Character: Leopold Fitz
From: Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Representation: Disability (Brain Injury, Aphasia), Psychosis
Their Importance: During the second season, we see Fitz come to terms with his new disability. Fitz is a genius; he had a PhD by the age of 16. After his brain injury, he’s still a genius, but he struggles with expressing that. He has trouble speaking and getting words out. His hand shakes, making his engineering work more challenging. He hallucinates his best friend after his best friend leaves. But throughout the season, we see him make new friends who accept him as he is, reconcile with his best friend, and learn to accept that he is “different now, and there’s nothing wrong with that.”
Issues: He faces ableism (a character says that Fitz “can’t do anything”) and has internalized ableism (Fitz says that he is “damaged”). The effects of the brain injury aren’t really seen after season two. Fitz mentions rehab in season three and that it helped him be able to say words like ‘antithesis’ and he occasionally stutters, particularly in situations that are highly emotional/stressful, but the trouble with finding words and the psychosis have disappeared.
Thanks to anon for the submission!
My soon-to-be husband had/has (it’s a bit better now) a disability which affected his ability to kinda find words and get them out. Like the words he knew would just kinda go, I guess.
When he watched AoS he was really pleased to see Fitz going through the same thing. He said it was incredibly relatable.