It's Official: Cobie Smulders Joins Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. — Plus: Spoilery Intel From the Pilot!

VIA: Agent Maria Hill will, indeed, report for duty: How I Met Your Mother’s Cobie Smulders is set to reprise her Avengers film role in the movie’s ABC spin-off, Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
TVLine has confirmed that the actress will appear in the pilot and other episodes of the much-anticipated ABC drama, which is based on the 2012 action blockbuster.

Exactly how often Agent Hill — who played right-hand-woman to Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury in the flick — will be seen on the show remains up in the air. That’s mainly because of her existing role on (rival network) CBS’ HIMYM. But that comedy is coming to an end after this season; if movie director/series boss Joss Whedon can bring Agent Coulson back from the dead (or at least make it seem that way), who knows what else he can make happen?

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. debuts Tuesday, Sept. 24 at 8/7c.

To top off that exciting news, those in attendances at the show’s Friday Comic-Con panel were treated to a viewing of the entire pilot. Since we’d hate to ruin the series’ enormously exciting, lavish first episode for you – and risk the wrath of Marvel’s Hulk – we present the highlights:

BEST RETURN | Hill’s comeback provides some of the funniest moments – her response when told Thor isn’t really a God: “You haven’t been near his arms” – and the most intriguing scenes with Clark Gregg’s revived Coulson. Let’s just say, there are a lot of secrets.

BIGGEST BREAKOUTS | Chloe Bennet as quirky, clever superhero-tracker Skye and Brett Dalton as brooding alpha-male agent Grant – “This is my first big [role],” the actor marveled – seem poised to be geek-household names this fall – and they’ve earned the honors: Bennet auditioned six times for the role!

BEST TECH | The Seven Dwarfs, which aren’t a crossover with ABC’s Once Upon a Time but rather flying gizmos programmed to collect data.

BEST ENEMY | In true Whedon fashion, a Big Bad is revealed.

BEST SURPRISE | Someone Comic-Con fans know very well makes an unexpected cameo.

BIGGEST BUTT-KICKER | While Dalton has a very cool fight sequence — hilariously punctuated by a French woman’s nonchalant expression — in France, Ming-Na is definitely most impressive.

… AND THE BEST PART | There’s more to come! “Wait until you see Episode 2,” teased Gregg. Added Joss Whedon: “I have been to a Con before. But it’s very different every time. I have that feeling that I have no had for a long time where I have assembled this extraordinary ensemble… I’m a little excited.” As for what the future holds, Whedon would only say, “We’re going to have pain. We may see some people. And we may see some new people from the Marvel universe that are not yet cinematic.”