The Marvel Cinematic Universe is set to dive into one of its most complex comic book arcs with the Disney+ Secret Invasion series. With Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury at the helm, the series will feature the Skrulls stealing identities of characters for a sinister motive.
Fans of Reddit have theorized how, why, and where the storylines will take place, ranging from the general idea to theories where Redditors have carved out whole plotlines. Since the MCU keeps details scarce right up until the shows’ release, it’s worth looking into the potential stories that this series could very well have.
Skrulls Took The Identities Of People Whom The Snap Killed Indirectly
According to Redditor RocketLove4, during the five-year gap of the Snap, “the Skrulls arrive, they take the shape of people who died not Directly but Indirectly of the snap.” The idea here is that these people would be the ones who survived the Snap, only to be killed by things like planes falling on them, among other situations that led to their demises.
The Skrulls will have taken over the identities of these people because they won’t be ed for, allowing them to infiltrate within the human populace and remain undetected when everyone came back. It’s a very interesting idea that would open up a chunk of episodes dedicated to showing the backstories of the Skrulls posing as humans.
Veranke Will Frame Talos
Many of the popular Skrulls moments from the comics feature Veranke, the queen of the species. Redditor Lexaryas believes that, for the Skrulls, “It's the perfect time for them to start invading. ... I do not think this will be Talos' doing, it will probably be Veranke.”
Talos will be the first person both fans and in-universe characters will look to blame when the Skrulls turn out to be bad. This storyline could see Talos go on the run because he’s unjustly framed, which allows Veranke to infiltrate into the human species while governments chase after the wrong man.
The Power Broker Is A Skrull
Sharon Carter isSecret Invasion due to her reveal as the Power Broker. Redditor CasualFan25 stays true to their name by providing a concise theory, claiming that “Sharon is a Skrull, calling it now.”
The series can absolve Sharon from becoming a surprise villain through this storyline, as her activities as the Power Broker stealing government secrets from around the world sound too diabolical to fit her personality. It would additionally open up a plot that reveals the real Sharon’s whereabouts.
The Thunderbolts Will Fight The Skrulls
The Thunderbolts are the equivalent to DC’s Suicide Squad and Redditor abellapa thinks they have been in effect already in the MCU. According to them, “the Thunderbolts would in truth work for the rogue Skrulls without knowing,” meaning the band of ex-criminals will still be operating as criminals without knowing it.
With a series as steeped in the spy aspect of things, it would make sense for the Thunderbolts to be introduced this way. The story could see the Thunderbolts painted as the villains until a twist uncovers the Skrulls to be pulling the strings. The MCU can introduce a popular faction quite seamlessly by blending them with the arc around the Skrulls.
A Skrull Replaced War Machine
Redditor Severan500 suggests the Skrulls see War Machine as “an ideal target. One foot in the Avengers world, one in the upper levels of the military.” With Secret Invasion set to drastically change the MCU, seeing long-standing hero War Machine replaced would easily shake things to the core.
Rhodey was a bit too interested in Sam Wilson’s activities in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, which can be a Skrull posing as him. Rhodey has a huge influence in the matters of the heroes and the government, so this is a story that would pretty much write itself where the Skrulls control all the good guys.
Maria Hill Is A Skrull
Redditor TheCravin has an aggressive way of presenting a huge plot point, claiming “Maria Hill was always a Skrull. Always close to the team, and also close to Fury who we know has a relationship with them.” The idea is that she will be revealed as a traitor from the start.
It can lead into an arc where the Maria Hill Skrull’s activities will be shown retroactively, with stories from Spider-Man: Far From Home, the Redditor’s theory is that the Maria Hill fans know of was always a Skrull.
The Government And S.H.I.E.L.D. Will Weed Out Imposters
Redditor -Posthuman- thinks the series will take on a grounded approach and “the focus is on of the government, high-ranking SHIELD agents and the like that were replaced.” According to them, people like Nick Fury will be looking to deduce which characters are genuine and who the Skrulls are.
It’s a good way to approach things since the inclusion of superheroes might push a non-powered person like Nick Fury to the sidelines. In this story, the focus could be on S.H.I.E.L.D. and the main characters living with constant paranoia over who’s on their side.
The Backstory Of The Skrulls Will Be Explored
Not much about the Skrulls is known, so the Disney+ series can look into the culture of their species. Redditor darkegon writes that “there’s a diverse range of factions in both alien cultures, and that’s going to be exploited for this show.”
Most are under the impression that it will only be from the point of view of humans, but this approach will present arcs for the Skrulls themselves. Storylines could look to take viewers into the Skrulls’ habitats, where characters will be identified and their way of life will be detailed.
The Skrulls Will Fight A Civil War
While many theories exist over which MCU character is actually a Skrull, there’s a good chance the series might feature a conflict within the Skrulls themselves. Redditor Realistic_Analyst_26 thinks that “Skrulls could have been divided into 2 factions, 1 is good and the other is bad.”
They elaborate that the situation is similar to Black Panther, in that a bad Skrull similar to Killmonger has caused dissension among the ranks. The story could show how the good and bad factions operate, along with diving into what led to the Skrulls’ civil war.
Nick Fury And Talos Will Team Up
The MCU loves placing characters together to make dynamic duos, and Redditor Wise-Tourist claims that Secret Invasion will be a “Detective series and each episode will have Nick and Talos exploring different corners of the MCU.” Although it’s been confirmed that the Skrulls will be infiltrating the human populace, this is a neat idea for the overall storyline.
The show’s framing device can be about Nick and Talos’ adventures around the globe, or even on different planets if the stinger of Spider-Man: Far From Home is any indication. The main narrative will be about the duo following in on leads about Skrull activities to thwart attempts to harm people.