S.H.I.E.L.D.

""The principle S.H.I.E.L.D. was founded upon was pure." "Protection." "Protection. One word. Sometimes, to protect one man against himself. Other times, to protect the planet against an alien invasion from another universe. It's a broad job description.""

- Nick Fury and Melinda May

The Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division, better known by its acronym S.H.I.E.L.D., is an American extra-governmental military counter-terrorism and intelligence agency, tasked with maintaining both national and global security. Founded in the wake of the Allied victory over the Axis powers and HYDRA in World War II, S.H.I.E.L.D. was organized to protect the United States from all possible threats. With its advanced weapons and extraordinary agents, S.H.I.E.L.D. was maybe the greatest military power on Earth. Following his encounter with Captain Marvel, S.H.I.E.L.D. was run by Nick Fury and the World Security Council in the modern age, S.H.I.E.L.D. had to deal with the significant rise in enhanced individuals, dangerous advanced technology, and alien contact. But all the problems S.H.I.E.L.D. had to solve eventually led to the formation of the Avengers, a response team that was recruited to save the world during the alien invasion of Earth in 2012. The agency became publicly known after the Battle of New York, partially because of the Rising Tide website.

In 2014, through the actions of Black Widow and Nick Fury, the world became aware of the fact that S.H.I.E.L.D. was infiltrated and largely controlled by HYDRA. After the battle in which S.H.I.E.L.D.'s primary headquarters, the Triskelion, was heavily damaged, all of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s classified files were dumped on the Internet, and the agency was disavowed by the United States government and labeled a terrorist organization. Many S.H.I.E.L.D. officials were taken into custody and subjected to rigorous questioning. However, despite the massive manhunt on S.H.I.E.L.D.'s agents, a few operatives scattered across the world in most secret bases remained loyal to their oath, saving the most necessary paraphernalia for future use. But the team most responsible for the survival of S.H.I.E.L.D. was the team of Agent Phil Coulson, who valiantly led his teammates against the forces of HYDRA led by the traitors John Garrett and Grant Ward, winning the battle in which Garrett's plan ultimately failed. After that battle, Fury appointed Phil Coulson the new director of S.H.I.E.L.D. and tasked him with rebuilding the agency from scratch.

Now working from the shadows and hunted by almost every army in the world, Coulson used his old team as the core of S.H.I.E.L.D. and recruited mercenaries, former agents, and others to help fill the organization's ranks, while simultaneously continuing the fight against HYDRA. At the same time, another faction of S.H.I.E.L.D. arose, this one led by Robert Gonzales, who refused to accept Coulson's authority, believing his faction to be the only "real S.H.I.E.L.D.". After the Battle for the Kree City, Gonzales' faction revealed its existence, attacking and capturing Coulson's base, the Playground. This ignited an open conflict between the two S.H.I.E.L.D. factions. However, after successfully working together to attack and destroy the Arctic HYDRA Research Facility, Coulson successfully proposed a merger of the two factions which occurred in mid-2015. But the peace did not last long, as the Inhumans, a super-powered humanoid race led by Jiaying, declared war on S.H.I.E.L.D. The fight was short and S.H.I.E.L.D. was able to prevent any further damage. After the war, Coulson started a new program of recruiting and training Inhumans for a team to deal with various threats.

The Inhuman Outbreak soon followed, and S.H.I.E.L.D. had to stand against the implications it caused. Following the exposure and the abrupt end of HYDRA's infiltration of the ATCU, S.H.I.E.L.D. was semi-legalized as the black ops division of Matthew Ellis' administration, with the ATCU serving as S.H.I.E.L.D.'s public face. With HYDRA suffering a crippling blow, S.H.I.E.L.D. became aware of the dark Inhuman, Hive, and soon had to fight against his Inhuman army, which intended to transform all humanity into Inhumans. As the war with Hive reached its end, Lincoln Campbell sacrificed his life to destroy Hive in a nuclear explosion in space.

