Jeff Ward is being given a larger role for season 6 of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and has been promoted to a series regular. The biggest new addition to Marvel’s ABC show for the fifth season was Ward as Deke Shaw. He was introduced during the first half of the season that was set in space and in the future, but he managed to make his way to the present day. Along the way, fan theories were confirmed as he was revealed to be the descendant of Fitz (Iain De Caestecker) and Simmons (Elizabeth Henstridge).
Ward was just a recurring star on the show in the last season and the final episode left his future up in the air. With the fifth season set around changing the future, not knowing where he was when the finale came to a close made him one of season 6’s biggest questions. Not only will he be back, but he will return in a bigger capacity.
Marvel has confirmed that Jeff Ward has been promoted to a series regular for Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s season 6. There’s no word yet on how he will return, but the capacity confirms that a future where he is still born is possible.
The addition of Ward in season 5 brought another fish-out-of-water element to the season. While he was the one helping the team when they were out of time, he got to then experience the wonder of Earth once he was transported to the present day. Deke was also a constant source of comedy for the show and was even set up as a potential love interest for Daisy (Chloe Bennet). That could be explored further with him coming back officially.
This does, however, raise questions over what actually transpired in season 5. Deke was born in the future where Earth exploded and humanity became enslaved by the Kree. Audiences were led to believe that those events were prevented and that the team truly had changed the future. S.H.I.E.L.D. could explain this all away through some classic FitzSimmons science, but it is still a question nonetheless.
Ward’s promotion to series regular puts him in the same status as Bennet, De Caestecker, Henstridge, Ming-Na Wen (Melinda May), Henry Simmons (Mack), and Natalia Cordova-Buckley (Yo-Yo). Now, fans just need to know what happens to Clark Gregg’s Phil Coulson. With the season 6 currently filming, we will hopefully get more answers and updates on S.H.I.E.L.D. sooner rather than later.
More: Clark Gregg Meeting About Possible Agents of SHIELD Return
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 6 will debut on ABC in 2019.
Source: Marvel
