The Origin of S.W.O.R.D.

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WandaVision premieres on Disney+ this Friday night and Marvel fans could not be more excited! With it comes the beginning of Phase Four and a host of new characters and organizations. One we at MarvelBlog are excited to learn more about is S.W.O.R.D.

Photo: Marvel Studios

What is S.W.O.R.D.?

S.W.O.R.D. boasts another new acronym for Marvel fans to keep track of. It stands for Sentinent World Observation and Response Department. Introduced in 2004 in X-Men written by Joss Whedon (who directed 2012’s The Avengers, as well as its sequel, Avengers: Age of Ultron), it opens a plethora of new storytelling possibilities.

At this point, fans are well acclimated with Nick Sheild’s former employer, S.H.E.I.L.D. This organization, which stands for Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division, has existed in the Marvel comic book universe since the 1960’s.

Photo: Marvel

A simple distinction exists between the two entities. While S.H.E.I.L.D. has an international focus, it usually sticks to tackling threats against the planet Earth. S.W.O.R.D., on the other hand, boasts a galactic mission and focuses on facing off against extraterrestrial threats.

The existence of S.W.O.R.D. was first implied in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) through a post-credits scene in Spider-Man: Far From Home. In the scene, Nick Fury (played by Samuel L. Jackson) was spending time on board an extraterrestrial space station. Some have speculated that station could be The Peak, S.W.O.R.D.’s galactic headquarters.

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How are S.W.O.R.D. and S.H.E.I.L.D. Linked?

In Marvel comics, S.W.O.R.D. typically operates independently. Many of its missions remain top-secret, even among high-ranking S.H.E.I.L.D. agents. We anticipate meeting the director of S.W.O.R.D. (Nick Fury’s counterpart) in MCU’s Phase 4.

Since S.W.O.R.D. was first introduced as a branch of S.H.E.I.L.D., Nick Fury had some involvement in its operations. Since the two organizations are now separate, Fury has less to do with its day-to-day business.

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Abigail Brand is a character commonly associated with S.W.O.R.D., having been a key member since its introduction. She is a half-mutant, half-alien with bright green hair who heads up the security agency. Both Brand and the X-Men are typically involved in S.W.O.R.D. business.

Moving forward, it is reasonable to assume Fury will help lead S.W.O.R.D. before passing it off at a later date. This may take place during Secret Invasion, the upcoming Disney+ series featuring Nick Fury (the role being reprised by Samuel L. Jackson) and the shape-shifting Skrull, Talos (played by Ben Mendelsohn).

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We can’t wait for the kickoff of Phase 4 tomorrow with the premiere of WandaVision! Are you excited?

Featured Image Credit: Nerdist.com

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