In the wake of the passing of a dozen U.N. Resolutions, the fractured nations of Earth took a giant, if unsteady step into a single world government. Labeled the United Earth agenda by some of the press, the chief representatives of Australia, Canada, China, the European Union, Japan, Russia, and the United States gathered together to debate the implementation of this new world order.
Though much of the ability to govern Earth had been eradicated during the Apokolips Invasion, politics was a beast that was much harder to kill. Despite the need for a strong central government in order to take care of the multitude of crises, nationalism remained strong throughout the planet. China and the U.S.A., in particular, balked at the idea that a citizen from another country would have jurisdiction over their people.
This extended to S.H.I.E.L.D. The agency had enjoyed a broad range of emergency powers during the first weeks after the Invasion, there was much division within the U.N. Security Council, regarding its continued operations. Although Nick Fury was widely regarded for his impartiality, each power block wanted someone more closely aligned to their interests in control of the agency.
In the end, compromises were made. The United Nations Security Council would be reformed as the Global Security Council, with each seat on the body having administrative control of a particular region of Earth. That region would choose its representative based on whatever model the populace wanted. An interim councilor would be chosen until such times as a representative was chosen.
In terms of S.H.I.E.L.D, most of the senior staff, including Director Nick Fury and Deputy Director Maria Hill were asked to submit their resignations in order to clear the way for a brand new set of appointees. In the top spot of Director, retired United States Army General Thaddeus Ross was chosen; Fang Zhifu, decorated P.L.A. soldier and former member of the Great Ten as the August General in Iron became Deputy Director.
Ross and Zhifu immediately took command of all teams currently operating under The Avengers banner, including those that were not directly controlled by the agency. Using the broad language used in the U.N. Resolutions they were able to convince, intimidate and outright threaten those heroes to either join the new Avengers Initiative or retire from active duty. Though S.H.I.E.L.D. has not immediately banned what it called "vigilante heroism", all collaborations with non-Initiative heroes were immediately terminated.
On September 1st, 2021 the remaining nations of the Earth signed the Treaty of Novigrad, formally enacting the resolutions into a formal binding agreement. Though it would be many years before the United Nations would become completely unified, this New Earth Government was the end of the old guard and the beginning of something new.
There was no going back.
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