Phil Coulson Has No Superpower

Whilst binge watching Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. this Easter, I realised that, no doubt, the greatest Avenger doesn’t have a traditional superpower.

But Phil Coulson, played superbly by Clark Gregg, has something else.

What?

Phil has two other things that make him a true superhero. Mindset (or Heart) and a Map (or a Plan).

A mentor’s note I have always done my best to live by is:

“If you have a map, but not the mindset, you will fail 100% of the time, every time.
If you have the mindset, but no map, you will get there…eventually.
But, if you have the mindset and the map, you will get there, and far sooner than you think.”

Phil Coulson embodies that message completely.

What I love about this character is that he has no external superpower; he is absolutely Mr Joe Average. But he has the biggest heart on the whole team and he always has a plan, even if the plan is to improvise until things work out.

I think it’s great that the average guy is so clearly shown to be the biggest hero. If you consider most of our real-world heroes, they are just average, quiet people with a never say die mindset, a lot of heart and a plan, that sometimes fails and forces them to improvise.