Marvel Just Officially Set Up the MCU’s Own Suicide Squad (& Nobody Noticed)

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The Suicide Squad has proven to be a consistently popular idea in DC Comics, largely because it combines dangerous missions with characters who aren’t necessarily ‘good guys.’ Revived by writer John Ostrander in the late 1980s, the team – officially called Task Force X – is built around the government using imprisoned supervillains for top-secret, high-risk operations that traditional heroes wouldn’t touch. What makes it so compelling is the built-in conflict: these criminals are forced to comply with explosive devices implanted in their heads, turning every mission into a potentially fatal gamble. While originally a comic book favorite, the concept gained huge mainstream appeal through the DC Extended Universe films. Both David Ayer’s gritty 2016 movie and James Gunn’s wildly chaotic 2021 film, The Suicide Squad, solidified the idea of a government team that can operate without accountability.

Many viewers assume Marvel’s Thunderbolts are similar to DC’s Suicide Squad, but this overlooks key differences in their origins. In the comics, the Thunderbolts started as villains pretending to be heroes while the Avengers were gone, and some of them actually enjoyed being good guys. Later versions of the team continued to focus on redemption and positive change. The recent Thunderbolts movie emphasized this theme, showing a group of damaged individuals finding family and striving for forgiveness. However, recent developments in the Marvel Cinematic Universe suggest they might be moving towards a storyline more akin to the Suicide Squad, quietly gathering a team of anti-heroes.

Damage Control Is Building Its Own Suicide Squad in the MCU

The new Disney+ series Wonder Man dramatically changed the role of the Department of Damage Control (DODC). They’ve gone from simply cleaning up after superhero battles to acting like a heavily armed internal security force. Previously, the DODC was mostly a frustrating bureaucracy in Spider-Man: Far From Home and Ms. Marvel, but their actions in recent shows hint at a much more troubling plan for people with superpowers. In the final episode of Wonder Man, Simon Williams (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) breaks into a top-security DODC prison to free his friend, Trevor Slattery (Ben Kingsley). While inside, the show highlights several cells holding unidentified individuals with powers, revealing that the government has been secretly collecting superpowered people and hiding them from the public.

This scene is highlighted by a tense speech from Agent P. Cleary (Arian Moayed), who has been following Simon all season. Cleary clearly states that Simon’s powers could be either a huge danger to the country or a valuable resource. By viewing people with special abilities as “assets,” the DODC is using the same thinking as Amanda Waller, who uses it to justify Task Force X. Instead of trying to help or contain these individuals, the agency is focused on how useful they could be. This suggests the DODC isn’t just watching the superhuman community anymore; they’re actively building a team of expendable soldiers to eliminate any threats they see.

The story is set to continue in the new Spider-Man: Brand New Day, bringing back the DODC with William Metzger (played by Tramell Tillman) in charge. Sources say Metzger’s DODC is even more forceful, using high-tech methods to track down emerging heroes. By portraying the DODC as a government agency that sees superpowered individuals as tools, Marvel is creating a situation similar to the Suicide Squad right in New York City. It’s early days, but if the DODC becomes a regular threat, they could play a major role in the MCU, especially as the X-Men become more integrated into the overall storyline.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day is scheduled to be released in theaters on July 31, 2026.

With the introduction of the Department of Damage Control in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, many fans are wondering if we might see a team similar to the Suicide Squad. What do you think? Share your thoughts and join the discussion on the ComicBook Forum!

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2026-02-21 01:43