Not knowing how the outcome of Captain America: Civil War will affect the MCU is weighing down on me. However, a recent theory from a comic book fan has me looking past Captain America: Civil War to Avengers: Infinity War in 2018. Patrick Walsh told ComicBook.com he thinks Marvel could ditch S.H.I.E.L.D. for S.W.O.R.D. in the next Avengers installment. With 67 characters at the Russo brothers’ disposal for the film, a real S.W.O.R.D. debut would be the perfect way to introduce a handful of new characters to take over the spotlight.
S.W.O.R.D. (Sentient World Observation & Response Department) is a S.H.I.E.L.D. counterpart that deals strictly with extraterrestrial threats. While it’s technically a subdivision of S.H.I.E.L.D., the organization is known to run independently. Abigail Brand runs the show from a hub in outer space known as Peak. Brand is mixed--half alien/half human--and she recruits both extraterrestrial and human agents.
Walsh pointed ComicBook.com in the direction of a still from Tony Stark’s vision in Avengers: Age of Ultron to back his theory. The Avengers lay sprawled on the ground on a rock in outer space. Amongst them are a few agents that on first glance look like S.H.I.E.L.D., but their uniforms have a slightly different logo patch.
Thanos, an extremely powerful alien, is the main baddie in Avengers: Infinity War , and who better to help the Avengers deal with an extraterrestrial threat than an organization designed to do so? He’s on an undying quest to find all 6 infinity stones (as seen in Guardians of the Galaxy ) to fill his infinity gauntlet, which would give him amazing powers: Space Stone, Mind Stone, Reality Stone, Power Stone, Soul Stone and the Time Stone. Thanos is able to absorb, project and manipulate cosmic energy, allowing him to use a range of abilities including telekinesis and telepathy. Since he’s also a technology genius, he can teleport, time-travel and journey to alternate universes.
Guardian of The Galaxy’s Star-Lord is also set to appear. Joe Russo even hinted at a complete story arc overhaul for Avengers: Infinity War . He’d like to focus on secondary characters, and even said a few of our favorite Avengers won’t be around anymore. Nick Fury is also set to have a role in Infinity War. Samuel L. Jackson could be reprising his role as a way to ease in S.W.O.R.D.’s presence and lessen S.H.I.E.L.D.’s influence over the Avengers. Interestingly enough, when Nick Fury’s tenure ends in the comics, S.H.I.E.L.D. and S.W.O.R.D.’s working relationship becomes tense.
S.W.O.R.D.’s presence has been teased in ABC’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. series, which now deals almost exclusively with alien and inhuman threats. The Guest House facility is particularly suspicous. At one point it held a mysterious alien corpse who's DNA was used to resurrect S.H.I.E.L.D.’s leader, Phil Coulson. In the series, Coulson sees what looks like Kree writing in his visions from Project T.A.H.I.T.I. S.H.I.E.L.D. is currently up against Hive, an inhuman working with HYDRA from planet Maveth.
The aftermath of Captain America: The Winter Soldier was reflected on ABC’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. series. Captain America: Civil War will also bring the MCU’s version of the Superhero Registration Act (aka Sovokia Accords) to ABC’s show as well and S.H.I.E.L.D.’s inhuman agents (aka The Secret Warriors) will be affected. This working relationship gives us no reason to believe the series hasn’t also also been foreshadowing future happenings in the Marvel film universe. With the plot already alien-centered, Phil Coulson and the Secret Warriors would be a great way to set-up a stronger S.W.O.R.D. presence in the MCU.
With each Marvel film release, the plot of Avengers: Infinity War thickens. Would you like to see more S.W.O.R.D. and less S.H.I.E.L.D.? Let us know in the comments below!
