‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’ Exclusive: Marvel’s Absorbing Man Returns for 2016!

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. has plenty of Marvel-ous surprises in store for Season 3’s 2016 return, from Secret Warriors to Inhumans, and now another familiar face has been set in stone. Or metal. Or diamond! In any case, we can exclusively reveal that Brian Patrick Wade will reprise his role as Carl “Crusher” Creel, AKA Marvel’s Absorbing Man, but is he friend or foe this time out?

Eagle-eyed fans might have caught a familiar-looking stone face in the first trailer for 2016 premiere “Bouncing Back,” and ScreenCrush can exclusively confirm the figure is indeed the famed Absorbing Man. Not seen since Season 2, Brian Patrick Wade will return as Carl “Crusher” Creel for the March 8 installment with one minor twist - notably, “it’s unclear if he will be a friend or foe to the S.H.I.E.L.D. team.”

UPDATE: Marvel reps have since corrected themselves that The Absorbing Man will return in March 15 episode “The Inside Man.”

The character first appeared in Season 2 premiere “Shadows” as a reluctant agent of Hydra, before being subdued and incarcerated in subsequent episode “Heavy is the Head,” and turned over to General Talbot (Adrian Pasdar). Notably, the the character was also referenced in Netflix’s Daredevil as the unseen boxing opponent of Jack “The Devil” Murdock, set decades earlier.

So reads the first 2016 Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. synopsis for March 8 return “Bouncing Back”:

In the aftermath of his trip to Maveth, Coulson is more determined than ever to get to Gideon Malick and put an end to Hydra once and for all. Daisy and the team encounter more Inhumans who have powers like they’ve never seen before, but will they be friends or enemies of S.H.I.E.L.D.?

In addition to returning William Sadler (Iron Man 3) as MCU President Ellis, the upcoming Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. return has also cast Natalie Cordova-Buckley as Elena “Yo-Yo” Rodriguez, alternately known as the Secret Warrior “Slingshot.”

You can check out the latest Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. teaser below, and stay tuned for more on The Absorbing Man’s 2016 return in March 8 premiere “Bouncing Back.”

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