Phoenix is not Thor.
He is not an alien; he is an Earthling.
After Thor appeared and the Chitauri attacked Earth, the Five Great Benefactors understood one thing.
Beyond Earth is a lawless land, and once Earthlings venture into the Universe, they will not be met with flowers and fine wine, but more likely with the gunboat diplomacy of countless alien races.
Although Earth is in a remote and desolate part of the Universe.
But...
The Five Great Benefactors didn't know that, and even Earth's internal diplomacy is conducted with the greatest malice, let alone diplomacy beyond Earth.
So, Phoenix became especially important at this time.
The most important point.
Phoenix had a bad relationship with the Federal Military.
Quantico is still being rebuilt, but less than one-tenth has been completed; the remaining nine-tenths of the ruins are still lying there.
General Ross's family's grave weeds have been replaced who knows how many times.
This is great.
For the Federation, this was very bad, but for the other four Directors of the Security Council, it was indeed a great thing.
It was still the same saying.
Hating others for having what you don't.
If Phoenix had a good relationship with the Federation, then the other four Directors would definitely have agreed with Nick Fury's plan to take control measures against Phoenix.
Just as the Security Council tacitly approved Nick Fury's measures to control Hulk back then.
Because Hulk's girlfriend was Betty Ross, and Betty Ross's father, Thaddeus Ross, was one of the giants of the Federal Military.
The Security Council was not the Federation's Security Council, but the Five Great Benefactors' Security Council.
Rather than S.H.I.E.L.D. feeling the need to control Hulk, it was more that the Security Council felt the need to control Hulk.
But Phoenix was different.
Phoenix had no dealings with other Benefactor nations, and he also had a bad relationship with the Federal Military, and Maria Hill and others had a friendly relationship with Phoenix.
This is why when Nick Fury resurfaced and once again proposed that Phoenix needed to be controlled, he was again frozen by the Security Council due to his command authority.
So...
"Congratulations, Commander Hill, no, it should be Director Hill now."
After the Security Council's latest resolution was released, the first outcome was not how to deal with the aftermath of the HYDRA crisis; the first thing was to promote Maria Hill to Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., taking overall charge of all S.H.I.E.L.D. affairs.
Because in dealing with the aftermath of HYDRA, a suitable and well-respected person was needed to preside over the overall situation.
And Maria Hill, who remained exceptionally calm and followed the rules during this HYDRA unrest, naturally earned the appreciation of the Security Council.
After all!
Nick Fury was already dead.
Even a假死 (feigned death) is still a death.
From a certain perspective, this was a benefit to Nick Fury.
Because he was the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., and he was promoted by the HYDRA leader Alexander Pierce, and HYDRA once again struggled during his tenure—these three points.
Moreover, this time, due to Phoenix's intervention, Nick Fury did not successfully stage any
king's return
drama.
Let's put it this way, if Nick Fury had truly died, it would have been fine, but if he was previously declared dead and now appeared alive.
Heh heh.
His best outcome would be to spend the rest of his life in prison.
After all, when HYDRA was struggling, you were dead; when HYDRA failed, you were alive again. This makes it very difficult not to be suspicious.
In short—
The Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. was dead, and the new Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. was the newly appointed Maria Hill.
"Director Hill, do you have a suitable candidate for Commander?"
"New York S.H.I.E.L.D. Combat Command Center, Commander Victoria Hand."
"...Okay."
During the video conference, the four Security Council Directors and the newly appointed Federal Director, after muting their microphones and exchanging a few words, the East Country Director, who was on duty this month, unmuted his microphone and said, "Phoenix is in New York City. If Commander Hand comes to headquarters, then New York City..."
Maria Hill stood with her Hands behind her back, gazing at the five Directors representing the Five Great Benefactors on the large screen in front of her.
"The person with the best relationship with Phoenix in S.H.I.E.L.D. is not me or Commander Hand, but Sharon Carter, because of Sharon Carter, Phoenix had his outcome."
"Then Sharon Carter can replace Commander Victoria Hand..."
"No."
"Uh..."
"I plan to cancel the New York S.H.I.E.L.D. Command Center, no, all S.H.I.E.L.D. branches opened outside of headquarters."
Maria Hill stated her first action after taking office with a poker face.
It was not to reassure people, nor was it to expand the scale.
Instead, it was a drastic reduction in size.
In a word.
It is an undeniable fact that HYDRA parasitized S.H.I.E.L.D., grew strong, and almost succeeded in its second struggle.
And as the object of parasitism, although the Security Council did not act against S.H.I.E.L.D. for various reasons, a rift was certainly created.
So...
Instead of passively waiting for the Security Council's drastic measures, it was better to be proactive.
