Deathlok & Lorelei Confirmed for AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D.

Do you remember last fall, when Angel and Marvel Comics fans were disappointed to find out that J. August Richards was only playing a guy called "Mike Peterson" in the pilot for ABC's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.?  Well, it turns out he's going to be something more...

During yesterday's Television Critics Association set visit, Marvel revealed that Richards' Mike Peterson is going to become the cyborg character Deathlok in the February 4th episode, "T.R.A.C.K.S."  In "The Magical Place," fans learned that Peterson survived an explosion, is missing a leg, and has had his eye replaced by the mysterious organization known as Centipede.  The official description for Deathlok:

Transformed into the cybernetic solider against his will, Mike Peterson must struggle to find the man in the machine. With a high-tech eye that allows him to see through walls, super strength and increased speed courtesy of a cybernetic leg, will Deathlok fight alongside the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. or against them?

Created by Doug Moench and Rich Buckler, the character first appeared in Marvel's Astonishing Tales #25 in 1974, debuting as Luther Manning, an American soldier who dies and is reanimated in a post-apocalyptic future as a cyborg.  Other characters using the Deathlok identity followed, including John Kelly, Michael Collins and Jack Truman.

"We have been waiting all season for this moment where we can reveal that Mike Peterson's story arc is an origin story," said executive producer Jeffrey Bell.  "We're thrilled to have J. August Richards playing Deathlok and to have our audience enjoy this favorite Marvel character on the show."

Richards commented on the revelation, saying "If you would have asked when I was nine years old what I wanted to be, I would have said a super hero and I'm so excited to be one now as an adult on TV!  It's a dream come true."

Meanwhile, there are more details of Jaimie Alexander's reprisal of Sif on the series.  According to a post on Twitter from Marvel, Sif's specific mission that returns her to Earth is "to track down Lorelei, a villain from Walter Simonson's Thor run." 

The character first appeared in 1984's Thor (vol.1) #337, Simonson's first issue, as an Asgardian who asks Loki's help to win Thor's love.  Posing as a mortal Earth woman called "Melodi," she is "saved" by Thor during Fafnir the dragon's rampage in Manhattan, then later gets Thor to drink golden mead, which turns out to be a love potion that places him under her control.

According to TV Guide, the role of Lorelei will be played by Elena Satine, who also portrayed DC Comics character Mera in the Smallville episode "Patriot."  Barring any repeats, the episode featuring Sif and Lorelei should air on February 18th.