Secret Invasion

• Core Identity: Secret Invasion is a sprawling Marvel Comics crossover event centered on a long-term, clandestine infiltration of Earth by the shape-shifting alien Skrull Empire, culminating in an all-out war for planetary dominance.
• Key Takeaways:
• Role in the Universe: The event served as the explosive climax to years of simmering paranoia and instability within the superhero community, fundamentally questioning the very nature of trust and identity. skrulls.
• Primary Impact: Its most significant consequence in the comics was the dismantling of S.H.I.E.L.D., the public vilification of Tony Stark, and the meteoric rise of Norman Osborn to a position of global power, ushering in the era known as the `Dark Reign`.
• Key Incarnations: The Earth-616 comic storyline was a massive, universe-spanning military invasion built on decades of religious fanaticism and meticulous planning, while the Marvel Cinematic Universe adaptation is a much smaller, more intimate espionage thriller focused on a splinter faction of Skrull refugees and their conflict with Nick Fury.

The Secret Invasion storyline was a meticulously planned epic, the culmination of several years of narrative threads seeded by writer Brian Michael Bendis across multiple Marvel titles, primarily New Avengers. The core limited series, titled `Secret Invasion`, ran for eight issues from June to December 2008. It was written by Bendis with pencils by Leinil Francis Yu, inks by Mark Morales, and colors by Laura Martin. The event was born from a creative summit at Marvel Comics where the idea of a paranoid thriller was floated. Bendis pitched the concept of heroes being replaced by Skrulls, a callback to the classic `Kree-Skrull War` saga but on a much grander and more insidious scale. The central marketing tagline, “Who do you trust?”, became a cultural touchstone for the event, perfectly encapsulating the atmosphere of suspicion that permeated the Marvel Universe at the time. The reveal of Elektra as a Skrull imposter in `New Avengers` #31 (June 2007) served as the primary catalyst, shocking readers and officially kicking off the prelude to the invasion. The event was supported by an enormous number of tie-in issues across nearly every ongoing Marvel series, making it one of the largest crossover events in the company's history.

The genesis of the comic book Secret Invasion is deeply rooted in Skrull history, religion, and a series of devastating setbacks for their empire. The Skrull throneworld, Tarnax IV, was consumed by the world-eater, `Galactus`, an event that shattered their civilization and scattered its survivors. This catastrophe coincided with a prophecy that foretold Earth was destined to become the Skrulls' new homeland. This religious fervor was weaponized by the newly crowned Empress Veranke. Veranke had been exiled for her fanatical interpretation of the prophecies but was brought back to lead her people after the destruction of their capital. She believed that the infiltration and conquest of Earth were a divine mandate. The Skrulls' plan was ingeniously long-term. They studied Earth's heroes and society for years, exploiting the chaos caused by events like `Avengers Disassembled`, `House of M`, and especially the superhero `Civil War`. This schism in the hero community created the perfect environment of mistrust for them to operate. Their methodology was terrifyingly effective. They developed a new generation of Skrull infiltrators who were undetectable by all known means—telepathy, magic, and even Wolverine's heightened senses. They abducted key figures from across the globe—heroes, villains, and government agents—and replaced them with these “sleeper agents.” These agents had the original's memories, powers, and even personality quirks, making them perfect duplicates. The plan was not just to fight Earth's heroes, but to dismantle their society from within, turning their own technology, organizations like S.H.I.E.L.D., and even their trust in each other against them. The invasion was the final, brutal step of a plan that had been in motion for years.

