The Ms. Marvel Episode 1 Mid-Credits Scene Explained
Contains spoilers for "Ms. Marvel" Season 1, Episode 1
After an undeniable banger of a debut, "Ms. Marvel" has taken the classic route of those that came before it by meeting the essential requirements for major players in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Following Kamala Khan's (Iman Vellani) first super slipup at AvengerCon (although thankfully, she still managed to save Laura Marsden's Zoe Zimmer), the arrival of this new Captain Marvel cosplayer has understandably caused a stir. Donning her first attempt at an outfit the same way Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) and Peter Parker (Tom Holland) went through their prototype phase, Kamala's super getup and cool powers have inevitably caught the attention of an organization that now has its eye on the unknown girl with cosmic powers.
Thankfully, while the first people to spot Kamala aren't villains per se, they certainly could spell trouble for New Jersey's new hero, making for a hassle she doesn't need when her biggest challenge so far has been sneaking out of the house. So just who are these surveying specialists trying to get a bead on Kamala? Where have we seen them before, and what do they have planned in what feels like an effort to clamp down on the superpowered spectacle that has become a dangerously recurring incident in the newly confirmed Earth-616? Most importantly, how might these agents affect the future of the MCU and the upcoming heroes like Kamala who are soon to be a part of it?
Agent Cleary is back to do damage control in Ms. Marvel
As teased in a previous trailer, the mid-credits scene shows two people, identified in the subtitles as Deever (Alysia Reiner) and Cleary (Arian Moayed), watching footage from Kamala's incident at AvengerCon and deciding to "bring her in." While Reiner's character is new to the MCU, we've actually seen Moayed's before — Agent Cleary, who works in the Department of Damage Control, previously appeared in "Spider-Man: No Way Home." The last time we saw him, he was investigating Peter Parker for the death of Mysterio after the world learned the high school genius is in fact the beloved hero. Now that the web-slinger's identity has been erased from everyone's minds, however, Cleary is back on the beat looking for new targets.
In "Ms. Marvel," he and Agent Deever have their eye on this mysterious hero who's a fan of Captain Marvel (Brie Larson). They might not be supervillains, but they'll certainly prove to be an obstacle in Kamala's way. Just how close they'll get to accomplishing their mission has yet to be revealed. Still, Reiner is listed on IMDb as appearing in every episode of the miniseries, so it's a strong possibility. It's worth noting, however, that considering the future slate of Disney+ shows set in the MCU, there could be a few more cases for the DODC to crack further down the line, and at least one may be connected to someone who happens to be a current member of the department in the comics.
Could Damage Control take the stand for She-Hulk?
After Kamala has hopefully come to grips with her powers by the end of the series, the next new hero to shake up the MCU will be one packing a gamma-tinted punch. Jennifer Walters (Tatiana Maslany), Bruce Banner's cousin, will be appearing in her show, "She-Hulk: Attorney at Law," on August 17 when she becomes She-Hulk, an equally green but not quite as mean hero with the same powers as Banner. Interestingly, the show's airing coincides with the release of a new five-part comic book run featuring the Department of Damage Control (via CBR) — and Walters happens to be a member.
Written by Adam F. Goldberg (creator of "The Goldbergs"), the new comic sees Walters alongside Nightcrawler, Quicksilver, Ghost Rider, and Moon Knight, all working in the department that cleans up the mess after the heroes and villains leave the scene. Factoring in this upcoming page-turner, might "She-Hulk" see the reappearance of Agent Cleary and his fellow DODC officers?
Admittedly, Walters lives in Los Angeles, which is quite a trek from New Jersey. Still, she could go the distance when backing the likes of New York local Wong (Benedict Wong), who is confirmed to appear, if he runs into legal trouble. For now, we can only wait and see how the DODC handles the current hero in the spotlight when "Ms. Marvel" returns next week. Let's hope, for Kamala's sake, they're less antagonistic than they were toward Peter Parker.