Stark passed the test

Iron Man: Fast Friends
After the death of Stane, Coulson talked with Stark about the battle, telling him while he was technological genius, he was not a good fighter, Stark claimed he knows how to fight, but Coulson said not yet, Tony tells Coulson if he's getting recruited, Coulson simply says "Something like that", Coulson then presented Stark and Rhodey their headquaters explaining to them what they do at S.H.I.E.L.D. Coulson then told them that they had Pepper Potts Schedule a Conference about the battle, Stark asked what he should say in the conference, Rhodey bets that they will give him a script and hopes Tony will stick up with it. which Coulson confirms, as S.H.I.E.L.D. wants the whole episode as quiet a possible, Stark promises it, saying he knows when to be quiet. the next day Tony reveals to the world that he's Iron Man.

Iron Man 2: Agents of SHIELD
To be added

Iron Man 2
"If you try to escape, or play any sort of games with me, I will taze you and watch "Supernanny" while you drool into the carpet."

- Phil Coulson

Nick Fury put Agent Coulson in charge of guarding Stark, making sure he didn't leave his house.

Later, Coulson went down to Stark's workshop and found a prototype of Captain America's shield in Howard Stark's casket, Stark took the shield and used it to balance the machine he was building. Coulson was assigned to a different mission so bid farewell to Stark. He then headed to New Mexico where S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents were searching for something, he contacted Fury and told him "we have found it", "it" being Thor's hammer Mjolnir.

A Funny Thing Happened on the way to Thor's Hammer
"Tell them those Tae-Bo tapes really paid off."

- Phil Coulson

While going to New Mexico, Coulson stopped in a service station to buy some snacks and fill his car with gas. While he was in the shop, two robbers threatened the clerk with shotguns. Coulson intervened, passing them his car keys, but as he showed them his gun they panicked, as he slid the gun towards them, he quickly knocked both of them unconscious using his S.H.I.E.L.D. training. After, he proceeded to the counter and bought his snacks, paid, told the clerk to keep the change and then left.

Thor
"Sir. We found it."

- Phil Coulson

Upon arriving in the deserts of New Mexico, Agent Coulson along with a unit of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents set up a perimeter and a base of operations around the crater site containing Mjolnir.

Coulson then gathered all of Jane Foster and her scientific team's research that was related to the hammer. When Thor attempted to reclaim Mjolnir by infiltrating the base and managed to single-handedly take out a dozen S.H.I.E.L.D. agents with various fighting styles. Coulson observed from a distance before asking Clint Barton to prepare to take action if necessary. After Thor failed to remove Mjolnir, Coulson interrogated him about his identity and training, believing him to be a warrior of some type despite Thor refusing to answer his questions. Thor's interrogation was interrupted when Erik Selvig appeared and informed Coulson that Thor is actually Donald Blake a member of his scientific staff. An agent confirmed it by running a background check in the computer database and turns up a falsified document created by Jane of Thor assuming the identity of Dr. Donald Blake. Coulson went along with the charade but assigned agents to follow them believing they knew more than they were letting on.

When an agent discovered the coordinates of another potential crater site that appeared to having an exact signature match to Mjolnir, Agent Coulson and a unit of agents went to investigate and find The Destroyer armor. One agent asked Coulson if the armor belonged to Tony Stark. Coulson replied that Stark doesn't tell him anything; he tried to address the armor but it attacked them.

Coulson managed to survive the attack from The Destroyer and watched as Thor regained his powers. Coulson confronted Thor who offered his services in protecting Earth under the sole condition that Coulson returned all of Jane's research and equipment. Coulson agreed to Thor's terms and requested that they be debriefed before Thor flew upwards with Jane in his arms.

Black Widow Strikes
Coulson acts as Control for Black Widow's mission in Moscow to interrogate Mikhail Fjodorov. After Fjodorov is killed, Coulson aids Widow even when she goes off the grid and helps her to take down Ten Rings member Richard Frampton.

Fury's Big Week
To be added

The Consultant
Jasper Sitwell met with Coulson in a cafe. Coulson had been informed that the Government wanted to free Emil Blonsky, considering him a war hero, who destroyed half a city just because he was attacked by The Hulk. The two were tasked with preventing Blonsky's release, and decided to send a consultant to talk to General Ross and convince him not to free the Abomination, someone so irritating and annoying that Ross would be forced to give up his plans. Unwillingly, Coulson accepted to send Tony Stark, The Avengers's consultant.

The Avengers
"So that's what it does."

- Phil Coulson

When a threat to the world required the formation of a team of Super Heroes to defeat it, Coulson took on the task of assembling Nick Fury's Avengers as just another day at the office.

He managed to convince Tony Stark to join the team, with the help of Pepper Potts, whom he befriended during his assignment to Stark. Back on the Helicarrier, Coulson was more than happy to meet his all-time hero, Captain America, who had joined the Avengers Initiative on Fury's invitation. Coulson asked Rogers to sign some vintage collectible sticker cards he'd gathered in around two years, stressing the fact that Rogers had always been a model for him.

