S.H.I.E.L.D

## Origins

Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Directorate (originally the Strategic Hazard Intervention, Espionage and Logistics Directorate) is an organization founded by Colonel Rick Stoner in 1917. The initial reason for its creation was to combat the forces of Hydra that had recently resurfaced in 1916, before the U.S joined the World War I efforts. Stoner became the first Executive Director of S.H.I.E.L.D and served until 1942 when he was shot and killed by a Hydra agent who had infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D. In 1942, Peggy Carter became the second Executive Director and put in place the first system of Clearance Levels that would be in place up until the 90s. Peggy Carter served as Executive Director from 1942 to 1968. After this, in 1968, Captain Timothy Dugan. Dugan served as Executive Director from 1968 to 1996. In 1973, the World Security Council was founded and took control of S.H.I.E.L.D giving orders to Director Dugan. In 1996, Colonel Nick Fury became the Executive Director. As Director, he changed the Numerical System into an Alphabetical system based on the Greek Alphabet. Fury would serve as Executive Director from 1996 to 2015 when he would disappear and go underground with his most trusted agents when he uncovered a conspiracy that his Assistant Director was, in fact, a Hydra sleeper agent. Fury's Assistant Director, Maria Hill became the next Executive Director. As Director, Hill created the Color System, in hopes that all S.H.I.E.L.D agents would feel valued equally and served as Director from 2015 to 2017 when Fury, Sharon Carter and Quake took S.H.I.E.L.D back. Daisy Johnson became the Executive Director after S.H.I.E.L.D was retaken by Fury. She became Director officially in 2018 and continues to serve to this day in 2025.

## Organization

Over the years there have been three systems for Clearance Levels:

### Divisions

* **Operations Division** - Operations is the largest of the five divisions. Operations makes up all of S.H.I.E.L.D's soldiers and field agents.
* **Public Relations Division** - Public Relations is a division that handles S.H.I.E.L.D's public reputation. They founded and are in charge of the company Damage Control and make sure S.H.I.E.L.D's operations don't become suspicious.
* **Science & Technology Division** - The Science & Technology (or Sci-Tech) Division comprises the S.H.I.E.L.D's scientists and engineers.
* **Sentient World Observation & Response Division** - S.W.O.R.D was formerly its own organization, but was absorbed by S.H.I.E.L.D and became a division of the organization. S.W.O.R.D monitors alien threats and reacts to them accordingly.
* **World Security Council** - The Council is in charge of S.H.I.E.L.D and is made up of representatives from hundreds of countries that not even the Assistant Director knows the identities of. The Executive Director is also a member of the council.

### Clearance Levels

#### The Numerical System

* **Level 1** - Level 1 is the entry level for all S.H.I.E.L.D agents. Level 1 members have minimal access to the organization's files
* **Level 2**
* **Level 3**
* **Level 4**
* **Level 5**
* **Level 6** - Level 6 consists of squad leaders and project leads. Level 6 agents have access to files inaccessible to lower ranks.
* **Level 7** - Level 7 consists of experienced and talented agents in their respective fields.
* **Level 8** - Level 8 consists of the Executive Director's most trusted agents besides the Special Directors. Agents in Level 8 have proven themselves to the Director and have been given access to nearly all files in their respective divisions.
* **Level 9** - Level 9 consists strictly of all three Special Directors and the Assistant Director. No other agents can advanced to Level 9
* **Level 10** - Level 10 consists of all members of the World Security Council. Level 10 agents have access to all files in S.H.I.E.L.D

#### The Alphabet System

* **Sigma Level** - Sigma Level is the entry level for all S.H.I.E.L.D agents. Sigma Level members have minimal access to the organization's files
* **Theta Level**
* **Eta Level**
* **Zeta Level**
* **Epsilon Level**
* **Delta Level** - Delta Level consists of squad leaders and project leads. Delta Level agents have access to files inaccessible to lower ranks.
* **Gamma Level** - Gamma Level consists of experienced and talented agents in their respective fields.
* **Beta Level** - Beta Level consists of the Executive Director's most trusted agents besides the Special Directors. Agents in Beta Level have proven themselves to the Director and have been given access to nearly all files in their respective divisions.
* **Alpha Level** - Alpha Level consists strictly of all four Special Directors and the Assistant Director. No other agents can advanced to Alpha Level.
* **Omega Level** - Omega Level consists of all members of the World Security Council. Omega Level agents have access to all files in the S.H.I.E.L.D database.

#### The Color System

* **Purple Level** - Nicknamed "Pages", Purple Level agents act as basic security, lab assistants and secretaries.
* **White Level** - Nicknamed "Lab-Coats" and "Tech-Heads", White Level agents are all scientists and engineers.
* **Black Level** - Nicknamed "Enhanced", "Mutants" and "Inhumans", Black Level agents are agents who have superpowers.
* **Blue Level** - Nicknamed "Stormtroopers", Blue Level agents are standard soldiers.
* **Green Level** - Nicknamed "Investigators", Green Level agents are White Level agents who have risen the ranks to become field assistants.
* **Yellow Level** - Nicknamed "HR", Yellow Level agents are members of each division's Human Resources.
* **Orange Level** - Nicknamed "Architects", Orange Level agents design and build new S.H.I.E.L.D bases.
* **Red Level** - Nicknamed "Pretty Boys", Red Level agents are field agents.
* **Gold Level** - Nicknamed "Bosses", Gold Level agents are the four Special Directors and the Assistant Director.
* **Platinum Level** - Nicknamed "Head Honchos", Platinum Level agents are members of the former World Security Council and currently only the Executive Director.