U.N.T.I.L.

*"What is all of this anyway?"
"U.N.T.I.L. The United Nations Tribunal on International Law. Your tax dollars at hard work. We keep our fingers on the crime's pulse, and believe me, crime has veins in every section of the world."*
―Patricia Morgenstern and William Riverside[src]
The **United Nations Tribunal on International Law**, better known by its acronym **U.N.T.I.L.**, is a United Nations extra-governmental military counter-terrorism and intelligence agency, tasked with maintaining global security. Founded in the wake of the Allied Victory over the Axis powers in World War II, U.N.T.I.L. was organizaed to protect the world from all possible hostile action from the growing metahuman populace.

## History

### The First Years

#### The Superhero Problem

The increasing amount of superhumans appearing around the world in the early 1950s was a cause for concern for many, particularly the use of these superhumans, some of whom possessed abilities far greater than the WMDs at the time, in national armies became a fiercely-debated issue in the General Assembly. Similar worries about the role of superhumans in crime and attacks on society received attention as well. In 1950, Secretary-General Trygve Lie recruited Drake Wilson, formerly known as the hero Optimus of the Defenders of Justice, to serve as his Advisor on Superhuman Affairs. Wilson, who strongly believed in the ideals of international cooperation the UN stood for, would go on to play an integral role in the organization in several capacities, including the formation of U.N.T.I.L.

#### The Silver Age of Superheroes

In the late 1950s, the second generation of superhumans emerged in the United States, and what became known as the Silver Age of Superheroes fell into effect with the emergence of the Fabulous Five, the second Meteor Man, and the return of veteran hero Vanguard from retirement. The UN, still concerned about the role of superhumans potentially taking advantage of the current world instability, established a subcommittee, led by Etienne Ste. Germaine, to study the nature of superhumans and their esoteric abilities.

Around the same time, Drake Wilson presented a proposal for an official UN institute to study the effects of superhumans, particularly superhuman-related crime, to Secretary-General Hammarskjold. Though Hammarskjold never brought the proposal to a vote, despite his interest in the idea, many of Wilson's suggestions became part of U.N.T.I.L.

#### Foundation

In the Spring of 1961, Wilson found an ally in his efforts in the form of Major Juan Martinez, a decorated Paraguayan officer in World War II, who found Wilson's proposal to Hammarskjold. Martinez, having witnessed the use of superhumans during the war, realized the threat posed by superpowered individuals, citing them as potentially being a greater threat than Nazi Germany. Shortly afterward, Martinez contacted Wilson, and the two quickly set to drafting an official proposal to the United Nations.

On January 12, 1963, Wilson and Martinez gave their presentation to the General Assembly. The members were impressed and, after some debate, authorized the creation of an agency dedicated to the study of how superhumans affected society and world security, and how the world should respond.

The agency's full name was the United Nations Tribunal on International Law, but most members of the agency preferred to call it by its acronym. Both Wilson and Martinez were named to the Tribunal.

For nearly a year, the Tribunal met to discuss the issues and their implications, eventually writing a report to the General Assembly that embodied what the pair had in mind all along – a solution so radical it required an amendment to the UN Charter. The Tribunal suggested the United Nations establish a "global police force" dealing with superhuman-related crime, as well as matters of global, regional, or national security in which superhumans were involved. The two further recommended that this police force would have jurisdiction within any UN-affiliated nation. To allay fears, the Tribunal's report further explained that the agency would not employ superhumans, instead opting for highly-trained and well-equipped humans recruited from nations within the UN.

After receiving approval from the General Assembly, Wilson and Martinez set to work on drafting a treaty. In the following weeks, the treaty was presented to the Security Council, convincing them to their cause.

On November 27, 1965, the document known as the Tribunal Treaty was signed by over 100 UN nations, and the General Assembly authorized substantial funding. Matinez was named U.N.T.I.L.'s first Secretary-Marshall, much to his surprise, and chose Wilson as his second in command.