The MCU's version of Secret Invasion, depicted in the Disney+ series of the same name, presents a radically different origin. It is not a story of imperial conquest but one of broken promises and radicalized refugees. In the 1990s, as shown in the film `Captain Marvel`, Nick Fury and Carol Danvers encountered a group of Skrull refugees fleeing persecution from the Kree Empire. They promised to find these displaced Skrulls a new homeworld. For three decades, this promise went unfulfilled. While some Skrulls, like Talos, remained loyal to Fury and worked for him in exchange for sanctuary on Earth, a younger generation grew disillusioned and angry. Led by a charismatic and ruthless Skrull named Gravik, this splinter faction believed humans were unworthy of the planet and that the Skrulls should take it for themselves. Fury's disappearance during The Blip (after Thanos' snap) and his subsequent off-world station further fueled their resentment, making them feel abandoned. Gravik's faction began a series of terrorist-style attacks designed to push humanity's major powers into a world war, hoping to weaken the planet enough for a Skrull takeover. Their plan was not a mass military invasion but a campaign of political destabilization. They established a secretive settlement called New Skrullos in a decommissioned Russian nuclear plant and began a project to create Super-Skrulls by augmenting themselves with the DNA of various super-powered individuals, gathered by Skrulls who had secretly collected samples from major battles like the Battle of Earth. This version of the invasion is a direct consequence of Fury's actions and inaction, making the conflict deeply personal for him.

The comic event was a meticulously structured crescendo of paranoia and action.

The silent invasion began years before the main event. Key figures were systematically abducted and replaced.

• Known Infiltrators: A table of confirmed Skrull agents is essential for understanding the scope of the conspiracy.

^ Character Replaced ^ Powers/Role ^ Key Actions as Imposter ^

1. The Elektra Reveal: The discovery of a Skrull posing as Elektra shattered the heroes' trust and confirmed their worst fears. This immediately led to a confrontation within the Illuminati where Black Bolt was also revealed as a Skrull.
2. The Savage Land: A ship full of “rescued” heroes crashes in the Savage Land, creating a massive battle between the New and Mighty Avengers as each team suspects the other of harboring Skrulls. This was a deliberate Skrull tactic to sow chaos.
3. The Global Shutdown: The “Jarvis” Skrull activates a virus that cripples all Stark-tech, including the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier and Iron Man's armors, effectively neutralizing Earth's primary defense network.
4. The Invasion Begins: With Earth's defenses down, the Skrull fleet launches a full-scale military assault on major cities worldwide, including New York and Wakanda. The Young Avengers and the Initiative cadets are left to defend Times Square.
5. The Final Battle in Central Park: Earth's remaining heroes, villains (led by Norman Osborn), and Nick Fury's newly-revealed Secret Warriors converge in Central Park for a final, desperate battle against Empress Veranke and her Super-Skrull army.

The consequences of Secret Invasion were seismic and redefined the Marvel Universe for years.

• Norman Osborn's Ascension: It was Norman Osborn, not a traditional hero, who fired the killing shot on Empress Veranke. This act, broadcast globally, made him a public hero.
• Dismantling of S.H.I.E.L.D.: The public blamed Tony Stark and S.H.I.E.L.D. for failing to prevent the invasion. The President of the United States officially disbanded S.H.I.E.L.D.
• Creation of H.A.M.M.E.R.: Osborn was given control of a new global security force called H.A.M.M.E.R. to replace S.H.I.E.L.D.
• The Cabal: Osborn formed a secret alliance of supervillains, including Doctor Doom, Loki, Namor, The Hood, and Emma Frost, to secretly run the world. This era is known as the `Dark Reign`.
• Heroes on the Run: Tony Stark became a fugitive, and the New Avengers were forced to go further underground, branded as outlaws by Osborn's new regime.

The MCU event is a more contained espionage story with a different set of stakes and outcomes.

Gravik's faction, feeling abandoned by Fury, begins a campaign of terror.

1. Moscow Bombing: The Skrulls orchestrate a dirty bomb attack in Moscow, framing the American anti-government group “Americans Against Russia” to escalate tensions between the superpowers. Talos's wife, Soren, is killed by Gravik during this period.
2. Infiltrating Power: Key figures are replaced to gain access to military and political power. Most notably, James “Rhodey” Rhodes (War Machine) is replaced by a Skrull named Raava, giving Gravik direct access to the President of the United States.
3. The Super-Skrull Project: Gravik's primary goal is to obtain “The Harvest,” a vial containing the DNA of numerous Avengers and their enemies collected after the Battle of Earth. He uses a machine at New Skrullos to grant himself and his followers powers from this DNA, including Extremis, Groot's regenerative abilities, and a Frost Giant's physiology.

