What are the Sokovia Accords, and why were they repealed? The Marvel Cinematic Universe is full of incredibly powerful individuals who do remarkable things each and every day. Yet we know from watching Marvel movies that other MCU characters use their powers for far more nefarious ends.
Even the superheroes tend to cause a lot of collateral damage – remember when Peter Parker got a boost cut in half in the first MCU Spider-Man movie? This tendency for superpowered individuals to cause a lot of chaos is what led to the world’s government writing the Sokovia Accords. But what are the Sokovia Accords, and why were they repealed?
What are the Sokovia Accords?
The Sokovia Accords were a legal framework drawn up by the UN to regulate the activities of superheroes. The Accords were written in response to an Avenger’s mission in Lagos, Nigeria, that resulted in the deaths of twenty-six people.
Named after The Battle of Sokovia – when the genocidal Marvel villain Ultron and Avengers fought in Novi Grad – the accords put in place a system of laws that superheroes had to follow if they wanted to continue to operate as vigilantes.
The laws demanded that superheroes register with the UN, the disclosure of their secret identity and powers; they also had to submit to monitoring at all times. The law’s most controversial element brought the Avengers under UN control, barring them from operating without the say-so of the UN security council.
Lesser known laws included imprisonment without trial for those who broke the accords and a ban on the development of AI (considering Ultron, that last one seems fair). The Accords were widely unpopular in the superhero community and caused a schism in the Avengers.
Tony Stark led the pro-registration side, while Captain America refused to register. The argument spilt over into violence, and the Earth’s mightiest heroes broke up. Captain America went on the run with his allies, while Iron Man did his best to keep the rest of the team together.
The Accords left Earth in a weakened position, so when Thanos came to Earth seeking the Infinity Stones, the broken team could not stop the Mad Titan, and he managed to wipe out half of all life in the universe.
When were the Sokovia Accords repealed?
Following the Blip, the accords stayed in place but were significantly weakened. After Thanos’ snapped his fingers, those left behind needed to come together, and the Accords do not seem to have been enforced.
During the Marvel series WandaVision, set in 2024, the Accords are mentioned as still being in effect, but no one seems interested in following the law. In the TV series She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, Matt Murdock revealed that the Accords were repealed in 2025.
Why were the Sokovia Accords repealed?
The exact reason the Sokovia Accords were repealed is unknown, but we can infer that the UN saw the error of its ways after Thanos attacked Earth and worked to reform the law. It’s equally possible that the explosion in superpowered individuals led to the world’s governments simply being unable to monitor the sheer number of heroes and villains.
If you want to know more about the future of the MCU we have a guide on Marvel’s Phase 5, or if you just love a good punch-up, why not check out our list of the best action movies?