Besides the highly-anticipated return of Daredevil (Charlie Cox), Episode 8 of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law also gave us a huge reveal that many did not expect to be addressed — within the MCU, the Sokovia Accords have been repealed. This surprising piece of information is offered as a mere throwaway line said by Matt Murdock as he defends his client Luke Jacobson (Griffin Matthews) from Eugene Patilio aka Leap-Frog's (Brandon Stanley) claims that his costume made by Luke is defective. There may be many who didn't catch what Murdock said because it really wasn't meant to be the main focus, but that quick statement is certainly an important one in the MCU.
The Accords have been present in the MCU since 2016, and the agreement has a lot of history behind it. With this, let us take a closer look into why the Sokovia Accords were created in the first place and what their repercussions have been for the Avengers.
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The Origin of the Sokovia Accords
The Sokovia Accords were named after the event in Sokovia, which we have seen in Avengers: Age of Ultron. In this film, Ultron is a creation of Tony (Robert Downey Jr.) and Bruce (Mark Ruffalo) who unexpectedly became sentient, believing that the way to save humanity is to eradicate it. The film's major fight occurs in Sokovia where Ultron and his army terrorize the place, lifting a huge part of the city to crash it back down on the ground thereby causing a mass-extinction event. This fight costs both lives and damages to the point where the Avengers are deemed by many as dangerous. These events cast a new light on our beloved superheroes within the realm of public opinion.
One year after Age of Ultron, in Captain America: Civil War, the Avengers go to Lagos to stop Brock Rumlow (Frank Grillo) from stealing a bioweapon from a lab. While chasing him and his men down, Rumlow ignites an explosion. Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen) tries to divert the blast and ends up accidentally destroying a building, killing several people. This tragedy leaves citizens divided on whether or not the Avengers deserve to be operating freely. Due to many cases like this, the United Nations prepares the Sokovia Accords, a document that aims to control the Avengers, dictating how they'll aid humanity moving forward. With this, the UN demands that the superheroes disclose their identity and powers and submit to monitoring. Our heroes will no longer be able to freely pursue any mission without the approval of the UN. This Accord results in the Avengers fracturing in two — one side led by Tony and the other by Steve Rogers (Chris Evans). The fractured group fights in a big airport battle to stop Steve's team from pursuing Baron Zemo (Daniel Brühl). In the end, most of Steve's teammates are detained at the Raft.
Team Iron Man and Team Captain America are divided ideologically regarding the Accords. There are those who claim that the Accords are there to protect the public, to avoid further damage or harm. On the other hand, there are those who claim that if you sign the Accords, you lose independence and overall freedom. It strips away not just your privacy, but also your mission to save the world.
The Impact of the Sokovia Accords
The repercussion of the Accords has been immense for both the Avengers and other superheroes. The agreement has since caused a lot of broken trust, frustrations, and even trauma. For instance, in the Black Widow film, we see Natasha (Scarlett Johansson) running and hiding from the authorities for violating the Sokovia Accords after letting Steve and his team escape the country. Scott and Clint also, following the ratification of the Accords, are both placed under house arrest due to a plea deal following the events of Civil War.
Perhaps one of the biggest impacts of the Accords is seen in Avengers: Infinity War. In this installment, Thanos is slowly getting the Infinity Stones to bring balance to the universe via his proposed genocide. Because of this, it would only be right to see the Avengers reunite to stop Thanos. Consequences stemming from the ratification of the Accords, though, have done incredible damage to their friendships. This damage leads to hesitations that arguably make matters worse. Overall, it's safe to say that these documents have led to irreversible outcomes that will be forever felt throughout the MCU.
Why the MCU Repealing the Sokovia Accords Is a Big Deal
After Avengers: Endgame, the Sokovia Accords have been referenced in Wandavision, Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and most recently She-Hulk all thanks to Matt Murdock. As mentioned, Jen (Tatiana Maslany) helps out her client Leap-Frog regarding the 'malfunction' of his superhero suit made by Luke, Jen's tailor and Matt's client. The two lawyers give their statements. At one point, the concern of Luke's clients' privacies is brought up, with Matt insisting that Jen wanting to disclose his identity isn't an ethical thing to do. It is then that he mentions that the Sokovia Accords have been repealed. This huge piece of information is brought up so nonchalantly because, for Matt, it's just part of his job to know which laws are in place at present.
The Sokovia Accords being repealed is sure to change the course of future MCU projects considering that powered persons can now operate without fear of being closely monitored. Without the Accords, superheroes can return to focusing on their missions and can more easily work together. Repealing the Sokovia Accords raises new concerns, though. In the Accords' absence, we may see more vigilantism. It's also unclear whether or not Damage Control continues surveilling without the Accords in place. There are just somany things that would definitely change, and hopefully, we will see more of its impact in future projects.
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law is available to stream on Disney+.
