Johnson, a superhuman with seismic (earthquake-producing) powers, is the illegitimate daughter of Calvin Zabo, the supervillain known as Mister Hyde. Taken in by S.H.I.E.L.D., she is under the careful eye of its longtime executive director, Nick Fury, even after the latter's defection from the agency during the events of the Secret War series. Daisy herself was a participant in this incident, where Fury used trickery, lies and outright brainwashing in order to secure a superhero team to overthrow the legitimate government of Latveria. This later resulted in a terror attack on American soil; Daisy destroys the cyborg leader.[5] She possesses a "Level 10" security clearance, the only known agent aside from Fury and the Black Widow (Natasha Romanova) to do so.
In her most visible action, Johnson has helped to defeat the powerful mutant leader Magneto by inducing a vibration in his brain that made him lose consciousness. This was during a three-way confrontation with the X-Men, Avengers and the "Collective" - a powered being carrying thousands of mutant energy signatures. Daisy states in this appearance that if she were to join the superhero team the Avengers, she would adopt the moniker "Quake".[6]
The Avengers had splintered due to the events of Civil War, and she is later seen reunited with Nick Fury, in disguise, who gives her new orders to recruit the descendants of various villains and heroes in order to assist him with the threat against the Skrulls in their Secret Invasion.[7] Taking on the name Quake, she and her teammates attack the Skrulls during their invasion of Manhattan.[8] The team becomes a part of Fury's Secret Warriors, with Daisy acting as field leader of the Caterpillars.
While investigating Norman Osborn's escape from the Raft, Johnson is drafted by Captain America into the Avengers under her superhero name Quake. She is tasked with tracking down how Osborn appeared via hologram in the middle of a supposedly secure press conference.[9] Daisy takes over as director of S.H.I.E.L.D. when Nick Fury fully retires and his son joins as an agent.[10] Maria Hill is the Acting Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.,[11][12] while Johnson is still considered Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.[13] Johnson was indefinitely suspended after launching an unsanctioned operation to assassinate Andrew Forson, the Scientist Supreme, leader of the supposedly legitimate A.I.M. Island. Hill is promoted to Director in her place.[14]
In the S.H.I.E.L.D. series, Daisy later reveals to her father that she has uncovered the origin of her abilities: she is an Inhuman whose genetic abilities were activated by her father's unstable DNA. The nickname "Skye", Daisy's original name from the show, is also introduced to comics as Coulson's affectionate name for her.[15]