A Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase 4 antagonist is back in the franchise’s latest release, with his new return exploring an intriguing MCU location. The MCU’s TV shows have been a bit of a mixed bag so far, with some of them reaching franchise-changing heights, such as Loki and WandaVision, while others were sadly forgettable, as was the case for Secret Invasion.
Fans will now get the chance to judge the first MCU release of 2026 and decide where it ends on that spectrum. That said, Marvel’s new series is unlike anything the MCU has ever done in the past. The focus is not on superhero action, and its villains are not world-ending threats. Still, a returning Marvel villain sets up the franchise’s future.
Marvel’s New Series Brings Back A Recurring MCU Villain
Warning! This article contains spoilers for Marvel’s Wonder Man.Arian Moayed returns as Agent Cleary from the Department of Damage Control in Wonder Man. The MCU character first appeared in the franchise in 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home, where he was in charge of the investigation of Mysterio’s death after Peter Parker was revealed to be Spider-Man. Then, the character wanted to apprehend Kamala Khan in Disney+’s Ms. Marvel series.
Now, Cleary makes a deal with Trevor Slattery in Wonder Man, allowing Trevor to stay out of prison and forgetting his past as the fake Mandarin in exchange for getting incriminating material on Simon Williams. Cleary knows about Simon’s powers and thinks he is a dangerous individual. Additionally, there is a mandate at the DODC to make arrests to fill the Supermax Prison from She-Hulk: Attorney at Law.
However, things do not go as he expected, as the bond formed between Simon and Trevor is too strong. To keep his friend from being sent to jail, Trevor once again pretends to be the Mandarin in a new video, leading to the DODC arresting him and Simon being exonerated from the studio explosion in Wonder Man. Thankfully, Simon infiltrates the prison and escapes with Trevor at the end.
What Role Could Agent Cleary Play In The MCU’s Future?
There is simply nothing Cleary can do to stop Wonder Man from flying out of the prison with Trevor, but that does not mean that the MCU villain’s story is over. In fact, what the new MCU TV show revealed about the Department of Damage Control could very well link the organization to Marvel’s upcoming X-Men movie reboot.
After all, the mutants are known for being persecuted by human organizations in the comics, live-action, animation, and more. Given how DODC agents are working under orders to fill the Supermax Prison to keep the department’s funding, if mutants start to pop up in the franchise, then they would make for the perfect occupants for the facility. Wonder Man‘s impact on the larger MCU remains to be seen.
- Release Date
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January 27, 2026
- Network
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Disney+
- Writers
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Andrew Guest
- Franchise(s)
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MCU
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Yahya Abdul-Mateen II
Simon Williams
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