‘Cloak & Dagger’ Showrunner Offers First Details on Mayhem’s Introduction

Marvel’s Cloak & Dagger is officially coming back for a second season on Freeform next year, and the key art for the sophomore installment teased the introduction of the fan-favorite comic villain/anti-hero, Mayhem.

When it was first announced that the show would feature Brigid O’Reilly, everyone started wondering when/if the well-mannered cop would turn into the power-wielding vigilante. After the debut of the Season 2 key art, which features a set of bright green scratch marks, and the phrase “Season 2 Will Be Mayhem,” it’s safe to say that we’ve got our answer.

Of course, when you look back through the events of Cloak & Dagger‘s first season, it’s easy to see that the writers have been setting up the character’s introduction for some time. The TV version of O’Reilly, played brilliantly by Emma Lahana, has been tracking down one of the city’s dirtiest cops, becoming an ally to Tandy and Tyrone, just like in the comics. As we saw at the end of last week’s episode, that conflict is finally coming to a head.

At the Cloak & Dagger press room during San Diego Comic-Con, ComicBook.com got the chance to ask showrunner Joe Pokaski about the build-up to Mayhem’s pending

“We got very excited, the writers and I, when we were breaking the first season because we knew who Mayhem was and we knew Brigid began as a friend,” Pokaski explained. “It was very exciting as writers to say, low key, we can start telling you words and story of a villain in the most ninja way possible. So it’s just been fun. And then add on top of that, you have an actress like Emma Lahana. Because we could have cast someone average or just good. She has done two episodes of our show where she hasn’t said a word and she’s crushed it. I don’t know if you have seen episode nine yet, doesn’t say a word again, makes you want to cry. So I’m very excited, kind of in a Killmonger way, to bring in a villain who you can relate with. I think Mayhem, without spoiling too much, is kind of what we wish we all were if we didn’t face consequences.”

When you think about where O’Reilly’s story is with two episodes left in the season, and the fact that Pokaski already confirmed that there would be a post-credits scene in the finale, it’s entirely possible that fans could get a glimpse of Mayhem by the time the season ends.

Are you excited to see Mayhem arrive on Cloak & Dagger? When do you think the character will make her debut? Let us know by sounding off in the comments below!

New episodes of Marvel’s Cloak & Dagger air on Thursday nights at 8 pm ET on Freeform.