In the aftermath of Hive's defeat, S.H.I.E.L.D. was once again legalized following the signing of the Sokovia Accords, but under a new Director, Jeffrey Mace. Daisy Johnson abandoned S.H.I.E.L.D. and became a vigilante known as Quake. At the same time, they had to deal with new threats, Eli Morrow, who with the knowledge of the mysterious book called the Darkhold, managed to gain incredible powers. In order to defeat him, S.H.I.E.L.D. worked together with Johnson and Ghost Rider. After the victory over Morrow, Johnson rejoined the organization. The revelation that Mace was not an Inhuman caused Coulson to return to the possession as the Director de facto. Following Holden Radcliffe's betrayal for the Watchdogs and the replacement of almost every key agent by an LMD by him, Agents Johnson and Jemma Simmons entered the Framework in order to rescue their missing friends. Despite the operation's success, they soon had to deal with Aida, who became an Inhuman seeking to destroy S.H.I.E.L.D. With the help of Ghost Rider, they killed her, but it caused the organization's shutdown, as Aida and the Superior managed to frame Johnson for the attempted assassination of Glenn Talbot.

A short time after that, Enoch sent the team, with the exception of Leo Fitz, to the year 2091 in order to fulfill a prophecy. They found themselves in the Lighthouse bunker, which was populated with the remaining of the human race, following a catastrophic event that caused Earth's destruction. For the team to survive there, they had to blend in among the humans and fight the Kree who ruled the place under Kasius' orders, while also finding a way back to the present. They eventually managed to return, joining with agents rallied by Deathlok and started a race against time to prevent the Destruction of Earth. After fighting against HYDRA led by Hale, the Confederacy, and Glenn Talbot, S.H.I.E.L.D changed the course of history and saved Earth. However, Fitz died in the process. Since Coulson was dying, he and Melinda May left S.H.I.E.L.D. to spend time together until his death and Mackenzie took over the mantle of Director. The remaining S.H.I.E.L.D. agents then took off on a mission to find the present version of Fitz who was frozen in suspended animation in deep space.

One year later, Mackenzie managed to rebuild S.H.I.E.L.D., recruiting more agents. After searching for signals of paranormal activities, S.H.I.E.L.D. found themselves in conflict with a mysterious group, lead by someone who looked exactly like Coulson named Sarge. Meanwhile, Simmons and Johnson were still on their deep-space search for Fitz, finding themselves at odds with the Chronicoms, who also wanted to find Fitz to save their planet. After rescuing Deke Shaw from Sarge's Squad, May was captured by them, where she learned about Sarge's mission to eliminate the Shrike and their creator. May was able to get free and brought Sarge to the Lighthouse. Back in space, Simmons reunited with Fitz while the rest of the team returned to Earth. Fitz and Simmons were brought back home with the help of Izel, who turned out to be who Sarge was hunting. After an uneasy alliance with Sarge, S.H.I.E.L.D. fought against Izel, while the Lighthouse fell under attack by the Chronicoms. They were able to defeat Izel and Sarge, but they lost the Lighthouse. When the Chronicoms traveled back in time to attack S.H.I.E.L.D.'s history, S.H.I.E.L.D. worked with Enoch to stop this threat, building an advanced Life-Model Decoy of Phil Coulson to help them.

