WARNING: This article contains major spoilers for "Stolen," the latest Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. episode.
Deke borrowed Star-Lord's aesthetic in "Stolen," Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s latest episode.
This week, the time-flung agents found themselves stranded in the 1980s. Despite having fixed the Time Drive, they received no new destination from Fitz, which means they are stuck for the time being. As they waited for their next jump, Deke ran diagnostics on the Time Drive to make extra certain it was up and running -- and enjoyed some tunes as he did so.
Of course, this would be largely unremarkable if it weren't for Deke's audio player of choice. In true 80s fashion, he clipped a Walkman to his belt, with the cassette tape's scribbled-on title just visible through its window: "Deke Squad Mix Vol. 2." As the camera panned up, Deke was also revealed to be wearing headphones with orange ear cushions.
As Marvel Cinematic Universe fans will surely recognize, Deke's setup is an homage to Star-Lord from Guardians of the Galaxy. For one, Peter Quill was abducted from Earth in 1988, putting the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents and the young Star-Lord-to-be within just a few years of each other. For another, Peter held on to his Walkman -- and its accompanying orange-tipped headphones -- for decades in remembrance of his mother, who gifted him with "Awesome Mix" Vol. 1 and 2 before she died of cancer. These mixed tapes served as the soundtrack for Guardians of the Galaxy and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and went on to become a beloved part of MCU canon.
Additionally, there's another layer to this homage that goes back to Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 5. Ahead of Deke's debut on the show, his arrival was teased in the trailers and promotional material. However, his face was never shown; he wore a helmet, much in the style of Star-Lord's mask, and made his grand entrance by floating into a dock with outer space at his back.
Immediately, the Internet was ablaze with theories. As fans tried to identity him, some believed Deke was actually Star-Lord and that the show would cross over with the films. Obviously, that particular fan theory didn't pan out, but the show's creators were obviously aware of them. It looks like "Stolen's" Guardians of the Galaxy reference is also a tongue-in-cheek nod to the fans who once speculated that Deke was Star-Lord.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s final season airs Wednesdays at 10 pm ET/PT on ABC. The series stars Ming-Na Wen, Chloe Bennet, Henry Simmons, Iain De Caestecker, Natalia Cordova-Buckley, Elizabeth Henstridge and Clark Gregg.