What Even Hardcore MCU Fans Don't Know About The Sokovia Accords

When asked whether the Sokovia Accords would be legal if someone tried to implement them today, Zaid's answer is extremely clear. "For a number of reasons, no, they would not be," he says, because the accords ignore a whole lot of legal protections that are in place for a reason. "Certainly one of the primary concerns anyone should have of the Sokovia Accords is the reality that all constitutional due process is thrown out of the window," Zaid explains. "The Accords [allow] imprisonment without rule of law. Definitely not a positive step for a world that wants to follow democratic principles. To say nothing of the violations of privacy in requiring secret identities to be revealed, or illegal surveillance without any warrants." 

Zaid notes that the Accords are clearly borne out of fear, and would only work in the extremely theoretical situation that the superheroes would give up all control. "If the 'enhanced individuals' ceded compliance in full, and basically their free will, then perhaps it would accomplish its intended purposes. But the likelihood of that was never realistic."

In the MCU, the Accords are a United Nations thing — and since 117 nations were happy to ratify the documents, they're treated as fully legal and good to go. However, in the real world, it doesn't matter how many countries sign a bunch of papers, because in the U.S. alone, the Accords would still have to get the Senate's overwhelming support. "Of course, simply because [117] nations signed the Accords also does not transform them into law," Zaid says. "That is not how it works in the United States, at least, which requires international treaties to go through 2/3 Senate ratification."