Framework

The Framework was originally designed by Leo Fitz to help S.H.I.E.L.D. agents serving under Melinda May train without fear of injury.^[2] Using the knowledge obtained from the Darkhold, Holden Radcliffe later expanded it into a full digital recreation of the world without suffering, into which he first plugged his terminally ill girlfriend Agnes Kitsworth.^[3]

A.I.D.A. corrupted Radcliffe's ideal when she plugged S.H.I.E.L.D. agents Jeffrey Mace, Phil Coulson, Alphonso Mackenzie, Melinda May and Leo Fitz into the Framework. Undoing all their biggest regrets resulted in a totalitarian world dominated by Hydra.^[4] They were eventually extracted by their colleagues, and A.I.D.A. decided to shut down the Framework in response, erasing all digital minds in it.^[5]

In an alternate future of Earth-17516 Deke Shaw had recovered remains of the Framework and made it into a leisure relaxation experience.^[6] After traveling into the present day of Earth-199999, Shaw rebuild Framework into a virtual reality game Remorath Rumble which he planned to distribute commercially.^[1]

Inhabitants[]

• See Category:Framework/Characters

• In an interview with Entertainment Weekly about the episode "Self Control" of Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., showrunners Maurissa Tancharoen and Jed Whedon describe the Framework as an alternate reality.^[7]
  • This makes the Framework the first foray into the traditional Multiverse shown in a Marvel Cinematic Universe product.

• Similar to Earth-85826 and Earth-616 during Secret Empire, the Framework is a reality ruled by Hydra.
• The virtual reality within the Framework features several key points of divergence from the real world. These resulted from some, but not all, of its users' biggest regrets and desires:
  • Jeffrey Mace was born an Inhuman.^[8]
  • Phil Coulson turned down an offer to join S.H.I.E.L.D..^[9]
  • Alphonso Mackenzie's daughter Hope wasn't born with the unstable medical condition that killed her, allowing Mack to raise her as a loving father.^[10]
  • Melinda May managed to save Katya Belyakov in Bahrain.^[11]
  • Leo Fitz grew up with his father Alistair instead of his mother.^[12] He also met and fell in love with Ophelia at the S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy, instead of meeting and befriending Jemma Simmons.^[13]
  • The "Butterfly effect" of these changes resulted in a change in history that lead to the premature death of some individuals, the survival of others, and major changes to other characters, such as Grant Ward being recruited to join S.H.I.E.L.D. by Victoria Hand, instead of being recruited to join Hydra by John Garrett.^[9]