WARNING: The following contains spoilers for WandaVision Episode 4, "We Interrupt This Program," now streaming on Disney+.
WandaVision may act as S.W.O.R.D.'s introduction to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but Episode 4 shows that the agency existed long before Wanda and Vision broke onto the superhero scene. In fact, the MCU hints that S.W.O.R.D. was created in response to another avenger, Captain Marvel, as her reappearance on Earth proved that keeping an eye on other planets was worthwhile.
It's been assumed all season long that WandaVision's Geraldine was Monica Rambeau, but "We Interrupt This Program" finally confirms that. Marvel fans last saw her as a young girl in the 1990s-set Captain Marvel, but she's all grown up in WandaVision. She's also employed by S.W.O.R.D., the extraterrestrial counterpart to S.H.I.E.L.D. that was founded by her mother Maria Rambeau. S.W.O.R.D. may have its sights set on Wanda in WandaVision, but that's only because Captain Marvel clued Maria into what exists beyond Earth.
One of the driving plot points of Captain Marvel is that Maria had long thought her best friend had died, so when Carol came back alive, well and injected with alien blood, it changed everything Maria knew. It would only make sense that Maria would go on to form S.W.O.R.D. after those events, which is confirmed by Director Tyler Hayward after Monica's return.
Episode 4 heartbreakingly opens with Monica returning to Earth after the Blip. Shortly after, she goes back to S.W.O.R.D. headquarters in order to meet with Hayward, who takes the audience through Monica's history with the organization, mentioning that her mother formed S.W.O.R.D. This was when Monica was just a kid, so she grew up within the halls of the agency. Since it was formed when Monica was a child, it's very likely Maria founded it soon after her time with Captain Marvel and the Skrulls. "We Interrupt This Program" even offers a subtle reference to Monica's positive childhood experience with aliens, reminding Hayward, who's focused on celestial threats, that there are also allies in space.
Carol might represent S.W.O.R.D.'s origin story, but the events of WandaVision represent its future, and the agency's subtle name change from comic page to screen reflects that. In the comics, the agency is known as "Sentient World Observation and Response Department," but in the MCU, it's the "Sentient Weapon Observation and Response Department. While it seems to primarily be in reference to A.I. weapons, this could also be in reference to powerful beings who pose a threat to Earth.
As Wanda and Vision draw power from the celestial based Infinity Stones, they're considered to be otherworldly. Out of the pair of them, Wanda has proven she could absolutely be considered a weapon, so it's no coincidence that S.W.O.R.D.'s MCU debut coincides with WandaVision kicking off Marvel's Phase 4.
Wanda is one of the most powerful and sometimes dangerous, sentient weapons known to the MCU at the moment, nearly taking down Thanos on her own in Avengers: Endgame. She won't be the only being capable of dangerous levels of power moving forward, and S.W.O.R.D. will be there to keep an eye on these threats on Earth and in space.
Written by Jac Schaeffer and directed by Matt Shakman, WandaVision stars Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch, Paul Bettany as Vision, Randall Park as Agent Jimmy Woo, Kat Dennings as Darcy Lewis, Teyonah Parris as Monica Rambeau and Kathryn Hahn as Agnes. New episodes air Fridays on Disney+.