Agents of SHIELD: Stars discuss Yo-Yo and Mack’s relationship, representation and more

We sat down with Agents of SHIELD stars Henry Simmons and Natalia Cordova-Buckley at SDCC to talk Mack and Yo-Yo’s relationship, Marvel spin-offs, and more.

It’s a bittersweet time for Agents of SHIELD fans. Even as we look forward to the Season 6 finale in just a few weeks, we know that the end of the series is in sight. (Marvel confirmed that Season 7 will be SHIELD’s last.)

Given that the series has been through its fair share of plot twists, soft reboots and cast changes, it’s not that surprising to hear that Marvel’s first television effort will finally be closing up shop next year. (And, really, seven seasons is a more than respectable run!) But that doesn’t make it easier to know that we’ll have to say goodbye.

In happier news, however, Season 6 is still rolling along, and it’s the sort of story that feels as if it could go anywhere. (If we’re honest, it kind of already has: What with the spaceships and time travel and clones and whatnot.)

Agents of SHIELD stars Henry Simmons and Natalia Cordova-Buckley sat down with the press at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con to discuss the current season of SHIELD, representation in the world of superhero television and whether either of them would show up for a spin-off.

When asked about their roles in the series finale – which they are currently in the process of filming – Simmons and Cordova-Buckley were fairly tight lipped. (In typical Marvel fashion.)

“It’s never what we expect,” Cordova-Buckley said on the subject of her character’s ending.

“There’s still some discussion on that, on my part,” Simmons chimed in. “We’re in the process on that. So we’ll see.”

Of course, Simmons and Cordova-Buckley’s characters, Yo-Yo Rodrigeuz and Alphonoso “Mack” Mackenzie, have just recently resolved some relationship drama of their own. The two have finally reunited after breaking up offscreen during the gap between Seasons 5 and 6.

But though they support the outcome, the actors are not 100% in favor of the way this particular story went down.

“I was surprised at how easy they broke up and how easy they got back together,” Cordova-Buckley said.

“I thought it should have been a process,” Simmons agreed. “I didn’t agree with the break up thing anyway.”

“We just didn’t understand it,” Cordova-Buckley pointed out. “Because we had ended [Season] 5 so united.”

“What I would have liked to have seen was tension,” Simmons declares. “I think that’s more interesting for me. Tension because the man’s trying to do his job and he’s trying to hold his relationship together and here’s a strong, independent woman who needs to do what she needs to do and here’s the man trying to be like no, I don’t want you to do that.”

“The tension can say so much more instead of just breaking them up, so I didn’t agree with the break up and I still don’t. And then I don’t agree with the fact that they got together (again) so quickly.”

“And she started dating another guy like five seconds later!” Cordova Buckley points out. “It was very melodramatic.”

“But we know what we got!” declares Simmons with a laugh. (Perhaps we can look forward to a more stable Mack and Yo-Yo relationship in the series’ final season? Stay tuned.)

The state of the MCU on television is currently in a bit of flux, as Marvel gears up to launch a full slate of shows on the Disney+ streaming service, Netflix cancels most of its Marvel-related line-ups and a handful of new original series are slated to premiere on Hulu.

One of those series is Ghost Rider, which will star Gabriel Luna, an actor who originated the role on ABC several seasons ago on Agents of SHIELD. While this new Hulu series is being spun as a new adventure that may or may not call back to his time on SHIELD, it’s hard not to wonder whether Cordova-Buckley or Simmons could end up bringing the characters over to this new series.

“I would love that,” Cordova-Buckley declared. “I love Gabe. I think he deserves thisas an actor, he’s done so much in the past – before we even did Agents of Shield – that is worthy of him getting this role, on top of it he’s a great human being.

So, I would love to go and do that – whether it be as Yo Yo or another character – and work with him the team again.”

“He deserves Ghost Rider,” Simmons agreed. “But you know what, honestly? I’d just love to work with him again in any capacity, I don’t care if it’s Ghost Rider or anything else.”

“And we got another brown superhero!” Cordova-Buckley declares happily.

When asked about their experiences as people of color on a show like Agents of Shield, Cordova-Buckley called the experience “profound”.

“It comes down to not just one – I never thought that your career as an actor could be so moving in terms of representation and reflection for other people. And that’s been really profoundly touching for me.”

What have been your favorite moments from Agents of SHIELD so far? What do you hope to see in its seventh and final season next year?