WARNING: The following contains spoilers for The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Finale, “One World, One People,” now streaming on Disney+.
The season finale of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier left fans speculating that Sharon Carter might be a Skrull. Her behavior during the episode often ran counter to her established character, and with the added intrigue of her use of the Photostatic Veil, or Nano Mask, the question of her true identity has dominated fan discussions. That makes it an ideal set-up for Secret Invasion, and while there are many theories on how that upcoming saga might play out, the question of who might be a Skrull has already begun.
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The Marvel Cinematic Universe‘s Skrulls differed from their comic book counterparts in key ways, starting with their status as misunderstood refugees in Captain Marvel. Marvel producer Kevin Feige has intimated that the MCU Skrulls hold many diverse views, suggesting that Secret Invasion may involve new, more sinister Skrulls who perhaps have already infiltrated the MCU. Regardless, fans have already seen some key characters turn out to be Skrulls. In addition, the MCU’s adherence to previous comic book storylines provides some insight as well, both in who antagonistic Skrulls may replace and why they might do so. Here’s a quick rundown of some of the more obvious candidates.
Sharon Carter
Carter’s reveal as the Power Broker at the end of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier raised eyebrows, and the notion of the character going rogue has angered many fans. But the reveal says more about the story in progress than the status of Carter herself, and with the kind of duplicity on display in the Falcon and Winter Soldier season finale, any assumptions about her identity are premature at best. Her status as a Skrull could certainly explain her uncharacteristic behavior, and her position as the Power Broker gives her access to all manner of high-tech weapons: exactly what hostile aliens might need. With her status in the US government restored, she may have access to even more secrets, as well as being able to identify powerful figures for her fellow Skrulls to replace.
Nick Fury and Maria Hill
Fury and his stalwart partner have already been impersonated by Skrulls, as revealed at the end of Spider-Man: Far from Home. However, their motives are benign – the real Fury was apparently just on vacation at the time – and in fact, they turn out to be “good” Skrulls, Talos and Soren, acting at Fury’s behest. It stands to reason that, even if Fury was not aware of a secret invasion, his well-documented paranoia has inoculated him and Hill from possible replacement. With their doppelgangers in place and they themselves free to act from a spaceship in orbit, they constitute the most likely leaders of any counterstrike against the invaders.
Pepper Potts
Pepper is the heir apparent to Tony Stark’s empire, including its vast wealth and the connection to the Avengers, and has become a superhero in her own right with the addition of the Iron Man armor. Furthermore, she’s a figure of absolute trust among the Avengers, and could be privy to a number of strategies and countermoves designed to thwart any alien advance. The Skrulls may need to take her and Stark’s resources out of contention early, and while figures like Happy Hogan might make tempting targets as well, Pepper holds the keys to Tony’s kingdom. From a production standpoint, her involvement could also lead directly to Ironheart and Armor Wars, which are slated to follow Secret Invasion.
Bruce Banner
Theoretically, the Skrulls want to impersonate as many Avengers and other super-powered beings as they can. But if they could only target one, Bruce Banner is an excellent choice. He and Hawkeye remain the only two original Avengers still on the planet, and Banner is exponentially more powerful than the stalwart but still very-human Clint Barton. Impersonating Banner gives the Skrulls access to gamma radiation technology and research into the Infinity Stones – both powerful enough to merit invader control – and he holds high levels of trust amid the movers and shakers of the MCU. His sheer power as the Hulk makes him a big factor in any conflict, and while Captain Marvel may outrank him in that department, he is more or less Terran-based, making him a higher priority than Carol Danvers as far as taking over the Earth goes.
Shuri
Wakanda makes a tempting – and frankly necessary – target for any Skrull invasion of Earth. With technology centuries ahead of the rest of the planet and a population of enlightened warriors led by T’Challa’s heir as the Black Panther, they could likely end any threat to Earth on their own if allowed to act uninhibited. A number of candidates present themselves for replacement, but Shuri, canonically, is the most intelligent human being in the MCU. With an unparalleled ability to create and repair new technology and access to the bulk of the planet’s vibranium, she is best positioned to exploit Wakanda’s resources as a duplicate. And she remains a strong candidate to become Black Panther herself, making her Wakanda’s ruler as well as its most powerful resident.
Thunderbolt Ross
Ross was Secretary of State when last he appeared in the MCU, and while he likely won’t hold that post when he reappears, he will doubtless hold a prominent position in the U.S. government and have access to commiserate resources for the invaders to exploit. But beyond that, his efforts to stop the Hulk and general churlishness towards superheroes means that he may have access to technology specifically designed to destroy powerful figures like the Avengers. In lieu of taking over superheroes themselves, the Skrulls could duplicate Ross and deploy whatever nasty weapons he knows about accordingly.
Stephen Strange
Arguably, the Scarlet Witch may be a more tempting target for the Skrull, owing to her ability to shift reality itself. But her current isolation and near-pariah status limit her usefulness. While he may no longer have the Time Stone, Stephen Strange is still very powerful and definitely the next best magic-user, being the current Sorcerer Supreme. In addition, Strange’s standing in the MCU is relatively high, giving him influence over any number of powerful factions. If Strange himself cannot be taken, then someone near him such as Wong will likely become a target.
Directed by Kari Skogland, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier stars Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Emily VanCamp, Wyatt Russell, Noah Mills, Carl Lumbly and Daniel Brühl. The entire first season is available to stream on Disney+.
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