Show pageOld revisionsBacklinksBack to top This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong. ====== Secret Invasion ====== ===== Part 1: The Dossier: An At-a-Glance Summary ===== * **Core Identity:** **//Secret Invasion// is a landmark Marvel Comics crossover event revealing a years-long, clandestine infiltration of Earth by the shape-shifting Skrull Empire, culminating in an all-out war that shatters trust among the planet's heroes and villains alike.** * **Key Takeaways:** * **Role in the Universe:** The event serves as the explosive climax to years of simmering paranoia and subtle plot threads seeded throughout various Marvel titles. It fundamentally questions the very identity of heroes and institutions, asking the terrifying question: "Who do you trust?" [[skrulls]]. * **Primary Impact:** Its most significant and lasting consequence was not the defeat of the Skrulls, but the political fallout. The perceived failure of [[iron_man|Tony Stark]] and [[shield|S.H.I.E.L.D.]] led to their dissolution and the shocking rise of [[norman_osborn|Norman Osborn]] to a position of global power, ushering in the fraught era known as the [[dark_reign|Dark Reign]]. * **Key Incarnations:** The Earth-616 comic storyline was a massive, universe-spanning epic involving nearly every active hero and team, built on religious fanaticism. The Marvel Cinematic Universe adaptation is a far more grounded and intimate political thriller focusing on [[nick_fury|Nick Fury]] and a small cell of radicalized Skrull refugees, exploring themes of espionage and broken promises. ===== Part 2: Origin and Evolution ===== ==== Publication History and Creation ==== The //Secret Invasion// storyline was the masterwork of writer Brian Michael Bendis, who had been planting the seeds for the event for several years, most notably within the pages of //New Avengers//. The core eight-issue limited series, which ran from April to December 2008, was illustrated by Leinil Francis Yu, with inks by Mark Morales and colors by Laura Martin. The event was designed as the culmination of a "trilogy" of major Marvel events penned by Bendis, following //House of M// and standing alongside the thematically linked //Civil War// (written by Mark Millar). While //Civil War// tore the hero community apart ideologically, //Secret Invasion// aimed to destroy it from within through paranoia and mistrust. The creative team sought to evoke a sense of post-9/11 anxiety and the classic sci-fi paranoia of films like //Invasion of the Body Snatchers//. The central marketing tagline, "Who Do You Trust?", became a cultural touchstone for comic fans during the event's publication, fueling intense speculation about which major characters had been secretly replaced by Skrull impostors. ==== In-Universe Origin Story ==== The catalyst for the invasion differs drastically between the comic books and the cinematic universe, representing one of the most significant divergences in Marvel lore. === Earth-616 (Prime Comic Universe) === The Skrulls' plan for Earth was born from desperation, prophecy, and revenge. Their woes began when the cosmic entity [[galactus|Galactus]], Devourer of Worlds, consumed the Skrull Throneworld, Tarnax IV. This cataclysmic event shattered their millennia-old empire, scattering the survivors across the galaxy and plunging them into a crisis of faith and identity. In this chaos, a new leader emerged: Princess Veranke of the Tyeranx 7 province. She rose to power by championing a radical interpretation of an ancient Skrull prophecy, which foretold that Earth was destined to become the new Skrull homeworld. Emperor Dorrek VII, viewing her as a dangerous zealot, exiled her. However, following the Throneworld's destruction, Veranke's prophecy became a rallying cry for the desperate Skrull masses, who elevated her to the rank of Queen. Their plan for conquest was deeply rooted in an earlier failure. Years prior, a group of Skrulls had attempted to impersonate the [[fantastic_four|Fantastic Four]], only to be hypnotized by [[reed_richards|Reed Richards]] into believing they were cows. This humiliation taught the Skrulls a harsh lesson: Earth's superhumans were too powerful to be conquered by conventional military force. A new strategy was needed. The opportunity arose from the actions of the [[illuminati]], a secret cabal of Earth's most powerful heroes ([[iron_man|Iron Man]], [[reed_richards|Mister Fantastic]], [[doctor_strange|Doctor Strange]], [[black_bolt|Black Bolt]], [[professor_x|Professor X]], and [[namor|Namor]]). After the Kree-Skrull War, they traveled to the Skrull Empire to issue a warning, but were captured and experimented upon. These experiments gave the Skrulls invaluable