Secret Invasion is poised to become the most impactful MCU Disney+ series by bringing an end to the era of the Avengers. Although Marvel Studios has revealed very little about the upcoming series, which is slated to release in spring 2023, its title and comic book source material imply that it will be a vital chapter in the ongoing storyline of the MCU. Much like the original 2008 comic book storyline on which Secret Invasion is based, the upcoming Disney+ show may be sowing the seeds for the end of the Avengers as Earth’s Mightiest Heroes are replaced with a newer, far darker team.
The story of the MCU’s Secret Invasion show is inspired by Brian Michael Bendis’ comic book event of the same name, which depicted the Earth under a clandestine Skrull invasion. In both the comics and the show, the shapeshifting aliens are able to infiltrate Earth over the course of many years, gradually replacing key human figures with Skrull imposters. The result is a predictable plethora of betrayals, plot twists, and mistrust as Secret Invasion‘s heroes try to discern if their comrades are really who they say they are. However, the public’s reaction to the Skrull infiltration in Secret Invasion is key, both to the comics and the MCU.
Secret Invasion May Shatter The World’s Trust In The Avengers
Although Phase 4 improved the events of Avengers: Endgame by exploring how the world reacted to the Avengers’ actions in the battle against Thanos, their trust in Earth’s Mightiest Heroes still appears to hang on a thread going into Secret Invasion. Projects like Spider-Man: Far From Home and Ms. Marvel showed that certain Avengers, specifically Iron Man and Black Widow, have been hailed as heroes following their actions in Endgame. However, other projects, including The Falcon and the Winter Soldier imply that the Avengers haven’t been particularly active in the years since the Battle of Earth, which may cause the public’s position on the remaining heroes to sour.
Marvel has been teasing the Skrull invasion in various films and series for years, suggesting that their infiltration of Earth happened on the Avengers’ watch. While the team of superheroes split its time between facing genuine threats and infighting, the Skrulls slowly made their way through their list of targets until they had gained control over the world’s governments. When this news comes to light in Secret Invasion, the world is liable to blame the Avengers for allowing an alien invasion to take place right under their noses. Certain figures may even call for increased govenmental control over the Avengers, reigniting the infamous Sokovia Accords debate.
To make matters worse, certain Avengers will be revealed as Skrull imposters during Secret Invasion. These revelations are a major part of the comic book storyline, in which characters like Hank Pym and Spider-Woman are revealed to have been kidnapped and replaced by Skrulls years ago. If certain notable Avengers like War Machine or Hawkeye are revealed to be Skrulls in Secret Invasion, the public could begin to distrust the superhero team even more. After several very public incidents since their formation, the Avengers are always one public relations nightmare away from losing the world’s trust, and a Skrull infiltration could be the final nail in the team’s coffin.
The Skrull Invasion Sets Up The Avengers’ Replacements
Some theories suggest that Secret Invasion could set up the Thunderbolts in the MCU, as is the case in the comics. During the 2008 comic book event, the Thunderbolts are already in existence, but are considered a lower-tier group of former criminals, supervillains, and antiheroes. However, under the leadership of Norman Osborn, the Thunderbolts capitalize on the opportunity presented to them during the Skrull invasion, making sure to get as much publicity in their fight against the alien attackers as possible. Osborn’s Thunderbolts get the credit for staving off the invasion, leading them to become the predominant superhero team in the Marvel Universe under a new name: the Dark Avengers.
Secret Invasion is changing the MCU’s balance of power in Phase 5, shifting the world’s focus from the Avengers to the Thunderbolts. Both Secret Invasion and Thunderbolts falling into Marvel’s Phase 5 slate is no accident, and the two projects’ connection is difficult to miss. Valentina Allegra de Fontaine has a chance to prove that her team is superior to the Avengers by bringing the Skrull invasion to an end in a very public manner, catapulting the Thunderbolts into the public eye with some truly positive press. No longer enamored with the Avengers, the world would be more than ready to wholeheartedly put their faith in the Thunderbolts instead.
The MCU Has Already Set Up The Avengers’ Redemption
Earth’s Mightiest Heroes can still redeem themselves in the eyes of the world by ending the original team in Avengers: Secret Wars. After years of successes and losses, the Avengers have had a very spotty track record when it comes to protecting the world. While their victory in Endgame gave them the public’s goodwill for quite some time, it clearly won’t last forever. If the Avengers are able to save the universe once more during the events of Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Secret Wars, they may be able to clear their name once more and end the original vision for the team on a high note, preserving its legacy.
In the years that follow Secret Wars, the Avengers can reform as several focused teams, each protecting the world from specific threats. The Multiverse Saga has hinted at several superhero teams already, including the Midnight Sons, Young Avengers, West Coast Avengers, Fantastic Four, and several more. While many of these potential teams appear to be currently unrelated to one another, they could all be a part of a larger Avengers organization that is designed to better protect the world. Divided into separate factions, the superheroes of the MCU stand a better chance of catching threats before it is already too late, preventing catastrophes like the Skrull invasion from happening again.
Luckily for the Avengers, it seems almost certain that the minds behind the Thunderbolts, including Val, don’t have the world’s best interests at heart. If the Thunderbolts do become the Dark Avengers, the public will almost certainly suffer at the hands of the team’s malevolent benefactors, realizing their mistake in trusting this untested team. This gives the Avengers the perfect time they need to reform their ranks into smaller, more pointed factions that can replace the Thunderbolts just in time to keep the world from crumbling under the weight of the next cosmic threat it faces. Having learned their lesson from Secret Invasion, the Avengers will be better than ever.
