Marvel Comics loves their acronyms for secret organizations. On comic book pages are S.H.I.E.L.D., A.I.M., H.A.M.M.E.R., and, of course, S.W.O.R.D., to name a few. Some of these cleverly named organizations are the good guys, while others are traditionally the bad guys, but most of them tread the line between good and bad, switching sides according to the comic book story.
Thanks to WandaVision, S.W.O.R.D. is the organization most comic book and superhero fans are interested in these days. As the secret group starts to infiltrate the corners of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (and, potentially, other Marvel Disney+ shows), this should serve as a primer for the curious audience members.
S.W.O.R.D. Is Relatively Young
Unlike a lot of comic book organizations that make their way into movies and television projects, S.W.O.R.D. is a relatively young group. It just made its debut in 2004.
The group was created as an offshoot of S.H.I.E.L.D., which had been a Marvel staple since the 1960s. Writer Joss Whedon and artist John Cassaday created the group. Whedon is best known for Buffy The Vampire Slayer and bringing The Avengers to the big screen. Cassaday has worked on many different comics, but might be best known for his work on Uncanny Avengers and Astonishing X-Men at Marvel. Because it hasn't been around as long as others, there's not a huge amount of history to draw on for a screen adaptation.
It Was Created For An X-Men Comic
The organization made its debut in the Astonishing X-Men series penned by Whedon. Most comic book fans would call it the "space version" of S.H.I.E.L.D. While S.H.I.E.L.D. focused on protecting people on Earth, S.W.O.R.D. focused on protecting the planet from extraterrestrial threats.
The fact that the group debuted in an X-Men comic book, however, made for a complicated screen rights issue. With most of its members associated with the X-Men for years, the on screen rights likely rested with FOX until Disney gained FOX's catalog.
It Almost Appeared In Thor
MCU fans will be interested in knowing that S.W.O.R.D. almost made its debut on the big screen in 2011. There was a slightly different ending scene for Thor that featured a line referencing the organization.
Erik Selvig would have told his team of scientists to, "cross reference... with the S.W.O.R.D. database," while Jane and Darcy were busy trying to contact Thor through the Bifröst. While the line wouldn't have expanded further on the group, it would certainly have left movie fans wondering if the group would turn up in subsequent films.
Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. Producers Wanted To Include S.W.O.R.D.
The last seasons of the MCU's flagship TV series took on space and time travel. Some comic book fans even speculated that Daisy Johnson could be in the show's version of S.W.O.R.D. by the time the show ended.
Producer Jeffrey Bell, however, noted in an interview that the creative team tried to include the organization early in the series. Higher-ups at Marvel Studios, however, wouldn't allow them to. Clearly, there was already a plan in place to use S.W.O.R.D. elsewhere.
WandaVision Marks Its Live-Action Debut
S.W.O.R.D. is appearing in live action for the first time in the Disney+ series WandaVision as a possible friend or foe for Scarlet Witch. That isn't, however, the first time the group has been used in a Marvel project on screen. It has been utilized in animation.
The organization appears in The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes. It first appears in the episode "Welcome To The Kree Empire," and is used through the series' version of the "Secret Invasion" story. That's led plenty of fans to wonder if S.W.O.R.D. might appear in the Disney+ Nick Fury centric series that is also using the "Secret Invasion" comic book story for inspiration.
The Only Consistent Member Is Abigail Brand
Since the organization's debut, S.W.O.R.D. has had a handful of limited run series and popped up in other stories. The organization's roster tends to change with each iteration, not unlike the X-Men or Avengers. One person has remained consistent in the stories, however, and that's Abigail Brand.
Abigail Brand is half alien, half human mutant. She usually is depicted with bright green hair, has a gift for languages, and is also, typically, the leader of S.W.O.R.D. She's commanded the X-Man Beast, Kitty Pryde's dragon Lockheed, and also tends to employ alien beings she meets in her travels who are on her side.
It's Been Infiltrated By Viral And Parasitic Aliens
S.W.O.R.D. has almost seen itself wiped out a few times in the comics, and usually, it's from within. That's because there's frequently someone amongst the agency's ranks that is not entirely who they say they are.
In one instance, a Skrull shapeshifted to get inside the space station in order to destroy it. In another, the alien species The Brood made hosts of the agents to lay their eggs and took over the ship. In still another, an alien race called the Vescora, who are essentially living viruses, infected the agents. In every case, nearly the entire organization was wiped out. S.W.O.R.D. is not a lucky group.
Captain Marvel And Spider-Woman Have Been Members
It's not just X-Men characters who get recruited to join their ranks. Spider-Woman briefly served with S.W.O.R.D. Jessica Drew jumped at the chance to help defeat shapeshifting Skrulls after having her own world turned upside down by their queen, who impersonated her.
While she hasn't been a member in the comics, Captain Marvel was an agent serving S.W.O.R.D. in its animated incarnation. It wouldn't be a stretch to see her work with the group in the MCU as well.
S.W.O.R.D. Deported Aliens From Earth
Most Marvel comic book storylines focusing on tension between warring groups tends to spotlight humans versus mutants. Sometimes, however, the humans are simply anti-extraterrestrial, so anything not human in the galaxy is considered dangerous.
When S.W.O.R.D. had its first limited run series, Kieron Gillen penned a story arc that saw one agent set out to get all aliens off the planet. Henry Gyrich headed up the organization with Abigail Brand, and he took full advantage of her attention being held by other matters to get the ball rolling on deportation. His ideas were in complete contrast with Brand's, who attempted to work with the beings from other planets as long as they weren't hostile.
S.W.O.R.D. Has A Name Change For WandaVision
In the comics, because S.W.O.R.D. is focused on things that could be coming from outside the planet, it's acronym stands for Sentient World Observation And Response Department. The job of the agents is, quite literally, to make sure any sentient beings headed to Earth are friendly. That isn't the same as the MCU version of the group.
According to posters for WandaVision, the acronym sees a slight change for the MCU. Its new meaning is Sentient Weapon Observation And Response Division. "Division" makes it sound like a government agency a la S.H.I.E.L.D. The "Weapon," however, means that the group isn't focused on the skies, but on threats in general. The symbol for the group remains the same, shown on name badges, posters, and in the necklace worn by "Geraldine" while in Westview.