"I have always felt that S.H.I.E.L.D.'s scale is too large. If it were just large, it would be fine, but S.H.I.E.L.D. is too bloated."
"S.H.I.E.L.D. was initially established to be a firewall between the extraordinary World and the ordinary World."
"It needs not to be large, but to be responsive, flexible, and to follow the instructions of the Security Council."
"S.H.I.E.L.D. needs elite troops."
"And although Phoenix helped us eliminate HYDRA, HYDRA has been parasitizing us for so many years, and no one knows if there are still HYDRA members within us."
"Now is a good opportunity."
"S.H.I.E.L.D. can take advantage of this reform to thoroughly clean up our internal affairs."
"And the two Insight Motherships, I plan to..."
The five Directors on the large screen, including the newly appointed Security Director, listened to Maria Hill eloquently outlining her plans after taking office, and their expressions gradually became serious, even gradually appreciative.
Among them, the East Country Director and the Moscow Director were the most prominent.
After all, these two countries originally only provided money and did not participate; they both initially considered whether to take this opportunity to simply withdraw from the group.
But for various reasons, this proposal was not heard by the highest think tank in their countries.
And now...
Maria Hill's seemingly self-inflicted wound approach fit their ideas perfectly.
As for the London Director and the Paris Director, they were also happy to see it happen.
After all, Benefactors are also divided into levels. S.H.I.E.L.D. could not enter East Country and Moscow, and the Federation was the headquarters, but their S.H.I.E.L.D. branches in those two countries were very arrogant.
The last one was the new Federal Director.
He wanted to refuse, after all, everyone knows that when the Federation proposed the fundamental idea of a global organization, saying it was to maintain World peace, it was more about using this organization to play the game of
those who obey me prosper, those who defy me perish
.
But he couldn't refuse at this time.
It is well known.
People who have just made a big mistake are not very fond of speaking, nor do they dare to speak much.
The Federation was the same.
So...
Maria Hill's first reform proposal after becoming Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. received unanimous approval from the Security Council.
"Phoenix's side..."
"Having Sharon in New York City is enough. My attitude is the same as before. Facts have also proven that Phoenix is of the neutral-order alignment. He may not help us do anything, but he will certainly not help villains who might endanger Earth in the future."
"Alright."
The rotating East Country Director recalled the scene of meeting Phoenix in the S.H.I.E.L.D. conference room, chuckled, and said, "You are the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. now, you call the shots, Director Hill. Quell this unrest as soon as possible."
Maria Hill nodded, her expression serious.
"Understood."
"Then that's it, meeting adjourned!"
The East Country Director looked at the other four Directors, then slammed the table, making a final decision and ending the remote video conference.
The large screen instantly darkened.
Maria Hill also withdrew her gaze, then turned and looked at Commander Victoria Hand, who was standing not far away, always outside the screen.
Commander Victoria Hand walked over.
"Director."
"Commander!"
After they each said their new titles, Hill immediately smiled and said, "How long will New York S.H.I.E.L.D. need?"
Commander Hand thought for a moment.
"One month."
"Okay."
"I plan to complete the S.H.I.E.L.D. reform by the end of this year."
"By the end of this year..."
Victoria Hand frowned, looking at Maria Hill: "Isn't that too fast?"
Hill shook her head.
"Cut the Gordian knot quickly. Now is S.H.I.E.L.D.'s most chaotic time, but also the easiest time to push for reforms. We must change, and I even plan to get rid of the S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters."
"Hiss, you really plan to move the headquarters to..."
"Yes."
Hill nodded, but did not continue speaking, instead changing the subject: "I heard Phoenix was injured?"
Hand met Hill's gaze and chuckled: "Yes, his left arm is fractured. He's recuperating at home on Palm Street these days."
Hill was very curious.
"What happened?"
"The Demon King's Chains are still powerful; they easily accomplished something that no one else could have."
Commander Hand said, and then told Hill the reason why Phoenix's left arm was injured and fractured, in a cast, and in a sling.
After listening, Hill also shook her head with a chuckle, then looked at Commander Hand.
"That's good. At least he's injured and recuperating, so we can focus on our own matters."
"Indeed."
Commander Hand nodded in agreement, then looked at Hill: "Should we tell Sharon to communicate with Gwen and see if Phoenix can rest for a longer period?"
Hill smiled slightly, not answering.
She directly shifted the topic to the next target person.
"Someone should be coming later. They are looking for Nick Fury."
"..."
On my Patreon, I have several advance chapters available if you're interested in more than 100: For $1, you get 20 fewer chapters than the $2.50 tier. For $2.50, you get 40 fewer chapters than the $4 tier. And for $4, you get them all.
The number of chapters is updated every 7 days and increases by 7 to 8 chapters.
My Patren: paroncom/FanTranslator