The quiet agent in the background
Sitwell is one of those faces you notice on a rewatch. He is a S.H.I.E.L.D. field agent from the organization's early MCU days, polite and buttoned-up, usually standing next to someone more famous. In Thor he is part of the team that surrounds the mysterious hammer in the New Mexico desert, taking orders from Agent Coulson. He looks like a dependable company man, which turns out to be exactly the point.
His appearances in order
- Thor (film, recommended)
- The Avengers (film, essential)
- Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (series, optional)
- Captain America: The Winter Soldier (film, essential)
- Avengers: Endgame (film, essential)
In The Avengers he is mostly on the Helicarrier, tracking leads for the team. His visit to Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is a guest spot that links the show to the films.
Why The Winter Soldier changes everything
For most of his screen time, Sitwell is a background player. That changes in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. The film is a spy thriller about rot inside S.H.I.E.L.D. itself, and Sitwell ends up holding information Steve Rogers and Natasha desperately need. His scenes there, including a tense rooftop conversation and a memorable car ride, are some of the sharpest in the movie.
Without saying too much: the agent from the earlier films is not who he appeared to be, and that reveal recolors every scene of his you have already watched. It is a great example of the MCU rewarding long-term viewers.
He also returns in Avengers: Endgame during the time heist, in a scene set during an earlier chapter of the story. Fans of The Winter Soldier will recognize the setup and the elevator, and the moment works as a clever callback.
The heroes he works with
Sitwell takes orders from Nick Fury and works alongside S.H.I.E.L.D.'s top operatives. His most important scenes are opposite Captain America (Steve Rogers) and Black Widow, who confront him in The Winter Soldier. Thor crosses his path in the first film, though only briefly, since Sitwell is one of many agents guarding the hammer site.
Maximiliano Hernandez behind the badge
Maximiliano Hernandez plays Sitwell in every appearance. He has a gift for playing professionals who seem trustworthy and easy to overlook, which makes the character's later scenes hit harder. Outside Marvel, he is best known for playing FBI agent Chris Amador in The Americans, a role that put his steady, low-key presence to similar use.
Which order to watch
Release order is ideal: Thor, The Avengers, then The Winter Soldier and Endgame. The two Avengers films and The Winter Soldier are essential anyway, so you will likely watch them regardless. Thor is recommended for Phase One context. The Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. episode is optional and best saved for viewers who plan to watch that series. More agents and allies are in our list of Marvel characters.