Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for Spider-Man: Far From Home.
Skrulls surprisingly played a role in Spider-Man: Far From Home and may have set up how Chameleon could be one too. The Marvel Cinematic Universe's latest outing was filled with surprises. For those who weren't familiar with Quentin Beck aka Mysterio in the comics, the evil turn that Jake Gyllenhaal's character takes was unexpected. Viewers were also treated to the revelation that Mysterio and The Elementals aren't from the MCU's multiverse as the special effects wizard claimed.
As surprising as these moments were, Spider-Man: Far From Home arguably saved its most shocking moments until after the credits starting rolling. The Spider-Man: Far From Home mid-credits scene showed Peter Parker (Tom Holland) and MJ (Zendaya) finishing up a date when breaking news flashes on a giant screen. This is when J. Jonah Jameson makes his debut in the MCU - played by J.K. Simmons - with The Daily Bugle the source of Mysterio's last trick. He frames Spider-Man as a villain and outs Peter's identity.
This scene alone has set up some significant new twists in future Spider-Man stories, but then the post-credits scene is used to set up the MCU's future and recontextualize everything audiences just saw. It is revealed that the Skrulls have played a significant part in Spider-Man: Far From Home and could continue to do so in the future. But, it also gives Marvel Studios the chance to put their spin on classic Spider-Man villain Chameleon.
The Skrulls’ Role In Spider-Man: Far From Home
In the post-credits scene of Spider-Man: Far From Home, it's revealed that Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders) and Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) have both been Skrulls for the entirety of the film. Talos (Ben Mendelsohn) from Captain Marvel returns to be the Skrull that has been acting like Fury, while his wife Soren took the place of Hill. Up until this reveal, Fury and Hill have been helping Peter and Mysterio as they try to stop the Elementals and have a whole team of operatives with them.
Talos is shown recording a message that is sent to the real Fury, who is revealed to be in space. He is commanding an entire group of Skrulls as they appear to be constructing a station or vessel of some kind. While it isn't explicitly confirmed, this looks to be the first piece of set up for the beginning of S.W.O.R.D. - the intergalactic version of S.H.I.E.L.D. The scene doesn't confirm what Hill has been up to, but it stands to reason that she is with Fury. But, Fury and Hill may not be the only characters from Spider-Man: Far From Home who turn out to be Skrulls.
Theory: Chameleon Is A Skrull (Just Like Fury)
What we do see from the Skrull versions of Fury and Hill on Earth, they are leading a small group of agents. One of the only members of their team that is mentioned is Dimitri (Numan Acar). In the lead up to Spider-Man: Far From Home, the addition of Acar as Dimitri led many to believe that he will be playing the MCU's version of Dmitri Smerdyakov aka Chameleon. In the comics, Chameleon is a master of disguise who can easily take the identity of almost anyone he wants. However, Spider-Man: Far From Home doesn't even hint at these powers.
Furthermore, it doesn't even set him up as an antagonist to Spider-Man, but as a friend. This makes the callout of Dimitri all the more noticeable, especially since he only has a minor role to play in the movie's plot as a bus driver for Peter's school trip. With Fury's command of the Skrulls and the small group he's had Talos lead, it is possible that the entire team is made up of Skrulls, including Chameleon. Captain Marvel explained that while all Skrulls can transform, it takes practice to do so. It could be a clever change for Chameleon to be the best-of-the-best, earning his title of Chameleon because he can quickly and effortlessly change his appearance.
After all, Fury and Hill act slightly out of character in Spider-Man: Far From Home because they are merely being impersonated. Peter doesn't pick up on this, but if Dimitri is a longtime associate of the real Nick Fury, he would notice the changes, unless he was also a Skrull and aware of what was really going on. Director Jon Watts was also very cagey about detailing Dimitri's past during set visit interviews, so this could be a secret he was and still is trying to protect. Of course, this could eliminate his familial ties to Spidey villain Kraven the Hunter, but the MCU and Watts could still bring him into the larger story without it.
A Skrull Chameleon Makes Sense For The MCU
Chameleon being a Skrull also makes the most sense for the MCU. Based on his powerset in the comics, there aren't that many ways that the MCU could pull off a faithful iteration of the character that is also believable. One option for his masterful disguises is the aid of technology. The MCU has already set up one way for such a path, as Chameleon could use similar face-swapping mask tech that Black Widow used in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. This would be a nice callback for the MCU to make and is plausible. However, this option or any other deviations from it could be viewed as the MCU copying the masks used in the Mission: Impossible franchise, a comparison that Marvel would likely want to avoid. Instead, the master of disguise being a shape-shifting alien is a unique spin that the MCU can take.
The Skrulls' surprise role in the post-credits scene is a clear indication that they'll be involved in upcoming Marvel movies, so Marvel Studios will likely want to integrate them into the larger story with every chance they get. Their use of Skrulls moving forward could be similar to how they've continued to use Stark tech, which is constantly involved in major events and used to tie together characters and stories with Spider-Man: Far From Home the latest example. Chameleon being a Skrull would do the same thing and allow for the revelation of his alien nature to come in a future MCU story. Plus, it could help show how the Skrulls can use their abilities to become several different people to achieve a goal.
Chameleon Could Help Set Up Secret Invasion
If Chameleon is a Skrull in the MCU, then he could also be the latest piece of a larger puzzle: adapting Secret Invasion. The comic event story revealed that the Skrulls had slowly and secretly replaced world leaders, public figures, and several superheroes to take over Earth. However, Captain Marvel showed that the MCU's versions of Skrulls aren't villains and their role in Spider-Man: Far From Home solidifies that further. It instead appears that Marvel Studios could be gearing up for a reverse Secret Invasion adaptation in the future, one where the Skrulls are heroes, and the Kree could be villains.
In this case, Chameleon being a Skrull would be another way for them to push this idea forward. He could be a third recognizable character used to help save the planet and maybe even the galaxy. And if our proposal for his expertise with his abilities is correct, it could make him an integral part in stopping the Kree. That said, we have yet to get confirmation that a reverse Secret Invasion story is coming to the MCU or that Chameleon is a Skrull, but the option is on the table for Marvel Studios after Spider-Man: Far From Home if they want to take it - and we hope that they do.