S.H.I.E.L.D. was founded by Colonel Nicholas Fury and Clint Barton during the later years of the Cold War before eventually expanding into a global multi-national organization with thousands of agents worldwide in response to an increase in the global mutant population. The organization was first led by General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross as its director and was controlled entirely by the United States. During the Gulf War, the Weapon X Project, headed by Colonel John Wraith, was sanctioned by S.H.I.E.L.D. and resulted in the creation of Wolverine. [citation needed]

After Ross' apparent death (it was later reveal that he survived), Nick Fury was then selected as the organization's executive director. His first actions were to shut down Weapon X and resurrect the Super-Soldier program, commissioning Dr. Bruce Banner to try to recreate the formula that made Captain America. This failed and resulted in the creation of the Hulk when Banner injected his serum into himself. It was later revealed that the chemical called Oz, which turned Norman Osborn into the Green Goblin, was also created in hopes of recreating the Super-Soldier formula. Spider-Man was also a product of the Oz formula. Also, the creation of the Sandman and Electro are due to Hammer Industries attempting to recreate the Super-Soldier formula for S.H.I.E.L.D. [citation needed]

S.H.I.E.L.D. later created its own superhero team, the Ultimates. Later still, it brought the X-Men and Spider-Man under S.H.I.E.L.D. jurisdiction. However, S.H.I.E.L.D. later severed ties with the X-Men.[1] In further in upholding its agenda on policing post-human threats, the organization maintains ties to a sister organization in Europe, the European Defense Initiative as well as the English-operated S.T.R.I.K.E. [citation needed]

However, S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Ultimates' 'policing' actions were immediately scrutinized by every other nation, leading to the Liberators' attack on America and forcing the Ultimates to break away from S.H.I.E.L.D.[2]

As of the events of Ultimate Power, S.H.I.E.L.D. became under the directorship of Captain Carol Danvers, as Nick Fury was stranded in the Squadron Supreme's universe. [citation needed]

Following the aftermath of Ultimatum, Fury returned to S.H.I.E.L.D. in charge of the black ops unit called Avengers, and made a plan to recover his place as Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.. Circumstances following an intelligence leak led to a conflict between Fury's Avengers and Ultimates who were manipulated by Gregory Stark, who temporarily became Director, in an attempt to remove the organization's previous Directors and smuggled Super-Soldiers to supply the rebels of rogue states to help pro-democracy forces and fueling his ambitious agenda. Stark's conspiracy was put to an end when he was killed during a fierce battle with the Avengers and Ultimates. Danvers was forced to resign as ordered by the President of the United States for allowing Gregory Stark to commit crimes against the United Nations, and so Fury returned to his position as S.H.I.E.L.D. Director.[3]

After the crisis in Europe with the Children of Tomorrow, the U.S. President activated the Winter Protocols, dismissing Fury and giving the role of director to Marvin Flumm.[citation needed]

With a previous nuclear attack of Reed Richards against Washington, D.C., killing the President and almost the entire presidential cabinet, a new Civil War started. Steven Rogers was elected president by the majority of the American population and after S.H.I.E.L.D.'s new director Flumm tried to kill him, Monica Chang was put in charge of S.H.I.E.L.D. by Rogers.[4]

After the near-destruction of Earth at the hands of Galactus,[5] S.H.I.E.L.D. was dismantled and Chang was cited in court as she and the organization had failed to successfully protect the world.[6]

Some months later, Nick Fury rebuilt S.H.I.E.L.D. as a United Nations sponsored organization with global sovereignty and unlimited funding, and they re-installed in the rebuilt Triskelion.[7] S.H.I.E.L.D. seemingly perished together with the entirety of its universe as a consequence of the Multiversal phenomena known as incursions.[8] The universe was returned to existence since then, and seemingly so did S.H.I.E.L.D.[9]


Executive directors

  • General Thaddeus E. "Thunderbolt" Ross[10] - Executive director until his attempted murder by John Wraith. Later became government liaison to the Baxter Building and then the Fantastic Four.
  • General Nick Fury[11] - Executive director after Thunderbolt Ross' attempted murder by John Wraith. Fury directed the Super-Soldier Project that was tasked with trying to duplicate the process which empowered Captain America in preparation of a war which Fury assumed would be based on genetic engineering and policing violations of the Superhuman Test Ban Treaty. He was taken into custody by the Squadron Supreme of Earth-31916 for his role in the events of Ultimate Power effectively removing him from the position. After the death of Gregory Stark battling The New Ultimates and The Avengers, Nick Fury re-assumed his role as director and leader of The Ultimates.
  • Captain Carol Danvers[12] - Executive director after Nick Fury's involvement in the events of Ultimate Power and subsequent capture. She a liaison/girlfriend to alien Captain Mahr Vehl. Left destitute after The New Ultimates and The Avengers battled Gregory Stark.
  • Gregory Stark: Director after entrap Danvers and Fury. In a final confrontation with The New Ultimates and The Avengers, he was killed by Thor.
  • Agent Flumm: Director after the President dismissed Fury.
  • Monica Chang: Director appointed by President Captain America after Flumm tried to kill him.


  • Reed Richards: Appointed by Nick Fury to create contingency plans for every doomsday scenario possible.[7]

Former agents

Other Members


Equipment: Various military equipment and hardware
Transportation: Hellicarriers
Weapons: Plasma pistols, needle pistols, conventional firearms.


Total Members: Unknown hundreds


See Also

Links and References


  1. Ultimate X-Men #65
  2. Ultimates 2 #13
  3. Ultimate Avengers vs. New Ultimates #6
  4. Ultimate Comics Ultimates #16
  5. Cataclysm: The Ultimates' Last Stand #1-5
  6. Survive! #1
  7. 7.0 7.1 Avengers Vol 5 #41
  8. Secret Wars #1
  9. Spider-Men II #5
  10. Ultimate X-Men #9
  11. Ultimate Marvel Team-Up #5
  12. 12.0 12.1 Ultimate Secret #1
  13. Ultimate X-Men #39
  14. Ultimate Spider-Man #15
  15. 15.0 15.1 Ultimate Six
  16. 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 Ultimates #1
  17. Ultimates Vol 2 #6
  18. Ultimate Power #1
  19. Ultimate X-Men #28
  20. Ultimate Nightmare #1
  21. Ultimate X-Men #48
  22. Ultimate Wolverine vs. Hulk #1
  23. 23.0 23.1 Ultimate Spider-Man #90
  24. Ultimate Marvel Team-Up #14
  25. Ultimate X-Men #2
  26. Ultimate Comics Avengers Vol 2 #1
  27. 27.0 27.1 Ultimate Spider-Man #115
  28. 28.0 28.1 Ultimates #11


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