genetic data and, crucially, a deep understanding of their biology. Using this knowledge, combined with advanced technology and arcane magic, the Skrulls perfected their shape-shifting abilities, becoming completely undetectable by any known technological, telepathic, or mystical means. They could perfectly replicate not just a person's appearance and powers, but also their memories, thought patterns, and even their scent. With this new power, Queen Veranke initiated a long-term, systematic infiltration. Their strategy was brilliant and insidious: replace key figures within Earth's superhuman and political infrastructure. These sleeper agents would then act to sow discord, weaken defenses, and gather intelligence, paving the way for the final, overwhelming assault. One of Veranke's first and most crucial moves was to replace [[spider-woman|Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew)]], a hero with connections to [[shield|S.H.I.E.L.D.]], [[hydra|Hydra]], and the [[avengers|Avengers]], granting her unparalleled access to Earth's intelligence and defense networks. The "Secret Invasion" had begun years before the first shot was ever fired. === Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) === The MCU's //Secret Invasion// presents a radically different narrative, re-contextualizing the Skrulls not as ancient galactic conquerors, but as a refugee species. First introduced in the 1990s-set film //Captain Marvel//, the Skrulls were victims of a genocidal war with the Kree Empire. A small faction led by Talos found an ally in [[carol_danvers|Carol Danvers]] and [[nick_fury|Nick Fury]], who promised to find them a new homeworld. For the next three decades, this promise went unfulfilled. While Fury and Captain Marvel were occupied with other galactic threats and the Blip, a generation of Skrulls was born and raised on Earth in secret, hidden within human society. A radicalized faction grew, led by a young, charismatic Skrull named Gravik. He felt betrayed and abandoned by Fury, believing that the only way to secure a future for his people was to take Earth for themselves. Unlike the comic version's religious crusade, the MCU invasion is a guerrilla war born from a broken promise and refugee desperation. Gravik's plan was not to replace heroes, but to destabilize human governments by orchestrating false-flag terrorist attacks and framing rival nations, pushing humanity toward a mutually-assured nuclear holocaust. His goal was to make Earth uninhabitable for humans, leaving it for the Skrulls, who are immune to radiation. Gravik established a secret settlement, New Skrullos, in an abandoned Russian nuclear facility and began augmenting his followers with a "Super-Skrull" program, using a machine to grant them the powers of various beings whose DNA had been collected over the years (the "Harvest"). This version of the invasion is less about cosmic scope and more about a tense, ground-level spy thriller, focusing on Fury's personal failures and his race against time to stop a conflict he inadvertently helped create. ===== Part 3: In-Depth Analysis: Timeline, Key Turning Points & Aftermath ===== === Earth-616 (Prime Comic Universe) === The comic event can be broken down into three distinct phases: the long-term infiltration, the open invasion, and the political fallout that reshaped the Marvel Universe. ==== The Infiltration Phase ("The Secret War") ==== This phase spanned years, with Skrull agents subtly manipulating events. * **Elektra as Leader of the Hand:** The first major public sign of the infiltration occurred when the New Avengers discovered that the ninja assassin [[elektra|Elektra]], leader of the Hand, was a Skrull. Her death and reversion to her Skrull form on live television sent a shockwave of paranoia through the hero community. * **Black Bolt as a Herald of War:** The Skrull agent posing as [[black_bolt|Black Bolt]], King of the Inhumans, was instrumental in the Illuminati's decision to exile the [[hulk|Hulk]] into space, an act which led to the devastating //World War Hulk// event. This weakened Earth's heroes significantly right before the invasion. * **Hank Pym as a Technological Saboteur:** A Skrull replaced [[hank_pym|Hank Pym]] (Ant-Man/Yellowjacket) shortly after the //Avengers Disassembled// storyline. He was a key figure in the pro-registration side of //Civil War//, helped create the Initiative training program, and gave Janet Van Dyne ([[wasp|Wasp]]) a new "growth" serum which was actually a biological time bomb. He also placed a virus in the StarkTech network, the backbone of Earth's defense systems. * **Captain Marvel's "Return":** A Skrull sleeper agent, brainwashed to believe he was the deceased Kree