Is Secret Invasion’s super Skrull teasing the Fantastic Four?

Perhaps probably the most thrilling a part of this week’s episode of Secret Invasion is the formal reveal of the large unhealthy plan of our large unhealthy unhealthy man, Gravik the rebellious Skrull common. We already knew he was gunning for a Skrull takeover of Earth, however now we all know precisely how he needs to make use of his mysterious science machine to do it.

[Ed. note: This piece contains spoilers for Secret Invasion episode 3, “Betrayed.”]

Picture: Marvel Studios

Should you’re conversant in Skrull strategies from Marvel comics or video video games, you in all probability noticed this coming. It’s a easy equation: How do you make the Skrulls scarier? Give ’em superpowers.

The Tremendous-Skrull started as a singular Marvel Comics villain, created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in 1963, who possessed all of the powers of a Skrull and the Unbelievable 4 concurrently (shape-shifting, stretching, rocky pores and skin, pyrokinesis, and invisibility). However in latter-day Marvel Comics, the idea has developed to incorporate an entire class of Skrull spies who’re engineered to masquerade as superheroes. So, if you happen to hear somebody referring to “tremendous Skrulls,” they imply Skrulls which have copied the powers of Earth’s heroes. In the event that they’re speaking about “the Tremendous-Skrull,” they imply the particular Skrull villain with the powers of the Unbelievable 4.

Gravik’s plan is to introduce the MCU’s first tremendous Skrulls proper when Earth’s nations are occupied in a world struggle, and safe Skrull energy over humanity on the planet. And it appears fairly probably he’ll be giving himself the superpower remedy first.

So Gravik is the Tremendous-Skrull?

Look, we don’t know for certain. However what’s Nick Fury going to do about a military of tremendous Skrulls, name within the Avengers? The entire level of Secret Invasion is that the Avengers don’t actually exist proper now.

However one superpowered Skrull? That appears extra like a match. Secret Invasion’s large unhealthy seems to be the Tremendous-Skrull.

So is Secret Invasion laying observe for the Unbelievable 4?

Picture: Marvel Studios

Nominally, sorta? After years of licensing woes, Marvel Studios is lastly ramping up a Unbelievable 4 movie set throughout the MCU. It’s anticipated to start precept images this coming January and hit theaters in Might 2025 (although the studio has not but launched any casting data). Seeding Unbelievable 4 villains — just like the Tremendous-Skrull and Namor the Submariner — in present movies is strictly the form of connective tissue that made the Marvel Cinematic Universe such an object of curiosity for over a decade. Ooh, that’s from this different comedian, that’s going to be essential later!

But it surely’s additionally the form of connective tissue that the setting has sorely lacked for the reason that shut of Avengers: Endgame. It’s not that the MCU hasn’t tried — Secret Invasion itself is selecting up threads from Infinity Struggle and Spider-Man: Far From House. But it surely’s telling that these threads have been left dangling in movies considerably within the rearview mirror. The connection is there in a purely narrative sense. The urgency and emotional heft are usually not. And that describes plenty of the MCU as of late.

In 2022, Ms. Marvel revealed that the MCU’s Kamala Khan is a mutant. But it surely’s been practically a yr and the studio hasn’t even introduced an X-Males undertaking. The earliest an X-Males film might doubtlessly hit theaters could be 2026 or later. By the point Unbelievable 4 rolls round — that’s, if Marvel Studios doesn’t choose to delay it additional in response to Hollywood strikes or price discount — Secret Invasion’s Tremendous-Skrull might be two years within the rearview.

So, is Secret Invasion laying observe for Unbelievable 4? It feels odd to say “Hopefully not.” Hopefully, the manufacturing simply made the plain alternative about the right way to elevate the stakes for the MCU’s Skrulls. In any case, what’s scarier than a Skrull that may look and discuss like anybody? A Skrull who can look and discuss like anybody, and completely replicate their superpowers!

It doesn’t clear up Marvel Studios’ trendy points with spreading connective tissue rice-paper skinny, however it simply goes to point out what we’ve recognized for years: The Unbelievable 4’s villains are constructed higher. And there’s no disgrace in utilizing them.