After the team's first mission, Coulson told Fury that the team was not prepared to face the common menace, and that they needed to be motivated some way. Stark managed to capture Loki Laufeyson and bring him to the S.H.I.E.L.D Helicarrier, when a brainwashed Clint Barton attacked and Loki was able to break free. Coulson reached Loki's prison, only to find the villain out of his cage, and Thor trapped in his place. The agent threatened Loki with a weapon, Coulson's Revenge, created from The Destroyer's body, but the Asgardian teleported and stabbed him through his back by using his staff. Laying on the floor, Coulson was powerless to prevent Thor's expulsion from the Helicarrier, but managed to land a blow on Loki with the Revenge. Later, when the battle was over and lost, Fury reached Coulson just in time to hear his last words. As he died, Coulson suggested Fury used his death to motivate the Avengers into working together as a team.

S.H.I.E.L.D.
To be added

Character traits

 * In the films of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Agent Coulson was generally depicted as a supporting character of the protagonists and used to represent S.H.I.E.L.D.'s presence in the plots of the films, to the point that Clark Gregg has described Coulson as "the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent". However, in the "Marvel One-Shots", Coulson is given "a chance to stand in his own spotlight for once", when the character is put in a position where there is an imminent threat and no superheroes around. The decision to give more focus to Coulson was "a natural" for "Marvel One-Shot" co-producer Brad Winderbaum.
 * Gregg has stated, "I think of Agent Coulson, after all these years, as a guy with a full life. I think every day he's somewhere doing something for S.H.I.E.L.D., and yet I don't always know what that is... There's always a different twist. In this one he gets to show more of his wisecracking wit, and in this one he's a little bit more of a badass."
 * Despite Coulson being called "the most recognizable face in the Marvel Comics movie universe", he was depicted as an "everyman" in a universe full of superheroes – "the glue that binds" the characters together. In Thor, Coulson complains that Tony Stark "never tells [him] anything", while in The Avengers, Stark shows his disdain for G-Men by insisting that Coulson's first name is "Agent" rather than "Phil". In an interview with WNBC, Gregg explained his portrayal of the character as 'just a guy grumbling about his job "He's the guy who's tasked - a very disciplined guy in my opinion who possesses secrets that would turn your hair white - but at the same time he's tasked with handling these kind of diva superheroes, you know? "Oh, really, Asgard? Dude, just get in the car."

Friends and Allies

 * Steve Rogers/Captain America - Ally and Heroic idol
 * Tony Stark/Iron Man - Ally and friend.
 * James Rhodes/War Machine - Ally
 * Virginia Potts - Ally and friend
 * Nick Fury - S.H.I.E.L.D. Director
 * Black Widow - S.H.I.E.L.D. Ally and subordinate
 * Thor - Ally
 * Hawkeye - S.H.I.E.L.D. subordinate
 * Maria Hill - S.H.I.E.L.D. Ally
 * Jasper Sitwell - S.H.I.E.L.D. Ally
 * Erik Selvig - Aquaintance who picked Thor up from Coulson's base, Coulson presumably reccomended Selvig meet with Nick Fury to discuss the Cosmic Cube.

Enemies

 * Obadiah Stane/Iron Monger
 * Ivan Vanko/Whiplash
 * Justin Hammer
 * The Destroyer
 * Loki Laufeyson - Killer
 * Thaddeus Ross - Opposing General
 * Emil Blonsky/Abomination - Coulson prevented him from joining the Avengers
 * Chitauri

Appearances/Actors

 * Marvel Cinematic Universe (7 films)
 * Iron Man (First appearance) - Clark Gregg
 * Iron Man 2 - Clark Gregg
 * A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Thor's Hammer - Clark Gregg
 * Thor - Clark Gregg
 * The Consultant - Clark Gregg
 * The Avengers - Clark Gregg
 * Item 47 (Mentioned only)
 * Marvel Cinematic Universe (1 TV series)
 * S.H.I.E.L.D. - Clark Gregg

Behind the scenes

 * During his first meeting with Stark in the second film, Coulson states that if Stark tried anything, he would "Tase you [Stark] and watch Supernanny while you drool onto the carpet".
 * Since Fury lied about Coulson's trading cards, and though we saw medics arrive but heard Coulson's death called only over the PA, many fans theorize that Coulson and Fury used the opportunity to fake his death and motivate the team. This is just fan speculation, and has not been confirmed or denied.
 * Despite dying in The Avengers, it is rumored he will return as The Vision.

Trivia

 * According to screenrant.com, Joss Whedon has hinted that Coulson may actually have superpowers. This has yet to be confirmed.
 * Clark Gregg is voicing Agent Coulson in the TV series Ultimate Spider-Man.
 * Coulson appears in MARVEL UNIVERSE - THE AVENGERS: EARTH'S MIGHTIEST HEROES #1 comic book tie in to the smash hit tv series The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes
 * Due to the popularity of the character, Coulson was introduced into the main Marvel Comics universe with the series "Battle Scars".