1. The Death of Maria Hill: During the Moscow bombing, a Gravik-impersonating Fury kills Maria Hill, a devastating personal blow to the real Fury and a clear sign that Gravik will stop at nothing.
2. The Death of Talos: Talos is killed by Gravik during an assassination attempt on the U.S. President. His death radicalizes his daughter, `G'iah`, and removes the primary voice of moderation among the Skrulls.
3. G'iah's Empowerment: G'iah secretly undergoes the Super-Skrull procedure herself, gaining Extremis powers and surviving an execution attempt by Gravik. She becomes a mole within his organization.
4. The Final Confrontation: G'iah (disguised as Fury) delivers The Harvest to Gravik. Both empower themselves with the full cocktail of Avenger DNA, leading to a super-powered duel. G'iah ultimately kills Gravik, ending his insurgency. Meanwhile, the real Fury exposes the Skrull plot to the President and stops the Skrull-Rhodey from launching a nuclear strike on Russia.

The MCU's aftermath is less about a change in power structure and more about a new global conflict.

• Anti-Skrull Hysteria: President Ritson, reacting in fear, declares all extraterrestrials on Earth to be enemy combatants. He signs a bill authorizing the immediate execution of all off-world species, sparking a global witch hunt.
• Human-Skrull War: This declaration effectively starts a new, open war between humans and the now-exposed Skrull population, creating a future conflict for the MCU to explore.
• A Skrull-Kree Alliance: Fury marries a Skrull, Varra (Priscilla), and takes her to the S.A.B.E.R. space station to help broker peace talks between the Skrulls and the Kree, hoping to finally fulfill his original promise of finding the Skrulls a new home.
• Rescued Prisoners: Several individuals are rescued from Skrull stasis pods, including the real Everett Ross and James Rhodes, raising the question of how long they had been replaced.

• Empress Veranke: The religious zealot who orchestrated the entire invasion. She believed it was her sacred duty to conquer Earth. Posing as Spider-Woman, she played a long game, manipulating the heroes from the inside. Her conviction was absolute, making her a formidable and terrifying antagonist.
• Kly'bn: The last of the original Skrull Eternal/Deviant hybrids, worshiped as a god by the modern Skrulls. The prophecies of Kly'bn, which stated “He loves you,” were twisted by Veranke to justify the invasion.
• Super-Skrulls: An army of elite Skrull soldiers imbued with the combined powers of multiple Earth heroes. They formed the vanguard of the invasion force. Unlike the original `Super-Skrull (Kl'rt)`, these new warriors had a diverse range of power sets.
• Crit Noll: The Skrull who replaced Hank Pym. His specific mission was to create a biological weapon out of Janet van Dyne, a task he tragically succeeded in.

• Nick Fury & His Secret Warriors: Having been in hiding since Secret Wars, Fury was the only one who truly understood the threat. He had assembled a new team of super-powered children of heroes and villains (including Daisy Johnson/Quake) to be his secret weapon against the invasion.
• The Avengers (New & Mighty): Despite being fractured by the Civil War, both Avengers teams were on the front lines. Tony Stark's Mighty Avengers were the official, government-sanctioned team, while Luke Cage's New Avengers were the underground resistance. The invasion forced them to work together again.
• Norman Osborn & The Thunderbolts: Seeing the invasion as an opportunity, Osborn led his team of government-controlled villains into the fray. Their brutal efficiency, particularly Bullseye's assassination of a Super-Skrull, was instrumental in turning the tide, but it was all part of Osborn's larger plan for power.