hero [[captain_marvel|Mar-Vell]], was "discovered" to create confusion and psychological distress among the hero community, particularly [[iron_man|Tony Stark]]. ==== The Invasion Begins ("The Open War") ==== The full-scale invasion was a coordinated, multi-front assault designed for maximum shock and awe. * **The Savage Land Revelation:** An unregistered ship crash-lands in the Savage Land. When a collection of heroes investigates, the ship opens to reveal a group of superheroes in outdated costumes, each claiming to be the original. A fight breaks out, and during the chaos, the Skrull posing as Hank Pym reveals his true nature and incapacitates [[reed_richards|Reed Richards]]. The invasion has officially begun. * **Technological Takedown:** The Pym-Skrull's virus activates, disabling the entire StarkTech network. This includes Iron Man's armor, the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier, and global defense grids, leaving Earth technologically blind and vulnerable. * **Global Assault:** Massive armies of Super-Skrulls, each possessing a combination of powers from Earth's heroes, launch simultaneous attacks on major strategic locations, including New York City, Wakanda, the Baxter Building, and the S.W.O.R.D. orbital station. ==== Key Turning Points & Climax ==== * **Reed Richards' Discovery:** After being rescued by [[agent_brand|Abigail Brand]] of S.W.O.R.D., Reed Richards develops a device that can force the Skrulls to revert to their true forms. This technology becomes the key to turning the tide. * **Nick Fury's Return:** The original [[nick_fury|Nick Fury]], driven underground since //Secret War//, emerges from the shadows with his own army of "Secret Warriors"—super-powered children of various heroes and villains unknown to the Skrulls. * **The Battle for Central Park:** The final, desperate battle takes place in New York City. The combined forces of the remaining heroes, Fury's Secret Warriors, and even a contingent of super-villains led by Norman Osborn's Thunderbolts, make their last stand against Queen Veranke and her elite guard. * **The Wasp's Sacrifice:** The Skrull-Pym activates the "bomb" he placed within Janet Van Dyne. As she begins to grow into a massive, unstable energy source threatening to consume the city, [[thor|Thor]] is forced to seemingly kill her to contain the blast, a devastating loss for the Avengers. * **Osborn's Kill Shot:** In the final moments, as Queen Veranke (in her Spider-Woman guise) is momentarily distracted, Norman Osborn takes a clear shot with a laser cannon and publicly executes her. This single act instantly transforms him from a notorious super-villain into a global hero. ==== The Aftermath: Dark Reign ==== The consequences were seismic. The public saw Tony Stark's technology fail and S.H.I.E.L.D. prove ineffective. In contrast, they saw Norman Osborn decisively end the threat. In a shocking political move, the President of the United States disbands S.H.I.E.L.D. and hands its authority and resources over to Osborn. * **H.A.M.M.E.R. is formed:** Osborn rebrands S.H.I.E.L.D. into his own paramilitary organization, H.A.M.M.E.R. * **The Dark Avengers:** Osborn forms his own team of "Avengers," consisting of villains disguised as heroes (e.g., [[bullseye|Bullseye]] as Hawkeye, [[venom|Venom (Mac Gargan)]] as Spider-Man), with himself as the leader in the patriotic "Iron Patriot" armor. * **The Cabal:** Behind the scenes, Osborn forms a new, villainous version of the Illuminati called the Cabal, including [[doctor_doom|Doctor Doom]], [[loki|Loki]], [[namor|Namor]], [[emma_frost|Emma Frost]], and [[the_hood|The Hood]]. This new status quo, known as //Dark Reign//, plunged the Marvel Universe into an era where villains were in charge, and the true heroes were fugitives. === Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) === The MCU series follows a more contained, espionage-driven plot. ==== The Conspiracy Phase ==== Gravik's faction operates in the shadows, executing a precise plan to incite a world war. * **False-Flag Attacks:** The Skrulls orchestrate a bombing in Moscow, using the appearances of American extremists to implicate the United States and escalate tensions with Russia. * **Infiltrating Power:** The most significant infiltration is the replacement of [[war_machine|James "Rhodey" Rhodes]], a close confidant of the U.S. President. This gives Gravik direct access to the highest levels of American power. * **The Super-Skrull Project:** Gravik actively gathers DNA samples from various super-powered individuals (including Groot, Cull Obsidian, and Extremis soldiers) to empower himself and his followers, culminating in his quest for the "Harvest"—a vial containing the DNA