The first episode of the fourth season of "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." is barely a week away and the flood of new teasers for the season, like a sneak peek look at the arrival of the mystical hero Ghost Rider, are gushing in; here is a rundown of some of the brand new elements fans can expect in the new season.
It was already known that Marvel is now extending the themes of the Marvel Cinematics Univers (MCU) and will begin touching on the supernatural and mysticism with the upcoming "Doctor Strange" film in November. The film will star Benedict Cumberbatch as the titular Sorcerer Supreme.
Part of this extension is the casting of Gabriel Luna as the otherworldly hero Ghost Rider for the fourth season of "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." Yahoo released a first look image of Luna's portrayal of the character, showing him in quite a literal blaze of glory with his fiery skull-headed from as the Spirit of Vengeance.
For the mainstream audience, most will likely remember the previous incarnation of the character in the Nicolas Cage starred films; 2007's "Ghost Rider" and 2012's "Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance." That version of the character adapted the original Ghost Rider, the daredevil Johnny Blaze.
For Luna's appearance in season 4 of "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.," he will actually be a different version, although one already present in the comics instead of a brand new character made specifically for the series. Luna's Ghost Rider will be mechanic Robbie Reyes, the latest person to take up the mantle of the Spirit of Vengeance in the comics.
The Reyes version of the character possesses some marked differences from the Blaze version: for one, Reyes drives a black muscle car, represented in "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." as a 1969 Dodge Charger, instead of a motorcycle; another is the fact that his powers does not actually come from the same source as previous Spirits of Vengeance.
In the source material, Reyes' powers come from his being possessed by the soul of Eli Morrow. While giving him powers similar to other Ghost Riders, it has been stated in the comics that Eli's soul is not actually a real Spirit of Vengeance. With that power, Reyes took to the gang-riddled streets of East Los Angeles where he started cleaning up crimes.
While to what extent Luna's portrayal of the Robbie Reyes Ghost Rider in "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." season 4 will be loyal to the comics, the recently released promotional teaser from Television Promos on YouTube suggests that he will seemingly be involved in gang-related activities possibly like a supernatural Punisher.
Other new things coming to "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." season 4 are the team breaking up possibly for good this time, Jason O'Mara as the new director of S.H.I.E.L.D. according to TV Line, and the titular organization now back in the light after working in the shadows due to the effects of the Sokovia Accords.
Catch "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." season 4 when it returns Sept. 20 at 10 P.M. PT on ABC.