In the War Against the Chronicoms, S.H.I.E.L.D. began their time-travel quest to stop the Chronicoms from killing Wilfred Malick, a HYDRA operative from the 1930s who delivered an ingredient of the Super Soldier Serum to the Red Skull. They then traveled to 1955, where they met Agent Daniel Sousa while stopping Sibyl and the Chronicoms from activating Helius ― and in turn ― saving Sousa from HYDRA. Later in the 1970s, S.H.I.E.L.D. stopped the past S.H.I.E.L.D. from activating Project Insight and lost the Coulson LMD in the process of destroying the main Chronicom time ship underneath the Lighthouse. After regrouping in the 1980s, the Inhuman sanctuary Afterlife was attacked by Nathaniel Malick, who allied himself with the destructive Inhuman Kora to conquer Afterlife and cause anarchy. The S.H.I.E.L.D. team were then trapped in a time storm, forcing Daisy Johnson and the Coulson LMD to relive time-loops while trying to stop it before Enoch gave up his life which allowed the team to repair the Time Drive and escape the storm. Once they escaped, S.H.I.E.L.D. proceeded to rescue the trapped Inhumans at Afterlife from Nathaniel Malick's Crew. Malick, on the other hand, killed Jiaying and kidnapped Simmons to use her to find Fitz. After witnessing the Destruction of S.H.I.E.L.D. Facilities, S.H.I.E.L.D. set out to defeat the Chronicoms in a final battle that resulted in S.H.I.E.L.D. returning to the main timeline and defeating the Chronicoms. Deke Shaw stayed behind in the alternate 1983 to help the team return ― thus allowing Alphonso Mackenzie to continue S.H.I.E.L.D. as the Director in the main timeline and Shaw became the Director in the alternate timeline.

Facilities
Since the United S.H.I.E.L.D. (2015-)
 * Retreat (Safe-House for powered people)
 * S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy (under rebuilding)
 * S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy of Science and Technology (under rebuilding)
 * Coulson Academy
 * Lighthouse  (Former  Project Reclamation  facility and former primary HQ)  (taken over by Chronicom Hunters, retaken by S.H.I.E.L.D.)
 * Theta Protocol Facility (Secret housing facility of Helicarrier No. 64)
 * S.H.I.E.L.D. Washington, D.C. Headquarters (Primary HQ)
 * Triskelion (Primary HQ) (destroyed, rebuilt)
 * The Krazy Kanoe (Safe house)

Former Facilities
 * Area 51
 * Playground (Former primary HQ) (destroyed)
 * S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters (status unknown)
 * S.H.I.E.L.D. Airbase (status unknown)
 * Hub (Operational planning and support) (presumed to be held currently by the United States Armed Forces)
 * Slingshot (Study and disposal of dangerous technology) (status unknown)
 * Fridge (High-security detainment and storage facility) (infiltrated by HYDRA)
 * Sandbox (Study and disposal of hazardous or contagious material) (taken over by HYDRA)
 * S.H.I.E.L.D. Trauma Zentrum (Medical facility)
 * Providence (One of Nick Fury's secret S.H.I.E.L.D. facilities) (currently held by the United States Armed Forces)
 * Cube (status unknown)
 * Treehouse (taken over by HYDRA)
 * S.H.I.E.L.D. East African Headquarters (taken over by HYDRA)
 * S.H.I.E.L.D. Training Facility (status unknown)
 * Maria Hill's Field Office (status unknown)
 * Barbershop Headquarters (taken over by HYDRA, destroyed)
 * Rat (Prison facility) (status unknown)
 * Joint Dark Energy Mission Facility (destroyed)
 * S.H.I.E.L.D. Crater Investigation Site (temporary)
 * S.H.I.E.L.D. Base Camp (temporary)
 * The Guest House (formerly, destroyed)
 * The Coventry (formerly)
 * Shangri-La (formerly)
 * Labyrinth (compromised by the Watchdogs)
 * Cocoon (Training facility) (formerly)
 * The Red Door (formerly)
 * Thunderclap (formerly)
 * Camp Lehigh (formerly, destroyed)

There is a Wall of Valor located at every S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy.

Earth Destroyed Universe

 * Lighthouse (taken by the Kree; later retaken by Humans)

History Altered by Chronicoms

 * The Krazy Kanoe (Primary HQ)

Former Facilities
 * Area 51
 * Lighthouse (Project Insight facility; headquarters for the S.H.I.E.L.D. team from 2019) (destroyed)
 * Triskelion (Former primary HQ) (destroyed)
 * Sandbox (destroyed)
 * Hub (Former primary HQ) (destroyed)

Time Heist (1970)

 * Camp Lehigh

Equipment and Technology
S.H.I.E.L.D. personnel have access to an extensive array of cutting edge technology at their disposal.