of all the Avengers who fought in the Battle of Earth. ==== Key Turning Points & Climax ==== * **Maria Hill's Death:** In the chaos of the Moscow bombing, Gravik, disguised as Nick Fury, kills [[maria_hill|Maria Hill]], a devastating personal blow to Fury and a clear statement of intent. * **Talos's Death:** Talos, who advocates for peaceful co-existence with humans, attempts to stop an assassination attempt on U.S. President Ritson. He is stabbed and killed by Gravik, removing the primary voice of moderation from the Skrull resistance. * **The Harvest Gambit:** Fury allows Gravik to believe he has acquired the Harvest. G'iah, Talos's daughter, secretly uses the Super-Skrull machine on herself before Gravik does. When Gravik empowers himself with the Avengers' DNA, he finds that G'iah has done the same. ==== The Aftermath & Unresolved Threads ==== The resolution is more ambiguous than in the comics. * **G'iah vs. Gravik:** Empowered with the abilities of Captain Marvel, Hulk, and more, G'iah fights and kills Gravik, becoming the most powerful Super-Skrull on Earth. * **Global Anti-Alien Hysteria:** President Ritson, having survived the attack, declares all off-world species on Earth to be enemy combatants, sparking a global witch hunt that endangers innocent Skrulls and other aliens. * **A New Alliance:** G'iah forms an alliance with MI6's Sonya Falsworth to protect the remaining Skrulls from human persecution, setting her up as a new power player. * **Future Setups:** The series ends with Fury returning to space with his Skrull wife, Varra, to negotiate a peace treaty with the Kree (leading into //The Marvels//), while the fallout of President Ritson's declaration is poised to impact films like //Captain America: Brave New World//. ===== Part 4: Key Players & Factions ===== ==== The Skrull Empire (Invaders) ==== ^ **Faction Aspect** ^ **Earth-616 (Comics)** ^ **Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)** ^ | **Leadership** | Queen Veranke | Gravik | | **Ideology** | Religious fanaticism based on a prophecy that Earth ("the blue planet") is their promised new homeworld. | Political radicalism born from Fury's broken promise and the desperation of being stateless refugees. | | **Key Agents** | Veranke (as Spider-Woman), Criti Noll (as Hank Pym), Pagon (as Elektra), various Super-Skrulls. | Raava (as James Rhodes), Pagon (as a Russian FSB agent), various unnamed council members. | | **Primary Method** | Long-term deep cover replacement of key heroes to sow discord and cripple defenses from within. | False-flag terrorism and political manipulation to incite a human world war. | | **End Goal** | Total conquest and colonization of Earth. | Make Earth uninhabitable for humans via nuclear fallout, then claim the irradiated planet. | ==== Earth's Defenders ==== ^ **Faction Aspect** ^ **Earth-616 (Comics)** ^ **Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)** ^ | **Primary Protagonists** | The New Avengers ([[luke_cage|Luke Cage]], [[spider-man|Spider-Man]]), the Mighty Avengers ([[iron_man|Iron Man]]), [[nick_fury|Nick Fury]] & his Secret Warriors. | [[nick_fury|Nick Fury]], Talos, G'iah, [[maria_hill|Maria Hill]], Sonya Falsworth. | | **Scale of Resistance** | A massive, united front of nearly every available superhero and super-villain on the planet. | A small, isolated team operating outside of official government channels. The Avengers are notably absent. | | **Key Institutions** | S.H.I.E.L.D. and S.W.O.R.D., both of which are compromised and ultimately fail. | The U.S. Government and MI6, both manipulated and infiltrated by the Skrulls. | | **Defining Moment** | The combined forces making a last stand in Central Park. | Fury's one-on-one confrontation with Gravik, relying on wits and a final gambit with the Harvest. | | **Unlikely Ally** | Norman Osborn and the Thunderbolts, whose involvement was purely opportunistic. | N/A. The conflict remains largely within the spy community. | ===== Part 5: Iconic Moments & Tie-In Storylines ===== === The Savage Land Revelation (Secret Invasion #1) === This is the single moment the "secret" war becomes an open one. The arrival of a spaceship full of "rescued" heroes, including some long-thought dead, creates immediate chaos. The subsequent reveal that one of the ship's occupants is a Skrull, followed swiftly by the crash-landed heroes themselves revealing their Skrull nature, and finally the betrayal by the Hank Pym Skrull, is a masterfully executed sequence of escalating paranoia and terror. It instantly validates every fear the heroes had been harboring and serves as the official declaration of war. === "He Loves You" (Secret Invasion Prologue / New Avengers) === This phrase became