WandaVision episode 4 took its first big steps away from distorted comedy life this week, with major new developments in the layers of the modern Marvel movie set.
In particular, we took a look at what – in the comics – is one of the most extravagant secret organizations in the Marvel Universe. And that can connect to the future of Captain Marvel, Nick Fury and the Skrull empire.
[Ed. note: This piece contains spoilers for WandaVision through episode 4.]
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22253231/Screen_Shot_2021_01_22_at_1.38.56_PM.png)
Image: Marvel Studios
WandaVisionSWORD’s strongest tip about SWORD’s existence came in its third episode, where he spent much more time with Geraldine’s character while she befriended Wanda and helped deliver her twin children. But other Westview members comment that Geraldine is strange and new in the city. It is also different from other citizens in another respect. So far, she is the only one who seems to have memories of Wanda’s life as an Avenger.
Geraldine tells Wanda that he remembers when Ultron killed his brother Pietro, and Wanda is agitated and suspicious. We don’t see exactly what happens next, but the next time we see Geraldine, she is ejected by a sparkling barrier around Westview, while uniformed and armed people in fist surround her.
One of the things Wanda begins to suspect is Geraldine’s pendant, a tear with a raised sword.
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22252955/Screen_Shot_2021_01_22_at_6.48.45_AM__2_.png)
Image: Marvel Studios
The mix of sword images and a shadowy military group points in one direction for Marvel Comics fans: SWORD.
WandaVisionThe fourth episode “We Interrupt This Program”, leaves Westview to show us the almost immediate response of SWORD, the Sentient Weapon Observation and Response Department, to the disappearance of Westview, a small (fake) city in New Jersey.
Founded by Maria Rambeau, a close friend of Captain Marvel who first appeared in Captain Marvel, SWORD is apparently a government agency dedicated to detecting and dealing with extraterrestrial threats to Earth, which makes you wonder where exactly they were when Thanos appeared in Avengers: Infinity War – but maybe WandaVision has plans to resolve this. For now, let’s talk about SWORD in the original Marvel Comics.
What is SWORD?
First of all, the acronym SWORD is a little different in the comics: the Sentient World Observation and Response Department. In other words, it is a counterpart of SHIELD that focuses on extraterrestrial events, as well as the show.
SWORD’s profile is not as great as that of SHIELD in the history of Marvel Comics, although it has a significant role to play in bows like Secret Invasion, which happens to be one of Marvel’s next exclusive Disney Plus series.
In addition, now in the comics, SWORD has evolved into the diplomatic and space exploration arm of the Krakoa mutant government. This is such a recent development that it should not be expected to have any connection with WandaVision, even though Wanda and his brother Pietro were mutants in the comics. But that is cool.
SWORD, in addition to WandaVision
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22253261/spiderman_farfromhome_movie_screencaps.com_14077.jpg)
There are many indications that we will see more of SWORD beyond WandaVision.
Monica Rambeau of Teyonah Parris, who we now know is a great player in SWORD, is ready to repeat her role in Captain Marvel 2. And Monica could have also kept in touch with Nick Fury since Captain Marvel. The last time we saw SHIELD’s most slippery agent in Spider-Man: away from home, he was in deep space on a Skrull ship. Samuel Jackson will eventually return to the role of Secret Invasion, and Parris will be seen again in the caption Captain Marvel 2. It is possible, as is Marvel’s way, that WandaVision sets the foundation for both future MCU installations.