Who Is The Villain In Ms. Marvel On Disney+?

Contains spoilers for "Ms. Marvel" Season 1, Episode 2

Marvel Studios has introduced another brand-new hero who promises to make a mark on the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani), star of the Disney+ miniseries "Ms. Marvel." The series, which premiered on June 8, follows Jersey City high schooler and superhero fanatic Kamala as she inadvertently acquires a bangle that awakens her cosmic superpowers resembling Captain Marvel's (Brie Larson), her favorite superhero. As Kamala develops her newfound abilities, she must contend with her overbearing family, typical teenage growing pains, and a mystery concerning her extended family that Kamala's mother (Zenobia Shroff) pointedly does not want her daughter learning about.

Vellani, only 19, appears positioned to act in MCU projects for the long haul as Marvel searches for a new group of long-term tentpole characters throughout Phase Four. Vellani's new role marks her on-screen debut, and she's already confirmed to appear in the upcoming "Captain Marvel" sequel "The Marvels" alongside Larson and Teyonah Parris, who plays Monica Rambeau in "WandaVision."

Marvel and Disney have centered much of the "Ms. Marvel" promotional material around Kamala herself and her enthusiasm over getting powers and living like her favorite superhero, a similar trope to Kate Bishop's (Hailee Steinfeld) introduction in the miniseries "Hawkeye." Every superhero needs a villain to fight, though; Marvel played its cards close to its chest when teasing whom Kamala may go up against in trailers. It turns out that the principal villains in "Ms. Marvel" aren't exactly new characters at all.

After Kamala realizes the bangle awakens her cosmic superpowers and inadvertently reveals those powers at AvengerCon, the Department of Damage Control (DODC) takes an interest in her activities, as seen in the mid-credits scene of the series premiere. In the second episode, they take Kamala's high school classmate Zoe Zimmer (Laurel Marsden) in for questioning.

Zoe initially thinks she's under questioning for the party she had just thrown, but MCU fans should immediately recognize Agent Cleary (Arian Moayed) from his brief appearance in "Spider-Man: No Way Home." Cleary and other agents grill Zoe about the identity of the superpowered person at AvengerCon, even accusing Kamala of being an enhanced individual who tried to kill her.

Cleary and the DODC agents decide to do a tristate sweep on temples, community centers, and mosques; they even mention that the FBI already conducts surveillance on these areas. After the agency and its drones catch up to Kamala at the end of the second episode following her so-so attempt to save a boy from falling off a mosque tower, she escapes with the help of Kamran (Rish Shah).

In the MCU, the DODC has existed since the aftermath of 2012's "The Avengers," when Stark Industries coordinated with the government to clean up damage caused by superhero-related activity. By Phase Four, the DODC has seemingly grown interested in seizing both superpowered individuals and alien technology, and Kamala's cosmic powers are clearly setting off alarms.