Spider-Man: Far From Home - The Real Meaning Behind Nick Fury's Secret

2. What Is S.W.O.R.D.?

As far as Marvel organisations go, S.W.O.R.D. is a relatively recent addition - and one inextricably tied to the X-Men at that.

Introduced in Joss Whedon and John Cassaday's Astonishing X-Men #6, S.W.O.R.D. is an Earth-based intelligence organisation designed to protect the world from alien threats. Carol Danvers' new version of Alpha Flight would fulfil that role in later years, but for the vast majority of the 21st century, S.W.O.R.D. has been there to fight the battles S.H.I.E.L.D. couldn't.

They operate in a satellite hovering over Earth called the Peak, and have butted heads with pretty much every hero group going, but mostly the X-Men and Nick Fury's own organisation.

Abigail Brand is the lead agent, and a character that Marvel could probably see working in the MCU further down the line. After all, Fury and Maria Hill can't be in every Marvel film until the end of time, and it makes sense to inject a little inter-agency drama into the equation. For now, though, there's nothing to suggest that her live action debut is imminent; this is Fury's rodeo as things stand.

As for the organisation's other members, the likes of Spider-Woman, Captain Marvel and even the X-Men's Beast have all been involved at various stages over the years. It certainly wouldn't be out of the question for Carol to lead this particular excursion, although it remains to be seen what moniker Marvel opt for in future Marvel films.