- "The Sokovia Accords. Approved by 117 countries, it states that the Avengers shall no longer be a private organization. Instead, they'll operate under the supervision of a United Nations panel, only when and if that panel deems it necessary."
- âThaddeus Ross[src]
The Sokovia Accords were a set of legal documents designed to control and regulate the activities of enhanced individuals, including members of government agencies such as S.H.I.E.L.D. or private organizations such as the Avengers. Established by the United Nations and ratified in 2016 by 117 countries, the Accords served as a legal response to international concerns over unsanctioned actions and consequences by enhanced individuals and members of the Avengers.
By 2025, the Sokovia Accords had officially been repealed.
History[]
Passed into Law[]
- "The defense and security of law-abiding Americans at home and abroad is always the most important task of our government."
- âSenate Majority Leader[src]
In 2016, a devastating terrorist attack in Lagos, Nigeria resulted in the deaths of twenty-six people, eleven of the victims being relief workers from Wakanda. Deemed a public relations disaster, the attack prompted the United Nations to create a system of accountability.[2]
In response, the United Nations drafted the Sokovia Accords, giving them broad and overarching authority to register powered peoples and see their activities. Despite members' concerns that the Accords could infringe on basic human rights, they were adopted by the United Nations Security Council.
In an extremely rare act of bipartisanship, the United States Senate voted 98 to 1 approving the passage of the Sokovia Accords, following a 357â66 vote of overwhelming support by the House of Representatives. Senators discussed for hours leading up to the vote, emphasizing the necessity of the Sokovia Accords to prevent a catastrophic event like that in Sokovia from happening in the United States. However, some members of the House of Representatives worried about the overarching powers granted by the Sokovia Accords and whether the wording could pose a direct and dangerous infringement on civil liberties.[3]
Avengers Civil War[]
Introduction to the Avengers[]
- "For the past four years, you've operated with unlimited power and no supervision. That's an arrangement the governments of the world can no longer tolerate."
- âThaddeus Ross to the Avengers[src]
Thaddeus Ross introduces the Accords
One month after the attack, Thaddeus Ross, who had been recently appointed Secretary of State by Matthew Ellis, approached the Avengers and stated that public opinion was increasingly divided, with some viewing them as heroes and others viewing them as dangerous vigilantes or worse, living weapons of mass destruction.
The Avengers debate the Sokovia Accords
Ross presented archive footage from New York, Washington D.C., Sokovia and Lagos, all showing destruction and civilians fleeing for their lives to justify governmental oversight for the Avengers, telling them that they have to retire if they did not comply, before leaving to allow them to discuss it among themselves.[2]
Clash of the Avengers[]
Tony Stark tries to get Steve Rogers to sign
- "Still no word on the whereabouts of Steve Rogers after his public feud with Tony Stark and the Avengers over the controversial Sokovia Accords. Ratified by 117 countries, the Accords place the Avengers under U.N. authority and provide a framework for the registration and monitoring of all Enhanced individuals."
- âNewscaster[src]
The Sokovia Accords caused a schism in the Avengers. While Tony Stark supported the Accords due to his role in the Ultron Offensive, Steve Rogers recognized that the government having power over potential missions may be a terrible idea in an emergency and disliked the authoritarian nature of its stipulations, noting that signing the Accords would be "surrendering the right to choose". The schism came to a head when Helmut Zemo framed Bucky Barnes for a terrorist attack that occurred during the signing of the Accords.
Combined with Zemo's exploitation of the schism, the Accords tore the Avengers apart, causing Stark's pro-Accords faction and Rogers' anti-Accords faction to destroy an airport as the former attempted to arrest the latter. The Accords caused the anti-Accords faction and Natasha Romanoff, who had been pro-Accords but betrayed Stark's faction knowing that Rogers would never stand down, to either become fugitives or be placed under house arrest, ruining any chance of coordinated defense.[2] Due to Scott Lang's involvement with the Ant-Man Suit, Hank Pym and Hope van Dyne were forced to go on the run as their equipment had been used.[4]
Impact on S.H.I.E.L.D.[]
Glenn Talbot meeting with Phil Coulson
- "I'm here because the President sent me. The Sokovia Accords are the law of the land now and he's concerned you might have some undocumented assets working for you."
- âGlenn Talbot to Phil Coulson[src]
Since the end of the HYDRA Uprising, S.H.I.E.L.D. officially ceased to exist, covertly operating as the black ops division of Matthew Ellis's administration. When the Accords were ratified, Ellis sent Glenn Talbot to speak with Phil Coulson about registering all of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s "undocumented enhanced assets", mainly the Inhuman operatives, because that was required by the Accords.