the haunting signature of the Skrull infiltration. It was discovered that the Skrulls' final brainwashing technique involved forcing the captive original to accept the imposter, with the agent whispering "He loves you" or "She loves you" as a trigger phrase to unlock all of the host's memories and emotions. Its most chilling use was by the Skrull posing as Edwin Jarvis, the Avengers' loyal butler. When confronted, the Jarvis-Skrull's final words to Maria Hill before being shot were simply, "He loves you." This implied a level of psychological violation that went far beyond mere physical replacement, showing the Skrulls were weaponizing love and trust itself. === The Final Showdown & Osborn's Kill Shot (Secret Invasion #8) === The climax of the entire event is a brilliant subversion of superhero tropes. After an epic battle where heroes from every corner of the universe give their all, the final, decisive blow against the Skrull Queen is not struck by Captain America or Iron Man. It is delivered by Norman Osborn, the Green Goblin, who uses a StarkTech weapon to publicly execute Veranke. This moment is broadcast worldwide. For the average citizen, the story is simple: the heroes faltered, and a former villain saved the world. This single act of brutal pragmatism is what catapults Osborn to power and serves as the perfect, ironic conclusion to an invasion built on deception. The heroes win the battle, but lose the world to a monster of their own making. ===== Part 6: Variants and Alternative Versions ===== * **What If? Secret Invasion (2010):** This one-shot comic explores a timeline where the invasion was a success. It depicts a dark world where Norman Osborn strikes a deal with the Skrulls, allowing them to conquer Earth in exchange for him ruling the planet as their viceroy. The remaining heroes, led by a hardened Nick Fury and a weary Captain America, form a desperate resistance against a Skrull-dominated world. * **The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes (Animated Series):** This critically acclaimed animated series featured a season-long adaptation of //Secret Invasion// that is often cited as one of the best versions of the story. It began with the revelation that Captain America had been replaced by a Skrull for months, a shocking twist that fractured the team. The adaptation masterfully captured the paranoia of the source material while streamlining the plot and focusing on the core Avengers team, building to an epic final confrontation. * **Captain Marvel (2019 Film):** While not an adaptation of the event, the MCU film serves as the essential prequel to its version of //Secret Invasion//. It completely rewrites the Skrulls' backstory, changing them from a villainous empire into sympathetic refugees. This foundational change is the primary reason the subsequent Disney+ series is so thematically and narratively different from its comic book namesake. ===== See Also ===== * [[skrulls]] * [[dark_reign]] * [[norman_osborn]] * [[brian_michael_bendis]] * [[illuminati]] * [[new_avengers]] * [[nick_fury]] * [[queen_veranke]] ===== Notes and Trivia ===== ((The build-up to Secret Invasion was one of the longest and most intricate in modern comics. Clues were dropped in various Bendis-written titles for over four years before the event began.)) ((The question of "When were they replaced?" became a major point of fan debate. Marvel later released //Secret Invasion: The Infiltration//, a trade paperback collecting key issues that showed the moments when characters like Elektra and Black Bolt were abducted and replaced.)) ((Leinil Francis Yu's art style, known for its gritty and heavily-inked look, was specifically chosen to give the event a dark, suspenseful, and grounded visual tone that differed from more traditional, brightly-colored superhero comics.)) ((The phrase "He Loves You" was revealed to be part of the Skrull's religious doctrine. They believed that by perfectly embodying a person, they were showing a form of divine love for that person's existence, a belief that made their infiltration a holy sacrament in their eyes.)) ((In the comic, the Skrull who replaced Hank Pym, Criti Noll, was originally a Skrull chosen to impersonate [[captain_america|Captain America]] for the Skrull's own version of the Avengers. However, he went rogue and was punished, later being given the Pym identity.)) ((The MCU series' use of the "Harvest" is a significant departure. In the comics, the Super-Skrull program was much older, originating with Kl'rt, the first Super-Skrull, who was given the combined powers of the Fantastic Four.)) ((Source Material: //Secret Invasion// #1-8 (2008), //New Avengers// #31-47, //Mighty Avengers// #7-20.))