Sokovia | |
Aliases: | Соковиja |
Category: | Country |
Continent: | Europe |
Locale: | Central Europe |
1st appearance: | Avengers: Age of Ultron |
Sokovia is a fictional country featured in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It was a major setting in the 2015 feature film Avengers: Age of Ultron. Events that took place in Sokovia had dramatic implications that were felt in other MCU films such as Captain America: Civil War.
Description[]
Sokovia is a small Eastern European country. Like many such nation states, it was prone to various border skirmishes and civil outbreaks. During one such event, combatants used weaponry that had been purchased by Stark Industries. One of these weapons killed the parents of Pietro and Wanda Maximoff.
Wolfgang von Strucker - a major figure in the Hydra organization set up a compound in Sokovia in which he used the power of Loki's staff to grant super-powers to Wanda and Pietro. It was Von Strucker's intent to use the twins to bolster Hydra's power.
The Avengers had been performing strategic strikes on all Hydra locations. Sokovia was the last known outpost. They went to Sokovia, raided Von Strucker's compound, and recovered the Staff of Loki and captured Wolfgang von Strucker.
Shortly thereafter, a robotic artificial intelligence known as Ultron emerged. Seeking to "protect" humanity by wiping it out, Ultron made Sokovia his base of operations. Ultron's robotic army engaged in combat with the Avengers, and Ultron used his resources to literally lift a major portion of the country into the sky. The Avengers managed to successfully defeat Ultron and save Sokovia, but there were many casualties.
The unsanctioned actions of the Avengers prompted the members of the United Nations to draft the Sokovia Accords, which basically removed the Avengers' ability to operate independently, and would make them sanctioned officers of the government. Not all of the Avengers agreed with the Sokovia Accords, and this led to a civil war within the superhero community.
One of the survivors of Ultron's attack on Sokovia was Helmut Zemo. Zemo lost his wife in the battle, but rather than blame Ultron, he instead blamed the Avengers. Zemo used his wit, guile, and resources to help foment conflict within the ranks of the Avengers, and framed James Buchanan Barnes for the assassination of Wakandan king, T'Chaka.