When Iron Man was released in 2008, the Marvel Cinematic Universe was born, and within that birth, the Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement and Logistics Division, aka S.H.I.E.L.D., wasn’t far behind. For half of the Infinity Saga, the government organization, led by Nick Fury, helped create the Avengers and keep innocents safe. However, in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Cap discovers that S.H.I.E.L.D. has been under the control of Hydra for decades. To purge the evil, Steve Rogers chose to destroy S.H.I.E.L.D., leaving the world without the organization for the first time in over 40 years. However, with the universe changing yet again, it’s time for S.H.I.E.L.D. to return, but without Fury in charge.
While Fury kept tabs on all of the world’s strange occurrences, Maria Hill was right beside him. As the Deputy Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., she had many of the same duties as Fury and executed some of his most covert plans without anyone knowing. For example, when Fury faked his death in The Winter Soldier, Hill was the only agent who knew the truth. Because of her experience and expertise, she is the clear choice to run a new and improved S.H.I.E.L.D.
Following the collapse of S.H.I.E.L.D., Hill went to work with the Avengers. Even without the same clearance she had as Deputy Director, Hill still made an impact. Thanks to her, the Avengers were always up to date on the latest threats to the world, as evidenced when she briefs Captain America on the Maximoffs in Avengers: Age of Ultron. She also joins Nick Fury in the same film to evacuate civilians from Sokovia. Hill’s ability to go above and beyond her capabilities is put on full display in the film and shows the makings of a leader who isn’t afraid to fight alongside her soldiers.
After the Sokovia Accords were ratified, the Captain Marvel prelude comic shows that even when compared to heroes, Hill can put her emotions aside for a mission. Before deciding to leave the Avengers, Hill and Fury talk to Cap and Tony about uniting the Avengers against Thanos. However, their collective decisions to avoid each other and ignore blatant issues like the Vision’s disappearance push Hill to do things her own way. Sadly, she doesn’t survive The Blip and, like Fury, is erased from existence. But her decision to not wait for anyone else to do the right thing shows that she’s aware there are sometimes problems that overshadow personal feelings.
When Hill returns, she isn’t seen in the MCU again until Tony Stark’s funeral. Her appearance is teased in Spider-Man: Far From Home, but it’s later revealed that she is only a Skrull in disguise. Her whereabouts are still unknown, but it can be assumed that, at the very least, she is still in contact with Nick Fury. As Fury oversees everything from space, Hill is the perfect choice to oversee things on Earth, and her skills and history make her more than qualified.
The MCU is changing, and The Blip’s reversal put governments into a state of flux. New heroes like Captain America and U.S. Agent going up against even more dangerous villains like the Flag-Smashers shows how vulnerable the world is. Since domestic security isn’t in S.W.O.R.D.’s wheelhouse and the Time Variance Authority deals with much bigger issues, S.H.I.E.L.D. is the only clear solution. With Fury in space, Hill is the best choice to lead its revival as she knows exactly what needs to be done to protect people, doesn’t let her emotions get in the way, and has seen enough corruption in the system to never let it happen again. As the MCU continues to evolve, Hill bringing back S.H.I.E.L.D. is the type of consistency the planet will need.
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