'Agents of SHIELD' Season 5 Finale Titled 'The End'

Agents of SHIELD has overcome a very rough and turbulent start to become one of the biggest staples of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Agent Phil Coulson and his squad (Fitz-Simmons, Quake, Melinda May, Mack) have all become Marvel fan-favorites, which is an especially big accomplishment for a stable of original characters.

Yet, while Agents of SHIELD has grown into something more prominent within the MCU, there's been debate recently about whether or not the show has run its course. With an official season 6 renewal announcement still pending, Marvel fans may not be all that thrilled to hear that the title for the AoS season 5 finale is, "The End."

TV Line is reporting the title for the SHIELD finale; today we also get word that the finale will air on Friday, May 18th, from 9:01 - 10:01pm EST on ABC. Needless to say, fans are going to be buzzing and speculating about what the finale title actually indicates, which is no doubt what Marvel Studios and the showrunners wanted, when choosing it.

The current AoS storyline sees Coulson's team return from an apocalyptic future, in which the Earth has been cracked in half, and the surviving humans were kept like slaves aboard a Kree outpost. That future also delivered some ominous prophecies about the various S.H.I.E.L.D. team members, whether it was YoYo's tragic injury, the destiny of the Fitz-Simmons marriage, and even the big changes in Melinda May's life. However, the biggest dark portents on the horizon are no doubt Quake's destiny to be the destroyer of Earth, and Phil Coulson's impending death, due to an infective injury from a battle in the future.

Phil Couslon's potential death, and Coulson actor Clark Gregg's announced role in the upcoming Captain Marvel movie, have fueled the fan theory that Agents of SHIELD will soon be coming to an end. Even the showrunners have hinted that this season 5 finale could serve as the official series finale - so the question is: would that be a bad thing?

As stated, Agents of SHIELD has lasted longer than anyone ever thought it would, and has ventured into so many places that have helped flesh out the world of the MCU in significant ways. But even the characters themselves have been joking that season 5's "Lost In Space" arc was the result of the series running out of ideas, and there's a certain amount of truth in that jest. Keeping things fresh is a crucial part of the MCU gameplan, and it's arguable that the franchise would be better served by a introducing a new TV concept, as part of the new world we'll be in after Avengers: Infinity War.

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What do you think: should Agents of SHIELD keep going, or is it time for a new MCU TV series? Let us know in the comments!

Agents of SHIELD airs Friday's at 9/8c on ABC.