Weapons
Regular S.H.I.E.L.D. field agents are usually equipped with a 9mm pistol, usually a, a , or more recently, a. A military branch used for heavy security has access to military-grade personal armaments. A few selected elite agents carry less conventional armaments, such as explosives, or bows. The S.H.I.E.L.D. project titled, "Phase 2", was dedicated to advancing alien technology weapons and reverse-engineer them into directed-energy weapons.

Pistols and Handguns

 * Smith & Wesson M&P: Standard sidearm of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents and Nick Fury.
 * Glock 17: Standard sidearm of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents prior to the Smith & Wesson M&P.
 * SIG-Sauer P226: Standard sidearm of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents in the 1990s. Later reissued to STRIKE operatives, including Rumlow.
 * Smith & Wesson M&P Compact: Used by field agents in operations requiring higher mobility.
 * Glock 19: Primary sidearm of STRIKE Operatives and used by Hill.
 * M1911A1: Used by STRIKE commandos during the Battle of Washington, D.C. and carried by Robert Gonzales as his primary sidearm.
 * CAA Tactical RONI-SI1: Standard pistol carbine used by field agents.
 * Beretta 92FS: Used by Agents Hunter and Hartley while disguised as US Airmen.
 * Glock 26: Primary sidearm of Black Widow, who primarily used it while working with STRIKE and the Avengers.
 * FN FNX-9: Primary sidearm of Sharon Carter, who primarily used it during the HYDRA Uprising.
 * Heckler & Koch P30: Primary sidearm of Hawkeye, who primarily used it while working with the Avengers.
 * Walther PPK/S: Primary sidearm of the Koenig Brothers, who used it primarily to defend themselves from HYDRA agents.
 * Tokyo Marui Strike Warrior: Used by Melinda May to knock Andrew Garner into a Containment Module.
 * Smith & Wesson 910: Used by Skye to defend herself from Akela Amador.
 * Walther CP99: Stored in the armory of the S.H.I.E.L.D. Crater Investigation Site.

Submachine Guns

 * Heckler & Koch UMP45: Used by John Garrett and Grant Ward during the Raid of the Guest House.
 * Heckler & Koch MP5A3: Used by Lance Hunter during the Battle on the Maribel del Mar and obtained by Bobbi Morse and Joey Gutierrez during the Attack on the HYDRA Castle.
 * FN P90: Stored in the armory of the S.H.I.E.L.D. Crater Investigation Site.

Shotguns

 * : Used by various S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, most notably by engineers and technicians.
 * : Used by Lance Hunter and Phil Coulson during the kidnapping of Thomas Ward.

Assault Rifles and Carbines

 * : Primary assault rifle of S.H.I.E.L.D. operatives during combat and strike operations; primarily used before the S.H.I.E.L.D. Civil War before being phased out in favor of the Tavor TAR-21. This carbine was later re-introduced into S.H.I.E.L.D.'s arsenal following the Inhuman War.
 * : Primary assault rifle of S.H.I.E.L.D. operatives working under Robert Gonzales' faction and later all S.H.I.E.L.D. operatives following the S.H.I.E.L.D. Civil War under Director Coulson.
 * : Standard firearm for STRIKE operatives, especially those raiding the Lemurian Star.
 * Colt LE Carbine: Used by S.H.I.E.L.D. operatives to secure the area during HYDRA's Kidnapping of Charles Hinton.
 * : Used by S.H.I.E.L.D. security guards working under Robert Gonzales on the Illiad.
 * Steyr AUG A3: Used by STRIKE commando Brock Rumlow.
 * Daniel Defense DDM4 MK18: Prepared by Lance Hunter to use during the Attack on the Retreat.
 * M16A4: Stored in the armory of the S.H.I.E.L.D. Crater Investigation Site.
 * SIG-Sauer SG552: Stored in the armory of the S.H.I.E.L.D. Crater Investigation Site.