• Gravik: The primary antagonist. A young, charismatic, and utterly ruthless Skrull who lost faith in Fury and Talos. His trauma from the Kree-Skrull War and feeling of abandonment fueled his desire to take Earth for his people by force.
• G'iah: Talos's daughter. Initially a loyal lieutenant to Gravik, she becomes disillusioned with his violent methods. After her father's death, she becomes a Super-Skrull herself and the primary force to oppose him.
• Raava (as James Rhodes): The Skrull who replaced War Machine. She was a high-level infiltrator with direct influence over the President of the United States, showcasing the insurgency's strategic intelligence.

• Nick Fury: The central protagonist. The series frames the invasion as a personal failure for him. He is older, wearier, and lacks his former resources, forcing him to rely on his wits and a small circle of allies rather than a massive organization.
• Talos: The former Skrull general and Fury's closest Skrull friend. He represents a path of peace and integration, acting as a direct ideological foil to Gravik. His death is the emotional turning point of the series.
• Sonya Falsworth: A high-ranking MI6 agent with a complex, adversarial relationship with Fury. She is ruthless and pragmatic, representing a more traditional espionage element in the conflict.

The Earth-616 Secret Invasion was not a sudden event; it was the culmination of years of meticulously laid groundwork that left Earth's heroes vulnerable, divided, and exhausted.

This storyline saw the Scarlet Witch suffer a catastrophic mental breakdown, single-handedly destroying the Avengers. She killed several members, blew up Avengers Mansion, and shattered the team's morale. This act dissolved Earth's most powerful super-team, creating a power vacuum and a sense of instability that the Skrulls would later exploit.

Following her breakdown, a manipulated Scarlet Witch uttered the words “No more mutants,” instantly de-powering over 90% of the mutant population. This “M-Day” event crippled the `X-Men` and the entire mutant race, effectively removing one of the most powerful and numerous groups of superhuman defenders from the board. The Skrulls noted this massive reduction in Earth's defenses as a key factor in their invasion planning.

Arguably the most critical prelude, the superhero Civil War pitted hero against hero over the Superhuman Registration Act. The conflict, led by Iron Man on the pro-registration side and `Captain America` on the anti-registration side, created deep, bitter divisions within the hero community. It fractured lifelong friendships and destroyed the trust that had once been the bedrock of their alliances. This atmosphere of paranoia and infighting was the perfect soil for the Skrulls to plant their seeds of infiltration, as heroes were already conditioned to suspect one another.

The secret society of heroes known as the `Illuminati` (Iron Man, Mister Fantastic, Doctor Strange, Black Bolt, Namor, and Professor X) had previously traveled to the Skrull throneworld to issue a warning, but were captured and experimented on. This gave the Skrulls the biological data needed to bypass their defenses. Years later, when the New Avengers defeated the Hand, their leader Elektra was revealed to be a Skrull upon her death. This was the first, undeniable proof of the infiltration, confirming that the invasion had already begun.

The animated series presented a highly-acclaimed, multi-season adaptation of the Secret Invasion saga. In this version, the infiltration was revealed much earlier, with Captain America being replaced by a Skrull at the end of Season 1. The entire first half of Season 2 revolves around the team slowly realizing the extent of the infiltration, as Skrull agents replace S.H.I.E.L.D. personnel, government officials, and even heroes like Mockingbird. The storyline culminates in a global invasion and a massive battle, staying thematically true to the comics while streamlining the narrative for television.

A one-shot comic from the `What If...?` line explored alternate outcomes. One story asked, “What If the Secret Invasion Remained a Secret?” It depicted a world where the Skrulls won, successfully replacing most of Earth's heroes and leadership, creating a dystopian Skrull-run Earth disguised as a utopia. Another story explored “What if Norman Osborn's forces had lost the final battle?”, showing a scenario where Captain America's side retook control, preventing the Dark Reign but leading to a different set of consequences.

While the main plot of this video game focuses on the Civil War, the epilogue directly teases Secret Invasion. After the main story, Nick Fury is shown discovering Skrull infiltrators within S.H.I.E.L.D., stating that the Civil War was just a distraction and the real war is just beginning. This sets up a potential sequel that would have adapted the invasion storyline.

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