Not Just For Clean Up: A History Of The MCU's Department of Damage Control

Initially an organisation that seemed to exist to help the heroes of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, from Phase Four onwards, the Department of Damage Control has shifted into a more antagonistic role. Most recently seen in the Wonder Man series, the current incarnation of Damage Control seems to target superpowered individuals, regardless of whether that person poses an active or intentional threat.

As Damage Control return as centre stage antagonists, let's take a look back at the organisation's history in the MCU.

A Subsidiary of S.H.I.E.L.D

Initially, the Damage Control are a department within the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division, better known as S.H.I.E.L.D. They are first referenced in the very first MCU film, Iron Man.

Near the end of the film, Tony Stark and Col. James Rhodes meet with S.H.I.E.L.D Agent Phil Coulson following the battle between Tony Stark and the Iron Monger (Obadiah Stane). Just before the press conference where Stark reveals himself as Iron Man, Coulson informs him that Damage Control have been dispatched to the battle sites to repair the damage caused. At this point, post-incident clean ups seem to be Damage Control's main function. They are occasionally mentioned as attending to the aftermath of some Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D episodes, although it is worth noting that most AoS references would now be considered non-canon to the main MCU.

Partnership with Stark Industries, Salvage of Alien Artifacts

Following the Battle of New York, Damage Control become solely responsible for the post-battle clean up, unintentionally damaging the business interests of small companies like Adrian Toomes' Betterman Salvage, as seen in the opening flashback sequence of Spider-Man: Homecoming. Tony Stark becomes a partner in Damage Control around this time, contributing towards the extra costs that come with the safe salvage and storage of alien artifacts.

One of Damage Control's biggest clean-up jobs comes in the form of the downed Project Insight helicarriers following the Battle at the Triskelion, as seen in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Beginning in 2014, the clean-up is still going on in 2016, per a Spider-Man: Homecoming deleted scene when Peter's bus passes by the site on the way to D.C for the Academic Decathlon field trip.

After the fall of S.H.I.E.L.D in The Winter Soldier, Damage Control becomes a department within the U.S Government. This development, along with the introduction of the Sokovia Accords, and eventually Tony Stark's death, would have greatly reduced any remaining influence Stark Industries held over the organisation.

Monitoring Superpowered persons

In more recent appearances, the Department of Damage Control appears to have switched it's core function from clean up and salvage to monitoring and, when necessary, detaining those with superpowers. This is first seen at the beginning of Spider-Man: No Way Home, when Damage Control Agent P. Cleary briefly detains and questions Peter Parker and his associates over the supposed murder of Mysterio.

In that instance, they are unable to hold Peter, but continue to monitor his activities through the film, and attempt to re-arrest him after the Daily Bugle wrongly blames Spider-Man for the incident that leads to the death of Peter's Aunt May.

Cleary and another agent, Sadie Deever, later appear in Ms. Marvel, looking to find and detain Kamala Khan after her powers are activated at AvengerCon. Deever is ultimately removed from the case by Cleary due to her overzealous actions, endangering children and defying orders in pursuit of Kamala.

Kamala, now the superhero Ms. Marvel, becomes a beloved figure in Jersey City. This, as well as the fact that she is taken under the wings of both Carol Danvers and Nick Fury in The Marvels, likely protects her from further Damage Control interference.

Fill the Cells

Cleary and Damage Control return again in Wonder Man. This time around, Cleary hires former Mandarin actor Trevor Slattery to befriend and gather information on Simon Williams, whom he believes to be superpowered and dangerous. While it is true that Simon has potentially destructive powers of which he is not entirely in control, Simon as a person is not inherently dangerous. His powers only activate when he is under great stress. However, as we learn around halfway through the series, Cleary and the rest of Damage Control are under pressure to fill cells in a superhuman prison and justify their large budget.

Members of Damage Control, including a new agent played by Severance star Tramell Tilman, are rumoured to also appear in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, still monitoring our favourite web-slinger, though no longer knowing that he is Peter Parker. Unfortunately, this means the Department of Damage Control will continue to be a problem for the MCU's heroes in the future.