Sniper Rifles

 * Nemesis Arms Vanquish: Used by Grant Ward to aim at Mike Peterson in the case that he needed to be eliminated; also used by Skye to terminate Donnie Gill during the Battle on the Maribel del Mar.
 * : Used by Agents Triplett and Hunter to attempt to assassinate Carl Creel.
 * Desert Tactical Arms Stealth Recon Scout: Used by Grant Ward to provide overwatch during the hostage exchange between S.H.I.E.L.D. and Centipede on the bridge.
 * Remington 700PSS: Stored in the armory of the S.H.I.E.L.D. Crater Investigation Site.

Machine Guns

 * : Mounted under the cockpit of all Quinjets.
 * General Dynamics GAU-22/A: Mounted on the hull of F-35 Lightning II fighter jets.
 * General Dynamics M197 Vulcan: Mounted under the cockpit of military S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicopters.
 * Phalanx CIWS: Mounted on the Project Insight Helicarriers.
 * Browning M2HB: Mounted on an automated turret defending Providence.

Launchers

 * Olin Flare Gun: Used by Leo Fitz to fire a flare into the Monolith as a signal for Jemma Simmons.
 * Orion Flare Gun: Used by Leo Fitz to fire a flare at Hive, who was possessing Will Daniels' body, in order to incinerate and kill him.
 * RM Equipment M203PI: Mounted on M4A1 carbines; used by Phil Coulson and Antoine Triplett to defend Providence from US Special Forces.
 * Fabrique Nationale EGLM: Mounted on FN SCAR-H rifles; used by John Garrett to defend himself against an attack from Deathlok.
 * Milkor MGL Mk 1L: Used by Lance Hunter with an Electric Net Grenade to apprehend Vin-Tak.
 * M136 AT4: Used by a STRIKE commando on-board a Project Insight Helicarrier.
 * Airtronic RPG-7: Used by Nick Fury to prevent the takeoff of a fighter jet armed with a nuclear missile.
 * MM1 Grenade Launcher: Used by operatives attempting to take Bruce Banner into custody in India.

Explosives

 * M67 Fragmentation Grenade: Carried by STRIKE operatives.
 * 40mm Grenade: Ammunition for the M203, EGLM, MGL, and MM1.
 * M18 Smoke Grenade: Used to provide cover, such as during the raid on the government warehouse.

Blades and Melee Weapons

 * Taser Rod: Used by STRIKE commandos to subdue and stun targets
 * Protecop BOSH007 Anti-Riot Shield: Used by STRIKE commandos for personal protection against thrown debris and small-caliber bullets.

Special Weapons

 * Destroyer Armor Prototype Gun
 * Night-Night Gun and Pistol
 * Thunderstick
 * I.C.E.R.s
 * Taser Projectile Launcher
 * Overkill Device
 * Taser Rod
 * Taser Disk
 * Taser Pin
 * Bobbi Morse's Battle Staves
 * Electric Net Grenade
 * Wristbow
 * Cloaked Gun
 * Shotgun-Axe

Vehicles
S.H.I.E.L.D. maintains fleets of Acura and Lexus vehicles for the regular deployment of field agents and scientists. S.H.I.E.L.D. editions of the Acura MDX, Acura TL, Acura ZDX; and Lexus GS 350, Lexus GX 460, and Lexus IS, are painted in black, emblazoned with the S.H.I.E.L.D. seal, and are equipped with sophisticated surveillance technology. The military arm of S.H.I.E.L.D. uses a range of surface vehicles suitable for urban security, and aircraft with combat capabilities extending to fighter jets and helicopters. This branch also has access to exclusive aircraft types. Former
 * Modified 1962 Chevrolet Corvette (aka "Lola") - VTOL car
 * S.H.I.E.L.D. Quinjets - Armed aircraft
 * Zephyr One
 * Zephyr Three
 * Iliad - Aircraft carrier and command unit; headquarters of Robert Gonzales' faction until reunification
 * Helicarrier No. 64 - Airborne aircraft carrier and command unit
 * S.H.I.E.L.D. SUVs
 * CXD 23 Airborne Mobile Command Station (S.H.I.E.L.D. 6-1-6, aka "The Bus") - Airborne command unit.
 * Insight Helicarriers (IN-01, IN-02, IN-03) - Next-generation armed Helicarriers
 * Lemurian Star - Mobile satellite launch platform
 * Nick Fury's SUV
 * S.H.I.E.L.D. Railbikes
 * S.H.I.E.L.D. UAVs
 * S.H.I.E.L.D. Jump Jets
 * S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicopters
 * S.H.I.E.L.D. Motorcycles
 * Lifeboats