Jeffrey Mace speaks with Yo-Yo Rodriguez
Talbot and Coulson had a discussion about the rightfulness of the Accords themselves, compared to the Index of the enhanced once used by S.H.I.E.L.D. and eventually regretted.[5] However, Talbot revealed to Ellis the location of the Playground. Under the leadership of Jeffrey Mace who was appointed by Ellis himself, S.H.I.E.L.D. accepted the Accords, therefore becoming a legal organization again.[6]
Questioning Effectiveness[]
- "The Accords might be handy for keeping tabs on enhanced individuals in the field, but regulating them seems a bit of a political pipe dream. Plus, I don't see Thor signing on a dotted line if he ever shows up again."
- âMaria Hill to Nick Fury[src]
While discussing the Avengers Civil War with Nick Fury, Maria Hill expressed skepticism about how effective regulating enhanced individuals would be, since it seemed to be a purely political proposal made with no regard for feasibility.[7]
Quake's activities make headlines
Around the time S.H.I.E.L.D. was legitimatized, Daisy Johnson went rogue and began to operate as a vigilante. Dubbed "Quake" by the press, her vigilantism made some people question the effectiveness of the Accords in the actual implementation of the measures.[8]
Infinity War[]
Regrets[]
James Rhodes betrays the Sokovia Accords
- "If it weren't for those Accords, Vision would have been right here."
"I remember your signature on those papers, Colonel."
"That's right. And I'm pretty sure I paid for that." - âJames Rhodes and Thaddeus Ross[src]
In 2018, after Tony Stark disappeared and Vision was attacked, it became clear to James Rhodes that signing the Accords was a mistake. When the fugitive Avengers arrived at the Avengers Compound with Vision, Thaddeus Ross, via holographic call, ordered Rhodes to arrest them even though, as Steve Rogers pointed out, the remaining Avengers needed all the help they could get. Rhodes ended the call, knowing he would likely be court-martialed. Ultimately, the dysfunction resulting from the Accords was, at the very least, a necessary contributing factor to the Avengers' first outright failure, as they were unable to prevent the Snap from happening.[9]
United Nations Conference[]
| The following section contains information from media marked as Dubious Canon. |
With the United Nations concluding a conference about global security, a keynote speaker stressed that the cooperation among nations following the signing of the Sokovia Accords could be a starting point for treaties that were for the benefit of all members of the intergovernmental organization.[1][10]
| This concludes information from media marked as Dubious Canon. |
Violations[]
Project Cataract[]
By 2023, Vision's corpse fell under the possession of S.W.O.R.D. Tyler Hayward, the acting director of S.W.O.R.D., initiated Project Cataract, where Vision's body was disassembled and dissected in an attempt to reactivate him to serve S.W.O.R.D. After gaining a sample of Wanda Maximoff's chaos magic, Hayward used it to reactivate Vision, whom they had rendered white, and turned him into a sentient weapon.[11] S.W.O.R.D.'s activation of an A.I. synthezoid to use as a sentient weapon was illegal, as it was in violation of Section 36B of the Sokovia Accords.[12]
Mark in History[]
In 2024, the Sokovia Accords were displayed in the newly updated Captain America exhibit in the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C..[13]
Repealed[]
- "May I remind you that the Sokovia Accords have been repealed."
- âMatt Murdock to Price[src]
By 2025, the Sokovia Accords had officially been repealed, allowing superheroes to operate legally with anonymity once again.[14]
Regulations[]
- "How does this registration thing work? You put us on a list, then what?"
