Captain Marvel may be one of the most important movies in the MCU for many reasons. For one, it will serve as a prequel to Ronan and his shenanigans in Guardians of the Galaxy. And most importantly, to Nick Fury and The Avengers. Apart from that, the story will introduce us to a bunch of crucial new characters. Besides the "strongest character in the MCU" herself, we will finally see the first live-action appearance of the Skrulls.
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These creatures have always been an integral part of the Marvel Comics Universe, so it's surprising that it took so long for them to be introduced to the big screen. There is a lot to know about the Skrulls, so without further ado...
MASTER SHAPE-SHIFTERS
Probably the most well-known (and most important) Skrull fact is their ability to shape-shift. The recurring "Captain Marvel punching an old woman in the face" clip confirms it. But their skills are more impressive then it sounds. They can take the physical appearance of any human being or alien species, regardless of shape, size, race and even gender.
Their shape-shifting doesn't stop there, though. Skrulls can not only turn into any living being but also take the shape of any object. A lamp in a living room is just as likely to be a Skrull as the mailman. They can effectively blend into any environment in the world, as long as it is not a deserted being-less, object-less wasteland.
FANTASTIC FIRST APPEARANCE
The Skrulls were one of the first ever Marvel villains. Stan Lee and Jack Kirby created the alien race in 1962 and introduced them in Fantastic Four #2. The story begins with each of the four heroes acting in strangely evil ways before it's revealed they are actually all Skrulls in disguise. They are then discovered by the real FF, who end up defeating them when Reed Richards successfully wipes their memories and turns them into cows. A nice way to wrap up any story.
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Since then, these sinister beings have become one of the most prominent species in the Marvel Universe, having battled the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, and many Marvel characters (both heroes and villains) countless times.
SECRET INVASION
Over the course of Marvel Comics' endless convoluted storylines, occasionally a huge crossover event is thrown into the mix that unites the Marvel heroes (and sometimes villains) into one linear plot. One of the most popular was 2008's Secret Invasion. This eight-issue comic book series started with the horrifying revelation that the shape-shifting Skrulls had abducted and replaced several superheroes over the past couple of years.
They had successfully infiltrated superteams, including the Avengers, as well as high-ranking positions in S.H.I.E.L.D and were finally ready to complete their definitive invasion of Earth. The tagline for the story was: "Who do you trust?", as nobody, not even the reader, knew who was real and who was an alien impostor. Fear and unease dominated the air.
WARSKRULLS CAN MIMIC POWERS, TOO
The Skrull's shape-shifting powers are incredible as is, but some Skrulls prove to be even more advanced. One issue introduced us to the Warskrulls, who were able to not only take the physical appearance of any being but also gain their powers. In Secret Invasion, a large group of Skrulls, (including their Queen Veranke), were shown to have the same abilities.
They effectively applied those to disguise themselves as various Avengers while also using their powers to give themselves an upper hand in their conquest. Kl'rt, named the Super-Skrull, was the first to show off this ability in 1963 when he was given the powers of all of the Fantastic Four combined in order to finally beat them.
NO MATCH FOR THE FANTASTIC FOUR
Throughout all their Marvel history, the Skrulls have faced thousands of enemies, including dozens of superhero teams. But none have been as important to foiling their plans as the Fantastic Four. Since their first introduction in a Fantastic Four issue, the two opposing groups have been at it for decades. And not only on paper.
The Skrulls have made appearances in a number of animated shows, including some Avengers-themed ones, but nothing beats their frequent encounters with the Fantastic Four in their four (irony at its best) animated series. The Avengers may be Earth's Mightiest Heroes, but Marvel's First Family is the main reason the Skrulls have yet to conquer our planet.
KREE-SKRULL WAR
The Kree-Skrull war will be a major plot point in Captain Marvel. In comic lore, the Kree and the Skrulls have an enormously long-lasting rivalry. Long-lasting meaning "millions of years". On one specific occasion, this rivalry bubbled over and the two species waged war on each other. Unfortunately, when two extremely powerful galactic empires start a war, the rest of the galaxy cannot escape it, and that includes Earth.
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The 1970s' Kree-Skrull War story was Marvel's first main crossover event, which included a ton of Avengers, the Inhumans, and the original Captain Marvel fighting to stop the intergalactic madness. It even ties into the Skrulls' first appearance in Fantastic Four #2, when Vision is attacked by three cows. They were revealed to be the Skrulls who were turned into cows in their first issue.
EARTH-BOUND CREATURES
The Skrull's need to rule over Earth, which is especially noticeable in Secret Invasion, begs the question: why are Skrulls so obsessed with Earth? True, in comic books, many cosmic entities seem interested in Earth, mostly because of its large serving of superpowered people. But in this case, there is a very different reason.
In Secret Invasion, we learn that the Skrull queen, Veranke, knew of a prophecy that stated their world would be destroyed and Earth would become their new home, by divine will. After the Skrull planet is destroyed, her people believe her and begin their secret infiltration of the Blue Planet. In this case, the obsession is mostly religious, as opposed to anything else.
TALOS, THE UNTAMED
The only named Skrull confirmed for Captain Marvel is Talos, played by Ben Mendehlson, who will supposedly lead his people in battle. In the comic books, Talos is a somewhat cursed member of his species. He is essentially a handicapped Skrull, because of his genetic disability to shape-shift. Regardless of this, Talos was (until recently) viewed as one of the most feared and respected warriors in the Empire, giving him his nickname, "The Untamed".
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However, he was then shunned by his people when he decided to save his own life instead of sacrificing himself for the Skrull Empire when he was captured by the Kree. How the character will be portrayed in the movie is still unknown.
CELESTIAL ORIGINS
The MCU has given us a glimpse of the Celestials already. Star-Lord's evil planet father, Ego, was our most recent glimpse into those god-like entities. The Celestials also hold a strong connection to the Skrulls. Very strong actually, seeing as they created the green alien race. They performed genetic experiments on a reptilian species and created three different variants of a new species, the Skrulls.
There were Prime Skrulls, with no powers, Deviant Skrulls, with the ability to shape-shift, and Eternal Skrulls, who were given superpowers and longevity. Shortly after the three groups engaged in a civil war, with the Deviant Skrulls eliminating the other two races. Therefore, all modern-day Skrulls are Deviant Skrull ancestors.
KEY TO THE FUTURE OF THE MCU
What makes the Skrulls so interesting is the massive potential they are capable of bringing to the MCU. Since announcing they would be making their debut in Captain Marvel, fans have been relentlessly coming up with dozens of theories on which of the Avengers might actually be Skrulls. Knowing how carefully Marvel plans their movies, it wouldn't be a surprise if someone revealed themselves to have been a green, shape-shifting alien all this time.
Many have theorized that the next major event after Infinity War, will be an adaptation of Secret Invasion. If it were well done, it could be Marvel Studio's most amazing story yet. One where nobody could trust anybody, echoing back to the HYDRA reveal in Winter Soldier. Except it would be built over 20 movies and would be on a much bigger scale. Make no mistake, the Skrulls inclusion in Captain Marvel is no coincidence. Be prepared for when an Avenger reveals his true green colors in the future.