#### Cold War

As the newly established U.N.T.I.L. struggled to find funding and personnel, the Cold War was in full effect, and superhumans were still a hot topic. Government-sanctioned task forces of superhumans were forming all over the world; the British restructured the clandestine Bureau S into the Ministry of Superhuman Affairs, a strike force directly under control of the Prime Minister. China, one of the international superpowers U.N.T.I.L. had no jurisdiction in, announced the formation of Tiger Squad.

In 1968, the UN brokered the Treaty on Non-Proliferation, requiring signers to agree to cease all development of nuclear weapons and deployment of superhumans in war, of which the United States and USSR refused to sign. Both countries, as well as Chine, covertly sent superhumans into battle during the Vietnam War.

### World Wide Actions

#### 70s and Setbacks

In 1972, Yvette Germaine publicly denounced U.N.T.I.L. following her resignation, stating "right-wing militarists" had converted her father's research into an organization strictly dedicated to imprisoning superhumans and announced she'd be establishing the L'Institut Thoth in Switzerland.

Public opinion of U.N.T.I.L. was soured even further when an FBI investigation revealed Pavel Borovik, a Romanian U.N.T.I.L. agent, was not only KGB, but had used his position to steal information on the American nuclear program by copying credentials from the Sentinels' Dr. Phantom, resulting in the Sentinels losing assistance for many years, as well as justifying the United States' decision to keep U.N.T.I.L. from operating within the nation.

By 1977, Doctor Destroyer had made his first debut, followed by Plague, the Griffin, and Dark Seraph. When the Gadroon attacked later that year, U.N.T.I.L. played a major role in defeating the invading force. In 1977, U.N.T.I.L. was allowed on American soil for the second time since its formation when the United States required assistance when the Slug attacked New York City, though President Carter had assigned the Justice Squadron to monitor the agency throughout the conflict.

#### 80s and Beyond

As superhuman activity increased, so did U.N.T.I.L.'s role. In 1982, Secretary-General Nykanen, appointed after Cordero resigned after two terms, began to cut funding in order to slowly diminish the agency's power throughout the 80s, while the United States' newly established P.R.I.M.U.S. received massive amounts of support.

In the spring of 1988, Eurostar released it's infamous Manifesto, following it up three months later with attacks on various U.N.T.I.L. bases across Europe. Following these events, the General Assembly approved the creation of U.N.I.T.Y..

In 1990, Major Juan Martinez retired from service and was replaced by Wilhelm Eckhardt, who immediately injected new life into the organization. When Nykanen stepped down as Secretary-General, the constriction of U.N.T.I.L.'s budget was ceased and Eckhardt immediately invested in new recruits, as well as major technological development programs to better outfit their agents.

### The Battle of Detroit

In 1992, America's views on U.N.T.I.L. would change drastically. When Doctor Destroyer descended on the city of Detroit, U.N.T.I.L. was forced to stand by as the city was razed, despite the efforts of its many heroes, as U.N.T.I.L. was denied permission by the U.S. to aid despite having valuable information on Destroyer via Project Shiva, as well as the weapons technology Shiva had developed to combat Destroyer in these situations. When it was revealed that the American government refused valuable aid in favor of P.R.I.M.U.S.'s failed attempt to subvert the crisis, the American public began to advocate for the inclusion of U.N.T.I.L. into the United States.

Congressional testimonies by numerous individuals, such as Patricia Renton, the woman known as Siren, finally persuaded the United States to sign the Tribunal Treaty in April 1993. Drake Wilson, vindicated at the age of 75, retired from service after the first U.N.T.I.L. office was established in what would become Millennium City.

Afterward, in 1994, Russia, in chaos after the collapse of the Soviet Union and unable to defend against superhumans, signed the Tribunal Treaty. China, however, still refuses U.N.T.I.L.'s aid, relying instead on its military and Tiger Squad.

## Members

*Main article: List of U.N.T.I.L. Members*

### Project Hecate

*Main article: List of Project Hecate Agents*