Agent Coulson (Clark Gregg) is coming back to Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.next season, but if you were hoping he somehow survived the Season 5 finale, we've got bad news. The first teaser for the show's sixth season does preview Coulson's return, somehow, but also confirms in big bold font that the former SH.I.E.L.D director fans have known and loved for so long is dead and done. Again.
Last we saw, he was dropped off with May (Ming Na Wen) in Tahiti to live out his days, and in the teaser, May confirms, "I was there until the very end."
Some fans have theorized that Coulson's return might sync up with the March release of Captain Marvel, which will introduce the Skrulls, a race of alien shapeshifters, and feature him as some kind of body-snatched baddie.
The teaser certainly seems to support that idea, since Coulson pulls a Mariah Carey-style "I don't know her" power move when the subject of his S.H.I.E.L.D. service comes up in the voiceover. Savage.
Of course, there's always the possibility of resurrection. As executive producer Jed Whedon told TV Guide, "As we always say, this is Marvel and our show always finds a way to bring people back. Our show is founded on him."
Meanwhile, the teaser also updates us on the status of Fitz (Iain De Caestecker), and yep, his alternate, futuristic version is still floating out in deep space just waiting to be found by the team.
Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. returns for Season 6 on ABC this summer.