Warning: Spoilers for S.W.O.R.D #7 ahead!
The X-Men's Hellfire Gala concluded with the Scarlet Witch being found dead, but in S.W.O.R.D #7 it's discovered that not all her next of kin have been informed of her passing, including her son, Billy. Billy, aka Wiccan, may not be actively tuned into what's happening on Earth since moving to the Kree-Skrull Empire with his emperor husband, Hulkling, but it's surprising that no one felt the need to fill him in on his mother's passing.
When Wanda was found at the end of the gala, it was her other son Tommy (aka Speed) who happened upon her body. Of course, this was a rather traumatic way for him to find out, but at least no one was hiding it from him. His brother on the other hand, is the Court Wizard of the Kree-Skrull Empire and husband to its emperor, Hulkling. He didn't attend the gala as he was living his life out in space, fighting for the empire he has sworn to protect. However, it seems like more than an oversight that no one informed him or his husband of the grave news, especially when provided with the opportunity to do so.
In S.W.O.R.D. #7, the series' powerhouse creative team of Al Ewing, Stefano Caselli, and Protobunker proceeds in lifting the veil covering Abigail Brand's true colors, as her team of mutants continues to make their mark on the cosmos. As Emperor Hulkling is busy fighting alongside his soldiers to protect Throneworld from Mindless Ones sent by Dormammu from the Dark Dimension, and Billy is off doing the same on Skrullos, he sends out a distress signal to the heroes of Earth to come to their aid. But instead of receiving word and assistance from the Avengers or Alpha Flight like he expected, S.W.O.R.D. shows up to help save him from imminent defeat. Sadly, their presence isn't entirely altruistic.
Upon arrival, Hulkling mentions that they attempted to reach Wanda with magic for help, but to know avail. They got silence on her end... as if she wasn't there (which she unfortunately wasn't). But instead of assuming the worst, he just attributes their lack of ability to connect to Dormammu's interference, and Brand just goes along with his incorrect assumption. She wants him to trust them, to need them, to owe them; but it's hard to believe lying to him about something so big will help her with her goal. He may be thankful for the rescue for now, but he's probably not going to be too happy about being lied to. It makes S.W.O.R.D. look bad, and doesn't paint mutantkind as whole in the best of lights either, especially considering recent events and the X-Men's part in unleashing Dormammu to begin with.
The Scarlet Witch's passing is already a big enough deal since it's the catalyst event for the upcoming Trial of Magento, but now that it's tied to the relationship S.W.O.R.D. is attempting to build with the Kree-Skrull alliance, it holds even more weight than before. Brand may think keeping it a secret will help strengthen the bond she has with Hulkling, Wiccan, and their kingdom, but it seems hard to believe this omission won't somehow come back to bite her, and mutantkind, down the line; especially if the couple find out the truth, and that they were lied to, from someone else.
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