A slew of new characters were introduced in the “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” Season 5 premiere, and it’s safe to say that Jeff Ward’s Deke made a memorable first impression on viewers. However, part of that reaction was due to the fact that he looked like another Marvel character.

“A lot of people have been saying Star-Lord,” the actor admitted to ET Online.

It’s easy to see why. Deke’s space style was seriously influenced by Chris Pratt’s character in “Guardians of the Galaxy.” But it isn’t just the leather jacket and less than honorable job that caused comparisons. Deke floated into the space station wearing a mask that was much like Star-Lord’s. The technology allows humans to breathe in space.

“First of all, I’m humbled at the comparison, because I don’t think I’ll ever be able to do it as well as Chris Pratt,” Ward added. “He’s so unbelievably good at it. But I do think of Deke as somewhere between Star-Lord, Han Solo and Chris Evans’ character in ‘Snowpiercer.’ I’ve always kind of seen him as the triangulation of those three guys.”

The mask certainly isn’t the only thing piece of “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” Season 5 that is reminiscent of “Guardians of the Galaxy.” Another new character called Sanara (Florence Faivre) is a kree who operates her deadly spheres in the same way Yondu (Michael Rooker) used his fin in the movies. These similarities aren’t an accident. They’re a reminder that “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” is set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

“I mean it helps to be able to say this scene just look at ‘Guardians,’” executive producer Jed Whedon told ScreenRant. “This scene from ‘Guardians,’ or you know, just we’re playing in that same universe so we weren’t totally inventing it. ... There were at least rails there where you could say they’ve established different colored people, they’ve established certain things. Certain looks that you can use a touchstone and a jumping off point, so to say.”

While elements remind viewers of “Guardians,” it’s clear that this story is completely unique to the ABC drama. In Friday’s Season 5 premiere, Coulson (Clark Gregg) and the team learned that they have been transported to space without Fitz (Iain De Caestecker). They can’t just fly back to Earth, however, because they are in the future. They’ve arrived decades after the planet imploded. It sounds like audiences will see much more of the TV show’s interpretation of space before the team gets to go home.

“Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” Season 5 airs Fridays at 9 p.m. EST on ABC.

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