Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for Secret Invasion episode 3With the arrival of the MCU's Super-Skrulls, Marvel's Secret Invasion has revealed its true villain plot orchestrated by the shape-shifting alien rebels seeking to forcibly claim Earth as their own. Led by their Skrull General Gravik (Kingsley Ben-Adir), a growing faction of Skrulls intends to take Earth for themselves, tired of unkept promises made by Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) that he would find them a new home. However, Gravik has deeper plans beyond inciting World War III, and it surprisingly has to do with Guardians of the Galaxy's Groot, the flora colossus himself.
As seen in Secret Invasion's premiere episode, it was revealed that Gravik is looking to incite open nuclear war between the United States and Russia. This would greatly benefit the Skrulls as the shape-shifting aliens are immune to radiation, allowing them to become the dominant power on Earth. However, Secret Invasion episode 2 confirms that inciting war is only the first step in a much bigger campaign as designed by Gravik and episode 3 finally reveals that the Skrull leader has created Super-Skrulls in the MCU.
The Skrulls Have Created Super-Skrulls In Secret Invasion
Secret Invasion episode 3 confirms the MCU's Super-Skrulls are real, with Gravik announcing the superpowered alien upgrades as a deterrent to the Avengers and other Earth heroes. Shockingly, Gravik also reveals he has already altered his DNA, using the stabilized version of the Extremis Virus introduced in Iron Man 3 to give himself a healing factor. The Super-Skrull reveal sets up a huge battle at the end of Secret Invasion that will surely be too much for Nick Fury to handle himself.
Previously, in Secret Invasion episode 2, Talos' daughter Gi'ah (Emilia Clarke) discovered a hidden laboratory and large machine where Gravik has two scientists working with a variety of DNA samples the Skrulls have collected for experimentation. Gi'ah soon hears about something known as the Harvest, and it seems as though more unique DNA samples are needed for their mysterious project. One of the scientists is referred to as Doctor Rosa Dalton, motivating Gi'ah to look her up in the Skrulls' database. This is where she finds a list of all the DNA samples Gravik has already procured for her.
The MCU Super-Skrulls' Powers Origin Explained
Including Groot's DNA, Gravik has gathered other samples from superhero battles across the MCU to increase the Skrulls' superpowers in place of the Fantasic Four's powers in the comics. The DNA database G'iah uncovered included notes on the Frost Beast from Jotunheim seen at the end of Thor: The Dark World, the severed hand of Cull Obsidian, one of Thanos' Black Order who was ultimately killed by Bruce Banner in the Hulkbuster armor in Avengers: Infinity War, Groot's DNE and the Extremis Virus. As such, it's evident that Gravik is looking to create the MCU's version of Super-Skrulls, a potential means of leveling the playing field should any Avengers try to assemble and intervene with his war against humanity.
Every Power The Super-Skrulls Will Have In The MCU
Based on the DNA samples confirmed thus far in Marvel's Secret Invasion, it seems as though the powers at the Skrulls' disposal are a mix of those used by the original Super-Skrull as well as the Power Skrull on the page. Broken down, logically, the Super-Skrulls in Secret Invasion will have these incredible powers:
- Healing Factor: From the Extremis Virus, as shown by Gravik in episode 3
- Fire Breathing? Aldrich Killian boasted this power in Iron Man 3 after he injected himself with Extremis
- Super Speed: The Frost Beast's known powers include surprising speed
- Endurance: On top of the healing factor, the Frost Beast will gift the Super-Skrulls incredible endurance
- Elasticity: Groot's DNA has clearly been adapted by the Skrulls to give them the ability to extend limbs into weapons, as shown in early Secret Invasion footage
- Super Strength: Cull Obsidian's DNA will give the Super-Skrulls strength as impressive as Hulk's
Naturally, Groot provides the stretching/growing powers in place of Reed Richards' Mister Fantastic. An increase in strength should also be expected thanks to both Groot and Cull Obsidian, on top of the Skrulls' existing increased strength. Likewise, increased durability and endurance will likely be coming from the Frost Beast as well as ice generation, a power that belonged to the Power Skrull in the comics.
The return of Extremis in Secret Invasion should prove to be very interesting as well. While it could simply be used as a proxy for the Human Torch's fire abilities used by Kl'rt in the comics, it seemingly also serve as the Power Skrull's bio-electric projection ability. After all, harnessing the body's bioelectric power was how Extremis rapidly healed limbs and more, hence the reason it was so volatile in the hands of humans due to its potentially explosive side effects. That being said, it stands to reason that even more powers via DNA samples will be searched for and copied as Secret Invasion continues.
Marvel Comics' Super-Skrulls Explained
In the original comics from Marvel, there was initially only one Super-Skrull named Kl'rt. Having been granted the powers of the entire Fantastic Four, the Super-Skrull was dispatched as an honor guard of sorts before an eventual invasion of Earth by the Skrull Empire. However, Kl'rt would continue to be repelled by Marvel's First Family, leading to the creation of many more Super-Skrulls ahead of the original Secret Invasion event on the page.
While one of the most notable Super-Skrulls beyond Kl'rt was Paibok who became known as the Power Skrull, there were several Super-Skrulls that were given powers to mimic a variety of heroes living on Earth. This included Rl'nnd who was given the combined powers of the X-Men's Colossus, Wolverine, Nightcrawler, and Cyclops. Likewise, another fascinating yet unnamed Super-Skrull had the combined powers of the Spider-Man villains Sandman, Hydroman, Rhino, Electro, Venom, and Lizard, a Sinister Six all his own.
Everything Secret Invasion Changes About Marvel's Super-Skrulls
As with many Marvel Studios projects, Secret Invasion is best considered a loose adaptation of the Secret Invasion comic event, despite the identical names. Nick Fury has been elevated to the central character and the Avengers are missing (for now), with a consciously more narrow story focus to Fury's personal stakes. The Super-Skrulls are also different in several ways. Most notably of all, of course, is the decision not to use the Fantastic Four as the basis for the Super-Skrulls' powers. Or indeed the X-Men or Spider-Man versions noted previously. Part of that no doubt comes to rights issues (as Sony still have control over what Spider-Man characters the MCU can use), but also the fact that the X-Men and the Fantastic Four simply don't exist in the MCU yet.
Gravik's Super-Skrull form also seems to be missing a couple of powers that his Marvel Comics counterpart boasted: because of the Harvest's artifacts, the MCU Super-Skrull will not possess the power of flight (which is taken from Johnny Storm on the page). It also seems likely Gravik will not possess Kl'rt's hypnosis powers. The manner of boosting his powers has also been changed. In the comics, the Super-Skrull is given his powers by a signal from his home planet (not Skrullos, as in the MCU), and blocking the signal renders him weakened in his initial form. Gravik's powers come from Earth-based scientists and no signal is involved at all, making him a more fearsome foe.
The changes are sensible, given Secret Invasion's changes to the wider comic book story, and actually make Super-Skrull Gravik more of a threat to Earth. Not to mention, Gravik's plan has a broader scope: he wants to empower all the Skrulls to be just like him, with even more superpowers targeted as part of an ongoing Harvest. Whether he will achieve that goal is anyone's guess, but it's going to take a lot to stop him.
