Has Marvel Television Continuity Been Pruned?
The question that has been looming in all of our minds since the behind-the-scenes material in Marvel Studios’ Assembled: The Making of The Falcon and The Winter Soldier included the statement that it was the first Marvel television series to tie-in to the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe is: Have the shows in the Marvel Television continuity been pruned from the Sacred Timeline?
The TVA has been busy pruning… Photo: Marvel Studios
The Evidence
After the initial statement in the second episode of Marvel Studios’ Assembled, appropriately titled “The Making of The Falcon and The Winter Soldier,” additional clues have emerged.
In Loki’s first episode, for example, during the scene in the Time Theater, Mobius M. Mobius (Owen Wilson) shows Loki (Tom Hiddleston) holographic footage from his life, including the murder of S.W.O.R.D. S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg).
Photo: Marvel Studios
However, for devoted watchers of Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., which ran for seven seasons on ABC, we know that Coulson’s death was only the beginning of his story.
The character was resurrected using genetic material from a dead Kree warrior, and went on to have plenty of adventures post-death, including episodes that tied in to movies like Thor: The Dark World, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and even Avengers: Age of Ultron – where do you think Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) got those hellicarriers during the Battle of Sokovia, huh?
Continuity Cap remembers the Son of Coul. Photo: ABC/Marvel Television
A Return?
Furthermore, there are already rumors that some of the Marvel TV characters will be returning to the MCU, including Coulson and Quake (Chloe Bennet).
Meanwhile, Coulson played a significant role in the recent Marvel Comics event, Heroes Reborn.
Photo: Marvel Comics
Plus, there have been rumors about Jessica Jones and Daredevil returning to the MCU, as well…
But Maybe Not
However, there is some evidence that suggests the timelines depicted in the Marvel TV shows were already been pruned, and not just our current version of Loki.
Photo: Looper
For one thing, Mobius brings up Coulson’s death, but not his resurrection, and considering that Coulson and friends went on to have plenty of time-traveling adventures, we don’t know how the TVA could overlook that, Marvel Blog True Believers!
Plus, MCU superstar director James Gunn took to Twitter to tell fans that anything before WandaVision wasn’t considered canonical. Jeesh, Gunn, who died and made you head giant space lizard?
https://twitter.com/JamesGunn/status/1410764308712022018?
Another piece of evidence comes from the grimoire at the heart of WandaVision, the Darkhold, aka the Book of the Damned. The titular tome has a long history in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Runaways… But in those appearances, it looked much different than it does in Westview!
Marvel Television Pruned: Yes or No?
Do you think Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Cloak & Dagger, The Inhumans, and the shows in the Defenders cycle on Netflix are part of the Sacred Timeline? We’re waiting to hear from you, Marvel Blog True Believers! Let us know in the comment section.
