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Film

REVIEW: AGENT CARTER One-Shot

Agent Carter One-Shot - cover image

Haley Atwell is amazing. She’s traversed three forms of media for the role of Peggy Carter, and has rightly deserved every paycheck for it. This short film was received very well. It screened at San Diego Comic-Con, before being released as a special feature with Iron Man 3. The response led ABC ordering a television series. The Agent Carter One-Shot stars Atwell, along with Dominic Cooper returning as Howard Stark and Bradley Whitford as John Flynn, Peggy’s SSR boss. The short focuses on Peggy facing sexism as a member of the SSR, the agency before S.H.I.E.L.D..

This short is a work of art. It tackles the issue of sexism in the workplace, as Peggy struggles to get her boss to treat her the same as her coworkers. You can sense a deep emotional conflict within Peggy, as she grieves for Steve Rogers but accomplishes her work at the same time. She wants to do more than data work. She wants to be who she was before the war ended. But the men in her office, specifically her boss, doubt her, and treat her as little more than a resource to handle busy work.

When she takes a mission without anyone’s knowledge, she’s trying to prove to herself that she can still be the secret agent she’s always been. There’s a ton of emotional conflict surrounding her, and you can feel the tension. Carter succeeds at the mission. When she walks into work the next morning, she isn’t the same as the day before. She proves to herself (and to others) she doesn’t need any help. Howard Stark verifies this to the world, as he brings her on to manage S.H.I.E.L.D..

The Agent Carter one-shot is worth the watch. Peggy Carter is an amazing character to follow. This short adds even more depth to her character.

Katie Rentschler

Clemson University Graduate. Lover of all things Star Wars and DC.