Misc.
S.H.I.E.L.D. scientists work tirelessly both in the lab and in the field to develop new equipment, technologies and compounds on the fly.

S.H.I.E.L.D. ID Cards
S.H.I.E.L.D. issues personal ID Cards for each of their agents, displaying their name, title, date of birth, ID number, date of issue, date of expiration, and in some cases their Clearance Level.

After the Fall of S.H.I.E.L.D., ID Cards were replaced by special lanyards. Those lanyards were replaced by new Clearance Level color based cards.

S.H.I.E.L.D. Files
S.H.I.E.L.D. maintains files on their agents, people of interest, objects, events, places, and various other things.

During the Battle of the Triskelion, Natasha Romanoff, with the assistance of Nick Fury and Alexander Pierce, dumped all of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s and HYDRA's files onto the Internet. Multiple non-electronic S.H.I.E.L.D. files survived the Fall of S.H.I.E.L.D. and either fell into the hands of non-S.H.I.E.L.D. entities or were recovered by the few remaining S.H.I.E.L.D. loyalists.

S.H.I.E.L.D. Codes
The following is a list of codes used by S.H.I.E.L.D.
 * 0-8-4, an object of unknown origin.
 * 226, a secret way of indicating that an agent is under duress and can't speak freely.
 * Clearance Level, the level of a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent.
 * The Index, a short-list of people with special powers.
 * Priority Red, heavy security

Protocols
 * Protocol ASTA06, destruction of the Iliad and its cargo
 * Full Eclipse Protocol
 * Odyssey Protocol, emergency evacuation of a team.
 * Silhouette Protocol
 * Theta Protocol, re-activation of Helicarrier No. 64
 * Contingency Plan Foxhole, evacuating the Director to a safe house

S.H.I.E.L.D. Projects
The following is a partial list of projects run by S.H.I.E.L.D.
 * Life-Model Decoy Program (abandoned)
 * Project Reclamation (abandoned)
 * Project G.O.L.I.A.T.H. (abandoned)
 * Avengers Initiative (1995-2012)
 * Phase 2 (2012)
 * Project P.E.G.A.S.U.S. (1989-2012)
 * Project Mr. Blue (2010)
 * Project T.A.H.I.T.I. (2009-2014)
 * Project Insight (2012-2014)
 * Caterpillars (2015-2016)

S.H.I.E.L.D. Missions
"S.H.I.E.L.D.'s whole infrastructure is based on the hierarchy and compartmentalization of intelligence." "Every agent can't have the intel on every mission. Makes the entire organization vulnerable."

- Jemma Simmons and Grant Ward


 * For the list: List of S.H.I.E.L.D. Missions

First Insignia
The first version of the S.H.I.E.L.D. insignia (and its variants) was primarily used from its formation in 1949 until mid-2012 when the second insignia was first introduced. It retained limited use until S.H.I.E.L.D.'s collapse in 2014.

Second Insignia
This version of the S.H.I.E.L.D. insignia (and its variants) has been in use since its introduction in mid-2012. It was used after S.H.I.E.L.D.'s collapse by Phil Coulson's S.H.I.E.L.D. faction and retained primary use after his faction unified with a faction led by Robert Gonzales in 2015.

Gonzales' Faction's Insignia
This alternate version of the S.H.I.E.L.D. insignia was used by the reorganized faction led by Robert Gonzales after S.H.I.E.L.D.'s collapse in 2014.

Behind the Scenes

 * A S.H.I.E.L.D. film was planned but it was eventually scrapped and turned into Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D..