"Well, we collect fingerprints, DNA samples. We run a power analysis to categorize your threat level which is also used to determine health risks." - âLincoln Campbell and Glenn Talbot[src]
The formerly known regulations established by the Sokovia Accords included:
- Any enhanced individuals who agree to sign must register with the United Nations and provide biometric data such as fingerprints and DNA samples.[5]
- Those with secret identities must reveal their legal names and true identities to the United Nations.[2]
- Those with innate powers must submit to a power analysis, which will categorize their threat level and determine potential health risks.[5]
- Those with innate powers must also wear tracking bracelets at all times.[15]
- Any enhanced individuals who sign are prohibited from taking action in any country other than their own unless they are first given clearance by either that country's government or by a United Nations subcommittee.[2]
- Governments are forbidden from deploying enhanced individuals outside of their own national borders unless those individuals are given clearance as described above. The same rule also applies to non-government organizations that operate on a global scale (including S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers).[2]
- Any enhanced individuals who do not sign will not be allowed to take part in any police, military, or espionage activities, or to otherwise participate in any national or international conflict, even in their own country.[2]
- As a corollary, they will not be allowed to participate in any active missions undertaken by private or governmental law enforcement/military/intelligence organizations (such as S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers).[2]
- Any enhanced individuals who use their powers to break the law (including those who take part in extralegal vigilante activities), or are otherwise deemed to be a threat to the safety of the general public, may be detained indefinitely without trial.[2][16]
- If an enhanced individual violates the Accords, or obstructs the actions of those enforcing the Accords, they may likewise be arrested and detained indefinitely without trial.[2]
- The use of technology to bestow individuals with innate superhuman capabilities is strictly regulated, as is the use and distribution of highly advanced technology (such as Asgardian and Chitauri weaponry).[17][4]
- The Avengers will no longer be a private organization and will operate under the supervision of the United Nations.[2]
For the purposes of the Accords, an "enhanced individual" is defined as any person, human or otherwise, with superhuman capabilities. This includes individuals whose powers are an innate function of their biology as well as individuals who utilize the highly advanced technology to grant themselves superhuman capabilities. However, individuals with advanced prostheses do not seem to be considered "enhanced", even if their prostheses give them capabilities beyond those of ordinary humans.[5]
All members of the Avengers are subject to the same conditions as enhanced individuals, even if they are not enhanced themselves: Black Widow was required to sign so she could continue serving on the Avengers due to her previously being deemed a threat to world security by Nick Fury, and Hawkeye was incarcerated on the Raft after violating the Accords.[2]
Key Players[]
Ratifying Nations
- Austria
- China
- France
- Germany
- India
- Italy
- Kenya
- Russia
- Sokovia (Annexed by neighboring countries)
- United Kingdom
- United States of America
- Wakanda (Withdrew shortly after)
- 105 other nations
Supporters
- International Community
- Matthew Ellis[5]
- Donald Trump
- Thaddeus Ross
- T'Chaka â
- T'Challa (Formerly) â
- Glenn Talbot[5] â
- Everett Ross
- Phil Coulson[6] â
- Ellen Nadeer â
- Avengers
- Tony Stark â
- Vision (Formerly) â
- James Rhodes (Formerly)
- Natasha Romanoff (Formerly) â
- S.H.I.E.L.D.
- Jeffrey Mace[6] â
- Elena Rodriguez (Formerly)[19]
- Lincoln Campbell[5] â
- Daisy Johnson (Formerly)[5]
- Known individuals who signed it
Opponents
- Supporters of Captain America
- Helmut Zemo
- Watchdogs
- Willis Stryker
- Robbie Reyes
- Aida â
- Alisa Jones â
- Hank Pym
- Hope van Dyne
- Trish Walker
- Tyler Hayward
Alternate Versions[]
| Origin | Status | Creators |
|---|---|---|
| Captain America: Civil War: The Junior Novel | Active | United Nations |
Appearances[]
Trivia[]
- The Sokovia Accords are a version of the Superhuman Registration Act from the Civil War comic series. The Act is a piece of legislation that required all enhanced individuals in the United States of America to reveal their secret identities and disclose their powers for regulation.
References[]
- â 1.0 1.1 Content inside 'The Oregon Examiner' newspaper shown in episode The One Who Got Away
- â 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 Captain America: Civil War
- â Content inside newspaper shown in episode Emancipation
- â 4.0 4.1 Ant-Man and the Wasp
- â 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. 3.20: Emancipation
- â 6.0 6.1 6.2 Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. 4.01: The Ghost
- â Captain Marvel Prelude
- â Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. 3.22: Ascension
- â Avengers: Infinity War
- â Helstrom: 1.03: The One Who Got Away
- â WandaVision: 1.08: Previously On
- â 12.0 12.1 WandaVision: 1.05: On a Very Special Episode...
- â The Falcon and The Winter Soldier: 1.01: New World Order
- â She-Hulk: Attorney at Law: 1.08: Ribbit and Rip It
- â Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. 4.04: Let Me Stand Next to Your Fire
- â Jessica Jones: 2.10: AKA Pork Chop
- â Spider-Man: Homecoming
- â Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: 4.08: The Laws of Inferno Dynamics
- â Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Slingshot: 1.02: John Hancock
- â Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: 4.03: Uprising
