The MCU's Secret Invasion Is Already Completely Different

The Marvel Cinematic Universe's version of Secret Invasion is already set up to be completely different from the comics. The 2008 comic book crossover event by Brian Michael Bendis saw the shapeshifting alien race known as Skrulls infiltrate the Marvel universe. The Skrulls' master plan revealed they secretly infiltrated humanity to pose as politicians, world leaders, and even some superheroes. Comic fans long wondered if the MCU would attempt to tell this story in some fashion. The introduction of the Skrulls in Captain Marvel gave Marvel the option, and they're officially doing it.

Marvel Studios confirmed plans for a Secret Invasion adaptation in 2020. It will be a Disney+ event series starring Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and Talos (Ben Mendelsohn). The show will include a wide variety of other Marvel characters, although Kevin Feige has stressed that it will be smaller in scale and characters than the comic. Still, there is a lot of interest in how Secret Invasion will play and what it means for the rest of the MCU. There is an expectation that the show will set up Captain Marvel 2, but fans should also begin preparing for the storyline to be completely different from the comics.

The teases for Secret Invasion are already being laid by Marvel Studios and they keep on coming. WandaVision is the latest MCU property to help establish the presence of the Skrulls and where their story could go next. After Captain Marvel flipped the script on the comics and made the Skrulls the good guys, fans have been left wondering why the alien race (or at least a part of them) would turn on Earth, especially when Carol Danvers helped them find a new home decades ago. If the MCU's early teases for Secret Invasion are any indication, the purpose of the Skrulls' identity thieving story could be vastly different.

WandaVision Follows Spider-Man 2's Post-Credits Trend

Spider-Man Far From Home and Nick Fury Sword

The MCU's plans for Secret Invasion appear to have started in the post-credits scene of Spider-Man: Far From Home. One of the film's post-credits scenes revealed that Nick Fury was already in the cosmos aboard a spaceship or space station. Fury was surrounded by many Skrulls, but they weren't just helping him in space. The scene showed Talos and his wife Soren were on Earth and have been impersonating Nick Fury and Maria Hill the whole time. This act was at the order of Fury, though, and not a sign that the Skrulls were taking over his life for nefarious purposes. The confirmation that Fury and the Skrulls are working together again (or have been this whole time) is important and will undoubtedly be how Fury and Talos' stories connect for Secret Invasion.

Now, Marvel Studios has used WandaVision's post-credits to do something similar. The Disney+ show's mid-credits scene showed Monica Rambeau go to meet with a government official in Westview after the Hex was lifted. However, Monica was surprised to see the agent who escorted her to the location turn into a Skrull. The female Skrull told Monica she was sent by an old friend of Monica's mother, Maria, and that that friend had heard Monica was grounded from flight and wanted to meet. When Monica asked where the meeting would take place, the Skrull simply pointed to space. This tease of Monica heading to space to join Nick Fury and/or Talos is exciting for her MCU future, but it also could signal the direction of Secret Invasion.

How The MCU's Secret Invasion Is Different

In the time since the MCU revealed the Skrulls' existence in Captain Marvel, they've appeared twice in a similar capacity. The Skrulls that appear in Spider-Man: Far From Home and WandaVision are following Fury's orders. Importantly, he is having them take on roles or identities of those with government access. While this was part of the Skrulls' plan in the comics, infiltrating the government wasn't the primary focus of the story. The comics largely looked at the Skrulls' long-running plan to impersonate superheroes, which included trading places with Black Bolt, Spider-Woman, Hank Pym, and many others. However, the idea of the Skrulls taking the place of superheroes is something the MCU hasn't touched yet, and that might not change.

One of the biggest issues with a Secret Invasion adaptation is the likely possibility of retconning the stories of major MCU heroes. The true shock that would come with a faithful adaptation could only be done by revealing some of the biggest MCU characters have been Skrulls for their entire stories or at least a section of it. Fans long speculated which MCU characters could secretly be Skrulls. While there are some intriguing options, Marvel would risk undercutting the growth of any heroes who are involved in such a twist. This could be why the MCU appears to be shifting the focus of Secret Invasion to something leaning more on governments. It would also fit with Nick Fury's espionage/spy background, especially if he is the one leading the invasion.

Nick Fury Is Leading The Secret Invasion

Samuel L Jackson as Nick Fury and Secret Invasion

Unlike the comic version of Secret Invasion where the Skrulls planned an invasion of Earth to take over the planet with ease, it seems that Nick Fury might be the mastermind behind the MCU's. The last two appearances by the Skrulls have been directly connected to Fury's own plans. He used Talos and Soren to go to Earth so he didn't have to and sent another to get Monica for him. It remains to be seen exactly what he wants, but it doesn't appear that Fury is connected to SWORD as it currently stands. Perhaps Fury has learned from his failure as the director of SHIELD and allowing a Hydra takeover to happen right under his nose. He might have lost a position of power due to an invasion in the past, but Fury might now be interested in using the Skrulls to help him regain his influence. Since the government has stood in Fury's way in the past and hampered what superheroes can do, he could attempt to keep that from happening again.

Fury planting Skrulls in various places on Earth could also be tied to him having a contingency plan in case another threat arrives. This could make the Skrull "invasion" a good thing for the state of the world, which would be another way Marvel could surprise fans expecting something closer to the source material. Spider-Man: Far From Home made mention of Kree sleeper cells that Talos and Soren were aware of. Fury could be interested in using the Skrulls to "invade" Earth to stop the Kree from their own plan for global domination. If something similar to this happens in Secret Invasion, the Skrulls continuing to play hero, Fury's involvement in an alien "invasion," and so on would certainly separate the MCU's take on the story from the comics.

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