The Department of Damage Control: Full MCU Timeline (And Future) Explained

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Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for Marvel’s Wonder Man

The Department of Damage Control has quietly become a key part of what connects the stories in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. After SHIELD was dismantled, the DODC took over as the main government organization dealing with super-powered people, aliens, and any dangerous, powerful objects.

The Department of Damage Control (DODC) has become a significant organization within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Originally shown as a team that simply cleaned up after superhero battles in projects like the first Spider-Man trilogy, Ms. Marvel, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, Secret Invasion, and the recent Wonder Man series, they’ve evolved into a major watchdog group. Here’s a complete timeline of the DODC in the MCU, including what we can expect from them in the future.

The Department of Damage Control Debuted As A Branch Of SHIELD

I remember learning that the Department of Damage Control actually showed up in Marvel comics right after the first Iron Man movie came out in 2008! Back then, they weren’t their own thing – they were part of SHIELD, like a special team within the organization handling all the messes super-powered events left behind.

Although the first officially recorded task for this group was cleaning up after the fight between Iron Man and Obadiah Stane in Los Angeles, it’s probable they were operating before that time.

After 2012’s Battle of New York, The DODC Becomes An Official Organization

The 2012 Battle of New York dramatically changed Damage Control. Following the Chitauri invasion depicted in The Avengers, the organization split from SHIELD and became a partnership between the U.S. government and Stark Industries.

By 2016, Damage Control was in charge of handling and securing alien technology, as shown in Spider-Man: Homecoming. But when they took over contracts to collect salvage from the Chitauri, it inadvertently led Adrian Toomes to become the Vulture and create a black market for weapons. Damage Control also cleaned up the mess after Spider-Man’s fight with criminals who were using weapons modified with Chitauri tech during an ATM robbery.

In the 2018 film Avengers: Infinity War, the agency Damage Control collected the arm of Cull Obsidian after the Avengers fought the Black Order in New York City.

In 2024, Spider-Man Is Arrested By The Department of Damage Control

Damage Control’s dramatic expansion beyond clean-up was seen in 2024 with Spider-Man: No Way Home.

After Mysterio revealed Spider-Man’s identity to the world in Far From Home, Agent Cleary from the DODC arrested and questioned Peter Parker. He was treated as a criminal suspect due to his involvement in the Battle of London and past conflicts as Spider-Man.

Therefore, it became clear that the DODC was the government’s main agency for dealing with people with superpowers. They were constantly monitoring superhumans and trying to stop potential problems by controlling anyone they saw as a danger.

In 2025, The DODC Encounters She-Hulk & Ms. Marvel

By 2025, Damage Control was handling several investigations at once. As seen in Ms. Marvel, their agents tried to capture Kamala Khan using Stark drones and sonic cannons, but they saw her—a teenage hero—as a threat that needed to be contained.

The operation in New Jersey, led by Agent Sadie Deever, didn’t go well and created negative publicity for the DODC. Ultimately, the DODC had to withdraw and stop the operation after Ms. Marvel resisted and her community rallied to defend her.

The show She-Hulk: Attorney at Law featured a similar tactic, with the DODC using technology created by Tony Stark to capture Jennifer Walters’ She-Hulk. This highlighted how the DODC is developing into an organization focused on controlling superpowered individuals. Both She-Hulk and Ms. Marvel also introduced the DODC’s Supermax Prison – a highly advanced facility for holding superhumans and other dangerous beings, similar to The Raft, which was first seen in Captain America: Civil War.

In 2026, Skrulls Infiltrate The DODC & The Simon Williams Case

In the 2026 series Secret Invasion, Marvel revealed that Skrulls—shapeshifters capable of disguising themselves—had infiltrated the Department of Damage Control by posing as its agents. They managed to steal the arm of Cull Obsidian, a member of the Black Order, which the DODC had previously recovered during the battle against Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War.

In late 2026, the new Marvel series Wonder Man will bring back Agent Cleary to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. At the same time, the Department of Damage Control is dealing with funding issues, as their costly Supermax Prison isn’t even half occupied.

This prompts Agent Cleary to think outside the box as he investigates struggling actor Simon Williams, who is suspected of having secret superpowers. He arranges a deal with Trevor Slattery to work with the DODC and get close to Simon, hoping to determine how dangerous he might be.

Even though Simon lost control of his abilities at the end of Wonder Man, he wasn’t arrested. Trevor stepped up and took the blame, pretending to be The Mandarin again, which meant Cleary did get arrested. But later, Agent Cleary investigated the damage caused by Williams and found traces of leftover ionic energy at the movie set.

The Department of Damage Control Is Primed To Take On MCU Mutants

The ending of Wonder Man hints that Agent Clearly believes Simon Williams could be either a powerful enemy or a valuable ally for the DODC. This suggests the organization might work with Williams in future Marvel Cinematic Universe stories.

Additionally, feelings against people with superpowers are increasing within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and the public is becoming more worried. This suggests that Earth-616 is being set up for the arrival of mutants and the X-Men, which we know will happen after the current Multiverse Saga concludes.

Given how the Department of Damage Control has dealt with cases involving people like Ms. Marvel and Simon Williams, it’s reasonable to assume they’ll be leading the government’s efforts to address the emerging mutant situation. This could even mean increased funding and a more prominent role for the department in the MCU going forward, suggesting they’re here to stay.

All episodes of Wonder Man are now streaming on Disney+.

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2026-02-01 22:30