When it was first announced that Ghost Rider would be part of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.‘s fourth season, the response from fans was mixed. The later reveal that the show would put the spotlight on the Robbie Reyes version of the character didn’t exactly help matters, and fans instantly started talking about all of the better ways in which the Spirit of Vengeance could be used by Marvel Studios.
After all, Ghost Rider – who previously starred in two Sony Pictures-produced movies – has a ton of potential, and is just one of only a handful of characters Marvel has regained the rights to in recent years. Since then, the hero’s role in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. has actually been very well-received, but that doesn’t mean fans weren’t right about there being better uses for him.
What you’ll find here then is a look at eight ways in which Marvel could have better utilized Ghost Rider in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. From the identity of the man beneath the flaming skull to ideas for the character on both the big and small screens, any one of these would have in many ways been far more exciting than what Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. has and will potentially deliver.